Israel has demanded the resignation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from his position over his remarks against the Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza after terror attacks by Hamas on October 7.
The Israeli envoy to the UN, Gilad Erdan called Guterres “unfit” to lead the UN and called for his resignation.
“The @UN Secretary-General, who shows no understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN. I call on him to resign immediately. There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people. There are simply no words,” he stated on social media platform X.
This came after the UN chief said that the attacks by Hamas “did not happen in a vacuum” further adding that the attacks cannot justify the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.
“It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing,” the UN chief said at the General Assembly.
He added, “The grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.
Addressing the UN General Assembly session on the Israel-Gaza crisis, Cohen said, “Mr Secretary General (Guterres), in what world do you live? Definitely, this is not our world”.
In a fiery response, Eli Cohen announced that he won’t be meeting the UN Secretary-General.
“I will not meet with the UN Secretary-General. After October 7th there is no room for a balanced approach. Hamas must be erased from the world!” Cohen posted on X.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, as a testament to the power of patience the people of the country kept for centuries.
Addressing a public gathering at the Dwarka Sri Ram Leela Society at DDA ground in Sector 10 in the national capital, he announced that Lord Rama’s arrival is imminent, with only a few months left before he takes his place in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
“We are fortunate enough to witness the construction of Ram Temple, and on the next Ramnavami in Ayodhya, every note echoing in Ramlala’s temple will bring joy to the world. The construction of the grand temple of Lord Ram at His birthplace is a symbol of the patience of Indians for centuries. (Bhagwan Ram ki janmabhoomi par ban raha bhavya mandir, sadiyo ki prateeksha ke baad hum Bhartiyo ke dhairya ko mili vijay ka prateek),” the PM said, adding, “There are only a few months left for Lord Ram to reside in the Ram Temple. Lord Ram is just about to arrive…”
In a swipe at the Opposition parties, the PM said that the day should also mark the burning of those forces that try to ‘divide’ the country in the name of casteism and regionalism.
“We have to keep in mind that today, the burning of Ravana should not be just the burning of an effigy. This should be the burning of every deformity due to which the mutual harmony of society deteriorates. Let this be the burning of those forces that try to divide India in the name of casteism and regionalism…,’ PM Modi added.
PM Modi also said that on Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land.
“On Vijayadashami, there is a tradition of ‘Shastra Puja’ as well. On Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land. Our Shakti Puja is not just for us but for the welfare of the entire world…” PM Modi.
Extending wishes to the people on this auspicious occasion, the PM said that the country is celebrating the festival of Dussehra after almost two months since its victory on the moon.
” I wish all the countrymen a very happy Navratri and Vijayadashami. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. This time we are celebrating Vijayadashami when it has been 2 months since our victory over the Moon. We know the knowledge of Gita and also have the capability to build INS Vikrant and Tejas,” the PM said.
PM Modi further said the people of the country know the dignity of Lord Ram and also know how to protect the boundaries of the nation.
PM Modi also witnessed the ‘Ravan Dahan’.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Durga Puja is an integral part of Hindu culture. The 9-day long festival celebrates ‘Devi’ and Her power over evil. For the past several years, the auspicious occasion has been sullied by violence, vandalism, and destruction.
Attacks on Hindus remain a routine affair in India. They seem to intensify during festivals, be it Hanuman Jayanthi or Ram Navami. No Hindu festival including Durga Puja has been spared from attacks by radical Islamists.
Hindus now also need to brave the brutality of local police authorities, who clamp down on Hindu religious processions, under the pretext of law and order.
Idols damaged in Arunachal Pradesh
On the intervening night between the 5th and 6th of October, 2019, three miscreants damaged several Durga idols in Doimukh town in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The idols were decapitated and defaced. The President of the Doimukh Bazaar Welfare Committee said that the attack was unprecedented in the town’s history. Soon after, the Police arrested three people in connection to the case. “
The group of miscreants vandalised the idols of Goddess Durga and fled from the spot. They escaped in a Tata Tiago car which later helped police to identify and apprehend them,” SP Yupia said. At that time, the incident had created a furore on social media.
“An FIR (u/s 295/448/427/34 IPC) was registered, statements were taken, and investigation initiated,” the SP said. At that time, Papum Pare Superintended of Police Jimmy Chiram claimed that the issue was not communal in nature and was related to a personal dispute.
