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Uttar Pradesh: Missionary school teacher and principal booked for objecting to a pupil’s tilak, cutting his Sanatan braid

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Missionary school teacher and principal booked for objecting to a pupil’s tilak, cutting his Sanatan braid

On 2nd May, a police complaint was filed against a Missionary school in Baliya, Uttar Pradesh after it took objection over the tilak worn and adored by a Hindu student. The parents of the student filed a complaint against the teacher and the Principal of the school who raised objections over the Hindu tilak and long hair tie maintained by the student as a part of the Hindu religion.

The name of the school principal is Sister Mercy Das. The complaint raises suspicion of religious conversion being hatched inside the school. An FIR has been registered by the police and an investigation has been launched.

This case is of Rasra police station area of ​​Ballia. The school St. Mary’s in the Mariampur Raghopur area here is believed to be operated by Christian missionaries. Complainant Vivekananda Singh’s son Prabhakar is a class 4 student in the same school. He keeps the braid in conformity with the Sanatan tradition. Prabhakar’s mother applies a tilak on her son’s forehead and sends him to school. On 2nd May the class teacher who saw Prabhakar wearing a tilak and a braid objected and expressed anger over his attire.

Vivekananda alleges that the class teacher scolded his child for keeping braids. He said, “It is strictly prohibited to come here with extended hair and tilak.” It is alleged that after this the class teacher cut Prabhakar’s braid with scissors. When the child’s mother came to know about this, she went to the school to complain. It is alleged that not only the class teacher but also the principal misbehaved with the child’s mother. Both of them said, “Do whatever you want.” OpIndia has the complaint copy.

In the complaint, the victim’s father stated that the principal and class teacher had also threatened the child over the issue. The victim’s father Vivekananda has accused St. Mary’s School of insulting Hindu religion. He has also expressed suspicion of forcing students to convert their religion. On Saturday (May 4, 2024), the police registered an FIR against the principal and class teacher in this case. Action has been taken against both of them under sections 295-A, 504 and 506 of IPC. Ballia Police has started investigating the case.

West Bengal: Irtiqua Sakib stabs wife inside café in Kolkata, chases and finally kills her on road

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Irtiqua Sakib stabs wife inside café in Kolkata, chases and finally kills her on road

On Monday (6th May) evening, a 22-year-old woman named Aribah Iqbal was repeatedly stabbed by her estranged husband Irtiqua Sakib, firstly inside a cafe in the Beck Bagan area in West Bengal’s Kolkata, and subsequently on the road outside, causing her to flee screaming for help.

Reports say that locals grabbed the accused and turned him over to the police. The woman was brought to SSKM Hospital and declared dead upon arrival. The 29-year-old husband was earlier arrested on wife Aribah Iqbal’s complaint and later released on bond, Times of India reported.

Witnesses reported that Irtiqua struck Aribah, a resident of Topsia’s Kohinoor Market area, with a sharp weapon when they were having a heated argument inside the cafe on Nasiruddin Road. Aribah fled, heavily bleeding from her head injury, only to be pursued and brutally stabbed from behind on the road. Meanwhile, locals captured Irtiqua, disarmed him, and thrashed him. Soon after, Karaya Police arrived and arrested the accused.

The accused had called his estranged wife to the cafe for ‘settlement’. The victim had earlier filed a case of domestic abuse against Irtiqua Sakib. It remains unclear if he wanted the victim to withdraw that case or reconcile with her. Meanwhile, the victim’s family was informed about the incident and a murder case was registered against the accused. The police have recovered the murder weapon from the spot. Accused Irtiqua Sakib told the police that he turned infuriated because his wife refused to listen to him. This was why he stabbed her.

Congress leader threatens Somaiya Trust after they fire pro-Hamas principal, says they will face consequence after his party ‘comes to power in Oct 2024’

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader threatens Somaiya Trust after they fire pro-Hamas principal, says they will face consequence after his party ‘comes to power in Oct 2024’

Mathew Antony, a Congress member, threatened Somaiya Trust with “consequences” after they fired Somaiya School principal Parveen Shaikh after OpIndia published an expose on Shaikh’s unflinching support for Hamas, usual Hindu haters including Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, and 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots mastermind Umar Khalid among others.

