On Friday (26th January), UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a statement to reveal that Israel has accused several UNRWA staff members of being involved in the 7th October terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. The agency has terminated the contract of these employees and launched an investigation into this case.
Philippe Lazzarini said in the statement, “The Israeli Authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7. To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have decided to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation to establish the truth without delay. Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.”
He added, “UNRWA reiterates its condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the abhorrent attacks of 7th October and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all Israeli hostages and their safe return to their families.”
The UNRWA Commissioner-General further said in his statement, “These shocking allegations come as more than 2 million people in Gaza depend on lifesaving assistance that the Agency has been providing since the war began. Anyone who betrays the fundamental values of the United Nations also betrays those whom we serve in Gaza, across the region and elsewhere around the world.”
What is UNRWA
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1949. Its primary mission is to offer humanitarian aid and protection to registered Palestine refugees within its designated operational area. UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
UNRWA facilitates the realisation of the full potential in human development for Palestine refugees by delivering high-quality services in education, healthcare, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and enhancement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. The agency relies heavily on voluntary contributions for its funding.
Israel has provided information to the agency that its employees were involved in conspiring the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7th October 2023. In response to the allegations, the UNRWA has terminated the employees and launched an investigation. The Israel-Hamas conflict started after this terrorist attack. Israel is in an the middle of a war against Hamas following the terrorist attack.
October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel
On 7th October, Hamas terrorists launched an all-out attack on Israel from sea, land, and air. At least 5,000 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza and tunnels were used to breach the Israeli territory and butcher Israeli civilians, particularly in the border villages. A music festival hosting more than 200 people was turned into a slaughter ground with many women raped, mutilated and abducted to Gaza. At least 1,300 people, including some foreign nationals, babies, women and senior citizens died in the attacks. More than 200 were abducted and taken to Gaza.
The controversy between the Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench order and division bench decision has now been taken up by the Supreme Court as the top court took suo moto cognisance on the issue.
A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will hear the matter in a special sitting on January 27. Besides CJI Chandrachud, other judges on the bench are justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant and Aniruddha Bose.
The case title “In Re: Orders of Calcutta High Court dated 24.01.2024 AND 25.01.2024 and Ancillary Issues,” arose out of some orders passed by Calcutta High Court’s single judge bench and division bench disagreeing with each other.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay in his order has accused Justice Soumen Sen, who is heading the division bench, of acting for a political party in the WB state”.
A single judge of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had directed to ignore Calcutta HC’s division bench order and asked the CBI to begin its probe into the fake caste certificate matter.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay said that Justice Sen is acting clearly for some political party in the WB State and, therefore, the orders passed by the bench led by Justice Sen are required to be relooked if the Supreme Court thinks so.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay said that Justice Sen has done it to save some political party in power and his (Justice Sen) actions are clearly tantamount to misconduct.
The matter arises out of a petition in HC whereby it was alleged that rampantly issuing fake caste certificates to many persons to ease their admission to medical courses.
The single judge bench of Justice Gangopadhyay on January 24 asked the West Bengal Police to hand over documents related to the matter to the CBI. After some time the matter was mentioned before a division bench of Justice Sen and Uday Kumar, which stayed the single judge’s order.
The single judge bench of Justice Gangopadhyay again took up the matter on and asked the WB police to give the paper to CBI. The division bench on Thursday did not agree with the single-judge bench decision.
The single judge again heard the matter on January 25 and passed certain remarks against Justice Sen.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Mira Bhayander region in Mumbai continues to remain in tension as the Islamists irked by the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya continue to attack the Hindus in the region. In a novel incident reported from the Bhayander area, two Islamists identified as Mohammed Hussain Shami Mohammed Sheikh and Akhtar have been booked for pelting stones at Hindu community people who were celebrating the Pran Pratishtha ceremony nearby.
FIR copy of the incident has been obtained by OpIndia in which the complainant mentioned that the accused persons barged into the event on 22nd January that was organized at the local level to celebrate the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony and pelted stones at the participants. The accused persons are also said to have abused the Hindu faith and Lord Ram.
The accused persons have been booked under sections 153A, 504, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. As per the complaint, the accused persons also pelted stones at other Hindus who were conducting a peaceful rally in the Mira Bhayander region.
