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As Conjunctivitis cases spread in the country, read why it is called ‘Jai Bangla’ in some regions

OpIndia Staff
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As Conjunctivitis cases spread in the country, read why it is called ‘Jai Bangla’ in some regions

The cases of Conjunctivitis, the infection that affects the eyes, are rising at an alarming rate across the country. Several regions in the country like Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, Maharashtra etc have reported mass spreading of the disease, which coincided with the floods during the ongoing monsoon session.

Conjunctivitis is mostly caused by viruses, and it is a seasonal disease like flu and is seen spread during the monsoon. It causes the eye to turn red along with itching, and discharge. Although the disease is not sight-threatening, it is a painful condition. The disease is highly contagious.

Conjunctivitis is generally known as the pink-eye disease, but in various regions of the world, it is known by various names. Some of such names are highly unusual, and one such name is, ‘Jay Bangla’. Yes, in West Bengal and Assam in India, the disease is generally known as ‘Jai Bangla’, the slogan hailing Bengal.

There is an interesting history of why and how the disease got this peculiar name, and it is linked to the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971 when the ‘Jai Bangla’ slogan was widely used.

In 1971, the Conjunctivitis disease widely spread in West Bengal including Calcutta (now Kolkata). At that time, the Bangladesh liberation war was going on, and it caused a mass immigration of Bangladeshis from Bangladesh into India through the porous border. Many such Bangladeshis were infected with Conjunctivitis, and from them the disease spread quickly in India, turning into an epidemic.

While West Bengal was affected the most, the disease spread to several states in India and is recorded as one of the major epidemics of the disease.

As the slogan ‘Jai Bangla’ was very popular at that time due to the war, people started to use the term to refer to this eye disease.

From then, the name got stuck, and Conjunctivitis is still called Jai Bangla in West Bengal and Assam.

Apollo 11 to Haj pilgrims in Bombay

Another interesting name given to the disease is Apollo 11. In 1969, there was a major outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis, a more severe form of the disease, in West Africa. When the disease first appeared in Ghana, it coincided with the first moon landing under the Apollo 11 mission of NASA. Therefore, the disease was called Apollo 11 disease, and this name is still used in the region to refer to the disease.

Next year, there were two outbreaks of the disease in Java and Indonesia, and the disease appeared in 1971 first in Bombay before the outbreak in Calcutta. Incidentally, the disease came to Bombay with Haj Pilgrims, who had returned from Mecca and had mingled with the infected Indonesians during the Haj.

Later that year, the Conjunctivitis disease entered India with East Pakistanis escaping the war, and became ‘Jai Bangla’. From West Bengal, the disease spread all over India.

How to prevent getting infected

As Conjunctivitis is an infectious disease, it can be prevented with precautions. And several precautions are similar to the familiar precautions taken to prevent Covid-19 infection. Frequent hand washing and avoiding touching the eyes are key to prevention. Avoiding contact with people with the disease, avoiding crowded places and avoiding touching common objects like railings or handles are also important.

People who have been infected are advised to use dark goggles, avoid swimming, avoid close contact with others, and not touch their eyes.

Manipur Violence: Armed groups from Myanmar join Kuki militants in gun battle with security forces in Moreh, over 30 houses torched

OpIndia Staff
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Manipur Violence: Armed groups from Myanmar join Kuki militants in gun battle with security forces in Moreh, over 30 houses torched

The border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district witnessed fresh tensions early on 26 July when heavily armed militants protected by a mob, started setting buildings on fire, making way for another clash between Kukis and Meiteis. The throng was dispersed by the state police force stationed there, however, after the people were cleared, Kuki militants arrived and opened fire.

Gunfire started between armed Kuki militants, reportedly comprising of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and People’s Defence Force (PDF) of Mynamar and security personnel, including paramilitary units, Assam Rifles, and Border Security Force at 9:30 am.

Furthermore, there has been extensive looting and arson and many private dwellings, including that of a journalist, have been set on fire. Reportedly at least 30 houses were burnt down. According to senior police authorities, the structures and locations targeted today were those that have previously been struck in other attacks. It included the houses of the Meitei community people who had fled the area during previous violence.

The forest office building, which was partially burned down, was the only new facility to have been assaulted today. The crowd was driven out of Moreh after it went on the rampage, destroying and torching stores and houses. Fortunately, the security forces have not yet suffered any casualties.

Mynamar militants involved in the attack

Security authorities in Manipur have launched a probe to determine whether the heavily armed offenders who attacked security officers today in Moreh with sniper rifles and cutting-edge weapons were foreign terrorists. However, based on sources, some of them could be from the neighbouring country, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The former informed that four or five individuals have been held for interrogation.

Notably, the situation is extremely tumultuous in the town, which is located near the Indo-Myanmar border after the miscreants went into a frenzy and the security forces brought the situation under control.

After the mob was removed, the security forces launched a search operation to neutralise the armed men who were firing at them with snipers and other weapons from secure locations. Security officials revealed that a sniper strike occurred on a temporary BSF camp at Moreh College.

According to Tengnoupal Superintendent of Police Luikham Lanmeo, the shootout came to an end at around 3:30 pm. He conveyed that there were no casualties today and the security personnel saved lives. However, a number of government infrastructures have been burned down, including the office of the Moreh Wildlife Sanctuary and the forest and electricity guest houses.

Illegal migrants entered from Myanmar

In a startling development, more than 700 illegal immigrants have reportedly entered from Myanmar on the Indian side and orders have been given to deport them. “Now, there are illegal migrants from Myanmar. 718 of them that the Assam Rifles are intimated the Chandel Police and the Manipur Police. They have said that 718 fresh illegal migrants from Myanmar have come. The Manipur government has asked the Assam Rifles to deport them. This is a separate development,” unveiled Wasbir Hussain, a senior journalist.

