Perhaps ending a global for the time being, Russia has started withdrawing troops it had deployed along the Ukraine border today. Yesterday Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that Russia will be sending some troops to the bases after completing drills, and even though Ukraine and western nations were sceptical about this announcement, today Russian media reported that the troops from the Crimean Peninsula are returning to the mainland Russia.
According to a report by Russian state-owned media house RIA Novosti (ИА Новости) citing the Russian defence ministry, units of the Southern Military District are returning to the garrisons after military drills in Crimea.
“Southern Military District units have finalised their participation in tactical games at ranges on the Crimean Peninsula and are heading to their bases by train,” the defence ministry said. The ministry further added that the first train has already crossed the Crimean Bridge and entered mainland Russia.
The ministry informed that tracked armoured vehicles such as tanks, infantry combat vehicles and self-propelled artillery systems were loaded on flatbed cars of the special military train. “Military trains will bring the troops and hardware to their bases,” the ministry said in the statement.
RIA Novosti also released video footage of the train crossing the iconic Crimean bridge, which connects the Crimean Peninsula with Russian mainland. As Ukraine separates Crimea from Russia, the bridge provides the only land connection between the peninsula and mainland Russia, which was completed after Russian annexed Crimea.
The footage shows the military train crossing the Crimean railway bridge carrying heavy military equipment like tanks and artillery guns loaded onto flatbed cars.
Yesterday Russian defence minister Igor Konashenkov had also announced that the military exercise that began on February 10 has ended, and the troops and the military equipment will return to the bases.
Although the Southern Military District units have started withdrawing from Crimea, the troops of the Eastern Military District and the Airborne Forces still remain in the peninsula. These forces will start returning to bases from February 20, at the end of the training operation.
Reportedly, nearly all Russian military districts, fleets and airborne forces took part in the large-scale manoeuvres in the peninsula, which is being concluded now. Moscow had been insisting the exercise was defensive in nature and do not threaten anyone, but the massive military build-up had raised concerns that Russia was invading Ukraine. USA had even warned that the invasion was very imminent, and had also ordered the withdrawal of its citizens from Ukraine.
It looks like the former President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, is all set to make a comeback on social media, reports Daily Mail.
After facing a ban on almost all social media platforms, former POTUS Donald Trump is expected to return on his own social media platform “Truth Social”.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former President, tweeted a screenshot of the former President’s first post on his upcoming social media platform Truth Social.
“Time for some Truth!!!’ Donald Jr. wrote Tuesday night. The image shared by Donald Trump Jr. consisted of an image of the Truth Social post from the former President that read, “Get ready! Your favorite President will see you soon.”
The new platform almost looked like Twitter, with similar engagement options such as like, quote and retweeting the post. However, the tweets are referred to as ‘Truths’ on the yet-to-be-launched social media platform.
Screenshots of Trump’s Truth Social account show he reportedly joined the social media network on February 10. On Truth Social, Donald Trump had 175 followers.
Source: True Social
Earlier in October last year, former United States President Donald Trump had announced that he would be launching his own social media application, Truth Social.
According to Apple App Store, Trump plans to launch the Truth Social platform on February 21 – Presidents’ Day. Reportedly, the beta version of Truth Social has been launched for certain users, including the former President.
Trump had announced floating ‘Truth Social’ after being banned on Twitter, FB in the wake of Capitol Hill insurrection
By announcing a social media company, Trump had announced a battle against the Big Tech companies, ever since he was banned from Twitter and Facebook after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol Hill. The Twitter ban is permanent, while Facebook and Instagram have said that they might consider reinstating Trump at a later date.
Trump had announced that he would be launching the Trump Media Technology Group toward the end of last year, with plans for a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ with entertainment, news and podcasts.
Following his ban, Trump had announced that he would be launching the Trump Media Technology Group toward the end of last year, with plans for a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ with entertainment, news and podcasts, as well as the new social media platform.
A Banaras Hindu University (BHU) professor has stoked a controversy by superimposing his picture on a painting of Lord Ram and his wife’s face on the picture of Goddess Sita.
According to the reports, Amresh Kumar, assistant professor of Visual Arts at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), had created a series of images in which he had superimposed his face on a painting in place of Lord Shri Ram and his wife’s face over the face of Goddess Sita.
The picture was displayed at an exhibition organised by the Faculty of Visual Arts at BHU.
