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Bihar: Stones pelted on Durga Puja procession in front of a mosque in Saran, police suspect pre-planned conspiracy

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Stones pelted on Durga Puja procession in front of a mosque in Saran, police suspect pre-planned conspiracy

A Durga puja procession was attacked in Bihar’s Saran district early on 27th October allegedly by miscreants from a “particular community”. Six people have been injured in the attack in which the idol of Goddess Durga was also damaged.

According to eyewitnesses cited by Hindustan Times, a group of miscreants began throwing stones at the procession, damaging the idol. In response, some youth pelted stones at nearby houses leading to a clash between two communities.

The HT report quoted the police saying that the procession was attacked with stones while it was passing through a minority-dominated area in the New Bazar locality.

Saran Superintendent of police (SP) Dr Gaurav Mangla said that preliminary inquiry reveals that the Durga immersion procession was attacked as it was passing in front of a mosque.

The SP added, “They did not stop the music and thus, an enraged community started pelting stones at the procession. The procession is said to be unlicensed.”

Another senior official reportedly said that the attack might not have been spontaneous and the particular community may have been prepared with stones from before, in anticipation of the procession.

A report by The Statesman claimed that the stone pelting ensued after a heated exchange of words between the two communities.

Meanwhile, the SP along with other senior officers as well as reinforcement teams rushed to the spot after the clashes started at around 5 am. Heavy police force was deployed in the area to restore normalcy.

Police said a first information report will be lodged against members from both sides on charges of rioting and unlawful assembly after immersion processions are over.

This is the fourth such incident reported in Bihar. On 25th October, Durga Puja processions were attacked and stones were pelted on the same in Begusarai, Aurangabad (Bihar), and Bhojpur.

Haryana govt releases satellite imagery from NASA showing stubble burning in Punjab, exposes AAP govt’s claims on pollution in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana govt releases satellite imagery from NASA showing stubble burning in Punjab, exposes AAP govt’s claims on pollution in Delhi

As Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was registered at a dismal 309 on 27th October, falling into the “very poor” category, the Haryana government released a satellite image from NASA holding Punjab responsible for the same.

Haryana and Punjab are at loggerheads yet again over the issue of stubble burning which is considered one of the key causes behind Delhi and National Capital Region’s (NCR) deteriorating air quality.

The Haryana government has shared the satellite images claiming that the stubble burning in neighouring Punjab is responsible for the bad air quality in Delhi and NCR. Both the states have reportedly claimed to have recorded a significant drop in farm fires.

But the images from NASA show significant farm fires in Punjab. The images were taken on 25th and 26th October showing a cluster of red dots, indicating a rise in stubble burning.

Speaking on the same, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Jawahar Yadav said that Arvind Kejriwal’s silence about the NASA data creates suspicion.

He said, “There is data from NASA of October 25 and 26, which clearly shows where there is stubble burning in Punjab and in Haryana… More than double stubble burning has occurred in Punjab as compared to Haryana. The Haryana government has brought it down…The silence of Arvind Kejriwal about the NASA data creates suspicion. He has alleged that Indian agencies are not giving data on pollution… Why does he need it now?… The Punjab government has failed, and Arvind Kejriwal’s face has been exposed in front of the public…”

Times Now citing official data claimed that Haryana has seen a 36 per cent decline in farm fires this year. According to the National Green Tribunal, stubble burning in Punjab around autumn was among the “biggest contributors” to pollution in NCR.

“The period when stubble burning takes place is mainly between September 15 to November 30. Hence, during this period, the concerned authorities are required to be vigilant in identifying the violators, and in taking remedial measures, including imposition of a penalty,” the NGT said while hearing a petition.

On 25th October, Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said that there was no official data available that could tell the different sources contributing to the pollution in Delhi. Notably, many times in the past, AAP leaders including Atishi and Arvind Kejriwal have blamed the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the pollution in Delhi.

Congress’ ‘secular’ ally IUML holds pro-Palestine rally, Shashi Tharoor who called Hamas ‘terrorists’ backtracks after backlash from leftists and Hamas sympathisers

Jhankar Mohta
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Congress’ ‘secular’ ally IUML holds pro-Palestine rally, Shashi Tharoor who called Hamas ‘terrorists’ backtracks after backlash from leftists and Hamas sympathisers

On Thursday, October 26, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Muslim League offshoot and a Congress ally which time and again has been hailed as ‘secular’ by Rahul Gandhi and his adherents, held a massive rally on the Kozhikode beach in Kerala to showcase their unwavering support for Palestine.

At the rally, IUML supporters waved banners and chanted slogans in support of Hamas, the Palestine-backed Islamic terrorist organisation that carried out a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing hundreds of Israeli civilians and sparking the worst humanitarian crisis the world has ever seen.

At the Indian Union Muslim League’s pro-Palestine rally, while IUML justified Hamas terrorism as ‘resistance,’ Congress senior leader and the Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who was invited as the chief guest, referred to Hamas as terrorists and called the strike it launched against Israel a “terrorist act.” Throughout the speech, he used the phrases multiple times.

