On Friday (3rd November) BJP MP Nishikant Dubey announced that he would retire from politics if it is proven that the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee asked “personal questions” to TMC MP Mahua Moitra during the questioning in cash-for-query scam allegations.
Taking to X, MP Nishikant Dubey said that Mahua Moitra was asked about businessman Darshan Hiranandani’s claim that he paid money for the TMC MP’s air travel and hotel and cars in India and abroad. He added that if anything “personal” other than this regarding any of her boyfriends was asked and proved, he would retire from politics. He also accused BSP MLA Danish Ali of tarnishing the image of MP Vinod Sonkar who is the Ethics Committee chairman. The BJP leader further challenged Congress and JD(U) MPs to show a copy of the discussion at the Ethics Committee meeting held on Thursday.
“The image of Scheduled Caste MP Vinod Sonkar ji has been hurt by @bspindia MP Danish Ali. In his affidavit, Darshan Hiranandani said that he had promised to pay the expenses (money) for Mahua’s (corrupt MP) air travel, hotel and car within the country and abroad. Ethics Committee Chairman Sonkar Ji asked for the ticket and hotel bill from Mahua. If apart from this he asked any question about Mahua ji’s male friend or staying with a male friend in a hotel, then I would retire from politics.
For information, just like in the Parliament, the debate is written verbatim in the Parliamentary Committee too. If @INCIndia, @Jduonline MPs have the guts, then show the copy of the debate. Danish, Don’t be so mean in the matter of woman’s victim card,” Dubey posted.
अनुसूचित जाति के सांसद विनोद सोनकर जी की छवि को @bspindia सांसद दानिश अली ने ठेस पहुँचाई है ।दर्शन हीरानंदानी ने अपने हलफ़नामे में महुआ (भ्रष्टाचारी सांसद) के देश-विदेश के हवाई जहाज़,होटल व गाड़ी के खर्च (पैसे) देने की बात कही है ।Ethics कमिटि के अध्यक्ष सोनकर जी ने महुआ से टिकट…
As reported earlier, the questioning by the Ethics Committee on Thursday ended abruptly after the TMC MP stormed out of the meeting. While leaving the meeting, Moitra accused the panel of asking “filthy questions”. The committee, however, hit back saying she did not cooperate and left to avoid answering more questions. As Mahua Moitra made her way out of the Parliament, some journalists questioned her on what sought of ‘filthy’ and personal’ questions were asked. opposition MPs including BSP MP Danish Ali, JD(U) MP Giridhari Yadav and Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy among others who walked out of the meeting along with Mahua Moitra responded to the media by alleging that the committee asked ‘personal’ and ‘unethical’ questions and that details of the meeting were leaked to the media while it was ongoing.
On the other hand, the ethics committee chairperson Vinod Sonkar said “Mahua Moitra did not cooperate with the committee and the investigation. The Opposition members also made allegations in anger and suddenly walked out of the meeting to avoid answering more questions”
The Ethics Committee questioning comes after Dubey had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last month titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament”, seeking a probe into his allegations. He also claimed that Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had provided him with proof of alleged bribes.
An air emergency was declared in Delhi with its air quality index (AQI) plummeting into ‘severe’ days ahead of Diwali. The AQI in Delhi was 460 at 7 am on 3rd November (Friday) and approached 500 in several areas of the city.
#WATCH | Thick layer of smog engulfs Delhi as Air Quality dips into 'Severe' category
Since an AQI of 400 or more is classified as ‘severe’, the authorities have taken action in response to the deteriorating air quality. The authorities summoned an emergency meeting at 12 p.m. on Friday to discuss more measures that should be adopted to manage the worsening situation.
After waking up to a thick layer of toxic smoke on 2nd November (Thursday), the capital region’s air quality quickly dropped to the ‘severe’ zone by 5 p.m. and prompted the administration to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III which prohibits the use of vehicles with older emissions standards in several National Capital Region (NCR) districts and closed Delhi’s primary schools for the next two days.
In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days
The institutions have been asked to hold classes online on 3rd and 4th of November, per an official directive from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The state governments of Delhi and districts falling under the National Capital Region (NCR) would decide whether to continue offering physical classes for students up to Class V.
At 8 a.m., Delhi’s average Air Quality Index was 351 but by 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. it had dropped to 392 and 402, respectively and had officially entered the severe category for the first time this season. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI had jumped down to 417 by 8 p.m and plunged to 422 at 10 pm.
