On Tuesday (23rd January), vlogger from Kerala Shihab Chottur shared a post of apology from his Facebook account after Islamists forced him to delete his social media posts thanking PM Narendra Modi. The vlogger had thanked PM Modi for liking a photograph he had posted where he was seen with two kids dressed as Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. However, he came under vicious attack from Islamists for the same, and he was forced to delete his post.
Notably, Shihab Chottur made it to the news in 2023 when he walked from Malappuram in Kerala to Mecca for Haj, taking just over a year.
On 23 January, a day after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya, an image of Shihab Chottur with a boy and a girl dressed as Ram and Sita was shared by several users on Facebook recently. The photo was posted by Chottur on his Facebook account in October 2022, and was taken during his visit to North India at that time. He had captioned the photo with “With Aafiya Students”.
Many people re-shared the photo recently after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir to mark the event. The image was noticed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after someone on Facebook tagged him in a comment, and then the PM liked the image on Facebook.
Shihab Chottur with his children dressed like Ram and Sita. Image Source: Malayalam News Daily
The vlogger noted this and thanked PM Modi for liking his photo in another post. He also shared a screenshot showing PM Modi liking his earlier post, along with the original photo and some other photos taken during his North India visit in 2022.
In his post thanking the Prime Minister, Shihab Chottur wrote, “Thanks Modi Sir. I am proud to be an Indian Musalman.” However, he faced severe backlash from a large number of Islamists on social media for this. He has 7.71 lakh followers. Many of them and several others ridiculed him for thanking Narendra Modi.
Shihab Chottur thanked PM Modi for liking his social media post. Image Source: Madhyamam
Islamists linked this with the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya which took place just a day before the post that is on Monday (22nd January). The Islamists claimed that the vlogger was supporting the Ram Mandir with his Facebook posts. Notably, the Pran Pratishtha was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Many people also questioned his walk to Mecca, asking what was the need for it when he could have visited the Islamic holy place using regular modes of transport. Some others suggested that he could have walked to Ayodhya instead.
As a result of such relentless attack and abuse, Shihab Chottur deleted his post thanking PM Modi.
He then wrote a post of apology on Facebook. In this post, he said, “The other day, the prime minister had liked my post of an event held. It went viral when many national celebrities shared it. I was surprised that the PM of the country liked the post of a common man like me. So a little while ago, I posted it to thank him. It has nothing to do with the Ayodhya issue.”
Shihab Chottur further said in his post, “Moreover, I will never surrender to fascism. However, social media reacts in such a way that we don’t even imagine. Many people react without knowing this truth. Leave it to Allah. As someone who loves the beloved Prophet, I do not support fascism. I am sorry for the misleading post and I apologize to everyone who loves me.”
On his way to Mecca on foot, Shihab Chottur covered 8,640 km through Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He hails from Valanchery in Malappuram district. He started his trek to perform Haj on 2nd June 2022, and reached Mecca in June 2023, taking around 370 days. Shihab walked through several Indian states before reaching the Wagha border to enter Pakistan. In February 2023, he managed to get a transit visa and entered Pakistan to resume the journey and reach his destination four months later.
Donald Trump won the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination and further bolstering the likelihood of a rematch later this year against President Joe Biden.
Minutes after the last New Hampshire polling sites closed at 8 pm local time, the US media called the Republican primary race for Trump, cementing his strong lead in the race for the party nomination.
It is a significant victory for the former president and puts him in a commanding position to become the party’s presidential candidate in November.
Trump took a jab at Nikki Haley after his projected win in the New Hampshire primary, saying that she “had a very bad night,” as reported by CNN.
Trump, during his speech, said that the former South Carolina governor did very poorly. “She did very poorly, actually,” he said. “The governor said she’s going to win, she’s going to win, she’s going to win. Then she failed badly.”
Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley congratulated Trump, however, added that the fight is “far from over” with many states left to vote, reported by CNN.
Haley’s campaign had already released a memo on Tuesday morning emphasising her intention to stay in the race until at least March 5 for the 16 Super Tuesday primaries, a commitment the former UN ambassador repeated in her remarks at the Grappone Conference Centre.