Stones pelted at Durga idol immersion in Jehanabad
On October 10, 2019, a frenzied Islamist mob pelted stones at a group of Hindus, who were carrying an idol of Goddess Durga for immersion near Bihar Studio at Arval Modh. The sudden attack led to a stampede in which around a dozen people, including four policemen, were injured.
Reportedly, the violence took place when ‘some people’ pelted stones at the Durga idol immersion procession. In the meantime, hundreds of Hindus angry over the incident gathered at different places, demanding strict action against the perpetrators of the attack.
At that time, the police officials had urged people not to pay attention to rumours. The administration officials visited the spot and took stock of the situation. Anti-riot Rapid Action Force (RAF) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were also deployed in the area.
When Durga Puja procession was attacked in Balrampur
In October 2019, a Durga Puja procession in Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh was pelted with stones by a mob of Islamists. A video of the incident went viral on social media. At that time, the police arrested 8 people in connection to the case.
A devotee who was part of the procession alleged conspiracy and claimed the stone-pelters chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans.
उपरोक्त प्रकरण में पुलिस ने मौके से 8 अराजक लोगों को गिरफ्तार कर लिया है। गंभीर धाराओं में अभियोग पंजीकृत कर लिया गया है। जुलूस सकुशल सम्पन्न हो गया है। मौके पर शांति व्यवस्था कायम है। पुलिस बल तैनात है। @Uppolice@ANI@JagranNews@Live_Hindustanhttps://t.co/D8JYVDAKHQ
While speaking to OpIndia, Suraj, a Balrampur resident part of the procession, said he was convinced that the Muslim residents of the locality had meticulously pre-planned this entire siege and the attack had nothing to do with the music not being stopped near the Mosque.
The Additional Superintendent of Police from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh told OpIndia that the Durga puja Visarjan procession came under attack as it was passing in front of a mosque.
Munger firing incident and killing of Anurag Poddar
On October 26, 2020, during the Bihar assembly election campaign, the famous Shadipur Badi Durga procession for Visarjan was attacked and allegedly fired upon by police officials.
Though the police had denied firing and had claimed that the shots were fired by some members of the crowd, those claims were later dismissed by CISF.
The police had beaten up the devotees who were taking the idol for immersion. Video footage of police brutally lathi-charging devotees who were trying to shield the huge idol and pandal had created a furore on social media.
In the violence that ensued, shots were also fired and the 18-year-old Anurag Poddar lost his life. Several other persons were injured in the police brutality.
Police lathi-charge on Durga puja procession in Bilaspur
On October 27, 2020, the police lathi-charged Hindu devotees when they were en route to Durga idol immersion in Bilaspur city of Chhattisgarh. On that day, about 10 processions were on the way to immersion.
When one of the Durgotsav Samiti groups reached the city Kotwali thana, the police confiscated the DJ’s vehicle. They claimed that the allotted time to play music had expired. Not just that, the police also stopped the vehicle carrying the Durga idol from further carrying out the procession.
This led to a heated argument between the Hindu devotees and the police, leading to a clash. On the orders of Town Inspector (TI) Kaleem Khan, the police thrashed the Hindus with batons.
In his defence, Khan claimed that the crowd entered the police premises and the police merely dispersed the crowds without any lathi charge.
Violence during Durga Puja idol immersion in Sultanpur
Violence broke out during a Durga idol immersion procession in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, resulting in at least twenty people being injured.
The conflict emerged due to Muslims objecting to music being played by DJ during a Durga Puja immersion ceremony in the Baldirai region. The police reached the spot and controlled the situation.
The immersion procession began in Para Bazar town and progressed till near the Baba Junglenath Mahadev Temple. Because the procession was so long, it made its way around a nearby mosque. Following this, members from the mosque came out and demanded the procession to stop playing the songs.
थाना बल्दीराय के इब्राहिमपुर गांव मे दिनांक 10.10.2022 को मूर्ति विसर्जन को लेकर विवाद घटित हुआ था। जिसका थाना बल्दीराय मे मुकदमा पंजीकृत किया गया था। घटना से सम्बधित 32 नफर अभियुक्तों को गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया। रिमाण्ड उपरान्त जेल भेजा गया।#UPPolice
Upon this, individuals from both sides confronted each other, and an altercation ensued. Hundreds of people arrived within minutes, and the disagreement escalated into stone pelting, injuring numerous individuals and torching several vehicles.