Shashi Tharoor’s tactical use of the term “terrorist” to describe Hamas during yesterday’s IUML rally marked a significant departure from both his and his party’s long-standing support for Palestine and their refusal to recognize that Hamas’s hostage-taking of innocent Israelis, killing of children and families, and rape of numerous civilians constitutes terrorism.

This was true until the Congress MP today retracted his remarks and blamed opponents for spreading the wrong message after being severely criticised by leftists and Hamas sympathisers for acknowledging that Hamas is a terrorist organisation.

By slamming Tharoor for calling Hamas terrorists, these Hamas sympathisers are essentially extending support not to Palestine but to Hamas and their barbaric atrocities against Jews.

Referring to the present bout of war between Hamas and Israel, Tharoor said during the IUML rally, “On October 7, terrorists attacked Israel, killed 1,400 people and took 200 hostages. In answer to that, Israel has so far killed 6,000 people. They have stopped the supply of food, water and fuel to Gaza. Hospitals are bombed. Innocent people are being killed every day. What is happening is the violation of war laws and the Geneva Convention, which have provisions for protecting innocent civilians.”

He added, “One thing I want to say. When those terrorists massacred unarmed people, the world had condemned it. Now, everyone is condemning the Israel bombing. Terrorist acts took place from both sides. Eye for eye would make the whole world blind. What we are seeing now is a heinous reaction. We are seeing a disproportionate reaction,’’ he said.

Tharoor further said that given the fact that the rally is being organized by the IUML, a ‘secular and democratic’ party, the issue should not be seen as a Muslim issue but an issue of human rights. “None should think that this is a Muslim issue. It is a matter of human rights. War knows no religion. Christians in Gaza were also killed in the bombing,” he said.

Senior IUML leader and party legislator Dr M K Muneer, who appeared disgruntled with the Congress MP’s departure from his party’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, apparently took a dig at Tharoor at the event.

Justifying Hamas terrorism as ‘resistance,’ the IUML leader said, “When Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose fought for the freedom of the country, it was recorded in British history as an act of terrorism and extremism. In Gaza, the fight of Palestine for freedom would be an act of terrorism in the eyes of imperialistic forces. But the children in Gaza now say that they were now offering namaz not five times a day, but six times. The children say every day they have ‘janaza’ (funeral prayer). The fight of Palestine is a freedom struggle and that of Israel is genocide. We are with that defence of Palestine. We should be able to differentiate between resistance and attack,” he said.

Shashi Tharoor comes under fire from Muslims and communists for calling Hamas ‘terrorist’

Soon after the Congress MP acknowledged that Hamas was indeed a terrorist organisation, he faced severe backlash from pro-Hamas groups and a section of leftists and communists on social media.

CPI(M) leader and former MLA M Swaraj tore into the Congress MP saying what he had done was an Israel solidarity meeting at the expense of the IUML.

The CPI(M) leader also took to Facebook to take a dig at the Congress MP. He sarcastically said on Facebook that Tharoor was fairly certain that the events from the Palestinian side were a “terrorist strike,” even though Israel had taken over 90% of that country.

He was also sure that what had happened from the side of Israel post-October 7 was its “reply”, the Left leader said.

“Tharoor is not a man who does not know the meaning of words. He is also not a person who was unaware that history had not begun on October 7,” Swaraj further said.

Still, the Congress leader has failed to admit that Israel is a “terrorist nation,” he said.

LDF MLA K T Jaleel also slammed Tharoor asserting that his speech would give the impression that it was a pro-Israel rally.

Shashi Tharoor backtracks, accuses opposition of misquoting him

On Friday (October 27), after facing severe backlash for going against his party’s stance and calling out Hamas as a terrorist organisation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, quickly came out to do damage control. He chastised the opposition for disseminating the impression that he was an Israel supporter. He continued by saying that his sympathies have always been with the Palestinian people and that he disagrees with the spread of a single quote from his speech given at the IUML rally.

“It is unfortunate that people are trying to interpret a few seconds from a 30-minute speech. I have no words for such people,” he said while speaking to the media.

Congress backs Palestine

The IUML backing Palestine is not surprising since a Muslim party’s leaders feel religiously obligated to stand with the Ummah. On 9th October, the Congress party passed a resolution backing the Palestinian people while raising concerns over the situation.

“The Indian National Congress has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality, and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security interests of the Israeli people. Violence of any type never provides a solution and must stop,” the Congress party said.

Interestingly, the Congress party’s resolution did not even mention the words Hamas or Israel.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has now acknowledged Hamas being a terrorist outfit, had earlier in a conversation with India Today said that “Hamas cannot be called a terrorist organisation”. He asserted that while the US has labelled Hamas as a terrorist organisation, the government of India has not made any such classification. Tharoor’s assertion comes even when Prime Minister Modi has explicitly termed the attacks on Israel as “terrorist attacks”.

Perhaps out of political imperative to avoid upsetting the ‘vote bank,’ the Congress party refuses to acknowledge that Hamas holding innocent Israeli people hostage, killing children and families, and raping numerous civilians is terrorism.