In Ayodhya, on Monday (22nd January 2024), the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Rama was performed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. On this occasion, VIPs from India and abroad were present in the temple premises. On the other hand, the people’s enthusiasm in Ayodhya city was at its peak. People from every corner of the country revered Lord Rama in different ways and forms. The OpIndia team on the ground spoke to some of these people.
Iqbal Ansari ran away hearing about Munnan Khan and Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi
When there was a day left for the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram, OpIndia posed some questions to Iqbal Ansari, a second-generation litigant of Babri Masjid, in the court. He was giving an interview to the media near Shri Ram Hospital. Iqbal described Ayodhya as a city of brotherhood and said that there would never be a Hindu-Muslim dispute. In the meantime, we asked ‘What do you have to say about Munnan Khan, whom the family members of the karsevaks are accusing of wearing a police uniform and firing bullets?’ Iqbal Ansari became uncomfortable after hearing our question and said, “We do not know all that.”
बाबरी का केस लड़ने वाले इकबाल अंसारी मीडिया के सामने हिन्दू-मुस्लिम भाईचारे की बड़ी-बड़ी बातें कर रहा है, लेकिन मुन्नन खाँ और मथुरा श्रीकृष्ण जन्मभूमि पर जब @OpIndia_in के @STVRahul ने सवाल पूछा तो भाग खड़ा हुआ।
In the meantime, we asked the next question ‘If it is a matter of brotherhood, then should Muslims not show brotherhood at Shri Krishna’s birthplace in Mathura?’ After this question, Iqbal Ansari started running away with fast steps. We kept repeating our questions over and over as we walked with him. Iqbal entered an iron door inside Shri Ram Hospital. The police security personnel accompanying him stopped us from going ahead.
Sardar Gurmeet and Nihang Sukhdev feel lucky to get Ayodhya Darshan
OpIndia met Sardar Gurmeet Singh and Nihang Sikh Sukhdev in the Nayaghat area on the Pran Pratishtha day. Both of them came from the Tarn Taran district of Punjab. They said that they are very happy with the construction of Ram Mandir and their Ayodhya visit during this time is their good fortune. According to Gurmeet, the Hindu-Sikh brotherhood has always existed and due to that, the Sardars have also set up langar in Ayodhya. The two also claimed that there was a wave of happiness in Punjab with the consecration of Lord Ram in the Ram Mandir.
Sardar Gurmeet and Nihang Sukhdev Singh. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
We asked what they had to say about those conspiring to create a rift between Hindus and Sikhs. To this Sardar Gurmeet Singh replied, “These are the people who lose elections. The losers keep doing some mischief. Not all people are the same. Some are traitors too.”
‘I don’t know about him, I am Ram Bhakt Akhilesh Yadav’
We met electrician Akhilesh Yadav near Ram Janmabhoomi before the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Mandir. He was working as a lighting technician in the welcome pavilion of Lord Rama. Akhilesh Yadav is a resident of Milkipur area on the outskirts of Ayodhya district. Describing himself as a staunch Ram Bhakt, Akhilesh said that he is very happy with the construction of the temple. He also chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’. When we asked him about Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, we said, “We don’t know about him.”
Ram Bhakt Akhilesh Yadav. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Ram Bhakt farmers distributed sweets in Ayodhya
At Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya, we saw some people gathered near a truck. When we went closer, we found a group of farmers distributing jaggery and sweets to the devotees who were coming there. The truck carried a banner called ‘Hind Mazdoor Kisan Samiti’. It also had a picture of Chandra Mohan as the national president. The people distributing sweets introduced themselves as patriot Ram Bhakt farmers.
When we asked them about the so-called farmers’ agitation that surrounded Delhi, they said, “Only they know about themselves. We have nothing to do with them.” Farmers were also shouting slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ along with the devotees. The team had come from Meerut and Muzaffarnagar districts to distribute jaggery and sweets.
Farmers distributing sweets to devotees
Actors from every state performing Ramkatha
In Ayodhya’s Tulsi Udyan, we saw artists from different states on a theatrical stage. All of them were playing roles related to Ramkatha in some form or the other. In this, the artist from Karnataka playing the character of Ravan chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and then Hanuman warned the enemies of Lord Rama by showing the mace. Among the Rajasthani artists, women showed the struggle of Goddess Sita and how she would have lived in Ashok Vatika. Bhutta Khan, an artist from Rajasthan, identified himself as a devotee of Lord Ram. He claimed to receive widespread respect in the bustling city of Ayodhya, which is teeming with millions of followers of Lord Ram.
