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As Nitesh Rane backs ban on Muslim traders during holy yatra in Maharashtra, read why similar demands are raised during Hindu festivals

Rukma Rathore
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As Nitesh Rane backs ban on Muslim traders during holy yatra in Maharashtra, read why similar demands are raised during Hindu festivals

On 22nd February, Madhi Gram Sabha in Pathardi taluka of the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra passed a resolution prohibiting Muslim traders from operating in Madhi village during the Kanifnath Maharaj Yatra (Madhi Chi Yatra), an annual event that has been observed at the Kanifnath shrine for 700 years. The event commenced on 28th February.

However, the Block Development Officer stayed the decision and reported procedural violations after which Maharashtra Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitesh Narayan Rane questioned the move on 2nd March. During a visit to Ahilyanagar he warned, “The BDO should remember that a Hindutva sarkar is in power in Maharashtra. Though the resolution passed by the Madhi gram panchayat has been stayed by him, I urge the villages to again pass the same. If all villagers sign the resolution, then how will the BDO reject it.”

He referred to the declaration as “historic” and added, “The hardcore Hindutva supporters have been awakened in the village. The gram sabha’s decision will provide direction to the nation. If the Hindu religion is challenged, then such a decision will be taken across Maharashtra.” He holds Fisheries and Ports Development portfolio.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, the District Guardian Minister, has previously backed the gram sabha’s verdict and conveyed, “The gram sabha is well within its constitutional rights to pass such a resolution imposing the ban. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the rights of the gram sabha.” BJP’s Adhyatmik Aghadi Tushar Bhosale announced, “All temples and other Hindu religious institutions across India should take similar steps.” The decision has been supported by Hindu groups who maintained that it is an attempt to preserve “Sanatani traditions.”

BDO Shivaji Kamble was earlier instructed by Ashish Yerekar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ahilyanagar Zilla Parishad to investigate the resolution’s legitimacy after it was approved.

Kamble alleged that outsiders were used to pass the resolution. “We conducted the enquiry and found that the gram sabha lacked required quorum as per the government guidelines. Besides the resolution had 116 signatures of which 16 signatures could not be confirmed. Also, there were other deficiencies in the resolution and therefore I have deemed the resolution has unconstitutional,” he claimed.

Local leaders who favor the ban asserted that it aimed to preserve Hindu customs during the yatra. “We received complaints from villagers that Muslim traders were not following our traditions and were involved in anti-social and criminal activities during the yatra. Hence, during the recent gram sabha, we passed a resolution barring them from participating,” expressed village sarpanch Sanjay Markad.

The 5,000 residents of Madhi village, which is in the Ahilyanagar district and is roughly 175 kilometers from Pune, include about 650 Muslims. Every year, thousands of traders and devotees from all around the state come to participate in the prominent yatra. Holi marks the start of the month-long celebration which ends on Gudi Padwa. Madhi hamlet is scheduled to host the sacred event on 19th March which is devoted to Kanifnath, also called Kanhoba, a venerated figure of the Navnath Sampraday sect.

Demand to ban participation of Muslims during “Braj ki Holi”

The Vrindavan-based Hindu outfit Dharam Raksha Sangh released a statement indicating mistrust of the Muslim community in light of its objectionable actions and feared that there might be unrest during the Holi festivities in Braj. The former urged Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to restrict their involvement. Saurabh Gaur, the national head of the Dharam Raksha Sangh, highlighted that recent instance in Bareilly demonstrated that members of the Muslim community were posing a threat to Hindus. Muslim youths assaulted Hindus and threatened, “If you celebrate Holi, we kill you.”

Gaur informed, “We have decided to prohibit the entry of Muslims in Holi celebrations at major pilgrimage sites like Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Barsana, Gokul and Dauji.” He mentioned, “Holi is the festival of love and harmony. We do not want any member of the Muslim community to gain entry into the celebrations and create trouble,” and voiced, “We still perceive a threat from their intentions. They could cause disturbances.”

“The UP government must enforce a ban similar to restrictions placed on Muslim participation in garba celebrations in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Since they object to colours and gulal, they have no place in our Holi celebrations. They should be kept away and the government must ensure it,” Dharam Raksha Sangh’s national coordinator Acharya Badrish demanded as he likened the community to “separatists and jihadists.”

He proposed that they might be permitted following a written assurance to the majority community. “Otherwise, they should be kept away and the government must ensure it,” he added. Dinesh Sharma, a petitioner in the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute, also called on the government to prohibit Muslims from attending Braj’s Holi, in a letter to the chief minister, which he wrote in his blood. Muslims might “spit on sweets” during the celebrations, he complained.

Notably, travelers from all around the nation and overseas come to Mathura and Vrindavan to celebrate Holi.

Similar calls made during Kumbh Mela

A similar demand to restrict the entry of Muslims to the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh was raised by the All India Akhara Parishad (AIAP), which is the supreme body of the Akharas in the nation. Nirmohi, Nirvani, Digamber, Mahanirvani, Atal, Bada Udasin, Nirmal, Niranjani, Juna, Avahan, Anand, Agni, and Naya Udasin are among the 13 principal Akharas recognized by the religious body. “Recently, many incidents have come to light such as mixing of urine in juice, and spitting in food, among others. All Sanatanis will be Hindus in the Kumbh Mela so it will not be tolerated if someone defiles things and feeds them,”its supremo Ravindra Puri outlined last year.