When Rahul Gandhi called IUML ‘secular’

It is worth noting that the IUML which is an offshoot of the Muslim League that played a significant role in the partition of India is an ally of the Congress party. While the IUML has links with Jammat-e-Islami and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), both accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of spreading radicalism in Kerala, Rahul Gandhi had called the IUML a ‘secular’ party.

During his controversial US visit in June this year, Rahul Gandhi asserted that the Muslim League, a Muslim political party in India which played a vital role in the partition of India on religious lines, was “completely secular”. The interviewer asked him, “You talked about secularism and democracy while opposing the Hindu party BJP, however, the Congress in Kerala has been in alliance with the Muslim party, the Muslim League in Kerala, the state from which you were an MP”. To this, Rahul Gandhi said, “Muslim League is a completely secular party, there is nothing non-secular about the Muslim League. I think the person has not studied the Muslim League”.

Notably, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) claims to be born after Indian Independence in 1948, is an off-shoot of Pakistan founder and Islamist Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s All India Muslim League (AIML). The All India Muslim League was succeeded by the Muslim League in Pakistan and the Indian Union Muslim League in India. While the IUML on its website claims that it “uncompromisingly anchors the nationalist and secular principles”, the party’s activities have been in sharp contrast to this.

Muslim woman reaches Embassy of Palestine in Delhi seeking visa to fight against Israel: Rants against ‘Idol worshippers’, PM Modi and talks about loyalty to Ummah

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim woman reaches Embassy of Palestine in Delhi seeking visa to fight against Israel: Rants against ‘Idol worshippers’, PM Modi and talks about loyalty to Ummah

On Thursday (26th October) a woman named Amina Shaikh reached the Palestine Embassy in New Delhi to seek a visa to Palestine. The woman said that she wanted to go to Gaza and join the people of her community to fight against Israel.

She said, “I came here to get an appointment with the officers to tell them that I want to go to Palestine and I need a visa to Palestine. So, I came here to apply for a visa. However, I am not getting the visa due to some issues. Through the media, I want to tell to the government that the borders of Palestine be opened for the Muslims in India.”

When asked about why did she want to go to Palestine, she said, “Why do I want to go? Aren’t you people seeing what is happening there in Palestine? You are the people from various news channels. Aren’t you able to see the way children are killed there and how dire the situation in Palestine is?”

When asked if she fears for her life, she said, “I come from a religion in which life and death are not valued at all. Those who get finished at once and for all should fear death. We do not fear death. One can even meet his death when in bed. But history and Islam remember those who fought such battles.”

Detailing about her preparations for Gaza, she said, “I have come here with full preparations. I have brought along all my documents including my passport. I urge the Prime Minister to open the borders of both countries for the people in India.”

When asked if she fears the heavy bombing and war situation in Israel, she said, “If I am destined to die there, I will die for sure. And it does not affect me. I will go to the people there and help them out in whichever way I can. We have started a movement in India. I am raising funds to go there. The minority communities in India are raising funds for Gaza and Palestine.”

In her rant, the woman who wants to fight in Gaza also went on a tirade against Hindus.

And who is caring for the life here? I am not afraid of death. First, you think about which community you are talking to. We love our death and our life after death as much as you idol worshippers love your this life. So, you don’t dare to threaten me with the deadly consequences of going to Palestine. And why are you mentioning the bombs and bombings again and again? Do you people want to threaten me?”.

She further said, “We are with Palestine and I will fight against everyone who troubles Palestine. I love Palestine so much because it is a place of the people belonging to our Ummah. Our prophets were there. We love that place. There was the first place of worship for us Muslims. We will fight for the Al Aqsa mosque. And forget these Gobar Bhakts, even their father will give me permission. Who are they to give me the permission? I am asking the government, not the Gobar Bhakts who lick the boots of this government”.

Displaying her hate against Hindus and specifically those who support PM Modi, she said, “Why these Gobar Bhakts are supporting Israel? On what basis they are extending the support? Jews eat beef. Jews also perform Khatna. Then why are these Bhakts supporting Israel? Just because they are killing Muslims? We will not let this happen. We are the people of one single Ummah”.

In her message to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she said, “Do not think about the battle that you cannot win. I would like to tell satans like him that they should not ever think about such a battle which they can never win. It will only end up defaming you.” Continuing her tirade, she said, “Netanyahu is trying to wipe out the community for which even the judgement day is waiting. I would like to tell (abuses) like Netanyahu that so many people like you have come and gone, but they could not destroy us. We are the community that is going to destroy you. Better you do not threaten us. Many of our Muslim countries have missiles and atom bombs. Have we kept them just for showing off? If you will attack, then we won’t be afraid”.

In her rant, she also accused Hindus and Prime Minister Modi with barbs similar to those that Akbaruddin Owaisi had made. She said, “This community does not know what is fear. Am I spreading riots? I am just asking for my constitutional right to support Palestine and to go there. I urge Modi Ji to open the borders and allow people to go to the country they support. In a moment all of us will come to know who wants to go and support which country and who all are cowards and who are afraid to go. Modi Ji, just open it for two days. The youth of this country and the Muslims in this country will show who has got power and how many days it takes to win a battle like the one that is going on there. I would advise Rubika Liyaqat to act and dance on her news channel. If she goes there and dies there, then Modi Ji will be blamed for her death”.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas started 20 days ago following the gruesome attacks on 7 October by Hamas. Israel has been continuously bombing the Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip as well as Hezbollah’s targets in Lebanon due to which multiple facilities belonging to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah were destroyed. Furthermore, Israel reported to have eliminated hundreds of terrorists from these organisations.