In light of the steps taken by pollution control authorities on 2nd November to encourage greater numbers of individuals to use public transportation in Delhi and surrounding areas, officials announced that Delhi Metro will conduct 20 extra train trips across its network starting on 3rd November. Delhi Metro started operating 40 more train rides during the week (Monday through Friday) on 25 October after the GRAP II stage took effect.
According to a senior official, the Delhi government is going to introduce a dedicated electric bus shuttle service for state and federal government workers on Friday. It would start from Kidwai Nagar and RK Puram for Central Secretariat staff members for the central government. The e-service would additionally operate from Gulabi Bagh to the Delhi Secretariat for government employees of Delhi.
Center’s pollution control panel has also mandated an urgent halt on mining, stone crushing and non-essential construction activities in the area. The Delhi-NCR pollution control panel issued orders on Thursday to stop non-essential building work and highlighted the city’s now-‘severe’ air quality. A total cessation of building and demolition is mandated by Stage III of GRAP with the exception of mining and stone crushing operations and vital government projects. Delhi’s air quality has declined to the point where all non-essential construction and demolition work has been banned in the region.
The national capital has completely outlawed the entry of diesel trucks and light commercial vehicles. According to the most recent GRAP III limitations, older diesel buses are also not permitted to operate on Delhi’s roadways, and both BS 3 petrol and BS 4 diesel vehicles are prohibited from doing the same. The restriction on two-wheelers and outdated three-wheelers continued to be in effect. Only BS3 gasoline and BS4 diesel LMVs (Light Motor Vehicles) in Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar are listed in the statement.
Gopal Rai, the environment minister for Delhi, has scheduled a meeting in order to discuss what needs to be done given the severity of the circumstances. The Graded Response Action Plan’s third stage of execution will be covered during the meeting. He is set to hold a news conference at the Delhi Secretariat at 1 pm following the meeting. He stated that more instructions would be released in this regard.
Activities such as earthwork for excavation and filling, including boring and drilling work, all structural construction work, including fabrication and welding operations and demolition work, loading and unloading of construction materials anywhere within or outside the project sites, the transfer of raw materials either manually or through conveyor belts, including fly ash, the movement of vehicles on unpaved roads, the laying of sewer line, waterline, drainage work and electric cabling by an open trench system, the cutting and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials, grinding activities, piling work, water proofing work, painting, polishing and varnishing work etc. are firmly banned after the commencement of GRAP III.
Further increasing the frequency of mechanised or vacuum-based road sweeping, ensuring daily water sprinkling and dust suppressants are applied before peak traffic hours on roads and right-of-ways which involves hotspots and heavily trafficked corridors and making sure that the collected dust is properly disposed of in designated sites or landfills are all going to contribute to the intensification of public transportation services under GRAP III.
In some areas across the Delhi-NCR region on Thursday, the concentration of PM2.5 in the air exceeded the permissible limit of 60 micrograms per cubic meter by a factor of seven to eight. An AQI of 0–50 is regarded as good, 51–100 as satisfactory, 101–200 as moderate, 201–300 as poor, 301–400 as very poor and 401–500 as severe. GRAP which is the center’s air pollution control plan in the area during the winter has already been activated to Stage III .
On Friday, AQIs in several parts of Delhi were reported to be perilously around 500 including Ashok Vihar (440), Alipur (442), Vivek Vihar (458), RK Puram (488), Shadipur (448), Major Dhyan Chand Stadium (481), Nehru Nagar (461), Mundka (498), Bawana (496), Punjabi Bagh (493), Wazirpur (491), and Rohini (491).
On Thursday, there were similarly high AQI readings in some Delhi NCR regions. At 4 p.m. on Thursday, the AQI in Gurugram was in the ‘poor’ category at 297, in the ‘severe’ category at 402 in Greater Noida and in the ‘very poor’ category at 351 in Noida. Hazardous air was also observed in a number of nearby cities in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
The drastic reduction in the region’s air quality has been linked to an increase in stubble burning incidences. A computer model-based approach created by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune estimated that on Thursday, smoke from burning stubble accounted for 25% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution, and on Friday, that percentage was expected to rise to 35%. The combination of low temperatures and calm winds has caused local pollutants to build up in the air, which is another main cause of Delhi’s current pollution.
The air quality in Delhi-NCR is expected to degrade within the next two weeks, per scientists. According to official data, meteorologists reported that Delhi’s air quality in October 2023 was the worst since 2020 because there had not been any rainfall. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimated that the capital’s October AQI was 210 down from 210 in October 2021 and 173 in October 2021.
