Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed ‘Animal’ featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles will be released in theatres on 1st December. The filmmakers had already revealed that the film received an ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for its silver screening.
Censor rating for ANIMAL is A 🙂 3 hour 21 minutes 23 seconds & 16 frames is the Runtime 🙂#AnimalTheFilm Releasing on Dec 1st@VangaPictures@TSeries
Now reports have revealed that apart from giving an A-certificate, the Censor Board had also asked the filmmakers to make eight alterations in the film to have a theatrical release. The censor board has asked the filmmakers to delete an “intimate scene” between two characters.
Stating that it has accessed a copy of the censor certificate, Hindustan Times reported that close-up shots of the characters named ‘Vijay’ and ‘Zoya’ have been deleted in an intimate sequence. Although it is not yet clear who are playing these characters in the film media reports indicate that these character names could be of lead actors Ranbir Kapoor and Rashika Mandanna.
Furthermore, cuss words have been modified “wherever they occur”, as mentioned in the censor board directive.
As per reports, in many places, the censor board directed the filmmakers to replace certain words like ‘costume’ has been replaced by ‘Vastra’. Similarly, the word “Natak” has been muted. In the subtitle, it has been replaced with “You change pads four times a month”. Meanwhile, the word ‘Black’ has also been modified but the certificate doesn’t specify the replacement for it.
The censor board directive includes all these changes –
Close-up shots between two characters in an ‘intimate scene’ have been chopped
Dialogues like “Kabhi nahi” and “Kya bol rahe ho aap” have been modified
Cuss words have been modified ‘wherever they occur’
Certain words like ‘Black’ modified, ‘costume’ replaced with ‘Vastra’, and ‘Natak’ have been muted and corresponding changes have been made in the subtitles
A purported leaked ‘Censor Certificate’ for the film is also doing rounds on the internet which incidentally also indicates these changes.
For its UK release, Ranbir-starrer Animal has received a rating of 18+ with the description of “strong bloody violence”.
In an interview with The Hindu, film director Vanga expressed satisfaction that Animal received an A certificate. He emphasised that the film is intended exclusively for adult audiences. He stressed that he would not take his own son to watch the film.
After the modifications and certification, ‘Animal’ has a 3 hours 23 minutes run-time. Responding to the query that the film is too lengthy, director Sandeep Vanga had earlier said, “The first cut of Animal was 3 hours 45 or 46 minutes. I chopped till 3:21. I have seen the film multiple times and it is an engaging film. Ranbir is a great performer and will not let the audience relax for a second. My job is done when the producer is confident of getting his money back with some profit.”
Meanwhile, days before its theatrical release the film is already facing criticism for misleading teenagers and turning every child longing for love into a violent Animal.
The Bihar Education Department issued an official press release on 28 November to address the controversy caused by the publication of the school holiday schedule. It claimed that the previous notification was only in relation to Urdu medium schools. The department aimed to clarify any ambiguity or concern regarding the calendar’s initial distribution and the distinct scheduling for Urdu and regular schools would be made transparent.
Source: Bihar Education Department
The notification read, “Information has been received that various misleading things are being spread in social media and newspapers regarding festivals. The precise matter is that the calendars of the Urdu medium and regular schools are designed separately and two different notifications bearing numbers 2693 and 2694 respectively pertaining to the school holidays calendar for the year 2024 have been made public by the department.” It added that this uncertainty regarding festivals may have spread because social media and news outlets hurriedly skimmed official announcements and made assumptions about them.
The education department went on to state unequivocally that there has been no adjustment made about the total number of holidays granted in 2024 compared to the previous year which is sixty days. The anniversaries of a few prominent individuals like Ashoka and Veer Kunwar Singh are not commemorated separately because they come within the summer vacation period. However, previously, schools would remain open on the birthdays of notable people and freedom fighters. The press announcement mentioned that the summer break was commutated in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
No holiday on Rakshabandhan, Janmashtami, Ram Navami, Shivratri
The Janata Dal United-Rashtriya Janata Dal ruling coalition in Bihar came under heavy criticism from both the Bharatiya Janata Party and netizens after a government notification showed the absence of holidays on significant Hindu festivals like Makar Sankranti, Rakshabandhan, Saraswati Puja, Janmashtami, Ram Navami, Bhaidooj and Shivratri for the academic year 2024.
