On Thursday, October 26, the Kerala police arrested three SDPI members for allegedly attacking RSS workers. The incident took place on Sunday, October 22, while the RSS members were returning home after attending a Dusshera rally in Karunagapalliin the Kollam district of Kerala. The accused were identified as 26-year-old Naufal, a resident of Karunagapally Thazhava; 24-year-old Yasim of Kulasekharapuram Siya Mansil and 23-year-old Ajmal, a resident of the Thazhava village in Kollam, Kerala.
The victims were identified as Akshay Kumar, Madhun Lal, and Kiran, all residents of the Punnamkulam town in the Thrissur district of Kerala.
The police said that all three accused who are members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) which is the political wing of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) have a criminal history.
After the RSS procession on Sunday night, the RSS workers got off the bus at Puthiyakavu and were heading home when the accused Naufal, Yasim and Ajmal attacked them.
Akshay Kumar suffered serious injuries in the incident and was admitted to Karunagappally Taluk Hospital. His arm was broken by the SDPI goons.
Akshay and the other witnesses gave their statements to the police, based on which the police registered a case against the three accused SDPI members.
Witness statements and circumstantial evidence were used to identify the accused, the police said, adding that Naufal and Ajmal are accused in several criminal cases.
The police also revealed that since the accused had in the past absconded to Goa and Karnataka after committing various crimes, this time they deployed police units at various railway stations and bus stands to make sure that the accused do not get the chance to flee. Although the accused had switched off their mobile phones, the Karunagappally police team located their hiding place and apprehended them from Kayamkulam, 15 km north of Karunagapally.
On 28 September 2022, the Central government banned the Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) and eight of its associates for five years under a stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having links with global terror organisations, including ISIS. However, its political affiliate Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) was the only organisation of the radical Islamist outfit that was not banned by the Central government last year. Therefore, after being declared illegal in September of last year, the Popular Front of India (PFI) made SDPI a backyard of its erstwhile cadres to continue its operations in states like Karnataka and Kerala.
It may be noted that before the central government had banned PFI, the Kerala High Court had observed that the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) are extremist organisation indulging in serious acts of violence. The Kerala High Court further noted that both SDPI and PFI have a history of attacking members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The murder of RSS worker A Sanjith by SDPI goons
On November 15, 2021, a 26-year-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker Sanjith was hacked to death in front of his wife in Ellapully, Palakkad. In broad daylight, the assailants who came in a car waylaid Sanjith’s bike and attacked him in front of many people including his wife.
As per reports, many of the accused in the case was linked to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the extremist Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
On January 24 this year, Mohammad Haroon, the key conspirator behind the case was arrested by Kerala Police. Haroon was actively involved in planning the murder along with other associates from the SDPI.
The Tamil Nadu police have filed a case against a man for hurling a petrol bomb outside the main gate of the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on 25th October. A senior police official reportedly said that the accused is being interrogated to determine the motive behind the attack.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: A petrol bomb was hurled outside Raj Bhavan today in Chennai. A complaint has been lodged in Guindy police station.
The accused has been identified as a history sheeter named K Vinoth, who is a habitual offender with reportedly 6-7 cases against him. A case has been registered against him under sections 436, 353, 506(ii) IPC, Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act and Section 4 of the TNPDL Act.
The same accused was responsible for the attack on Tamil Nadu BJP’s headquarters in Chennai in February 2022.A tweet by the official handle of Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan read, “Raj Bhavan was attacked today afternoon. Miscreants carrying bombs tried to barge in through the main gate. However, alert sentries prevented and assailants hurled two petrol bombs inside Raj Bhavan and escaped.”
Raj Bhavan was attacked today afternoon. Miscreants carrying bombs tried to barge in through the main gate. However, alert sentries prevented and assailants hurled two petrol bombs inside Raj Bhavan and escaped.@PMOIndia@HMOIndia@PIB_India@DDNewslive@ANI@PTI_News
Initial reports had suggested that two petrol bombs were hurled but the police reportedly told PTI that only one bomb was used and “it did not create any impact the way the accused expected”. The attack damaged the barricades and some plants.
A complaint has been filed at Guindy police station. Additional Commission of Chennai police Prem Anand Sinha said, “Around 3 pm, an unidentified person tried to throw some bottles of petrol outside Raj Bhavan near barricades. As soon as this was noticed by the security personnel present there, they surrounded him, confiscated other bottles from his hand and immediately handed him over to the patrol vehicle and took him to the police station.”