The period from 1 November to 15 November when farmers in Punjab and Haryana start burning their stubble is when Delhi’s air pollution peaks. According to the Commission for Air Quality Management, there has been a notable increase in the recent few days despite the fact that stubble-burning occurrences in Punjab and Haryana have decreased after 15 September.
The worsening air quality index has led to the invocation of Section 144 in Gurugram. Greater Noida and Noida itself are subject to GRAP III limitations as of this Friday.
On Thursday (2nd November) All India Majlis-e-Ittihad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asking him if he took money from the BJP to lose the election in 2014. This comes after Rahul Gandhi alleged that AIMIM takes money from the BJP and fields candidates against the Congress party.
Addressing a public meeting at Sangareddy, Owaisi alleged that Rahul Gandhi makes such comments against him and AIMIM due to his hatred for Owaisi’s Muslim identity.
“Rahul Gandhi..you tell me, how much money did we [AIMIM] take to support the UPA in the 2008 Nuclear deal? How much money did we receive to support Kiran Kumar Reddy’s government in the ‘no-confidence’ motion in Andhra Pradesh? To convince YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to support Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential election, how much money did I receive to meet him in jail? Did you lose the election in Amethi in exchange for money or lost it for free?” Owaisi said.
Owaisi added that Rahul Gandhi does not question his friends Jyotiaditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada who joined the BJP but accuses him of taking money from the BJP since he wears an Islamic skull cap and sports an Islamic beard implying that Gandhi is targeting him because of his religion.
“Rahul Gandhi, you make these accusations because my name is Asaduddin. Because I have a beard on my face and wear a skull cap, that’s why you make allegations of taking money against me It is your hatred against this name and you have hatred against those donning beard and skull cap. That’s why you make the allegations. Your friend Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP but you don’t claim he took money. Your friend Jitin Prasada, who too joined BJP, you don’t say that he took money to join BJP,” Owaisi said.
On Gandhi’s remarks that the Congress would give back to people the corrupt money taken from people by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Owaisi said the Congress leader has “become Modi 2”.
#WATCH | Telangana: AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, "…Their (Congress) leader Rahul Gandhi came here and said KCR took (people's) money and will return the money. He has become Modi 2.O. In 2014, PM Modi had promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh into every citizen's bank account but… pic.twitter.com/l37i4pYUNZ
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised in 2014 to deposit Rs 15 lakh in “everyone’s account”, the AIMIM leader claimed, adding that not even 15 paise came.
#WATCH | On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, "…If you call (us) B team, then should I say from which team you are?… I say to Rahul Gandhi, come to Hyderabad and compete with me in parliament elections…"(02.11) pic.twitter.com/K0NLRRQw1a
On the accusation levelled by the Gandhi scion that AIMIM is a “B Team” of the BJP, Asaduddin Owaisi challenged Rahul Gandhi to come to Hyderabad and contest the parliament election against him. “You come to Telangana with your ‘Khandaan’, your RSS and everyone and compete against me. In the entire Telangana they find no one else but Owaisi and Majlis,” Owaisi said.
#WATCH | Nagarkurnool, Telangana: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "Wherever Congress contests an election, be it Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, AIMIM candidates appear there by magic…All the AIMIM candidates support the BJP. AIMIM people take money and provide… pic.twitter.com/Ucn72TqTQk
This comes after Rahul Gandhi while addressing a poll rally on November 1 at Kalwakurthy in Telangana said, “Wherever we go to fight the elections… Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tripura, wherever the Congress party fights with the BJP, MIM party takes money from the BJP and puts up candidates there.”
A case has been filed against a Malayalam TV news channel and one of its journalists for inciting hatred between religious groups. The Malayalam news TV channel ‘Reporter TV’ reported about the 29 October bombings at a gathering of the Christian sect Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kochi, following which it was charged with inciting religious hatred.
According to the reports, the FIR was filed on 31 October against Reporter TV and its coordinating editor, Sujaya Parvathy. The action by the police was taken based on a complaint filed by Yasin Arafath, a resident of Kalamassery in Kochi.
FIR copy against the journalist (mediaoneonline)
The complainant stated that the journalist and the TV channel made an effort to link the IED blasts to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict to defame the state’s Muslim community.
“The FIR has been filed under sections 153, 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code and section 120 (o) of the Kerala Police Act. We are investigating the matter,” the Thrikkakara police station officer in Kochi said.
Meanwhile, the accused journalist Parvathy stated in a TV broadcast that the station would fight the case ethically. “There are narrow interests behind this case. Reporter TV will take on all attempts to disrupt media freedom,” she was quoted as saying.
