Home Blog Page 479

“No comments at all”: Shashi Tharoor says amidst reports of rift with Congress over his comments praising PM Modi

ANI
-
0
“No comments at all”: Shashi Tharoor says amidst reports of rift with Congress over his comments praising PM Modi

Amidst reports that all is not well between him and the Congress following backlash from within the party on his apparent praise recently for the Kerala Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s industrial policy and also for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday refused to comment further on the subject.

“No comments at all,” said the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram as reporters accosted him at the New Delhi airport today. Tharoor meanwhile urged the mediapersons to “Go watch the match; it’s an important match today.” The ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan began in Dubai this afternoon.

Tharoor had on Saturday posted on his X account the quote “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise” by poet Thomas Gray.

This follows an interview to a Malayalam podcast, of a leading newspaper published from New Delhi today in its English edition, in which he noted that if the Congress did not try to expand its appeal, it would be sitting in opposition for the third consecutive time in Kerala. Further, he was cited as saying that “several workers feel that there is an absence of a leader in Kerala’s Congress.”

He also said that he was elected as MP four times from Thiruvananthapuram and that if the Congress did not need his services, he had “other options” including speaking tours and books.

Assembly elections in Kerala is scheduled for 2026 and Tharoor claimed in the interview published in the newspaper today that opinion polls from independent agencies indicated he was “ahead of others in leadership stakes in Kerala.”

Earlier, his article in an English daily over praise for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government’s handling of Kerala’s economy had drawn criticism from fellow Congress leaders in the State.

Tharoor had subsequently clarified that his article did not seek to survey the entire Kerala economy, which “remains in dire straits.” He said that he wrote about a specific subject: the changed industrial climate as evidenced by the start-up ecosystem alone.

“First of all, I wrote it as a Kerala MP on one specific subject, the changed industrial climate as evidenced by the start-up ecosystem alone,” Tharoor said.

He said that the LDF government built on the initiative undertaken by former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who established the Start-Up Village and the State’s Start-Up Mission.

“As a Congressman, I am proud that this builds on an initiative undertaken by former chief minister Oomen Chandy, who established the Start-Up Village and the State’s Start-Up Mission in the first place — which the present government has built upon,” he said in a post on X.

“Second, the article does not seek to be a survey of the entire Kerala economy, which remains in dire straits, as i have repeatedly pointed out –featuring high unemployment; massive out-migration, especially of educated youth; crisis in agriculture, esp the rubber, cashew, pineapple and rubber sectors; and a record level of debt,” he added.

Tharoor said that when something good emerges, it is petty not to acknowledge it.

“There is MUCH more to be done. But when something good emerges, even if only in one area, it is petty not to acknowledge it. I based myself principally on the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024, and on the specific facts & figures cited in my article,” he said.

“Final request: read the article before you comment on a one-line summary! It doesn’t mention party politics, but speaks of things Kerala needs to do to get out of the economic doldrums — changes I have been demanding in the state during all my 16 years in politics,” the Thiruvannthapuram MP said.

Congress leader K Muraleedharan reacted to Tharoor’s statement and said it is not the stand of the Congress leaders in Kerala.

“What Tharoor said is not the stand of the Congress in Kerala. The national leadership should answer. Tharoor’s stand is not acceptable to the Congressmen in Kerala. Tharoor is a national leader and a global citizen. As an ordinary worker, I am not the person to judge Tharoor’s statement,” he said.

CPM State Secretary MV Govindan said that Shashi Tharoor’s article has effectively highlighted the realities of Kerala’s industrial growth.

“It clearly shows how Kerala moved from the 28th position to the top. The article also states that Kerala has achieved five times growth on a global scale. Tharoor has made an effort to present Kerala’s industrial progress accurately to the world, and I congratulate him for that. His article holds significant value. Naturally, this will create issues within the UDF.

There is nothing wrong with inviting Shashi Tharoor to be part of our party’s seminars,” he said.

