In a major step to honour indigenous cows, the Maharashtra government gave them Rajmata-Gaumata status on Monday, 30th September. The announcement was made via a Government Resolution signed by Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, who stated, “Cows have been an important part of human life since ancient times. The cow has long been referred to as ‘Kamarrenu’ in recognition of its historical, scientific, and spiritual significance.”
Maharashtra government has made a significant decision regarding cows, granting them the status of Rajmata-Gomata pic.twitter.com/eEwoVQ5kxe
He further stated that, while several breeds exist throughout the country, the number of indigenous cows is dropping at an alarming rate. Maharashtra has a number of indigenous breeds, including Devri and Lalkanari in Marathwada, and Dangi and Shavdabhat in Northern Maharashtra. The state has expressed alarm over the significant loss of these native cows.
To address this issue, the government hopes that the new classification will encourage farmers to produce and care for indigenous breeds that are vital to Ayurvedic practices such as Panchagavya and traditional farming methods. “The decline in the number of Indigenous cows is a matter of concern,” the Government Resolution said, asking livestock farmers to prioritize the breeding of these culturally important animals.
Notably, in India, the cow is considered like a mother and is a symbol of devotion in Hinduism. Aside from that, its milk, urine, and dung are regarded as sacred and widely used. Cow milk is extremely useful to the human body.
In a shocking incident, a 5-year-old boy in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur was picked up from his home on September 19 and gang-raped in a nearby field by accused Arsh and Junaid.
The victim’s family came to know about the incident a week later when his health deteriorated and on being enquired by his family members about the injury marks on his body.
A complaint was filed by the minor boy’s grandparents, who alleged that two men, identified as Arsh and Junaid, took the boy from their house and gang-raped him in a nearby field. At the same time, two bystanders, Rizwan and Alfez, shot the videos and allegedly uploaded them on social media.
The complaint was reportedly filed after the victim’s family members went to the accused’s home to complain about the incident. The accused thrashed them and threatened to kill them before fleeing from the scene, the complaint filed to the police said.
An FIR was subsequently filed under sections 140-4 (kidnapping), 351-2 (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional assault) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and sections of the POCSO Act.
Four accused, namely Arsh, Junaid, Mobin and Shamim have been named in the FIR.
The police said all four accused are on the run and a manhunt has been launched to arrest them.
On 29th September, it came to light that an FIR was filed against Karnataka Right to Information (RTI) activist Snehamayi Krishna in August 2024. Snehamayi Krishna recently obtained a court order for an FIR against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case. As per reports, he was booked for allegedly harassing a woman. Krishna has denied the allegations and suggested that it was a “conspiracy” to silence him.
The complaint against Krishna was filed by a woman at Nanjangud Police Station on 21st August 2024. Based on the complaint, an FIR was filed on the same day under Sections 85, 126(2), 74, 352, 351(2), 79, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
In the FIR, the woman accused Krishna and others of attacking her. She alleged that Krishna and others pulled her clothes and verbally abused her along with death threats when she was returning from court on 18th July 2024. She stated that Krishna, her own father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law have been harassing her over a property dispute.
The complainant’s husband passed away in 2020. The dispute between Krishna and other accused reportedly involved claims over the death benefits of the late husband and her jewellery. In the FIR, Krishna has been listed as the fourth accused. He was accused of assaulting her and threatening her and her mother.
Speaking on the matter, Krishna said, “This is an attempt to suppress my fight against corruption. Even if I am jailed, my battle will continue.” He added that he has sent a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), urging the agency to investigate corruption within MUDA. He has alleged that over Rs 5,000 crore has been misappropriated by the accused in the case. Furthermore, he also plans to file a formal complaint to the ED. Notably, a petition in the court to hand over the investigation of MUDA’s site allotment irregularities since 2015 to the CBI has already been submitted by him.
Snehamayi Krishna recently got court orders to book CM Siddaramaiah and three others. They have been booked by the Lokayukta police on charges of corruption, cheating, and forgery in connection with the allotment of 14 MUDA housing sites to the wife of CM Siddaramaiah in 2021. Notably, a private complaint was filed by Krishna, TJ Abraham, and Pradeep Kumar, leading to the probe initiated by Lokayukta police. The governor has already approved the investigation against CM Siddaramaiah.