“Once MVA comes to power in 2024 October in Maharashtra, Somaiya School will face consequences for this. I have spoken to Parveen Sheikh & have requested the Somaiya Management to stay away from the political trap of taking sides than maintaining neutrality. Seems like they have taken sides with the fundamentalists or their threats,” Antony tweeted along with the statement issued by Somaiya Trust.

Congress member Mathew Antony threatens Somaiya Trust for sacking Parveen Shaikh

Earlier today, Somaiya Trust issued a statement announcing the sacking of Parveen Shaikh. In its statement, the Trust said, “Recently, it has come to our attention that the personal social media activities of Ms Parveen Shaikh, who holds a leadership position at The Somaiya School, have been starkly misaligned with the values we cherish.”

“Given the gravity of these concerns, and after careful consideration, the management has discontinued Ms Parveen Shaikh’s association with Somaiya Vidyavihar to ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised,” the statement released by Somaiya Trust further said.

Parveen Sheikh liked posts supporting Hamas terrorist Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s ‘resistance’ against Israel, and posts propagating anti-Ram Mandir views

On the 24th of April, OpIndia published a report that tracked the Islamist views of the principal and her leaning towards anti-Indian elements on social media. She frequently likes Hamas pronouncements endorsing their ‘resistance’ against Israel along with those supporting its senior leadership such as terrorist Ismail Haniyeh. She strikes as an ardent advocate of Hamas who rationalizes all the atrocities it commits as ‘resistance’ or ‘retaliation.’

Parveen Shaikh has an extensive record of “liking” tweets that echo her views. She also supports radicals such as Islamist preacher Zakir Naik and Umar Khalid, the mastermind of the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. She also likes tweets holding Hindus liable for fundamentalist attacks on their sacred procession. Furthermore, Shaikh enjoys dehumanising Hindus by portraying them as beggars in front of Arab countries and is opposed to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.

Moreover, one of the X posts, Shaikh alleged that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan “sold his soul to the devil” since he had requested that the Indian government reject any attempts by outsiders to meddle in domestic matters.

On the 12th of April, Shaikh liked a post by anti-semite and fake news peddler Jackson Hinkle which hailed the children and grandchildren of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh – who were neutralised by Israel for being Hamas terrorists. He called their death ‘martyrdom’, thereby revealing that he believes Hamas is ordained by Allah to heap atrocities against Jews.

Noida: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s son caught on camera assaulting a Petrol pump staff, father also booked for threatening employees

OpIndia Staff
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Noida: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s son caught on camera assaulting a Petrol pump staff, father also booked for threatening employees

On Tuesday (7th May), Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan and his son were booked for assaulting and threatening the staff of a petrol pump in Noida Sector-95. The case has been filed against father-son-duo based on the CCTV footage from the fuel station. In the CCTV footage, the AAP MLA’s son is seen physically assaulting the staff of the petrol pump.

As per reports, his son wanted to jump the queue, which led to a heated altercation, following which he assaulted the employee. Later, his father, Amanatullah Khan arrived at the scene and it is alleged that he threatened the Petrol pump staff.  

According to Vinod Pratap Singh, the complainant in this case, the MLA’s son assaulted them because he insisted on refuelling his car first. 

Later, Amanatullah Khan arrived at the fuel station. He can also be seen in the CCTV footage speaking to some Policemen. But it is being claimed that he issued threats to the Petrol pump employee.  

Based on Singh’s complaint, the Noida Police filed an FIR against the father-son duo under IPC Sections 323, 504, 506, and 427.

Regarding the incident, Noida DCP Manish Kumar Mishra said, “Amanatullah Khan’s son wanted to break the queue and forcefully get petrol at the fuel station. He physically assaulted and threatened the fuel station’s staff. Later, MLA Amanatullah Khan himself reached there and he also threatened the petrol pump employees. A case has been registered and action is being taken.” 