The images have now triggered a major outrage inside the campus. Several students have now demanded action against the professor, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments. The students also warned the varsity authorities of severe protests if action was not taken against the professor.
Meanwhile, Amresh Kumar defended his action, saying that the images are not a big deal because Lord Ram belongs to everyone. The professor said he and his family are great devotees of Lord Ram.
The BHU administration has not reacted yet to the controversy.
Shreyasi Singh, the BJP MLA from Jamui, Bihar is set to play the next Women’s Trap Shooting World CUP. She is the Number 1 player in the category in India. Singh shared this information through her Twitter handle.
She wrote, “They say there’s a first time for everything, and this definitely will be the first time that an MLA from Bihar is also ranked India’s No.1 Trap women shooter and will be representing India at the upcoming World Cup !! Thank you everyone for your love and support ❤️”
They say there’s a first time for everything, and this definitely will be the first time that an MLA from Bihar is also ranked India’s No.1 Trap women shooter and will be representing India at the upcoming World Cup !! Thank you everyone for your love and support ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dNH0xq7wb3
Shreyasi Singh, an international-level shooter, has been selected for the Indian shooting squad for the next three World Cups. Shreyasi has achieved first with 343 points in the NRAI selection trials, which took place from February 12 to 15.
In December of last year, Shreyasi earned her second women’s trap title at the National Championship. Shreyashi won the fifth individual national title of her career and her second in women’s trap.
Who is Shreyasi Singh?
Shreyasi Singh is an Indian politician and shooter. She is a Bharat Janata Party MLA from Bihar’s Jamui seat and specializes in the women’s double trap. She earned a gold medal in women’s double trap shooting at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, and a silver medal in shooting at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2020.
She won the Jamui Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Bihar Legislative Assembly election in 2020, beating RJD candidate Vijay Prakash by over 41000 votes.
Shreyasi studied Arts at Hansraj College in Delhi and an MBA from the Manav Rachna International University of Faridabad. Shreyasi comes from the Gidhaur town in the Jamui district. Digvijay Singh, her father, was also a former union minister. Kumar Serender Singh, Shreyasi’s grandfather, and his father, Digvijay Singh, were both presidents of the National Rifle Association of India.
Amidst the ongoing controversy over the refusal of permission to some female Muslim students to wear hijab in the classrooms of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi in Karnataka, Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had demanded the creation of a ‘new Muslim country’ and conducting of a referendum on the issue of ‘hijab’.
While speaking about the matter, SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun falsely claimed that India is putting a blanket ban on wearing hijab in the country. The extremist then resorted to fear-mongering and alleged that the supposed ‘hijab ban’ in India would be followed by a ban on Azaan, Namaz and Quran.
“Modi’s India wants to be a Hindu country. What 200 million Muslims of India should do? Start Hijab referendum movement. It should break India, balkanise it and create a Muslim country from the Union of India named Urduistan,” he said in a now deleted video. In the video he made it amply clear how the Khalistanis are puppets of Pakistani intelligence agencies.
“In 1992, they destroyed Babri masjid and Muslims remained quiet. And then, there were Gujarat killings of Muslims and Muslims remained quiet. They took over Kashmir and Muslims remained quiet. You cannot keep quiet when somebody is challenging your religious beliefs,” Pannu said.
The Khalistani extremist went on to claim that Hijab is the fundamental/birthright of every Muslim. “Sikhs are following a Khalistan referendum to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation. We will guide you (Islamists), organise you and fund the Muslims of India. You also start a Hijab referendum movement for the creation of a new country from Union of India called Urduistan.”
Screengrab of the website of Hijab referendum movement
This is also how Pakistan has been keeping the terrorism fire in Kashmir burning.
The SFJ chief also called upon the Indian Islamists to learn from Pakistan and how they created a separate Muslim nation. To further his sinister agenda, he has set up a website by the name of ‘Hijab referendum’. The Khalistani extremist had urged the Islamists to share their name, Whatsapp number and email ID will his proscribed organisation.
Pannu even showed a map of the proposed ‘Urduistan’. The imaginary country includes Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar and West Bengal. Interestingly, Karnataka, where the hijab controversy is raging, is missing from the so-called ‘Urduistan’. Pakistan had also updated its map in similar fashion to even include part of Gujarat in India as part of Pakistan. Obviously, India has not recognised any such shenanigans of the neighbouring country.