“We had organized a small event to celebrate the Hindu ceremony and were donating food on the occasion. Shami and Akhtar barged into the event and began pelting stones at the Hindu participants on 22nd January. On asking the reason for pelting stones, they said that they were just keeping a watch on who was pelting stones at the local Masjid,” the complainant stated.
“Later a rally of Hindu participants passed by the local Masjid nearby and the two accused who barged into our event began pelting stones at the rally participants. The duo also abused the Hindu faith and abused Lord Ram,” the Hindu complainant said.
The complainant then is said to have informed the local police who were deployed on the spot to avoid any untoward incident from happening. But the accused persons had fled from the spot by then.
He also said that the primary accused in the case abused and threatened him and indicated that Lord Ram would also not be able to save him. “We saw you informed the police. Aren’t you doing too much? I will kill you let’s see if your Ram can come to save you,” the accused said while issuing death threats to the complainant as per the FIR.
The accused persons continued to threaten the victim for a couple of days after which the complainant filed a police complaint on 25th January.
This comes a day after the Islamists hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. The Islamists attacked the Hindus during their rally and pelted stones at them in the Mira Bhayander region. OpIndia contacted the Police to know the details of the incident. The police confirmed that around 13 persons had been arrested in the case, however, IO Dilip Rakh revealed no information about the accused persons given the sensitivity of the case.
Following Police action on the accused, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated the government’s firm commitment to “zero tolerance” against those who disturb law and order in the state. Informing about the Police action, Deputy CM Fadnavis stated that he had taken detailed information about the incident that took place in NayaNagar in Mira Bhayender.
He added that Police were instructed to take the strictest action against the culprits who were involved in the attack against the Hindus in the Mira Road region. The incident took place on 21st January at around 10:30 at night. OpIndia obtained an FIR in the case in which the complainant mentioned that around 50-60 people from a specific community threatened him and attacked his car while he was traveling in the Mira Road region. The Islamists attacked his car with rods and also took down the Hindu flag that he had placed atop his car.
Islamists raised slogans of 'Allah-hu-Akhbar' after cars on #miraroad attacked. They puked on Hindu flags. I have zero courage to share disheartening videos showing Hindu flags dipped in puke. It hurts to see #Hindus disrespected @NiteshNRane's rally is scheduled today. pic.twitter.com/am8vmVkksl
The complainant further stated that the accused persons saw Lord Hanuman’s poster on the car bonnet and puked on it. “They raised slogans of Allah-hu-Akhbar, hit me on my head with an iron rod, and tried to kill me. They also saw a poster of Lord Hanuman on the car and puked on the poster. This has hurt our Hindu religious sentiments. They even pelted stones at women and small kids who accompanied me for a ride,” the FIR read.
Later, the Mumbai Administration imposed bulldozer action and razed around 15 illegal properties of the accused persons to the ground. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also demolished 40 more illegal encroachments on Mohammed Ali Road in Mumbai. The demolished structures included existing commercial establishments, shops located on Ibrahim Mohamed Merchant Road, and stalls of hawkers.
The situation in Maharashtra’s Mumbai continues to remain tense following the violence in Mira Road, Kalyan, Thane, and Bhayander. Further investigations are underway.
In a major boost to ‘Make in India’, Airbus Helicopters has announced that it is partnering with the Tata Group to establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for helicopters in the country. The FAL will produce Airbus’ best-selling H125 helicopter from its civil range for India and also for export to neighbouring countries.
In a statement issued on 26th January, France-headquartered Airbus announced that this will be the first helicopter manufacturing facility in India set up by the private sector, providing a major boost to the Government of India’s ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ programme. Under this partnership, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of Tata Group, will set up the facility along with Airbus Helicopters.
The announcement was made during the two-day visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India as Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Macron landed in Jaipur on Thursday, accompanied by a high-profile delegation that includes Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, Safran SA CEO Olivier Andries, and top executives from EDF SA and Dassault Aviation SA.
This will be the second Final Assembly Line set up by Airbus in India. Airbus and Tata group have already set up a plant in Gujarat to make the C-295 military transport aircraft, after the Indian govt ordered 56 C-295MW military transport aircraft from Airbus for IAF, 40 of which are to be made in India.