He further said that the accused seemed drunk. “There is absolute alert and proper bandobast in front of the Raj Bhavan.” Security was heightened outside the Governor’s House following the attack.
Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai took to X, formerly Twitter, criticising the law and order situation in the DMK-ruled state. “Petrol bombs were hurled at Raj Bhavan today, reflects the true law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. While DMK is busy diverting the attention of people to insignificant matters of interest, criminals have taken the streets.”
Petrol bombs were hurled at Raj Bhavan today, reflects the true law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. While DMK is busy diverting the attention of people to insignificant matters of interest, criminals have taken the streets.
Annamalai said that the continuous spate of attacks leaves one to think that the “DMK government is sponsoring these attacks”. “Thiru @mkstalin will now be preparing for the next diversion, as he always does,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, political commentator Sumanth C Raman in what looks like a retort to Annamalai, said that hurling two petrol bombs does not break law and order in the state.
Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate. #PetrolBomb
Taking to X, Raman downplayed the intensity of the attack, writing that “Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate.”
When a user replied with a counter, Raman added, “A petrol bomb is nothing but petrol set alight with some cloth in a bottle and thrown.”
The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) has condemned the attack even as it has announced that it will proceed with its demonstration on Saturday, 28th October. The TMMK will reportedly lay siege to Raj Bhavan seeking premature release of 49 prisoners including Muslims.
The Congress party on Thursday (26th October), raised questions over the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya which is scheduled to happen on 24th of January, 2024. It seemed that the party desperately wanted to be part of the event as it questioned why only BJP and PM Modi were extended the invitation to the inauguration.
Congress leader Salman Khurshid raised the question around the inauguration ceremony and asked whether the invitation was being sent to only one party. “Is this becoming a party event now? God belongs to everyone. Every party should have received the invitation. They should have at least made it clear that everyone will be invited. I have not come across any such statement,” the Congress leader was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Congress leader from Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath said that he was happy that the Ram Mandir is being built but expressed unhappiness over PM Modi being invited by the temple trust for the event. “Does the Ram Mandir belong to the BJP? It belongs to everyone in our country. It is a very big symbol of our Sanatana Dharma. I am very happy that the Ram Mandir is finally being built,” he said.
This is after the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Trust invited Prime Minister Modi on 25th October to inaugurate the temple and establish Lord Ram’s idol in the Garbhagriha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. PM Modi also welcomed the invitation and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to witness such a historic event.
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।
While the Congress leaders accused the BJP of allegedly politicizing the construction and inauguration of Ram Mandir ahead of the 2024 General Elections, it seemed that the leaders desperately wanted to be part of the event. The leaders expressed happiness over the inauguration ceremony of the Hindu temple and also ‘lauded’ the Sanatan Dharma ahead of the elections.
The Congress has always played safe when things have revolved around the Ram Mandir. They made all the attempts to please the Hindus and the Islamists but ended up standing by the Islamists for the votes. Some of the Congress leaders expressed happiness over the Ram Mandir while maximum of the party leaders have criticized the construction of the Ram Mandir in favor of the Islamists in the past.
Congress leaders mocking Ram Mandir, insulting Lord Rama
It is to be recalled how Congress leaders and its allies have refused to believe in the existence of Lord Rama and mocked the construction of the Ram temple. Recently, DMK leader TKS Elangovan described Lord Rama’s birth as ‘mythology’ and alleged that the BJP was trying to replace history with mythology.
“They have demolished history and replaced it with mythology. Any country should be proud of its history, it should know the history. Ram’s birth is mythology, it is a story from Ramayana. It is literature. They want to replace history with mythology. That is what the BJP is trying to do. With these people in power, what can we expect?… He wants to make use of it as a political tool. He is not interested in Ram. BJP does not consider Ram as an important thing but their political gain becomes important so they are making use of Ram for their political gains,” the leader was quoted as saying.
Also, in June 2023, Rahul Gandhi’s ‘mentor’ Sam Pitroda mocked the Hindu deities while accusing the BJP of focusing only on religious matters. “We have a problem with unemployment, inflation, education, health. No one talks about these things. But everyone talks about Ram, Hanuman, mandir,” he had said during an event hosted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The video of the incident had massively gone viral over the internet then.
Sam Pitroda insulting Ram Mandir and Hinduism at Rahul Gandhi's US event.