BJP leader Anil Antony who was former head of the Kerala Congress digital media cell said that Shashi Tharoor is not the first. Congress leader who is showing unhappiness about the Congress party. “The Congress party has been in disarray for a long time, so this is not surprising,” he told ANI on Saturday.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar slammed both the UDF and LDF in Kerala and said that both the alliances had put up a mock fight in Kerala.

“Shashi Tharoor’s praise of Pinarayi Vijayan and UDF’s declaration of joint protest with LDF, has once again proved that both LDF and UDF are friends all over and put up a mock fight in Kerala. Voters of Kerala will teach them a lesson for this deception. Mr Tharoor, you know very well that there were only 400 start-ups in 2014 in the country; now it is 1,40,000. This is the credit of Narendra Modi,” Javadekar said.

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

Did you know: Mongol Dynasty founder Genghis Khan banned slaughter of animals by ‘Halal method’

Dibakar Dutta
-
0
Did you know: Mongol Dynasty founder Genghis Khan banned slaughter of animals by ‘Halal method’

Genghis Khan (1162-1227) is known as one of the greatest conquerors of the world. While his expansionist campaigns are well known, not many people know Genghis Khan banned the slaughter of meat by Muslims through the ‘Halal’ method.

As the founder of the Mongol Dynasty, he extended his kingdom from across Asia to the Adriatic Sea. The dominant religion during the reign of Khan was Tengrism. However, a large section of people practised other Faiths such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism.

According to historian Ata Malik Juvaini, Mongols essentially created a secular state and enforced religious freedom. Genghis Khan allowed the recitation of the Takbeer and the Azan during his conquest of Khwarezmia (present-day Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran) between 1219 and 1221.

Comment
byu/JackWeatherford from discussion
inAskHistorians

The Mongol emperor exempted all religious heads from all forms of taxation. It is for these reasons that Genghis Khan was called the ‘Defender of Religion.’ Having said that, he wanted the Mongols to remain loyal to him instead of their religious leaders.

Anthropologist Jack Weatherford in a 2017 Reddit AMA stated, “Every individual had the right to chose any religion (or none), and every religious institution was granted freedom from taxation. But that did not mean that they had a license to do whatever they wanted.“

He further noted, “In addition to disapproving of the pollution of water, he strongly objected to the slaughter of animals by bleeding them to death, to circumcision, veiling, foot binding, or striking an animal on the side or head.”

Weatherford, the author of the book ‘Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World’, however, pointed out there was ‘no prosecution’ for engaging in prohibited ways of slaughter.

Comment
byu/JackWeatherford from discussion
inAskHistorians

In an article for the LA Times in 2006, he pointed out that Genghis Khan believed, “When conquering Muslims, Genghis Khan always announced that Allah willed the Mongol victory as divine punishment; to resist the Mongols was to defy the will of God.“

Nonetheless, Genghis Khan was opposed to cruelty to animals, especially the ‘Halal system of slaughter.’ Mongols instead employed a humane system of knocking the animal unconscious before slaughter.

They would make a small incision above the heart and cut off blood flow. Poppy Williams wrote about the ban on Halal butchering in a 2023 article in the ‘Retrospect Journal’ of the University of Edinburg.

“Genghis Khan issued a decree which forbade halal butchering practices – forcing Muslims to slaughter their sheep in secret – alongside banning circumcision and kosher food practices,” he pointed out.

Similar ban on Halal by the grandson of Genghis Khan

According to historical sources, Genghis Khan’s grandson Kublai Khan (the founder of the Yuan dynasty) also outlawed the slaughtering of animals by the Halal method between 1279 and 1287.

He had declared, “You are my slaves, how dare you do not follow the dietary habit of my dynasty…From now on, all Huihui (Muslims) and People of the Scriptures (Jews) will not be allowed to kill lamb other than following the Mongolian way of slaughter which is by open the chest.“

Kublai Khan also threatened Muslims with the death penalty if they slaughtered animals in non-Mongolian way. He later revoked the ban due to decrease in taxable income and foreign trade.

