The civil aviation authority of Russia has banned all British flights from entering Russia and closed its airspace in response to the British government’s decision to ban Russian Aeroflot flights.
According to the reports, Rosaviatsiya – Russia’s civil aviation authority said that they have banned all flights originating from the United Kingdom and transit flights from landing on Russian soil from Friday. In addition, Russia has also closed its airspace for British flights.
Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said, “This measure was taken in accordance with the provisions of the Intergovernmental Air Services Agreement between Russia and the UK as a response to unfriendly decisions by the UK aviation authorities regarding the restriction on regular flights of aircraft owned, leased or operated by a person associated with Russia or registered in Russia.”
The measure was taken in response to the UK’s decision to ban Russian flag carrier Aeroflot as part of sanctions over Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced a set of sanctions on Russia.
British Airways currently operates three flights per week between London and Moscow.
On Thursday, Ukraine had closed its airspace after Russian forces had launched a “special military operation” on its western neighbour.
Russia reaches outskirts of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv
Meanwhile, Russian forces enter deep inside Ukraine. According to Ukrainian Army, Russian troops have reached the outskirts of Kyiv.
On Friday, Ukraine President Zelensky claimed that the Russian troops were targeting civilians and carried out rocket attacks in the besieged capital. The Ukrainian Army said Russian forces are approaching Kyiv from northeast and east.
Invading Russian forces press deep into Ukraine.
Russian forces have reached the outskirts of Kyiv. Ukraine President Zelensky says invading troops are targeting civilians and explosions can be heard in the besieged capital
Earlier in the day, loud blasts were heard in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as Russia continued to carry out missile strikes and air raids on several cities in Ukraine.
On Friday, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan government has issued a statement amidst the severe war ongoing between Russia and Ukraine and has called for restraint by both parties. “All parties need to desist from taking positions that could intensify violence”, the statement read calling for dialogue.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the MoFA Spokesperson, Afghanistan said that the country was closely observing the Russia-Ukraine war and condemned the invasion by Russia. He also expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine and stated that the violence might intensify resulting in the real possibility of civilian casualties.
The Taliban gravely concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine also extended an offer to hold ‘talks’ in order to avert the possibility of more casualties. “The Islamic Emirate if Afghanistan, in line with its foreign policy of neutrality, calls for both sides of the conflict to resolve the crisis through dialogue and peaceful means,” said the statement.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan further called on parties to the conflict to pay attention to safeguarding the lives of Afghan students and migrants in Ukraine.
The statement by the Taliban has come as a surprise to many as thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed in Taliban attacks in Afghanistan over the past two decades. After 20 years of war, the Taliban last year in August captured the Afghan capital Kabul without resistance and intensified their offensive in the northern part of the country, especially after the foreign forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
On August 15 the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s government fell, resulting in the de facto takeover of the country by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions in Afghanistan.
Russia on Thursday launched attacks on Ukraine from the neighbouring country Belarus. The Russian forces crossed Belarus to enter Ukraine from the North and crashed attacks on border units, border patrols, and checkpoints using artillery, heavy equipment, and small arms. Earlier in the day, large explosions were heard in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
According to the reports, a total of 137 people, including civilians in Ukraine have been killed in Russian military strikes. The Ukrainian President informed that the enemy has marked him and his family as prime targets and that they want to damage Ukraine politically by destroying the head of State.
Loh Siew Hong, a 35-year-old Hindu Chinese woman in Malaysia, was struggling for 3 years to obtain custody of her children. When the long wait was finally over on Monday (February 21, 2022), the mother-of-three could not hold back her tears.
“The three children are to be released forthwith into the sole custody, care, and control of the applicant,” the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered. For Hong who had suffered all her life, it was a moment of tranquillity. She was finally reunited with her 10-year-old son and two 14-year-old twin daughters.
High court judge Collin Sequerah has ordered the welfare department to immediately release all three children aged 14 and 10 to their mother Loh Siew Hong, in line with an earlier court order granting her full custody,care & control of her children.Respondent contemplating appeal https://t.co/mHycYQh19Fpic.twitter.com/FzWQfgrCDC
After suffering years of domestic abuse at the hands of her Indian-origin husband Nagahswaran Muniandy, she had filed for a divorce and separated in March 2019. Loh Siew Hong was then hospitalised for a long time due to injuries inflicted by Muniandy. Her children were taken away by her estranged husband, who had converted to Islam by then.