Bihar government’s notification on school holidays.
According to a press release from the Bihar Education Department, the 220 days of instruction needed to comply with the Right to Education Act (RTE) were met when creating the 2024 vacation schedule. The number of days allocated for summer vacation was raised from 20 to 30 in the new schedule. Hindu holidays like Hartalika Teej and Jitiya have been cancelled in order to make room for the three-day celebrations of Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha (Bakrid).
Furthermore, just four Hindu holidays, Diwali, Durga Puja, Chhath Puja and Holi have been taken into account. The total holidays on Hindu festivals account for nine days. On the other hand, the holiday calendar included six Muslim festivals including Shab-e-Barat, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zoha, Muharram, Chehallum and the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. The length of Islamic holidays is eleven days. Furthermore, Urdu language schools were permitted to have a weekly off on Friday instead of the gazetted Sunday holiday.
However, now the state govt has claimed that this holiday list is only for Urdu medium schools, and not for all schools.
Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that nobody can prevent the Central Government from implementing the the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Addressing a mega public rally here, the BJP leader lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government accusing it of indulging in “appeasement politics” and urged people to vote to power the BJP government in the next assembly polls.
Shah in his address said that the CAA is the “country’s law” and the Narendra Modi-led Central government is going to implement it at any cost.
“Citizenship (Amendment) Act is the country’s law, no one can stop it and we will implement it,” Amit Shah said.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 aims to facilitate the grant of citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 was notified on December 12 and came into force on January 10 in 2020.
Citing political violence, corruption, and appeasement in the state, the union minister said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has destroyed West Bengal.
“Mamata Didi came to power by removing the communists with the slogans of Sonar Bangla and Maa Mati Manush, but there was no change in Bengal. Even today infiltration, appeasement, political violence, and corruption are happening in Bengal. Communists ruled Bengal for 27 years, and Mamata Banerjee’s government was formed in the third term. Both of them together ruined Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has not been able to stop infiltration in Bengal. Voter cards and Aadhar cards are being distributed openly to infiltrators in the state and Mamata Banerjee is sitting silent,” Shah alleged.
The Union home minister further said that the people of the state will avenge the ‘political murder’ of the BJP leaders in the 2026 assembly polls.
“Bengal is gripped by infiltration, appeasement, political violence and corruption…In the entire country, election violence is highest in Bengal. 212 BJP workers killed in West Bengal, people will avenge these murders with their votes in 2026 assembly polls as BJP will form a government with two-third majority in 2026,” the minister added.
Shah also alleged that the ‘Trinamool syndicate’ does not allow vast sums of money sent by PM Modi to reach the poor of Bengal.
“Modi Ji sends lakhs of crores of rupees for ensuring welfare in Bengal, but the ‘syndicate raj’ in Bengal doesn’t allow the funds to reach the poor!” the BJP leader said.
Further, listing out the work done by the BJP government at the Centre, Shah said that West Bengal has been left behind from the development due to Mamata Banerjee.
“Modi ji has ended terrorism from the entire country. Modi ji abolished Article 370 for which Bengal’s son Shyamaprasad Mukherjee had sacrificed his life to remove it from Kashmir. Ended leftist extremism. India’s tricolor was sent to the moon through Chandrayaan 3. A new Parliament was built and Modi ji took the country’s economy from 11th to 5th…. But West Bengal has been left behind because of didi’s (Mamata Banerjee) politics of appeasement,” he said.
Shah also said that the people of the state want the BJP government in West Bengal.
“The people of Bengal are saying, ‘Didi, Aapka Samay Ab Samaapt Ho Chuka Hai’ (Didi, your time is up now!),” he said.
Shah also appealed to people to elect the BJP government in the next assembly elections.
“The people of West Bengal have blessed the BJP with around 2.30 crore votes and 77 seats…their enthusiasm states clearly that they have decided to bring the BJP Government in 2026! You should remember that in order to bring the BJP government to power here in 2026, you’ll have to lay its very foundation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections…Give so many seats to BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls that Modi ji says I have become PM due to Bengal…” Shah 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)
Union Minister General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), known as General VK Singh, is a man of all seasons. This has been proved not once but several times, most recently in the rescue operation of 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi.
The Union Minister, along with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, welcomed the rescued workers with garlands and embraced them outside the tunnel in which they were trapped for 17 days. He has been at the tunnel site supervising the rescue efforts for several days.