Three persons died, and several others were reported injured after multiple explosions took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kerala’s Kochi on 29th October morning. The investigating officers later discovered that the blast was planned to burn down the whole place. One Dominic Martin, accused of the bomb blast, was also arrested, and he has now been sent to judicial custody.
The Reporter TV news channel appeared in 2011 with MV Nikesh Kumar as editor-in-chief and underwent a brand refresh in July of this year under new management. The case has been filed, and the police are investigating the said matter.
As the much-awaited day for the inauguration of the Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya nears, TOI reported that PM Modi will be offered the highly coveted task of carrying the ‘chal murti’, or moveable idol, of Lord Ram from the temporary temple to the sanctum santorum of the newly constructed Ram Mandir.
According to sources cited by TOI, during the Ram Temple consecration event in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may choose to bypass protocols and walk a distance of more than 500 metres (the distance between the makeshift temple and the sanctum santorum of the newly constructed Ram Mandir) on foot.
PM Modi will probably be accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Dignitaries in attendance would include RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.
The main puja when the (Pran Pratistha) consecration of Shri Ram temple will take place is expected to be conducted between 11:45 am and 12:45 pm on January 22 and will be presided over by PM Modi, who will serve as the host or yajman.
Prominent priests from across the nation will take part in the ritual of consecration. One of the three five-foot idols currently being sculpted will be placed as the resident god (achal murti) in the sanctum sanctorum, while the chal murti (the one being worshipped at the current makeshift temple) will be placed at a sacred area after prayers.
Throughout the year, on auspicious occasions, the chat murti will continue to reappear alongside the achal (permanent one).
According to reports, three separate Ram Lalla statues are being made by sculptors on request from the Temple Trust. The trust has, however, not yet decided which of the three idols would be the primary deity in the ground floor’s garbha griha or sanctum sanctorum.
According to sources, one of the two idols that were carved from the best marble from Rajasthan or the darkest granite from Karnataka would be installed in the garbha-griha. However, the formal declaration will come at a later time.
Once it is ready, the second murti will be placed on the first floor, and a Ram Darbar will be built on the temple’s second story.
The day after Makar Sankranti in the following year is when the trust’s lavish consecration ceremony is scheduled to begin. The new deity would be symbolically taken out from the city of Ayodhya and bathed in water from Saryu and other sacred rivers. Following this, over a dozen other religious ceremonies would be conducted before the final prayers and Vedic rituals are carried out on January 22.
According to the TOI report, around 8,000 people nationwide will receive invitations from the trust; 3,500 of them will be sent to politicians, other dignitaries, prominent businesspeople, professionals (including top doctors, advocates, engineers, and actors), and Padma awardees. The remaining invitations will be sent to mutts, saints and seers of various temples, and members of various religious bodies and outfits.
Moreover, some state and national heads will also be invited to the main ceremony, which is set for January 22 of the following year. There would also be invitations to the families of those Karsevaks who lost their lives in police shootings during the Ram Temple movement.
The trust intends to set up seating arrangements for all 8,000 guests who received formal invitations to attend the important religious ceremonies. In addition, the service will be live-streamed via multiple platforms for those who are unable to attend.
Temple Trust invites PM Modi to perform Pran Pratistha of Lord Ram’s idol at the Ram Mandir
Notably, on October 25, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the inauguration of Ram Mandir. PM Modi posted on X that officials of the trust met him at his residence and invited him to attend the event of Pran Pratistha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
जय सियाराम!
आज का दिन बहुत भावनाओं से भरा हुआ है। अभी श्रीराम जन्मभूमि तीर्थ क्षेत्र ट्रस्ट के पदाधिकारी मुझसे मेरे निवास स्थान पर मिलने आए थे। उन्होंने मुझे श्रीराम मंदिर में प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा के अवसर पर अयोध्या आने के लिए निमंत्रित किया है।
At the same time, ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra’ Trust has also announced that the consecration of the Shri Vigraha of Lord Shri Ramlala Sarkar at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya will be done by the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 22, 2024.
With this, the date for the opening of the Grand Ram Mandir had been formally announced.
On Thursday (3rd November), two individuals in Delhi were arrested for extorting Rs 12.8 lakh from an elderly man by threatening to share obscene screenshots of his video call with a woman on the internet. The arrested individuals have been identified as Rajasthan residents Barkhat Khan (32) and Rizwan (22). They were arrested by a team from Shahdara’s Cyber cell.