Superintendent of Police, Sultanpur, Somen Barma later informed, “On the basis of CCTV footage and video clips of the incident, 55 people have been identified of whom 32 have been arrested. The arrested persons include the principal and maulvi of a madrassa who had reportedly incited the mob to hurl stones at the procession.”
According to reports, the event was not random and appeared to be pre-planned, since hundreds of individuals assembled in minutes to disrupt the procession.
Burqa-clad women vandalises Goddess Durga idols in Hyderabad
In September last year, two Muslim women were detained for vandalising the idol of the goddess Durga at a Navratri pandal in Hyderabad. The ladiesaccused barged into a pandal in the city’s Khairatabad locality and smashed a portion of the Durga statue, according to Hyderabad Police.
When a local tried to stop her, one of the ladies attacked him with a metallic tool. Locals apprehended both ladies and handed them over to the police.
Durga idol vandalised in Hyderabad, two Muslim women held. @swastikadas95 with details
At that time, DCP Central Zone (Hyderabad) said, “In the morning we received a call that two ladies have tried to vandalize the Mother Mary statue and later they also tried to vandalize the statue of Goddess Durga. One woman was also seen carrying a spanner and she tried to attack a local who tried to stop.”
“However, locals caught both of them and handed them over to Saidabad police. We are trying to verify their details but they are behaving very weirdly. An investigation is underway,” the DCP further added.
Islamists pelt stones, attack Hindus with iron axes at a Garba pandal in Madhya Pradesh
On the night of October 2, 2022, a stone pelting incident took place at a Garba event in Surjani village which comes under the Sitamau police station area in Mandasur district, Madhya Pradesh. Not just stone pelting, some villagers were also attacked with iron axes by the mob. Four people were reportedly injured in the incident.
Anurag Sujania, Superintendent of police, said in a statement, “After receiving information about stone pelting at a Garba pandal due to a dispute between two groups, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.” The police registered a case against 19 people and apprehended seven of them during the initial investigation.
Illegal houses of three stone pelter on Garba pandal in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh razed by administration. The three houses that belonged to Salman’s father Aklu Pathan, Sohail’s father Jafar Khan and Raes Khan were constructed without taking proper permission. pic.twitter.com/RFGZC6UUbh
Giving details about the incident, the officer said, “Devotees were playing Garba while worshipping Mata on Saturday night in Surjani village of Sitamau police station area. Salman Khan started hitting the pandal with his bike. One of the organisers, Shivlal Patidar, objected and also complained to his father. On Sunday, Salman along with others reached the Garba venue and started beating Shivlal and other organisers. Salman hit the head of a villager, Mahesh, with an iron axe.”
During the investigation, the panchayat department accessed the documents and found that three houses that belonged to Salman’s father Aklu Pathan, Sohail’s father Jafar Khan, and Raes Khan were constructed without taking proper permission. Notices were issued in this regard on October 3 and houses were razed on October 4, 2022.
The Banda police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested a youth named Rambabu Tiwari aka Nasir Hussain on charges of threat, intimidation and extortion. The arrest was made following a complaint lodged by his Hindu parents who alleged that their son, after converting to Islam, started threatening to kill them for property and money. In their complaint, the family also named four local Muslim youths, accusing them of brainwashing their son to join Tablighi Jamaat, following which Rambabu Tiwari converted to Islam and became Nahir Hussain.
Rambabu’s Brahmin family alleged that after converting to Islam, Rambabu aka Nahir Hussain started demanding Rs 5 lakh and asking them to transfer the property to his name. He has threatened to kill them if they don’t do so within 3 days.
Based on the complaint lodged by Rambabu’s mother, the Banda police arrested him and sent him to jail. The police also arrested the four local youths Chhota Master, Mehboon Khan, Raju Khan and Afzal on the grounds of religious conversion under the UP anti-conversion law and sent them to jail.
It may be noted that the father of Rambabu, Pawan Tiwari, had, earlier this month, filed a complaint against four local Muslim villagers accusing them of brainwashing their son to convert to Islam. He alleged that local Muslim youths namely Chhota Master, Mehboon Khan, Raju Khan and Afzal coaxed him and sent him to Tablighi Jamaat for a few days.
