While a humanitarian corridor has been opened to enable civilians to move out of the war-torn Gaza Strip into Egypt, the Hamas terrorists were actively preventing Palestinians from evacuating to the south in order to protect themselves, the Israel Defence forces stated on Sunday.
In a telephonic conversation released by IDF, between an Israel’s Intelligence Officer and a resident of Jabalya in Gaza, the resident allegedly claimed that the Hamas confiscated personal belongings and car keys from the people taking shelter.
Listen to this phone call.
A Gaza resident trying to evacuate southward tells an IDF Intelligence Officer about how Hamas is not letting them leave. pic.twitter.com/R9purqIZhs
Amid Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has, so far, claimed 2,329 lives and left over 9,000 injured, an agreement has been reached for Israel to allow foreigners to leave the war-torn Gaza, Times of Israel reported on Saturday.
Egypt, Israel and the United States have agreed to allow foreigners residing in Gaza to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, with the Israeli forces agreeing to refrain from striking areas the foreigners would pass through on their way out of the Hamas-controlled territory.
The Israeli publication added in its report that Qatar was involved in the negotiations and the participants received approval from the Palestinian terror groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
However, the agreement has nothing on the release of Israelis being currently held hostage by Hamas terrorists, the report added.
A second official at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing point said they received “instructions” to reopen it on Saturday afternoon for foreigners coming from Gaza, according to the Times of Israel.
Additionally, thousands more living in areas that have come under heavy rocket fire are believed to be displaced, and are moving to parts of the country that are quieter, the daily reported.
The IDF relayed a message to residents of northern Gaza that an evacuation corridor is in place from 10 am until 1 pm (local time).
“The IDF will not carry out any operations along this route,” the IDF clarified.
Further, according to The Times of Israel, the military advised residents to move to the south of the Strip ahead of an expected ground operation.
“Be assured, Hamas leaders have already ensured their safety and that of their families,” the IDF stated.
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said 2,329 Palestinians have been killed and another 9,042 injured in the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Strip, The Times of Israel reported.
The Israel Defense Forces said it has killed about 1,500 Palestinian terrorists in Israeli territory after they breached the border fence and went on a murderous rampage in southern Israel, killing over 1,300 people, mostly civilians.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
India is a wonderful country where all occasions and festivals are observed with grandeur. Diverse folk traditions are seen from different regions in this colourful country. The sophisticated and magnificent culture of affluent India is formed through the fusion of many indigenous customs. Sanatana Dharma’s core principle is that we are able to gain fresh knowledge throughout our festivities which offer a rational perspective as well and Navratri is one such event which falls on 15 October of this year. Let us tell you about Navratri’s cultural, religious and scientific significance and explain why it is known as the celebration of women’s power.
Cultural and religious significance of Navratri
Navratri has a special significance across the country, especially in Gujarat. The worshippers of Goddess Shakti observe a nine-day fast and play Garba during the nights. Many consider Garba as a form of entertainment which is performed for fun, however, that is not the case. Navratri has a special significance in spiritualism and is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Parashakti. It is not for enjoying and doing Garba and Dandiya only.
Garba is but one method of worshipping Goddess Shakti and growing closer to her. The importance of dance has been described in the ancient Vedic tradition. There are numerous paths that lead to God and Garba is one of them. Therefore, it is first and foremost important to understand and accept that the Ras-Garba on Navratri is not just for leisure, but a vital component of our religious and cultural history.
Religious history states that a demon by the name of Mahishasura once sat to perform penance for Lord Brahma. He demanded to be immortal after the latter was pleased and told him to ask for a blessing. However, he was directed to seek another one because immortality was against the law of nature. Afterwards, he requested a boon that neither a god nor a demon or a human could kill him and only a woman would be able to end his life which was granted.
Mahishasura rose to power over time and eventually began waging war against the gods who fought unitedly against him but were unable to put a halt to his reign of terror after which Lord Shiv and Lord Vishnu were pleaded for assistance. However, it was not possible to defeat the demon because of the boon bestowed upon him. As a result, all of them including Lord Vishnu began to call upon Goddess Adishakti and a heavenly light that emanated from their bodies gave her a physical form.
Mahishasura and Goddess Shakti engaged in combat despite the fact that he was destined to die at her hands. The war lasted for nine days and she defeated him on the tenth day and the festival of Navaratri came into existence ever since. Vijayadashami is commemorated after the conclusion of the auspicious nine days to mark the day the ferocious demon was eliminated. Notably, the day is also celebrated as Dussehra because Lord Ram killed demon king Ravan on the same day. Vijayadashami is an observance of the triumph of Dharma over evil.