3 persons including 2 BSF jawans injured as Pakistani Rangers start unprovoked firing in Jammu

OpIndia Staff
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3 persons including 2 BSF jawans injured as Pakistani Rangers start unprovoked firing in Jammu

On 26 October evening, Pakistan Rangers opened unprovoked fire from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on the Border Security Force posts, which caused them to retaliate in equal measure. This action prompted panic to break out in over a dozen villages along the India-Pakistan international border in the Arnia and RS Pura sectors of the Jammu district.

“On the evening of October 26, 2023, at about 2000 hrs, Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing along the Indo-Pak International Border in Sector Jammu,” read a statement issued by the BSF. The troops responded to the firing right away. However, Pakistan Rangers opened fire on their border outposts which prompted appropriate retribution from Forward Defense Posts in these locations.

Pakistan Rangers targeted civilian neighbourhoods and Border outposts with mortar fire at 9.15 p.m. “At approximately 2115 hrs, Pakistan Rangers started mortar firing targeting Border outposts and civilian areas.” A civilian named Rajni Devi, wife of Arnia resident Balbir Singh, suffered minor injuries when some of the shells fell inside the town of Arnia which is the largest populated town on the India-Pakistan border in the entire Jammu region. Later, they used heavy machine gun fire and targeted Indian positions along the border.

BSF further informed, “Around 2240 hrs, Pakistan Rangers used heavy machine gun fire from Pak and targeted our Posts, which was again retaliated by own troops in a befitting manner. At about 270108 hrs, Pakistan Rangers again fired at and targeted our BOPs, leading to an exchange of fire and adequately retaliated by own troops.” The firing continued till the wee hours of 27 October. “Firing continued until 270245 hours.”

BSF also provided details of the wounded. “During the cross-border fire, CT Basava Raj sustained minor splinter injuries due to shelling in both hands at about 2200 hours. The injured individual was promptly evacuated to PHC (Primary Health Center) Arnia and later admitted to GMCH (Government Medical College and Hospital), Jammu. The individual’s condition is stable.” BSF added, “There is no other loss. Damage to material is still being ascertained.”

The statement declared, “BSF remains vigilant and continues to monitor the developments closely while assessing the situation and remains alert to respond as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the border and its residents.”

The BSF is on high alert along the 198-kilometer international boundary. According to intelligence sources, the Pakistan Rangers struck the BSF’s Vikram station in the Arnia sector at approximately 8 p.m. “Two BSF jawan also suffered injuries in the exchange of fire at Vikram post in Arnia sector,” they unveiled. An official from the BSF revealed that there are four to five posts involved in the fire on both ends.

Rakesh Kumar from Arnia highlighted, “Pakistan Rangers first opened machine gun fire on Vikram post and then targetted Chinaj post as well. They also shot a couple of illumination flares in the sky.” Some migrant farm labourers, including women and children, were observed fleeing to safety shortly after the unwarranted firing. They worked in Aria’s forward regions to make ends meet.

“Announcements were made from a temple loudspeaker asking the villagers to switch off the lights of their houses,” pointed out another local Rohit Choudhary who was attending an event in Arnia town.

Taranjit Singh Tony, a significant Congress leader from the RS Pura sector also reacted to the firing. “Pakistan Rangers are resorting to heavy firing since 8.15 pm at our forward posts and villages in Devigarh, Nikowaland Jora Farm. A Pakistan mortar has exploded near the house of one Sewa Singh Choudhary in Bhulle Chak.” According to him, migrant labourers who travel to the forward hamlets to harvest paddy crops have left because of shelling and gunfire from Pakistan.

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were injured in firing opened by the Pakistani rangers along the International Border in violation of the ceasefire agreement on October 17 evening. Official sources reported the incident happened between 8 and 8.30 p.m. They disclosed that the two BSF members from the 120 Battalion were hurt by the gunfire in Jammu’s Arnia Sector. The injured were taken to a hospital in Jammu.

“Yesterday the Pakistani Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing towards BSF troops, which was befittingly retaliated by alert BSF troops in the Arnia Sector. Two BSF personnel received bullet injuries and have been immediately provided medical assistance,” informed a BSF spokesperson.

According to accounts, on 21 October, BSF forces fired a few warning shots when a group of individuals escorted by Pakistan Rangers approached the international border near this location. The sources stated that at noon, a BSF jawan fired two warning shots when a group of more than twenty persons entered Indian territory with a herd of bovine animals and three Pakistan Rangers personnel with them. However, they went back to the Pakistani side and there was no reprisal from the other side.

India and Pakistan agreed to a “strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and all other sectors” with effect from midnight on February 24/25 (Wednesday) in the first joint statement released by the two sides in years. The decision was made public following talks on February 22 via the designated hotline between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGsMO). However, Pakistan has now broken the agreement.