Hong failed to trace her children and sought the help of the police. “In December 2019, she obtained interim custody of her children pending her divorce, but her court case was delayed when the country went into Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020; she finally obtained an order granting her full and sole custody in March 2021,” reported MalayMail.
During the period of her hospitalisation, Muniandy took her 10-year-old son and two 14-year-old twin daughters to the State of Perlis and converted them to Islam with the help of an Islamic NGO. The conversion was ‘unilateral’ as the children were minors and the consent of Loh Siew Hong was not sought.
In the meantime, her estranged husband Muniandy was arrested for a drug-related offence and was sent to a prison in Kelantan. When Loh Siew Hong tried to meet her children, the NGO denied permission. The children were then transferred to a children’s home in Kedah.
Loh Siew Hong moved Kuala Lampur High Court
On February 13 this year, a motion of habeas corpus was filed by Loh Siew Hong before the Kuala Lumpur High Court. After filing the application, the children were put under the care of a ‘neutral’ party, the Perlis Welfare Department.
She was represented in court by advocate A Srimurugan. In her application, Hong pointed out that a female Islamic preacher by the name of Nazirah Nanthakumari Abdullah kept her children at the Hidayah Centre Foundation in Bayan Lepas in Penang and did not allow her to meet them. The Islamic NGO instead transferred her children to a children’s home.
“The actions of the respondents to keep the children without the applicant’s consent constitute illegal or inappropriate detention in private care and this warrants the court’s intervention as the applicant does not know the specific location of her children. The applicant has reasons to believe that there are intention and attempts by the respondents to convert her children to Islam and to take them outside of this court’s jurisdiction,” the application stated.
With our JAG sisters, we call on all arms of gov to enforce immediately Loh Siew Hong’s rights as a mother to have full custody, care & control of her children. Unilateral conversion defended by religious authorities at the expense of a mother’s custody rights IS NOT acceptable pic.twitter.com/juGpFkFarW
— All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) (@AWAMMalaysia) February 18, 2022
Mother couldn’t meet children but ‘mufti’ could
On February 15, the ‘neutral’ Perlis Welfare Department denied permission to Loh Siew Hong to meet her kids, citing ‘rising Covid-19 cases.’ However, Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was allowed to spend time with her children and further ‘indoctrinate’ them.
It thus came as no surprise when the underage children told their 35-year-old mother to convert to Islam in their first meeting. A helpless Hong even agreed to become a Muslim if her children could come and live with her.
While arguing in the Court, Hong’s lawyer A Srimurugan stated, “I don’t see this happening in any other country, where the mother doesn’t even get to see her own children. I can understand if the mother has a criminal tendency or history of hurting her child, but this is not the case here.”
He further added, “There is absolutely no reason for her (Loh) to be deprived of her right to be with her children.” On the contrary, the lawyer for female preacher Nazira said that his client took responsibility for the kids in the absence of their father.
Advocate Aidil Khalid claimed in court, “In her affidavit, she stated how she came to know the children. When the father went missing, she took the responsibility of taking care of them. It was her who initiated communication with the mother. If she had any bad intentions to take away the children from their mother, she wouldn’t have initiated communications with her.”
Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah noted that Hong was accorded the custody of her 3 minor children by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December 2019 (interim ex-parte order) and in March 2021 (final order) He stated, “The court orders should not be treated with impunity. I allow the application as per enclosure one (writ of habeas corpus)…The three children are to be released forthwith into the sole custody, care, and control of the applicant”
Landmark judgment in Indira Gandhi case paved the way for Hong’s success
The Federal Court ruling in the M. Indira Gandhi case is hailed as a landmark decision that reaffirms the civil courts’ powers to declare unilateral conversions of children as unlawful. In that case, K. Pathmanathan, a Hindu, converted to Islam on March 11, 2009 and he became Muhammad Riduan Abdullah. On April 2 in the same year, he converted his three children to Islam who were born out of his civil marriage held in 1993 with Perak-based Hindu mother M Indira Gandhi. He had converted them without her knowledge and consent.