This is however not the first time when Amanatullah Khan’s son has been accused of assaulting someone. Earlier, his son, Anas Khan, was accused of assaulting and abusing a doctor. 

Notably, on 27th March this year, Anas Khan along with his accomplices, including his maternal uncle, assaulted and abused a doctor Suheb Arif over a minor road issue. Dr Suheb Arif is a Senior Resident Doctor of JNMC at the Aligarh Muslim University. He suffered multiple injuries in this attack and was taken to hospital. The Resident Doctors’ Association in the JNMC wrote to the station house officer of the Civil Lines Police Station Aligarh asking him to take action against accused Anas Khan in this case.

Meanwhile, Amanatullah Khan himself is facing the probing agencies’ scrutiny in a money laundering case. Last month, he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case pertaining to irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board during his chairmanship. 

The AAP MLA from Delhi’s Okhla was questioned by the ED for over 13 hours. In his defence, he had claimed that he followed the rules when he was the chairman of the Waqf Board and did everything after taking legal advice. 

Boycott of Israel, Sharia compliant ‘pension for Muslims’ and more: Read how Muslim vote bank is now dictating UK politics

OpIndia Staff
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Boycott of Israel, Sharia compliant ‘pension for Muslims’ and more: Read how Muslim vote bank is now dictating UK politics

Amidst the raging Israel-Hamas war, Muslim vote bank politics has intensified in the United Kingdom. An Islamist umbrella outfit named the “Muslim vote” group has asked the UK’s principal opposition party, the Labour Party, to apologise to the Muslim community for their stance on the Middle East crisis. The group has threatened to “punish” those MPs who didn’t back a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, that is, those who didn’t put pressure on Israel to stop its retaliation in response to the 7th October 2023 Hamas terror attack. Strikingly, the Islamists supported the 7th October attack and to date continue to defend it as “resistance”. 

Additionally, the Muslim vote group has asked Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition, to accept their 18 demands if they want to win back Muslim voters lost because of their stance on Israel’s attack on Gaza. These controversial demands include ending Britain’s military ties with Israel, recognising the state of Palestine, Sharia-compliant pensions for Muslims, and depositing 7% of local government pension scheme/public sector pensions to Islamic funds among others. 

Incidentally, the Islamist umbrella outfit issued this list after Starmer promised to win back the trust of voters who felt he didn’t support Palestine enough. His remarks are seen as an outreach by the Labour Party to Muslims as its 12 candidates lost councillors election to Independents or other party’s Pro-Palestine individuals. As per The Daily Mail, more than 40 pro-Palestinian candidates won seats as councillors in England, alluding to the fact that Muslim vote bank politics and the Gaza issue have started to dictate the UK’s politics. Mayors of several cities and towns in the United Kingdom are Muslims.

‘Muslim Vote’ bank on the recent success of Muslim Councillors who ran on Pro-Palestine issue

The ‘Muslim vote’ which is supported by several controversial organisations, submitted a list of 18 demands to Keir Starmer asserting that if the demands are not met, its supporters (Muslims) would vote for the Greens or Liberal Democrat Party. 

Here is the list of all the 18 demands that have been issued –

1. Labour Party should apologise for their comments greenlighting a so-called genocide and for not backing the ceasefire in Oct/Nov 2023. 

2. Put sanctions on companies that operate in “occupied territories”, and sanctions on “settlers”, terms used in the Islamic world for Israeli citizens living in these territories in the West Bank

3. Recognise Palestine as a state

4. Put a travel ban on all Israeli politicians who prosecuted this war and supported the “illegal occupation”

5. End the UK’s military ties with Israel

6. Give directives that Muslims are allowed to pray at school

7. Implement findings of people’s review of Prevent — not Shawcross

8. Remove the definition of “extremism” that UK’s Minister Michael Gove introduced

9. Commit to full implementation of the Royal Charter regarding media regulation

10. Adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia

11. Commit to a review of public sector equality duty

12. Increase council and public health funding for the 10% most deprived areas in the country

13. Deliver alternative student finance

14. Ensure Sharia-compliant pensions are available at every workplace

15. Ensure insurance rates don’t cost more for someone called “Muhammad”

16. Commit 7% of the local government pension scheme/public sector pensions to ethical and Islamic funds

17. Oppose the BDS [ Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ] bill and remove the law. This law puts a ban on anti-Israel protests that call for BDS which is an acronym voicing for reducing financial ties with Israel