What is the Halal system of animal slaughter

Islam classifies dietary products as ‘halal (permissible)’ and ‘haram (prohibited)’ for Muslims based on the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (in Hadiths). As such, what counts as Halal in Islam does not apply to practitioners of other Faiths.

The halal system of ‘animal slaughter’, also called Zahiba, lays special emphasis on the ‘bleeding’ of animals. This is particularly due to the Islamic belief that blood is ‘impure’.Blood drainage from slaughtered animals forms the key basis of halal slaughter. There are several Quranic verses, which reiterate that the consumption of blood must be avoided at all costs.

Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah) Verse 173 of the Quran says:

“He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Chapter 5 (Al-Mai’dah) Verse 3 of the Quran says:

“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah; what is killed by strangling, beating, a fall, or by being gored to death; hat is partly eaten by a predator unless you slaughter it; and what is sacrificed on altars. You are also forbidden to draw lots for decisions. This is all evil. Today the disbelievers have given up all hope of ˹undermining˺ your faith. So do not fear them; fear Me! Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger—not intending to sin—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.“

Chapter 6 (Al-An’am) Verse 145 of the Quran says:

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine—which is impure—or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Chapter 16 (Al-Mai’dah) Verse 115 of the Quran says:

“He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

As per Islamic law (Sharia), the ‘halal’ slaughter of an animal requires the use of a sharp knife, which is free of nicks and scratches. Although there is no directive to use any special kind of knife unlike kosher, it is recommended that the blade of the knife be 2-4 times larger than the neck of the animal.

The animal must be fed well, provided with drinking water and soothed before turning it lifeless. Sahih Muslim, a collection of Hadiths, states in Book 21, Number 4810:

“Shaddid b. Aus said: Two are the things which I remember Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to everything; so when you kill, kill in a good way and when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. So every one of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably.”

However, the Islamic practice of feeding animals before their slaughter, under the pretext of ‘animal welfare’, is problematic. Such a method increases the volume and the quantity of bacteria in the gut of ruminant animals. Modern industry practices require feed withdrawal for up to 12 hours, prior to slaughter, to avert the risk of carcass contamination.

Halal slaughter must be performed by only a sane, adult Muslim, who is familiar with Islamic rituals. “Animals slaughtered by a Non-Muslim will not be Halal. The name of Allah must be invoked (mentioned) at the time of slaughtering by saying: Bismillah Allahu Akbar,” says the Department of Halal Certification in the European Union.

Quran makes it clear in Chapter 6 (Al An’am) Verse 18: So eat only of what is slaughtered in Allah’s Name if you truly believe in His revelations.

The Halal meat industry often finds itself at loggerheads with modern industry practices, especially due to its rigid adherence to Islam and inability to adapt to more humane and technologically advanced procedures.

US federal employees told to send mail with weekly job progress, Elon Musk says failure to respond will be considered resignation

ANI
-
0
US federal employees told to send mail with weekly job progress, Elon Musk says failure to respond will be considered resignation

In a bombshell announcement, US tech billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday, asked all federal employees to share the progress they had achieved in their work in the last week and said that failure to respond would be taken as a ‘resignation’.

The email came from the Office of Personnel Management’s new HR email address but had no signature. The subject line reads: “What did you do last week?”

“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments,” the mail read, as cited by CNN.

“Consistent with President@realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk stated in a post on X, adding, “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

This came hours after US President Donald Trump lauded Musk’s work, while suggesting him to be more ‘aggressive’.

“ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

However, several of America’s national security agencies, including the FBI, and multiple other federal departments, advised staffers not to respond to the email immediately, suggesting that the broader executive branch was not informed of nor prepared for the demand.