Further, Kapil Sibal who was earlier a member of Congress had appeared for the Sunni Waqf Board and Babri Masjid Action Committee in the Supreme Court to term the case as a ‘trap’ laid by the BJP. “This judgment is going to have huge political ramifications. A party is pushing its manifesto. The court should not fall into a trap. This is nothing but a trap,” he had said in the year 2017. Sibal was then slammed by the netizens for the choice of his clients and the stance taken by him.
Sibal had been accusing the BJP of using the Ram Mandir issue for its political gains. He recently reiterated his stance saying that ‘no one becomes Ram by building Ram Mandir. People must learn to walk on the path of Ram.”
To the BJP
How many times will you use Lord Ram for political gain ?
Why don’t you embrace the virtues of Lord Ram :
His : valor, chivalry, loyalty, compassion, love, obedience, courage, and equipoise
Your governance does not display any of these virtues !
In the year 2018, Congress leader P Chidambaram mocked the idea of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and said that BJP was only focusing on building temples and giant statues. “At the beginning of five years, the promise is for Development, Jobs, and Money in every citizen’s bank account. Nothing was achieved, but at the end of five years, the new promise was for grand temples, giant statues, and doles,” he was quoted as saying. The BJP then slammed the leader for playing with the sentiments of Hindus.
As if denying the reality of Lord Ram wasn’t enough, the grand old party of India in 2022 came up with fresh ways to ridicule Hinduism. The leaders compared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Lord Rama as the former embarked on his political stunt called ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
It's a coincidence that Rahul Gandhi, Lord Ram's names begin with R: Congress' Nana Patole
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole in a statement compared Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi to the Hindu Lord Ram saying that it is a coincidence that the names of both begin with “R”. “Even Lord Sri Ram walked (PadaYatra) from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and even Shankaracharya walked the same way, and so is Rahul Gandhi doing in the form of padayatra,” Patole added.
Nana Patole’s remark came after Rajasthan Minister Parsadi Lal Meena said that Rahul Gandhi walked more than Lord Ram walked from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka. “Rahul Gandhi’s padayatra will be historic. Lord Ram too had gone from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka on foot. Rahul Gandhi is walking even more than that, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir,” Meena had said.
#WATCH | Dausa: Rajasthan Minister Parsadi Lal Meena says, "Rahul Gandhi's padayatra will be historic. Lord Ram too had gone from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka on foot. Rahul Gandhi is walking even more than that, from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir…." (17.10.2022) pic.twitter.com/LPswB0Wh8e
Further, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran also ridiculed Bhagwan Sri Ram, Sri Lakshman, and Sita Mata by distorting Ramayana. He stated in a recent video interview with The New Indian Express (TNIE) that while returning from Lanka on the Pushpaka Vimanam, after defeating Ravana, Lakshman briefly entertained the thought of pushing his brother, Lord Ram, into the sea and go away with his wife Sita.
K Sudhakaran made these bizarre comments while stating that there are significant distinctions between lawmakers from Kerala’s northern and southern regions.
Congress denied the existence of Lord Ram, opposed Ram Mandir
In 2020, ahead of Ayodhya Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan on August 5, Zee News conducted a discussion on Ayodhya and Ram Mandir. In a shocking display of ignorance, Congress leader Kumar Ketkar denied the historical existence of Shri Ram and cast aspersions about the Hindu God being a creation of literature.
In September 2007, the Central government run by Congress-led UPA 1 had said that there is no historical proof of Lord Ram’s existence.
An affidavit filed by the Congress-led government read, “Valmiki Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas admittedly form an important part of ancient Indian literature, but these cannot be said to be historical records to incontrovertibly prove the existence of the characters and occurrences of events depicted therein.” The affidavit was filed to register the UPA government’s opposition to the demand to scrap the Sethusamudram project as it would damage the Ram Setu.
Senior Congress leader of the time, Kapil Sibal fought the Ram Janmabhoomi case for the Sunni Waqf Board opposing the building of a magnificent Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. He also employed dilatory tactics and asked the apex court to delay the decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi case till the 2019 elections. Another eminent Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had earlier claimed that no ‘good Hindu’ would want a Ram Mandir at Babri site. Tharoor urged that one should have the Ram Mandir in one’s heart.
Not long ago, critics questioned the government about Ramjanmabhoomi’s temple inauguration date. Now, with the date set for 22nd January 2024, and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi the same lot of people are seen raising questions on the decision by the Trust. Adding to the distress of liberals and seculars, the invitation won’t be limited to Delhi’s bungalow number 7 on Lok Kalyan Marg (the official residence of the Prime Minister) but will extend to households in 5 lakh villages nationwide.