Artists from Karnataka. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Artists hailing from Haryana shared their belief that Lord Bajrang Bali bestows a unique grace upon their state, attributing the success of wrestlers winning medals to this divine favour. Additionally, artists from Haryana showcased their versatility by presenting various forms of Lord Ram. They emphasized the inclusive nature of their teams, comprising individuals from every caste within Hindu society. These diverse teams collaboratively work, share meals, and foster an environment free from discrimination. Notably, a common sentiment expressed by teams from all states was the collective acknowledgment of affording the highest respect to women artists by devotees.
Muslim artist Bhutta Khan
21-year-old Rajyavardhan walked Ayodhya from Ujjain Mahakal temple
While our OpIndia team explored the Tedhi Bazar area in Ayodhya, we encountered a young man briskly walking towards the city. When asked, he introduced himself as Rajyavardhan Singh Sisodia. Rajyavardhan revealed that he commenced his journey on foot from his hometown of Ujjain on 13th December 2023, driven by a deep sense of devotion. Encouragement from his family fueled Rajyavardhan’s commitment to the pilgrimage. Adorned with a saffron flag on his back, Rajyavardhan expressed his earnest desire to get the darshan of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
Rajyavardhan came on foot from Ujjain. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Currently enrolled in a management course, Rajyavardhan aspires to pursue a career as an IAS officer in the future. When questioned about potential challenges on his journey, he asserted that the strong presence of law enforcement in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh has deterred criminals, ensuring a safe passage. Rajyavardhan passionately stated that he is willing to be at the forefront, even risking his life, whether it be in the present or future, to serve Lord Ram with unwavering dedication.
60-year-old Harishchandra pulled the chariot of martyr karsevaks from 200 KM
In the vicinity of Ramghat in Ayodhya, the OpIndia team encountered an elderly man adorned in saffron, identified as Harishchandra Vishwakarma, aged around 60. Harishchandra shared that he embarked on a journey to Ayodhya, pulling an iron chariot from the Rae Bareli district. Harishchandra, despite sustaining an injury to one of his legs, has organised his sustenance and rest within the confines of his chariot. Notably, the chariot bears depictions of the Kothari brothers who were shot dead in 1990 on the orders of the Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government. Harishchandra Vishwakarma shared that he commenced his journey from Rae Bareli a month ago, and upon arriving in Ayodhya, he sensed not only the fulfilment of his pilgrimage but also a sense of accomplishment in his life.
Harishchandra Vishwakarma pulled a chariot with pictures of martyr karsevaks. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
In addition to these events, bhandaras (community kitchens) were arranged at various locations, where food was distributed without any bias or inquiries about individuals’ identities. The collective chant of ‘Bhagwan Ram Ki Jai’ echoed harmoniously as people joined their voices in unison. Notably, numerous individuals were observed strolling through the streets, attired as characters from the Ramayana era.
On the 23rd of January, a three-day prohibition under Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in several parts of Karnataka after Hindus came under attack during Ram Mandir celebrations. As per reports, there were multiple incidents of protests, stone pelting and police intervention after Hindus tried to celebrate the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The prohibition orders will remain in effect until 6 PM on 25th January. Only essential services like hospitals, etc, have been allowed.
Notably, rural development and panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge’s constituency, Gulbarga’s Wadi town, also saw such incidents, leading to the imposition of Section 144. In Kalaburgi, police stopped the procession of Bhagwan Ram organised by RamUtsav Samiti to celebrate Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, leading to turmoil in the region.
The police claimed that devotees chanted “Jai Shri Ram” outside a restaurant owned by one Zahoor Khan and attempted to close the restaurant forcefully. The police said, “Subsequently, a large gathering of Muslim youths gathered at the location, escalating the situation. Police intervened and defused the situation. In a preventive measure, Section 144 has been enforced throughout the city.”
Three areas in Belagavi that are known to be communally hypersensitive saw several incidents of stone pelting. At around 10:30 PM on 22nd January on Fort Road, Darbar Gali and near the Head Post Office Circle in the Market police sub-division, the incidents of stone pelting took place. No injuries were reported following the incidents.
