Former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir posted a cryptic tweet on Thursday.
Interestingly, Gambhir’s tweet came out just hours later after a video of him emerged on social media in which he was arguing with former Indian pacer Sreesanth in the Legends League Cricket (LLC) match between India Capitals and Gujarat Giants.
“Smile when the world is all about attention!” said the caption of Gambhir’s post, in which featured a picture of him smiling.
On Thursday morning, a video of an argument between these two former Indian players emerged. Gautam, leading India Capitals could be clearly seen in an argument with the former Indian pacer who was playing for Gujarat. Other players and the umpire had to separate the two.
Following the incident, a video emerged on social media of Sreesanth talking about the incident. He said that the former Indian batter abused him and accused Gambhir of not respecting his senior teammates, like Virender Sehwag, who was also his opening partner for years.
“Thank you for all the love and support. Just wanted to clear the air on what happened with ‘Mr Fighter’ who always fights with all his colleagues for absolutely no reason. He does not even respect his own senior players including Viru bhai (Virender Sehwag) and a lot of people. Even today, without any provocation, he kept calling me something very rude and something he should not have said. I am not at all fault, wanted to clear the air,” said Sreesanth in the video.
“What Mr Gauti has done, you will know sooner or later. The words he said on the cricket field are not unacceptable. Please do support and me, my state and family have gone through so much and I fought those battles with all your support and now people want to down me for no reason, even when I am giving my best and the team is doing well,” continued the former pacer.
Sreesanth also accused Gambhir, who also does commentary during India’s matches often, of not speaking about star India batter Virat Kohli when he is asked about him during the broadcasts.
“I will let you all know what he said. What is the point of representing the people if you do not respect your colleagues? Even in live broadcasting, when he is asked about Virat, he never speaks about him, he speaks about something else. I do not want to go further in details. I am hurt, my family is hurt and my dear ones are hurt. The way he said things, I did not use any single bad/abusive word, he just kept on saying words, like he always does,” concluded Sreesanth.
Coming to the match, half-century from Gambhir (51) and knocks from Ben Dunk (30) and Bharat Chipli (35) powered India Capitals to 223/7 in 20 overs. Rajat Bhatia (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for Gujarat. In the chase of 224, Gujarat got big contributions from Chris Gayle (84) and Kevin O’Brian (57), but some great death bowling made sure that Gujarat fell 12 runs short.
India Capitals will now meet Manipal Tigers in the Qualifiers II on December 7, 2023.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 6th December (local time), the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, denied the Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s (DFEH) motion to permit the use of a fictitious name (John Doe) in the Cisco Caste Discrimination lawsuit. The case, officially recognised as Case No 20CV372366, was filed against Cisco Systems, Inc. and two individuals, Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella. It revolved around the so-called caste discrimination of the plaintiff, whose identity was withheld for “security reasons”. The court’s decision has spotlighted the utilisation of anonymity for a party referred to as “John Doe”.
BREAKING: In the Cisco caste discrimination case John Doe’s appeal to use an anonymous name DENIED by courts .
Doe enjoyed anonymity in a flaky and now dismissed case of discrimination that he filed against his ex classmate who had hired him.
In its motion, DFEH sought permission from the court to use a fictitious name for the individual. Initially, the request was dismissed by the trial court. However, the Court of Appeal intervened and stressed the importance of considering potential harm to the plaintiff’s family members in India.
The court ruled that someone can be allowed to keep the name secret during the proceedings only if there is a big chance that revealing the identity could cause harm. Furthermore, anonymity can be provided only if there is no other way to protect the individuals without letting the public know what happened in court.
#BREAKING: Remember all the claims around the harm that was about to be visited upon John Doe's family in India in California’s #CiscoCaste lawsuit, if his identity was revealed? Another lie falls apart.#EqualityLabs argued breathlessly that his parents would be subject to… pic.twitter.com/NE5WbDzhYr
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) December 7, 2023
After examining the evidence provided by DFEH during the hearing of the matter in question, the court determined that the risk of harm to John Doe and his family, particularly those live in India, did not meet the high burden set by the overriding interest test. The court placed the emphasis on the lack of specific and current evidence of harm. The court further pointed out that the incidents mentioned by the plaintiff took place years ago and questioned the likelihood of present harm.
Notably, the plaintiff informed the court that his mother-in-law told him about the incident when her neighbours stopped interacting with her because she cooked meat. The incident occurred decades ago and did not establish if it was tied to the fact that she is a Dalit. The court decided not to consider the incident as evidence in the matter.
Based on the evidence and arguments, the court denied DFEH’s motion. Cisco Systems is not obligated to respond to the first complaint. Instead, DFEH has been asked to change and re-file the complaint within a week, mentioning the plaintiff’s real name. Cisco Systems has been given one month to reply after DFEH files the changed complaint.
Who is John Doe
Earlier, OpIndia found the potential identification details of the anonymous plaintiff, John Doe, in the failed Cisco case against Iyer. We examined CRD documents and publicly available information from LinkedIn, IIT Bombay, ContactOut, CrunchBase, RocketReach, and USPTO. The investigation focused on Chetan Narsude, a Principal Engineer at Cisco and co-founder of Candid, Iyer’s startup, due to the connection between Iyer and Narsude’s shared attendance at IIT Bombay. Patents filed by Iyer and Narsude implicated their collaboration and concurrent enrollment at IIT Bombay, and shared projects under Professor SSSP Rao further strengthened the link between Iyer and Narsude.
The Cisco Caste discrimination case
In October 2020, a complaint was filed by a Dalit engineer who alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination and harassment while working at Cisco’s San Jose campus. The case has now concluded, and while the CRD has found that the two individual engineers are not directly responsible, it maintains that the work environment at Cisco enabled the alleged discrimination to occur.
In April 2023, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) dropped its case against two Indian-origin engineers who were initially named alongside Cisco as defendants. However, the department is still pursuing its claims against Cisco itself for allegedly fostering a hostile work environment based on caste.
Tamil actor Aditi Balan has criticised the DMK government for mishandling the flood situation in Chennai which has damaged several houses, public property and led to loss of life too.
The actor has alleged that she was told to make way for Chief Minister MK Stalin’s convoy while she was rescuing her family as they were walking through the waterclogged streets.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the actor shared a screenshot of her story on Instagram wherein she wrote, “I was asked to move my car while waiting to pick up family that was walking through the stagnant water because the CM convoy was approaching @chennaicorp @_chennaipolice @udhay_stalin @mkstalin…Really?”