Kameshwar Chaupal, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, informed OpIndia that the Ram temple’s inauguration rituals commence on 16th January 2024, in Ayodhya. The Pran-Pratishtha rituals are scheduled for 22nd January 2024. During this time, about 5 thousand saints and sages and about 5 thousand people who have done remarkable work in different fields like art, and education will also be present. The celebrations will continue for 2 more days after Pran-Pratishtha
An invitation for Pran-Pratishtha will be sent in the form of Akshat
According to Chaupal, the invitation for the Pran-Pratishtha will reach 5 lakh villages across the country. People are invited to Ayodhya from 50 key centres in November. These individuals will carry ‘Akshat’ from Ayodhya to these centres. The Akshat will then be distributed to the 5 lakh villages from these centres as an invitation for the Pran-Pratishtha. On 22nd January, people in these villages will gather at their local temples to witness the live broadcast of the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony together.
Kameshwar Chaupal, who was a member of the Bihar Legislative Council, is also the provincial president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (South Bihar). He laid the first brick of the foundation of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya on 9 November 1989. After the Supreme Court’s decision in 2019, when the trust was formed for the construction of the temple at Ramjanmabhoomi, he was also given a place in it.
Feel blessed upon receiving the invitation for the Pran-Pratishtha: PM Narendra Modi
On 25th October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an invitation from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust to participate in the Pran-Pratishtha of Lord Shri Ram Lalla at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The Prime Minister shared this information on X through a post.
He wrote, “Hail Siya Ram! Today is a day full of emotions. Recently the officials of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had come to meet me at my residence. He has invited me to come to Ayodhya on the occasion of the consecration of the Shri Ram temple. I feel very blessed. It is my good fortune that in my lifetime, I will witness this historic occasion.”
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।
Why is the Pran-Pratishtha happening on 22nd January 2024?
Kameshwar Chaupal explained that according to Hindu tradition, housewarming is best done during an auspicious period. Hindus have struggled for centuries for the Ram Temple. Due to the auspicious timing on 22nd January 2024, it has been chosen for the Pran-Pratishtha in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly constructed Ram Temple.
It is noteworthy that Lord Shri Ram was born during the Abhijit Yoga. Compared to other dates, this auspicious Yoga will remain for an extended period on 22nd January 2024. This is the reason why this date has been deemed most suitable for the Pran-Pratishtha.
What is Abhijit Yoga?
Abhijit Yoga occurs daily, although its duration varies. Sometimes it lasts only for a moment, while at other times, it extends for a considerable period. It is considered the most auspicious or highly favourable moment of the day. It is believed that commencing any task during this Yoga increases the likelihood of its success.
When can people start visiting the magnificent Ram Temple to get Darshan of the deity?
Kameshwar Chaupal informed OpIndia that from 25th January 2024, the general public will be able to visit the majestic Ram Temple to witness the deity’s presence and get the holy Darshan of Lord Ram. However, the decision regarding which idol will be consecrated in the sanctum sanctorum has not been made yet. Three different idols are being crafted. Similarly, the final decision on who will oversee the Pran-Pratishtha and the decision regarding who will be the patron sages holding the rituals is still pending.
Special darshan will be arranged for the Karsevaks across the country
According to Chaupal, individuals who participated in the movement for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple from 1984 to the Supreme Court’s 2019 ruling will receive a special darshan at the temple. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will extend invitations to karsevaks from various regions, granting them the opportunity to witness the deity. As part of this initiative, karsevaks from Nepal and North Bihar will have darshan on 2nd February 2024, while those from South Bihar and Jharkhand will have their turn on 3rd February 2024.
On 24th October, Florida’s university system chancellor directed state universities to disband campus groups that have ties with the National Students for Justice in Palestine organisation. The step came after Governor Ron DeSantis issued a memo to the school leaders ordering them to crack down on the events held by the pro-Palestinian organisation. Earlier, Governor DeSantis had said in a statement had he been the President, he would have cancelled the visas and deported the foreign students who celebrated terrorism.
When I’m President, if foreign students are out there celebrating terrorism, I will cancel their visas and send them home. pic.twitter.com/BPcVls2w7e
DeSantis also called out the Biden administration for using the First Amendment and the idea of peaceful protest as an excuse for inaction against pro-Hamas protests at college campuses. Quoting NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby’s statement from 23rd October, DeSantis said, “The Biden Administration is dead wrong. No one has a right to come to our country. If foreign students are out there celebrating Hamas’ atrocities, they should have their visas cancelled and be deported.”