Airbus said that the Final Assembly Line for the H125 helicopter in India will undertake the integration of the major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, installation of electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel system and the engine. It will also do testing, qualification, and delivery of the H125 to customers in India and the region. The FAL will take 24 months to set up and deliveries of the first ‘Made in India’ H125 choppers are expected to commence in 2026. The location of the FAL will be jointly decided by Airbus and the Tata Group.
Infographics by Airbus
“Helicopters are crucial for nation building. A ‘Made-in-India’ civil helicopter will not only be a symbol of the confident New India but will also unlock the true potential of the helicopter market in the country,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. He added, “This helicopter final assembly line, which we will build together with our trusted partner Tata, is a reaffirmation of Airbus’ commitment to developing the full spectrum of the aerospace ecosystem in India. This will be the second final assembly line Airbus is building in India after the ‘Make in India’ C295 military aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.”
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said, “The Tata Group is delighted to set up India’s first helicopter assembly facility in the private sector. This facility will have the final assembly line in partnership with Airbus for the world’s bestselling Airbus H125 single engine helicopter for the Indian as well as export markets.”
Airbus in its statement said that the H125 produced in India will catalyse the use of helicopters in the country. “This multi-mission workhorse will revolutionise passenger and goods transportation and will also be used for segments such as emergency medical services (HEMS), disaster management, law enforcement, tourism and aerial work missions. Providing last mile connectivity to remote areas, the H125 will significantly contribute to the Government of India’s regional connectivity scheme – Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) that will further promote the tourism sector in the country,” the European aviation major sad.
It stated that the H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter that outclasses other helicopters in its category. The helicopter is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which can operate in high-and-hot and extreme environments and can be easily reconfigured for various missions, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, passenger transport, and many others, the company added.
As per the company, H125 is the only helicopter to have landed on Mount Everest, demonstrating its agility in operating in high altitude, extreme environments.
During Macron’s state visit, discussions were also held on potential collaboration in the defence sector, including the prospect of French engine maker Safran aiding in the production of fighter jet engines in India. India’s Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf said that Safran is willing to collaborate and share technology for the development of fighter jet engines in India.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Bhagwan Ram Lalla was performed in Ayodhya Ram Mandir in a grand event on 22nd January 2024. The consecration ceremony received global attention following which a sea of devotees gathered in Ayodhya to have Darshan of Lord Ram. OpIndia’s prior ground reports revealed the construction of dargahs near Mani Parvat, Ganesh Kund, and Dashrath Samadhi. When OpIndia looked into this further, we found that many tombs were built in various parts of the holy city.
Mazar built adjacent to Saket Degree College
Saket Degree College is known to be Ayodhya’s largest higher education institution. More than ten thousand students attend undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various subjects on a regular and private basis. This location is less than a kilometre from Janmabhoomi’s boundaries. There are gardens near the degree college’s boundary.
Following the removal of the gardens, a mazar was built right next to the main road leading to Ranopali. This mazar has been built using concrete. It has been properly illuminated, and the surrounding land is being regularly cleaned. Under the pretext of cleanliness, the area of this mazar is expanding.
Mazar built near Saket Degree College
Two small mazars have been constructed side by side on a concrete platform. The mausoleum is covered with a green sheet early in the morning and incense sticks are also lighted. Moreover, Islamic flags have also been placed here. There is currently no board installed for this tomb. A puncture-fixing shop has opened right next to the mazar. When OpIndia’s team arrived at the spot, the Mazars’ Khadim (attendant) and puncture repairman escaped.
Mazar next to Ayodhya Dham railway junction was not demolished due to fear of ‘Jinn’
When OpIndia’s team reached Mani Parvat, the priest there seemed enraged at the administrative officers. He claimed that under the pretext of new construction, demolition drive was undertaken at many places, but graves and dargahs were excluded.
The priest said that a mazar still exists near Ayodhya Dham Junction. “When people asked the authorities to take action against the mazar also, they responded that they were afraid of the Jinn,” the priest said asserting that, “Hindu is the enemy of Hindu.”
Mani Parvat pujari
Nearby structures razed but mazar remained intact
OpIndia’s team visited Ayodhya Dham Junction to confirm the Mani Parvat priest’s claims. We found a huge white mazar on the south side of the junction. The structures surrounding this mazar have been demolished, but the mazar has remained intact. This mazar has been built next to a narrow path for people to pass by.