M Indira Gandhi had filed a case against this conversion of her three children without her consent, and in 2013, the Ipoh High Court had declared the conversion certificates of the three minor children Tevi Darshiny, Karan Dinesh and Prasana Diksa, as null and void. The high court had stated that consent of both parents is required for the religious conversion of minor children. However, in 2015, the Court of Appeal had quashed the high court order, saying that civil courts have no jurisdiction over matters related to conversion to Islam.
The Court of Appeals had ruled that whether a person is Muslim or not can be determined by the Sharia court only. It had said that the high court order declaring the conversion of three children as null and void had transgressed the exclusive jurisdiction of Sharia courts. The court order was applicable for the two younger children, as the eldest child had turned 18 and had the right to decide her religion.
Following this, M Indira Gandhi had approached the Federal Court, the apex court in Malaysia, and the court in 2018 had overturned the order by the court of appeals. The court had ruled that consent of both parents must be sought for religious conversion of minors, said that the word “parent” should not be construed literally. “The word ‘parent’ – is a case of being lost in translation. Both parents have equal rights,” the Federal Court had said.
The Federal Court had resolved a long-standing dispute over the word “parent” mentioned in Article 12 (4), as many argued that the consent of a parent may suffice. Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia says that the religion of a person under the age of 18 years shall be decided by his or her parent or guardian. The Federal Court in the Indira Gandhi had ruled that parent means both the parents, thereby settling the dispute.
The future plans of Loh Siew Hong
While speaking to Free Malaysia Today, Loh Siew Hong said that she wants to start a food truck business to fund the education of her 3 children. Currently, she is employed as an assistant chef at a hotel in Genting Highlands.
She informed, “My passion is cooking. I even studied culinary arts at a community college. At first, I wanted to rent a stall at a shop near Cameron Highlands. But then I thought, if I had a food truck, I could sell my food at different places. That way, I can earn more money to save up for my children’s education. I want to send them to university.“
Loh Siew Hong with her 3 children, image via Free Malaysia Today
“I have bought all the cooking ware, thinking I will be able to rent a small stall. I have also seen some food trucks for sale online, but I am unsure if I can afford it now. But, I am open to advice,” the mother of three added.
One of her daughters plans on studying law while the other wants to join the police academy. Her 10-year-old son aspires to repair big drones someday. The story of Hong represents courage and a mother’s determination to secure the future of her children, who were abducted and unilaterally converted to Islam.
Despite the large-scale violence witnessed in West Bengal during the previous local body polls, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the petition filed by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) party leaders Mousumi Roy and Pratap Banerjee seeking deployment of central forces in the West Bengal local polls.
According to reports, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant dismissed the special leave petition filed by the BJP leaders against the decision of the Calcutta High Court.
The Calcutta High Court had earlier declined to issue directions for the deployment of central forces for the upcoming elections to the 108 municipalities of West Bengal scheduled to be held on February 27.
The BJP leaders had filed a petition before the High Court stating that large scale violence and rigging of votes took place during the recently conducted municipal elections in West Bengal. They sought to deploy central forces for the upcoming elections to the remaining 108 municipalities.
The division bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to assess the ground situation by gathering information about the conditions prevailing in the municipalities and consult Home Secretary and the Director-General and Inspector General to decide on the deployment of central paramilitary forces.
The High Court had noted that the State Election Commissioner would be held personally responsible for ensuring that there is no violence if it is decided that central forces will not be deployed in the state.
On Friday, Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for the petitioner, argued before the Supreme Court bench that there were widespread reports of violence during the previous phases of elections. He had alleged that the State Election Commission was biased towards the ruling party All Indian Trinamool Congress.
“The SEC relies on the newspaper “Joy Bangla”, the official newspaper of the Trinamool Congress. We had placed on record the reports of The Hindu, the New India Express etc. about the violence”, Patwalia had submitted before the Supreme Court.
However, the Supreme bench decided to dismiss the petition to observe that no central forces will be deployed during the urban body elections in the state of West Bengal.