The Biden Administration is dead wrong.
No one has a right to come to our country. If foreign students are out there celebrating Hamas’ atrocities, they should have their visas canceled and be deported. pic.twitter.com/F29J6V7I6W
Though DeSantis ordered a crackdown on National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), the other states did not take any steps to stop the pro-Palestinian organisation from supporting Hamas terrorists.
Activist Sarah L Gates shared a thread on X (formerly Twitter) with details about the organisation. Gates also linked a toolkit that NSJP released calling for nationwide protests at the universities in support of the Palestinian cause. While supporting the Palestinian people might not be wrong, the language used by the organisation was highly objectionable and clearly showed that they were supporting the Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas.
Whilst the Governor of Florida @RonDeSantis applied state laws to enforce closure of pro Palestine students groups involved with Hamas Al Aqsa flood national demos, other orgs and states who participated seem not to have the same laws or not to enforce them. ? 1/- pic.twitter.com/SYGrA1f3Ls
The toolkit pointed out that the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel took place on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war, also known as the Yom Kippur War or Ramadan War or the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The Hamas terror attack has been called “Toofan Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Flood)” in the toolkit.
NSJP referred to the Hamas terrorists as “Palestinian resistance” and the Israeli people as “Zionist settler society”. Completely ignoring the fact that the terrorists brutally murdered civilians, NSJP praised the Hamas terrorists for entering Israel and kept referring to it as “illegal Israeli settlements”. Interestingly, the organisation called out Israel for retaliation and claimed 320 Palestinians were killed by 12 PM ET on 8th October. “Despite this, our people choose resistance over negotiated cages on our homeland. Fearlessly, our people struggle for complete liberation and return,” the toolkit read.
NSJP called it a “historic win” for the “Palestinian resistance” across land, air and sea. Calling for protests across the US, the toolkit read, “As the Palestinian student movement, we have an unshakable responsibility to join the call for mass mobilisation.” It added, “National liberation is near-glory to our resistance, to our martyrs, and to our steadfast people.”
The group also called for “normalising the resistance” or seeing the Hamas terrorist attack as just “retaliation” by the people of Palestine. Furthermore, they categorically refused to see the Israelis as “civilians”. The toolkit read, “Settlers are not ‘civilians’ in the sense of the international law because they are military assets used to ensure continued control over stolen Palestinian land”.
Use of ‘paraglider’ as logo for the protest poster
One of the most disturbing aspects of the protests called by the group was the use of a ‘paraglider’ as the logo for the protest poster. For those who are unaware, Hamas terrorists used paragliders to enter Israel and landed in the middle of a music festival with thousands of unaware and innocent festival-goers. They opened fire at them, killed them without caring about the nationality of the attendees, raped the women alongside dead bodies, abducted attendees and created unimaginable havoc. The poster is still available on the Instagram account of the group.
Source: Instagram
In response to the call for the pro-Hamas protests, several student organisations came out. Here are a couple of tweets of such protests.
University of Washington Professor of Middle Eastern Dance participated in Pro Hamas protest yesterday. Protesters in video are chanting “Sacrifice our soul and blood for Palestine” in Arabic.
Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is a network of student groups in the United States that uses inflammatory rhetoric and dissemination of anti-Israel propaganda in the name of advocating for the Palestinian cause. SJP has also initiated boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) campaigns against Israel, which some view as counterproductive to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. SJP’s tactics include disrupting pro-Israel events and setting up symbolic “apartheid walls” to highlight the perceived mistreatment of Palestinians. The group also promotes “anti-normalisation,” which can hinder dialogue between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel advocates.
Although some chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) claim to condemn anti-Semitism, they tend to vilify Jewish students who support Zionism or Israel. This creates a hostile environment on campus. SJP was established in 2001 at the University of California, Berkeley. Later, it unified under the Palestine Solidarity Movement (PSM) in 2006 with the support of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). The National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) conference was established in 2011, and since then, SJP’s influence has grown. Some chapters hold more extremist views, including advocating for the dismantling of Israel, potentially endorsing violence, and rejecting dialogue with Jewish people.
Israel Hamas war
On 7th October, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with over 5,000 rockets in a matter of few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza. In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, thousands have been reportedly killed in the Israel-Hamas war. The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,400, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza as over 400,000 Gaza residents were evacuated. India has launched its own Operation Ajay to evacuate Indians from Israel during this conflict.