Baba Lal Khan’s mazar near Ayodhya Dham Junction
Below the tomb, there was also what appeared to be an ancient construction. The above picture shows a new cement structure that has recently been painted. We sought to learn about this tomb from the neighbouring residents. A shopkeeper selling tea and cookies on the southern side of the junction informed us that the mazar was referred to as Baba Lal Khan.
The mausoleum was erected many years ago and was abandoned during some development work. In addition to the backside of Ayodhya Dham Junction, there is a huge Dargah at the front as well. Several words in Arabic are engraved on the outer walls of this Dargah with an elevated dome.
A tap has also been installed outside this Dargah, and the water that comes out is causing filth in the vicinity. Date palms were also planted near the Dargah. The dome was recently painted green, and an Islamic flag was placed on top of it. The tiles also include engravings of Mecca and Medina, among other things.
Nearby jungle occupied
During our visit, we came across a beggar on the stairs of Mani Parvat. We asked him how many tombs were there. To his, he said: “The entire forest behind is under occupation. It has been occupied for decades.”
When we left Vidyakund and headed towards Ranopali, we noticed a line of graves on the right side of the road. Many of these are located relatively near to the main road. Local villagers informed us, under the condition of anonymity, that if the administration performs a comprehensive inquiry, dozens more tombs will be uncovered within a two-kilometre radius around Ram Janmabhoomi.
The political landscape of Bihar is speculated to change again very soon. It is being said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will break the RJD-JDU alliance to join hands with the BJP once again before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It seems unlikely that the Maha Gathbandhan government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will continue in Bihar. It is speculated that Nitish Kumar will take oath as CM of JD(U)-BJP govt with Sushil Modi as the deputy CM on Sunday.
Indicating that BJP was ready to welcome Nitish Kumar back, Sushil Modi made a significant comment by saying that “Doors never close in politics,” adding that doors that are closed can opened and that politics is a “game of possibilities”. Talking about the issue, BJP leader Giriraj Singh said that the central leadership will decide about it.
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance has also called Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan to Delhi. According to reports, Chirag Paswan will attend the NDA meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Along with this, BJP National President JP Nadda and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold important talks.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Thursday night described his meeting with former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi as an informal meeting. But, now Jitan Ram Manjhi has said that the Grand Alliance government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar is over. He said that Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav wants to make his son Tejashwi Yadav the chief minister of the state and Nitish Kumar is not going to let it happen. He added that Nitish Kumar should come back in the NDA.
However, Bihar JD(U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha has denied these speculations and said “these are rumours spread by those with some agenda”. “All is well in Bihar’s ruling Mahagathbandhan and the media speculations are driven by some agenda,” he said. “We are firmly with opposition bloc INDIA but would like Congress to do introspection on alliance and seat sharing,” Kushwaha further added. He further said, “There is no truth in the rumours doing the rounds. We also reject the rumours that party MLAs have been asked to rush to Patna”.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the announcement of Bharat Ratna for Karpuri Thakur and then the Chief Minister’s attack on the dynastic politics started a fresh episode of political turmoil in Bihar. Nitish Kumar posted on X, “It is a matter of great pleasure to give the country’s highest honour’ Bharat Ratna’ to former Chief Minister and great socialist leader Late Karpuri Thakur ji. This is a good decision by the Central Government. This highest honour given to Late Karpoori Thakur Ji on his 100th birth anniversary will create positive sentiments among the Dalits, deprived and neglected sections. We have always been demanding to give ‘Bharat Ratna’ to the Late Karpuri Thakur ji. The years-old demand has been fulfilled today. Thanks to Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for this.”
पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री और महान समाजवादी नेता स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को देश का सर्वोच्च सम्मान ‘भारत रत्न’ दिया जाना हार्दिक प्रसन्नता का विषय है। केंद्र सरकार का यह अच्छा निर्णय है। स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को उनकी 100वीं जयंती पर दिया जाने वाला यह सर्वोच्च सम्मान दलितों, वंचितों और…
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya fueled the fire by making personal comments on Nitish Kumar. She shared three posts on X and later deleted them. In these posts, she wrote, “He promises to be a socialist leader, whose ideology changes like the winds. What will happen by getting annoyed when no one is worthy of himself? Who can avoid fate when there is a fault in one’s own intention? Often some people do not see their shortcomings, but keep misbehaving to throw mud on someone else.”