Scientific Relevance
The scientific value of Navratri is linked to both its religious and cultural significance. The festival coincides with the intersection of two seasons which has scientific merit. There is a sandhikaal (end of one season and beginning of another) during both Navratris of the year. The body’s adjustment to speech, phlegm and bile generally goes through phases of improvement and decline during this time which affects the immune system. This is the reason that nine days are dedicated to chanting, fasting, purification of the body, cleaning, meditation, havan and other practices to prevent multiple illnesses and have a clean environment.
Economic Importance
Another very significant aspect of Navratri is its fiscal impact. Hindu events also have a substantial economic component. The income of those who create garba and diyas (clay Lamps) begins to rise at the start of Navratri. Garba is a celebration of the festival of goddess that is participated in by all devotees and it provides employment to the people who make earthen pots and lamps.
Moreover, the way people dress traditionally during Navratri is also crucial and benefits those who create the outfits. Several people find work through both little and large purchases. People who produce or sell snacks, sweets, fruits and religious items, for instance, have considerable possibilities for work during Navratri. Therefore, it is equally important to take into account the financial implications of the festival.
Importance of ‘Women Power’
The significance of women power outweighs the religious, cultural and monetary worth of Navratri by multiple factors. Adishakti pervades the atom and governs the whole universe. Feminity or power of women is also a component of the goddess. A person’s strength is their potential and no work is possible without shakti (power) which is of unique importance in the entire world. Hence, it is worshipped in different places in various ways. It’s recognised as power energy by science.
It is known as Shakti or even divine energy in the ancient Vedic faith. According to the Rig Veda, the universe in its entirety originated with a singular power and per science the universe is composed of one energy. The power of women brought prominence to the world just as the universe has emerged from the primal power. Therefore, women power is regarded as an expression of Adishakti.
Navratri also serves as a celebration of female empowerment. Navratri is also considered dedicated to women power. Girls are worshipped on the day of Durgashtami and Mahanavami on the occasion of Navratri as they are considered to be the form of Goddess Durga. There is a custom of worshipping one to nine girls between the ages of 2 years to 10 years during the festival.
The entire cosmos could not have been created without Goddess Durga who is nature and divinity. She is oxygen and completes Lord Shiva. Shiva and Shakti come together to form Ardhanarishvar (lord who is half feminine). Since Navratri is dedicated to women power and respects them. The fast and Durga Puja would be futile if one offends his mother, sister, wife, daughter or another female during this festival. Hence, Navratri imparts the essential message of honouring all women.
Significance of Garba
The word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Garbhdeep’. The popularity of playing garba among young people has elevated significantly in recent times. The popularity of playing garba among young people has elevated tremendously in recent times. If we look at the intriguing background of this well-known and fascinating folk dance, we discover that doing Garba was formerly only a tradition in Rajasthan and Gujarat (notably Saurashtra and Kutch). However, it gained popularity and spread to other parts of India. Now, people take part in Garba all around the country.
Garba programs are organised in temples and houses. Nine holes are punched into Garba and it is placed in the centre and everyone plays Raas-Garba around it. Nowadays, large Garba festivals are hosted by various organisations in which people participate.
The holes represent the shape of the human body while the lamp therein symbolises the flame form of the soul. The former indicates the nine doors of the human body which include the two eyes, two ears, two noses (nostrils), mouth, anus and genitalia. A person’s soul exits their body through any of these openings when they die. A lamp is continuously lit for nine days with the conviction that the self-flame is perpetually ignited.
Apart from this, 27 holes are made in Garba in many places, however, the mystery of it is unknown. Garba is viewed as a representation of the universe and the 27 pores (9 in 3 lines) are interpreted as a depiction of the 27 constellations and each of them has 4 phases through which the number 27 X 4 = 108 is obtained. Therefore, it is believed that rotating the Garbi 108 times by placing the Garba in the middle is equal to the virtue of circumambulating the universe.
Method and tradition of worship
Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped during Navratri. Each day is dedicated to the worship of a different form. The nine manifestations of the goddess are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.
Goddess Durga along with her family, based on religious beliefs, rode her Vahan (carrier/vehicle) from Kailash to Earth on the first day of Navratri. It is crucial to invoke the goddess during the Navratri fast. Invocation means inviting the deity into the house for a specific goal or accomplishment.