Notably, CM Siddaramaiah had approached the Karnataka High Court against the governor’s sanction to initiate an investigation against him in August 2024. The High Court had stayed the investigation. However, in September 2024, the High Court said in its judgment that the governor has the right to sanction an investigation against the CM and said in exceptional circumstances, the governor can exercise independent discretion without consulting the Council of Ministers. The court said, “prima facie rules bent to favour CM Siddaramaiah’s family.”
Following the judgment, Lokayukta police filed an FIR. Later, Krishna filed a petition for a CBI investigation into the matter and wrote to the ED requesting the agency to probe.
Recently, three shocking cases of crimes against Hindu women, including sexual assault and love jihad, have come to light. A complaint has been lodged against Shadab in Madhya Pradesh, Shahzad in Uttarakhand, and Arshad in Uttar Pradesh.
A conspiracy was hatched to convert a young woman from a tribal community to Islam in Harda. In another case, the mother of a divorced woman from Dehradun pleaded to save her daughter, and in another case, a woman was forced to consume beef in Lucknow.
Love Jihad in Madhya Pradesh
The first case out of the three pertains to the Harda district of Madhya Pradesh. On 27th September, a 19-year-old girl from a tribal community and her family members reached the police station and submitted a written complaint. She shared that a man named Shadab alias Salman, son of Munawwar, from Sehore district, deceived her in the name of love, two years ago. She fell into his trap and was sexually exploited by him for two years.
On 29th May this year, he came to her house when she was alone and declared that he would only tie the knot with her after she embraced Islam. Shadab vowed to make her his wife. On 23rd August, he again called her and had a physical relationship with her. Notably, he reiterated that she would have to become Muslim. He even threatened to kill her if she dared to tell anyone about it. However, she eventually confided in her family after which they arrived at the police station and lodged a complaint.
A case under sections 69, 64 (2) (D) and 351 (3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act has been filed against Shadab. Police station in-charge Amit Bhavsar informed the media that further action and investigation into the matter are underway.
Love Jihad in Uttarakhand
The second case is of love jihad from Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand where Shahzad lured a 30-year-old divorced Hindu woman with two children by posing as Monu Choudhary. Her mother complained to the Raipur police station on 26th September, and demanded action against the accused. The complaint revealed that the woman and her two daughters have been living at her parent’s home. During the lockdown, she met Shahzad who is originally from Delhi. He introduced himself as Monu and trapped her in his love trap after talking to her for a few days. The girl insisted on marrying him even after his real identity was exposed.
The complainant further mentioned that her daughter became enraged and moved out of the house to live with the accused when her mother tried to stop her. The woman also took a bike from their house and left her children there. According to the complainant, Shahzad had brainwashed her daughter. The distressed woman expressed that despite her best efforts, she was unable to keep her daughter away from Shahzad. She implored the authorities to find her daughter and asked for strict punishment for Shahzad. OpIndia has a copy of the complaint. The police are now working on this case, conducting necessary inquiries and taking further action.
Another Love Jihad case from Uttar Pradesh
The third case is from Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow. On 27th September, a Hindu woman lodged a police complaint at the Madeyganj police station where she shared that she met a man named Arshad at a friend’s birthday party one and a half years ago. The duo got introduced, which later turned into friendship, and then a romantic relationship. Soon after, he started to force himself on her without her consent, according to the victim. She became pregnant twice as a result of the frequent sexual violation but the accused made her abort the kids on both occasions.
The girl then asked Arshad to marry her, however, he pushed her to convert to Islam first. She added that Arshad also forced her to eat beef. When she complained to his father about the perpetrator’s behaviour, he directed the victim to keep her mouth shut and even issued death threats if she didn’t comply. Arshad’s relative Rashid also threatened her.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed and a probe has been launched based on her complaint. The police have invoked sections 69, 89 and 351 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and pertinent sections of the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. The Hindu Mahasabha has demanded strict action against Arshad who has been arrested. The cops are looking into the allegations and pursuing additional legal action.
Lebanon has been in the news ever since skirmishes broke out between ‘Hezbollah’ and Israel. While the Islamic terror outfit fired rockets to target the civilian population in Israel, the Jewish state responded with pager blast and elimination of Hezbollah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah.
The Middle Eastern country, which has now fallen into the hands of Islamic terror groups that regularly use its territory to attack Israel, was once a peaceful nation.