18. Remove the archaic “spiritual influence” offence from the statute

The development comes immediately after dozens of council candidates defeated the UK’s top two parties Labour and Conservatives by campaigning on the issue of Gaza. Some of these councillors wore badges with the colours of the Palestinian flag, and others said their victories were for the people of Gaza. These councillor elections have prompted Starmer to woo Muslim voters and bring them back, at any cost. 

Earlier, Starmer’s leadership faced a major jolt in November, last year, as ten of his top team members quit alleging that he didn’t call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

It is pertinent to note that the majority of the recently elected Councillors who campaigned on the issue of Gaza belong to the Muslim faith and they have been controversial for their antisemitic stance and supporting Islamists. 

One of the councillors is Mothin Ali who won in Leeds on the Green Party ticket. After getting elected, he raised slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ and gave a Pro-Palestine speech, the video of which went viral on social media. Earlier, on 7th October 2023, the day when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, he stated that Palestinians had the right to “fight back”. While the Green Party had said that they would investigate his comments and did not support violence, he has now been elected on the Green Party’s ticket on Pro-Palestine issues.

Similarly, a video of Tiger Patel went viral after he won as an independent in Blackburn, Lancashire. In the viral video, the former Conservative councillor Patel wore a keffiyeh, the scarf symbolic of Palestine, and dedicated his victory to the people of Palestine. As per reports, he was earlier suspended from the conservative party after he made inappropriate anti-Israel remarks at a march last year, a charge which he denies.

Who controls the ‘Muslim Vote’ and entities within it

The Muslim Vote describes itself as a “broad community campaign” and “loose collective” but does not name individual leaders, nor its source of funding, on its website, leaving concerns for British people that someone else might be pulling their strings. 

According to the Islamist outfit, it is supported by two dozen organisations including mend [Muslim Engagement & Development]. In March, UK’s Communities Minister, Michael Gove named mend and four other groups that could likely be categorised as Extremist outfits as they violate the definition of extremism as per his new bill. Defending itself, the mend said that it is an organisation that “absolutely does not fit any extremism definition that is at all fair”.

Another supporter of the Muslim Vote is the Muslim Association of Britain which was also named by Gove as falling in the category of ‘Extremist outfit’ while the group has rejected this categorisation. Other supporters of Muslim Vote include Prevent Watch, which opposes the government’s counter-extremism strategy. 

Nonetheless, the Muslim Vote said it was focused on seats where the Muslim vote can influence the outcome.

Muslim vote and Gaza issue to redefine politics as well as narrative in the UK

Top leaders of the ruling Conservative Party (Tories) expressed concerns that the councillor elections might lead to town halls being filled with discussions about foreign affairs instead of focusing on local services. 

Ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said, “People are entitled to their views, but foreign affairs is a matter for the House of Commons, not local councils. This is a consequence of the Left’s attempt to segment society and create a coalition of minorities rather than a unified whole. This is very divisive for the country at large.” 

He added, “I find it disturbing when you have people standing for election not because they care about making a contribution to building a better Britain, but because they are more interested in events overseas.” 

Tory candidate and UK PM’s Former chief of staff Nick Timothy said, “It worries people when politicians shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ about a foreign war in a British local election meant for deciding who picks up the bins.”

Pertinent to note that these local elections were the first time that more than 40 pro-Palestine candidates won councillors elections, especially in regions like the North West with a sizeable Muslim population. This has made some people worry that British politics is getting more divided, reported the Daily Mail.

Apart from the ruling conservative party, the Muslim Vote has led to a cause for concern for the leftist Labour Party as well. In the past, it courted controversies for going soft/whitewashing issues like Islamic extremism/terrorism, Grooming gangs, anti-Semitism, anti-India/anti-Hindu remarks, illegal immigration, pandering to Muslim minorities, and not cracking down on street violence in the garb of politics of so-called Liberal, secular, and pluralistic values. 