After returning, Rambabu Tiwari’s health deteriorated. He stayed at home and started watching Islamic videos on YouTube. He began visiting the mosque and performing Namaz every day and also started identifying himself as Nasir Hussain. On October 13, Rambabu submitted a conversion affidavit in the SDM office and urged that his name should be changed from Rambabu Tiwari to Nasir Hussain in all his legal documents.
The father further alleged that the local Muslim youths had tricked Rambabu into converting his religion as they wanted to acquire his land, which was worth crores.
Speaking about the case, VHP district president Chandra Mohan Bedi also said that Tablighi Jamaat lured the youth to convert to Islam by offering him money.
Rambabu, meanwhile, claimed that he converted to Islam without any pressure. In fact, in his affidavit to the SDM he also stated that he had voluntarily converted from Hindu religion to Muslim religion.
Image source: Aaj Tak
Meanwhile, since the matter pertained to both communities, the police have been exercising extra caution and have deployed PAC in the village to avoid any untoward incident.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a Dussehra celebration event taking place in Dwarka, New Delhi. During his speech, Modi said the next Ram Navami will be celebrated in the new magnificent Ram Temple currently under construction in Ayodhya.
“We are fortunate today to witness the construction of the grandest temple dedicated to Lord Rama. By the upcoming Ramnavami in Ayodhya, every note resonating within Ramlala’s temple will bring joy to the entire world. It’s just a matter of a few months before Lord Ram takes His abode in the magnificent Ram temple,” PM Modi said.
आज हमें सौभाग्य मिला है कि हम भगवान राम का भव्यतम मंदिर बनता देख पा रहे हैं।
अयोध्या की अगली रामनवमी पर रामलला के मंदिर में गूंजा हर स्वर, पूरे विश्व को हर्षित करने वाला होगा।
राम मंदिर में भगवान राम के विराजने को बस कुछ महीने बचे हैं।
PM Modi also conveyed his heartfelt wishes to all fellow Indians as they celebrate the festival of Dussehra and mark the conclusion of Navratri, culminating in the festival of triumph, Vijayadashami. Vijayadashami represents the conquest of justice over injustice, humility over ego, and patience over anger.
Speaking about the scientific as well as spiritual progress made by India, PM Modi said, “We possess the wisdom of the Gita and the achievements of building INS Vikrant and Tejas. We understand the reverence for Shri Ram and how to safeguard our borders. We embrace the spirit of Shakti Puja and uphold the mantra of “Sarve Santu Niramaya” even during the challenges posed by the Coronavirus.”
The Prime Minister also cited India’s successful Moon mission, Chandrayaan 3, stating that Vijayadashmi marked 2 months since India conquered the earth’s only natural satellite after successfully landing its Vikram Lander on the lunar surface and its rover travelling about on the moon.
Referring to the tradition of ‘Shastra Puja’ on the occasion of Dussehra, PM Modi said, “There is also a tradition of worshipping weapons on Vijayadashami. On Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land, but to protect it.”
“Vijayadashami shouldn’t solely commemorate Ram’s triumph over Ravana; it should also symbolize the triumph of patriotism over all of our nation’s ills. Let us pledge to eradicate social ills and discrimination from our society,” PM Modi said to a deafening roar at the Dwarka event.
PM Modi also emphasised that the symbolic burning of Ravan is not just the burning of an effigy, it also represents the elimination of all ailments undermining the harmony within our society. “Let this act symbolise the eradication of forces that seek to divide Mother India through casteism and regionalism. It should also signify the elimination of self-serving ideologies that do not align with the progress and development of India,” he added.
Talking about forging a society based on the ideals of Lord Rama, PM Modi said, “We must strive to build a nation based on the principles of Lord Ram – an India that is self-reliant and developed. This developed India should serve as a beacon of global peace, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to pursue their dreams and experience prosperity and contentment.
Zafarul Islam Khan, author, commentator, and former Chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission has come up with the English translation of the Islamic religious book, Quran. The book named ‘The Glorious Quran’ seeks to present the Quran as it was interpreted by Islam’s ancestors and forefathers.