The installation of the Kumbhasthapana or Kalash comes first in the procedure of worshipping Goddess Shakti. It must be installed if one fast for nine days during Navratri and should do the same even on the first or the day of Ashtami. According to the Devi Purana, it is very important to establish a Kalash in the house before worshipping Goddess Bhagavati. It is erected during worship as an image of the goddess’s strength and as a site of pilgrimage. The Kalash is viewed as a representation of wealth, joy and elegance. Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and the heavenly mother force all reside in it.
The worship of Goddess Shakti can take place in multiple ways and there are numerous methods to do it which comprise yajna-yagya (ritual done in front of a sacred fire), havan (sacred purification ritual), vrat (fast), japa (meditative repetition of a mantra or a divine name), tapa (asceticism, spiritual discipline) and dhyana (meditation) among other things are performed.
Chandipath, BhavanyaShtakam and Shakradaya Stuti have a very special significance in Navratri. Yajna is carried out during Navratri at any divine religious place. It is a method in the Vedic tradition that displays a profound mysticism and the culmination of spiritual power.
On 15th September, the New Yorker published an extensive report titled Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths”, revealing how the Indian-origin stand-up comic Hasan Minhaj had made up stories of racial harassment to peddle false narratives of victimisation. The report highlighted that Hasan Minhaj had, on multiple occasions, recounted harrowing experiences he claimed to have faced as an Asian/Muslim American.
The news magazine, through extensive research and first-hand experience with the involved stakeholders, added that the majority of these stories never actually happened to Hasan Minhaj, including the infamous ‘Anthrax scare’ story involving his daughter; his prom night saga story; meeting with Saudis on the same day when Jamal Khashoggi was killed in Saudi Embassy and others such stories of victimisation were fabricated. In fact, Minhaj himself confessed that he fabricated/twisted stories after he was confronted by the New Yorker Journalist about the authenticity of his stories.
Now, several clips of a recent podcast based on Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truth” have begun to surface online. In the podcast, American comedians, including Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh (son of Indian immigrant parents) revealed that comedian Hasan Minhaj had also lied to them in real life, even in private conservations, to peddle “political agenda” and false stories of ‘victimisation’ to present himself as ‘hero’.
American comic Andrew Schulz began the podcast by taking a jibe on Hasan Minhaj for defending his fabricated stories and claiming that they had 70% emotional truth. Based on that, Schulz sarcastically said how do we even know Hasan Minhaj is ‘Minhaj’ adding that he thinks that Hasan Minhaj’s name is 70% emotionally true referring to what Hasan Minhaj said about his work.
Schulz then pointed out that there is this New Yorker article revealing that Hasan Minhaj may have been fabricating some things in his Netflix specials. He added that the report highlighted that based on his so-called ‘emotional truth’, Minhaj had been lying in his specials and selling those fabricated stories as his own real-life happenings. Schulz sarcastically added that Minhaj should also appropriate and sell stories of rowing in a boat with a tiger (shown in the movie Life of Pie) and how he made his money (as shown in Slumdog Millionaire) as his own experiences.
However, on a serious note, Schulz noted that Comedians do makeup stories all the time, but added that they usually do it to make things funnier, not to make things more racist and sad or emotional.
Schulz added, “It is not that in his stories, he (Minhaj) was using these exaggerations or hyperboles as punch lines, he was using them to kind of make the audience feel worse about him and then it turns out that these things didn’t actually happen.”
Adding to that, Akaash noted that Minhaj had made life worse for other people in real life citing the example of the prom night story which Minhaj had used repeatedly to claim that he faced racism for his Indian roots.
Akaash said, “Basically the homecoming story is based on the story that he (Minhaj) was supposed to be prom with a white girl. Then he went to her door, where she was putting a corsage on another guy, a white guy because her parents didn’t like the fact that Hasan was Indian and that’s a terrible story.”
However, Akaash noted that the lady later revealed that Minhaj’s story was false adding that he had asked her a few days before the prom to take her daughter but she said no. She also emphasised that the charge of being a racist against her and discriminating against Hasan Minhaj for being an India doesn’t stand as she had been married to an Indian.
Hitting out an Minhaj for the same, Andrew Schulz asserted, “I need that level of confidence bro where if you don’t like me you are racist, the only way you couldn’t like me, objectively is that the other side has a problem, that they are racist.”
Akaash continued further saying, “Why say I went to the door, he didn’t go to the door, this was crazy, he told me that story a few years ago.”