On 23rd November, General Singh arrived at the tunnel site to review the operation and has been overseeing the efforts ever since. General Singh was coordinating responses, and overseeing the complex operations, where multiple teams were at work day and night.
The former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had earlier visited the tunnel site on 16th November.
उत्तराखंड के उत्तरकाशी में सिलक्यांरा टनल में फंसे मजदूरों के राहत व बचाव कार्य का निरीक्षण करने घटना स्थल पर पहुंचा। व्यक्तिगत तौर पर वहां की दुश्वारियों की जाँच करते हुए प्रदेश के सचिव समेत तमाम आला अधिकारियों से चल रहे राहत व बचाव कार्य की समीक्षा करते हुए तत्काल प्रभाव से… pic.twitter.com/8nQsWWI66E
His efforts were noticed by PM Modi too, who during his telephonic conversation with the rescued workers, mentioned that General VK Singh’s Army training was of great use during the rescue operation.
General VK Singh has helmed many such challenging rescue operations in recent times. His tactical experience in the forces combined with his assuring presence as a union minister has given the much-needed impetus to such operations.
Last year, General VK Singh led the evacuation drive from Poland under Operation Ganga to bring back Indian nationals who were rescued from war-torn Ukraine. The Indian government rescued nearly 22,500 Indian nationals from Ukraine, mostly young students.
A video shared by the minister on his X handle showed the Indian nationals chanting “Vande Mataram” as he addressed them.
218 and 219 passengers respectively in 2 flights head back to Delhi from Poland under Operation Ganga. Students appreciated the gesture made by the Indian Government under the leadership of @narendramodi Ji to get them back home, safely. #General_In_Poland#OperationGangapic.twitter.com/B3jfatcHS1
— General Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 1, 2022
In 2015, General VK Singh, who was then the Minister of State for External Affairs, successfully oversaw the completion of the evacuation mission in Yemen from Djibouti rescuing 5,500 Indians and 1000 foreign nationals under Operation Raahat.
The minister received a hero’s welcome when he landed in the national capital. Speaking to the media, General Singh said that the operation faced several challenges amid airstrikes and ground attacks across Yemen.
The former COAS’s experience once again proved his mettle in a battlefield situation where facilitated the rescue of thousands of people.
In 2016, 300 Indians stranded in violence-hit South Sudan were rescued by the Indian government under Operation Sankat Mochan. Again, General VK Singh rose to the occasion and the same was widely appreciated by the citizens for his relentless efforts in service of the nation like that of a soldier.
The rescue efforts mentioned above earned India praise worldwide. The retired General in 2018 visited Iraq to bring back the mortal remains of the 39 Indians who were killed in Mosul by ISIS.
General (Dr.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) was previously the Union Minister of State for External Affairs.
He also held independent charge of the Ministry of Development of the North-eastern Region, Ministry of Planning and Statistics and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
General Singh has been the Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) representing the Ghaziabad constituency (Uttar Pradesh) since 2014. He served as the 24th chief of staff in the Indian Army (2010-12).
A dreadful case of ‘Love Jihad’ has come to the fore from the Faridabad district of Haryana. The state police have filed an FIR against an individual identified as Arif who posed as a Hindu to trap a minor Hindu girl into a love affair. The accused raped the girl and also forcefully converted her religion to Islam. The Police have begun the investigation into the case.
According to the report by Aaj Tak, the accused introduced himself as Veer before he trapped the girl in a love affair. He then fed the girl with drugs after which he deceptively shot some derogatory videos of her. He then used these videos to blackmail the girl for his sexual needs.
The girl reportedly failed to fulfil the demands put forth by the accused after which she was brutally raped by the accused. The girl in the complaint to the Police said that she was also raped by several male friends and relatives of the accused.
The accused eventually forcefully married the woman after she became an adult. It was after marriage that she came to know about the original identity of the accused.
He forced her to abort several pregnancies and also killed her 6-month-old daughter. According to the complaint, the accused and his brother raped the girl for around a year and then tried to throw her away from a hilltop in Manali.
The victim was also forcefully converted to Islam by the accused. The woman somehow managed to reach the police to file a police complaint against the accused. The Police have filed an FIR against 14 persons in this case. Further investigations are underway.
