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Pakistan: School Halloween party raided by police in Karachi, case filed and at least 10 students arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: School Halloween party raided by police in Karachi, case filed and at least 10 students arrested

The cops in Pakistan conducted a raid on the Karachi Grammar School for organising a Halloween party which was allegedly being held without permission. Young people, some of them claimed to be minors, were captured dancing and drinking alcohol and girls were spotted wearing short Western outfits during the celebration. The footage from the gathering has gained traction on social media. At least 10 pupils were reportedly taken into custody during the action. 

The instance transpired at Mianawali House in the DHA (Defence Housing Authority) Phase Four on a property inside the boundaries of the Gizri police station, according to the authorities, who added that SSP (Superintendent of Police) Clifton had been tasked with looking into the matter. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza had taken cognizance of the issue. On 14 October, a First Information Report (FIR) was submitted in this connection at the Gizri police station.

The police have opened a case in compliance with the Narcotics Act and Speaker Act. Eight bottles of wine, speakers and other items were confiscated by them from the bungalow where the dance party was happening. A police squad stormed the location under the inspection of Deputy Superintendent of Police Zulfikar Samu, Umar Tariq Bejari, and the Station House Officer Gizri area.

The property is owned by a person named Khalid Khan while permission for the event was secured by Aayan Ali who also planned it. Around 250 students, predominantly girls, were present at the occasion and their attire sparked concerns among the hardliner majority.

It remained unclear whether the school hosted the celebration or if a third party chose to have it at the aforementioned spot. The matter has prompted the start of an investigation. These kinds of events are common throughout the world, however, they frequently entail a preemptive requirement for inducements or bribery in the Muslim majority country.

Interestingly, the American School Karachi requested permission to host the celebration at the same venue on 13 October.

Source: Oyeyeah

Pakistan is known for its radical adherence to Islamic law which often contradicts science, violates basic human rights and leads to the oppression of already marginalised minorities living in the country, particularly the Hindus. An Assistant Professor of Biology at the Government Postgraduate Degree College in Bannu was recently compelled to issue an apology for teaching a basic biology course on Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

Sher Ali had to apologise on stamp paper as well as declare that ‘women are inferior to men’ as per the writings in the Quran and Hadith. He promised in a three-page document to the office of the Bannu deputy commissioner that “all rational and scientific ideas that are in conflict with Islamic Sharia, including Darwin’s theory of evolution, are falsehood.” Moreover, he was forced to acknowledge that women are inferior to men “in terms of wisdom as specified by Sharia and that unnecessary interaction of women with men is not acceptable.”

Railway Ministry’s proposal to Union Cabinet uses ‘Bharat’ in place of ‘India’ in entire document: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Railway Ministry’s proposal to Union Cabinet uses ‘Bharat’ in place of ‘India’ in entire document: Report

The Railway Ministry has sent a proposal to the Union Cabinet in which it has reportedly dropped “India” and replaced it with “Bharat” in the entire document. According to a report in Times of India, this is perhaps the first proposal for the Cabinet that has used ‘Bharat’ in place of India in every aspect whether the logistics cost, modal share of cargo and country’s economy.

Citing sources, Times of India reported that the usage of ‘Bharat’ is going to be more and more in government documents in the coming days. They noted that ‘India’ and ‘Bharat’ have been used interchangeably in the Constitution and there is nothing wrong in using this in Cabinet proposals.

It is important to note that in recent weeks, official releases have increased the usage of ‘Bharat’ instead of ‘India’.

Earlier, on 26th October, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan noted that there is no difference between ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’. He, however, added that there is a “competition to dispute the concept of Bharat” in the minds of a few “frustrated people”.

Notably, his remarks followed the recommendations of a panel responsible for revising NCERT social science textbooks. The panel proposed that ‘India’ should be replaced with ‘Bharat’ in all social science textbooks up to Class 12.

According to the chairman CI Isaac, the panel suggested replacing the name “India” with “Bharat” in textbooks. Additionally, it also proposed to introduce “classical history” instead of “ancient history” in the curriculum, and include the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in the syllabus.

According to Isaac, the call for it was made uncontested by the seven-member high-level committee, and it was also mentioned in the panel’s final position document on social sciences.

“The term India started being used commonly only after the establishment of the East India Company and the battle of Plassey in 1757. On the other hand, the use of the term Bharat dates back more than 5,000 years. Against this backdrop, all the seven-panel members decided to recommend the use of Bharat in textbooks for students in all classes,” Issac was quoted as saying.