Apart from his sarcastic interjections, Andrew on a serious note asked Akaash whether Hasan Minhaj told him that story in real life as well? To which Akaash responded affirmatively.
Narrating the incident, Akaash said, “I am talking about 2012 when he and I used to be friends. I didn’t know this was a lie. We were sitting at a diner and he told me this story as a trauma story, I was dead serious. I believed the story the whole time…we were eating, why did he had to lie to me.”
He added, “I felt like saying to him that your family would have said the same thing that you two are not a good fit, you two do not come from the same country, not the same race, not the same faith, you are not good fit.”
Andrew again reiterated that comedians do change or twist some parts of their stories, and exaggerate things citing one of his own examples of doing the same. But he asserted that its a different thing to do it to make jokes funnier and totally different to make when you are lying about victimisation.
A little tweak or exaggeration should be done to make jokes funnier, not to push political agenda, Akaash noted
Schulz added, “What he (Minhaj) is doing is not comic, he is not lying about funny parts.” He then goes on to highlight Minhaj’s Antrax and his daughter’s story in which he had claimed that someone had sent a letter to his home which was filled with “white powder”.
However, New Yorker’s research found that neither the New York Police Department, responsible for investigating possible Bacillus anthracis incidents (the bacteria that causes Anthrax), nor local hospitals have any record of an incident matching Minhaj’s description.
Interestingly, during his interaction with the author of the New Yorker article, Clare Malone, Minhaj admitted that his daughter had never been exposed to a “white powder” and that she hadn’t been hospitalised.
Regarding Minhaj’s antrax and his daughter story, Schulz emphasised why would he (Minhaj) write that and think something like that.
During the podcast, Schulz further added that Minhaj’s story around the White House correspondence dinner was full of lies.
Highlighting Minhaj’s fabrication around the Saudi meeting story, Schulz stated, “He (Minhaj) conflated the timelines to make what he went through a little more serious. He was having a meeting with Saudis to schedule an interview with Crown Prince MBS. After the meeting, everybody left and later they were freaked out because he said that the same day Jamal Khashoggi was chopped up at the Saudi embassy in Turkey.”
Responding to it, Akaash noted that the lie was not to make it funny, it was to make him appear as a hero and then a lot of other lies were to push “political agenda”.
He, however, added that certain stories even if fabricated do no harm but it should not be done to push political agenda. He asserted that Minhaj’s fabrication was a big deal because the woman’s life (mother in the prom night story) really became hard, and her family received death threats.
On 14th October, former Pakistani Cricketer Wasim Akram lashed out at Babar Azam for requesting a jersey from Virat Kohli after the World Cup game against India. During a television show on A Sports, a Pakistani channel, Akram agreed with a Pakistani cricket fan that if Azam wanted Kohli’s jersey, he should have asked in the dressing room.
In an electrifying ICC World Cup match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets, finishing the match with 19.3 overs remaining. Leading from the front, the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Rohit Sharma, made 86 out of just 63 balls. India comfortably achieved the target of 192 runs that Pakistan made with great difficulty. Initially, Pakistan played well, but its middle order fell apart like a house of cards.
Following the humiliating defeat, Babar Azam sought Kohli’s signed jersey, which created controversy in Pakistan. Cricket fans in the neighbouring country believed that he could have asked for the jersey in the dressing room, given the margin of defeat.
Wasim Akram was part of a panel discussion on the match on A Sports when a fan raised the issue. Akram agreed with him and said, “That is what I exactly said when I saw the picture”. He added, “Today was not the day to do this. If you want to do it – Agar chacha ke puttar ne kaha hai ki t-shirt chahiye Kohli ki, toh match ke baad dressing room me maango. (If your uncle’s son has asked you to get Kohli’s shirt, do it after the game in the dressing room)”.
This was the eighth time in a row that India defeated Pakistan in the ODI World Cup. Pakistan will face Australia on the 20th October, while India will face Bangladesh on the 17th October. India is leading the leaderboard in the World Cup with New Zealand in second place.
A massive protest was held in Mississauga, Canada, in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war, where hundreds of people joined on Saturday. However, the protest took an interesting turn when someone decided to join waving a Taliban flag. Several Palestine supporters argued with the Taliban supporters, and asked them to leave, saying they won’t be allowed to join the protests.
A video has gone viral on social media, where several people are seen arguing with two persons in a GMC truck, both holding Taliban flags sticking out of the open windows. When they arrived at the protest march at Celebration Square in Mississauga, Ontario, they were surrounded by several pro-Palestine supporters, who told them that Taliban supporters wouldn’t be allowed at the pro-Palestine protest.