In another post, she questioned the absence of state authorities. “Govt, where are you? I just went to Radhakrishnan Nagar, Thiruvamiyur. Water from surrounding areas have been pumped into this area. There were dead animals floating around,” she wrote.
Govt, where are you? I just went to Radhakrishnan nagar, Thiruvamiyur . Water from surrounding areas have been pumped into this area. There were dead animals floating around. pic.twitter.com/hy2C3eWYBQ
The actor also pointed out that a boat with six cops rowed into River View Road in Kottur Puram “to pick up one influential lady”.
“We had to walk through the entire stagnation to rescue 2 kids and their grandma. Meanwhile a boat with 6 cops rowed into river view road in Kottur Puram to pick up one influential lady,” the actor wrote.
In a follow-up post, the actor alleged that the situation in Radhakrishnan Nagar has not changed at all.
“Nothing has changed in Radhakrishnan Nagar. People are still stuck there. Why isn’t anyone from the @chennaicorp reaching out to anyone there?” she said.
Nothing has changed in Radhakrishnan nagar. People are still stuck there. Why isn’t anyone from the @chennaicorp reaching out to anyone there?
According to reports, Balan also asked in another post if the DMK government is not helping the constituency where they were not elected.
Actor Vinodhini Vaidyanathan also took to X to slam the government for “terrible mismanagement at all levels”.
“Sorry but the writing on the wall is clear. Terrible mismanagement at all levels. No helpline numbers are working. There was a knee jerk reaction from GCC a week back on an issue, will be writing about it in detail. Hint: Narikuravas. Today we’ve seen how massive corruption at all levels work. If any of you come at me with “but what about” or “but we have to be patient till the rain stops”, I’m going to throw up.? 2015 was far better,” she wrote.
Sorry but the writing on the wall is clear. Terrible mismanagement at all levels. No helpline numbers are working. There was a knee jerk reaction from GCC a week back on an issue, will be writing about it in detail. Hint: Narikuravas. Today we’ve seen how massive corruption at… pic.twitter.com/2aJmSK30Cg
At least eight people have died in the Tamil Nadu capital following heavy rainfall and floods caused by Cyclone Michaung. Stagnant water in the city owing to poor infrastructure, power disruption, shortage of daily essentials like milk et cetera have brought life to a standstill.
Schools and colleges in the city have been shut. CM Stalin has written to PM Modi regarding the interim relief of Rs 5,060 crore sought from the Centre for the damage caused.
In the past few months, unknown gunmen have been making headlines for selectively targeting India’s enemies on foreign soil, from Pakistan to Canada. Interestingly, these individuals neither have any names nor do they have any recognisable faces.
It’s noteworthy that the targets of these gunmen are either criminals, or individuals listed as wanted terrorists by the Indian government. Whoever they are, the targets of these unknown gunmen are considered enemies of India. The unknown gunmen have been actively eliminating these ruthless criminals for several months now.
What’s remarkable is that once a terrorist is eliminated, there is no evidence or trace left behind by these unknown assailants. They come, do their job, and leave – that’s their modus operandi. These unknown attackers not only resort to shooting, but they have also added the method of poisoning to their list of ways to eliminate the target.
Some foreign leaders or politicians suspect that these unknown gunmen may not be independent actors but agents of India’s intelligence agency, RAW. However, no evidence has surfaced to confirm this theory.
Till now there have been many reported cases where these unknown gunmen have eliminated India’s enemies on foreign soil. In this article, we take a brief account of some of the major killings by them in which the targets were notorious anti-India elements or wanted terrorists.
Hanzla Adnan alias Adnan Ahmed
On the intervening night of 2nd and 3rd December 2023, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hanzla Adnan was shot by unknown gunmen near his residence in Karachi Pakistan. Hanzla Adnan received 4 bullets. Adnan was attacked amid tight security outside his safe house. After being shot, he was secretly admitted to a hospital in Karachi by the Pakistani army. He died on 5th December. Hanzla Adnan had recently shifted his operation base from Rawalpindi to Karachi.
Hanzla Adnan was the key conspirator in the Udhampur attack of 2015 wherein a BSF (Border Security Force) convoy was targeted by the LeT terrorists. 2 BSF soldiers were killed in this attack while 13 other jawans were injured. The attack was investigated by the NIA and a charge sheet was filed on 6th August 2015.
The dead body of Hanzla Adnan. Image Source: India Today
Hanzla Adnan was also the mastermind behind the 2016 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pampore. In this attack, 8 soldiers were martyred, while 22 soldiers were injured. In both these attacks, Hanzla – sitting in Pakistan – was giving instructions to the terrorists. Adnan was also called Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Communication Expert.
Hanzla Adnan played a big role in carrying out the suicide attack in the Srinagar and Pulwama areas of Jammu and Kashmir. He was often deputed to the Lashkar camp in PoK to influence and train the newly recruited terrorists to be sent to India to execute various attacks.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, infamous for his role in planning and executing the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, was poisoned inside Central Jail at Dera Ghazi Khan in Pakistan. He was airlifted by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI on 4th December 2023 and kept on ventilator support in CMH Bahawalpur. He may die anytime soon considering his serious condition. Sajid Mir was reportedly poisoned by a private cook, employed in the Central Jail Dera Ghazi Khan kitchen since October 2023, who has suddenly gone missing.
Terrorist Sajid Mir is the chief commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and is in charge of the group’s “India establishment.” He was a key figure in the Mumbai terror attack that took place on 26 November 2008, when 10 armed Pakistani terrorists created mayhem in the country’s financial capital, killing hundreds of civilians and leaving scores of others injured.
Sajid Mir. Image Source: Times Now
Mir reportedly recruited Dawood Gilani, alias David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American and FBI/DEA informant, and planned the Mumbai attacks with the assistance of Pakistani military officers. He was the mastermind behind the largest-ever overseas Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist attack.
Sajid Mir was the Lashkar-e-Taiba project manager for the November 2008 Mumbai terror strikes. He, via satellite phones, had commanded the terrorists involved in the operation to execute the hostages. India has marked him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], 1967, as amended in 2019 in October 2020.
Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Mohammed Muzammil
In Sialkot, unknown assailants carried out their work again which flashed in the news on 15th November 2023. Mohammed Muzammil, the commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, who carried out many terrorist incidents all over India including Kashmir, was killed by unknown gunmen in this targeted attack. A video of this attack went viral.
Pakistan- 'Unknown Men' on motorcycle have targeted and killed Md. Muzamil, a member of Lashkar-e-Toiba, along with his associate Naeemur Rahman at Khokhran Chowk in Pasrur tehsil, third one cirical.
Mohammed Muzammil along with his accomplice Naeem-ur-Rehman was going somewhere in the Pasroor tehsil area of Sialkot in the car. At the same time, bike-borne assailants came to the car when it was near Khokhran Chowk. The unknown gunmen opened fire and killed Mohammed Muzammil and his accomplice. Police said the attack was the result of a land dispute. However, the police could not catch the unknown attacker. They could not even tell the name of the person with whom Muzammil had a so-called land dispute.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist, and close aide of Masood Azhar, Maulana Raheem Ullah Tariq was shot dead by ‘unknown men’ in the Orangi town area of Karachi, Pakistan, on 13th November 2023.
Maulana Raheem Ullah Tariq. Image Source: Aaj Tak
He was going to attend a religious gathering when unidentified people opened fire at him. Two unknown individuals on a bike approached the deceased and fired three shots. Maulana Tariq often used to speak fiercely against India in anti-India gatherings. The family of the slain terrorist Rahimullah rejected the enmity accusations. The mystery behind the unidentified gunmen remains unresolved.
Akram Khan Ghazi, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was killed by unidentified bike-borne assailants in the Bajaur district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Akram Khan was reportedly going for his afternoon prayer when unknown attackers opened fire at him near Inayat Kalay mosque. He was immediately shifted to a hospital but didn’t survive the attack. The news of his death appeared on 10th November 2023.
The LeT terrorist was shot dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Source: X)
Akram Khan Ghazi was a weapon trader by profession. He was a recruiter for LeT who had radicalised many terrorists who had invaded the Kashmir Valley in several batches in recent years. Moreover, against the reports of assassination by unidentified persons, ISKP (Islamic State – Khorasan Province) claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the identity of the assailants was not established.
Khwaja Shahid Alias Mia Mujahid
On 5th November 2023, Khwaja Shahid alias Mia Mujahid – a Lashkar-E-Taiba commander – was found dead in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. His body was found beheaded. He was abducted by unidentified attackers a few days before his dead body was found. He hailed from the Neelum Valley of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unknown and no organisation has taken responsibility for the action.
Khwaja Shahid alias Mia Mujahid. Image Source: X handle of Times Algebra IND
Khwaja Shahid was the key conspirator of the deadly attack on the Sunjuwan Army camp in Jammu in February 2018. In this attack, three terrorists stormed into an army camp. they had AK-47 assault rifles and grenades. they killed six soldiers and injured 20 others including 14 soldiers and five women and a child. The Indian forces neutralised all three terrorists.
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik was one more terrorist involved in anti-India activities to get killed in an attack by unknown gunmen. Dawood Malik was shot dead in North Waziristan, Pakistan in the wee hours of 20th October 2023.
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik. Image Source: The Economic Times
He was a close acquaintance of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) Mohammad Masood Azhar, who is one of India’s most wanted Islamic terrorists. He was reportedly ambushed by anonymous masked gunmen at a private clinic who opened fire at him before absconding from there.
On 11th October 2023, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif was killed by unknown gunmen in Sialkot, Pakistan. He was the mastermind of the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase in January 2016. Latif was India’s most wanted terrorist and was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a UAPA case. Latif was shot by unknown gunmen at point-blank range. This shows that the shooters were aware of the local topography very well.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif. Image Source: India Today
Shahid Latif was arrested on terror accusations in India in 1993. He was tried and imprisoned. However, he was released by the Congress-led UPA govt in 2010, along with 24 other terrorists. According to an NIA investigation, Shahid Latif returned to the Jihadi factory in Pakistan after he was released and allowed to go to Pakistan.
Latif, 47, had been imprisoned in India for 11 years for terrorist crimes. He was one of 25 terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and JeM who were released on May 28, 2010, as part of the then-UPA government’s outreach activity to the hostile neighbour.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Mufti Qaiser Farooq
On 30th September 2023, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, Mufti Qaiser Farooq, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pakistan’s city of Karachi. This incident raised concerns in Pakistan as it follows a pattern of high-profile terrorists being eliminated in Pakistan. A video of this incident also went viral on social media. Mufti Qaiser Farooq was a close aide of Hafiz Saeed.
Unidentified armed individuals opened fire on Qaiser Farooq, aged 30 at the Gulshan-i-Umar seminary near the Edhi Centre before fleeing the scene. The injured victims were subsequently transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Qaiser Farooq succumbed to his injuries during treatment, having sustained bullet wounds to the back.
Qaiser Farooq (left) and the still from CCTV footage of the killing. Image Source: Free Press Journal
Hafiz Saeed’s son Ibrahim Kamaluddin
On 27th September 2023, media reports emerged alleging that Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed was kidnapped by unidentified individuals. Kamaluddin Saeed was one of the sons of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and internationally designated Islamic terrorist Hafiz Saeed. On 29th September 2023, it was claimed in multiple social media posts that Ibrahim Kamaluddin’s dead body was found in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed, the son of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hafiz Saeed, was abducted and later killed by “unknown individuals” in Peshawar, Pakistan. Multiple injuries found on his body, brutally tortured. His abduction occurred late last night in Peshawar.
Kamaluddin Saeed was abducted in Peshawar by miscreants who came in cars. Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI could not trace him anywhere after the abduction.
Hafiz Saeed (centre) and Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed (right). Image Source: The Jaipur Dialogues
Popular X user @Kesariya_Meenu alleged that Kamaluddin Saeed, the body of the missing son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed was recovered from Jabba Valley in the KPK region and that Pakistan’s ISI has already performed his last rites.
??BIG BREAKING ??
Big News – Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed, missing son of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba chief Hafiz Saeed has been killed. His body was recovered from Jabba Valley in KPK region. Kamaluddin was reportedly kidnapped from Peshawar on September 26, 2023. Pakistani ISI performed…
Gangster Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha was killed in Canada by unknown gunmen on the night of 20th September 2023. Sukhdool Singh was known as ‘Sukha Duneke’ and was on a wanted list by India.
Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Duneke shot dead, images via NIA and X
Sukha had fled from India in 2017 with the help of forged documents. He hailed from Moga district of Punjab. He was linked with the Davinder Bambiha gang. Unknown assailants shot Sukha in Canada’s Winnipeg. Sukha’s name was on the list of 43 wanted criminals released by NIA. 29 gangsters from the Punjab region feature in the list. Sukha appeared at Number 33 on the NIA’s list.
Riyaz Ahmed
On 8th September 2023, some unidentified gunmen opened fire inside the Al-Qudus mosque in Rawalkot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and killed a top terrorist leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Riyaz Ahmad alias Abu Qasim who was going for Fajr prayers at the mosque.
Riyaz Ahmed was one of the main architects of the terror incident in Rajouri district’s Dhangri on 1st January 2023 that killed seven people and left 13 more injured. The village was attacked by terrorists who opened fire indiscriminately. Furthermore, they had placed an improvised explosive device (IED) which detonated the following morning.
Riyaz Ahmed. Image source: Free Press Journal
Riyaz Ahmad was from the Jammu region and reached Pakistan in 1999. He was responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in the border areas of Poonch and Rajouri. He operated from the Lashkar-e-Taiba base camp in Muridke but had recently shifted to Rawalakot.
During morning prayers at the Al-Qudus mosque in Rawalakot, unidentified gunmen entered the mosque and shot at him from a point-blank range, i.e. less than 12 inches. He was shot from behind. As soon as he was shot, he fell on his knees to the ground and died.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar
On 18th June 2023, the dreaded Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, Canada. He was a wanted terrorist by the Indian Government. Nijjar was the head of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib. He was shot dead by two unidentified assailants within the Gurdwara premises. 46-year-old Nijjar hailed from the village Bhar Singhpura of Jalandhar.
Nijjar was recently designated a terrorist by the Indian Government. (Image: Global News)
His name was added to the list of designated terrorists recently by the Indian Government. In 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a Rs 10 lakh reward on Nijjar after his name appeared in a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) was behind the conspiracy to kill the Hindu priest. Nijaar was the chief of the Khalistani terrorist organization KTF. Apart from his activities in KTF, Nijjar was also linked to the Khalistani terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice.
Avtar Singh Khanda
Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda, chief of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), died in a London hospital on 15th June 2023. He was the main handler of Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh. He was suspected of being poisoned. However, there were claims that he was suffering from blood cancer. The actual reason for the death remained suspicious.
Avtar Singh Khanda
Avtar Singh Khanda was the mastermind behind the attack on the Indian High Commission in London where he had pulled down the Indian national flag and attempted to hoist the Khalistan flag. He was arrested after the March 19 incident. The Indian Intelligence agencies confirmed that Khanda and Nijjar worked together to organise protests outside Indian high commissions and also sponsored terror attacks in India.
Avtar Singh Khanda was a close associate of Khalistani terrorist Parmjit Singh Pamma. It is Khanda who radicalised Sikh youths overseas. He was the ‘main handler’ of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and radical Khalistani separatist, Amritpal Singh. He was in fact, the link between Amritpal and Pakistan’s (Inter-Services Intelligence) ISI.
Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar
On 6th May 2023, a Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar was killed by two unidentified men in Johar town in Lahore city of Pakistan. He was a wanted terrorist and the leader of the banned Khalistan Commando Force (KCF). Paramjit Singh Panjwar was also known by his alias Malik Sardar Singh. The slain Khalistani was born in 1960 in Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district of Indian Punjab. He went on to become the chief of the proscribed outfit KCF and began operating from Lahore.
Slain terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar
He was involved in illegal arms training for terrorists in Pakistan and helping them infiltrate India to target economic installations and VIPs. He was at the helm of the drug trade, circulating fake Indian currency notes and inciting minorities against the Government of India. The Khalistani Commando Force (KCF) headed by Panjwar was eyeing to reactivate sleeper cells and form a nexus of ex-terrorists with other anti-India elements.
Syed Noor Shalobar
On 4th March 2022, unidentified assailants gunned down Syed Noor Shalobar, responsible for several terror incidents in Kashmir. Syed Noor Shalobar was working with the Pakistani Army and ISI to promote terrorist activities in Kashmir.
Syed Noor Shalobar. Image Source: Khaama News
He was responsible for recruiting youths, especially Kashmiris, for terrorist organizations. Shalobar was killed by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.
Syed Khalid Raza
On 26th February 2023, unidentified men killed Syed Khalid Raza, a former commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Al Badr. The dreaded terrorist was shot outside his residence in the Gulistan-e-Johar Block 7 area of Karachi, Pakistan. For almost 8 years in the 1990s, Syed Khalid Raza was the commander of the Al-Badr terror group in Jammu and Kashmir. According to Jamaat e Islami President Karachi, the deceased was also associated with JeI Talba Wing.
Pakistan-based Al-Badr terrorist outfit, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States, was formed in June 1998 to strengthen the ‘Kashmiri freedom struggle’ and ‘liberate’ the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir and merge it with Pakistan. It is one of several terrorist offshoots of the Jamaat-e-Islami and has often worked in tandem with the notorious Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM).
Syed Khalid Raza, a former commander of the Pak-backed terror group Al Badr killed in Karachi (source: ANN News)
Other than the LeT and the JeM, the Al Badr is the only group that has incorporated suicide (Fidayeen) attacks into its strategy. It disseminated propaganda through its Urdu journal ‘Al Badr,’ which was founded in Pakistan in 1999. The ISI, along with the Jamaat-e-Islami, have long been significant supporters of the organization, though relations with the Jamaat have been strained. It openly solicited funds in Pakistan for its operations, with almost no resistance from the authorities.
A former commander of this Al Badr outfit Syed Khalid Raza had been living in Karachi, Pakistan for some time, where he was made the vice-chairman of the Federation of Private Schools. However, he was associated with Kashmiri terrorists and was helping them while sitting in Pakistan. Khalid was shot by unknown assailants outside his house and died on the spot. Later, the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army claimed responsibility for the killing of the terrorist Khalid. Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army is demanding a separate Sindhudesh from Pakistan.