Lebanon comprised of 53% Christians, mostly Maronites (Syriac Christians), in 1932. Its capital city of Beirut was called the ‘Paris of the Middle East.’ The country prospered as a regional centre for finance and trade.
A drastic change in population dynamics in Lebanon
Since it happened to be the only Christian-majority nation in the Middle East, Lebanon from the very start had the moral obligation to accommodate the ‘minority’ Muslim community and its two sects (Shia and Sunni) to promote communal harmony.
Other Islamic countries in the region had no such obligation to placate any ethnic or religious minority. The constitution of Lebanon, which came into force in 1926, introduced the idea of ‘confessionalism’.
For the unversed, confessionalism is a system of governance wherein political power is distributed proportionally between different communities per their population.
Political representation of Muslims in Lebanon
Article 24 of the 1926 Constitution called for equal (50:50) representation of Muslims and Christians in political power sharing, despite Christians being the obvious majority.
The Maronites objected to the disproportionate representation of Muslims and adopted the ‘National Pact’ in 1943 following the country’s liberation from the French Mandate.
The ‘National Pact’ aimed to placate the Syriac Christians while not taking much away from the second majority aka the Muslims. A compromise was reached in 1943 between Maronite leader Bishara al-Khouri and Sunni leader Riyadh al-Solh.
Under the arrangement, the representation in Parliament was changed from 1:1 ratio to 6:5 in favour of the Maronites. While it ensured an equitable power-sharing mechanism, two other things became almost mandatory.
The Prime Minister of Lebanon would henceforth be a Sunni Muslim while the Speaker of the National Assembly would be a Shia Muslim. The post of President would be reserved for a Maronite Christian.
The National Pact in many ways is reminiscent of the ‘Jitni Abadi Utna Haq’, a scheme espousing proportional representation in India along case lines, proposed by the Indian National Congress and its leaders (Rahul Gandhi in particular).
Of course, the Maronites of Lebanon at that time couldn’t gauge the far-reaching effects of this scheme of confessionalism.
High fertility rates, mass emigration and a race to change demographics
According to the data [pdf] furnished by the Lebanese Information Centre, the Christian population in Lebanon was down to 38.22% in 2011. At the same time, the Muslim population in the Middle Eastern nation soared to 61.62%.
However, the drastic change in the population dynamics of Lebanon did not happen overnight. It was rather a calculated move, facilitated by the influx of refugees, forced emmigration of Christians and a high fertility rate.
For context, in 1956, Christians and Muslims constituted 54% and 44% of the population in Lebanon. Thanks to the ‘National Pact (1943)’, Muslims had a 5:6 representation in the Parliament i.e. proportional political equity.
The fertility rate of different communities in Lebanon, information via Lebanese Information Centre,
They were clear incentives to increase their population to ensure more political power sharing. A look at the fertility rates of Christians and Muslims in Lebanon highlights the reason behind the demographic change.
In 1971, Muslims were producing an average of 5.44 kids as compared to 3.56 kids by Christians. On breaking the numbers further down, we find that Shities had an average of 6.65 children in 1971 as compared to say 3.75 children of Maronites.
The high fertility rate of Muslims was further compounded by the mass influx of Muslim refugees, particularly from Syria.
The fertility rate of different communities in Lebanon, information via Lebanese Information Centre,
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Lebanon today has the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world.
It must also be noted that a large number of Christians (3.95 lakh) left the Middle Eastern country between 1975 and 1984 amid the outbreak of the Lebanon Civil War, thereby further skewing the population in favour of the Muslims.
Emigration data from Lebanon, sourced from the Lebanese Information Centre
Muslims exhibited intolerance as their population swelled
Israel, the only functioning democracy in the Middle East, became a rallying point for the Muslim population in Lebanon soon after its creation in 1948.
The Shias and Sunnis supported the Arab States in their resolve to eliminate the Jewish State while the Maronites supported the Western powers that allied with Israel.
As the Muslim population surged in Lebanon, support for homegrown radical Islamic outfits grew and hostility towards the Christian community increased. They began demanding a change to the ‘National Pact’ which ‘benefitted’ Maronites.
The Palestinian cause, the common enemy being the Jews and Christians, united the Shias and Sunnis. The result was the outbreak of a 15-year-long civil war in 1975. The Muslims supported the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) but the Maronites opposed it.