In January, he reiterated, “Although Muslims are our brothers and we don’t have any enmity with them, they shouldn’t set up shops during the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela as they will corrupt our religion. They shouldn’t set up grocery shops, juice shops, food stalls and tea shops, as they spit on the food deliberately.”

“Those who have nothing to do with Hinduism, nor with Hindu rituals nor with our saints and sages, should not be allowed to set up shop. People who know about Hinduism, its importance, people who know how to respect this religion, and the practice of worship can do the job well. Any other person of any particular religion, who does not respect Lord Ram, should not be allowed to do any kind of service during Maha Kumbh,” Bageshwar Dham Sarkar (also known as Dhirendra Krishna Shastri) stated while supporting the akhara parishad.

He added, “A few days back these people sold urine mix food, some spit on fruits and vegetables before selling them, this proves that they are executing some kind of conspiracy. This is the reason why non-Hindus should strictly not be allowed during Maha Kumbh.”

Shastri further questioned, “Mere Angne me tumhara kya kaam (What’s your job at Hindu fairs)? At Maha Kumbh we have Triveni, Sangam, and worship of saints and lords, and it is clear that these people are least bothered and interested in Hindu rituals, festivals, fairs, and overall Sanatan Dharma. When you don’t respect Ram, why do you want to interfere in the service to Lord Ram?”

Meanwhile, the Waqf board asserted ownership of the area where the Maha Kumbh Mela was held and contended that the ground used for the Hindu pilgrimage is part of their property. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responded to the absurd argument and conveyed, “Anyone who respects Indian traditions is welcome. Many people had ancestors who converted to Islam under pressure in the past, yet they still take pride in Indian traditions.”

He then warned, “If such people, following traditions, come to take a dip in the Ganga, there is no problem. But if someone comes with the intention of claiming the land, they might face denting-painting.” The comments followed a declaration made by Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jammat (AIMJ), suggesting that Waqf owned the site where the Maha Kumbh 2025 preparations were being undertaken and that Muslims were not allowed to enter.

What is the reason behind such demands?

These appeals and regulations might appear illogical and reflect negatively on the majority community which has been the motivation for Islamo-communists and their liberal allies. However, one would comprehend the reasoning behind such demands given the hostile behavior of the Islamists in many areas, particularly during Hindu festivals and celebrations. The Yogi government directive requiring eateries to post the names and addresses of operators, proprietors and managers during Kanwar Yatra was in fact imposed for the same reason.

The Uttarakhand administration also enforced the same order. The decision was made after Hindus were regularly being tricked into consuming contaminated food which led to fights and disputes between adherents of the two faiths. The development sparked a global uproar in the liberal media, supported by radicals in the nation who essentially asked Hindus to eat such food and disregard their religious obligations as well as hygiene in order to maintain secularism. Interestingly, the arguments continue to be same even today.

Even if their actions, like spitting and urinating in food are not considered, the numerous assaults including stone pelting during Hindu festivals that have resulted in extreme violence, fatalities and significant injuries, cannot be ignored. During Maha Shivratri, on 26th February, Muslims protested the placement of loudspeakers and religious flags in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand which prompted a clash between the two sides.

They launched stones from the rooftops of their houses and school premises after which Hindus also hit back. Eight vehicles, including a car, six bikes, a scooter, and a bicycle, were set on fire and at least 6 individuals were injured during the incident.

Earlier, a violent altercation broke out on 24th February when Muslims attacked Hindus for celebrating Maha Shivratri outside a steel factory in the Bilaspur district’s Gwalathai area of Himachal Pradesh. Muslims reportedly opened fire on Hindus who were organizing bhandara. During the conflict, three individuals from both sides sustained wounds and were taken to the hospital for immediate medical attention.

Young Muslim men have even singled out Hindu females and engaged in lewd behavior during such gatherings. Last October, Amir Khan who masqueraded as Aman was caught entering garba festivities with a minor girl by the members of the Hindu Jagran Manch, in Indore. She was later found to be missing from Balaghat. Khan was arrested and further probe unveiled that he went to the event with numerous girls, including underage ones. His phone had graphic images and chats of his victims.

Likewise, Firoz identified himself as Rahul and entered a garba event in Ujjain. He even had condoms with him. However, the Muslim youth was handed over to the authorities after members of the Hindu community grew suspicious and questioned him. Furthermore, sacred Hindu processions have frequently been targeted across the country during these holy celebrations, posing serious challenges to law and order and putting lives in danger.

Nevertheless, Hindus are required to sacrifice everything and submit to the altar of secularism, whose stress is solely on their shoulders, in accordance with the discriminatory principles of brotherhood and harmony practised in India. Despite the freedoms afforded by the Constitution and extended to all other communities, Hindus cannot determine who should be eligible to take part in their religious events without being subjected to severe criticism and unwarranted lectures on universal acceptance and tolerance.