IS terrorist Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar alias Abu Osman al-Kashmiri
Kashmir-born terrorist Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar was killed by unknown gunmen on 22nd February 2023. According to reports, Ahangar was killed by the Taliban in the Kunar area of Afghanistan. The Taliban later confirmed it. Taliban said that the unknown gunmen were from Taliban security forces. However, no other details about the attackers surfaced.
Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar. Image Source: ABP News
Born in Srinagar in 1974, terrorist Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar was accused of plotting several terror attacks in the valley. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on 5th January 2023, declaring Ahangar a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, of 1967. Ahangar was affiliated with the Islamic State and used to train suicide bombers to attack Indians.
Qari Fateh was also killed with Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar in the same attack by these unknown gunmen. Qari Fateh was the head of the Islamic State’s intelligence network. Qari Fateh allegedly worked to strategize for the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). Qari Fateh was also responsible for attacks against Russian, Pakistani and Chinese diplomatic missions in the capital Kabul.
Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiaz Alam
On 20th February 2023, top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bashir Ahmad Peer was killed by unknown attackers in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Imtiaz was a founding member of the outlawed terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, serving as its third commander. He was killed in front of a shop by two unidentified assailants.
So, has the battlefield shifted? Hizbul Mujahideen launching commander Bashir Ahmad Peer @ Imtiaz Aalam of Kupwara has been shot dead in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. IS top man Aijaz Ahmad Ahangar of Nawakadal Srinagar reportedly shot dead by Taliban in Kunar Province of Afghanistan.. pic.twitter.com/6S8ndvWJ2H
Imtiaz, a resident of Babarpora in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, was standing in front of a shop in the evening when assailants fired at him from point-blank range and fled. Imtiaz was rushed to the hospital in critical condition where he was proclaimed dead. The Indian government led by PM Narendra Modi had designated Bashir Ahmed Peer as a ‘terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on October 4 last year. The Indian security forces were looking for him concerning many terrorist attacks.
Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiaz Alam. Image Source: News4Bihar
Imtiaz was involved in providing logistics to the banned outfit’s terrorists, especially for infiltration into the Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir. He was also involved with online propaganda groups to unite former terrorists and other cadres of jihadi terror groups to promote the activities of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and other Pakistan-backed terrorist groups. Imtiaz used to instigate the youth in the name of implementing Sharia law in Jammu and Kashmir. He also played a key role in mobilizing youth and providing them with arms and ammunition. Bashir Mir was coordinating the terror camps and launch pads from PoK as well.
Laal Mohammed
Lal Mohammad alias Mohammad Darji was shot dead by unknown gunmen on 19 September 2022 in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Lal Mohammad was carrying out anti-India activities from Nepal as an agent of Pakistan’s intelligence agency. Not only this, he also had connections with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He was the key player in circulating fake Indian currencies via the Nepal route.
Lal Mohammad, an ISI agent known as Darji Mohammad in Nepal’s Gothar area, was killed when he got out of the car and was heading home. During this time, bike-borne unknown assailants opened fire on him. As soon as the bullets were fired, he started running but the attackers did not stop firing at him. Lal Mohammad was shot in the head, stomach and leg in this attack. He died on the spot. The unknown attackers fled and were never spotted anywhere again.
1985 Air India Kanishka bombing accused Ripudaman Singh Malik
Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was accused in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing case, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Surrey, Canada on 15th July 2023. Malik was shot to death as he sat inside his car at about 9:30 AM local time outside an industrial plaza where he has a business office in the 8200 block of 128th Street. Reportedly, a burning car was also discovered near where he was shot dead. Police were called in after gunshots were heard and despite first responders giving medical aid to Malik, he succumbed to his injuries after being shot.
Ripudaman Singh Malik (Image credit: WION)
Malik, who founded the Khalsa Credit Union, was acquitted in the Air India case by a Canadian court in 2005. Malik, Inderjeet Singh Reyat (convicted) and Ajaib Singh Bagri were among the three main accused in the blast on board Air India Flight 182, Emperor Kanishka, a Boeing 747 aircraft that was on its way to Delhi from Montreal on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 on board. Malik and Bagri were charged with 329 counts of murder. However, they were acquitted after Reyat, who was convicted of the bombing, said that he could not remember the bombing plot or the names of those who were involved in it. It was speculated that ISI killed Malik because he changed his opinions and praised PM Narendra Modi in January 2022. However, it was not confirmed and the attackers are yet unknown.
IC-814 Indian Airlines Aeroplane hijacking accused Zahoor Mistry
Zahoor Mistry, one of the five terrorists who hijacked the Indian plane IC-814 in Afghanistan’s Kandahar in 1999 was killed in Pakistan’s Karachi. Mistry who was living under a fake identity of Zahid Akhund and also owned the ‘Crescent Furniture’ store in Karachi was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Karachi’s Akhtar Colony on 1st March 2022. His killers are still unknown.
On December 24, 1999, an Indian Airlines plane (IC-814) was hijacked by five terrorists belonging to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen from Nepal. The plane which was supposed to reach Delhi made suspicious stops at Lahore, Amritsar and Dubai before being stationed at Afghanistan’s Kandahar which was under the control of the Taliban.
Around 178 people and 11 crew members aboard the plane were made hostages for a week it ended after India was forced to release three JeM terrorists Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar from its custody. The hijackers demanded the release of thirty-five terrorists from Indian prisons, including the dreaded terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar in addition to US$200mn in cash. The hostage ended on December 31, 1999, after a team of Indian negotiators including the present NSA Ajit Doval agreed to free three terrorists.
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to remove Urdu-Persian words from registry documents and replace them with generic Hindi words. For this, the Registration Act 1908 will be amended. Apart from this, now the sub-registrar will not have to take the Urdu examination. So far, even after being elected from the Public Service Commission, the sub-registrar had to pass this examination for a permanent job. This was due to the excessive use of Urdu and Persian words in official documents.
The Yogi Adityanath government is going to change the Registration Act made in the year 1908 for the registries to be done in Uttar Pradesh. This law was brought in by the British. Under this Act, Urdu and Persian were promoted in government documents. For this reason, most registries have a lot of words in Urdu and Persian.