On Thursday, October 26, the Court of First Instance of Qatar awarded a death sentence to the eight decorated ex-Indian Navy officers whom the Qatari intelligence service had arrested in Doha last year on charges of espionage. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has reacted strongly to the verdict saying that India is “deeply shocked.” MEA added that it would continue to extend all consular and legal assistance to secure the release of the eight former Indian Navy officers.
“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options. We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities. Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” the statement by MEA read.
It may be noted that since the eight former-Indian Navy officers were detained in August last year, their bail pleas have been rejected numerous times and their detention extended by Qatari authorities. The Qatari authorities had, however, until April this year, never specified the charges that had been pressed against them. Only recently did they confirm that the Indian Navy personnel, who were held in solitary confinement for long spells, have been charged with the offence of spying for Israel on the country’s advanced submarines.
One of the jailed officers, Commander Purnendu Tiwari (Retd), is the managing director of the firm that was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2019. The award was handed over by none other than the then-President Ram Nath Kovind. The other detained Indians are Navtej Singh Gill, Birendra Kumar Verma, Sugunakar Pakala, Sanjeev Gupta, Amit Nagpal, Rajesh Gopakumar, and Saurav Vashisht.
The eight Indians were working with the Qatari Emiri Navy, on behalf of the Qatar firm Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services which provided training and other technical assistance to them. The eight ex-Indian Navy officers were detained on August 30, 2022. The Qatari authorities reportedly accused them of spying for Israel on the country’s advanced submarines manufactured in Italy. These submarines are reportedly covered with metamaterials that enhance their stealth capabilities and make them harder to detect.
In April this year, reports emerged revealing that there is a possibility of the ex-Indian Navy officers being “framed” by Pakistani intelligence agencies. According to reports, the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI had persuaded the Qataris that there may have been Indian participation by citing the case of former Indian navy commander Kulbhushan Yadav, who was kidnapped from Iran and detained in Pakistan on suspicion of spying.
The Indian embassy, since the officers were detained by the Qatari authorities, has been making all possible efforts to bring them back. They have been facilitating regular visits to the family members and providing consular and legal assistance to the Navy personnel. Speaking of India’s position on the arrest of eight former Indian Navy personnel, MEA spokesperson Bagchi emphasised that the Centre was making “all efforts to assist these Indians.”
Now, in the midst of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the MEA shared the shocking information that the Qatar court has awarded death sentences to these eight decorated ex-Indian Navy officers. India has, however, vowed to explore all available legal options to secure the release of its citizens.
On Thursday (26th October), DMK leader TKS Elangovan said that Ram’s birth is mythology and not history. Elangovan also said that the BJP is trying to replace history with mythology for political gains. He made these remarks when he was asked about the invitation to PM Modi for ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
TKS Elangovan said, “What can I say? They have demolished history and replaced it with mythology. Any country should be proud of its history, it should know the history. Ram’s birth is mythology, it is a story from Ramayana. It is literature. They want to replace history with mythology. That is what the BJP is trying to do.”
#WATCH | On the invitation to PM Modi for 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, DMK leader TKS Elangovan says, "What can I say? They have demolished history and replaced it with mythology. Any country should be proud of its history, it should know the history. Ram's birth… pic.twitter.com/drTikUrlHD
TKS Elangovan further added, “With these people in power, what can we expect? He (PM Narendra Modi) wants to make use of it as a political tool. He is not interested in Ram. BJP does not consider Ram as an important thing but their political gain becomes important so they are making use of Ram for their political gains.”
Earlier, on 2nd September 2023, the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, Udayanidhi Stalin 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,” Stalin further added. Now, another member of Udayanidhi Stalin’s DMK party has said that Lord Ram’s story is not history but it is mythology.
On Wednesday (25th October), 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 today, and invited him to attend the event of Pran Pratistha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
PM Modi tweeted, “Jai Siyaram! Today is a day full of emotions. The officials of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had come to meet me at my residence. They have invited me to come to Ayodhya on the occasion of (Pran Pratistha) consecration of Shri Ram temple.” He further added, “I feel very blessed. It is my good fortune that in my lifetime, I will witness this historic occasion.”
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।
‘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 Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 22, 2024. With this, the date for the opening of the Grand Ram Mandir has been formally announced.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s Trustee Swami Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Ji Maharaj, treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra, and Trust’s General Secretary Champat Rai met the Prime Minister to hand over the formal invitation.