A shocking incident of honour killing is reported from Pakistan where an 18-year-old girl fell victim to the abhorrent practice in Kolai-Palas district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Kohistan on 26 November. The horrific act was performed by the victim’s family members following the directives from a local jirga (council of elders) in the Barsharyal village, 150 kilometres northwest of Mansehra.
The instance took place after a video that showed her and another girl dancing with some boys gained traction on social media. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Mukhtiar Tanoli, on 22 November a video and two different images of two girls and boys became popular on social media. On 24 November, he stated that the father and uncle had killed one of the two females on the orders of a local jirga.
The other one was saved by the police who then brought her in front of the court to give a statement. “The girl said she felt no threat to her life by her family and wanted to go with them instead of being shifted to Dar-ul-Aman (shelter homes for women),” the official added. Meanwhile, the boys have gone into hiding to save their lives.
According to the district police officer, images that went viral have been “clearly edited.” The girl’s body was moved to a nearby medical facility so that medical professionals could complete the necessary legal and medical procedures before it was delivered to her family.
A first information report (FIR) regarding the murder was filed by the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Palas police station in accordance with sections 302/311 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The policeman added that while raids were being conducted to apprehend more accused, one of them had already been arrested. He claimed that no such commands were given by a local jirga and that the family members killed her on their own.
However, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Palas, Masood Khan noted, “We have launched an investigation to trace those who killed the girl and who either advised or convened a jirga and sentenced her to death.” No one was above the law, based on the officer, and anyone found guilty of the heinous crime would face the consequences.
The Additional Home Secretary was also instructed by the Chief Minister to initiate an investigation into the incident and produce a report. Furthermore, he issued approval for the authorities to take precautions to keep the second girl safe and protected.
The occurrence happened over a decade after a horrifying episode that shocked the nation more than ten years ago. In 2011, a video of five women clapping to a man while dancing at a family function went viral leading to their murder on a jirga decree. Men and women are both declared guilty and eliminated by the jirga in such killings perpetrated out for the sake of honour.
Three other brothers of the man in the video were also murdered later. The case was brought to light in 2012 by his other brother, Afzal Kohistani, who was shot dead in Abbottabad in March 2019 following serious threats to his life. After receiving widespread media coverage the matter was brought before the Supreme Court in 2013. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at the time of the case’s filing took suo motu notice and imposed a life term on the guilty.
On 28th November (Tuesday), Bollywood actor Salman Khan received another threat to his life through a Facebook post after which his security was reviewed, the Mumbai Police said.
Bollywood Actor Salman Khan received a threat through a Facebook post after which his security has been reviewed, say Mumbai Police
As per media reports, Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang issued the threatening post. The gang also purportedly claimed responsibility for the recent attack on Punjabi actor-singer and Khalistani sympathiser Gippy Grewal in Canada. The post claimed that Grewal’s house was targeted for his alleged closeness with Salman Khan following which a threat was also issued to the Bollywood actor.
Salman Khan currently has a Y plus security in the wake of recurrent life threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Confirming Salman Khan’s security review, a senior officer said, “Following the threat, a review was conducted of the actor’s security to ensure there are no loopholes. We have also reached out to him and told him to be alert and discussed a few things with regard to his security,” as reported by Entertainment news portal Pinkvilla.
The threatening Facebook post linked attacks with their ‘pro-Moosewala’ acts after his demise
Notably, a Facebook account using the name Lawrence Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the attack on Gippy Grewal’s home in Canada and linked his closeness with Salman Khan as the reason for the attack. The threatening message warned that the Bollywood actor shouldn’t think that Dawood Ibrahim could protect him.
The post read, “Your close ties with Salman Khan won’t protect you. It’s time for your ‘brother’ to step up and defend you. This message also extends to Salman Khan – don’t fool yourself into thinking Dawood Ibrahim can safeguard you from our reach. No one can save you. Your ostentatious response to Sidhu Moose Wala’s death didn’t go unnoticed. You were well aware of his character and his criminal connections.”
“Till the time Vicky Middhukhera was alive you would always hover around, and later, you mourned Sidhu more. You’re also now on our radar, and you will now witness what deceiving means. This was just a trailer. The whole film will be released soon. Run away to any country but remember death doesn’t require any visa, it would come where it has to,” it added.