Mehdi Hasan, who compared non-Muslims to ‘animals’, enjoys the hospitality of Tata, Shashi Tharoor and Rajdeep Sardesai: Netizens express disgust

OpIndia Staff
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Mehdi Hasan, who compared non-Muslims to ‘animals’, enjoys the hospitality of Tata, Shashi Tharoor and Rajdeep Sardesai: Netizens express disgust

Hinduphobic ‘journalist’ Mehdi Hasan has been invited as a speaker at the 14th edition of ‘Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest’. He is set to participate in two sessions, which are scheduled to be held on Friday (27th October) and Saturday (28th October).

Hasan will share the stage with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for an event titled ‘For the love of the Word- The Anil Dharker Session: Inauguration of Tata Literature Live! 2023 followed by in praise of the phrase.’

He will participate in another session titled ‘Turn the Tide’ with ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai. The event will be held at ‘The Tata Theatre’, which is located inside the ‘The National Centre for the Performing Arts’ (NCPA) premises in South Mumbai.

The website of ‘Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest’ describes the Hinduphobic ‘journalist’ as “the British-American host of The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC and Peacock.”

“He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking. He is a former anchor for Al Jazeera English and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, among other publications,” it further reads.

The event is sponsored by Tata Steel, Tata Motors and is powered by the likes of Godrej and Kotak. The event has been hosted in association with ‘The National Centre for the Performing Arts’ (NCPA) .

Mehdi Hasan and his radical mindset

Hasan is infamous for his 2009 video where he was heard equating non-Muslims with ‘cattle’ and homosexuals with ‘paedophiles.’

He was heard saying, “Once we lose the moral high ground we are no different from the rest, of the non-Muslims, from the rest of those human beings who live their lives as animals, bending any rule to fulfill any desire.”

It must be mentioned that Mehdi Hasan is of Indian descent but was raised in England since childhood. Although he apologised for his remarks in 2019, it becomes clear that his upbringing in a diverse, multicultural society could not rid him of his disdain for non-Muslims.

In April 2022, the MSNBC anchor went on a tirade against PM Modi and cast aspersions on India’s secularism.

“Putin. Orban. Le Pen. We talk a lot in the West about the rise of far-right authoritarians and yet we never mention India’s Narendra Modi and his BJP. I did a deep-dive into India under Modi & new warnings of an anti-Muslim genocide,” Hasan claimed.

In the video, he equated Hindu Nationalism in India (a nation that was divided on religious lines) with white Supremacy in the West, which is an ideology based on race. His sinister agenda was to equate Hindutva with Anti-Semitism.

Mehdi Hasan had also been involved in gaslighting Hindus by suggesting that he differentiates between the good and bad ones – a classical troupe used by Hinduphobes who claim ‘Hinduism’ and ‘Hindutva’ are different. In reality, they do not make any such distinction.

Screengrab of the tweet by Mehdi Hasan

His specific targeting of Hindu world leaders such as Narendra Modi and Tulsi Gabbard was criticised by HAF founder Shuag A Shukla, who called out his Hinduphobic antecedents in 2019.

“Whenever @narendramodi comes to town, Hindus like @tulsigabbard and Hindu orgs come under attack by activists trying to connect them to Hindu nationalism. @mehdihasan takes it further by connecting them to a mass murderer. This is wrong. This is tiring. This is Hinduphobia,” she said in a tweet.

Mehdi Hasan was seen resorting to money balancing after Islamists unleashed mayhem in Leicester in England’s East Midlands region in 2022. Instead of calling out the extremists who attacked the Hindu community, the MSNBC anchor put out a ‘shallow’ tweet appealing for peace.

In 2021, he also provided a platform to George-Soros-funded, anti-India activist Sunita Vishwanath to unleash her propaganda.

Netizens express disgust at Tata’s invite to Mehdi Hasan

Social media users were aghast at the decision of ‘Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Fest’ organisers to invite Hinduphobic ‘journalist’ Mehdi Hasan to the coveted event. Activist Arshia Malik wrote, “What on earth…!Who’s next? Ismail Haniya (referring to Hamas chief)?”

“The ‘god of philanthropy,’ Tata, has invited a hardcore Islamist, Mehdi Hasan, who in turn will engage in a conversation with an author of ‘Why I am a Hindu.’ We’re living on borrowed time. Our annihilation is certain,” wrote one X (formerly Twitter) user.

“Mehdi Hasan who routinely engages in anti India, anti Hindu,anti-Semitism globally is TATA brand’s guest of honor.When are you inviting Hafiz Sayeed
@TataCompanies @RNTata2000 on lecturing the nation after killing Indians?” tweeted one user.

“Take back Mehdi Hasan from Tata literature programme,” wrote another user.

Despite his anti-India and anti-Hindu antecedents, Mehdi Hasan has been invited as a speaker for two sessions at the ‘Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest’ event.