Taif Agreement and undoing of proportional representation
The conflict led to the deaths of an estimated 1.5 lakh people. The resolution came in the form of the ‘Taif Agreement or Taif Peace Accord’, which ultimately revealed the price of tolerating the intolerant.
Proportional representation of the Christian community in the Parliament was brought down from a 6:5 ratio to a 1:1 ratio. The power of the Sunni Muslim-led-position of Prime Minister was increased in relation to the Maronite Christian-led-position of President.
A system, crafted to ensure political equity to the minority, thus led to the diminishing of the power of the Maronites that once constituted the majority.
With the power moving to the ‘Muslim’ Prime Minister and his Cabinet, the role of the ‘Christian’ President in the electoral scenario of Lebanon is diminished.
Contrary to the objectives of the ‘Taif Agreement’, Islamist outfit Hezbollah was not disarmed. It grew in strength and attacked Israel on multiple occasions in the years that followed, eventually resulting in the 34-day war in 2006.
A lesson for India
According to projections made by the Lebanese Information Centre, the Christian population is estimated to be 41.12% in 2045 while the Muslim population will remain around 58.78%.
Proportional representation remains at a 1:1 ratio in the Lebanese Parliament but the loss of the demographic majority and change in governance structure meant that Maronites are rendered powerless in the country.
Confessionalism proved to be a disaster for Lebanese society, an idea which is now being imported into the Indian political discourse by Rahul Gandhi.
After having failed to counter the BJP on issues of development, national security and cultural preservation, Congress has taken it upon itself to divide the country along caste lines.
Besides promising a caste census, it has also assured to lift the upper limit on reservation in its 2024 election manifesto. Rahul Gandhi is campaigning with the slogan‘Jitni abadi utna haq,‘ hinting at proportional representation in government jobs, admission to colleges and more.
This has the potential to further polarise and divide the society. Not only that, once such demands are fulfilled, it can extend to electoral politics.
Given that India’s demography is changing fast, it may not be long until certain religious communities demand fixed representation based on their population size. It would then be akin to walking in the footsteps of Lebanon and setting the nation on the path to disaster.
While it may look far-fetched today as it appeared to Maronites in Lebanon at one point in time, it will not take long for the country to plunge into chaos when dangerous ideas of proportional representation manifest in reality.
On 30th September, Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for declaring that “he would not die away before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is removed from office”, calling it a “bitter display of spite.” A day earlier, Kharge had become unwell during a campaign event in Jammu & Kashmir. He fell ill during a public rally in the Kathua district.
Amit Shah criticised him for the statement and posted, “Yesterday, the Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji has outperformed himself, his leaders and his party in being absolutely distasteful and disgraceful in his speech. In a bitter display of spite, he unnecessarily dragged PM Modi into his personal health matters by saying that he would die only after removing PM Modi from power.”
Amit Shah asserted that the remark illustrated “how much hate and fear these Congress people have of PM Modi, that they are thinking of him constantly.” The union minister then added, “As for the health of Mr Kharge Ji, Modi Ji prays, I pray and we all pray that he lives a long, healthy life. May he continue to live for many years and may he live to see the creation of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.”
Yesterday, the Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji has outperformed himself, his leaders and his party in being absolutely distasteful and disgraceful in his speech.
In a bitter display of spite, he unnecessarily dragged PM Modi into his personal health matters by…
Kharge suffered a syncopal attack, however, he resumed his speech after a small pause and announced, “We will fight to restore statehood. I am 83 years old, I am not going to die soon. I will stay alive until PM Narendra Modi is ousted from power.” He asked the people for forgiveness, explaining he wanted to continue the speech but had to sit down because he was feeling lightheaded. A syncopal attack, also known as fainting, is a brief loss of consciousness that occurs when there’s a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain.
The incident happened as he was paying respects to a senior constable who was killed in an anti-terrorist operation in Kathua. In a statement, Jammu and Kashmir Congress vice president Ravindra Sharma claimed that Kharge was profoundly affected when he discussed the martyrs. “His emotions momentarily got the better of him, but he quickly composed himself to strongly reaffirm his party’s unwavering resolve to eliminate terrorism from the region.”
Kharge further criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party during the rally and claimed, “These people never wanted to conduct the elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Had they intended, they would have done it within a couple of years. They started preparing for elections only after the order of the Supreme Court. They (BJP) wanted to run a remote-controlled government via the lieutenant governor.”