Hindus are required to carry the burden of secularism which takes precedence over everything, while practitioners of other faiths enjoy the liberty to express and celebrate their beliefs and festivals as they decide. The skewed secularism is enforced to the detriment of Hindus, undermining their rights and religion and if someone dares to openly assert their faith, they are painted as intolerant, prejudiced and everything in between. Hindu rights tend to go for a toss for the sake of secularism, time and again.

Cab driver who threw out Pakistani and his Indian girlfriend for abusing people of Delhi now puts up posters of Aurangzeb, Akbar and Babur in public toilets, Pakistan media gets miffed

OpIndia Staff
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Cab driver who threw out Pakistani and his Indian girlfriend for abusing people of Delhi now puts up posters of Aurangzeb, Akbar and Babur in public toilets, Pakistan media gets miffed

On 26th February, a cab driver who had thrown out a Pakistani and his Indian girlfriend after they used derogatory language for people of Delhi is making headlines for putting up posters of Aurangzeb in public toilets. Interestingly, Pakistani media has learned about the incident and has been crying foul over it. The cab driver, identified as Gaurav Sharma, recently uploaded videos of pasting posters of Aurangzeb, Akbar and Babur in public toilets and on garbage cans in Pilkhuwa town of Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh.

Pakistan Today, in one of its reports, called the group of men pasting posters “the extremist group wearing saffron scarves”. Miffed by the act, Pakistani media claimed that it was not an isolated incident but part of a “broader, coordinated campaign led by Hindutva groups and far-right politicians”.

The pro-Islamic portal Siasat Daily also covered the incident and called the group of men “radicals”. Siasat objected to such incidents and attempted to claim that it was part of a campaign to erase Mughal history. The portal gave examples of the renaming of cities such as Allahabad to Prayagraj and Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. However, it failed to acknowledge that the Mughals were invaders who themselves changed the names of historic cities in India. For example, Prayagraj existed long before the Mughals entered India, and it acquired its Islamic name much later, specifically around Akbar’s rule.

Pakistani national and his girlfriend kicked out of cab by Uber driver in Delhi over anti-India remarks

In August 2024, a video went viral on social media in which the man can be seen getting angry at a Pakistani man and his girlfriend. He accused the pair of insulting the people of Delhi which he couldn’t tolerate and asked them to step out of the four-wheeler and then left them in the middle of the road.

The taxi driver initially warned the duo not to offend Delhiites and asserted that he would not put up with it, as witnessed in the widely shared footage. While filming the video, the girl retorted that the person seated next to her hadn’t said anything like that and was instead criticizing the people of Delhi for being selfish. She then argued that no one opposes when Mumbai people talk negatively about Delhiites, but if a Pakistani voices anything, then it becomes unacceptable/ a problem. Furthermore, she pointed out that the cabbie shouldn’t have brought up his Brahmin caste in the conversation.

The cab driver also tried to explain his point of view, which further escalated the matter, following which he refused the two passengers to drop them at their destination.

‘Indians are bad, I beat the sh*t out of that Indian Doctor’: US man who brutally assaulted 67-yr-old Indian-origin nurse inside a hospital to remain in jail without bond

OpIndia Staff
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‘Indians are bad, I beat the sh*t out of that Indian Doctor’: US man who brutally assaulted 67-yr-old Indian-origin nurse inside a hospital to remain in jail without bond

On 25th February, a 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse, Leelamma Lal, was brutally attacked by a man identified as Stephan Scantlebury at a Palm Beach County hospital in USA’s Florida. The attacker made racist remarks like “Indians are bad” and “I just beat the sh*t out of that Indian doctor”, after attacking Lal. While the victim remains hospitalised, the accused, who is reported to be a psychiatric patient, was presented before the court on Thursday (28th February), wherein he was ordered to be held without bond. The attacker will remain in jail as he awaits trial.

As per the witnesses, accused Stephan Scantlebury was in a hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up on the bed and then jumped on Lal. The other person in the room rushed out to call for help before a second person ran in and saw Scantlebury on top of Lal, continuously beating her with his fists.

The racist attacker had escaped the hospital after brutally assaulting the Indian-origin nurse and was later arrested from Southern Boulevard. The authorities said that the attack was so brutal that essentially every bone in the victim’s face was fractured. The victim is reported to have lost vision in both eyes. She was airlifted to a trauma centre.  

Reports say that the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has added a hate crime enhancement to Scantlebury’s existing charge of attempted second-degree murder. The prosecution asked the judge to modify the accused’s second-degree murder charge to a first-degree felony based on the hate crime enhancer. The judge, however, did not grant the prosecution’s request.

The prosecution also asserted that given the accused’s ties to Canada, he could be a flight risk.

During the hearing, the accused attacker’s wife Megan Scantlebury claimed that her husband had been paranoid from days before the day he attacked the nurse adding that the accused was hallucinating and feeling like he was being watched, even accusing herself and their neighbours of being involved. She also claimed that the accused had no history of aggression but became paranoid after a car accident, WPBF reported.