In a statement, Market sub-division assistant commissioner of police P Sadashiiv Kattimani said, “Stone pelting incidents occurred on Fort Road and Darbar Galli, involving groups from both religions near the Post Office Circle in Market and Khade Bazar police station limits under Market sub-division on Monday night.”
Market police inspector Mahantesh Damannavar informed the media that an additional police force was deployed to maintain law and order in those areas. The police made announcements requesting the public to disperse.
Notably, the areas where Section 144 has been imposed have a dense Muslim population that got irked by the Pran Pratishtha celebrations and indulged in stone pelting. Belagavi DCP PV Sneha said, “Over a hundred youths were taking rounds, chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’ on roads linking to the Post Office Circle. Despite police instructions, celebratory groups opted for the roads with chanting, resulting in stone pelting from a location behind Hotel Anupam.”
Attack on Pran Pratishtha celebrations in Mumbai
Apart from Karnataka, similar incidents took place on Mira Road in Mumbai, where a large Muslim mob attacked Hindus taking out a procession to celebrate Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. The first incident occurred on the night of the 21st of January, and the second happened on the 22nd of January during the day. Following the incidents, the local authorities and police swung into action. Tens of mobsters were arrested, and the police registered an FIR under relevant Sections. Furthermore, illegal constructions in the area were also removed by the administration.
On 24th January (Wednesday), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a hefty fine of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India over allegations of safety violations.
DGCA has initiated enforcement action and imposed a penalty of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India over allegations of safety violations of flights operated by Air India on certain long-range terrain critical routes: DGCA pic.twitter.com/f9oOQfx8Fo
The DGCA issued a statement in which it noted that Air India leased a Boeing 777 plane that flew to the US without having the required system of emergency oxygen supply.
The regulatory action on Air India comes after the civil aviation ministry and the DGCA received a complaint from a former senior pilot who was associated with Air India.
The DGCA officials said that the Ministry and DGCA took a complaint filed against Air India by a former senior pilot alleging that the airline operated Boeing 777 planes to the US without having the required system of emergency oxygen supply.
The pilot who is no longer with the airline, had served as a B777 commander. He complained about the practice to the ministry and the DGCA on 29th October.
In a statement, the DGCA said, “Pursuant to the receipt of a voluntary safety report from an airline employee alleging safety violations of flights operated by M/s Air India on certain long-range terrain critical routes, DGCA conducted a comprehensive investigation into the alleged violations.”
The regulator further added, “Since the investigation prima facie revealed non-compliance by the airline, a show cause notice was issued to the Accountable Manager of Air India Limited. The response to the show cause notice was duly examined with respect to the laid down stipulations under the relevant statutory provisions and the performance limits stipulated in critical documentations laid down by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).”
The technical safety standards explained
Notably, most aircraft have cylinders that supply oxygen to overhead masks that are deployed in case of cabin de-pressurisation for a time of about 12-15 minutes per passenger. This time is considered enough for flights to descend to 10,000 feet where the ambient environment is safe for humans. At such an altitude air is supplied from the engine for cooling the aircraft and breathing.
But the scenario changes for aircraft that fly over high mountains as they can descend to 10,000 feet only after they have cleared the range. For this, they need to fly at higher altitudes for a longer duration. For safety purposes, this requires extra cylinders on aircraft to supply oxygen to overhead passenger masks for around 25-30 minutes.
As per Air India’s flight route, AI’s nonstop flights between Delhi and Europe as well as most other North American cities have to fly over the mighty Hindu Kush range. This has to be done to bypass Afghan airspace that has been closed to civilian traffic for over two years.
Reportedly, AI’s old Boeing 777s have an extra oxygen cylinder and they regularly take this route. However, AI recently took more Boeing 777s and they do not have the extra cylinder. They are suitable only to fly between west and south India and North America, that is for those flights that do not fly over the Hindu Kush.
The pilot, in his complaint, claimed that he had refused to operate a leased B777 aircraft for the Air India flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru on 30th January 2023 citing issue with the oxygen system. As per the complaint, the pilot said that he was terminated from the service by the airline three months after he had filed the complaint.
It is important to note that this is the seventh time that DGCA has imposed a fine on Air India in the last 12 months. In the same period, AI has been slapped with a fine of around Rs 2.5 crore for various reasons. This also includes a Rs 10 lakh fine which was imposed last week for failure to comply with rules about facilities that are required to be provided to passengers.