— Caryma Sa'd – Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) October 14, 2023
One person told them, ‘You are not in Afghanistan, you must understand this’. While the Palestine supporters were arguing and asking them to leave, the Taliban supporters revved the engine, in an apparent attempt to drown their voices. When they tried to drive ahead, one woman carrying a Palestine flag stood before the massive truck, blocking them.
When the person recording the video asked the Taliban supporters for their comments, they refused to make any comment. The person on the driving seat said, ‘I don’t know what to say’.
During the whole confrontation, the two persons were holding the Taliban flags high out of the windows of the vehicle.
Canadians, many of Palestine origin, filled the Celebration Square in the protest, chanting “Free, free Palestine” slogans. It is was one of the many such protests held across North America against Israel for its military action against the horrific terror attack by Hamas on 7 October.
Notably, at the same protest in Mississauga, one woman claimed that Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, and everything they have done is justified. She claimed that the reports of Hamas killing babies are fake. She said, ‘Hamas is a Muslim group, they will never do this’.
In the meanwhile, after a week of bombing Hamas targets in Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that it is completing preparations for “significant ground operations” in the Gaza Strip. According to IDF, they are preparing to “expand the offensive” by putting in place a “wide range of offensive operational plans” that would include “joint and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land.”
In the first week of September, a man named Mohammed Hasnain and his son fled to Pakistan seeking asylum on the grounds of religious persecution in India. In a ground report published on 15th October by Swarajya Magazine, authored by Swati Goel Sharma, it came to light that the actions of Hasnain have left his neighbours bewildered. Hasnain was a resident of Gautampuri colony, located 2 km from Seelampur Metro Station in Delhi. He became an instant hit among the Pakistani media over his claims of religious persecution in India.
The Gautampuri colony’s T-block is a predominantly Muslim-populated area in northeast Delhi where the anti-Hindu riots of 2020 took place. Hasnain was a well-known lawyer in the Muslim community in the area. He established a political party named the Qaumi Party of India. He contested in multiple elections, including Lok Sabha elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014, and the Delhi Assembly Polls in 2013. The most number of votes he secured was in 2009 when he got a total of 3,000 votes.
Hasnain also ran “The Media Profile”, a Hindi-Urdu newspaper that ceased publication around seven years ago. He published several controversial editorials in his newspaper. For example, in one of his editorials from 14 August 2015, Hasnain lamented the absence of Muslim rule in India since the British colonial rule ended in 1947. He claimed Muslims were suffering in India as limited land was allocated to them after the independence.
Source: Swarajya
In another editorial, he claimed the future of Indian Muslims was grim. He predicted they would face meat deprivation, mutilation, poisoned food, starving children due to arbitrary curfews, and a ban on the burqa. He even claimed there would be demolition of mosques.
Source: Facebook
According to Swarajya’s ground report, on 5th September, Hasnain informed his neighbours that he and his son Ishaq Ameer would be travelling to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for work. They were expected to return in ten days. However, three weeks later, the police arrived at Hasnain’s house and questioned about his whereabouts. His neighbour Mohammed Azad’s wife, Shabnam, told Swarajya that police visits were distressing for the neighbours.
Azad lived in the same house as Hasnain, occupying different sections. The landlord, Mohammed Bablu, lives in a different block. Hasnain separated from his wife in 1993. Hasnain was originally from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand but lived in Delhi for over five decades. He worked as a private tutor and taught law and English to the local children.
Hasnain’s neighbours claimed they were not in contact with him since he left India. Furthermore, his Indian numbers remained off. Some of the neighbours expressed their dismay over his actions. They said the area is mostly peaceful and lived without threats. They were perplexed by his decision, especially considering that the Hindu residents in the neighbourhood had sold their houses and moved away in recent years.
The report of Hasnain applying for asylum in Pakistan was published in OpIndia on 29th September. They claimed to have faced threats stemming from religious persecution in India. They recounted their journey from Delhi to Pakistan, which included travelling to Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan, and ultimately crossing into Pakistan without proper documentation with the assistance of agents. Upon reaching Karachi, they surrendered to the Sindh police chief’s office, explaining their flight from India. The Sindh police provisionally accepted their story and placed them in a shelter home. Hasnain claimed that Muslims in India were forcibly converted to Hinduism and harassed for their Islamic faith.