While #SupremeCourt didn’t put any query to #WestBengal Govt, SG Tushar Mehta tried to intervene on behalf of the Centre.
SG: In #Tripura case, my opinion was sought & we said we would abide with orders of deployment of central forces. We can do that here too.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded by saying, “Your Lordships have decided not to entertain this. But in the Tripura elections matter, the Court had asked if the government could do something. I may submit that we have no problems in deploying the forces”.
Rejecting the arguments, Justice Chandrachud said, “Thank you, Mr Solicitor”.
West Bengal has been seen widespread political violence by TMC in the last several years. Hundreds of BJP workers and leaders have been killed and many more attacked by TMC workers. The violence peaked after TMC won the assembly elections, and hundreds of people were forced to flee to neighbouring states due to the violence by TMC.
Alaska, which is now the 49th state of the United States of America and with a GDP of more than $55 billion, was originally part of the Russian Empire. In 1867, Russia ceded Alaska to the United States in a treaty known as the Cessation of Alaska or the ‘Alaska Purchase’.
The United States bought 1,518,800 square kilometres of land from Russia at the north-western extremity of the North American continent, which is now the state of Alaska. The United States agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million on March 30, 1867. Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl negotiated the Treaty. It was signed by US President Andrew Johnson and the then Emperor of Russia Tsar Alexander II.
The History of Alaska
Russia’s total land area was not as large in the 16th century as it is today. Its eastern land expansion strategy contributed significantly to the country’s acquisition of Alaska, which is a part of the North American continent. Also, Alaska had a lethal climate back then. Only 800 Russians lived on the island, which was also located far from the Russian capital of St. Petersburg. During the first half of the 18th century, Russia established a presence in North America, but few Russians ever settled in Alaska.
Map of Russian America (Alaska) 1867.
The Alaska Peninsula is the Western Hemisphere’s largest peninsula. Alaska’s westernmost section is in the Eastern Hemisphere since the 180th meridian runs across the state’s Aleutian Islands. As a result, Alaska is basically in both hemispheres.
Why was Alaska sold?
Alaska’s deal has a unique backstory. Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Crimea were among the Balkan countries that Russia intended to rule. In the 1850s, they were a part of the Ottoman Empire. Russia was determined to protect the Christians in the Muslim-majority Ottoman Empire.
Consequentially, Russia invaded Romania in July 1853 following which, Turkey declared war, which Britain and France supported because they wanted to destroy Russian naval power in the Black Sea. The war, popularly known as Crimean War, which lasted from 1853 to 1856, resulted in the defeat of Russia, by an Ottoman alliance including the United Kingdom and France.
The Map of the region during the Crimean War.
Following the Crimean Battle, Russian Tsar Alexander II began considering selling Alaska, which would be hard to protect in the event of a potential war against Russia’s biggest rival, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Russia’s decision to sell Alaska was based on this defeat by the Ottoman Empire. Facing a loss of more than 12000 troops and left with depleting coffers, Russia decided to cede its territory.
Why USA?
Most of the people would think that why two rivals like Russia and USA would ever agree to purchase and sell territory for whatsoever reason. Interestingly, USA and Russia were never rivals prior to the second world war.
In the 1800s, Russia and the United States were allies due to their common antipathy towards the British Empire. This was one of the main reasons Russia propositioned the US for the Alaska deal.
The negotiations
Back in 1959, Russia offered to sell its possessions in the north-western peninsula to the United States, but the outbreak of the American Civil War forced the discussions to be shelved.
Russia also sent a team of professionals to Alaska to determine the worth of natural resources. They estimated that it would cost around $10 million.
Despite being warned not to sell Alaska, Russia conveyed to the US its willingness to sell as well as the price it desired for the territory. The main reason for this compulsion to sell Alaska was that, instead of being an asset, it had become a liability due to the cost and logistical challenges of supplying the territory while the country was also dealing with debt from the devastating Crimean War.
Map of the ceded territory of Russia to the USA.
After the end of the American Civil War, US Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska with Russian minister Eduard de Stoeckl. Steward and the Russian Minister to the United States reached an arrangement in which the US would pay Russia $7.2 million for Alaska.
The treasury warrant concerning the deal.