The saga began on 18th July, when the victim received a WhatsApp video call from an undressed woman. According to police, by the time the man could understand anything, she had taken a screenshot of the call with the victim’s face.
Soon after, he began receiving calls from various mobile numbers, each of which claimed to be from Cyber Crime Delhi. “They threatened to upload the screenshot of him online and demanded money,” the Police said.
When the victim did not pay attention, the accused threatened him again. “The accused threatened him again, and the elderly man transferred Rs 12,80,000 into the accused’s bank account,” the police stated.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohit Meena, the team first apprehended Barkhat Khan in Alwar. Three mobile phones and several SIM cards were found in his possession.
During his interrogation, it was discovered that a syndicate was operating to defraud and extort people through such video calls, Meena said, adding that multiple raids were conducted and Rizwan was apprehended in Deeg.
Police have stated that additional interrogations are underway.
Elections in Bangladesh are scheduled to take place in January 2024. Sheikh Hasina-led-Awami League is seeking re-election for the third consecutive term. She has been the Prime Minister of the country since 2009.
With just two months away from the elections, the United States government, its agencies and the embedded media are called out for orchestrating a ‘regime change operation’ in Bangladesh.
Attempts are now being made to distort the public perception of incumbent Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and present her as an ‘autocratic leader.’ The Joe Biden-led-US government is accused of election interference under the pretext of ‘saving democracy’ and conducting ‘free and fair elections’ in the Islamic Republic.
On Thursday (2nd November), Time magazine put Sheikh Hasina on its front cover and accused the Bangladeshi Prime Minister of comprising democratic values in the country.
It published a contentious article titled ‘Sheikh Hasina and the Future of Democracy in Bangladesh’ to cast aspersions about the state of affairs in the nation. This bears an uncanny resemblance to Time magazine’s hitjob against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The targeting of Sheikh Hasina by the US government’s embedded media apparatus comes just days after US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, directed the ruling Awami League to engage in dialogue with the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Testing the parties' interest in dialogue, the US Embassy in #Bangladesh calls for the parties to sit together "without preconditions"https://t.co/hYLFnDArPo
Haas went out of his way to conduct a meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and claimed, “Any action that undermines the democratic elections process — including violence, preventing people from exercising their right to peaceful assembly and internet access – call into question the ability to conduct free and fair elections.”
On Saturday (28th October), the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US State Department tweeted, “The United States condemns today’s political violence in Dhaka. We call for calm and restraint on all sides and will review all violent incidents for possible visa restrictions.”
The development came hours after members of the Opposition BNP clashed with the police and engaged in violence in the hopes of ousting the ruling Awami League government.
The United States condemns today's political violence in Dhaka. We call for calm and restraint on all sides and will review all violent incidents for possible visa restrictions.
In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinkedn introduced a new visa policy, restricting the travel of Bangladeshis who are supposedly involved in undermining democratic elections in Bangladesh.
He had said in a tweet, “Today, I announced a new visa policy to promote free and fair elections. Under this policy, we can impose visa restrictions on individuals and their immediate family members if they are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.”
Today, I announced a new visa policy to promote free and fair elections. Under this policy, we can impose visa restrictions on individuals and their immediate family members if they are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 24, 2023
“Our message today to the people of Bangladesh is that we stand behind you,” the spokesperson for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, justified the arm twisting.
.@StateDeptSpox discusses new policy to restrict the issuance of visas for Bangladeshi individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Bangladesh’s democratic election process: “Our message today to the people of Bangladesh is that we stand behind you.” pic.twitter.com/FdvtCp2rzP
In July 2023, Miller dismissed allegations of electoral interference by the US government in Bangladesh.
He claimed in defence, “I don’t know why anyone would object to us calling for free and fair elections. And as I said in response to another question earlier, we don’t consider it interference in internal affairs when other countries raise our elections process with us. We welcome those discussions as an opportunity to strengthen our democracy, and we don’t know why any other countries would object.“
“We do not support one political party over the other; we support a genuine democratic process,” the spokesperson for the US State Department justified its government’s policy to undermine foreign governments in the name of ‘saving democracy.’
On Bangladesh elections
We support a genuine democratic process ——— Matthew Miller State Department Spokesperson, USA
Earlier on February 14, 2023, the Counselor of the State Department, Derek Chollet, visited Bangladesh and warned, “The United States’ strongest partnerships in the world are with strong democracies. And, to the extent democracy is weakening anywhere, it’s going to be a limiting factor in our ability to cooperate.”