Kharge’s son and minister in the Karnataka government, Priyank Kharge and other party leaders informed that he is now stable after a check-up by doctors. The local Congress leaders also assured that Kharge was in good health and was determined to go to Ramnagar for a second rally. Notably. PM Modi talked to Kharge on 29th September to check on his well-being and wished him good health.
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an assembly election for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 on 5th August 2019. The first phase of polls took place on 18th September and the second phase ended on 25th September. The third and the last phase is scheduled on 1st October and the result will be declared on 8th October.
On Monday, 30th September, the Hindu People’s Party in Tamil Nadu, the Indu Makkal Katchi shared a post saying that the slain Hezbollah terrorist Hassan Nasrallah was being glorified by the Muslim community outside a Mosque in Chennai. The party stated that huge banners of the said terrorist were being placed outside the mosque expressing solidarity with him.
“Banner hailing Hizbullah terrorist held in Chennai, placed outside a mosque,” the post by Indu Makkal Katchi read. This is a day after the dead body of Nasrallah was recovered from the Bunker where he was hiding.
Banner hailing hizbullah terrorist head in Chennai, placed outside a mosque. https://t.co/xG0DJS95jz
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in his bunker in an Israeli air strike. The strike was approved by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu while he was attending a United Nations meeting in New York. The dead body of the dreaded terrorist was recovered from his bunker in Beirut which was destroyed in the Israeli air strikes.
As reported earlier, Nasrallah and other leaders of Hezbollah were conducting a meeting in an Underground bunker when Israel hit them, resulting in the death of Nasrallah along with other Hezbollah leaders. Following this, a protest march was organised in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Kashmir holding portraits of Nasrallah and raising slogans against Israel. Not just men, but a large number of women also participated in the protests, chanting slogans in support of Hezbollah.
#WATCH | A protest march was held in Jammu & Kashmir's Budgam against the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah by the Israel Defence Force (IDF). pic.twitter.com/EhTYAMFKRd
Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also called off her political campaign scheduled for Sunday in “solidarity” with ‘martyrs’ of Lebanon and Gaza. “Cancelling my campaign tomorrow in solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon & Gaza, especially Hassan Nasarullah. We stand with the people of Palestine & Lebanon in this hour of immense grief & exemplary resistance,” she tweeted.
As per Israeli sources, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah terrorist organization and one of its founders, was eliminated together with Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, and additional Hezbollah commanders.
After the airstrikes, IDF sources had said that the strikes targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was believed to be at the command center at the time. The Israeli airstrike on the Hezbollah base in Beirut shook the Lebanon capital, covering the city in smoke and dust.
In a shocking incident, a School Principal, Father Edmund Mascarenhas assaulted some students for raising ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Hind’ slogans at an English school in the Union Territory of Diu. Hindu organisations have raised the matter and a complaint has been filed against the accused school principal.
School principal thrashed students on Teachers’ Day for saying Bharat Mata ki Jai and Jai Hind
The incident took place on the 5th of September when the school in question celebrated Teachers’ Day. After the national anthem was performed during the prayer, some students raised patriotic slogans like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. However, principal Edmund Mascarenhas became enraged upon hearing these slogans. He forced the three children to stand in a queue before viciously thrashing them. While beating up students for raising slogans in the glory of their nation is in itself outrageous, the accused principal did not even know who raised the Bharat Mata ki Jai slogan and randomly grabbed the three victims and assaulted them.
While the fellow students present there remained silent out of fear of being hit by Mascarenhas as he was beating up the three victims, the parents present at the scene refrained from stopping the accused principal fearing that it would adversely impact their children in future.
VHP and Bajrang Dal took cognisance of the incident
Several Hindu rights organisations including Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal learnt about the incident through social media. The Hindu activists took the matter seriously and submitted a complaint against the accused school principal to the District Collector. OpIndia has a copy of the complaint.
Speaking to OpIndia, Bharatbhai Solanki, the district coordinator of Vishwa Hindu Parishad said that the incident transpired at Mata Nirmala School in Diu and that according to the rules, the national anthem is played in the school, but after that, ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ or any other slogan are not raised. On the 5th of September when Teachers’ Day was being celebrated in the school, some school children raised Bharat Mata ki Jai slogans.
“As soon as the national anthem ended, a child shouted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, then the principal took three children to the shed and beat them brutally. The children kept saying that they did not do anything, but they were still beaten. After the incident, two other children were also beaten,” Solanki said.