The final treaty
On March 11, 1867, the two leaders began confidential negotiations. Stoeckl and Seward finished the writing of a deal transferring Russian North America to the United States on March 29, 1867. The purchase price was $7.2 million, or around two cents per acre. On March 30, 1867, the treaty was presented to the Senate for approval.
The presentation to the House of Representatives.
The Alaska Treaty was signed by US President Andrew Johnson in May 1867 after the US Senate accepted the agreement on April 9, 1867.
The final treaty.
On October 18, 1867, Russia formally handed Alaska to the United States. This marked the end of Russia’s presence in North America.
The signing of the Alaska treaty in 1867
Criticism for the deal
Critics labelled the acquisition of Alaska “Seward’s Folly,” according to the US Office of the Historian. Some newspapers derided the decision, calling the new region “Seward’s Icebox,” “Seward’s Folly,” and “Walrussia,” among other things. When a substantial gold discovery was discovered in the Yukon in 1896, the decision of the previous Secretary of State was validated, and Alaska became the entrance to the Klondike goldfields. Alaska’s strategic significance was eventually realized during World War II.
Importance of Alaska
The United States paid little attention to the territory for three decades, and it was administered by military, naval, and treasury norms. The United States created a civil administration in the region in 1884, as well as mining legislation.
In 1996, when the major gold reserves were found in the region, the region got importance. The subsequent discovery of other natural resources led to the realization of its importance.
Also, its geostrategic importance is unmatched in the present context. Its strategical importance is underscored by the fact that it provides a direct gateway to the US against its adversary Russia.
The decision of the US to buy Alaska is considered one of the best decisions taken in the context of cessation and annexation territories. Alaska, which was abandoned by Russia over its non-utility in contributing to the economy and instead of being a liability on the public exchequer, currently has a GDP of around $55 million and contributes extensively to the development of America.
Other important purchases made by America
The United States also purchased the state of Louisiana. It was a territory of France under Napoleon. New France’s vast and complicated territory in North America was thought to be an easy target for British invasion from Canada or the US. Also, Napoleon required funds in order to continue fighting the British and their allied forces in Europe. As a result, instead of fighting to protect a poorly defended province on the other side of the globe, he opted to sell it for much-needed money to sustain his empire when peace with the United Kingdom proved unrealistic in the near future.
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty.
As a result, on April 30th, 1803, the pact was signed and the fledgling United States doubled in size and expanded its borders to the west.
On Friday, the Madurai Bench of Madras HC quashed two defamation cases against devotee, activist Rangarajan Narasimhan who had alleged mismanagement by officials managing Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple and questioned the condition of thousands of temples that are facing negligence.
The Bench raised pertinent questions with respect to the administration of Hindu temples and asked whether the temples should continue to be under the thumb of the government. Justice GR Swaminathan specifically highlighted the need to revive the glory of temples in India.
Narasimhan had pointed out mismanagement at Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple and exposed several wrongdoings of the commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HRCE) and the Ex-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the temple over social media. Denying the allegations the authorities had lodged an FIR against Narasimhan for defaming the temple management and its Trustees.
Drawing attention to the condition of Hindu temples in the state, Justice GR Swaminathan said that the government who professes to be secular should treat all religious institutions at par. “Are not knowledgeable and committed activists like TR Ramesh justified in arguing that the government should exercise the same degree and level of control over temples as are exercised over churches and mosques?”, he was quoted.
“Tamil Nadu is a land of temples. They have played a central role in our culture. However, their current condition leaves a lot to be desired. Lands endowed for their maintenance have been gobbled up by private interests. Antique idols have been stolen and smuggled overseas. The temple staff are paid a pittance. Thousands of temples are facing utter neglect. Even poojas are not being performed. Much needs to be done to revive their glory,” the bench added.
According to the reports, two cases against Narasimhan were filed- one under 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code (Promoting enmity between groups) and another under section 45 of the Information Technology Act after he alleged the temple authorities of mismanagement. The bench maintained that the FIRs were lodged to target the devotee for exposing the temple trust and the HRCE.