According to CNN, deviating from the social media post, the email itself does not state that failure to answer will be taken as resignation. It says the deadline for submission is Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Notably, FBI Director Kash Patel told bureau employees not to respond to the email immediately.

In an email to bureau employees obtained by CNN, Patel said, “The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”

After Musk’s post-Saturday, Trump called the X owner a “patriot” and said he was “doing a great job” during remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

In the latest update shared upon this move, Elon Musk gave a call to give a promotion to the people who gave a response to the email.

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

PM Modi to handover his X, Instagram accounts to selected women on International Women’s Day

ANI
-
0
PM Modi to handover his X, Instagram accounts to selected women on International Women’s Day

Ahead of the occasion of International Women’s Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a unique initiative aimed at empowering women across India.

In a ground-breaking move, PM Modi said that on Women’s Day (March 8) he would hand over his social media accounts, including X and Instagram, to a select group of inspiring women for a day during which they could share their work and experiences with their countrymen.

In his address in the 119th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said that these women, who have excelled in various fields, will use the platforms to share their achievements, experiences, and challenges with the nation.

“This time, on Women’s Day, I am going to take an initiative which will be dedicated to our women’s power. On this special occasion, I am going to hand over my social media accounts like X and Instagram, to a few inspiring women in our country for one day. Such women have achieved success in different fields, have innovated, and made a distinct mark for themselves in different fields. On March 8, they will share their work and experiences with the countrymen,” he said.

“The platform may be mine, but their experiences, challenges and achievements will be discussed there,” the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi invited women to participate in this special initiative via the NAMO App and urged them to spread their messages globally.

“If you want this opportunity to be yours, then through the special forum created on the NAMO App, become a part of this experiment and spread your message to the whole world through my X and Instagram accounts. So on this women’s day, let us celebrate and respect the indomitable power of women,” he said.

Further, the Prime Minister praised India’s development and participation in Artificial Intelligence.

“Like space and science, India is rapidly making its mark in another field i.e., AI. Recently, I visited Paris to participate in a big AI conference. There, the world greatly appreciated India’s progress in this sector. We can also see the examples of how the people of our country are using AI in different ways today,” he said.

He also gave an example of a teacher in Telangana who used AI to preserve the tribal languages.

“Take the case of a government school teacher in Telangana’s Adilabad, Thodasam Kailash Ji. His interest in digital song and music is helping us preserve our tribal languages. He has done a great job by composing a song in the Kolami Language by using AI tools. He is using AI to create songs in many languages other than Kolami. His tracks are being liked a lot by our tribal brothers and sisters on social media. Be it the space sector or AI, the increasing participation of our youth has brought in a new revolution. People of India are second to none in adopting and using new technologies,” PM Modi emphasized.

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

Chhattisgarh Government steps up action against illegal religious conversion in the state, lilkely to introduce legislation in budget session

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Chhattisgarh Government steps up action against illegal religious conversion in the state, lilkely to introduce legislation in budget session

The Chhattisgarh BJP government has stepped up its action against religious conversion being carried out by NGOs using foreign funding. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced an investigation on Friday to trace the source of funding of these NGOs.

According to a report in Nai Dunia, around 153 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act (FCRA). Out of these, 52 have reportedly declared themselves to be associated with the Christian community before the Registrar of Firms and Societies. Central and state investigative agencies have started investigating the activities and financial transactions of all the NGOs receiving foreign aid. The activities of these NGOs that were formed for health, education, and social work purposes were found to be suspicious. Most of these FCRA-registered NGOs have reportedly selected tribal areas for work.

Most of the NGOs have selected tribal areas for work

As per the report, 9 out of 19 FCRA-registered institutions in Bastar and 15 out of 18 such institutions in Jashpur are being run by Christian missionaries. In Baster, conflict has been going on between Christian and tribal communities over graves. Of late, the Jashpur area has been in the limelight for Christian conversions. This area has the maximum number of institutions being run by Christian missionaries in the state. Moreover, the highest number of Christian conversions have been reported from the Jashpur district.