However, the victories of dozens of controversial Pro-Palestine candidates as Independent and on other party tickets have emboldened the “Muslim vote” group to not just issue 18 demands but also ask the principal opposition, which is predicted to be ahead in the opinion polls, to issue a public apology.

The Muslim population has grown in Britain and as per the figures released by the Office of National Statistics, more than 3.9 million people in Britain identified as Muslim last year.

OpIndia impact: Somaiya School sacks Parveen Shaikh as principal over pro-Hamas, pro-Zakir Naik views. Read Trust statement

OpIndia Staff
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OpIndia impact: Somaiya School sacks Parveen Shaikh as principal over pro-Hamas, pro-Zakir Naik views. Read Trust statement

Mumbai-based Somaiya Trust on Tuesday (May 7) sacked Ms Parveen Shaikh as Somaiya School principal, weeks after OpIndia published an exposé on Shaikh’s unflinching support for Hamas, usual Hindu haters including Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, and 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots mastermind Umar Khalid among others.

In a statement issued by Somaiya Trust, the prestigious Mumbai-based school said, “Recently, it has come to our attention that the personal social media activities of Ms Parveen Shaikh, who holds a leadership position at The Somaiya School, have been starkly misaligned with the values we cherish.”

“Given the gravity of these concerns, and after careful consideration, the management has discontinued Ms Parveen Shaikh’s association with Somaiya Vidyavihar to ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised,” the statement released by Somaiya Trust said.

Parveen Shaikh was fired as principal, a statement released by Somaiya School said

The statement added, “Somaiya Vidyavihar remains dedicated to providing a nurturing educational environment that honours and respects all cultures and beliefs, contributing positively to society and our nation.”

Emphasising the importance of safeguarding gullible young children, the statement said, “We believe it is crucial to safeguard the impressionable minds of our youth and ensure that they are nurtured in an environment that upholds the highest standards of integrity and inclusivity.”

Parveen Sheikh liked posts supporting Hamas terrorist Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s ‘resistance’ against Israel, and posts propagating anti-Ram Mandir views

On the 24th of April, OpIndia published a report that tracked the Islamist views of the principal and her leaning towards anti-Indian elements on social media. She frequently liked Hamas pronouncements endorsing their ‘resistance’ against Israel along with those supporting its senior leadership such as terrorist Ismail Haniyeh. She struck as an ardent advocate of Hamas who rationalized all the atrocities it commits as ‘resistance’ or ‘retaliation.’

Parveen Shaikh has an extensive record of “liking” tweets that echo her views. She also supports radicals such as Islamist preacher Zakir Naik and Umar Khalid, the mastermind of the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. She also likes tweets holding Hindus liable for fundamentalist attacks on their sacred procession. Furthermore, Shaikh enjoys dehumanising Hindus by portraying them as beggars in front of Arab countries and is opposed to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.

Moreover, one of the X posts, Shaikh alleged that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan “sold his soul to the devil” since he had requested that the Indian government reject any attempts by outsiders to meddle in domestic matters.

On the 12th of April, Shaikh liked a post by anti-semite and fake news peddler Jackson Hinkle which hailed the children and grandchildren of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh – who were neutralised by Israel for being Hamas terrorists. He called their death ‘martyrdom’, thereby revealing that he believes Hamas is ordained by Allah to heap atrocities against Jews.

As the OpIndia report sparked an outrage, Somaiya Trust took cognizance of the matter and said: “We were unaware of the sentiments expressed until it was brought to our notice today. We do not agree with such sentiments. It is certainly concerning. We are looking into the matter.”

Now that the Trust has asked Parveen Shaikh to resign, the media ecosystem has taken it upon itself to downplay and whitewash Shaikh’s terror-sympathising views and garner public sympathy for her.