Notably, the Indian Constitution defines India as Bharat as it notes that “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” Bharat is an age-old name. The use of the name Bharat finds its mention in ancient texts such as Vishnu Purana, which is 7,000 years old, Issac noted.

The India-Bharat name row gained prominence after the Union government was seen promoting the usage of the name Bharat, with invitations to the G20 presidential dinner in September stating that the event would be hosted by the “President of Bharat.” Similarly, the nameplate in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Heads of State summit later included the word Bharat as opposed to India.

Punjab: Man held captive and beaten to death in Gurudwara over suspicion of theft in Moga

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Man held captive and beaten to death in Gurudwara over suspicion of theft in Moga

A video from Punjab’s Moga has gone viral online wherein a group of people are seen assaulting a man tied to a grill over the allegation of theft from a local Gurdwara. The victim was later confirmed dead as he succumbed to his injuries. The incident took place on 15th October, however, it came to the fore only after the video of the incident surfaced online.

According to media reports, the incident unfolded in Gurusar Mari Mustafa village in Baghapurana of Moga district. Here a man reportedly named Karam Singh (some reports say Ujagar Singh) broke into Gurdwara Gurpuri Sahib and stole some money from the “Gullak”.

As per a BBC report, on the night of October 14, some people allegedly entered the Gurdwara at night, broke the cash box (gullak) and stole the money. Later when the CCTV footage was checked, the locals identified the accused and caught him.

In the viral video, it is seen that several men are seen dragging the victim and hitting him with sticks while his hands to a grill. The 30-year-old victim Karam Singh was later taken to a hospital, however, he succumbed to his injuries. The victim’s body was sent for postmortem examination. The police said that the autopsy report is yet to come out.

Meanwhile, DSP Jasjot Singh of Sub-Division Baghapurana has said that the police have identified six residents of Gurusar Madi village and filed a case against them under the sections of murder.

“We had booked under Section 174 of CrPC based on the written statement given by the family of the deceased. But now that the video of the beating of the deceased youth has gone viral on social media, we have also registered a case under sections 302, 342, 148, 149 of the IPC and section 67 of the Information Technology Act,” the DSP said.

According to the deceased victim’s mother who works as a farm labourer, her son was alone at home on the day this incident transpired. Seeto Kaur told BBC that she had gone to Rajasthan along with her husband a few days before the incident for work. There she received information that her son had died. She alleged that her son was held captive for stealing a gullak kept there.

Israel-Hamas War: Israeli officer admits to recovering a decapitated baby, paramedic reveals teen girls and women were raped, murdered

OpIndia Staff
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Israel-Hamas War: Israeli officer admits to recovering a decapitated baby, paramedic reveals teen girls and women were raped, murdered

On 27 October, a senior Israeli military official reported that he had discovered a baby’s severed body in one of the kibbutz villages that Hamas had targeted on 7 October. Three days after the bombings, Colonel Golan Vach, the commander of the military search and rescue service disclosed that he found a mother’s body shielding a baby while looking through the wreckage at the Beeri kibbutz.

The officer informed, “When I pulled it over I saw a decapitated baby. I took it up with my hands and I carried it, and I put it in the body bag. I personally did it,” while on a military-organised media tour of another kibbutz.

Israeli officials initially corroborated the assertions that children had been beheaded when they first surfaced in media reports, but its spokesperson denied confirmation. US President Joe Biden also alluded to the beheading of infants, however, his administration subsequently stressed that he had not seen any pictures. The officer also addressed the reason behind the lack of genuine images or videos of babies with their heads removed which is often raised by Hamas supporters.

During a visit to the 700-person Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was completely destroyed in the bombings, the colonel updated reporters that ever since he made the horrifying discovery, people had been asking him about the absence of images. “People ask me how come you did not take a picture. I said, I am sorry, I have children. I have limitations. I have limits. I do not take a picture of a decapitated baby.”

Meanwhile, a paramedic from Israel’s elite rescue squad, Unit 669, was dispatched to save civilians in southern Israel in the early hours of the fateful day. The paramedic, who is referred to as ‘G’ because he requested anonymity mentioned to have seen Hamas terrorists infiltrate Israel. He described seeing an adolescent girl being raped by Hamas assailants and then executed in an interview with India Today TV. He branded the group as “barbarian savages” as a result of this occurrence and others.