Around 35 per cent of the population in the Jashpur district is estimated to have been converted. Notably, an RTI application in March 2024 revealed that 210 people legally converted to Christianity in the district and none of them is alive. On the other hand, more than 22.5 per cent (1.89 lakh) of people in the Jashpur district declared themselves as Christians in the 2011 census report. Now, this number has reached 3 lakh. This is the reason that the Chief Minister who comes from a tribal background has expressed concern over these conversions.

Government planning to introduce anti-conversion legislation

As per a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the Chhattisgarh government is likely to introduce a Conversion Amendment Bill in the budget session of the Assembly. The new legislation will be called Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act. The draft of the legistaion has reportedly been prepared after studyding the laws of three states. As per the new law, prior information will have to be given before conversion. Since the formations of the state, the Conversion Amendment Bill has been introduced in the state Assembly twice but has not been cleared.

According to the report, the Bill criminalises illegal conversion of minors, women and members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. For volation, it prescribes a punishment of minimum 2 years and maximum 10 years imprisonment. A fine of minimum Rs 25000 has can also be imposed. Besides, if someone is found duilty of carrying out illegal mass convsersion, the punishment is minimum 3 years and maximum 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50,000. The legislation also provides for compesation to the victims of illegal religious conversion. The court can grant up to Rs 5 lakh compensation to a victim. The burden of proving the legality of the conversion would lie on the person carrying out the conversion and on the one getting converted as per the new law.

BJP MP from Raipur, Brijmohan Aggarwal, reportedly informed the state assembly that around 34 cases were filed against religious conversion during the Congress government. Some BJP leader claim that the cases were much more than this. Congress leaders in the state claimed that the cases of religious conversion rose between 2003 and 2011. They further claimed that during the Raman Singh-led BJP govenment in the state, 80 thousand families were converted.

Srinagar court orders arrest of Jitendra Narayan Tyagi alias Wasim Rizvi for his alleged remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Srinagar court orders arrest of Jitendra Narayan Tyagi alias Wasim Rizvi for his alleged remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam

On 20th February, a court in Srinagar issued an arrest warrant against Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, alias Wasim Rizvi, for his alleged controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad and Islam. The court has directed the police to arrest Tyagi and present him before the court.

According to media reports, the court noted that Tyagi failed to appear despite multiple summons. Following his continued absence, the police have been instructed to form a team to execute his arrest. The next hearing in the matter will take place on 25th April 2025, and the police have been instructed to execute the arrest and present him before the court on the said date.

OpIndia accessed court proceedings in the case. The case was registered against Tyagi on the complaint of Danish Hassan Dar over alleged remarks against Prophet Muhammad and Islam in December 2021. Formal hearings in the matter commenced on 12th October 2022. Tyagi failed to appear before the court for several hearings.

In September 2023, arrest warrants were issued against Tyagi. When he failed to appear, in June 2024, the court issued non-bailable warrants against him. However, the warrants could not be executed.

On 20th February, the court remarked, “Despite several endeavours, the presence of the accused could not be secured. Therefore, in order to secure the presence of the accused, the SSP concerned is hereby directed to constitute a team to arrest the accused and produce him before this Court by the next date of hearing. A copy of this order be forwarded to the SSP concerned for its compliance.”

Jitendra Narayan Tyagi was Wasim Rizvi before reverting to Hinduism

Jitendra Narayan Tyagi was previously known as Wasim Rizvi before he converted to Hinduism. He had formerly served as the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board. He has been a vocal critic of Islam, and multiple FIRs have been registered against him in various cases.

‘Facts will come out’: Dr S Jaishankar says USAID funding under investigation after Trump mentions previous US Administration’s interference in Indian elections

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Facts will come out’: Dr S Jaishankar says USAID funding under investigation after Trump mentions previous US Administration’s interference in Indian elections

On 22nd February, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said that the government is looking into the statements made by the United States President regarding possible foreign interference in Indian elections. He asserted that the facts would soon come out.