From schizophrenia to acute psychosis,  the defence evoked psychiatric conditions to assert that the accused attacked the Indian-origin woman due to his psychiatric condition and not due to his alleged racism against Indians. The defence made no arguments regarding his alleged racist comments after attacking the 67-year-old nurse.

The judge ruled in favour of the prosecution noting that the accused is a threat to the community comparing Stephan Scantlebury to a dynamite that could explode anytime again.

The court ordered that the accused not be granted pretrial release but instead, be held in the Palm Beach County jail without bond.

Reacting to the disturbing incident, the victim’s daughter Cindy Joseph said, “I’m obviously relieved. I was scared, and It’s caused me a lot of anxiety in general, just making sure my doors are locked at night and just really scared at night sometimes. It’s given me some relief. I don’t know a whole lot about his back story, but the fact that he’s in jail is relieving to me in a sense.”

Speaking about coming face-to-face with her mother’s attacker and testifying against him, Joseph said, “This was the first time I saw him face-to-face, and it was hard. The first time I saw his stature and the side of his face, but this was the first time I saw him, looking in the face, his actual face. I mean, it’s hard. I can’t get rid of the image of him on top of my mom just repeatedly beating her.”

The victim’s daughter said that she was pained to hear when the prosecutors detailed Scantlebury’s racist comments about her mother and Indian culture.

“I’m Indian like a lot of our family is, that was really, really hurtful. Racism has no place. It shouldn’t be a reason why you beat someone up,” Joseph said.

Meanwhile, a Health Corporation of America, Florida (HCA Florida) said that Scantlebury had driven himself to the hospital to seek treatment for an issue not related to his alleged psychiatric condition and was admitted.

Can’t reach our homes, can’t perform Puja: 150 Hindu families from Baisi in Purnia share their pain of living in a Muslim-dominated area, Mukhia Sabnoor Alam denies allegations

श्रवण शुक्ल
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Can’t reach our homes, can’t perform Puja: 150 Hindu families from Baisi in Purnia share their pain of living in a Muslim-dominated area, Mukhia Sabnoor Alam denies allegations

About 150 Hindu families in Sharma Toli of Shadipur Bhutha village in Baisi block of Purnia are facing a lot of trouble for the last several days. Local people say that the Muslim side has blocked the path to their homes. Due to Muslim settlements and their private land all around the village, these people struggle to even reach their homes.

The situation has become so bad that the sons and daughters of these families have been struggling to even get married. It has become difficult even to take sick people to the hospital. Villagers say that earlier they used to come and go by private road, but now a 100 meter long road has been closed due to a small piece of 12 dismil land.

Local people told that they had given one lakh rupees to the land owner for the road, so that the problem could be solved. However later, under pressure from the Muslim community, that money was returned and the road access was not provided. Now due to the road being closed from all sides, these people are completely surrounded.

The villagers also said that the Muslim side prevents them from performing puja and playing loudspeakers. They say that this is also restricting their religious freedom. Fed up with this problem, local Hindus first appealed to the SDM court. There the decision was also in their favour, but later the civil court overturned that decision and the Muslim side won the case there.

Talking to OpIndia, local Santosh Kumar said, “The need for a road was acknowledged in the investigation conducted by SDM Madam and CO Sahab. The SDM gave a verdict in favour of the affected families, but the civil court overturned that decision.”

Santosh Kumar says that the Muslim side has adopted an aggressive stance. Earlier, the land owners had agreed and it was decided that they would be given money in exchange for the land. They even took Rs 1 lakh, but due to pressure from other Muslims, they returned the money and are again adamant on not granting access to the road. Santosh Kumar says that the local Muslims are showing arrogance. They are not being heard even at the police station. Now these families have sought help from District Magistrate Kundan Kumar.

Baisi SDM Kumari Tausi says that it is clearly written in the law that if more than 100 families live at a place, then no one can block their access road. There are more than 150 families here, yet the problem is not being solved. He said that letters were written several times to the police station and the zonal officer in this matter, but no action was taken.

OpIndia also has a copy of the SDM’s order. In which an order was passed for the road. However, the Muslim side challenged the SDM’s order in the civil court, where the civil court rejected the SDM’s order.

Meanwhile, videos related to the problems of the local people are going viral on social media. A woman said that Hindus are not allowed to go for even idol immersion. The woman said that Muslims say that Hindus chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, so they will not be given water.

In this entire matter, Shadipur Bhutha’s Mukhiya Sabnoor Alam said that some people are not giving the access because of their private land, but there was talk of them giving the access from the other side. He said that the Sharma people are not ready for the access from the other side. He rejected the allegations of stopping Hindu puja-paath, and said that some people are giving communal color to the issue.

Suresh Kumar, posted in Baisi police station, talked to OpIndia regarding this entire matter. He said that a meeting was held in the police station regarding this matter. Both the parties were present. There is no tension regarding the access path, but the reality is that the path wasn’t found. He said that the administration is ready to make a path, but the Muslim side is citing it is their land so where should they go.