He voiced that the possibility of a three-pronged assault from Gaza, Iran and Hezbollah exacerbates the situation in southern Israel. G noted that in spite of these difficulties, he and the other paramedics are devoted to their responsibility of protecting their nation. He declared, “Israel has always been a beacon of peace, willing to sacrifice for it.” He inquired if other nations would stand years of bombardment by missiles without striking back.

G added that he hoped Hamas would be pressured by the Iranian government to seek peace. He underlined how critical it is for nations to work together to fight terrorism and protect innocent citizens. A leading unit of Israel’s special forces, Unit 669 is also called the Special Tactics Rescue Unit.

According to Israel, Hamas attacked kibbutz communities, cities and military bases in southern Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking at least 229 hostages. The country proclaimed that shockingly many of the fatalities were women and children, however, the exact number was not provided. Hamas has refuted claims that its members killed infants during the cross-border operations, but evidence pointed to the opposite. 

Hamas health ministry alleged 3,038 children were among the 7,326 individuals who died as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 7 October which happened in preparation for the much-anticipated ground assault. Both the United States and Israel have expressed doubts about the Hamas tolls.

Gujarat: Bangladeshi national with Al Qaeda link arrested by Surat Police with fake Aadhar Card, wanted by NIA in terror cases

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Bangladeshi national with Al Qaeda link arrested by Surat Police with fake Aadhar Card, wanted by NIA in terror cases

On 27th October (Friday), the Surat Crime Branch arrested a Bangladeshi national with alleged links to terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda. The arrested Bangladeshi national has been identified as Abu Bakr Hazrat Ali alias Alim Haq Bayjar Ali Khan (31). According to the security officials, he was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in terror recruitment and several other cases of subversive activities.

As per the officials, Abu Bakar is a member of the global terror outfit, Al-Qaeda’s Indian unit AQIS. Bakar used a forged Aadhaar and stayed in Ahmedabad. He also acquired a mobile phone number through the fake Aadhaar card. During interrogation, Bakar revealed that he changed his name and had been living in Ahmedabad since 2015 after entering India illegally.

As per the officials, investigations revealed that he was in contact with another Bangladeshi and a Hawala trader Humayu Khan via Instagram, who is also a wanted Al Qaeda cadre. 

When Surat Crime Branch arrived to arrest him, Bakar claimed that he was an Indian citizen and offered to show his Aadhar card. However, it was discovered that it was a fake Aadhar card. Apart from fake Aadhar card, Police also recovered two mobile phones and other documents from his possession. 

They found his Bangladeshi national identity card’s copy, his birth certificate’s English and Bangla language copies. While he was residing in Ahmedabad under a changed name, he had left Ahmedabad and reached Surat two days ago fearing his arrest.

Regarding the arrest, the Surat Crime Branch issued a press release, it stated, “The team received information about an accused who has links to organisations such as Al Qaeda. Acting on the information, the crime branch team went to Vesu, Canal Road, Surat, and apprehended accused Abu Bakar Hazrat Ali alias Aleem Haq Bayjar Ali Khan.” 

It added, “Surat police discovered an Indian document Aadhaar Card, a copy of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh National I.D. Card, a copy of the accused’s birth certificate in English and Bangladeshi, and two mobile phones during the investigation.” 

The crime branch officials added that the NIA had registered a case against Bakar and two others. As per the officials, accused Al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Bakar used to work as a tailor in a T-shirt company in Ahmedabad. 

He was also in touch with Humayun Khan. Khan, a resident of Kolkata and a native of Bangladesh, is another accused wanted in the investigation. As per the officials, he is a hawala businessman and Bakar used to send money to him.

Surat’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Rupal Solanki said, “Abu Bakar arrested by the NIA was accused of providing funds to Al Qaeda with one Humayun Khan. Bakar is a Bangladeshi national who has been living in Gujarat. A fake Aadhar card and other fake certificates have been recovered from him. Further investigation in the terror funding case is on.”

Earlier in May, the Gujarat ATS busted an active cell of Al-Qaeda after it arrested 4 illegal Bangladeshis. The accused were identified as Mohammed Sojibmiya, Munna Khalid Ansari, Azarul Islam Ansari and Abdul Latif. According to the ATS, the accused attempted to radicalise people in Gujarat and sent money to Bangladesh as well. Fake documents and incriminating literature were recovered from their home.