Dr Jaishankar was speaking at the Delhi University Literature Festival. During the session, he addressed the concerns raised following US President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated $21 million to boost voter turnout in India. In his statement, Trump questioned whether the funds were meant to “get someone else elected,” raising concerns that the money from USAID was used to help the opposition in the elections.

Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, asked Dr Jaishankar for remarks on the matter. In his reply, Dr Jaishankar acknowledged that USAID was permitted to operate in India “in good faith, to do good faith activities.”

However, he asserted that the suggestions emerging from the US point towards the possibility that “there are activities which are in bad faith.” He said, “I think some information has been put out there by Trump administration people, and obviously, that is concerning. It would suggest that there are activities which have a certain objective out here to push a narrative or a viewpoint.”

He further said, “As a government, we are looking into it, because such organisations have an obligation to report. And my sense is, the facts will come out.”

Notably, on 20th February, US President Trump questioned why USAID sent $21 million for voter turnout in India and wondered whether it was meant to get someone else elected. The Government of India, on 21st February, said that the revelations about USAID funding for certain activities are “deeply troubling” and raised concerns over possible foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs.

During the weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the relevant departments and agencies are looking into the allegations. He said, “We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain USAID activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs.”

He further added that the Government of India is looking into the matter. However, he did not provide any details about the investigation.

Muhammad Yunus attempts to suppress UN report, which exposes atrocities committed by jihadist groups in Bangladesh

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
-
0
Muhammad Yunus attempts to suppress UN report, which exposes atrocities committed by jihadist groups in Bangladesh

In a bid to control the narrative surrounding its rise to power, the Yunus-led regime in Bangladesh is aggressively attempting to suppress Chapter-6 of the recently released UN Human Rights Commission (UNCHR) report [pdf].

While the regime is actively using media channels and PR firms to highlight alleged human rights violations by the previous Sheikh Hasina government, it is simultaneously blocking access to crucial sections of the report that expose the violent and extremist forces behind its own ascent.

Chapter-6 details chilling accounts of mob lynchings, targeted killings of police officers and political opponents, and the role of Islamist-jihadist groups in orchestrating the crisis.

This raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the new government and its broader implications for regional security. Why is the Yunus regime so desperate to bury this chapter, and what does it reveal about the forces that brought it to power?

Revelations made by the UN report

The February 12, 2025, report issued by the United Nations Human Rights Office (UCHR) has been extensively used by the Yunus regime to portray Sheikh Hasina’s government as a major violator of human rights and a perpetrator of crimes against humanity.

By leveraging media coverage and public relations campaigns funded with significant financial resources, the new regime seeks to legitimize its rule.

However, at the same time, it is making every effort to suppress Chapter-6 of the report and prevent its publication in local and international media. Understanding the contents of this chapter is crucial in exposing why the Yunus administration fears its dissemination.

Chapter-6 of the UNCHR report states:

“During the protests, sections of the radicalized crowd carried out beatings and other serious retaliatory violence targeting police and Awami League officials or supporters, which in many cases appeared to be a direct response to unlawful violence perpetrated by or blamed on the victims”.

For example, on July 19 in Uttara, a mob severely beat the former mayor of Gazipur and lynched one of his aides to death after he and several other armed Awami League supporters allegedly opened fire on protesters.

The most serious incident occurred on August 4. As the previous government gradually lost control over the country, incidents of retaliatory violence against the Awami League and the police increased.

In Raiganj, under Sirajganj district, a group of armed men – who, according to witnesses, appeared different from other protesters in terms of clothing -attacked the local Awami League office and set it ablaze. The attackers killed five local Awami League officials and a journalist. One of the slain officers was first publicly humiliated – held up by the ear – before being beaten to death.