Gippy Grewal distances himself from the Bollywood actor
Following the development, Gippy Grewal tried to distance himself from Salman Khan and claimed that he had nothing to do with this. He denied having a bond with Salman Khan as claimed in the threatening post. He argued that he only met with the Bollywood actor twice.
Speaking with News18, Grewal said, “I have no friendship with Salman Khan and the anger of it is being taken out on me. For me, it is still shocking and I am unable to process what has happened to me.”
It is important to note that Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang has time and again issued threatening messages against Salman Khan linking it with the infamous 1998 illegal poaching of blackbuck case. The incident took place in September 1998 during the shooting of Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’. Notably, on 5th April 2018, Salman Khan was convicted by a Jodhpur court in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case.
Previously in July 2016, the Rajasthan High Court acquitted him stating that there was no evidence against Khan. However, the Rajasthan government later filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the high court’s decision and legal proceedings are still ongoing against Khan in that case.
As per reports, Bishnoi is a prime accused in the murder case of singer-turned Politician and Khalistan sympathiser Sidhu Moose Wala. Back in 2022, he told the Delhi Police that his community would not forgive Salman Khan unless he tendered an apology for killing a blackbuck. Notably, the Bishnoi community considers Blackbucks as a sacred animal.
The special commissioner of Delhi Police (special cell), HGS Dhaliwal said that during the interrogation, Lawrence Bishnoi said, “Since the Bishnois consider the blackbuck to be the reincarnation of their religious guru, Bhagwan Jambeshwar also known as Jambaji, acquittal or punishment from the court will not be the last verdict for him.”
He further added, “Lawrence Bishnoi also said actor Salman Khan and his father (Salim Khan) either tender public apology in Jambaji temple or the Bishnois will kill them.”
Gippy Grewal: From sharing the Khalistani flag to fanning anti-government hatred through anti-Farm law protest
Meanwhile, Punjabi actor-singer Gippy Grewal whose house in Canada was recently targeted had been in the headlines allegedly for showing sympathy with Khalistan. In June 2021 on the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, Gippy Grewal shared posts glorifying Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The poster suggesting “Never forget 1984” also featured the Khalistani flag.
In December 2020, Grewal’s children participated in pro farmers’ protest event in Canada where abuses were hurled at PM Modi. The two children, who seem no greater than 8-10 years in age, were seen in viral videos of the protest in which they exhorted people to extend their support to farmers and join the protests in solidarity with them while slurs like “Modi Kutta Chor Hai” can be distinctly heard in the background.
Apart from his children, he also tried to coerce Bollywood celebrities to come out openly and support anti-farm law protests. In December 2020, Rupinder Singh Grewal, popular by his stage name Gippy Grewal gave a clarion call for Bollywood saying, “Dear Bollywood, every now and then your movies have been shot in Punjab and every time you have been welcomed with open heart. But today when Punjab needs you the most, you didn’t show up and speak a word. Disappointed.”
On 28th November, all 41 trapped workers were rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. After the workers received medical treatment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to them and took stock of their health and well-being. MyGov shared the videos of the conversations on X (formerly Twitter).
During the conversation, PM Modi lauded one of the workers, Gabbar Singh Negi, for ensuring all trapped workers stayed calm during the 17-day ordeal. While speaking to PM Modi, Negi mentioned how Yoga and morning walks played a vital role in keeping mental health robust during difficult times. It was revealed that Negi taught and urged the workers to practice Yoga and meditation, which helped maintain a stable mind during the 17 days they spent trapped in the tunnel.
Gabbar Singh Negi hails from Kotadwar in the district of Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand. His brother was present outside the tunnel as the rescue operation went on. Negi, a tunnel foreman, was trapped with 40 other workers when the tunnel collapsed.
During the conversation, PM Modi told him that Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami informed the Prime Minister how Gabbar Singh was helping the workers stay calm inside the blocked tunnel with the help of yoga and meditation.
In the first clip, Sabah Ahmed, one of the workers, talked to PM Modi. He told PM that there was a 2.5 KM stretch of the tunnel where they were trapped. It is notable that this portion of the tunnel had been already reinforced with concrete, therefore the trapped workers were safe there. All the workers used to walk there after having food. Furthermore, he told PM that they practised Yoga in the morning. Sabah said though all of them were stressed, they did not lose hope and stayed together.