According to a neighbour, Mohammed Alam, a student of Hasnain, he had at least two police cases registered against him. One of the cases was related to the protest he had organised for Rohingya Muslims. Furthermore, he said that Hasnain did not register his political party with the government. Hasnain maintained his presence in the community using social gatherings and a Facebook account. Though most of the social media posts on his account were deleted, the description pointed out that the ‘Qaumi Party of India’ is a Muslim-led political party, emphasising its commitment to the Muslim community.
Former Indian cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan recently took to X, a social media platform earlier known as Twitter, to slam Rajdeep Sardesai amid the extensive efforts underway by the leftwing ecosystem to defame ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants raised by the Ahmedabad crowds in the Indo-Pak World Cup clash.
Rajdeep Sardesai, known for courting controversies, tweeted that one must not use Jai Shri Ram as an aggressive chant to mock Pakistani players. He further held forth saying Lord Ram is Maryada Purshottam, one who brings enlightenment and does not evoke enmity.
However, this pontification for the Indian crowds and demonisation of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ did not sit well with former Indian cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, who slammed Rajdeep Sardesai highlighting the abuses he had faced in Pakistan as a 16-year-old boy.
“What abuses I have got as a 16-year-old in Pakistan, only I know. From my colour to my religion to my country and culture. For Heaven’s sake if you have not experienced it, please don’t talk about it,” Sivaramakrishnan tweeted.
Rajdeep’s tweet vilifying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ appears to be a part of a concerted attempt by the leftwing ideologues to use the chanting of the slogans at the Ahmedabad stadium to whip up anti-Hindu bigotry among their supporters and project Pakistanis as the victim of this “unwarranted aggression” that has taken over India in the recent times—the political tropes they use to attack the Modi government.
Unlike the religious bigotry of the Pakistani cricketers, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans are chants of triumph. They sing glory to Lord Ram and are not dismissive or insulting of any other faith. Yet, people like Rajdeep Sardesai and others try to cast it as an “aggressive chant” raised to mock and ridicule Pakistanis.
The Left conveniently glosses over the fact that Pakistani cricketers are rank bigots, endeavouring little to hide their contempt and scorn for non-Muslims and their beliefs. Imran Khan had once famously said that playing cricket against India was like ‘jihad’ to him. Waqar Younis last year proudly claimed that he felt happy at the site of Rizwan offering Namaz in front of over 80,000 ‘non-Muslims’. Shoaib Akhtar had endorsed the Islamist supremacist fantasy of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’. Yet, the Indian Left wants Indians to take up these insults and overtly religious tropes lying down, not responding to the bigots by affirming our belief in our Gods.
Narendra Modi stadium erupts with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants, crowds chant the slogan as Rizwan walks back to the pavilion after getting out
As India registered a thumping victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, a video of Indian fans at the Narendra Modi stadium greeting Pakistani wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans went viral on the internet.
In the video, as Rizwan walks through the isle towards the pavilion after getting bowled on a peach of a delivery of Indian ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, the crowds of Indian supporters lining up the stairway chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans.
It is worth noting that Rizwan had created quite a flutter with his recent tweet, dedicating the victory against Sri Lanka to Gaza residents after the Hamas terror attacks killed more than 1,300 Israelis.
Muhammad Rizwan, who managed to score a century in the match against Sri Lanka, dedicated his country’s win to “brothers and sisters in Gaza.” He also thanked the Indian audience and added, “Extremely grateful to the people of Hyderabad for the amazing hospitality and support throughout.”
However, the cricketer received a lot of flak for interjecting politics into the game. A raft of social media users took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to flay the Pakistani cricketer for using the platform of the World Cup to promote his political and religious ideology.
Notably, Muhammad Rizwan is infamous for fusing politics, religion and sports much like several of his countrymen. He recently caught the attention of many when he started offering Namaz on the cricket field during the second half of the match against the Netherlands while his teammates awaited drinks during the break. He received condemnation for doing the same just in front of Indians.
On 15th October (Sunday), a day after India registered an emphatic victory over arch-rival Pakistan, Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin shared a video of cricket fans in the stadium in Ahmedabad chanting Jai Shri Ram as Muhammad Rizwan was making his way to the pavilion. On the basis of the short video, Tamil Nadu Minister Stalin claimed that it is being used as a tool to spread “hatred”. According to him, it was wrong for the fans to chant glory to Shri Ram when Pakistani players were playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He went further and called it “unacceptable” and a “new low” in sports.
Taking to X, Udhayanidhi Stalin wrote, “India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool to spread hatred is condemnable.”