Iran: 16-year-old girl Armita Geravand who was attacked by police for not wearing hijab dies after being declared brain dead

ANI
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Iran: 16-year-old girl Armita Geravand who was attacked by police for not wearing hijab dies after being declared brain dead

A 16-year-old Iranian girl, Armita Geravand who was hospitalised and was in coma for weeks after an incident on Tehran’s Metro while she was not wearing a headscaf has died, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

“Unfortunately, she went into a coma for some time after suffering from brain damage. She died a few minutes ago,” IRNA reported, as cited by Reuters.

Geravand was pronounced brain-dead after she fell into a coma on October 1, following an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country’s hijab law.

The 16-year-old girl lost her consciousness inside the metro cabin when she was on her way to school.

CCTV footage released by IRNA news agency showed Geravand being pulled out of the train by her female accompaniers a few seconds after entering it, according to a previous report by the Tehran Times.

The Iranian daily reported that apart from Armita’s friends and a female adult, who was later revealed to have been a nurse, surrounding her non-responsive body on the ground, other passengers were seen rushing towards the cabin in a hurry to reach their destination.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

West Bengal: BJP MLA says TMC goons led by nephew of party’s district council member Juel Siddiqui Rehman attacked her car

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: BJP MLA says TMC goons led by nephew of party’s district council member Juel Siddiqui Rehman attacked her car

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury said that TMC goons led by the nephew of a leader of the Trinamool Congress attacked her car on Friday (October 27) night. The incident reportedly happened near the Milki police outpost area in West Bengal’s Malda district, when the BJP leader was en route from the Manek Chowk constituency after visiting party workers’ homes.

The BJP MLA said that four people on motorcycles targeted her vehicle. She accused the nephew of Juel Siddiqui Rehman, who is a member of the TMC District Council of being behind the attack.

In a video shared by ANI, one can see the rear screen of the BJP MLA’s car smashed.

Speaking about the incident, Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury said, “Last night, I visited the homes of party workers in Manek Chowk constituency. At around 10.45 pm, I was returning back from there. In the English Bazar area, a loud noise was heard from the back of the car… We saw that the rear glass of the car was completely smashed… Fortunately, I was not hurt… My security caught two people there. The PSO with me said that 4 people on the bike hit the car, and two of them escaped… Police reached the spot… The father of one of the people caught also came there. His name was Mudassir Rehman. He said that his brother, Juel Siddiqui Rehman, is a member of the District Council… Juel’s brother’s son was one of the attackers, his name is in the report… Juel Siddiqui Rehman is an elected leader of the TMC..,” Chaudhury said.

West Bengal has a history of political violence but it has peaked since the Trinamool Congress Party has been in power in the state. NCRB data shows that between 2010 and 2019, West Bengal witnessed the highest number of political killings in India at 161.

In recent years, however, the ruling TMC party workers have shifted their focus to the BJP, which has grown to be the TMC’s main challenge in the state. This year, ahead of the rural panchayat elections, fresh incidents of violence were reported in West Bengal, resulting in six more casualties, bringing the total death toll to 48.

According to the MHA, 693 incidents of violence and 11 deaths were reported during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state. Even post-elections, as many as 852 cases of political violence were reported from June 1 to December 31, 2019, which led to the deaths of 61 people.

In 2020, the MHA report said, 663 incidents were recorded, in which 57 people were killed.

Israeli airstrike kills Head of Hamas aerial array, had commanded terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders for October 7 terror attack

OpIndia Staff
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Israeli airstrike kills Head of Hamas aerial array, had commanded terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders for October 7 terror attack

On 28th October (Saturday), the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that it eliminated the Head of Aerial Array of the terror outfit Hamas in an overnight airstrike in Gaza. The head of Hamas’s so-called aerial array Issam Abu Rakaba has been killed in an overnight airstrike, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security services announced, as reported by Times of Israel.

According to the Israeli military, Abu Rakaba was responsible for the terror group’s drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), paragliders, aerial detection systems, and air defences. He played a role in the planning and execution of the 7th October terror attack by Hamas. He directed the terrorists who entered southern Israel on paragliders, as well as the drone attacks on IDF observation posts, Israeli forces added.

Taking to X, the IDF stated, “Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck Asem Abu Rakaba, the Head of Hamas’ Aerial Array. Abu Rakaba was responsible for Hamas’ UAVs, drones, paragliders, aerial detection and defence. He took part in planning the October 7 massacre and commanded the terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders and was responsible for the drone attacks on IDF posts.”

Earlier, on 14th October, the IDF announced that it had struck and killed the previous head of Hamas’s aerial forces, Murad Abu Murad.