The court stated that both the FIRs were not maintainable as section 505(2) IPC had nothing to do with the case and that Section 45 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 did not provide a penal remedy. Court noted that Narasimhan was a Vaishnavite and so was the temple authority. “The petitioners’ allegations do not involve two groups at all. The Hon’ble Supreme Court had clearly held that unless one group is pitted against the other, the penal provisions are not at all attracted”, the bench was quoted.
Justice also commended the Judicial Magistrate for refusing to remand the petitioner when he was initially arrested by the Srirangam police as he reversed the complaints.
Pakistani students stuck in Ukraine have lamented their government’s indifference to their predicament amidst an escalating military offence carried out by the Russian forces. They have alleged that while India is actively evacuating its students in Ukraine via Hungary, the Pakistani government is doing little to rescue stranded Pakistanis.
Expressing concern at their plight, one of the students while speaking to Pakistani news channel ARY News conveyed her disappointment with the lack of initiative displayed by the Imran Khan government as compared to that exhibited by the Modi government in evacuating Indian students.
“There is a lot of bombing and military operations going on here and that’s why we want the Pakistani government to provide us security and a passage to safer places…because we are seeing that the Indians are rescuing their stranded students through the Hungary border. They are getting the Hungary border opened to rescue students stuck in Ukraine but no such measure is taken by the Pakistani government,” said a Pakistani student while talking to the ARY News channel.
India is bringing its students stuck in Ukraine back via Hungary but Pakistan is not doing anything as of now : Pakistani students stuck in the war zone pic.twitter.com/ifIwfuqhiZ
On Thursday, ARY News reported that there are more than 1,500 Pakistanis, including 500 students, stranded in strife-torn Ukraine. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ukraine Dr Noel I Khokhar claimed that all Pakistanis in Ukraine were safe and asked to move to secure locations.
Even though Pakistan’s Ambassador asserted that students stuck in Ukraine were safe, their parents back home accused the Pakistani embassy of papering over concerns raised by their children through glib assurances. They have alleged that the Pakistani embassy was only giving statements instead of their children’s safe evacuation from the war zone.
It is worth noting that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Russia to meet Putin on the day the Russian military forces launched a military offence into Ukraine. While Russia’s military operation had just kicked off in Ukraine, Imran Khan after reaching Moscow said that he was “excited” to be in Moscow at this juncture. Imran Khan was to visit Moscow and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday during the two-day visit which was touted to be ‘historic’. This was the first visit to Moscow by a Pakistani leader in more than 20 years.
Indian government sends team in Hungary to rescue stranded Indians
Earlier on February 24, the official Twitter account of the Indian Embassy in Hungary informed about efforts undertaken by the Indian government to rescue stranded Indians in Ukraine.
“Team from Embassy of India in Hungary has been dispatched to the border post Zohanyi to coordinate and provide assistance to facilitate the exit of Indians from Ukraine. The mission is working with Govt of Hungary to provide all possible assistance,” it said on Twitter.
“The Government of India is closely monitoring the situation and evacuation plans are being worked out,” it further said.
Russia launches ‘military operations’ against Ukraine
On Thursday (February 24), Russian President Vladimir Putin announced limited military operations against Ukraine. In a televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the special operation to be conducted in East Ukraine.
Putin had added explicitly that Moscow did not plan on occupying Ukraine. He said the military action he announced would seek to “demilitarise” and “denazify” Ukraine and came in response to threats from Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s border guard agency, the Russian military entered the country from neighbouring Belarus. The Russian forces crossed Belarus to enter Ukraine from the North, said Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Northern border forces in Ukraine have come under attack by Russian troops.
A day after Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the President of the Eastern European country, Volodymyr Zelensky, informed on Friday (February 25) that a total of 137 people (including civilians) were killed in Russian military strikes.
On Monday, “Khalistan Zindabad” slogans were raised at a rally organised in memory of deceased Punjabi film actor Deep Sidhu.
According to the reports, the followers of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident on February 15 in Ludhiana’s Tharike village, had organised a rally in the actor’s memory in Punjab’s Bathinda on February 21.
In the rally, several pro-Khalistani elements were seen waving purported Khalistan flags and shouting “Khalistan Zindabad” slogans as they took out a march on the streets of Bathinda. The supporters also chanted “Deep Sidhu Zindabad” in memory of the actor, who died in a car crash last week.