Earlier in January 2021, Pannu asked Sikh youths to hoist the Khalistani flag on India Gate and remove the Indian flag from other places in Delhi. Pannu declared an award of USD 2.5 lakh for anyone who hoists the Khalistani flag on India gate. He further threatened the Indian government, saying that if peaceful protests were not allowed, the Sikhs in India would not hesitate to join the armed insurrection of Khalistan.
Recently, the Taliban had also extended support to the burqa-wearing girls in Karnataka who demand an exemption from the uniform dress code.
Udupi hijab row: The background of the case
The controversy began on January 1 this year when some female Muslim students of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi tried to enter their classes with hijabs, in defiance of the uniform dress code. The school had asked them to follow the dress code and had prevented their entry in the classrooms without hijabs.
He pointed out that it nullified the purpose of a uniform. According to Karnataka’s Education Minister BC Nagesh, uniforms had been in existence in the said government PUC since 1985. He had informed that there has never been an issue to date.
“Uniform in the college has been there since 1985. Till now, no problem was there. Uniformity creates a common mind. Kesari shawls are not allowed in college either. The same Muslim girls have been ok with the uniform dress code till recently. They have been suddenly provoked,” he had remarked.
The girls then launched a protest outside their classrooms for several days to allow them entry with their hijabs on. They then moved the High Court and the Supreme Court for grievance redressal. Meanwhile, Hindu students launched a counter-protest sporting saffron shawls and demanded uniformity in school attire.
On Tuesday, the Gujarat unit members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held protests across the state against the Lavanya suicide case in Tamil Nadu. ‘Lavanya wants Justice’, they chanted as they demanded justice for the Hindu girl who died after being pressured from a Christian Missionary run school to convert to Christianity.
According to the reports, the ABVP is staging protests all over the nation to seek justice for the Hindu girl, Lavanya. Earlier in the day, the ABVP members protested outside the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi and slammed the state government for covering up the case and suppressing the voice of those who are demanding justice. This is after the Tamil Nadu Police arrested ABVP activists who demonstrated outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Chennai.
DMK Govt. of Tamil Nadu used police to arrest the National Gen. Secy. Nidhi Tripathi & other Karyakartas for demanding #JusticeForLavanya in Chennai.
We condemn this attempt by DMK led Govt., You can’t suppress our voice by using police. We will fight till Lavanya gets justice. pic.twitter.com/snpaWmRZ4g
On February 14, ABVP National Gen Sec Nidhi Tripathi, National Sec Muthu Ramalingam, Southern Province State Sec Sushil and other activists were arrested for staging protests outside the CM MK Stalin’s residence in Chennai. The ABVP condemned the incident and said that the DMK led govt was using the Police to triumph over the demonstrators. “You can’t suppress our voice by using police. We will fight till Lavanya gets justice”, it tweeted.
Releasing a statement in the case, the ABVP said that Nidhi Tripathi and Muthu Ramalingam were detained yesterday and produced before a magistrate at midnight after which they have been sent to 14-day judicial custody. “The charges against them are non-bailable. We’ll continue to struggle nationwide for the Hindu girl and will also protest against the illegal arrest of our members in Tamil Nadu”, it added.
In the massive protests held against Lavanya suicide case, ABVP’s National Sec Gajendra Singh Tomar and Prerna Pawar were also arrested by the Police. National Sec of ABVP, Jit Singh condemned the act and said that the behaviour of the Tamil Nadu government in the Lavanya case was unfortunate. “Lathi-charging the peaceful protesting students and implicating them in wrongful cases shows the intention of the Tamil Nadu govt. We are not going to be afraid of these repressive policies. We will continue to push for justice for Lavanya”, he added.
Meanwhile, ABVP’s Sakshi Singh stated that the voice of justice for Lavanya is coming from every corner of the country. “Students in educational institutions across the country are fighting for justice for Lavanya. This fight is not about a girl student, but for all the students who face harassment for conversion across the country,” she said. “ABVP has called for protests across the country today and if our karyakarats are not released, these protests will continue across the country,” she added.