Meanwhile, IndiGo was recently fined Rs 1.20 crore after the passengers of one of its flights came out on the tarmac and started eating food. Following the incident, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had strongly reacted to the incident describing it as “unacceptable”.
Furthermore, earlier this month, DGCA also issued show-cause notices to Air India and SpiceJet. The notices were issued for not deploying pilots trained to operate in low visibility conditions after various flights were diverted amid dense fog at the Delhi airport in late December.
While the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Lord Ram took place in Ayodhya on the 22nd of January and religious rallies were held throughout the world to commemorate the landmark event, a different level of Hindu hostility was observed in Jharkhand where processions were assaulted in several places by Muslim extremists who hurled stones at the Lord’s devotees.
Several incidents of assault in Giridih
Three incidents of conflict were reported in Giridih due to which many people sustained injuries. The first occurrence transpired in the city near the Line Masjid and the second one happened in Purnanagar which is under the jurisdiction of the Mufassil police station. Stone pelting took place between two communities in which several people suffered minor injuries. The wounded were admitted to Sadar Hospital Giridih for medical treatment. Giridih Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepak Kumar Sharma confirmed both instances and informed that heavy security force has been deployed at both places. Police responded swiftly and arrested a Muslim person named Mohammad Jabir.
Several cases of altercations were reported in Giridih. One such event involved the fatal attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Rohit Mahato of Birni near Azad Nagar due to which he was gravely injured. Meanwhile, there was intense stone-pelting in the vicinity of Chunjka in the Mufassil police station area. It was reported that a procession was leaving from Purnanagar Ram temple and headed for the Chunjka Bajrang Bali temple. Multiple individuals were hurt when people from other community began throwing stones from the roofs of their homes when the devotees reached close to their destination. Numerous police personnel who arrived at the scene also sustained injuries.
Tension in Lohardaga’s Kairo
There have been accounts of violent encounters in the Lohardaga region of Jharkhand. The people were celebrating the inauguration of Ram Mandir on the night of 22nd January in Hanhat village of the Kairo police station area. People from both sides faced each other as the religious songs were being played in the temple and the throng ringed the building with sticks. SP Haris Bin Zaman confirmed the incident and stated that police had been called in because of the critical situation. An attempt was made to normalise things by holding meetings with people from both parties.
माहौल बिगाड़ने की साजिश नाकाम।
गिरिडीह में सद्भाव का माहौल बिगाड़ने की साजिश नाकाम। धनबाद में भी पत्थरबाजी के बाद अलर्ट मोड में पुलिस। #Crimepic.twitter.com/TWPtDA1eOa
After tensions erupted on 21st January at the Tundi police station area of Dhanbad, individuals from the opposing side emerged from their homes during an evening religious parade in Chhatabad the next day after which arguments and fights ensued between the two sides. However, the matter settled down after cops including Deputy Superintendent of Police Amar Kumar Pandey intervened. Simultaneously, a clash between two communities over the hoisting of a religious flag in Kadiya on 21st January resulted in many casualties. Each side submitted a written complaint to the authorities in connection to the incident.
In the early hours of Tuesday (23rd January), a class 7 student allegedly jumped from the balcony of her 29th-floor flat leading to her demise. The incident took place at Begur Road, southeast Bengaluru which falls in the jurisdiction of Hulimavu police station.
The tragedy came to light when a security guard heard a noise in the corridor around 5 am. When he reached the spot, he saw the 12-year-old girl lying dead. Afterwards, he alerted the President of the apartment association and others.
A cop said, “By then, occupants in the lower floors reached the spot and identified the girl.”
As per reports, the girl was studying at a private school on Bannerghatta Road. The Police said that she was the only child of the couple living in the rented flat. The police officer said, “The father, a software engineer, quit his job six months ago and was into stocks trading. The mother is a homemaker.”
As per reports, no suicide note was found at the scene nor were there any messages on the phone and other gadgets of the child.
According to her mother, she saw her daughter at 4.40 am when she came out of her room. When she inquired from her daughter why she was up so early, she gave a vague reply and returned to her room.