“It doesn’t mean we won’t cooperate, it doesn’t mean our relationship won’t be important, but it just will be a limiting factor when it comes to business investment,” he further threatened.
In December last year, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas attended a political event, aimed at highlighting the cases of ‘forced disappearances’ supposedly carried out by the Sheikh Hasina government.
@USAmbBangladesh Peter Haas, met families of victims of enforced disappearance in #Dhaka where they shared their ordeal over the years.
In December 2021, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Bangladesh police’s anti-terror unit, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), alleging human rights abuses.
‘Surrogate’ targeting of Bangladeshi government
Besides its official handles, agencies and diplomats, the United States is casting aspersions on the Sheikh Hasina government through its ‘surrogate’ think tanks, media outlets and sponsored individuals.
For instance, on 29th October, Derek J Grossman of the American think tank ‘RAND Corporation’ tweeted, “Bangladesh is on the verge of political chaos.”
On 26th October this year, the Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT) published a contentious article titled ‘Bangladesh: Government must end torture ahead of elections’ to insinuate that Sheikh Hasina is an oppressive leader with no ‘tolerance’ for dissent.
Screengrab of the article by OMCT
Controversial ‘journalist’ Michael Kugelman, who was part of an anti-India propaganda webinar in 2020, wrote a detailed piece in Foreign Policy, justifying pressure tactics adopted by the Joe Biden administration against the Bangladeshi government.
Screengrab of the article by Michael Kungelman
In August this year, Foreign Policy published an article titled ‘Washington Can Give Bangladesh’s Democracy the Kiss of Life’, rationalising US interference in the 2024 Bangladesh elections.
Sheikh Hasina reacts to US attempt to undermine her govt
The constant virtue signalling has prompted a bitter war of words between the Sheikh Hasina government and the United States. “Is (US President) Biden holding dialogue with Mr Trump? If Biden sits with Trump for dialogue, then I will hold the dialogue (with opposition),” the Bangladeshi PM pointed out.
She emphasised, “No dialogue with the killers. This is Bangladesh. People of the country also do not want any dialogue with killers. “BNP is a terrorist party, as a terrorist party they need to get a good lesson.”
Although Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly reiterated her commitment to conduct free and fair elections, the US government has refused to budge.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused the United States of seeking a regime change in the country. “They are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence,” Hasina said in Parliament.#Bangladeshpic.twitter.com/jvNx9tRo6D
Through its agencies, favourable media houses and representatives based in Bangladesh, the United States is adamant about ‘regime change operation’ in the name of restoring democracy.
“They (US) are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence…It’ll be an undemocratic action,” she said in a statement in April this year.
India must be wary of ‘US interference’ in 2024 Lok Sabha elections
The disturbing development in India’s neighbourhood must be a wake-up call for us ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Having said that, the usual suspects have already hinted that a nefarious ‘regime change’ operation is underway in the country.
In January this year, a Congress-friendly journalist named Anil Tyagi claimed that Rahul Gandhi-led-Bharat Jodo Yatra was a ploy by foreign powers to execute a regime change in India.
He emphasised, “They (foreign powers) wanted to stop the rise of Nazism in India. And who is the man who can do that task? He is none other than Rahul Gandhi, the leader of a large party (Indian National Congress). He has 40 MPs and several MLAs in different States. There is no better alternative.”
“Rahul Gandhi has not been able to highlight the fear factor (Darr ki baat) and the concerns of the global powers. I am breaking news on your channel (Satya Hindi). In the past 4 months, people from different countries, who support a regime change in India, have come here,” Tyagi claimed.
He added, “Those foreign agents are working on tools of regime change in India. This is why Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra is important. What is not important is whether or not he will go to Kashmir and unfurl the tricolour.”
“Rahul had undertaken the 3400 km walk and completed the objective (of the foreign powers). He had successfully communicated what he intended on doing,” Tyagi pointed out.
Is Soros behind Adani issue to target Modi?
George Soros says- "Modi will have to answer on Adani in Parliament. This will significantly weaken Modi's stranglehold on India's federal govt."
In February 2023, Far-left billionaire George Soros had earlier called for the ouster of the Modi government through a ‘regime change’ operation, which he shrewdly labelled ‘democratic revival.’
Again in June this year, US ‘journalist’ Fareed Zakaria asked the US government to invest in regime change tactics instead of seeking healthy bilateral relations with India. “Far better to ally with India’s society itself, expanding ties with its businesses, press, NGOs, cultural groups and others,” he was heard saying.