Speaking to Gabbar Singh Negi in another video, PM Modi lauded him for his leadership qualities and said he came to know how Negi ensured everyone stayed calm. Negi told PM how CM Pushkar Singh Dhami kept in touch with the trapped workers and uplifted their spirits, which helped them avoid getting distressed. Furthermore, he explained how every agency, state and central government, and the company building tunnel ensured the workers did not experience any problems during the rescue operation. PM Modi said that how he managed the workers inside should be a case study someday.
Speaking to PM Modi, another worker, Sonu from Chapra, Bihar, told him how every agency worked tirelessly to rescue them. He said when they were feeling a little distressed, the government arranged a telephone line to talk to their family members, which helped them keep their hopes high that they would be rescued. PM Modi said that the way the workers maintained calm, the people of India should learn how to act during distress.
Another worker, Akhilesh from Mirzapur, UP, spoke to PM and thanked everyone involved in the rescue mission. He told PM that it was because of the teams involved that they came out safely. PM Modi mentioned foreign leaders also inquired about the safety and progress of rescue missions during a recent G20 meeting.
After the successful evacuation from the Silkyara tunnel, PM @narendramodi interacted with the 41 workers. The workers expressed gratitude to Government agencies for the evacuation, conveying their happiness and acknowledging the comprehensive support provided by the government.… pic.twitter.com/4svby6czXt
41 workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel successfully rescued
On 28th November, all the 41 trapped workers were safely evacuated from the Silkyara tunnel. According to media reports, authorities said the workers were rescued from the tunnel. Initially, there were reports that workers had started coming out of the tunnel, but it was later revealed that during the mock drill, there had been a minor bend in some pipe, which somewhat delayed their exit. Moments before the successful evacuation, a team of health experts went inside the tunnel to check on the vital health parameters of the rescued workers. Additionally, Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd), former advisor of PMO Bhaskar Khulbe, and former Engineer-In-Chief and BRO DG Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) had also entered inside the tunnel to keep the morale of the trapped workers high and ensure that the rescue operation is in final leg. They had also brought 41 garlands to greet the rescued workers.
On Tuesday (November 28), a Hindu student at Srinagar National Institute of Technology (NIT) was booked for alleged blasphemy after he shared a video of the son of the former Hamas chief criticising Prophet Muhammad. The accused NIT student named Prathmesh had shared an already viral video of Mosab Hassan Yousef making critical comments about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad to his Instagram story.
An FIR was registered against the accused Hindu student on Tuesday after a massive protest and sloganeering erupted at the NIT campus over the said video. While the video neither featured the accused nor he created it rather shared the video edited by some YouTuber, the Muslim students at NIT Srinagar demanded his arrest accusing him of ‘blasphemy’.
According to some media reports, the student booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments has been barred from appearing for the semester exams and rusticated from the college. News agency IANS has reported that the school authorities have sent the accused student on leave following the incident.
Sharing details about the matter IGP Kashmir VK Birdi said that after receiving the information about the incident and a written letter from the registrar of NIT campus seeking legal action, the police have taken action under relevant laws and have launched an investigation into the matter.
“Today evening at around 4.30, we received information that some students are protesting at the NIT campus (in Srinagar). After an initial investigation, it came to the fore that a student had posted some video on social media. It was not his own post but he had taken it from YouTube,” IGP Birdi said.
What the son of the Hamas leader said in the viral video?
In the viral video, Mosab Hassan Yousef, the disowned son of a senior Hamas terrorist group leader Sheik Hassan Yousef speaking at a conference said, ” Let’s look at Prophet Muhammad’s life. Did he kill people? Yes. Did he marry a 9-year-old child? Yes, he did. Did he kill the Jewish community of Khyber because they did not give him the treasures? And did he have physical relations with Sophia the wife of Kinana the leader of that community the same night he killed her husband? Yes, he did. So where is the tolerance in that? I understand the Muslims are tolerant, But the real nature of Islam is Evil.”
While the video reappeared on social media recently, it is an 11-year-old video taken from a debate event held on March 15, 2012, at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles in the United States. Yousef was part of a panel comprising Imam Jihad Turk, Reverend Canon Brian Cox, and Rabbi Mark Diamond.