Hindu organisations demand action against Mascarenhas after submitting complaint to DM
Solanki told OpIndia that the Hindu rights groups learnt about the matter through social media and upon inquiry it was found that the local people are scared of Edmund Mascarenhas. He added the locals are mostly poor and uneducated people who fear that if they raised their voices against Mascarenhas, their children would be expelled from the school. Solanki stated that even the school staff is scared of speaking against the misconduct of Mascarenhas.
As the Hindu organisations swung into action, the Diu police registered a case against the accused principal Edmund Mascarenhas. An NC (non-cognizable offence) complaint has been filed against him under section 115(2) of the BNS and section 82(1) of the Juvenile Justice Act. OpIndia tried to contact the Diu police for more information on the matter but could not do so. This report will be updated when more information is received.
The head of the Lebanese terrorist organisation Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, died on 27th September in Israeli air strikes. His dead body was recovered on 29th September. While several of his followers took to the streets in mourning, his death sparked a troubling wave of media coverage that romanticised and sanitised his violent legacy. The media’s job was to reflect on the devastation caused by his leadership prominently.
However, several notable Western media outlets chose otherwise, focusing on his so-called “charisma” and political influence. They glossed over the bloodshed and terrorism he orchestrated during his decades as Hezbollah’s chief. The dangerous trend followed by media outlets to humanise individuals like Nasrallah is not just misleading but reckless. Such reporting has a long-lasting effect on the psychology of the upcoming generation.
The Guardian’s ‘adulating’ obituary to Hezbollah chief
One of the most glaring examples came from The Guardian. On 28th September, it published an article describing Nasrallah as a figure “hard to replace”. The Guardian claimed the task would be difficult because of Nasrallah rose from “humble beginnings in Beirut to a position of great power”. The article painted a picture of Nasrallah as a man who inspired loyalty and admiration among his followers. While praising the dead chief of a terrorist organisation as an “Islamic scholar”, The Guardian completely failed to adequately address the brutal acts of terrorism that Nasrallah sanctioned during his leadership of Hezbollah.
Source: Guardian
The Guardian focused on his perceived charisma, and while doing so, the media house became distracted from the essential truth: Nasrallah was a man who led a terrorist organisation responsible for numerous attacks. One of the notable terrorist attacks initiated by Hezbollah during his tenure includes the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, which took the lives of 241 Americans.
Interestingly, The Guardian gave him a clean chit on the 7th October terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and stated, “There is no evidence that Nasrallah knew what Hamas had planned for 7 October, but he reacted to the bloody raids on Israel with what must have seemed fine judgment. Hezbollah did not launch a major offensive but began firing some of its vast stocks of rockets and missiles into Israel in a bid to maintain its “resistance” credentials.” For The Guardian, firing “few rockets and missiles” towards Israel was not a big deal.
The Guardian should have critically analysed the destruction Hezbollah caused under Nasrallah’s leadership. However, it chose to imply that his leadership style was something to be admired. It is a fact that Nasrallah was revered by some in Lebanon, and even in other parts of the world, including India, where he was seen as a “warrior”. However, this does not whitewash Hezbollah’s violent role in the region. It does not excuse the fact that the international community has classified Hezbollah as a terrorist group. The focus on Nasrallah’s so-called charisma risks normalising and even legitimising the very terrorism that has destabilised the Middle East for decades.
The New York Times’ whitewashing of Nasrallah’s terrorism
The Guardian is not the only media outlet that has gone to great lengths to whitewash Nasrallah’s terrifying legacy of terrorism. The New York Times took a similarly problematic approach. It offered a long, detailed account of his political and military achievements. In a 28th September article, The New York Times referred to Nasrallah as someone who built Hezbollah into “the most formidable military and political force in Lebanon”, as if this were a neutral or even positive development.
Source: NYT
While doing so, NYT completely failed to emphasise that Hezbollah’s rise to power came at the cost of thousands of innocent lives. It destabilised not only Lebanon but also the broader Middle East. Instead of dwelling on the countless acts of violence that Nasrallah orchestrated, including rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and the terrorist organisation’s role in the Syrian Civil War, the NYT article spent a significant portion of its time recounting Nasrallah’s “determination” and “strategic thinking”.