On the same day, another large group of youths attacked Enayetpur Police Station in the same district. According to police sources, 15 policemen were killed in the incident.

On August 5, three police stations were torched and looted in Feni district, and 16 policemen were attacked. A day earlier, 300–400 armed Awami League supporters had allegedly attacked student protesters in Feni, resulting in the deaths of eight protesters and serious injuries to 79 others.

In Rangpur, armed Awami League supporters – including an Awami League city councilor – opened fire on protesters. Later, a mob captured the councilor and one of his associates, beat them to death, and dragged their bodies through the streets.

In Narsingdi, six Awami League supporters were chased down and beaten to death by a mob after allegedly opening fire on protesters.

A reign of terror unleashed by Islamist-jihadist forces

Chapter-6 of the report further details how Islamist and jihadist forces -including Hizb Ut Tahrir, Ansar Al-Islam (the local affiliate of Al Qaeda), ISIS, and Hamas – established a reign of terror across Bangladesh.

Their activities included lynching police officers, targeting religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians, and engaging in widespread violence, including looting, arson attacks, abductions, and rape.

A vast cache of weapons and ammunition was looted from police stations and prisons, much of which remains unaccounted for, with no apparent effort by the current regime to recover these arms.

USAID and its influence in Bangladesh

Meanwhile, during the second week of January, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) launched a massive offensive against the US Agency for International Development (USAID) over allegations of wasting billions of American taxpayer dollars on dubious political agendas, including regime change operations orchestrated by the Biden-Kamala administration.

The DOGE, led by Musk and his team, entered the offices of USAID, shutting down much of its operations. Thousands of staff members were placed on administrative leave, and foreign-based employees were ordered to return to the United States.

Musk publicly condemned USAID as a criminal organization responsible for nefarious activities worldwide. There were also allegations that billions of dollars channeled through USAID had found their way into the pockets of key Democratic Party figures, including Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order shutting down USAID. In Bangladesh, USAID played a significant role in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina and in installing the current Islamist-backed regime, with Yunus as its figurehead.

On February 20, 2025, President Trump publicly questioned why the Biden administration had allocated substantial funds through USAID for political activities in South Asia, including US$29 million for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh”. Trump asserted that such funding had been part of a broader regime-change agenda and was now permanently terminated.

Even more alarming are allegations that a significant portion of USAID’s Bangladesh allocation was used to procure weapons – specifically, 7.62 bore sniper rifles.

These rifles were later handed over to Islamist and jihadist elements in Bangladesh and were used during the July-August anti-Hasina coup. Hundreds of innocent civilians and law enforcement officers were killed with these weapons, while training for their use was allegedly provided by the Pakistan Army.

Following Sheikh Hasina’s removal from power, reports indicate that a significant number of these sniper rifles were smuggled into India and distributed among jihadist and insurgent groups.

Conclusion

The suppression of Chapter-6 of the UNCHR report by the Yunus regime is a desperate attempt to conceal the dark realities behind its ascent to power. The documented violence, the involvement of extremist groups, and the alleged foreign interference paint a grim picture of the current government’s legitimacy.

With growing international scrutiny and the exposure of USAID’s controversial role, the global community must question whether Bangladesh’s new leadership is truly committed to democracy and human rights – or if it is merely a front for more sinister forces. The world cannot afford to ignore the implications of this dangerous shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape.

France: Man shouting “Allahu Akbar” kills 1 in a knife attack, leaves 2 police officers seriously injured

ANI
-
0
France: Man shouting “Allahu Akbar” kills 1 in a knife attack, leaves 2 police officers seriously injured

A knife attack in Mulhouse, eastern France, left one person dead and two police officers seriously injured on Saturday. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as an “Islamist terror act,” France 24 reported.

Prosecutors said that three more officers were lightly wounded in the attack in the city of Mulhouse, carried out by a 37-year-old suspect who is on a terror prevention watchlist, called FSPRT, as per France 24.