At present the construction work of the temple is going on at a fast pace. Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also visited Ayodhya to review the construction work of the temple. With the inauguration of the temple, it will be opened to the general public, and devotees from all over the world will be able to visit the Mandir for darshan.
On Thursday (26th October) BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai appeared before Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee to record their statements pertaining to the alleged cash-for-query scam involving TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
The Committee on Ethics is scheduled to meet today to take oral evidence of Sh Jai Anant Dehadrai,Advocate & Dr @nishikant_dubey,MP in respect of complaint given by Dr @nishikant_dubey, MP against Smt @MahuaMoitra,MP for alleged direct involvement in cash for query in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/PJYLgUho4Y
The BJP MP said that he will cooperate with the Ethics Committee. “I will give all the information that the Committee asks me to provide. I will appear before the Committee whenever it asks me to. I will submit all the documents, the truth is in the documents,” Dubey said as he arrived at the Parliament annexe.
On being asked about Mahua Moitra’s allegation that Nishikant Dubey submitted fake degree in his election nomination papers, Dubey said that there is only one question that needs to be answered which is whether Mahua Moitra is a thief or not.
"सभी सांसद चिंतित हैं… जब वे मुझे अगली बार बुलाएंगे तो मैं आऊंगा.."
“The only question is Mahua chor hai ki nahi,” Nishikant Dubey said.
When asked about TMC MP Mahua Moitra refuting the accusations levelled against her, Dubey said, “Documents don’t lie”
Before Dubey, lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai appeared before the Ethics Committee to record his statement. The meeting began at around 12:30 A.M. today.
Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee Vinod Sonkar said that Mahua Moitra will be called on 31 October for questioning on the matter. “The two people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey – were heard attentively. After that, it was decided that Mahua Moitra would be called on October 31. She will come and present her part. The committee has also decided that the IT Ministry and MHA will be sent letters to make her details available,” Vinod Sonkar said.
Today was the first meeting of the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha to address the “Cash for Query” allegations lodged against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal, and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); P R Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).
Meanwhile, news agency ANI has reported citing sources that the Parliament Ethics Committee has agreed that the charges against TMC MP Mahua Moitra are very serious and the committee will consider them seriously.
Parliament Ethics Committee agrees that the charges against TMC MP Mahua Moitra are very serious and the committee will consider them seriously: Sources
This comes after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra of accepting cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking specific questions in Parliament. MP Dubey has filed a formal complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting an investigation into Moitra’s alleged corruption and urging the Speaker to suspend her forthwith.
In a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament,” Dubey accused the Trinamool Congress MP of “‘serious Breach of Privilege,’ ‘Contempt of the House,’ and a ‘Criminal Offence’ under Section 120A of the IPC.” Dubey said that an Advocate named Jai Anant Dehadrai had presented him with evidence of a bribe.
Dehadrai was once close to Moitra before the “breakup”, and the TMC MP addressed him as a “jilted ex” in one of her statements released after Dubey brought the allegations against her.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee received an affidavit from Darshan Hiranandani last week in which he admitted to “paying” Moitra to pose questions in Parliament on his behalf. The businessman further claimed that the MP gave him her Parliament login credentials so that he could “directly” post inquiries. While MP Mahua Moitra accused the PMO of drafting Hiranandani’s affidavit, she did not deny taking gifts or sharing her Lok Sabha login credentials.
The social media giant X, which was originally known as Twitter, have made massive changes since billionaire Elon Musk took over a year ago. Now, a new feature which allows users to make audio and video conversations with others through X was unveiled on 25 October.
The application’s settings now include a new “Enable audio and video calling” toggle which permits the user to turn the function on and then select who they are comfortable using it with. It also provides a plethora of customisation options that make it possible for individuals to select from whom they accept calls.
One can choose to accept audio and video calls from verified users, people they follow, and those in their address book or from all three. A person can initiate a call by opening a direct message with another one by clicking the phone symbol located in the upper right corner of the screen and selecting between an audio or video call.
The call icon appears in the upper right corner of the screen when one is conversing with someone else on the app just like it does with Instagram and WhatsApp.
X didn’t formally announce the feature’s introduction, however, the official account seemed to hint at it moments before it started to surface with a mysterious message.
Elon Musk, the chairman and CTO (Chief Technology Officer) has long expressed his intention to turn the platform into an “everything app” which includes the addition of voice and video interactions. He recently declared that “no phone number needed” access to the functionality would be possible on PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices.