AAP says there is no data to identify the prime source of pollution in Delhi after blaming stubble burning in Punjab for years

OpIndia Staff
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AAP says there is no data to identify the prime source of pollution in Delhi after blaming stubble burning in Punjab for years

On Wednesday (25th October), Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi said that there was no official data available that could tell the different sources contributing to the pollution in Delhi. Notably, many times in the past, AAP leaders including Atishi and Arvind Kejriwal have blamed the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the pollution in Delhi.

Now, the AAP government in Delhi is saying that it is clueless about which source contributes how much to the pollution in the national capital. Atishi cited the lack of this data as an impediment to drafting the anti-pollution policy of the Delhi government.

What did the AAP leader Atishi say?

Atishi said, “Pollution in Delhi is a serious concern in winter months. The Delhi government has been working for the last 8 years to reduce this ever-increasing pollution level. Many independent organisations have made several reports. These reports say that the pollution levels in Delhi have gone down in the past few years.”

She added, “However, we have identified a major impediment in reducing pollution in Delhi. The problem is that there is no official data to know what are the different sources of air pollution in Delhi and how much pollution comes from which sources in Delhi. Unless the government knows exactly how much a source contributes to this pollution, the government cannot make any policy to control this pollution.”

What was the press conference about?

In October 2022, the Delhi cabinet inked an MoU with IIT-Kanpur to conduct a real-time pollution source apportionment study in the national capital. Valued at over Rs 12 crore, the project received Rs 10 crore from the Delhi government for the acquisition of necessary equipment and the establishment of a centralised data collection supersite.

However, the AAP government in Delhi is accusing DPCC Chairman Ashwani Kumar of arbitrarily halting the study by stopping the remaining payment of Rs 2 Cr. At a press conference held to blame him for the failure of the Delhi government, Atishi highlighted the lack of data on the sources contributing to Delhi’s pollution. This comes in stark contrast to her earlier citation of ICAR data three years ago, which blamed stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab for the problem.

Previously, AAP blamed stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the Delhi pollution

Notably, the AAP government in Delhi and many AAP leaders have blamed the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the pollution in Delhi multiple times in the past. In an old post on X (formerly Twitter), Atishi said, “Data clearly shows that Delhi pollution is directly correlated with stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab. The criminal negligence of the CMs in not solving this problem has caused a public health emergency in Delhi. Strongest action should be taken against them!” This post was shared on 18th November 2020. Atishi had cited the ICAR data to back her claims.

Atishi had blamed Punjab and Haryana for Delhi pollution in 2020. Image Source: India Today

On 17 October 2021, Delhi’s chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal said, “For the past month, I have been tweeting data of air quality in Delhi. Pollution has increased in the last 3-4 days and it is due to stubble burning in neighbouring states. Farmers in neighbouring states are compelled to burn stubble as their governments are doing nothing for them (towards stopping stubble burning).”

In 2018, Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference to show satellite pictures of Punjab and Haryana as proof of stubble burning causing pollution in Delhi. Going into the minute details of the stubble burning, Kejriwal even gave a partial clean chit to Haryana. He said, “Very little area in north Haryana had stubble fires, large parts of Punjab could be seen as affected. If you see honestly, then there are just a few places of Haryana in it. In Punjab, stubble is being burnt in the entire area, especially Bathinda and Amritsar.”

Flagging the satellite images from Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal said, “I heard a statement of Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman saying that stubble was not being burnt in the state and that the air quality index of the state was good. These pictures show stubble being burnt. Where is all this smoke going? Is it disappearing and directly going to Pakistan?”

On 24 November 2020, Atishi said, “The Air Quality Commission formed by the central government is responsible for controlling the pollution in Delhi and NCR. Today, we had a meeting with the commission, because we all know that it is difficult to breathe in Delhi in the months of October and November. Our agenda has two main points. Firstly, the commission should order the governments of Haryana and Punjab to implement the solution devised by the AAP government in Delhi to reduce the stubble-burning pollution in those states. Secondly, we have told the commission that just ordering these governments is not enough.”

She added, “The chief ministers of those states should be held responsible if any incident of stubble burning is noticed in those states. They should get strict punishment if they fail to ensure this. The commission has the power to take this action. It can file the FIR. It can send any person to jail for five years for causing pollution in Delhi and NCR. Therefore, we have urged the commission that the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana should be held liable and strict action should be taken against them.”

Atishi in her recent press conference has said that there is no official data to ascertain the proportional contribution of various factors to Delhi pollution. In a press conference held by Atishi on 15 March 2021, she quoted a report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and said that 60 per cent of pollution in Delhi is caused by factors outside Delhi. In the same press conference, Atishi blamed the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the air pollution in Delhi.

In 2022, Bhagwant Mann of Aam Aadmi Party became the chief minister of Punjab. Since then, the attacks and accusations by AAP on Punjab and Haryana over stubble burning and the pollution in Delhi have suddenly disappeared. Now, AAP leader Atishi has said that there is no official data to encertain which source of pollution contributes how much to the Delhi pollution.

AAP played with Hindu sentiments in the guise of addressing the pollution issue

AAP has government in both Delhi and Punjab. The AAP government in Delhi is saying that they cannot formulate a policy to reduce pollution because they do not have any specific data on the sources of pollution and their contribution into the problem. However, the AAP government in Punjab can take as many steps to prohibit the incidents of stubble burning and providing alternative ways of disposing the agro wastes to the farmers.