Pro-Palestine protests now spread to Europe’s Universities and so does the crackdown, Dutch police breaks up pro-Palestinian camp at Amsterdam University 

OpIndia Staff
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Pro-Palestine protests now spread to Europe’s Universities and so does the crackdown, Dutch police breaks up pro-Palestinian camp at Amsterdam University 

During early hours of Tuesday, May 7, Dutch Police bulldozed barricades and detained around 125 people in Amsterdam University from a pro-Palestinian camp. The action was accompanied with some violent clashes between the authorities and the protesters. The police action followed after requests from the University of Amsterdam and the Mayor of the city for the protesters to leave the campus were ignored. The protesters were demanding that the University severe all its ties with Israel.

However, later, all but four demonstrators were released. The four were being kept longer on charges of public violence and insulting an officer. According to a police spokesperson, one police officer suffered hearing damage and it is still unclear how many other people may have been injured.

Protests in Universities in support of Palestine and against Israel have become common place in USA during the past few weeks, but now they are taking place in Europe as well.

On same day as Amsterdam University protests, German police broke up a protest by several hundred pro-Palestinian activists who had occupied a courtyard at Berlin’s Free University. The protesters had reportedly put up about 20 tents, covered their faces with medical masks, and draped kufiyah scarves around their heads, shouting slogans such as “Viva, viva Palestina.”

Netherlands and Germany aren’t the only European countries battling these pro-Palestine protests. Last week, police in Paris entered France’s prestigious Sciences Po University and removed protesters who had occupied its buildings.

Maharashtra: Aqdas Chandu rapes, tortures a 12-year-old girl in Kalyan Mosque, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Aqdas Chandu rapes, tortures a 12-year-old girl in Kalyan Mosque, arrested

A novel report of a young girl being raped in a mosque in the Kalyan district, a satellite town of Mumbai, the state capital of Maharashtra, emerged on 6th May 2024. As per the reports, the rape is said to have happened in the mosque when the victim entered the Mosque premise to drink water. The accused person has been identified as Aqdas Chandu who has been taken into custody by the police.

The incident happened in the Kalyan area of the Bazarpeth police station, according to media reports. The victim 12-year-old girl who resides in the locality, had gone to some store to purchase a cake. While on the move, she stopped at a local mosque to get some water because she was thirsty. It is then that the nearby fruit seller accused Aqdas Chandu entered the Mosque and raped the girl.

Aqdas gagged the girl and forcefully hugged her from behind before brutally raping her. Following that, he dragged the girl into the mosque’s restroom against her will where he raped her. Reportedly, Aqdas Chandu fled the scene as the victim began to scream for help. The victim got back home eventually and told her family everything that happened.

The girl’s family members have lodged an FIR against Aqdas Chandu at Bazarpeth police station. It has also been mentioned in the complaint that the accused had raped the victim a year ago also. The police are investigating the matter.

Police have registered a case against Aqdas under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act. The accused has been arrested. Aqdas Chandu, who lives in the market area is a fruit seller. The victim was very scared by this incident. Her medical examination and counselling are being done.

Crackdown on the last Hamas stronghold in Gaza: Israel takes control of Rafah Crossing, launches precise counter-terrorism operation against Hamas

OpIndia Staff
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Crackdown on the last Hamas stronghold in Gaza: Israel takes control of Rafah Crossing, launches precise counter-terrorism operation against Hamas

On Tuesday (7th May), the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) took control of the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, pushing into the southern Gazan town.

Taking to X, the IDF informed about the operation and said, “A precise counter-terrorism operation to eliminate Hamas terrorists and infrastructure within specific areas of eastern Rafah began overnight, based on intelligence.”

Israeli tanks near Rafah crossing (Image: IDF)

“IDF troops managed to establish operational control of the Gazan side of the crossing following intelligence that the Rafah Crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes. This is after mortars were fired from the area of the Rafah Crossing toward the area of the Kerem Shalom Crossing which killed 4 IDF soldiers and injured several others,” it added.

The IDF says that between 5,000 and 8,000 Hamas terrorists stay in the southern city, which it deems the Palestinian Islamist terrorist group Hamas’s last stronghold. The military operation came as Israel found that Hamas has four battalions in Rafah and that many senior Hamas terrorists could be hiding there.