India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool… pic.twitter.com/MJnPJsERyK
In his post, he further argued that sports should be used to unite countries and foster brotherhood. Notably, many ‘intellectuals’, and pro-Pakistan ‘activists’ along with several Congress governments in the past had used Cricket as a diplomacy and let go Pakistan off its crime against Indian soldiers at the border and state policy of using terrorism against India, a timid policy dubbed as ‘Amman ki Asha’. However, under PM Modi, India has maintained that terror and talks, Pakistan-sponsoring terrorism and playing with India in bilateral can not continue.
It is important to note that slogans like Bharat Mata ki Jai, Vande Mataram, Jai Shri Ram (Glory to Shri Ram), and other Bollywood-esque devotional renditions were played on many occasions by fans and the DJ during yesterday’s match. These have been played in several other games in the past where the Men in Blue take on any opposition on the cricketing pitch.
However, over the years, efforts have been made to vilify the invocation of chants like ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and Vande Mataram as an intolerant war cry by pseudo-leftists and Islamists alike.
Meanwhile, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin rose to notoriety after making deranging remarks against Sanatan Dharma where he compared the faith of more than 100 crore believers with incurable diseases. Giving a call for “eradication of Sanatan Dharma”, he had said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely. The same is the case with Santanam (Hinduism). Our first work should be to abolish/eradicate Sanatanam instead of opposing it. So, my appreciation to you all for giving an apt title to the meeting.”
Since then, several leaders from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc have given vile remarks against Sanatan Dharma. Consequently, several FIRs have been filed against them in connection with their remarks and a bunch of pleas have been filed before the Supreme Court seeking action against these “hate speeches” against Sanatan Dharma.
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, India’s first deep-water container transhipment port built by the Adani group, is set to be inaugurated today, 15 October. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the port will be a “game changer” for the state’s infrastructure, saying that the port aims to handle one million containers annually, surpassing even Singapore.
The CM further said that the inaugural vessel ‘Zhen Hua 15’ is set to dock at the Vizhinjam International Port on Sunday. The vessel is carrying giant cranes from China which began its journey at the end of August. As India’s first deepwater port built by Adani Port opens, a fight for credit over the port has started between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala.
The inaugural vessel 'Zhen Hua 15' is set to dock at Vizhinjam International Port, India's premier mother port, on October 15th. Boasting container transhipment capabilities and proximity to major shipping routes, it's a game-changer for Kerala's infrastructure and development.… pic.twitter.com/0lOVn5EsiU
Specifically, the contest between the two parties is over the naming of the port capable of handling the largest container ships in the world. Congress-led UDF has demanded that the port should be named after former CM Oommen Chandy, claiming that the ‘real credit’ for the port should go to him. On the other hand, LDF rejects the Congress claim, saying that the port was initiated during the term of former left CM EK Nayanar.
Congress party is a staunch critic of Gautam Adani and his Adani group, and the left also keeps attacking the Gujarat-based industrialist, but now both want credit for a port built by the Adani Group.
While both the parties are claiming credit for the port, both the parties reminding each other that they had protested against the port. On Saturday, CPI(M) leader MV Govindan said that Congress protested against the Vizhinjam project and even tried to stall it, but the left government backed the project to make it a reality.
He said, “It was EK Nayanar, the former Left chief minister, who envisioned the port 30 years ago. Later, VS Achuthanandan took it forward. The UDF government did not even implement it properly.” He claimed that the project was sabotaged by the Congress-led United Democratic Front govt. He further alleged that UDF had entered into an agreement with the Adani group to make undue profits from the port.
“Because of the agreement entered into by the UDF, Kerala will get only one per cent of the profit from the port (operations), that too after 15 years. The government lost the chance to run the port,” Govindan claimed. The CPI(M) state secretary alleged that UDF came under pressure from the BJP govt at the centre to sign the agreement with the Adani Group.
The left leader said that while the project was initiated under the EK Nayanar government, it was further strengthened during the time of the VS Achuthanandan government, and the infrastructure work was completed during that time. He added that when UDF came to power, it gave the power to Adani Group, otherwise the project would have remained with the Government. MV Govindan claimed that UDF played no role in the project, apart from handing it over to Adani.
Before that, Congress had made allegations against LDF, claiming that CPI(M) had sabotaged the rehabilitation package announced for fishermen by the Chandy government as part of the project. Leader of Opposition VD Satheeshan said that when the LDF was in the opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan had alleged a ₹6000 crore real estate scam in the ₹5000 crore project, adding that now same Pinarayi Vijayan, now CM, is taking credit for the port.