Posters of Khaliistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Deep Sidhu were also raised during the rally in Bathinda.
Shockingly, the pro-Khalistan rally took place in the presence of Punjab police. The Khalistani protestors shouted anti-India slogans even as the Punjab police remained mute spectators.
The video of the pro-Khalistan rally in Punjab’s Bhatinda has gone viral on the internet, stoking massive outrage among the citizens of the country.
Several social media users have called for strict action against anti-India elements in Punjab for threatening the security and integrity of the country by furthering the pro-Khalistani agenda. One user questioned the Congress-led Punjab government for permitting such anti-national events.
Anshul Saxena said that posters of terrorist Bhindranwale are being raised inside the country, and the Khalistanis are using the death of actor Deep Sidhu to revive the Khalistan movement.
Another part of the rally in Punjab to demand Khalistan.
This rally was held in Bathinda with posters of Terrorist Bhindranwale & Actor Deep Sidhu.
Now, Khalistanis are using the death of actor Deep Sidhu to revive Khalistan movement. pic.twitter.com/5YncoQtlWO
Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorist Front India has given an ultimatum to the Punjab police, asking them to act on the anti-India elements for raising pro-Khalistan slogans. ATF President Veeresh Shandilya warned that he would file a case in Punjab and Haryana High Court if Punjab police failed to take action against the pro-Khalistanis in the next 48 hours.
‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans raised during the cremation of Deep Sidhu
Hundreds of Khalistani supporters attended the cremation of actor Deep Sidhu and raised slogans in favour of Khalistan.
“Saadi (hamari) majboori hai, Khalistan zaroori hai”, they yelled as they demanded freedom and a separate territory named Khalistan. The Sikh youth also shouted in union “banke rahega Khalistan” and demanded a probe into the death of Sidhu, who was one of the accused in the 2021 Republic Day riots in Delhi.
Surrounding the pyre of Deep Sidhu, people who attended the cremation chanted the “Khalistan Zindabad” slogan repeatedly. Some of them also carried pro-Khalistan banners.
Deep Sidhu died on February 15 in a road accident on KMP (Kundli-Manesar) Highway near Delhi. According to the reports, various Sikh organisations who attended the cremation alleged that Sidhu’s death was a planned murder and that the state must look into the investigation. Sidhu was accompanied by his girlfriend Reena Rai, who survived the accident due to the airbags.
Deep was a Khalistani supporter and was arrested last year in February after he participated in the desecration of the Red Fort amid the tractor rally held by farmers that turned violent. The Khalistani supporters had brutally attacked the security personnel and police officials stationed at Red Fort and had disrespected India’s national flag by hoisting two other flags with Sikh symbols. His act of desecrating the Red Fort was hailed by the pro-Khalistan groups.
Sidhu primarily had come to the limelight when a video of him speaking in English went viral in December 2020. Deep Sidhu was seen claiming to be a farmer and said that the farmers’ protests would be the defining moment of the geopolitics of not just India but also entire South Asia. Sidhu was heard saying that these farmer protests were nothing but a revolution.
The Income Tax department on Friday raided the premises of Shiv Sena Corporator and Standing Committee Chairman of Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Yashwant Jadhav. The IT officers reached the premises of Jadhav at around 7:30 in the morning and began searching for evidence of his involvement in the money laundering case of Rs 100 crores and more.
#UPDATE | Mumbai: Income Tax department searches premises of Shiv Sena corporator and Standing Committee chairperson of BMC, Yashwant Jadhav. pic.twitter.com/cWgAoatNTy
According to the reports, this is days after BJP leader Kirit Somaiya exposed Jadhav and said that he has created bogus companies to loot public money during the COVID times and probably before that. Kirit Somaiya had requested the ED, Income Tax and the Election Commission to probe into the Jadhav’s 100 crore scam.
In December 2021, the BJP leader had registered complaints to the Election Department, Tax Department and the ED against MLA Yamini Jadhav, Yashwant Jadhav and their sons Yatin and Nikhil for creating bogus companies like Pradhan dealers, Skylink commercials, super soft suppliers, etc and using them to divert the public money. “BMC’s contractor’s money and Yashwantrao’s scam will be exposed soon”, he had said.