But, AAP government in Punjab is not taking concrete steps to address the stubble burning issue in a way like what Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana has done in the past few years. Instead, the AAP government in Delhi had banned firecrackers in Delhi on the occasion of Hindu festival Diwali and had played with sentiments of Hindus in Delhi.

India will witness an unprecedented era of connectivity with OneWeb satellite service from next month: Sunil Mittal at India Mobile Congress 2023

ANI
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India will witness an unprecedented era of connectivity with OneWeb satellite service from next month: Sunil Mittal at India Mobile Congress 2023

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and founder of Bharti Airtel revealed a significant technological leap for India during his address at the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress.

Speaking to a captivated audience, Mittal declared, “A new technology is now available for our country. Satellite communication is here to serve every inch of our country and of course the globe.”

Mittal credited this achievement to the successful collaboration with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), stating, “With your intervention, we were able to get two rockets GSLV Mk 3 from ISRO to launch 72 satellites last year.”

He went on to unveil the ground-breaking OneWeb constellation, in which Bharti holds the largest stake, now poised to serve both the nation and the entire world.

Starting next month, India will witness an unprecedented era of connectivity, as Mittal proudly announced, “Anybody anywhere in the country, however remote or far or in difficult areas, can be connected from our Satellite ground station that has been set up in Mehsana, Gujarat.”

This technological advancement in satellite communication promises to bridge the digital divide in India, connecting even the most isolated regions, fostering development, and transforming the way the nation communicates.

Mittal’s announcement marks a pivotal moment for India’s technological landscape, opening up a world of possibilities for connectivity, communication, and progress.

The Chairman of Bharti Enterprises also spoke about how India’s digital infrastructure can accelerate the World economy.

“Two pillars are very important for IMC 2023…First was Digital India…You raised the slogan of JAM Trinity which was based on Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile is being discussed across the world. Whether it is the World Bank, UN, WTO, African Union, European Nation, G20, OECD Countries, or BRICS, there is only one slogan, the Digital Infrastructure that India has built can accelerate the world economy, especially in those countries which have a lack of infrastructure…The second most important one is Make in India” Sunil Bharti Mittal said.

The India Mobile Congress serves as a platform to showcase India’s technological advancements and innovations while facilitating discussions on the nation’s digital future.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Ireland: Iraqi-Kurdish man Yousef Palani sentenced to life for brutally murdering two gay men, police say he was ‘not radicalised’

OpIndia Staff
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Ireland: Iraqi-Kurdish man Yousef Palani sentenced to life for brutally murdering two gay men, police say he was ‘not radicalised’

A 23-year-old Iraqi-Kurdish man has been sentenced to life for murdering two gay men in Ireland last year. Homophobic killer Yousef Palani brutally murdered two gay men last year, decapitating one of them, and assaulted a third man during a four-day killing spree in Sligo town.

Palani admitted to the offences at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on 23rd October and pleaded guilty to the murders of Adian Moffitt at Cartron Heights on 10th April 2022 and Michael Snee at City View on 12th April 2022.

The accused also pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Anthony Burke, a local man who survived Palani’s attack and assisted in the police investigation.

Justice Mary Ellen Ring while delivering the sentence, said that Palani had committed “unspeakable violence” against three innocent men. Palani reportedly targeted gay Irish men who lived alone.

He used a gay dating app to find his victims. He then tied them up before stabbing them to death and mutilating their bodies in their homes. Palani decapitated Adrian Moffitt, placed his head on a bed and his body was on the floor. Moffitt had 42 stab wounds, and his hands were tied behind his back.

A yellow bottle of bleach was left beside his head, while a knife with a serrated blade had been placed into Mr Moffitt’s right hand after he was murdered.

Michael Snee was also found tied up on the floor of his own bedroom, while a hunting knife and a black coloured knife had been laid on the bed to make the shape of a cross.

There were 38 sharp force injuries to Snee’s body, and he had been stabbed 25 times mainly to the head, neck and chest, said the garda witness.

Survivor Anthony Burke recalled Palani “shoving” a knife in his eye and said he was suffering insomnia, heightened anxiety, and mood deterioration since the attack. Burke lost sight in one eye.

The gardai (police) said that Palani would have continued to kill gay men if he had not been arrested on 13th April. Palani reportedly told the police that he wasn’t gay because he was a Muslim despite forensic evidence showing that he engaged in sexual activity with at least one victim.

Detective Conor Jordan said that there is no evidence that Palani was radicalised “despite some suggestions to the contrary”.

Detective Jordan said that there is no evidence to support Palani’s claim of mental health issues. Palani had initially denied any involvement but later made full admissions claiming that he heard voices which told him to carry out the attacks.

However, according to the detective, there is no evidence to support Palani’s claim of mental health issues and believes that his account of hearing voices may be exaggerated or fabricated entirely.

Yousef Palani is originally from Iraq and had migrated to Ireland with his family when he was six years old under a UN protection programme. The family was provided with accommodation by the State in Sligo.