These words are so complex that the common Hindi-speaking people do not understand them. Due to the wide use of Urdu and Persian in government documents, the registry officers also have to learn these languages. For this, officers recruited from the sub-registrar level have to pass an Urdu examination after being selected by the Public Service Commission.
To appear for this test, the candidates have to attend a special training course where they learn things like writing, typing speaking, grammar and translation in Urdu. This period of learning the language is two years and during this time the selected candidates remain on probation. Without passing this exam, the job of the candidates is not made permanent.
However, now the state government has decided that there is no justification for continuing with the use of Urdu and Persian in govt documents, which require the officials to attend special training and then appear for an exam to make their appointments permanent. The Yogi Adityanath government has decided that this exam will now be replaced with general computer knowledge.
Along with this, significant changes are being made in the Stamp and Registration Act, 1908 to replace Urdu and Persian words with simple Hindi words that everyone can understand. The state govt will submit the proposal in the cabinet soon.
This will also make it easier for the candidates and at the same time, the public will be able to understand the language of government papers. At present, Urdu and Persian words are extensively used in documents such as property registries in tehsils, court cases, and complaints written in police stations.
In the fourth Republican primary debate in Alabama on Wednesday, 6th December (local time), GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy launched a scathing attack on fellow candidate Nikki Haley over the issues of corruption and US aid to war-torn Ukraine.
In the opening minutes of the debate, Ramaswamy critiqued Haley, slamming her for receiving funds from affluent donors, including some who have supported President Joe Biden.
“Reid Hoffman, the person who is effectively George Soros Jr., funding lawsuits across this country against Donald Trump to keep him off the ballot, funding left-wing causes, we discovered this week that he is one of Nikki Haley’s largest supporters,” Ramaswamy said.
This comes after it was reported that Reid Hoffman gave USD 250,000 to a Nikki Haley Super Political Action Committee (PAC).
“After the third debate, when I criticized Ronna McDaniel after five failed years of leadership of this party and criticized Nikki for her corrupt foreign dealings as a military contractor, she said that I have a woman problem. Nikki, I don’t have a woman problem. You have a corruption problem. And I think that that’s what people need to know. Nikki is corrupt,” Ramaswamy said.
JUST IN: Vivek Ramaswamy holds up a ‘NIKKI IS CORRUPT’ sign during the Republican debate and shames Haley on stage for being willing to send Americans to die so she can “buy a bigger house.”
Brutal ?
“I don’t have a woman problem. You have a corruption problem and I think that… pic.twitter.com/Pbz1odgWJT
Ramaswamy then held up a sign which read “Nikki=Corrupt” while saying “This is a woman who will send your kids to die so she can buy a bigger house. This is the problem…using identity politics more effectively than Kamala Harris is a form of intellectual fraud.” Ramaswamy went on to “reject” the use of identity politics saying that “having two X chromosomes doesn’t immunize you from criticism.”
When asked to respond to Ramaswamy’s remarks, Nikki Haley said, “No, it’s not worth my time to respond to him.”
Vivek Ramaswamy challenges Nikki Hailey to name three regions in Eastern Ukraine
Vivek Ramaswamy questioned Nikki Haley’s foreign policy competence, claiming that “foreign policy experience is not the same as foreign policy wisdom,” and asked about her ability to even name Ukrainian provinces on a map. “One thing that Joe Biden and Nikki Haley have in common is that neither of them could even state for you three provinces in Eastern Ukraine that they want to send our troops to actually fight for”, Ramaswamy said.
With her expressions, Nikki Haley seemed blank as she could actually not think of the names of three Ukrainian provinces. “Look at that…she has no idea where she wants to send our sons and daughters and military equipment to go fight there…” Ramaswamy said.
Sharing a clip from the debate on X, Ramaswamy wrote, “I made a bet that @NikkiHaley couldn’t even name just three regions of eastern Ukraine that she wants to send America’s sons & daughters to die fighting for. Turns out, I was right.”
I made a bet that @NikkiHaley couldn’t even name just three regions of eastern Ukraine that she wants to send America’s sons & daughters to die fighting for. Turns out, I was right. pic.twitter.com/HvZRxsEpp0
Interestingly, this is not the first time Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy have been at loggerheads over the issue of foreign policy. In the last Republican debate, Ramaswamy had called the South Caroline Governor “Dick Cheney in 3-inch heels” while accusing her of being a warmonger.
Notably, Vivek Ramaswamy is an Indian-American billionaire campaigning to become the US President. Currently, Ramaswamy stands out as the youngest major Republican presidential contender. He hails from Ohio and holds a biology degree from Harvard University and a Yale Law School diploma. In his speeches, he has taken an anti-war, anti-immigrant, anti-wokeism, and delinking Russia-China alliance stance.
On 6th December, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised Home Minister Amit Shah over his statement in the Lok Sabha saying that the country can have only one constitution and one flag. Drawing examples of the United States and Australia, Tharoor asked if the states in the US can have their flag and body and the Australians even have their own Prime Ministers; why can it not happen in India?
#WATCH | Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "..In the Home Minister's (Amit Shah) intervention yesterday, he had sort of taunted the opposition saying, "How can a country have more than 1 constitution, more than 1 flag". But if he looks around the world, there are many… pic.twitter.com/TxK4ZKUrEA
Speaking to the news agency ANI, he said, “In the Home Minister’s (Amit Shah) intervention yesterday, he had sort of taunted the opposition saying, “How can a country have more than one constitution, more than one flag”. But if he looks around the world, there are many federal countries where there is more than one constitution, more than one flag. For example, in America, each of the 50 states has its own constitution and its own flag. In, Australia, not only is the same thing true that they have their own constitution, their own flag, but they also have their own prime minister each of the states. So there is no bar against this. I mean, you can say that in India, we don’t want this. That’s fine. But don’t say no country can have it because other countries do have.”
The difference between the Indian and the US Constitutions
Tharoor, to criticise the Home Minister, forgot that there are fundamental differences between the Constitutions of India and the US. First of all, in the US, the states have the right to call for amendment to the Constitution. On the other hand, the states do not have any such power. However, after finalising the amendments in the Parliament, half of the states must agree to it so that the amendments are legally adopted.
In an emergency, the Centre becomes the supreme power in India, and the states’ powers become null and void. Furthermore, the states in India do not have the power to call for amendments to the Constitution. On the other hand, in the US, the states have constitutions that are extensions of the US Constitution. They have the power to amend it and bring laws as per the local requirements. Indian states have separate laws, but the Central government can centralize a low depending on the situation.