यह लड़ाई एक छात्रा की न होकर, देश भर के सभी छात्र-छात्राओं की है जो मतान्तरण के लिए प्रताड़ना को झेलते हैं। अभाविप ने आज देश भर में विरोध प्रदर्शन किया है तथा यदि हमारे कार्यकर्ताओं को नहीं छोड़ा गया तो यह प्रदर्शन देश भर में जारी रहेंगे।”#FightForLavanya#JusticeForLavanya
According to the statement, the ABVP is intensely demonstrating in various parts of the country including Bhopal, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Port Blair, Agartala, Ranchi, Jalandhar, Jammu, Shimla and Patna. It has affirmed that it will continue to raise voices until Lavanya is given justice.
It is worth noting that Sahaya Mary the prime accused hostel warden in the case was granted bail yesterday by the Thanjavur District Court and was felicitated by Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) MLA Inigo Irudayaraj on her release from the Trichy Central jail.
Lavanya was a 12 standard student at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. On January 19, she had committed suicide by consuming pesticides after being forced by the school to convert to Christianity. The Tamil Nadu government, media and police had tried to suppress the conversion angle in the case and had ignored the dying declaration, prompting her family to approach the HC seeking a CBI inquiry.
As reported earlier, the government had filed an SLP with the apex court through the DGP challenging validity of the HC decision. The DGP had also challenged the remarks of the Madras High Court against the State Police for their inaction and lack of concerted effort in investigating the angle of conversion. However, the Supreme Court has rejected the petition and allowed CBI investigation in ongoing Lavanya suicide case.
While Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading the Congress campaign in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, where she describes herself as the ‘daughter of Uttar Pradesh’, in Punjab she is busy abusing the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. When Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi was talking about evicting people from UP and Bihar out of Punjab, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was supporting the comment by the CM.
On February 15, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was, addressed a rally in Ropar, district Rupnagar, Punjab. During his address, Channi spread hate against the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar living in Punjab and called for drawing them out of the state. Interestingly, while he was propagating hate against the people of UP and Bihar, Priyanka Gandhi, general secretary of Congress and in-charge of UP Congress, cheered and clapped on his statement.
Priyanka Gandhi, while applauding Channi, said, “Those who come from outside and teach you Punjabiyat, teach them what Punjabiyat is. Punjab is my in-law’s home state.” After that, Channi took the mic from Gandhi and addressed Gandhi as Punjab’s daughter-in-law. He said, “You all should come together. The bhaiyas from UP, Bihar and Delhi come here to live and rule the state, we will not allow them to enter.” Notably, ‘Bhaiye’ in Punjabi is a derogatory term popular among Punjabis for people of UP and Bihar.
Channi’s statement was applauded and cheered by Priyanka Gandhi and other attendees of the rally.
Punjab Assembly Elections
The assembly elections are scheduled for February 20 in Punjab. Voting will be held in a single phase. The results will be announced on March 10 with four other states that are Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand.
The ban on hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka and the subsequent protests across the country by Muslims is now showing all signs of taking a dangerous turn. The controversy that was erupted after the Karnataka state government asked the students to adhere to basic school uniform requirements has already transformed into a religious battle with a section of Muslims now insisting on sharia laws.
The Islamists now claim that some of the provisions in the Constitution are incompatible with the Islamic laws.
Gradually, the entire school uniform debate is being crystallised into a religious issue by one section of the society, who are hellbent on following the theocratic practices that are contrary to the secular ethos of the Constitution. However, the Islamists, who are inciting the young girls to fight their religious battle in the name of ‘hijab’, were left seething after the Karnataka High Court asked the school to adhere to the rules that are currently being enforced in the schools.
As the court proceedings are still ongoing, the court advised that all students should stick to the prescribed dress code of the educational institutions. But there were several instances reported when people defied the court’s advice and insisted on entry into schools and colleges with full-body burqas.
Thirteen female students from a Government High School in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district refused to sit for the SSLC (Class 10) preparation examination after their teacher asked them to remove their hijab before entering the classroom. Similar incidents have been reported from several other cities across Karnataka, where Muslim families have refused to send their daughters to school if school restricted the use of the hijab.
Amidst these developments, attempts by radical Islamic elements to polarise the society in the name of hijab protests and at the same time radicalise the Muslim youth in the sensitive coastal areas of Karnataka have been going on full swing, with vocal support from the so-called ‘secular-liberals’.
Islamists invoke Babri Masjid demolition event to radicalise Muslims
The Islamists in the country have been attempting to stoke more chaos in the society by rabble-rousing against the state. To radicalise more Muslims and bring them onto the streets against the secular state, some Islamists are hellbent on instigating violence between the communities.