Deleted posts of Rohini Acharya. Image Source: TV9 Bharatvarsh
Nitish Kumar said on the occasion of Jannayak Karpuri Thakur’s birth centenary celebrations on Wednesday, “Karpuri Thakur never pushed his family forward. Taking inspiration from him, I also did not take any person in my family ahead in politics. It was only after the death of Karpuri Thakur that his son Ramnath Thakur came ahead. But today, people take dynasties forward. I believe in working. I continue to work in the interest of the state. We will do whatever is required for the interest of the state.”
The sudden stoppage of press briefings and stalling of communiques after Thursday’s cabinet meeting has also fuelled speculation. The cabinet meeting also lasted only 15 minutes and CM Nitish Kumar went ahead without talking to Tejashwi Yadav. Then deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav’s absence from the high tea ceremony attended by Nitish on the occasion of the Republic Day also added fuel to the fire.
Chirag Paswan held a meeting with LJP (Ram Vilas) leaders at his residence. Chirag said during the interaction with the media that the next 24 hours are crucial. Top leaders of Bihar BJP are already in Delhi. On Thursday night, Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with big leaders of Bihar. The meeting lasted for about an hour and a half. Vinod Tawde was also present at this meeting. After the meeting, top BJP leaders said it was a routine meeting.
Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “In Thursday night’s meeting, the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections was discussed. As far as Nitish Kumar or JDU is concerned, the doors in politics are not always closed, if the door is closed then it can also open. Politics is a game of possibilities, anything can happen. Whatever decision will be taken by the central leadership will be acceptable.” According to reports, the BJP is ready to form government in Bihar with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and other parties in the NDA. It is also speculated that Sushil Kumar Modi may become deputy chief minister.
Meanwhile, the RJD has sought clarity from Nitish Kumar over the speculations. “We haven’t made a single statement to hint at any rift. I humbly urge the chief minister, who must also be watching all the media coverage, to clear the confusion which has been doing the rounds for the last few days,” RJD MP Manoj Jha said.
Nitish Kumar has been oscillating literally like a pendulum between BJP and RJD, forming govt with both parties multiple times, earning him the nickname “Paltu Ram” of Bihar. Originally a Janata Dal member, Kumar formed Samata Party in 1994 along with George Fernandez, and was a union minister in the NDA govt led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In 2005, NDA won Bihar elections and Nitish Kumar became the CM, now leader of JD(U) after the merger of the Samata Party with Janata Dal led by Sharad Yadav. He was elected in 2010, but he broke the alliance in 2013, unhappy over BJP naming Narendra Modi as the PM candidate for the 2014 general elections. He formed the Mahagathbandhan with Congress and RJD. He resigned in 2014 after his party lost badly in Lok Sabha elections, and Jitan Ram Manjhi was made the CM. However, Nitish Kumar made a comeback in 2015 and became the CM again.
The Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) won the assembly poll in 2015, but in 2017, Nitish Kumar left the alliance and rejoined NDA, remaining the CM. The NDA govt was elected in the 2020 elections, but with a much narrow margin. JD(U) won 43 seats against 74 won by BJP, but Kumar was made the CM again. In August 2022, Nitish Kumar left the NDA again, rejoining the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and UPA.
However, things turned sour after the formation of I.N.D.I. Alliance of non-NDA parties, as the constituent parties could not agree on a leader and seat sharing in most states. Nitish Kumar wanted to be the PM candidate, which was opposed by other alliance leaders like Mamata Banerjee. The proposal to make Kumar the convenor of the alliance also didn’t materialise due to a lack of consensus. All this has led to the speculations that Nitish Kumar will leave RJD and join NDA once again.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an order instructing Israel to undertake necessary actions to prevent the killings of civilians in the Gaza Strip. The ruling pertained to the nine provisional measures sought by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel.
Additionally, the court-mandated Israel to permit the provision of essential services and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population in Gaza. Emphasising the legally binding nature of the interim decision on Israel, Judge Joan E. Donoghue, the President of the court, directed Israel to submit a report within a month outlining the measures taken to ensure adherence to these directives.