The fundamental structure of the states in the US is entirely different from that of India. The US operates under a federal system of government. The power is shared between the federal government and individual states. The US Constitution and the state constitutions define the division of powers at the state and federal levels. India, on the other hand, has a quasi-federal system. The states here derive power from the Constitution of India and have no power to challenge it.
When the US Constitution was drafted in 1787, each state already had its own Constitution. The US Constitution serves as the framework for the federal government, allowing states to have their Constitutions. The case in India is different. At the time of independence in 1947, India was divided into provinces and princely states, which had their own governance system. The Constitution of India was framed to establish a unified and sovereign nation. The states derive their authority from the single Constitution and have their laws where required.
Why do US states have their own flags?
Now, coming to the separate flags in the US, they were territories that acted independently before the states were annexed into one Country. They had their own rules and laws. The state flags remind them of their history and are often seen as an extension of powers to the Federal government. In India, when the Country gained independence, it was decided that India would function under a single flag. Some states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have proposed flags that are never officially recognised. Only the state of Jammu and Kashmir had its flag till 2019, which stood nullified with the abrogation of Article 370.
Australian states DO NOT have their own Prime Ministers
Tharoor is a seasoned politician. Seeing him claiming that Australian states have their own ‘Prime Ministers’ was shocking. Each state in Australia has a Premier, the state’s top authority. However, he or she is not the final authority. The prime minister is more like the state’s chief minister, just like India.
Amit Shah emphasised on one PM, one flag and one constitution
During a Lok Sabha debate, Home Minister Amit Shah defended the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, citing the need for one Prime Minister, flag, and Constitution. Shah argued that the changes corrected a historical anomaly. In response to TMC MP Saugata Ray’s concerns, Shah criticized the previous bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories.
The city council of Cologne city in Germany has decided to remove the monument to the Armenian genocide in the city. The city council will now hold a meeting on 7th December 2023 to ponder a thought upon erecting a new memorial to “commemorate the victims of oppression, racism, violence and human rights violations”.
The city council succumbed to the pressure of 60,000 Turkish Muslim migrants living in the city of a million people. Turkish Muslims deny the genocide of Armenian Christians by Turkey which took place from 1915 to 1918. The conflict still goes on. Notably, there are only 6,000 Armenians in Cologne.
This monument was first erected in 2018 to mark the centenary year of the Armenian genocide. It was initially installed on the left bank of the Hohenzollern Bridge, opposite the equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Unfortunately, it was dismantled in May 2022 and hasn’t yet found a permanent location. It faced vehement opposition from Turkish Muslims right from the inauguration.
The German city of Cologne has just dismantled an Armenian Genocide memorial. pic.twitter.com/vJe6GL5947
The city had previously opted to dismantle the statue, citing reasons such as the planned construction of a cycle path or concerns about potential “social upheaval.” It was removed and restored multiple times before the final decision of the city council came after a recent demonstration by Turkish Muslims in Germany at the end of October 2023.
The steel sculpture stands at a height of approximately 1.80 meters. At the pinnacle of the three-sided pyramid, there is a bronze pomegranate featuring a notch, serving as a poignant symbol for the Armenian genocide. The inscription, titled “This Pain Affects Us All,” is eloquently expressed in Armenian, German, Turkish, and English.
Erected in April 2018 by the Cologne initiative “Remembering Genocide,” the monument commemorated the Armenian Genocide during World War I (1915-1918). It aimed to raise awareness about the genocide and acknowledge the responsibility of the Ottoman Empire. It also included information about the systematic displacement, deportation, and murder of over a million Armenian women, men, and children. The monument served as a powerful symbol of remembrance and a call for the prevention of future genocides.
Memorial of the Armenian Genocide. Image Source: The Armenian Mirror Spectator
Cologne’s mayor Reker justified the decision to remove this memorial by saying that the city needs to consider the “diverse interests of our pluralistic urban society”. The Turkish Muslims in Cologne staged protests against this memorial in October.
Germany: Cologne gives in to Muslims, monument to the Armenian genocide is finally being removed – https://t.co/hwk49wU5h6
The political influence exerted by Turkish Muslims in Germany to achieve its objectives is not a new thing. An instance of this was observed in 2005 when, following the intervention of Turkish diplomats, Brandenburg removed the subject of the Armenian genocide from its curriculum. In 2011, the University of Stuttgart, citing Turkish “protests from Berlin,” declined to permit a lecture on the genocide, asserting a decision to “remain neutral.”
In 2014, protests emerged against a play by Edgar Hilsenrath titled “Das Märchen vom letzten Gedanken,” which addresses the Armenian genocide. In response, the theatre in Constance removed the event poster, and before each performance, a statement from the Turkish consul was read out. The premiere had to be conducted under police protection due to the heightened tensions.
The Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide, a series of systemic killings of the minority population of Christians during the Ottoman Muslim rule in the region of Armenia, is one of the most horrific state-sponsored genocidal events of the 20th century.
Usually, the Armenian Genocide refers to a series of massacres of the Armenian Christian population carried out by officials of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 onwards. The genocide began in 1915 and lasted until 1923, killing an estimated 1.5 million Armenian Christians, among other minority Christian groups.
Even years before 1915, a tragic event in Adana in April 1909 displays how the Ottoman Empire was prejudiced against the Christians under their rule and how an entire population was branded the enemy of the state, and subjected to tragic, horrific murder on an enormous scale. Details of the Armenian genocide can be read here.
According to an ongoing investigation by a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was established by the state government in October of this year, a total of 80 madarsas in Uttar Pradesh received about Rs 100 crore in funds from foreign sources over the last two to three years. A senior official involved in the investigation stated that in multiple instances, the money was deposited straight into the bank accounts of the societies and non-governmental organisations in charge of running these madarsas.
The Additional Director General rank officer is in charge of the squad which was established to look into foreign financing sources of the institutions. The Superintendent of Police, the Cyber Cell, and the Director of the Minority Welfare Department were also included in the same team.
The Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education recognises around 16,500 of the over 25,000 madarsas in the state. The SIT obtained information on the financial accounts of the people, organisations and groups in control of the madarsas, under whom the finances were managed and examine any possible violations while conducting its inquiry.