Officials said that a case has been registered in this regard at the Hulimavu police station and the investigation is on. Police said, “it’s a suicide. We did not find any suicide note but we learnt that the child was depressed. The post-mortem has been done and we cannot reveal further details.”
Another tragic incident has been reported from Rajasthan’s Kota on Tuesday night (23rd January). As per reports, a student who has been identified as 18-year-old Mohammad Zaidi committed suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota. Zaidi was a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district. He was an engineering aspirant. Notably, last year in 2023, a total of 29 students reportedly committed suicide in Kota.
NCRB data reads 8% of suicide deaths comprised student victims
As per the Accidental Deaths and Suicides report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in the year 2021, around 8 percent of the total suicide cases from 1,64,033 deaths by suicide comprised of students. Of these, 14 percent were reported from Maharashtra (1,834 suicides out of 13,089), followed by 10 percent from Madhya Pradesh, 9.5 percent from Tamil Nadu and 6.5 percent from Karnataka.
According to an earlier India Today report, in the last 12 years, more than 150 students have died by suicide in Kota alone and the number has alarming shot up since then.
Suicide prevention and mental health helpline numbers
If you need support or know someone who are in need, you may reach out to these helplines – Arogya Vani: 104, Sahay Helpline: 080-25497777. You can also reach out to regional organisations working for the prevention of suicide deaths in the country, a few of them have been listed below.
Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to join a consulting firm headed by former US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser. This comes after Morrison announced on Tuesday that he intends to leave politics and enter the private sector. Morrison is joining American Global Strategies LLC as non-executive Vice Chairman.
In a statement, Robert O’Brien, who served as Donald Trump’s hostage affairs envoy and then top national security advisor said, “Prime Minister Scott Morrison is widely regarded as one of the most consequential world leaders of the last decade, presiding over unprecedented changes to Australia’s foreign and defense policies. As American Global Strategies’ non-Executive Vice Chairman, Prime Minister Morrison will bring high-level relationships and unique geopolitical insights to our clients.”
Meanwhile, Morrison said that he is “looking forward to working once again with Ambassador O’Brien and the whole AGS team, especially here in the Indo-Pacific. Robert and I enjoyed a great working relationship when I was Prime Minister. Together we can draw on our combined networks and experience in the region to help clients navigate a highly dynamic geopolitical landscape that presents risks and opportunities.”
In addition to defence and security space, Morrison asserted that supply chains, technological change, resource security, energy transition, and new sorts of partnerships between the private and public sectors are all affected by the world becoming an increasingly more complicated place.
American Global Strategies comprises several former White House and government officials. Morrison’s hiring comes as the former US president Trump is widely expected to win the Republican nominee in the 2024 US election, as he aims at a comeback to the White House.
Notably, Morrison served as Australia’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, his Liberal-National alliance was defeated by the Labour Party, and Anthony Albanese became the Prime Minister.
During the course of his tenure, Morrison worked to foster the Quad alliance, which strengthened ties with India, Japan, and the United States. During his time as prime minister, he was seen as shifting Australia’s focus away from China, as evidenced by the Aukus nuclear submarine agreement with the US and the UK.
Reports say that Scott Morrison’s domestic popularity plummeted following a series of issues surrounding his handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, including disclosures that he covertly swore himself into various ministries at the prime of the epidemic. When it came to light, members of his own party began calling for his resignation from parliament.
On Tuesday, Morrison wrote an emotional note on Instagram hinting at his post-politics career. “Just letting you know (especially everyone locally) that after more than 16 years as the Member for Cook, I have decided to leave parliament at the end of February to take on new challenges in the global corporate sector and spend more time with my family,” Morrison wrote.
Notably, Scott Morrison was elected to the House of Representatives in 2007 after winning preselection for the Cook seat. He was named Minister of Immigration and Border Protection in 2013, and then Minister of Social Services in 2014 and 2015. Morrison was treasurer for almost three years, from 2015 to 2018, before taking over as prime minister.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. While Mani Shankar Aiyar was thumping his chest Kerala over the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha saying that the event will “prove costly” for PM Modi, his daughter went a step further.
On 19th January, two days before Pran Pratishtha, Suranya Aiyar posted a lengthy rant on Facebook along with a video reading out the same rant.
Suranya began a fast on 20th January in protest against Pran Pratishtha and ended it on 23rd January.