Suresh Kumar told us that there was an agreement in the civil court regarding the path from the other side, but that path has not been found yet. This is the reason why the Hindu side is constantly pleading with the administration about their problem. However, he said that the idol immersion was done at a pre-decided place, and there is no such thing as communal tension at present.

British PM Keir Starmer promises to help Ukraine with full military support, EU agrees, what will it mean for NATO and the USA

Shraddha Pandey
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British PM Keir Starmer promises to help Ukraine with full military support, EU agrees, what will it mean for NATO and the USA

There are several people who are apprehensive about a World War III breaking out due to the unfolding events in Ukraine. This apprehension appears to be taking the shape of reality as Ukraine-US tensions mount and the European Union rallies behind Ukraine in its war against Russia.

On 2nd March 2025, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ‘four-point’ plan to aid Ukraine against Russia. After a summit with European leaders in London on Sunday, the British PM announced a slew of financial aid and military deals for Ukraine.

Britain wants to bring peace in Ukraine, ironically “With boots on the ground and planes in the air”

“Through my discussions over recent days… We have agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting…Then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States and take it forward together. The purpose of today’s meeting was to unite our partners around this effort…To strengthen Ukraine…And to support a just and enduring peace… For the good of all of us. Our starting point must be…To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now…So that they can negotiate from a position of strength. And we are doubling down in our support,” Starmer said during a press conference on Sunday, March 2.

Just days after US President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a 2.2 billion British pounds ($2.8 billion) loan to Ukraine to provide military aid to Ukraine funded by frozen Russian assets. Besides, the British Prime Minister also announced a new deal allowing Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export finance to purchase over 5,000 air defence missiles made in Northern Ireland’s Belfast. While people are losing their lives in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, PM Starmer boasted that UK-made missiles would not only help Ukraine deter Russia but also create jobs in the British defence sector. Apparently, war is a business.

“I am announcing a new deal…Which allows Ukraine to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance…To buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles…Which will be made in Belfast…Creating jobs in our brilliant defence sector. This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now…And strengthening Ukraine in securing the peace, when it comes. Because we have to learn from the mistakes of the past,” Starmer said adding that there needs to be a strong deal, unlike the weak Minsk Agreements which the Kremlin defied with ease.

 Starmer also called on the European nations to step up and share the burden as he announced a four-point plan. The first point of this plan, chalked out after discussion with the EU leader,s is to continue providing military aid to Ukraine, and simultaneously, put economic pressure on Russia. The second point emphasised that Ukraine must be at the table of any peace deal to ensure its security and sovereignty. The third point is to boost Ukraine’s defence in the event of a peace deal to deter Russia from future invasions. Lastly, the British Prime Minister asserted that a “coalition of the willing to defend a deal in Ukraine” would be developed.

“First, we will keep the military aid flowing and continue increasing economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now. Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table. Third, in the event of a peace deal, we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion. Fourth, we will go further to develop a coalition of the willing to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace,” Starmer said.

Asserting that Europe must do the heavy lifting, Starmer said, “Not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back. Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency. The UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”

The British PM, however, emphasised that such an effort would require strong US backing and that he agrees with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. “To keep the pace behind these actions…And to keep working towards this shared plan. We are at a crossroads in history today. This is not a moment for more talk – It is time to act….” Starmer said.

Notably, Keir Starmer had in January signed a “100-year partnership” agreement with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Kyiv, committing £3 billion ($3.6 billion) annually in military aid, in addition to providing funding for air defence systems and economic recovery. Keir Starmer had also expressed willingness to deploy British troops as a part of peacekeeping force post-ceasefire, contingent on wider international backing including that of the United States. And now on 3rd March, Starmer reiterated his plans for Ukraine as he announced financial support to procure missiles.

Unsurprisingly, the European leaders also agreed that they must increase their defence spending to counter Russia. In this vein, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview that European countries should raise their defence spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 per cent of GDP to respond to the USA’s policy shift after the Trump administration took over, as well as Russia’s militarisation highlighting that the Kremlin has been spending 10 per cent of its GDP on defence.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, refuted the prospects of Italy deploying its troops as a part of a peacekeeping force and said that “it was never on the agenda”.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asserted that there was now an urgent need to “re-arm Europe”. Similarly, NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte also emphasised the need for European countries to make sure that Ukraine has all it needs to “stay in the fight as long as it has to continue”.

The summit held on Sunday was attended by leaders from France, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Norway, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Finland, Italy, Spain and Canada with most of the countries agreeing on forming a “coalition of the willing” to bolster Ukraine’s defences and guarantee ‘peace’ post-conflict. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron also floated the idea of deploying European troops for peacekeeping under a ceasefire.

While the European countries are not involved in active combat against Russia, their financial and military aid to Ukraine has sustained Ukraine against Russia in the war which entered its third year in 2025. However, the European nations are now more than willing to engage in deploying “troops and planes” to attack Russia in what they call Ukraine’s defence. This would come with its own set of challenges and implications given the Trump administration, unlike its predecessor, is not very keen on backing Ukraine in the war against Russia and prolonging tensions with the Kremlin.