The officer said, “We discovered that foreign funds were transferred into the bank accounts of 80 madarsas. These madarsas are located in various parts of the state, including Bahraich, Siddharth Nagar, Saharanpur, Azamgarh, and Rampur. The money was sent to bank accounts from various locations around the world, particularly the Middle East, London and Dubai.” He also mentioned that inquiries into the funding sources of other madarsas were underway.
The SIT is collecting data regarding the 80 madarsas that have been identified, as well as the entities and individuals who made the bank account deposits. The investigators also want to ascertain whether or not the payments were intended for social objectives. An officer stated, “We will seek information from the caretakers of the madarsas about those who sent the money. If necessary, we will seek assistance from central agencies such as R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) and IB (Intelligence Bureau) to gather details. A report will be sent to central agencies for cooperation.”
Furthermore, the SIT has decided to approach these madarsas for information regarding the spending of foreign funds. The officer noted, “They will be asked to provide bills and other documents to show how they spent the money.”
Mohit Agarwal, Additional Director General (DG) of Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), who is heading the SIT said, “We will see how the money received through foreign funding has been spent. The brief is to check if the money is being used to run madarsas or for any other activities.”
He pointed out that the inquiry is still underway and the state administration has not yet provided a deadline for concluding the probe. The SIT was established months after the state government issued District Magistrates in Nepali border areas instructions in January of this year to search for the financing sources of unrecognised madarsas that claimed donations and zakat (charity money) as their main sources of income. The agency has already asked its board for information about madarsas that are registered, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.
During that period, Haj Dharmpal Singh, Minister for Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf, and several madarsas in bordering areas of Nepal reported that their main sources of income were zakat and contributions. Survey teams uncovered, however, that the residents of these places were too impoverished to offer zakat or donations. These madarsas were identified and directives were conveyed out to re-examine their monetary sources.
District magistrates were instructed by the Yogi Adityanath government to survey madarsas that were not officially recognised last year. 8,449 madarsas that the state madarsa education board did not acknowledge were found to be operational throughout the two-month survey. Moradabad district was home to the majority of them.
More than 1,000 madarsas are being run in other surrounding localities in addition to Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, and Bahraich which are close to the Nepali border. According to sources, these locations have seen a sharp rise in the madarsa numbers in recent years.
Amidst severe backlash and criticism over refusing to condemn the calls for the genocide of Jews on their respective campuses, Harvard and UPenn Presidents have sought to ‘clarify’.
In a video message posted on the X profile of the University of Pennsylvania on December 7, its president Liz Magill said, “In that moment, I was focused on our University’s long-standing policies, aligned with the US Constitution, which say that speech alone is not punishable. I was not focused on, but I should have been, the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate. It’s evil plain and simple. I want to be clear, the call for genocide of Jewish people is threatening, deeply so. It is intentionally meant to terrify people who have been subjected to pogroms and hatred for centuries and were the victims of mass genocide in the Holocaust. In my view, it would be harassment or intimidation.”
Moreover, the UPenn president said that she and Provost John Jackson would initiate a process to evaluate and clarify campus policy, saying, “We can and will get this right.”
It is rather ironic that Magill was focused on the university’s policies upholding free speech while she was asked about calls for genocide of a religious community. However, Magill was more concerned about contextualising calls to kill Jews. If speech alone in this context calling for the genocide of Jews is not punishable, would not give a free pass to the Jew-hating elements to harass and attack the Jewish students on the university campus. What also requires attention here is that the UPenn president has not apologised or had a sudden sense of realisation that calling for the genocide of Jews should be punishable and restricted, rather it came after global condemnation.
Meanwhile, Harvard University president Claudine Gay also rushed to ‘clarify’ the varsity’s position on the issue and said, “There are some who have confused a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard will condone calls for violence against Jewish students. Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are vile, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account.”
Community notes on Harvard’s post
Interestingly, the Harvard president’s statement posted on varsity’s X profile on December 6 got community-checked with a note reading, “While under oath before Congress, the President of Harvard stated that condemning antisemitism and calls for genocide of Jews “depends on the context” as opposed to being simply wrong.”
Statement from President Gay: There are some who have confused a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard will condone calls for violence against Jewish students. Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic…
While Claudine Gay after the outrage is saying that the genocide calls against Jews have no place at the varsity and those who threaten Jewish students will be held accountable, she had blatantly tried to bring in ‘context’ when asked about deeming calling for genocide of Jews as a violation of Harvard’s rules regarding bullying and harrassment.
Replying to Harvard’s post, social media users posted the video clip from the Congressional hearing where Claudine Gay was seen refusing to identify calls for genocide of Jewish individuals as a violation of campus policies, instead, she was saying that the calls for murder targeted against Jews are ‘context dependant’.
That is NOT what President Gay said and you know it. Do you really think your alumni and donors will fall for your gaslighting? pic.twitter.com/e84BfLWPs3
White House slams the statements of Harvard and Penn presidents
The ‘change of heart’ from refusing to even recognize calls for genocide of Jews as a violation of harassment and bullying rules of both Harvard and Penn, to assert that it has no place in the varsity, comes after White House spokesperson Andrew Bates rebuked the presidents of both the universities. In a statement on December 6, Bates said that any statements calling for systematic killings of Jews are revolting adding that such calls are antithetical to American values.
“It’s unbelievable that this needs to be said: calls for genocide are monstrous and antithetical to everything we represent as a country. Any statements that advocate for the systematic murder of Jews are dangerous and revolting — and we should all stand firmly against them, on the side of human dignity and the most basic values that unite us as Americans,” Bates said.
The White House weighs in on the disastrous Hill hearing for university presidents, who were unable to say it's harassment to call for the genocide of Jewish people.
The controversy erupted on 5th December, during the first hearing on “Holding Campus Leaders Accountable and Confronting Antisemitism” in Washington, DC. As reported earlier, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik confronted the Presidents of Harvard, MIT, and UPenn during the hearing over the issue of rising cases of antisemitism on their campuses. During the hearing, Harvard University President Claudine Gay, MIT University President Sally Kornbluth, and UPenn President Elizabeth Magill refused to condemn the calls for the genocide of Jews on their respective campuses as bullying and harassment, when asked to offer a simple “yes” or “no” answer on whether advocating for the murder of Jews would violate the University’s bullying and harassment policies.