The compliance of Israel with the court’s ruling is a matter of debate, as the court lacks enforcement powers. A similar scenario unfolded in March 2022 when the ICJ ordered Russia to cease its offensive in Ukraine. Despite the legally binding nature of the order, Moscow chose to disregard it, leading to the ongoing hostilities. Nevertheless, the ruling has the potential to exert a substantial influence on international public opinion.
During public hearings held on January 11-12, South Africa asserted that Israel’s military actions in Gaza contravened the provisions of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). The argument relied extensively on statements made by Israeli officials and military leaders, aiming to establish that these statements could be interpreted as indicative of “genocidal intent.”
In the hearings held from January 11-12, South Africa asserted that Israel’s military operations in Gaza violated the Genocide Convention, basing its argument heavily on statements from Israeli officials and military leaders. The contention was that these statements suggested “genocidal intent.”
South Africa further argued that Israel had engaged in hostilities against Palestinians even before the actions by Hamas on October 7, resulting in significant casualties and hostage situations. Reports from organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and United Nations officials were cited to emphasize the indiscriminate killing of civilians and Israel’s blockade of humanitarian assistance, pushing Palestinians to the “brink of famine.”
In response, Israel maintained that there was no dispute between the parties and asserted that the scope of its military operation was limited to targeting Hamas. Israel accused South Africa of relying on statistics provided by Hamas regarding casualties. Israel argued that unintended civilian casualties during the pursuit of lawful military objectives did not indicate genocidal intent.
In what will be his life’s crowning moment at the age of 70, Assam’s Parbati Baruah, India’s first female elephant keeper or ‘mahout’, will be one among 110 unsung yet distinguished persons to receive the country’s fourth-highest civilian honour–Padma Shri–from President Droupadi Murmu.
The honour will be doubly special for Parbati, as she will be the second in the family after her elder sister, Pratima Pandey Baruah, to be conferred with the country’s fourth-highest civilian award.
Pratima was conferred with Padma Shri earlier for her contribution to Goalpariya, a popular Assamese folk music.
Speaking to ANI on Friday, Parbati, a scion of the royal family of Gauripur in Dhubri of eastern Assam, said she has been around elephants since she was a child.
Trawling back into the past, she said her family had an elephant mahal, where the jumbos were kept in large numbers after being tamed and domesticated.
“I am very happy to be chosen for this recognition after so many years. I thank all, and, in particular, the state and the central governments for this honour,” Parbati told ANI on Friday.
“I spent the better part of my life with and around elephants. I dedicated my life to their welfare. I kept on doing my work and God has now blessed me with this recognition. I will continue to work in this field. My life is dedicated to elephants and the preservation and welfare of the wildlife in general,” she added.
Despite growing up as a royal scion in Dhubri, Parvati’s earliest memories largely figure elephants and it wasn’t long before she found her true calling–elephant-keeping.
Under her supervision, she has so far trained over 600 wild elephants, besides imparting training to elephant-keepers. She has also toured various parts of the country, taking part in various sessions, seminars, and fairs, among others.
Parbati, who is also known affectionately as ‘Haathi ki Pari’ (an angel for elephants) became the first female elephant mahout in the country, breaking all gender stereotypes associated with the profession.
She spent over four decades pioneering the efforts towards resolving the human-elephant conflict.
Starting her journey at the tender age of 14, Parbati inherited the skills from her father and ‘guru’, Prakritish Chandra Barua. She imbibed all her elephant-taming and keeping skills from him.
“I was introduced to elephants when I was a one-year-old infant. We had an elephant mahal in our house with a full complement of tuskers. We still have them. Growing up, a thought would often cross my mind as to whether I can also acquire the skills of handling elephants like my father,” she told ANI.
“I asked my father if I could learn the skills. My father said no as it was a male-dominated job. However, I was adamant and learned the skills from him and the nitty gritty around it. I learnt how to deal with elephants, how to heal them, and how to apply herbal medicine to them in case they come down with an ailment. It’s a job that one should learn by seeing others at work. It cannot be learnt from books,” Parbati added.
“Catching hold of an elephant and taming it is not easy as there are risks involved. But I was determined to do it. My father was satisfied with my perseverance and work and it continues to this day,” she said.