There have been speculations about Congress scion Rahul Gandhi’s secret visit to the White House during his 10-day tour of the United States.
According to this report Rahul Gandhi went to the White House. Doesn’t say who he met there. The visit has been kept a secret by both sides. pic.twitter.com/BVwsD6rN8X
— Sunanda Vashisht (@sunandavashisht) June 7, 2023
His recent mysterious trip to Uzbekistan has also added to allegations of him being a party to a ‘regime change’ ploy in India. A free and fair election, devoid of foreign interference, is integral to India’s democracy and there cannot be any compromise on it.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have completed the encirclement of Gaza City, the force announced on X, formerly Twitter, on day 28 of the Israel-Hamas war. “The IDF’s priorities are to bring home the children, women and men, who are being held hostage by Hamas and to make sure Hamas will no longer have the ability to attack Israelis. The IDF is doing everything in its power to achieve this,” IDF posted on X.
The IDF’s priorities are to bring home the children, women and men, who are being held hostage by Hamas and to make sure Hamas will no longer have the ability to attack Israelis.
The Israeli War Room said that the Gaza City defense lines are collapsing and that the IDF may be able to reach the city center within hours as they move closer to leadership hideouts. The head of the terrorist group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has reportedly fled to Iran.
#BREAKING Gaza City defense lines collapsing, IDF may be able to reach the city center within hours as they move closer to leadership hideouts; Haniyeh to urgently fled to Iran (✍️Ron ben-Yishai, Ynet)
Meanwhile, attacks from the Palestinian terrorist group continue from underground tunnels in Gaza, however Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the IDF is advancing. “We’re at the height of the battle. We’ve had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing,” Netanyahu reportedly said.
היום עם הלוחמים שלנו בשטח. יש לנו הצלחות מאוד מרשימות, אנחנו כבר יותר מבפאתי העיר עזה. אנחנו מתקדמים. שום דבר לא יעצור אותנו.
אנחנו נתקדם. אנחנו נתקדם וננצח, ונעשה את זה בעזרת ה' ובעזרת הלוחמים הגיבורים שלנו.
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 2, 2023
Gaza City is the centre of Hamas’ terror organisation. Chief of Israel’s military engineers, Brigadier General Iddo Mizrahi said that the troops were encountering mines and booby traps. “Hamas has learned and prepared itself well,” he said.
As the Israeli forces advance further into Hamas’ terror den in Gaza City, the IDF has issued a statement calling for the evacuation of civilians from the area. IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari said, “Israel is not at war with the civilians of Gaza which is why we have encouraged the exit of wounded people from Gaza into Egypt. Our war is against Hamas.”
We the IDF are facilitating the entry of water, food, medicine and medical equipment for the civilians of Gaza.
This is a war between Hamas—a terrorist organization—and the IDF, who are responding to the October 7 Massacre.
The IDF has called on the civilians in northern Gaza and Gaza City to move south, away from Hamas strongholds in the north next to Gaza City. “In the north, there is intense fighting. In the south, there is access to humanitarian aid. We will provide corridors for your safe way to move south,” the IDF has announced.
The IDF has lost 19 soldiers since it launched the ground invasion of Gaza to respond to Hamas terror attack. Among the martyrs was Indian-origin Israeli soldier Staff-Sgt. Halel Solomon. He hailed from Dimona in southern Israel, an area also known as ‘Little India’.
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Staff-Sgt. Halel Solomon was an @IDF soldier of Indian origin, and he has fallen fighting Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives has approved a bill for $14.3 billion in aid to Israel in its fight against the terrorist group. Israel has declared at the beginning of the war its intent to eradicate Hamas from Gaza once and for all as it advances further into Gaza targeting terror infrastructure.
This has left the terrorist group turning to Iran and Hezbollah even as the latter has been launching attacks on Israel from Lebanon at the northern border. Hezbollah chief Nasrallah is expected to deliver a speech on the Israel-Hamas war on 3rd November, which will likely indicate whether the terrorist group and Tehran are going to be directly involved in the attacks against Israel. The Houthis of Yemen have already aided Hamas and launched a “large number of ballistic missiles and drones” towards Israel.
On Friday (3rd November), a video surfaced on the internet showing TV ‘actress’ Urfi Javed getting arrested by the Mumbai Police due to her fashion sense. Two women police officers arrived at one of the Starbucks outlets in Mumbai where Urfi was spotted and asked her to accompany them to the police station. On asking the reason for detention, the Police said that people had complained about her clothes.