Implications for the US and NATO if the UK-EU get directly involved in the Ukraine-Russia war

As evident from Keir Starmer’s Sunday statement, the United Kingdom and European Union have consistently been emphasising the necessity of US involvement as a backstop for any Ukraine peace deal given America’s military heft and deterrence against the Kremlin. However, the situation has become complicated since Donald Trump has been pushing for Europe to take more responsibility, evidenced by the US’s reluctance to commit security guarantees and calls for Europe to handle Ukraine’s defences. It is pertinent to note that the USA has been the highest contributing nation to Ukraine and has given around $119 billion while the European Union has given $138 billion in financial, military and humanitarian aid, as per Ukraine Support Tracker.

Meanwhile, the US official data shows that it has contributed over $65 billion to Ukraine since 2022, dwarfing Europe’s contributions. Besides, according to Ukraine, 20% of the military hardware being used in its war against Russia comes from the US and it is the most capable and hardest to replace by Europe.

However, the Trump administration now has made it clear that it would reduce aid to Ukraine with flow of weapons to the warring nation already nearly stopped, shifting the burden onto NATO allies, including the UK and EU nations. The recent showdown between Trump and Zelensky at the Oval Office has further infuriated the Trump administration with the US calling on Zelensky to apologise or for Ukraine to bring up someone else to lead their country.

On one hand, Ukraine-US tensions are mounting, on the other, Ukraine is garnering financial and military support from the European Union so much so that the latter is willing to get involved in active combat against Russia while desperately trying to bring the US on board.

If European forces, say a coalition led by the UK and major EU nations including France, Germany among others enter the Russia-Ukraine war directly to ‘defend’ Ukraine, and Russia retaliates by attacking a NATO member, NATO can invoke Article 5 which necessitates collective defence by all NATO members in the event of any of its member state being attacked.

“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security,” Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty reads.

However, Article 5 only applies to attacks that occur ‘within a member state’s territory’. Since Ukraine has not been admitted to NATO yet, United States won’t be under any obligation to compulsorily join the war in Ukraine. Further, Article 5 doesn’t mandate members to commit Militarily even in case of an attack within a NATO country. They can choose their method of response, which may include financial or military measures.

Notably, while not honouring Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty does not result in an automatic expulsion from the grouping, the US would want to withdraw from NATO. Although it seems an unlikely step, however, Trump 2.0 has been all about unlikely and unconventional decision-making thus the possibility of the US reconsidering its presence in NATO cannot be ruled out. Also, the US’s refusal to fight alongside NATO allies would obviously undermine NATO’s credibility besides, if the US leaves NATO, it would be a massive challenge for the grouping to manage its expenses since the US has been a major contributor to the grouping.

A direct entry of European Union and NATO allies sans the US would possibly start a major war in Europe which can escalate to other territories. It can trigger a fresh wave of sanctions and economic turbulence, redrawing of boundaries, and new alliances would form and NATO might dissolve.

However, despite the Trump-Zelensky fiasco, the US and Ukraine are still trying to work out the coveted minerals deal. The efforts to secure the US-Ukraine minerals deal, focused on Ukraine’s rare earth deposits of Titanium, Lithium, Graphite, Nickel and Cobalt, continue as a strategic lever.

Ukraine has vast deposits of minerals, including oil and gas. These minerals and elements are essential for modern industries. US President Trump claimed that the deal would allow the US to recover more than what it has spent on Ukraine. Reportedly, the agreement includes a jointly owned fund, allowing revenue from Ukraine’s state-owned mineral resources to be used to rebuild the war-torn nation. As per the terms of the deal, Ukraine would contribute 50% of its future proceeds from oil, gas, and mineral deposits to the fund. These funds would then be invested in infrastructure and economic projects within the country.

After the London summit, Zelensky insisted the minerals deal would be ready if the parties agreed. This suggests that despite what happened between him and Trump at the Oval Office recently, the deal remains a bargaining chip to retain US support. If tied to a ceasefire, it could incentivise Donald Trump to stay engaged, countering his push for Europe to lead, but it doesn’t inherently avert escalation unless tied with robust security guarantees Putin would be willing to accept. If the minerals deal works out between Ukraine and the US without upsetting the Kremlin, likely, the Ukraine-Russia war may not snowball into a world war.

Bangladesh: Extremists break idol of Goddess Saraswati, vandalise Durga Mandir. Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Extremists break idol of Goddess Saraswati, vandalise Durga Mandir. Here is what we know so far

On Saturday (1st March) night, the idol of a Hindu temple was vandalised in Kazipur upazila in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

According to reports, the incident occurred at the ‘Shikha Smriti Sarbajanin Durga Mandir.’ While speaking about the matter, temple caretaker Uttam Karmakar stated, “I went to the temple on Sunday (2nd March) morning to offer puja and found the idol broken.”

“Someone carried out the destruction and pushed the idol onto the floor by using a bamboo from outside the temple,” he added.