In her message to the youth and generation next, she said, “Elephants are benevolent and must loved and cared for. We must learn to coexist with them. Without elephants, our existence will be at stake. Their habitat must, at the same time, be preserved.”
“I request conservationists and governments to conserve our forests and ensure free and unhindered passage of elephants,” she added.
Veering to the human-animal conflict, which is a sad reality of the present times, she said such incidents could be attributed to the everyday assault and encroachment of wildlife habitats.
“Mother nature should not be disturbed at any cost. Collectively, as a society, we have to come forward and make it happen. The government alone can’t do it. Every citizen has to take a solemn pledge that he or she would make a conscious effort towards saving nature and conserving forests,” she said.
She added that ensuring a safe passage was the key to reducing incidents of human-elephant conflicts.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A Shawarma joint in the Jordanian capital city of Amman has been named “October 7”. This is the date when in 2023, Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel from air, ground and sea killing at least 1400 people including some non-Israelis and abducting more than 200 Israelis.
As per reports, the food joint is drawing significant business. A video shows a person recording the video thanking Allah as he approaches the store.
Imagine a restaurant called "September 11", celebrating 9/11 terror attacks. Imagine no more, here's the brand new "October 7" restaurant in Amman, the capital of Jordan ??, celebrating the massacre of 1,200 Israelis ?#JordanIsPalestine pic.twitter.com/ohXlrKD4Dq
The name was reportedly chosen as part of a competition launched on Facebook. The winner was meant to be identified as part of the contest process and awarded a gold ring for suggesting “October 7” as the owner’s top choice.
Israel’s Opposition leader, Yair Lapid wrote on X, “The disgraceful glorification of October 7th has to stop. The incitement and hatred against Israel breeds the terrorism and extremism which led to the brutal massacre of October 7th. We expect the Jordanian government to condemn this publicly and unequivocally.”
Another Israeli Opposition leader Yulia Malinovsky has condemned the incident.
“South Africa filed a lawsuit against us in The Hague. Turkey hosts senior Hamas officials and arrests Israeli actors who express solidarity with Israel.Now in Jordan they opened a restaurant called October 7 to celebrate the massacre that the Hamas killers carried out. Where is our national pride? Why do we still have diplomatic relations with these terrorist-supporting countries?” Malinovsky said.
Another city in Jordan named Al-Karak was in the news recently after a baby in the city was named Mohammed Deif. The father of the baby said he was named as a tribute to the chief of the Hamas military wing and mastermind of the October 7 attacks.
Shockingly, the name of a clothing store in Gaza was “Hitler 2” which was around since 2015 until recently.
As per reports, the mannequins outside the store were holding knives and dressed in T-shirts with the text “Stab!”
Young Palestinians reportedly said that they liked the shop and were eager to carry out attacks.
A 20-year-old Hijaz Abu Shanab said, “The name of the shop is Hitler and I like him because he was the most anti-Jewish person.”
Young Palestinians who visited the shop told Reuters they were drawn to the place as a symbol of their solidarity with what they termed ‘the current intifada’, meaning uprising.
Every Hindu in the world wept with pride and delight on January 22nd during the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event in Ayodhya, as the community welcomed Lord Ram back to his ancestral house after about 500 years. Islamists, on the other hand, were offended by the historic occasion in Ayodhya and swiftly launched an attack on Hindus who were engrossed in commemorating the return of their god after five centuries.
There have been reports of Islamists attacking Hindu devotees in the districts of Mehsana and Vadodara in Gujarat, Nanded, Mumbai in Maharashtra, and also Solapur. The Islamists at several places attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.
In the incident that has come to the fore from Solapur district of Maharashtra, the police have filed a case against 12 unknown persons for threatening the Hindu community people and also brutally assaulting them on 22nd January. Team OpIndia obtained the FIR in the case in which it has been mentioned that the accused persons belonged to the Muslim community and launched a brutal attack on the Hindu persons as the latter was engaged in the celebration of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia
As per the official complaint, the incident is said to have happened on Monday (22nd January) when the Hindu persons conducted a bike rally in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. The Hindus placed bhagwa flags on their bikes and raised the slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ as they rode through the city. The rally was organized by the Hindvi Pratishthan Mandal whose office is located near the Chandtara Masjid in the city.