As a section of Islamists think that the battle in the hijab controversy is almost lost, they are intending to display their street veto. To do so, they are indulging in provoking young Muslims by invoking events such as the Babri Masjid demolition, the same modus operandi that was used during the anti-CAA riots in 2019, that actually culminated in the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots leading to the death of 53 people.
Arif Ayyub, the brother of Islamist Rana Ayyub, who has been accused of swindling charity money, tried to incite Muslims by fearmongering, insinuating that the Indian judiciary is against Muslims and it will not uphold their religious rights.
Ayyub insinuated that Muslims should not wait for the High Court to deliver its judgement on the hijab row; instead, they should take matters into their own hands.
Arif Ayyub’s tweet
Continuing his rant, Arif Ayyub falsely claimed the daughters were “disrobed and humiliated” by the state. Comparing the ongoing ban on hijab in schools to the Babri Masjid controversy, the Islamist said that the whole controversy had been created to humiliate Muslim girls, which according to him, is being obliged by the courts.
When in reality, the Muslim students are merely being asked to follow the existing dress code of the schools, Ayyub compared it to ‘disrobing’.
Casting aspersions on the Indian judiciary, Arif Ayyub also said that the courts also ‘gifted the Babri Masjid away’, completely ignoring the fact that the disputed structure was deliberately raised on the place of birth of Lord Ram, after demolishing the existing Hindu temple.
Arif Ayyub’s tweet
Another Islamic troll attacked political and religious leaders and invoked the Babri Masjid case to compare it with the ongoing hijab controversy. He said that the political class, who they banked on, have ‘sold’ Babri Masjid, and they would also sell the hijab of Muslim women of India.
Inciting the Muslims, the Islamists said they are ‘doomed by the traitors masquerading as your political and religious leaders’.
Those hypocrites who sold babri Masjid will sell the #Hijab of Muslim women in India. O Muslims of India you are doomed by the traitors who are masquarading as your political & religious leaders. The hypocrite MP will once again strike a deal with his Hindutva masters. #SaveHijab
Another Islamist handle named ‘Sheldon Cooper’, lamented on Twitter that people who told them to move on after the Babri Masjid demolition and not live in the past would tell them that the Muslims should move ahead and concentrate on education on the hijab issue.
Cooper said that everybody knew what happened after the Babri verdict and scaremongered that the Hindus were coming for Mathura. Provoking Muslims, he told the hijab controversy should not be seen in isolation, and it was part of the larger plan to “Hinduize” Indian Muslims. He claimed that the Hindus are testing the waters to check how Muslims react to it. If we don’t resist now, they will come for the next thing; he claimed to add that the Muslims are not dealing with people of principle or people with a moral compass.
People who told us post Babri Masjid demolition to move ahead and not live in the past will tell us that we should move ahead and concentrate on education on hijab issue. We know what happened post Babri Verdict,they are coming for Mathura, similarly this hijab issue should++
In a way, the Islamists want Muslims of India to declare that they do not trust the Indian constitution and judiciary and start an open conflict with the Indian government.
Muslim mob unleash violence against Hindus
In fact, the violence against the Hindus has already started with angry Muslim mobs having unleashed attacks on innocent Hindus for publicly taking a stand to protect and promote the secular interests of the country. On Saturday, a Muslim mob in West Bengal’s Murshidabad resorted to violence against the school authorities for asking the girl students not to wear hijab or burqa inside the class.
Similarly, in another incident, a Muslim mob took to the streets to unleash violence on innocent Hindus for supporting the hijab ban. A group of Muslim youth brutally thrashed a youth named Nagaraj.
In another incident in the Malebennur town of Davangere district, a Muslim mob had attacked a person and stabbed him for allegedly uploading a post against hijab on his WhatsApp status. In another incident in Nallur village of Davangere district, another mob of Muslims had attacked a person and his 60-year-old mother for their alleged posts on social media on the hijab controversy. The 25-year-old Naveen and his 60-year-old mother Sarojamma were assaulted by the mob, who ransacked their house.
Well, perhaps, this is the kind of violence the Islamists like Arif Ayyub wants Muslims to indulge in, especially against the Hindus during the ongoing hijab controversy, as a response to the alleged “historical wrongs” that have been committed against them after Babri Masjid demolition.
PM Modi on Wednesday visited the Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir in Delhi’s Karol Bagh on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti. He participated in the celebrations of the birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas, who was a Bhakti Saint from the 16th century.