Reports suggest that Palani and the family had strained ties with the neighbours. According to a report by Jihad Watch, a neighbour said, “It’s not that they were causing trouble all the time, but they would intimidate us subtly.”

Another report by Irish Examiner claimed that when Palani played football with local children at 10-11 years of age, he would kick the children and not the football. This resulted in brawls between parents and reportedly “set the tone for future interactions”.

The residents were quoted by the Irish Examiner saying, “We’re not racist. We just want the people to come and live here peacefully.”

The report also claimed that Palani’s father was often seen doing karate moves in the middle of the entrance to the estate. He would run bare-chested around Cairns Hills every day – often backwards – even in winter and his wife would run after him with her niqab on.

The father of the accused has reportedly not been seen publicly since his son’s arrest last year. No family member was seen at any of his court appearances at the Sligo District Court.

Palani is known to be one to invite trouble even during his time in school. One of the locals said, “That guy Yousef was trouble from day one. And that’s a fact.” One of his teachers called him “extremely intellectually challenged”.

Some neighbours also insist that Palani was known to the police. One of the neighbours reportedly witnessed him being arrested and taken out of the house in handcuffs over criminal damage allegations in the town.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict: India considers sending second batch of weapons to Armenia in the face of rising tensions

OpIndia Staff
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Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict: India considers sending second batch of weapons to Armenia in the face of rising tensions

Amid the ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, India is considering sending more military assistance to Armenia, its vital ally in the Caucasus, reports the Economic Times. This comes after India successfully delivered the first batch of weapons to Armenia over the past year.

The article reported that India intends to send additional supplies some of which could consist of military hardware meant to strengthen Armenia’s deterrent might. The development came to light in the backdrop of serious tensions between Armenia and the Islamic country Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey and Pakistan.

A top Armenian official recently was in Delhi to hold negotiations about the same, as per sources with knowledge of the situation. They asserted that India has emerged as a reliable source of weapons which is in line with their demand.

However, specifics of the new shipments are undisclosed at this time and analysts in Armenia who want to remain anonymous stated that the cargo might comprise tools that could act as a deterrent amid the hostile environment with Azerbaijan.

India sends first batch of weapons to Armenia

India’s previous consignment to Armenia included Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles, rockets, and ammunition. The weapons were reportedly delivered through Iran, a country with historical ties to Armenia. Iran, which has historical ties to Armenia had reportedly facilitated the delivery. The supplies had prompted protests from Azerbaijan.

India, Iran and Armenia established a trilateral earlier this year to explore a transit corridor. The three nations underlined the potential for strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties as well as trilateral collaboration in several areas during a meeting in Yerevan in April. They further spoke about economic initiatives and regional communication channels. The decision was made to “continue consultations” in the format at that point. The usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as a regional connectivity network was addressed as well at the summit.

Armenia has been acquiring Pinaka systems mostly because of Azerbaijan’s drone utilisation, as the system’s “shoot and scoot” functionality allows it to avoid counter-battery fire. It is also an excellent armament system for the country due to its affordability and ease of application. Due to their familiarity with the Russian-made GRAD system, the Armenian army could quickly become proficient with the technique. 

The head of Armenia’s parliamentary committee on defence and security affairs, Andranik Kocharyan recently declared without mentioning India that the new arsenal supplied to the country is now being tested by their military, with “very satisfactory” results.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023.

The small nation of Armenia is nestled between Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Azeris share Turkish culture and religion since they are ethnic Turks. The Ottoman Empire colonized the predominantly Christian Armenians for a very long period. Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia were the three Soviet republics that split apart from Armenia after the Soviet Union annexed the country in the 1920s.

Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence in the 1990s with the fall of the Soviet Union. However, a small area that was home to ethnic Armenians continued to be a part of Azerbaijan. The name of this area is Nagorno-Karabakh. In the 1990s, tensions rose, leading this region to announce independence with Armenia’s assistance. The impasse lasted for over thirty years until Azerbaijan unilaterally breached the truce in 2020, backed by Turkey.

The dispute saw a significant escalation after this. Six weeks of intense combat were reported to have claimed thousands of lives.

Azerbaijan took over large swaths of land, and by the time both sides agreed to sign a peace deal negotiated by Russia in November 2020, it had grabbed all of the regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh controlled by Armenia since 1994. The terms of the deal obliged Armenian troops to leave these territories and they have since been limited to a smaller part of the region.

The violence was momentarily stopped by the arrival of Russian soldiers, however, tensions had been building for months between the two nations.

In September this year, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia once again escalated as the Turkey-backed Azerbaijani forces launched a military offensive in the region. The onslaught that lasted for 24 hours claimed the lives of as many as 10 innocent civilians and left several injured.

The following day, a cease-fire deal mediated by Russia was struck. The agreement stated that the military forces of Karabakh would be entirely disarmed and abolished.

On September 20, the prime minister stated that Armenia was not a party to the deal, accusing Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan of attempting to draw Armenia into a confrontation. 

Amidst all this, over 1,20,000 ethnic Armenians living in the region started fleeing Muslim-majority Azerbaijan fearing persecution and ethnic cleansing by the Azeri authorities. 

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