Her haranguing address began with the words, “With the forthcoming event in Ayodhya on January 22, the atmosphere here in Delhi, already famous for being polluted in a material sense, has thickened to a spiritually poisonous and unbreathable concentrate of Hindu chauvinism, malice and bullying. I am deeply anguished by all this as an Indian and as a Hindu.”
She said that she is protesting “first and foremost as an expression of my love and sorrow to my Muslim fellow citizens of India. I cannot let this moment pass without saying as loud as I can to my Muslim brothers and sisters that I love you and that I condemn and repudiate what is being done in the name of Hinduism and nationalism in Ayodhya.”
She then went on to shower her love on “her Mughal heritage” to gaslight Hindus to sell the “Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb” theory. She uses her mixed “Tamil Brahmin and Punjabi Sikh” background to gain credibility for her hateful argument.
Suranya then makes the point that Akbar was a kind Mughal emperor like Ashoka. She attempts to push the same “Hindus Vs Hindutvavadis” using her vile narratives.
Then she uses the Shankaracharya controversy to malign Pran Pratishtha. And then follows it with a long tirade about how she is as much a Hindu.
After this, Suranya goes all out to deny the Mughal invasion. “Again and again we are reminded by the Hindutvavadis that the Mughals invaded us,” she says. She follows this with another lecture on what the Mughals did and didn’t do to drive home her point.
She says atrocious things like “the Mughals were also not enemies of the Rajputs for all the 500 years that they ruled here”.
She calls the Ram Janmabhoomi movement a “lie”. She begins to sound frustrated when talking about Babri Masjid demolition trying to separate “saffronites” from Hindu devotion and Gods.
“It was never about devotion to Lord Ram. It was all only and only about Hindu chauvinism and insulting Muslims,” she says.
She audaciously misconstrues the Shlokas from The Bhagavad Gita to paint the picture that Hindus violate their revered scriptures. She uses the word “orthodox” for such Hindus who chant mantras and shlokas, she uses the word “taboos” for Hindu religious fasting.
Suranya’s sister Yamini Aiyar also joined in on the meltdown of Leftists and Islamists who were expressing their outburst against Pran Pratishtha by sharing an image of the Indian Constitution.
In the midst of the continuous conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Israeli Parliament, or Knesset, held its first session on Tuesday (January 23rd), to address sexual and gender-based violence. According to YnetNews, an Israeli publication, the conversation included the horrible details disclosed by the women who witnessed what they described as the “hell” of the earth. They expressed concern over individuals being held captive by Hamas terrorists following the October 7th event.
Chen Goldstein-Almog, one of the women who was fortunately liberated by Hamas terrorists, described the appalling conditions of the women who have become a “sex doll” for the terrorist group.
She claimed that several ladies in captivity had been raped more than once. In fact, she claimed that a lot of ladies had not had a monthly cycle in a long time, which could indicate that they were pregnant.
“There are women in captivity who haven’t had their menstrual cycle for a long time, and maybe that’s what we should pray for – that their bodies will protect them, and they won’t be subjected to pregnancy. We need to do everything to bring them back. There are difficult physical conditions of food and hygiene, and also harsh conditions of danger that we don’t know if their captors will receive orders to harm them. I am very worried about them,” Almog was quoted as saying.
“The terrorists bring inappropriate clothes for the girls, doll-like clothes. They turned the girls into their dolls, that they can do whatever they want with. And it’s unbelievable that they’re still there. I can’t breathe; I can’t cope with this, and it’s too difficult. We are closing in on four months, and they are still there,” she added.
Another woman, Aviva Siegel, 62, said, “I was there 51 days and there wasn’t a moment that we didn’t go through abuse of any kind. They had turned both women and men hostages into dolls on a string that they can do with them what they please, whenever they please. I saw it with my own eyes. I didn’t just see, I felt the women as if they were my daughters.”
Notably, earlier Monday (22nd January), a group of relatives of Israelis held prisoner by Hamas terrorists interrupted a parliamentary committee meeting in Jerusalem, asking that lawmakers do more to liberate their loved ones. One woman handed up photos of three family members who were among the 253 persons captured in the cross-border Hamas raid on October 7th, which provoked the deadliest violence in decades. Following a November truce, over 130 people are still being imprisoned in Gaza.