रविदास जयंती के पुण्य अवसर पर आज मैंने दिल्ली के श्री गुरु रविदास विश्राम धाम मंदिर जाकर दर्शन किए।
PM Narendra Modi paid his tributes to the much-revered saint by visiting the Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir on Wednesday morning. He also took part in the ‘Shabad Kirtan’ alongside the singers in the temple.
PM @narendramodi at Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir at Karol Bagh, New Delhi. He went there to pay tributes to Sant Ravidas on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti and joined the Shabad Kirtan. pic.twitter.com/GZRZzaNpjZ
He joined them with much fervour by playing the ‘Jheeka’ in tune with the songs that were sung in obeisance to Sant Ravidas.
Who is Sant Ravidas?
Sant Ravidas was a mystic poet from the 15-16th centuries who was part of the Bhakti tradition. He propagated for spiritual freedom by advocating to get rid of differences in caste and gender. His devotional verses are also included in the Guru Granth Sahib and are hence revered among Hindus and Sikhs equally.
The ‘Ravidasias’ is seen today as a breakaway community from the Sikh community to whom worship of Sant Ravidas in central. They hold a considerable social and cultural clout in North India, particularly in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Darul Uloom Deoband’s name has come up multiple times for all the wrong reasons. It has a lengthy history of evidently controversial Fatwas. The organization often posts answers to queries of its Muslim followers related to family, health, marital relationships and more. Amidst the ongoing hijab row that erupted in Karnataka, we tracked some bizarre questions and answers on school uniforms on the organization’s website.
‘Participating in Saraswati Puja is haram’
Someone asked if it was okay for Muslim students to participate in Saraswati Puja that happens in every school in West Bengal. The person alleged that all students are “forced” to donate money for worshipping idols.
source: Darul Uloom website
To the question, the Darul website replied worshipping Hindu Gods and Goddesses is ‘shirk’ (In Islam, Shirk means developing association with Gods of other faith). It further added it is unlawful and ‘haram’ for Muslims to participate or donate for Saraswati Puja or any idol for that matter. It further instructed Muslims to “save their children from polytheistic practices in the school”, or the community should establish schools that are “free from such acts”.
‘Cover your face in front of non-mahrams.’
In a question, a person asked if the girls and women should cover their faces in front of non-mahrams. Covering faces in front of non-mahrams is popular among those who follow the Hanafi school of thought. The person said if the non-mahram follows another school of thought and thinks it is not essential to cover the face, can the Muslim women say it was not necessary for them either.
source: Darul Uloom website
In Islam, a Mahram is a person whom one cannot marry, for example, a family member or person from another community. A non-Mahram is the person whom one can marry.
The Darul website said it is essential for Muslim women to cover their faces due to the “fear of mischief” written in the Quran and Hadith. Mentioning it is a belief system of Hanafis, the website added it is unlawful for Hanafis do not to cover faces in front of non-Mahrams. It further added, for a Hanafi, following other schools of Fiqhi is also haram or unlawful.
‘Necktie is Haram’
In another question, the person, a student of class 8, asked if the tie is haram or halal as it was compulsory in the school. The Darul website categorically called the practice of wearing a tie ‘haram’ for Muslim students. It said tie is an emblem of Christians; thus, Muslim students should not adopt it as it is unlawful and against the Islamic spirit.
source: Darul Uloom website
It further urged Muslim students to take admission to a school where a tie is not compulsory. If they cannot get admission to such school, they should wear tie only during school hours.
‘Sung Christian prayers and prayed to Hindu idols? Ask Allah for forgiveness and do charity’
A person asked what he or she should do for the ‘sins’ of singing Christian prayers and praying to Hindu idols during childhood. The person said they indulged in such activities due to “ignorance”, but now they felt was Shirk.
source: Darul Uloom website
The Darul website said as the person was seeking an apology from Allah regularly, Allah may forgive him. It also urged the person to keep seeking forgiveness and do charity to wash away his “sins”.
What is Darul Uloom Deoband?
Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic seminary (Darul Uloom) in India that is the birthplace of the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement. It is situated in Deoband, a town in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district.
In recent times, Darul Uloom Deoband has been found to be propagating views that are illegal under Indian law and negatively affect the safety and wellbeing of children. NCPCR has raised objections on the content of Deoband on the issues of child rights, adoption and education of children.