As per the report by Siasat Daily, the book is the first contribution toward the translation of the Quran into English which is after a book by Abdullah Yusuf Ali who came out with a similar publication in the year 1930. The book is believed to be the new complete guide to Islam.
Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan began the work as a modification of Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s translation, which he claims has many discrepancies and errors, as well as using outdated vocabulary.
The book also contains two thousand new annotations and several attachments on the introduction to the Quran, a biography of Prophet Muhammad, the Names of Allah, a dictionary of Islamic terms, and a subject index of the Quran.
Zafarul-Islam Khan threatened Hindus in 2020
Notably, Zafarul Islam Khan, the author of the new translation is the same person who has threatened Hindus. In the year 2020, Khan had written a Facebook post in which he had called Hindus bigots and had praised Islamist hate preacher Zakir Naik. He claimed that people like Naik are respectful household names in the Arab region and Muslim world.
The incident had taken place when Kuwait had taken the note of “persecution of Muslims in India”. Khan then extended gratitude to Kuwait for “standing with the Indian Muslims” and attacked Hindus by referring to them as “Hindutva bigots”.
“Mind you, bigots, Indian Muslims have opted until now not to complain to the Arab and Muslim world about your hate campaigns and lynchings and riots. The day they are pushed to do that, bigots will face avalanche,” he had said.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police reportedly had booked Zafarul Islam, the then Chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, for sedition (IPC Section 124A) and promoting religious animosity (IPC Section 153A).
Later, he tendered an apology saying that his statement was a little ‘out of proportion’ and that he would continue to defend India on crucial issues as doing otherwise would be against the Constitution and his religious beliefs.
The translator is believed to be a well-known Islamic scholar who obtained his PhD in Islamic Studies from Manchester University after studying at Al-Azhar and Cairo universities. Along with Arabic, he also happens to be fluent in English and Urdu, and has published a number of writings in all three languages. For around 14 years, he was a senior research fellow at The Muslim Institute in London.
Amid the Israel-Hamas war, a video of controversial Canadian activist and author Harsha Walia from a 9th October pro-Palestinian protest rally has gone viral on social media, where she interestingly compared Khalistanis to Hamas. Walia, who is a ‘feminist’ and known for her anti-Hindu rants, sparked controversy with her statement, where she drew parallels between the Palestinian cause and the Khalistani movement.
Bigoted Hindu hater and vicious anti-India activist Harsha Walia shills for Hamas terrorists and justifies their hideous terrorism.@JustinTrudeau protects and nurtures such toxic terror enablers. He is as much a threat to rule of law as his pet vipers.pic.twitter.com/VeNryp70Bl
In her statement at the Vancouver Art Gallery, she said, “I am here today as a Sikh feminist in solidarity with Palestine and Palestinian people. We all recently heard about the Indian transnational political assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar. We know that India and Israel share military weapons, intelligence and counter-insurgency tactics.” She then added that the “struggles” of Palestinians and Khalistanis are connected. In the background, someone kept saying, “F*ck Modi… F*ck Hinduvad”.
A longer version of the statement can be checked below, where she drew parallels between the so-called “occupation of land” by Israel of Palestinian land and Canadian colonisation. She tried to justify the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7th October by bringing the past conflicts between Palestinians and Israel from the past. Accusing Israel of war crimes, she completely skipped condemning the Hamas terrorist attack that killed over 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals, including children, women, elderly and soldiers.
She added, “Shame on all the imperial powers like the US, Canada, the EU, India… Their support, their money, and their weapons to further oppress the Palestinian people. But we, the people, stand with Palestine. We stand on the right side of history. Freedom for Palestine. Freedom for Kashmir. Freedom for all colonised people everywhere.” She claimed that condemning Israel for counter-attacking Hamas was not “anti-Semitism”.
Ultimately, she chanted, “Palestine will be free, from the river to the sea”. This phrase is an anti-Jewish slogan that basically calls for eradicating Israel from the map and establishing Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It is not limited to Gaza but covers the whole land, including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Parallel between Hamas and Khalistani terrorists is justifiable
If we look at the history of atrocities by Palestinian terrorist organisations Hamas and Khalistani terrorist organisations during the insurgency in Punjab, it would not be an exaggeration to say that there are similarities between the two. Palestinian terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Khalistani terrorist groups like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) and others were formed to establish a separate nationhood. In the case of Hamas and PIJ, it was for Palestine, while in the case of BKI and KCF, it was for Khalistan.