Wael Abu Omar,  a spokesperson of the Palestinian Crossings Authority said that the IDF has seized the Rafah crossing and closed it for now.

The present IDF offensive in Rafah is a “limited operation,” according to an Israeli official. “It is being implemented to pressure Hamas” to accept a deal. This is not the large-scale Rafah operation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently pledged to take out, according to CNN.

Building destroyed after Israeli strike in Rafah (Image: AP)

Multiple explosions were reported in the Rafah area of southern Gaza on Monday night, May 6, according to CNN. This comes hours after Israel said that Hamas’ ceasefire proposal is far from meeting its core demands. As per the report, several local social media accounts reported that the explosions were heard to the east of Rafah, an area where the Israel Defense Forces had called for an evacuation of civilians earlier on Monday.

Meanwhile, the United States has said that it cannot support an operation in Rafah the way it is envisioned as of now. “We’ve made quite clear our position on Rafah for some time, which is that we cannot support an operation in Rafah as it is currently envisioned. We have made clear – the Secretary made this clear in his conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli Government last week – that we have not seen a humanitarian plan that is credible and that is implementable,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press briefing on Monday (local time).

Clarifying the US’ stance on Israel’s ground offensive in Rafah, Miller said that it would not only increase the suffering of Palestinians but also disrupt aid delivery.

“We believe a military operation in Rafah right now would dramatically increase the suffering of the Palestinian people, would lead to an increase in the loss of civilian life, and would dramatically disrupt the delivery of humanitarian assistance, all of which is coming through – I shouldn’t say “all,” but the great majority of which is coming through Kerem Shalom or Rafah and is being distributed inside the Rafah area,” the State Department spokesperson said.

Israel has been under pressure from the international community to refrain from launching a ground operation in Rafah, which has for weeks been under Israeli aerial bombardment. The city is the last major refuge of Hamas in Gaza.

(With inputs from ANI)

Lalu Prasad Yadav comes in support of Muslim quota in reservations, issues clarification after PM Modi’s ‘minority appeasement’ swipe at the opposition

OpIndia Staff
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Lalu Prasad Yadav comes in support of Muslim quota in reservations, issues clarification after PM Modi’s ‘minority appeasement’ swipe at the opposition

Lalu Prasad, the former Chief Minister of Bihar and leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), sparked controversy by advocating for a “complete” reservation for Muslims. This stance drew criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his former ally, the JD(U).

Addressing the media in Patna, Lalu Yadav accused the ruling BJP of aiming to abolish reservations by dismantling the Constitution. “Muslims should receive full reservation… They (BJP) aim to dismantle the Constitution and democratic fabric of our nation,” asserted the RJD leader.

Amidst the political uproar sparked by his comments, Lalu Yadav released a video message to clarify that reservation should be based on social backwardness rather than religion.

The statement from the former Chief Minister of Bihar has injected a new perspective into the reservation discourse, intensifying the ongoing debate between the BJP and the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP seized upon Lalu Yadav’s comments to accuse the Opposition of being solely focused on “appeasement” without a broader vision.

PM Modi trains guns on opposition over Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Muslim quota in reservation remarks

Hours after the Bihar leader’s statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigning in Madhya Pradesh, seized upon it to criticize the opposition. “They (Opposition) can’t see beyond appeasement. If given the chance, they would even infringe upon your basic rights,” PM Modi asserted.

Referring to Lalu Prasad as a leader accused in the fodder scam and currently out on bail, the Prime Minister highlighted his advocacy for reservations for Muslims. “He (Lalu Prasad) suggests granting reservations to Muslims, implying they should receive the same benefits as SCs/STs and OBCs,” PM Modi remarked.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi interpreted Lalu Yadav’s remarks as indicating that the INDIA bloc if elected, would amend the fundamental structure of the Constitution to provide reservations to Muslims. “The term ‘pura ka pura’ (complete) used by him in his statement is significant. It suggests their intention to allocate reservations to Muslims at the expense of SCs, STs, and OBCs,” Trivedi stated during a press conference.

He further commented, “This also underscores that, for the RJD, Muslims take precedence over Yadavs.”

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