Local resident Swapna Karmakar also informed that the idol of the Hindu deity was found vandalised on Sunday morning when his neighbour went to offer prayers at the Durga Mandir.

Hindus living in the area then altered the Kazipur Police Station, following which a team led by Officer-in-Charge Noor Alam, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Superintendent of Police visited the temple.

The Hindus are demanding justice and strict punishment for the accused. Kazipur OC Noor Alam stated, “We have examined the crime scene. Someone vandalised the Saraswati idol kept inside the temple at night. An investigation is underway.”

Recent cases of idol vandalism in Bangladesh

On Friday (14th February) night, a Muslim mob launched a scathing attack on a Hindu family and a nearby Durga Mandir in Nazirpur upazila in the Pirojpur district of Bangladesh.

The mob comprising 15-20 extremists attacked the shop of Rebati Gayen and looted his belongings. They also assaulted his wife Bithi Gayen. When local Hindus intervened, the Muslim mob also attacked and injured 8 of them.

Two of the victims include Durga Mandir Committee President Milan Gayen and his wife Irani Gayen. The 10 victims were later admitted to a local hospital.

The attackers were identified as Chabbir Sheikh, Mustaqin Sheikh and Nayan Sheikh. Others involved in the attack are yet to be identified. The Muslim mob also targeted the Durga Mandir and vandalised the idol of the Hindu deity.

On 13th February, extremists laid siege to the Solahati Durga Mandir and vandalised two idols of Goddess Saraswati. The incident occurred in Turag in Dhaka city of Bangladesh.

According to reports, a case was registered against unidentified men based on a police complaint. None of the extremists involved in the attack have been arrested so far.

As per the locals, the attack was carried out by extremists, who came to the temple in a white car at about 3:45 am. Thereafter, they vandalised the idols of the Hindu deities and fled the scene.

On 31st January, a Muslim man barged into a Kali temple in Faridpur city of Bangladesh and vandalised an under-construction idol of Goddess Saraswati.

According to reports, the accused was identified as 32-year-old Mohammed Mirajuddin. He was caught red-handed attacking the Hindu place of worship, following which the accused was handed over to the people.

Mirajuddin was subsequently arrested and produced before a court. He was thereafter remanded to custody. 

Uttar Pradesh: Taufiq and his aides put Hindu man under house arrest, forcefully convert him to Islam. Read FIR details

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Taufiq and his aides put Hindu man under house arrest, forcefully convert him to Islam. Read FIR details

On 2nd March, Hathgaon Police in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, arrested three individuals identified as Taufiq, Imtiaz, and Maulvi Azam Khan for forcefully converting a Hindu man to Islam. OpIndia accessed the FIR registered in the matter.

Content of the FIR

The FIR has been registered based on the complaint of Ramprasad, father of the victim, who has been identified as Rammanohar, under Sections 127(2), 352, 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

According to the complainant, his son had been working in Haridwar Mandi for the past 4-5 years, where he came into contact with Taufiq. The latter lured his son by offering to marry the victim to his sister Shabnam and facilitated their communication via mobile phone.

For the past few days, Ramprasad was unable to contact his son, and there was no information about his whereabouts. On 27th February, at around 4 PM, he received information that his son was forcibly confined in Mirpur Kurusti by Taufiq, his father Hakim Shah, his relative Imtiaz, and Maulvi Azam Khan. They allegedly coerced him into converting to Islam using threats and intimidation. Furthermore, he accused them of forcibly conducting his son’s marriage with Shabnam as per Muslim rituals.

When Ramprasad reached the location, he found out that the accused had already converted his son to Islam and changed his name to Munawwar after forcibly making him marry Shabnam. When Ramprasad confronted them, they allegedly hurled abuses and threatened to kill him, forcing him to flee the location. He said in his complaint, “They blatantly declared that they had converted my son from Hinduism to Islam and challenged me to take any action if I wished.”

Agreement between Rammanohar and Shabnam for a live-in relationship

Reportedly, Taufiq presented a notary-stamped agreement dated 8th May 2024, declaring that Rammanohar and Shabnam were in a live-in relationship. When police questioned them, they reportedly told the police that they wanted to live together. Shabnam told the police that they started talking on the phone around a year ago. Later, they started talking on Instagram and via video calls. Around three months ago, they went to Surat and then to Rajkot, where Nikah (Islamic wedding) was performed between them. She further claimed that they had been living together at her sister’s house for the past 15 days.

‘Convert to Hinduism and marry at a temple’ demands victim’s mother

Rammanohar’s family has accused Taufiq and others of brainwashing their son. Reports suggest that his mother expressed willingness to accept Shabnam as their daughter-in-law but only if she converted to Hinduism and got married in a temple.

Station in-charge Abhilash Tiwari said in a statement that an FIR has been registered against four accused, and further investigation is underway.

Nepal’s rhino census faces uncertainty after suspension of USAID funding, work suspended due to financial crunch

ANI
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Nepal’s rhino census faces uncertainty after suspension of USAID funding, work suspended due to financial crunch

Nepal’s rhino census conducted in an interval of every five years now faces an uncertain future with the suspension of USAID, one of the major donors for the project, by the Donald Trump administration.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, which has been carrying out the census in collaboration with various agencies working with the park, is now facing a financial crunch and is unable to continue the work.