Apart from the head of the Aerial array of Hamas, IDF has neutralised more than 20 top commanders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah during the course of Israel-Hamas war which entered 22nd day on 28th October. 

During the overnight ground operation (on 27th October) in the Gaza Strip, there were a number of clashes between troops and Hamas terrorists. According to the IDF, no soldiers were reported hurt in the clashes but they managed to kill several Hamas terrorists in the raid, and destroyed infrastructure belonging to the terror group.

The IDF infantry, combat engineering forces, and tanks still remain inside the Gaza Strip as the ground operation continues in the Palestinian enclave, Times of Israel reported. However, the IDF has described the raid as an “expanded ground activity,” rather than a full ground offensive. 

In addition to ground operations, the Israeli Air Force struck around 150 underground sites belonging to the Hamas terror group.

Meanwhile, on 27th October, the IDF stressed that Hamas is using hospitals in Gaza as its operational bases. IDF further said that Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, is being used as the main command centre by the Palestinian terror group. The IDF also said that Hamas is stealing electricity and fuel from Gaza hospitals.

In a tweet, the IDF said, “Hamas operates within and hides beneath the largest hospital in Gaza. Their priorities are clear—and the people of Gaza are not among them.”

In another tweet, the IDF asserted that the Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, had been acting as the main headquarters for Hamas’ terrorist activity. It added that terrorism does not belong in a hospital and the IDF will operate to uncover any terrorist infrastructure.

PCB hints at sacking Babar Azam as Pakistan captain after a string of defeats in cricket World Cup; murmurs of players being unpaid grow

OpIndia Staff
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PCB hints at sacking Babar Azam as Pakistan captain after a string of defeats in cricket World Cup; murmurs of players being unpaid grow

On Thursday (26th October), the Pakistan Cricket Board issued a press release in which it cryptically hinted that Babar Azam’s captaincy could be sacked after the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Notably, the Pakistan Cricket Board has not paid any salary to any cricketer in the past several months.

The press release said, “The PCB acknowledges the emotions and sentiments of cricket fans following the three consecutive defeats faced by the national team in the ICC World Cup 2023. In this challenging environment, the board administration hopes that the cricketing fraternity and fans will continue to support captain Babar Azam and the entire Pakistan cricket team.”

It added, “The national team still has four crucial matches remaining in the round-robin stage, and the PCB is optimistic that the team will regroup, overcome the setbacks and perform positively and effectively in the upcoming fixtures.”

PCB said, “Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board’s stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023.”

Hinting at the sacking of Babar Azam’s captaincy, the Board said, “Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team’s performances in the World Cup. At present, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event.”

Earlier this week, Babar Azam-led Pakistani team encountered an unexpected loss to Afghanistan, marking their first defeat in ODIs against Afghanistan. This defeat has significantly impacted their position, leaving them with a negative Net Run Rate (NRR) in the points table of the current tournament. Babar’s leadership choices were heavily criticised, with several former Pakistani cricket stars, such as Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi, and Misbah-ul-Haq, questioning his defensive strategies.

In a TV show on the Pakistani channel PTV Sports, Pakistani cricket team’s former captain Rashid Latif said, “There are a lot of things going on in the Pakistani media. The things which should not be known are becoming the news. And it happens so easily in Pakistan. They can be false news. But they need to be stopped. Babar Azam has been texting the PCB chairman for the last two days and he is not getting any reply. Why he is not replying to the captain of our team? And then the board is issuing such press releases and telling players that we will review the central contract that you have signed once again.”

Rashid Latif added, “The players have not received any salary for the last five months. How will the players play the game then? These things were not told but I thought let it go a bit farther. There are so many things behind it. I want to tell you all those things. But right now we are discussing this cricket world Cup. Otherwise, it would have been a separate show of 2 hours to discuss these things.”

Rashid Latif further said, “Who is facing the problems? You see media houses that are abruptly shut down by the IB ministry. They are facing the problems. Our captain’s character is a choker. This is not done. Everything depends on him. You get 40 crore rupees for a tournament. Franchise are after you. Pressure is increasing. What happened to Rizwan in the match against Afghanistan? He was in the trouble. He did not want to put the sticker of the company. The franchise is forcing him to do so. He is also forced by the people who have issued a press release now. The Board members have no right to talk. Let this World Cup finish. We will see much more after this.”