The suspect was arrested. France’s national anti-terror prosecutors unit (PNAT), which has taken charge of the investigation, said the suspect first attacked the municipal police officers, shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest), as per France 24.

Macron said there was “no doubt” that the incident was “a terrorist act”, specifically “an Islamist terrorist act”.

The government was determined to continue doing “everything to eradicate terrorism on our soil”, Macron added, as per France 24.

The FSPRT watchlist compiles data from various authorities on individuals with the aim of preventing “terrorist” radicalisation. It was launched in 2015 following deadly attacks on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s offices and on a Jewish supermarket. One of the seriously injured police officers sustained an injury to the carotid artery, and the other to the thorax, Heitz said.

Police established a security parameter after the attack that happened shortly before 4:00 pm (local time) during a demonstration. Military units were sent to the scene as backup and forensic scientists searched for evidence, as per France 24.

According to union sources the suspect, born in Algeria, has been under judicial supervision and house arrest, and under an expulsion order from France.

“Horror has seized our city,” Mulhouse mayor Michele Lutz said on Facebook. The incident was being investigated as a terror attack, she said, but “this must obviously still be confirmed by the judiciary”.

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

Uttarakhand govt refutes rumours claiming that outsiders can get domicile certificate by registering marriage under UCC, calls them wrong and misleading

ANI
-
0
Uttarakhand govt refutes rumours claiming that outsiders can get domicile certificate by registering marriage under UCC, calls them wrong and misleading

The home department of the Uttarakhand government put an end to rumours regarding some provisions of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), where it is being said that outsides would get the domicile certificate, saying that it was “wrong and misleading”.

“It has come to notice that some people are spreading misleading and wrong information on social media and other means regarding some provisions of the UCC, such as outsiders will get the residence certificate (domicile) of the state by registering marriage under UCC in Uttarakhand. This is a wrong and misleading fact,” the home department said.

The Uttarakhand government clarified that marriage registration has no links with the residence certificate given that there was no provision in the UCC to ensure domicile to any person based on marriage or other registration.

The Home Department warned of legal action under section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against those who indulge in the propagation of misleading information and spread of rumours regarding UCC.

The Home Department of the state has requested the general public to trust only the information received from official sources and avoid spreading any kind of rumours.

If anyone has any doubts or needs clarification regarding any provision related to UCC, they can contact the Home Department of the government of Uttarakhand through official channels.

Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday underscored the state’s efforts to implement the UCC, highlighting its potential to curb violence in live-in relationships.

In the context of live-in relationships, the UCC seeks to provide a framework for registering and regulating these partnerships, which would help prevent violence and abuse.

“Those who have been living in live-in relationships will now have to inform the administration and their parents about it. Our effort is not to violate anyone’s privacy. Our effort is to stop the violence that takes place during live-in relationships,” posted Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Office on X.

Uttarakhand became the first state to implement UCC. CM Dhami launched the UCC portal and rules on January 27, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the state’s journey towards social justice and equality.

The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a set of uniform, personal laws that apply to all citizens, regardless of religion, gender, or caste. This would cover aspects such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession.

The UCC applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, except Scheduled Tribes and protected authority-empowered persons and communities. This Act does not apply to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) notified under Article 342 and Article 366 (25) of the Constitution, and protected authority-empowered persons and communities under Part XXI have also been excluded from its purview.

Uniform Civil Code Act, 2024 of Uttarakhand, provides a public welfare system promoting the protection of individual rights and social harmony to streamline and simplify the legal processes related to marriage.

Under this, marriage can be solemnised only between those parties, none of whom has a living spouse, both of whom are mentally capable of giving legal permission, the man should have completed at least 21 years of age and the woman 18 years of age and they should not be in the ambit of prohibited relationships.

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

1...478479480...7,600Page 479 of 7,600