The video of the incident is going viral over the internet in which the two women police officers could be seen forcing Urfi Javed to sit in the police vehicle due to her clothes. Javed, meanwhile, could be seen wearing a backless top during the incident.
The video was first posted by one of the renowned paparazzi Instagram accounts named ‘Viral Bhayani’. Bhayani expressed shock and captioned the video which read, “What!! Is this for real?”. The netizens, meanwhile, indicated that the video was scripted and that the arrest of Javed was fake.
“This police looks more like that shown in the Rohit Shetty films,” said one of the users. “Where is the warrant to arrest??” another userasked. “This looks fake, why are the police making reels now?”, another user commented.
Screenshot from Instagram post
Urfi Javed is a TV ‘actress’ and is widely known for her very different fashion sense. She is known to wear ‘unique’ clothes, sometimes made out of safety pins or gunny bags or even mobile sim cards. “It’s my will, my wish. I’ll dress however I want to,” she claims.
Earlier, the ‘actress’ had been in the news after being attacked by Islamists for wearing skimpy clothes. In April this year, the ‘actress shared an image of herself in a bikini on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Her Islamist followers didn’t take kindly to it and harassed her for not dressing modestly at the Islamic festival.
The actress had also revealed how her family, notably her father, disparaged and physically tormented her until she ran away from home at the young age of 17. In another interview in 2021, she disclosed that she did not practice Islam and would never marry a Muslim.
As India registered a record 302 runs win over Sri Lanka in ICC World Cup 2023, former Pakistani cricketer Hasan Raza claimed on Thursday (2nd November) that Indian bowlers are getting some different balls from ICC or BCCI.
On a Pakistani news channel, the former Pakistani cricketer said that ICC or BCCI is providing some special balls only to Indian bowlers due to which Indian bowlers are getting swing even on batting pitches. Hasan Raza also asserted that there should be an ‘inspection’ of balls provided by ICC.
ICC Might Give Different Ball to Indian Bowlers thats why they are Getting Seam and Swing More Than Others.Ex Test Cricketer Hasan Raza.#CWC23#INDvSLpic.twitter.com/7KCQoaz0Qs
“We are not able to understand batsmen playing against other teams but whenever India begins their bowling, bowlers like Shami and Siraj look like when we used to play Allan Donald and Makhaya Ntini in South Africa. There used to be a shine on the ball on one side and there it used to seam and swing, but here I think even the ball is getting changed in second innings. The way ICC is giving these balls, or maybe the third umpire or BCCI is giving…I think these balls should be inspected,” Raza said.
Hasan Raza further asserted that there is no “hardness” in the new ball and that there is some “extra layer or coating” on the ball used by Indian bowlers. The former Pakistani cricketer was shocked at the outstanding performance of Indian bowlers, especially Shami and Siraj and doubted that there was something “wrong” with the balls. It is amusing how the former Pakistani cricketer claims that Indian bowlers are getting special balls instead of appreciating them for their outstanding performance but finds nothing wrong with South Africa’s bowling when the South African bowlers are also performing well in the World Cup.
Hasan Raza also alleged that decisions are being made in favour of India in the matter of DRS. Hasan Raza’s bizarre assertions triggered hilarious reactions from Indian netizens.
One X user wrote, “Chandrayaan-3 uper se dew bhi chhirak deta hai ground me jab bhi Indian batsman batting karne aatey h (Chandrayaan-3 sprinkles dew when Indian batsmen come out to bat).”
Chandrayaan-3 uper se dew bhi chhirak deta hai ground me jab bhi indian batsman batting karne aatey h .
Another X user slammed the Pakistani cricketer saying “It’s puzzling to see the decline in their reverse swing skills now.”
People whose entire history revolves around ball tampering can't be expected to think beyond that. Pakistan used to excel in cricket, especially in the era with fewer cameras and their mastery of reverse swing. It's puzzling to see the decline in their reverse swing skills now.. pic.twitter.com/b7AtJvTX1A
“People whose entire history revolves around ball tampering can’t be expected to think beyond that. Pakistan used to excel in cricket, especially in the era with fewer cameras and their mastery of reverse swing. It’s puzzling to see the decline in their reverse swing skills now,” another X user posted.
Led by a Mohammed Shami fifer, the Indian bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to just 55 runs, winning their seventh game in succession and confirming a semifinal spot. Other than Shami, Mohammed Siraj took three wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah both struck once. Earlier, India made 357/8 in 50 overs against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, powered by half centuries from Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer.