The audio and video calling feature will mean that Twitter will now directly compete with WhatsApp of Meta and Facetime of Apple in the sector.
Video & audio calls coming to X:
– Works on iOS, Android, Mac & PC – No phone number needed – X is the effective global address book
It’s still unclear how extensively the platform has made audio and video calls available or if it’s only offered to Premium subscribers. Creator of the hashtag and supporter of open-source software Chris Messina discovered last month that X’s coding implied users would need to join up for X’s Premium membership in order to take advantage of the function.
The CEO of the business, Linda Yaccarino announced earlier in August that native calling services would soon be available to social network users. This would permit users to make audio or video conversations without disclosing their phone numbers. She stated that the option is going to be accessible through the “Direct Message” (DM) menu and that the platform would put in place certain safeguards to prevent users from receiving unsolicited calls.
Adding these new services is a big move for X to help draw in more users and boost the microblogging platform’s engagement rate, especially since other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram already have audio and video calling capabilities.
Additionally, Elon Musk proclaimed that all users would have to pay an annual fee to access the platform with customers in the Philippines and New Zealand already having to pay $1 for one year. He has already modified the features of the social networking site several times since he acquired it. He pronounced during the summer that users would no longer be able to block accounts on the platform. Moreover, he developed the premium Blue membership plan which confined access to the feature previously known as Tweetdeck to Blue customers only.
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha will call Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on October 31, over the cash-for-query allegations against her, the Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee Vinod Sonkar said on Thursday.
“The two people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey – were heard attentively. After that, it was decided that Mahua Moitra would be called on October 31. She will come and present her part. The committee has also decided that the IT Ministry and MHA will be sent letters to make her details available,” Vinod Sonkar said.
Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee to submit oral evidence on his allegations of “Cash for Query’ against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
As he arrived at the Parliament annexe for the deposition the BJP MP said that he would completely cooperate with the Committee and would be present whenever the Committee called him for questioning.
“I will give all the information that the Committee asks me to provide. I will appear before the Committee whenever it asks me to. I will submit all the documents, the truth is in the documents”
When asked about Mahua’s allegations that Dubey submitted a fake degree in his election nomination papers, the BJP MP said that there is only one question “Mahua chor hai ki Nahi” (Is Mahua a thief or not?)”
Today was the first meeting of the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha to address the “Cash for Query” allegations lodged against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai appeared before the Committee today to submit oral evidence in regard to the complaint filed by Dubey against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, alleging that she has “direct involvement in the ‘cash for query’ scam in Parliament.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal, and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); P R Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).
The BJP MP earlier wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, alleging the involvement of Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ scandal. He further claimed that he had proof of the charges as given to him by Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.
Dubey, in his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament,” had alleged “‘serious Breach of Privilege’, ‘Contempt of the House’ and a ‘Criminal Offence’ under Section 120A of IPC” by the Trinamool Congress MP. Dubey claimed that an Advocate, Jai Anant Dehadrai, had provided him with proof of a bribe.
In response to this letter, the Trinamool Congress MP said that she would welcome a probe by the speaker after he dealt with alleged breaches of privilege by other BJP MPs.
Dubey on Wednesday once again targeted Mahua Moitra. In a reply to the Trinamool Congress MP’s remarks against him, Dubey said that the question is not about Adani, Degree or theft, but about corruption by misleading the country.
“The question is about the dignity of Parliament, the security of India and the propriety, corruption and criminality of the alleged MP. The answer has to be given whether NIC mail is open in Dubai or not. Ask questions in exchange for money or not. Who bore the expenses of travelling abroad? Did you get permission from @loksabhaspeaker and @MEAIndia to go abroad or not? The question is not about Adani, degree or theft, but about your corruption by misleading the country,” Nishikant Dubey posted on X.
“Degree wali desh beche, chand paise ke le jamir beche (Those with degrees sell the country and sell their conscience for money),” he alleged.
The charge by Nishikant Dubey followed Mahua Moitra’s dig at him after Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assured Dubey that his complaint on misuse of Parliament login credentials would be looked into.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Mahua said, “Who is lying? 2 days ago Fake Degree Wala said NIC already given details including “Dubai” logins to the probe agency. Now Ashwini Vaishnaw says NIC will give info in future IF asked by LS or Ethics Comm. BJP is welcome to do a hit job on me but Adani+Godda perhaps not the best strategists!”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