NYT normalised Hezbollah’s violent methods and presented them as a necessary evil for political gain rather than the terroristic acts they truly are. This dangerous narrative not only erodes public understanding of Hezbollah’s true nature but also emboldens other terrorist organisations by offering them the same media legitimacy.
Le Monde: More than a terrorist leader?
Le Monde is one of France’s most prestigious newspapers. While covering the death of the head of a terrorist organisation, Le Monde did not “disappoint” and behaved exactly like its counterparts. The coverage was an obituary that described Nasrallah as “a charismatic leader for more than three decades.” The headline itself was enough to raise eyebrows as it reduced Nasrallah’s life to that of a mere political figurehead while sidestepping the heinous crimes committed by Hezbollah under his leadership.
Source: Le Monde
The article painted Nasrallah as an influential political figure with a towering stature in Lebanon. However, it failed to grapple with the core truth that his leadership was responsible for fostering a terrorist group that aimed to sow division and destruction in the region.
Le Monde portrayed him as a larger-than-life political leader, which was not only misleading but immensely dangerous for society. By framing Nasrallah as a “charismatic leader” without delving deeply into the ramifications of his leadership, the publication effectively whitewashes his crimes. There was no explanation of how Hezbollah, under Nasrallah, caused thousands of deaths, particularly, through suicide bombings and missile attacks targeting civilians.
When media houses paint an aura of legitimacy around terrorists, projecting them as political actors, they contribute to the obfuscation of the real dangers these organisations pose.
AP News: A sanitised legacy
Even media agency AP News, which is generally known for its straightforward reporting, failed to deliver a truthful portrayal of the terroristic legacy of Nasrallah. The publication covered airstrikes involving Hezbollah and acknowledged the group’s military actions. However, the tone surrounding Nasrallah’s death leaned towards a neutral, almost detached perspective. It described him as an “astute strategist” and “fiery orator”.
Source: AP
The article published by AP News mentioned his political influence and Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon’s government. However, it failed to take a firm stance on the organisation’s violent actions and terrorist activities. AP News focused on Nasrallah’s political influence rather than the terror he endorsed, leaving readers with the impression that he was a complex political figure and not a terrorist leader.
The sanitised version of his legacy will serve to downplay the organisation’s role in violence, not only against Israel but also against moderate Lebanese who have suffered under Hezbollah’s domination. Many moderate groups celebrated his death, but at the same time, it was celebrated by radicals worldwide. Such reporting on Nasrallah’s life only fuels the problematic sentiments of the latter.
The danger of glorifying terrorists
The dangerous trend of romanticising figures like Hassan Nasrallah reflects a broader issue within media coverage of terrorist organisations and their leaders. Publications that choose to downplay or sanitise the terrorist activities of the likes of Nasrallah are complicit in distorting public perception of these individuals.
Nasrallah’s case is not the only one. The same was done with the legacy of Osama Bin Laden, Burhan Wani, Afzal Guru and many others. By portraying Nasrallah as a political leader or focusing on his charisma and influence, these media outlets became an obstruction between reality and a false narrative. Such reporting whitewashes the violence and suffering that terrorist leaders like him have caused. It not only dishonours the memory of those who died at Hezbollah’s hands but also emboldens other terrorist organisations, who may see that their leaders can be eulogised in Western media as “charismatic” figures rather than the violent criminals they are.
A call for honest reporting
It is the responsibility of the media to be careful when reporting on figures like Hassan Nasrallah. Any sort of glorification of these leaders not only projects the irresponsible behaviour of the authors of these articles but also poses a threat to the future. Such reporting shapes public opinion in ways that downplay the severity of terrorism. It inadvertently legitimises organisations that threaten global peace.
Journalists must tell the truth. In the case of Hassan Nasrallah, the truth is that he was not a figure of charisma or political acumen, but a man responsible for bloodshed and terror. His legacy is one of violence, hatred, and death. It is time for the media to report that truth without glossing over the reality of who Hassan Nasrallah truly was. The world does not need another glorified image of a terrorist; it needs an honest account of the devastation Hezbollah caused under his leadership.
On Monday, 30th September, the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) issued summons to the CEO of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, Ashish Hemrajani, concerning the alleged black marketing of the tickets for the Coldplay concert. Notably, this is the second summons notice sent to Hemrajani in the issue as the person in question failed to appear before the authorities.