The 100 crore COVID scam was already exposed by the BJP leader on February 5 when he had pinned Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut and his associate Sujit Patkar of corruption in the allotment of COVID centre contracts to entities on paper in Pune and Mumbai. He had revealed that the COVID care centre contracts were given by Thackeray led Maharashtra Govt to non-existent companies and an amount of Rs 32 crores has luxuriated in the process.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Atul Bhatkhalkar confirmed the development and said that Yashwant Jadhav and Shiv Sena leaders had shared contracts worth Rs 100 crore for COVID care Centers in Mumbai. “It’s high time now Mumbaikars know about these frauds. The income tax department should have raided Jadhav and his properties long back. He is primarily involved in the COVID fraud case”, stated Atul Bhatkhalkar adding that BJP will dig out the frauds committed by the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
Reports mention that Jadhav created several fake or shell companies specifically to loot the public money. He swindled crores by diverting huge amounts through these fake companies. Somaiya in the series of tweets further added that Jadhav parked Rs 15 crores in one of his bogus companies named Pradhan Dealers through the Hawala operator Uday Shankar Mahavar. The money was then sent to UAE and routed to Jadhav’s family member’s accounts.
#YashwantJadhav Money Laundering, Parking BMC Scam Money, an example,
₹15 Crores Parked through Pradhan Dealers Pvt Ltd. Shell Company, through The Hawala Operator Uday Shankar Mahavar
In another case of corruption by Jadhav, Somaiya had released an audio clip in which Jadhav was heard asking monetary favours from Suraj Pratap Singh Deora of Yash Corporations to withdraw from the contract of development works worth Rs 2.17 crores in Byculla. As Deora expressed their inability to cater to the needs of Jadhav, he had threatened Deora with continuing to work with BMC.
On Thursday, Somaiya also slammed the Thackeray Sarkar led government in Maharashtra for allegedly indulging in corruption and further released a list of 12 of its representatives for looting the public money. The list includes Anil Parab, Sanjay Raut, Sujeet Patker, Bhavna Gavali, Anand Adsul, Ajit Pawar, Hasan Mushriff, Pratap Sarnaik, Ravindra Waikar, Jitendra Awhad, Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik.
As the IT raid continues at Jadhav’s premises in Mumbai, Somaiya has added two more names in the list which he termed as Thackeray Sarkar’s ‘Dirty Dozen’. He noted Yashwant and Yamini Jadhav and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar to the list of alleged fraudsters.
I have forgotten 2 names of Thackeray Sarkar’s “Dirty Dozen”
The IT raid comes ahead of the BMC elections that are likely to happen in late March or early April this year. As a team of tax department officials is undertaking the raids against Jadhav, the ED officials are also said to have reached the premises and are investigating into the case. Jadhav’s wife Yamini Jadhav is the party MLA from the Byculla seat.
In a gruesome incident, a mentally challenged girl was brutally raped in front of her paralysed mother in Kerala’s Malappuram.
According to the reports, the accused ‘Muttalan’ Shihab, who is an accused in several criminal cases, broke into the victim’s house at 2 pm on Wednesday. The mentally challenged girl was residing with her paralysed mother. The victim raised her voice as she saw Shihab, however, he closed her mouth.
The mentally challenged girl managed to escape from the attacker, but he followed the girl and brutally raped her. He had also threatened to kill her if she spoke about the incident to others. This brutal incident took place in Areekode, Malappuram district of Kerala.
A mentally challenged woman was brutally raped in front of her sick mother in Malappuram. The molester Shihab even threatened to eliminate the victim & witnesses. The human rights activists haven't uttered a word: no prime time debates & candlelight marches.#JusticeForNirashraya
As per reports, the victim’s mother is bedridden due to serious health problems. The mentally and physically challenged daughter was brutally raped by the accused in front of the mother.
Reportedly, the accused had also threatened the family that he will be back to take ‘revenge’ if they do anything against him. The mother had to watch her mentally challenged daughter being sexually assaulted inside their house.
The victim girl has revealed to the police that this is the second time Shihab is raping the girl. The Kerala police have arrested the accused Shihab.