These organisations indulged in terror attacks and killed innocent civilians. The recent terrorist attack in Israel by Hamas, of which PIJ was part, claimed the lives of 1,300+ Israelis and foreigners. Khalistani terrorist attacks took away the lives of hundreds of thousands of Hindus during the insurgency in Punjab, including the lives of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, then Chief-Minister Beant Singh in 1995, retired Army Chief AS Vaidya in 1986 and other high-profile individuals.
Interestingly, several pro-Palestinians are justifying Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, though they may never participate directly in a terrorist attack. At the same time, hundreds of pro-Khalistanis live in countries like Canada, Australia, the United States and other countries that justify anti-India activities of terrorist organisations like Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Many of these pro-Khalistanis have been voting in the so-called referendum organised by SFJ in several cities across different nations. Many of these pro-Khalistanis may avoid getting directly involved in terror activity, but that does not stop them from making anti-India statements, burning Indian flags and calling for the assassination of Indian diplomats.
Harsha Walia has a history of making Hinduphobic and anti-India statements
Harsha Walia has a long history of making Hinduphobic and anti-India statements. In a recent op-ed in Toronto Star, she claims that Hindutva rose in Canada with an aim to “shut down justifiable criticism of Indian state policies and Hindutva forces” by introducing “Hinduphobia”. She categorically denied that Hinduphobia exists and even cited dubious US-based organisation Equality Labs, which is famous for its anti-Hindu stand.
She wrote, “”Hinduphobia” is a manufactured reverse-racism-type narrative, deployed to delegitimise the fight against casteism and the oppression of minorities in and by India. This dog-whistle campaign does not serve racial justice, it actually weakens it by maintaining Hindu nationalism and caste supremacy.”
In September this year, she called the Saffron Flag, a religious symbol of Hindus, an “RSS Hindutva symbol of violence and hate”.
Source: X
In September 2019, she called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “dangerous genocidal Hindutva fascist” and called for backlash against him.
Source: X
Harsha Walia’s rhetoric is divisive and polarizing. It exemplifies a narrow-minded and incendiary approach to complex issues. Her apparent animosity towards Hinduism and India is not only intellectually bankrupt but also detrimental to the principles of reasoned discourse and respect for diverse perspectives.
Love jihad is said to be a figment of the imagination of India’s ‘extreme Hindu religious organisations’. According to Indian media and a large intellectual elite, it is also regarded to be an Islamophobic conspiracy theory concocted by Hindutva ideology followers. They often dismiss it as a political ploy to polarise Hindu voters in support of the now-ruling BJP. Even a sizable portion of Hindus do not believe in the existence of Love Jihad. Despite all the outrage from both parts of society, both are often at odds when it comes to Hindu women eloping with Muslim men in huge numbers.
The truth is that many Hindu cinema actors are married to Muslim men in the Indian film business. There is no controversy when renowned actors like Amir Khan, Shahrukh, Saif Ali Khan, and Kabir Khan marry Hindu women. Nawab Pataudi, Azharuddin, and Zahir Khan are all married to well-known Bollywood actresses. Indira Gandhi married Feroz Khan, and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain have Hindu spouses, yet no one has ever questioned it, and no one has ever termed it Love Jihad. Why?
Consider following few examples:
Case 1. In August 2014, national shooting champion Tara Shahdeo from Ranchi lodged an FIR citing her husband Ranjit Kumar Kohli alias Rakibul Hasan Khan in the national news headlines. Rakibul pretended to be Hindu and introduced his family as a Hindu household. Tara was exposed to his lies when Rakibul asked her to convert to Islam immediately after a marriage sermonised with Hindu tradition in a five-star hotel at Ranchi.
Case 2. Sakshi, 16, was slaughtered by her purported lover on May 29 after she refused to continue their connection. Sakshi discovered that the 20-year-old man’s name was Mohammad Sahil, not Sunny. Sahil stabbed the woman numerous times before crushing her skull with a cement boulder in a gruesome murder. Images of Sahil wearing a Kalawa and Rudraksha mala had also emerged.