Responding to a question regarding what the Sharia law states about the treatment of non-Muslims, Mosab said, “Speaking the truth, I think what the Middle Eastern people need to know the real nature of Islam. Rather than creating model images of what Islam could be or my personal opinion of Islam as a tolerant religion. Islam is not a tolerant religion, there are a lot of tolerant Muslims brother Jihad here which I admire and I love unconditionally but in Islam, there is no tolerance. The tolerant verses in Islam were for political reasons.”
“Let’s put the Quran on the side that we don’t understand its language most of us let’s put the Islamic ideology on the side as well let’s look at the life of Muhammad the behaviour of the Prophet of Islam that jihad and the rest of the Muslim world follow. Did he kill ? Yes. Did he marry a nine-year-old child? Yes, he did. Did he kill the Jewish community of Khyber because they did not give him the treasures to fund his military campaigns and did he sleep with Sofia, the wife of kin Anna, the leader of that community the same night he killed her husband? Yes, he did so,” Mosab added.
“Where is the tolerance if you regard it as a virtue? Muslims are tolerant people because I know my father and all my family and I know my people, but the real nature of Islam is evil and this is based on my perfect knowledge of what Islam is,” he says in the video.
“I was born to speak Arabic understand the language of the Quran. I know about the life of Muhammad from the most trusted resources and I can guarantee you that Muhammad did not tolerate but he took revenge from anybody who opposed him these are the facts that we need to tell our people,” he further adds.
“I want to see what so-called the Arab Spring in the Middle East. I see people protesting against political regimes I want to see Middle East runs protesting against the absolute control of religion against Islam itself against Allah himself in the streets. When we see that happening in the Middle East, then we can say that this is a spring, the European Spring was against the control of religion and religious authorities over people’s lives.”
“It was not against political systems and this is what I want to see in the Middle East and the only way to see this happening is by telling people the truth. I want to tell my people the truth of what Islam is,” Mosab said.
Islamists rake up Bhagwa love trap conspiracy theory
Notably, several social media users have claimed that the accused student is in a relationship with a local Muslim girl. A section of Islamists on social media have accused the Hindu youth of luring the girl into his Bhagwa love trap. It is worth noting that the Bhagwa love trap is a conspiracy theory peddled by several Muslim organisations and Islamists. Islamists claim that Hindu men are trapping Muslim women. There have been several cases where a group of Islamists chased Hindu men travelling with their Muslim female friends and assaulted them.
A hindu student from NIT Srinagar is accused of allegedly disrespecting Muhammad which has angered muslims.
But the real reason seems to be incel seethe, as the guy's girlfriend is a Kashmiri Muslim.
Several Islamist X users revealed the personal details including pictures of the accused Hindu youth and the girl he is said to be dating on X. Such X users also information about her name and other details.
Moreover, the Islamists are abusing the Hindu youth for being a Bihari and ‘outsider’ as well as his alleged girlfriend. One such X post read, “Nobody should defend that girl who was in a relationship with that Bihari as she also is responsible disrespect of our Prophet Muhammad SAW.”
Another Islamist went a step ahead saying that if the girl was his sister, he would have “chopped her in thousand pieces and thrown to dogs,” adding that she should be “exposed” and “humiliated.”
Exhibiting the hatred for a non-Muslim, an Islamist called Prathamesh a “Pajeet” (a racial slur used against Indians) adding that a Kashmiri girl falling for a “Pajeet” is the “most disgusting” thing she can do.
While Islamists who perpetually claim victimhood saying that they are allegedly targeted, harassed, hated and even killed for their religious beliefs, in reality, they themselves harbour hatred beyond measure for non-Muslims, particularly the Hindus. The Hindu youth has been accused of blasphemy for merely sharing a years-old video of some other person making critical comments about Islam.
Islamists on X have also launched a trend “#HangblasphmerPrathmeshNIT” demanding that the Hindu youth be hanged to death for an Instagram story.
To no surprise, the Islamists have also invoked their favourite slogan “Sar Tan Se Juda” calling for the slaughter of anyone they assume has ‘insulted’ Prophet Muhammad, as evident in this X post.
لبيك يا رسول اللهﷺ
Gustakh-e Nabi (saw) ki ek saza sar tan se juda sar tan se juda
Amidst abuses, online harassment and threats several people have raised concerns over Prathamesh and his family’s safety. Moreover, the prevailing tensions also raise concerns over the safety of non-locals in Kashmir.