As the rally began, the Hindu participants raised the slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and moved towards the main area of the city. However, around 25-30 Muslim community people, irked by the rally gathered in the Shastri Nagar area and began assaulting the Hindu participants of the rally. The Islamists used iron rods, bamboo sticks, and steel rods to attack the Hindus. They also pelted stones at the rally participants forcing them to flee from the area to save their lives.
Around 6 persons are said to have attained severe injuries and are admitted to the hospital undergoing treatment. The injured persons have been identified as Mahesh Chade, Nimkanthi Swami, Jayram Gawade, Mallikarjun Shendri, Nagesh Hature, and Ganesh Narle. The victim persons have attained severe head injuries and have been admitted to the hospital.
Images obtained by OpIndia
One of the victim persons while talking to OpIndia mentioned that the Muslim community people deliberately launched an attack on Hindu persons. “They knew about the rally and gathered in numbers in the Shastri Nagar area near Harish Sheikh’s shop. As the rally reached there, they began attacking us with stones and rods. We had to leave our bikes and run to save our lives,” Narle said.
Team OpIndia also talked to the members of Sakal Hindu Samaj who confirmed that the Islamists launched an attack on the Hindu persons during a rally that was conducted to celebrate the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event. The Hindus also stated that the Police initially took no action against the stone pelters, instead detained Hindu participants and beat them for allegedly disturbing communal harmony.
“They (Islamists) launched an attack on rally participants. They pelted stones and also attacked with iron rods. Their action resulted in severe head injuries. Many of the Hindus are admitted to the hospital and are undergoing treatment. We condemn this kind of attack. Later Hindus also retaliated. However, the police who reached the spot took action against the Hindu participants. Instead of taking the injured Hindus to the hospital, they took them to the Sadar Bazaar police station and interrogated them. The Police officers are also said to have beaten the Hindus in the case. However, no action was taken against the other community people,” the statement released by Sakal Hindu Samaj read.
Statement by Sakal Hindu Samaj obtained by OpIndia
OpIndia tried to contact the Sadar Bazaar Police Station for comment, but the calls remained unanswered. The report will be updated once the information is obtained.
The statement by Sakal Hindu Samaj further mentioned the names of two police officers who are said to have beaten the Hindu community people who participated in the rally. “API Muneer Mulla and ASI Rafiq Inamdaar threatened the injured Hindus and beat them. Instead of registering the complaint against the Muslim community persons who pelted stones, these police officers threatened the Hindus and asked them to go home. This was all to save the stone pelters,” the statement copy obtained by OpIndia read.
#Solapur Violence- 12 #Jihadis booked u/s IPC 307 for sword attack, stabbing, stone pelting. CP Solapur forcefully discharged seriously injured Hindu youths to save Jihadis but HM @Dev_Fadnavis ensured stringet action, police raiding multiple locations n more arrests would be… pic.twitter.com/q1Z1vDdwd9
However, a Police complaint was lodged at the Sadar Bazaar Police station against unknown persons for brutally attacking Hindus during the bike rally and disturbing the communal harmony. Around 12 persons are said to have been booked under sections 143, 147, 336, 323, and 326 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951.
OpIndia has also obtained exclusive images and video of the incident in which the victim Hindus can be seen suffering severe head injuries. In the given case, it is also believed that Islamists celebrated the attack on Hindus on social media by posting videos of the attack.
This is the second incidence of violence against Hindus in Solapur. Recently, on 7th January, the Muslims in the Solapur region ad gathered to threaten the Hindus as they conducted a Sakal Hindu Samaj rally. The said rally was addressed by BJP leaders Nitesh Rane and T Raja Singh.
During the rally, the shopkeepers in the rally concerned area were asked by the police to lower the shutters for precaution. However, some of the Muslim shopkeepers refused to obey the police. Later when the rally reached Muslim dominant area, the shopkeepers complained that some of the participants from the rally pelted stones at the shop.
One of the Muslim shopkeepers also complained in the FIR that stones were pelted at the mosque. However, it was verified by OpIndia that no stones were pelted at any Mosque in Solapur during the rally. OpIndia is in possession of all the legal documents and statements which reveal that no stones were pelted on the Mosque.
In the current given case, 12 persons are said to have been booked under sections 143, 147, 336, 323, and 326 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951. Further investigations are underway.