Despite initial expectations that the Pakistan Cricket Team would easily secure a spot in the Cricket World Cup semifinals, their journey has been far from abysmal. They first faced a defeat at the hands of Team India, and this loss seemed to set the tone for their subsequent matches. Their misfortunes continued as they suffered a 62-run loss to Australia and an additional blow with an 8-wicket loss to their neighbours Afghanistan. To add to their string of disappointments, South Africa clinched a victory over Pakistan by a single wicket on Friday (27th October), marking their fourth consecutive loss.

Former Hamas chief virtually addresses rally by Jamaat e Islami youth wing in Kerala’s Malappuram, ‘Buldoze Hindutva, unroot Zionism’ slogans raised

OpIndia Staff
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Former Hamas chief virtually addresses rally by Jamaat e Islami youth wing in Kerala’s Malappuram, ‘Buldoze Hindutva, unroot Zionism’ slogans raised

In a shocking development from Malappuram in Kerala, Khaled Mashal, the former chief of the terrorist organisation Hamas, virtually addressed a ‘solidarity event’ organised by the Solidarity Youth Movement at 4:30 pm on 27 October. The group is the youth wing of the extremist Jamaat-e-Islami Hind outfit. The terrorist leader reportedly called for the annihilation of Hinduism and Zionism in his address.

In his speech, Khalid asked people present at the rally to extend unconditional support to Hamas and made anti-Hindu comments. Anti-Hindu slogans were raised in the rally held in Malappuram, and the audience is heard applauding the address of Khaled Mashal playing on a large screen. They supported his call and vowed to support Hamas terrorists.

Khaled Mashal’s video address was around 7 minutes long, during which slogans like ‘Buldoze Hindutva’ and ‘unroot Zionism’ were chanted by the audience. It is not confirmed whether the video address was live or it was a recorded one.

Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party President K Surendran took to social media to condemn the incident and termed it “alarming.” He questioned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the state’s police force and their inaction. The leader added, “Under the guise of ‘Save Palestine,’ they’re glorifying Hamas, a terrorist organisation and its leaders as ‘warriors.’ This is unacceptable!” He also tagged the Office of the Home Minister in his comment and sought its intervention and investigation into the matter.

Who is Khaled Mashal

Khaled Mashal is a leader and former head of the Palestinian terrorist outfit Hamas. He rose to prominence as the head of Hamas’s branch in Kuwait following the group’s formation in 1987. He became the leader of its politburo in 1992 and one of its founding members. He was acknowledged as the head of Hamas following Israel’s assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his replacement, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in the spring of 2004.

Hamas stunned the world by winning a majority of the seats in the Palestinian legislative election in 2006 under his leadership. He, however, stepped down as the politburo chairman at the end of his term limit in 2017. Khaled Mashal’s family was forced to leave the West Bank after the 1967 Six-Day War and he has since lived in exile in various Arab countries. He was regarded as a member of Hamas’ “external leadership” as a result.

Anti-Israel rally in Kozhikode

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and Lok Sabha Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was criticised by the BJP in Kerala on 27 October for attending the Indian Union Muslim League’s anti-Israel demonstration on 26 October and labelled it a “pro-Hamas” gathering. Tens of thousands of IUML supporters expressed their opposition to the Jewish state by taking to the streets of Kozhikode. 

IUML members accompanied by hundreds of women chanted slogans like “Solidarity with Palestine,” “Down with Zionism,” and carried banners which read “Indians with Palestine” and “End the Genocide in Gaza,” among other things. The group’s state president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal alleged that Israel is the world’s largest terrorist state and claimed that the Indian government was trying to whitewash the country. The rally justified horrors perpetrated by Hamas as “resistance.”

Shashi Tharoor who was invited as the chief guest referred to Hamas as terrorists and described the assault on Israel as a “terrorist act.” However, after receiving harsh criticism from leftists and Hamas supporters he withdrew his comments and accused his opponents of misrepresenting the message.

K Surendran voiced concern that the situation was being exploited to inflame communal tensions in the state. He charged that anti-national slogans had been raised throughout the programme. He asserted that the parliamentarian presence at the event was a ploy to win over communal factions and branded it treason to back Hamas which he contended supported forces hostile to India.

In addition, he accused the latter of attempting to take advantage of communal division in advance of the next general elections. He further accused senior IUML leader and former minister M K Munner who is presently serving as an MLA of equating Hamas terrorists with freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh.

Meanwhile, Israel has pledged to eliminate Hamas following the 7 October terror attack and minimise injury to Gaza’s civilian population and has stated that its campaign against the Iran-backed terror group is intended to destroy its infrastructure. The Israeli military also informed that its “ground forces are expanding” their operations in Gaza.

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