Case 3. In February 2023, in Haridwar, Uttarakhand’s holy city, Azhar Ahmed pretended to be Rahul in order to marry a Hindu lady, and after nine years of marriage, the victim discovered she was living with a Muslim man. The truth was revealed when she unintentionally discovered an Aadhaar Card at home. It included a picture of her spouse (Rahul), but the name given was Azhar Ahmad.
Case 4. This was December 2022 from Bihar’s Siwan area in which a Muslim guy pretended to be a Punjabi Hindu in order to snare a lady and then abandoned her to seduce another Hindu woman. The accused’s name was Kaleemulla, and he pretended to be Sameer Khanna. He converted the victim, Ratna, to Islam and changed her name to Ayesha Khatun. At the Hussain Ganj police station, a First Information Report (number 324/2022) was filed.
Case 5. In July 2022, a case in which a lady, Rachna Solanki, made a police complaint against her husband, Amit Kumar Singh, who was actually Iqrar Qureshi. She discovered the truth nine years after their marriage. Iqrar had two Adhar Cards and his name was put as Amit Kumar on the wedding invitation. On June 18, 2022, the first information report (number 354/2022) was filed at the Jagdishpura police station in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh. The pair performed Diwali puja and visited many temples together. Rachna claims to be a devout disciple of Lord Hanuman.
Case 6. In June 2022, this case is from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal area. Here, a woman doctor alleged that the accused, Nehal Khan, disguised as a Hindu in order to ensnare and sexually abuse her and that Nehal lived with her as if she were a Hindu. He accompanied her to temples and observed all rites and holidays. It was impossible for me to believe he was Muslim. Nehal began pressuring Priya to convert to Islam.
Let us discuss the common feature in all of these cases: concealing one’s true identity in order to get close to a woman (or very often, a minor). Rakibul hides his identity as being Muslim to marry Tara. To entice the Hindu girl, Iqrar Qureshi disguised himself as Amit Kumar. Sahil Ahmad impersonates Sunny in order to lure Sakshi, marry her, and then murder her when she refuses to convert to Islam. Kallimulla disguised himself as Sameer Khanna to marry Ratna, but when he changed her name to Ayesha Khatun, only she realised it was a ruse.
Every day, hundreds of incidents emerge from all around the nation in which Hindu, Christian, Jain, and Sikh females are being deliberately targeted to convert to Islam by this technic. In certain cases, Muslim men who have been captured with Hindu girls by Bajrang Dal activists have admitted to receiving training and money from particular Mosques or Madrassa for suspected Love Jihad, and the incentives are remitted while keeping the girl’s social and financial level in mind.
This disguise as Hindu and concealment of Muslim identity in order to entice Hindu girls and women to marry and convert to Islam is known as “Love Jihad” and it is for real. Every day a section of the media is reporting such news of such cases of “Love Jihad.” Concealment of identity is not the only parameter, however. There are several other cases of forced conversion and violence too that have emerged, that fall under the ambit of Love Jihad.
The accusation of love Jihad is not about two adults getting along after a courtship, working together, studying together, or even marrying each other where religious considerations are out in the open and anyone who insinuates otherwise is clearly trying to whitewash the criminal phenomenon.
Love jihad is often referred to as a hate campaign by Indian intellectual militia. Efforts are being made to establish that it has connections with previous hate campaigns, present white nationalist conspiracy theories, Euro-American Islamophobia etc. It is, however, a well-known fact that Islamists are running this love jihad franchise as their flagship programme as organised and coordinated Jihad against Kafir women – the aims are simple – subjugation and conversion.
Let us now discuss the purported “Bhagwa Love Trap” conspiracy theory by Muslim organisations in India. Since the Love Jihad module is in the public domain with the efforts of Hindu organisations such as RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal etc., Muslim groups have started countering it with a fake narrative. Recently, Muslim scholar Shoeb Jamai accused Hindu organisations of creating Hindu boy’s clubs to seek Muslim females for marriage and conversion. They claimed to have seen a lot of Muslim women hanging out with Hindu men. They showed footage showing Burqa-clad ladies riding pillion on motorbikes with Hindu youths and attacking them, dubbed the “Bhagva Love Trap. According to a covert operation published by Opindia.com, several Islamists, who are part of the “Behen Beti Bachao” group made on social media which the Opindia reporter could sneak into, regularly share Pakistani propaganda content surrounding the “Bhagva Love Trap theory”.