“Mumbai Police’s EOW sent a summons to CEO Ashish Hemrajani of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, the parent company of BookMyShow, and the company’s technical head yesterday. EOW had sent them summons earlier on September 27th but they didn’t appear before the agency. They have been asked to appear before the investigating officer today and record their statements. Advocate Amit Vyas had complained to EOW about the alleged black marketing of the Coldplay concert tickets,” the Mumbai Police was quoted as saying in the statement.
Mumbai Police's EOW sent summons to CEO Ashish Hemrajani of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, the parent company of BookMyShow and the company's technical head yesterday. EOW had sent them summons earlier on Sep 27 but they didn't appear before the agency. They have been…
Ashish Hemrajani is the CEO of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited which is the parent company of BookMyShow. As per the reports, the tickets for Coldplay’s ‘Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025’ in India price are Rs 2500 but the resellers and the influencers are selling the same for as much as Rs 3 lac.
A spokesperson for BookMyShow responded to the charges, saying “With 13 million (1.3 crore) fans eager to get tickets and logged in, emotions ran high on September 22nd for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India.” The company also stated that they had taken steps to ensure fair ticket allocation, including limiting sales to four tickets per user and adding a third Mumbai concert owing to high demand. The representative also addressed the problem of unauthorized ticket-selling platforms.
“BookMyShow has no association with any such unauthorized ticket selling/reselling platforms including, but not limited to Viagogo and Ginsberg or third-party individuals, to resell Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India,” the statement read.
The company representative also stated that due to extraordinary demand, a third Mumbai show was added. “We implemented a queueing system to manage the overwhelming demand and addressed issues, resulting in a brief delay but ensuring minimal disruption for genuine fans. Due to the unusual demand, a third Mumbai show was added shortly after, and it also had a tremendous response,” he added.
Regarding black marketing, the representative claimed, “Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India, and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice.” They stated that the corporation had filed a complaint with the police and was fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigation. Further, the spokesperson warned the fans and said that any ticket brought through unfair means would be at their own risk and advised that the fans shall buy tickets only by legal way.
The incident of alleged black marketing came to the fore when one Advocate Amit Vyas accused BookMyShow of fooling the public, especially Coldplay fans, and asked the police to file an FIR on fraud charges. The EOW recorded Vyas’ comments and identified other brokers who allegedly engaged in ticket scalping. Further investigations are underway, and additional summons are expected to be issued.
Who are Coldplay
Coldplay has been making news ever since the band announced their ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour, which includes India. On September 22nd, tickets for its show in Mumbai went on sale, and they sold out within a few hours. People in India are becoming increasingly interested in Coldplay as a result of the band’s tremendous popularity.
Coldplay is a British rock band made up of four members: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion, and Philip Harvey. The group was created in 1997 and was previously known as ‘Big Fat Noises and ‘Starfish’.
Coldplay’s lead guitarist is Jonny Buckland, while Chris Martin is the main vocalist and pianist. Guy Berryman and Will Champion are the bassist and drummer, respectively. The trio made their debut in 2000 with the album ‘Parachutes’ and soared to prominence with the album’s single ‘Yellow’.
Coldplay has a strong fan base in India, owing to the country’s massive English-speaking population. The band has repeatedly proclaimed their affection for India, and they even shot the music video for their song ‘Hymn Of The Weekend’ in Mumbai. The video showed Indian culture, including temples, priests, colorful cabs, Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir, rivers, the Holi festival, and much more.
Coldplay ticket booking issue
Coldplay’s ticket prices in India ranged from Rs 2500 to Rs 35,000. BookMyShow tickets were reported sold out within a few minutes, and the website and app crashed due to overwhelming usage. Several netizens also alleged the tickets are being resold as high as Rs. 3 lakh. BookMyShow formally issued a warning to the public via social media, reminding them that ticket reselling is illegal in India.
“It has come to our attention that unauthorized platforms are listing tickets for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India, both before and after the official sale. These tickets are invalid. Ticket scalping is illegal in India and punishable by law. Please don’t fall prey to this because you will be buying fake tickets. Avoid scams! BookMyShow is the only official platform for ticket sales,” the warning read.
Their most popular songs include Yellow, Clocks, Fix You, Paradise, Viva La Vida, A Sky Full Of Stars, Hymn For The Weekend, Adventure Of A Lifetime, and Orphans, among others.
The Coldplay concert, which will take place from January 19 to 21, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium, is one of the most widely anticipated events. The event is slated for January 19-21st, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium.