Going ahead with the demand to name the port after Chandy, the Kerala Youth Congress on Saturday even placed a board calling it ‘Oommen Chand International Sea Port’ in front of the harbour, ‘renaming’ the Vizhinjam Seaport Limited.
Youth Congress ‘names’ the port as Oommen Chand International Sea Port
The Vizhinjam International Seaport is located near the southernmost tip of the country, in Vizhinjam near Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram. This is India’s first deep-water port capable of handling large container ships. At present, most of the shipments to and from India take place via Colombo port, where containers are shifted between large vessels and smaller ships which can be handled by Indian ports.
This is because, large container vessels need deep-water ports, and India’s existing ports are not deep enough. With the opening of Vizhinjam port, India’s dependence on Colombo for transhipment will end, and has the potential to emerge as a major player in the sector. Apart from Colombo, other major transhipment hubs in the Indian Ocean region are Singapore and Dubai.
Vizhinjam port is strategically located on one of the busiest shipping routes in the world and is set to grab a major share of the transhipment market in the Indian Ocean region. It is notable that India is the largest market for transshipment of cargo in the region, and therefore the port is set to attract most of these businesses.
The port has been developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. in collaboration with the Kerala state government. The port is another feather in the cap of Gautam Adani, who is slowly becoming a major player in seaports worldwide and is under constant attack from opposition parties in India and the left-liberal ecosystem in the world. Adani Port recently acquired a 30% stake in Israel’s Haifa port which it is developing, and has plans to build a port in Vietnam.
On 14 October, Iran issued a threat of retaliation if Israel invades Gaza to drive out Hamas. According to the country’s media, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian declared, “If the Zionist regime’s crimes against the Palestinian people and citizens continue, no one can guarantee that the situation in the region will remain the same.” He said this after meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Doha, Qatar, where Hamas leadership resides.
Senior Western diplomats responded cautiously to the threat, highlighting the ambiguity of the threat and doubted Iran’s desire to engage in the conflict more directly. According to a United Nations official, the Iranian foreign minister told an important Middle East envoy that Tehran had no immediate plans to intervene in the matter.
The Iranian minister demanded that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza and mentioned that if Hezbollah joined the fight, violence might expand to other regions of the Middle East and cause the Jewish state to experience “a huge earthquake.” He noted that Israel should put an immediate halt to the assault because Hamas had considered all conceivable war scenarios.
Tehran has informed Jerusalem through the UN that it will interfere if the campaign in Gaza carries on, particularly if a ground offensive is initiated. Two diplomatic sources with knowledge of the situation were quoted in the report.
According to the source, Iran delivered the remarks during a meeting with UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland on 14th October in Beirut which drew harsh criticism from Israel. Later on the same day, Amir-Abdollahian met with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau in Qatar.
Iran’s UN mission also posted a tweet warning that failure to promptly put a closure to Israel’s “war crimes and genocide” would have “far-reaching consequences” and lead the situation to “spiral out of control.”
If the Israeli apartheid’s war crimes & genocide are not halted immediately, the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences—the responsibility of which lies with the UN, the Security Council & the states steering the Council toward a dead end.
— Permanent Mission of I.R.Iran to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) October 14, 2023
On 14th October, Israel had instructed Palestinians residing in the heavily populated Gaza region to escape southwards toward a restricted border with Egypt as it prepared to launch a ground operation against Iran-backed Hamas.
Israel considers Hezbollah its most serious immediate threat. It is estimated that the latter possesses 150,000 rockets and missiles including precision-guided missiles that can strike any place in Israel. It also owns a variety of military drones.
The Iranian minister observed, “I know about the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place. Any step the resistance (Hezbollah) will take will cause a huge earthquake in the Zionist entity. I want to warn the war criminals and those who support this entity before it’s too late to stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza because it might be too late in a few hours.”
He stressed that he would get in touch with UN representatives in the region because “there is still time to work on an initiative (to end the war) but tomorrow it might be too late.” The prospect of a fresh front opening up in Lebanon brings back painful memories of the tight cease-fire that followed the month-long conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.
US President Joe Biden reminded other players in the Middle East not to enter the battle. He ordered American warships to the area and guaranteed complete support for Israel with an eye toward Hezbollah.
Even though the two sides work closely together and Tehran provides Hamas with resources and military expertise, leaders from Hamas have said that Iran was not behind the gruesome attack on southern Israel.