These include but are not limited to the inciteful and Hinduphobic videos created by a Pakistani YouTuber Ibne Kazi (screenshots of the WhatsApp chats are attached in the detailed article). The Islamist shared a leaflet, falsely claiming that 10 lakh Muslim women are being converted to Hinduism each year by the RSS as also claimed by Islamic cleric Nomani in his detailed speech.
The propaganda-laden material also alleged the conversion and marriage of 800 Muslim women to Hindu men in Amaravati, Maharashtra. Based on reports and social media videos, OpIndia has compiled a total of 50 cases and posted the link on its website, where Hindu men and Muslim women were attacked by extremists under the pretext of the ‘Bhagva love trap.’ The attacks were carried out citing that a sinister plot was underway to convert Muslim women to Hinduism by luring them into a love trap – a conspiracy theory espoused by Sajjad Nomani in his multiple videos.
Where a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl couple are concerned, this is not a matter of masking one’s identity; Hindu guys are known by their genuine names to Muslim women, unlike their Muslim counterparts in the cases of “Love jihad”. Therefore, it is evident that BLT was only created as a figment of the Islamist imagination to counter the very real cases of Love Jihad which are claiming the lives of several Hindu women on a regular basis.
Load shedding in Karnataka’s Vijayapura has been troubling citizens as it is but has also seriously inconvenienced crocodiles now. You read that right. In a bizarre turn of events, the farmers who were protesting load shedding took a crocodile to the Hubli Electricity Supply Company Limited (HESCOM) office.
The incident occurred on 19th October. The farmers reportedly spotted a massive crocodile in a field at Ronihala village after which they tied the reptile and took it to the power station where HESCOM officials were present.
The farmers placed the crocodile in front of HESCOM officials and demanded uninterrupted three-phase electricity during daylight hours as their crops were withering.
The farmers questioned the officials as to what steps they would take if someone was bitten by a snake, scorpion, or crocodile and died during the night.
“Every night authorities supply three-phase electricity, necessitating our visits to the fields for irrigation. In these fields, we encounter various wild creatures, including crocodiles. In the event of any issues, who holds responsibility? Regrettably, we do not reap any advantages from the night-time electricity supply; it often exacerbates our problems. As a symbolic act, we have introduced crocodiles to help convey our challenges to the authorities,” one of the protesting farmers said.
A farmer had reportedly encountered the crocodile while he was watering his crops out in the field.
Forest officials later rescued the crocodile and set it free in the Almatti River. However, the issue of load shedding remains unresolved.
Leading Arab Israeli actor Maisa Abd Elhadi was reportedly arrested for allegedly expressing support for Hamas and its terrorist attack on Israel on 7th October. According to reports, the Israeli police did not name her but confirmed the arrest of “an actress and network influencer, resident of the city of Nazareth, on suspicion of expressions of praise [for terror] and hate speech”.
The police said, “The police fight against incitement and support for terrorism continues all the time.” Maisa Abd Elhadi reportedly shared images of Yaffa Adar, 85, being taken hostage by Hamas with laughing emojis.
Meet israeli actress Maisa Abd Elhadi, who has appeared in dozens of Israeli TV series and movies, including those from the 1980s, rich family like I'd never be, enjoyed free education..
Yaffa Adar was among the more than 200 captives taken by Hamas on 7th October following the brutal assault across southern Israel.
Abd Elhadi shared another image of Hamas forces breaching Israel’s security barrier with the caption “Let’s go, Berlin style,” referring to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
The actress’ posts received massive backlash from netizens. X user Adam Albilya wrote, “Maisa expressed support for the slaughters of Jews, of our infants, the burning of people alive, rape, murder, and the abduction of Jewish women, she posted stories encouraging Hamas’s actions, “LETS DO IT BERLIN STYLE!”
Abd Elhadi’s co-star Ofer Shechter took to social media saying, “I’m ashamed of you. You should be ashamed of yourself. You live in Nazareth, act and star in our TV shows and films, and then stab us in the back.”
Abd Elhadi has appeared in several Israeli TV shows, Hollywood film “World War Z,” and British series “Baghdad Central”. She is a Palestinian hailing from the Israeli city of Nazareth.