Department ecologist and Information Officer, Haribhadra Acharya said that an agreement had been reached with USAID’s ‘Jal Jungle project’ for the purchase of the necessary equipment for conducting the rhino census, but the census has become uncertain now that the project is suspended.

According to the official, the project had already started the procurement process by issuing a tender notice. USAID had agreed to bear the expenses of the GPS equipment, laptops, large cooking utensils, tents, and other materials required for conducting the census.

“The project was supposed to provide materials worth NRs (Nepali Rupees) 5 million. It is estimated that around NRs 15 million would be required to complete the census,” Acharya told ANI over phone.

Preparations were made to conduct the census in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund Nepal, ZSL Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation and other organizations. This year, the department was planning to complete the rhino census by mid-April. Preparations were made to conduct the census from March 18 to April 7 and release the results by the second week of April.

“The census can’t be done beyond mid-April. The preparations for it take at least 10 days. The department’s census program would be affected as the project of the donor agency is suspended in the last hour,” Acharya further elaborated.

Director General of the Department, Ram Chandra Kandel, said that the suspension of the donor support has affected the counting during the final preparations. He added that the rhino census could be conducted if the budget is received after discussing the matter with the ministry or else they will be forced to suspend it.

The tiger census will have to be carried out next year and he said that it would be easier to conduct the tiger census next year if rhino count could be done this year as it would not be possible to conduct both censuses at the same time.

Although the rhinos are being monitored, a census must be done to determine their exact number and condition. The last rhino census was conducted in 2021. The census will make it easy to determine the number of rhinos inhabiting a particular area and to manage it.

The endangered one-horned rhino is found in Chitwan, Parsa, Bardiya and Shukla Phanta national parks. The Chitwan National Park has the highest number of rhinos at

694 as per the 2021 census. The number of rhinos in Nepal has reached 752.

Nepal recorded 800 one-horned rhinos in 1950, 400 in 1955, 300 in 1960, 100 in 1965, 108 in 1970, 147 in 1975, 310 in 1980, 310 in 1985, 358 in 1990, and 466 in 1995.

In the year 2000, the number went up to 612, in 2005 stood at 409, in 2010 stood at 435 and in 2015 stood at 645 as per the government record.

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

Maharashtra: Hindu activist rescues girl entrapped by Mizanur Gazi, unites victim with her parents in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Hindu activist rescues girl entrapped by Mizanur Gazi, unites victim with her parents in West Bengal

On Saturday (1st March), Hindu activist Devdutta Maji took to X (formerly Twitter) to inform about the rescue of a 23-year-old Hindu girl who was lured, entrapped and groomed by one Mizanur Gazi.

In a tweet, he informed that the victim is a resident of Basirhat city in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Devdutta Maji added that the Hindu girl was rescued from the Amravati city of Maharashtra on the day of Maha Shivratri (26th February).

The Hindu activist also shared an emotional video where the victim, identified as Arpita Sarkar, could be seen uniting with her parents.

Devdutta Maji informed that he drove 1300 kilometres from Kolkata to Amravati after receiving information from his team on 23rd February this year.

According to him, the victim was successfully rescued on 26th February from Muslim-dominated Habib Nagar. “Parents and other family members of the Victim girl are receiving threats from other Jihadi Smugglers and family members of Mizanur Gazi,” he stated.

The Hindu activist emphasised, “We are committed to rescue our daughters from Love Jihad and also raise awareness on LJ and Demography Change.” He stated that another victim of grooming jihad was previously rescued from Tamil Nadu.

Devdutta Maji is the President of the Hindu outfit ‘Singha Bahini’ (Army of Lions and Maa Durga). He contested the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha election on a BJP ticket from the Chowrangee constituency.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces USD 4 billion military aid to Israel, reversing Biden’s arms hold

ANI
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces USD 4 billion military aid to Israel, reversing Biden’s arms hold

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday (local time) announced a significant boost in military assistance to Israel, with approximately USD 4 billion in aid set to be expedited.

This move reverses the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which had withheld certain weapons and ammunition from Israel.

“I have signed a declaration to use emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump,” said Rubio.

The decision is seen as a testament to the strong alliance between the US and Israel, with President Trump reaffirming America’s commitment to Israel’s security. Since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly USD 12 billion in major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Israel.

“Since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major FMS sales to Israel. This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies,” said Rubio.

The Trump Administration has pledged to continue using all available tools to support Israel’s security, including countering security threats.

“The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats,” added the US Secretary of State.

Biden had denied withholding arms from Israel, save for a single batch of 2,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs, which arrived in Israel last month after Trump unfroze the shipment, The Times of Israel reported.

Rubio referred to Trump’s rescinding on Monday of National Security Memorandum 20. The order, signed by Biden last year amid lobbying by progressives in his Democratic party, had required recipients of US arms to commit in writing not to use them to target civilians or restrict humanitarian aid, as per Times of Israel.

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

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