I request to the @AmitShah ,@PMOIndia look at the matter of NIT srinagar. It is a matter of security of 5000 non local students who are residing in the campus. They are facing anti nationalist slogan and death threats from outsider. #NITSrinagar@PIBHomeAffairs@narendramodi
This episode recalls the violent riots in the country and outrage in Islamic countries in response to former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Sharma was accused of making alleged offensive comments based on Hadith. Back then “Sar tan se juda” slogans were raised, and several people, including a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan, were brutally slain for supporting Nupur Sharma, who continues to live a restricted life in hiding to this day. With Islamists disclosing personal information about Prathamesh and his Kashmiri girlfriend, as well as threats to hang him and do ‘Sar tan se juda,’ the duo’s safety remains a concern.
Everyone in the country exhaled a sigh of relief on the night of 28 November which marked the safe extraction of all forty-one workers trapped inside the Uttarkashi’s under-construction Silkyara tunnel since 12 November. The workers were rescued after a huge multi-pronged operation run by multiple agencies after days of technical issues, anxiety, uncertainty, despair and hope.
The unprecedented 17-day-long rescue operation involved multiple agencies and professionals from both domestic and international locations and eventually proved to be a great success. The entire apparatus was employed by the union and state governments to guarantee the safe and secure return of the labourers. The colossal effort was exceptional both in its scope and ambition.
Meanwhile, many individuals graciously joined the large-scale operation and saw it through to the very conclusion. Delhi-based Nizamuddin resident Surendra Rajput was one of them, according to a report in Jagran. Notably, he already participated in a previous rescue operation in 2006 in Haryana, albeit one that was far less in scale. He built a tunnel to rescue a young boy named Prince who fell into a borewell there.
This time, Surendra Rajput prepared a pulley trolley in order to remove debris from the rescue pipe in the collapsed tunnel which turned out to be crucial in the last phase of the operation when it was time to evacuate the workers. He arrived at the scene on 18 November and pleaded with the rescue agencies to join the mission and assist in the rescue operation. He also informed the administrative officers of his work experience in an attempt to convince them.
When the officials looked into the details he shared, they discovered that the man had worked tirelessly to save a child known as Prince who fell into a borewell in a village between Kurukshetra and Ambala in Haryana in the year 2006. He dug a 10-foot tunnel in order to link two wells that were 57 meters deep which led to the removal of the boy from the hole and saved his life.
Surendra Rajput was awarded by the Haryana government for his dedication and effort at that time. Hence, the officials decided to include him and receive his help in the operation because of his credentials and background. According to him, he created a 1.25 m long and 600 mm broad pulley trolley for a group of rat miners who were drilling with their hands. This had four bearings installed. The rubble from the tunnel was removed via the pipe following manual drilling through this trolley. Around one quintal of debris was taken out from the trolley at a time.
It is notable that the 2006 incident where six-year-old Prince fell into an open borewell in Kurukshetra was one of the most prominent such incidents which was widely covered in media. After the kid fell into a 60-feet deep open borewell of 16 inches in diameter, a massive rescue operation was launched which was covered live by news channels. After the attempts to pull out the child failed, the rescue teams comprising Army personnel found another borewell nearby with a similar depth. The two borewells were connected using steel pipes, and Prince was rescued after 50 hours of struggle.
Workers rescued after 17 days
The 41 workers were eventually rescued on 28 November from the under-construction tunnel. A group of medical professionals entered the tunnel just before the workers were successfully evacuated to assess their vital signs.
Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd), Bhaskar Khulbe, OSD to Uttarakhand administration and a former advisor to PMO, and a former Engineer-in-Chief and BRO DG Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) also went into the tunnel in order to maintain the spirits of the trapped workers and guarantee that the rescue operation is in its last stages. They had also brought 41 garlands to greet the latter. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also met the rescued workers as they emerged out of the tunnel.
The rescue operation had been ongoing since 12th November when the debris fell in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapping 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure. The officials had installed pipes to give food, water, medicine, and enough oxygen to the trapped personnel in order to ensure the success of the rescue mission.
They also sent communication devices and maintained regular communications with the trapped workers to keep their morale high. Their relatives were permitted to speak with their stranded relative and provide information about the rescue operations on a regular basis.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were regularly updated on the operation’s status and information.CM Dhami would frequently visit the scene and even converse with the trapped workers over the phone to inquire about their well-being. PM Modi also spoke with them over call only a few hours after they were safely evacuated.