He further continued, “On the other side of Moreh is the Burmese town of Tamu that is connected by an India-Myanmar friendship bridge and where Indians and Myanmarese can come and go within a distance of about 10 to 20 kilometres. There are no real documents necessary. Just an entry at the gate. You are allowed to go inside Tamu and come back. This is the situation in the border town.”

“There are a lot of Tamils in Moreh. There are a lot of Kukis. There are a lot of Meiteis of course. The Meities were attacked during the first wave of violence and they fled the town. They are in the relief camps in the Imphal Valley,” he mentioned.

Background of the violence

The ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state of Manipur has already resulted in more than 100 fatalities and thousands of displaced residents.

The first clashes occurred on 3 May following a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) in the hill areas to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Tensions rose in April as a result of a Manipur High Court decision ordering the state administration to make a decision regarding the Scheduled Tribe status issue.

BBC forced to issue apology after its reporter asks Morocco women’s football team captain if there are lesbians in the team

OpIndia Staff
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BBC forced to issue apology after its reporter asks Morocco women’s football team captain if there are lesbians in the team

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was forced to issue an apology after one of its reporters asked a highly objectionable and inappropriate question to the captain of the Moroccan women’s football team during the ongoing FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The Moroccan women’s World Cup team captainGhizlane Chebbak was questioned by a BBC reporter on Tuesday about whether any of her football teammates were lesbians, which invited a massive outrage against the channel, after which the British channel issued an apology.

At a press conference on Sunday before the Moroccan team’s match against Germany, a BBC reporter questioned captain Ghizlane Chebbak if there are any lesbian players in the team, given that gay relationship is banned in Morocco. The reporter asked, “In Morocco, it’s illegal to have a gay relationship. Do you have any gay players in your squad and what’s life like for them in Morocco?”

Ghizlane Chebbak and the Moroccan coach were visibly uncomfortable at the question. In answer to the question, Chebbak frowned and took off her earphones before turning to her coach and laughing. Before Chebbak could react, a FIFA representative intervened, claiming the question was “political” and directing the media to stick to questions relating to football.

The press conference moderator said, “Sorry, this is a very political question, so we’ll just stick to questions relating to football.” However, the BBC reporter insisted that the Moroccan football team captain answer the question.

“No,” the reporter said, “it’s not political.” “It’s about people. It’s got nothing to do with politics. Please let her answer the question.” The moderator then disregarded the reporter’s comments and continued with the press conference by allowing one more question from another reporter.

Apart from being inappropriate, the question was also a safety risk for the players. Because, any revelation of same-sex relationships in the team could result in serious reputations, as gay relationship s are banned in Morocco. According to Human Rights Watch, Morocco is one of at least 67 nations that have made same-sex intimacy a criminal offence. Further, according to the international advocacy group, Moroccans who break the law might spend six months to three years in jail.

After a massive outrage from all sections, the BBC issued an apology on Tuesday. A BBC spokesperson said: “We recognise that the question was inappropriate. We had no intention to cause any harm or distress.”

A BBC representative considered the question “inappropriate” on Tuesday and claimed the news outlet “had no intention to cause any harm or distress.” Also, other reporters who were there in the room criticized the question on social media. 

CBS Sports reporter Shireen Ahmed tweeted saying, “The reporter was completely out of line. Harm reduction matters and posing the question to the captain or coach was unnecessary. The question was waved off by a FIFA media officer moderating but it shouldn’t have been asked.”

“This isn’t an issue of journalistic freedom. You can inquire about social laws in different places without endangering people. Journalists have an obligation to be fair, accurate and practise with care. If reporting harms someone, it is not only unethical but dangerous,” said Ahmed.

The event wasn’t the first time in recent years that the BBC has faced criticism for its treatment of LGBTQ people.

In 2021, the BBC came under fire from LGBTQ activists for publishing a report titled “We’re being pressured into sex by some trans women,” which detractors claimed portrayed all trans persons as sexual predators. And just last month, it came under fire from some activists when it revised policies that forbade its reporters from covering LGBTQ Pride celebrations that can be construed as “overt” protests in order to avoid charges of bias.

On Monday, July  24, Morocco played in the Women’s World Cup’s inaugural game, becoming the first team from an Arab or North African country to o qualify for the Women’s World Cup. Germany defeated the team 6-0.

Sudha Murthy gets branded as ‘casteist’ by left-liberals for calling herself a “pure vegetarian”  

Shraddha Pandey
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Sudha Murthy gets branded as ‘casteist’ by left-liberals for calling herself a “pure vegetarian”  

Hating on Brahmins has become the new cool in otherwise secular and ‘diverse’ India, as evidenced by the recent online criticism of Sudha Murthy, the former chairperson of Infosys Foundation, writer, and philanthropist after she revealed that she carries her own bag of food and cooking items when travelling abroad because she is a pure vegetarian.

Sudha Murthy, known for her candour, opened up about her love of vegetarian food and her cooking habits in one of the episodes of the ‘Khane Mein Kya Hai?’ show. Murthy stated that as a strict vegetarian, one of her biggest concerns is the prospect of the same spoon being used for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.

“I am adventurous in my work, not in my food. I am in fact scared. I am a pure vegetarian, I don’t even eat eggs or garlic. What I am scared of is, is that the same spoon might be used for both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It weighs heavily mind a lot! So whenever we go out, I only search for vegetarian restaurants. Or, I carry one bag full of food items. I carry ready-to-eat food items, that you have to just heat in water, I fry semolina and make it ready-to-eat, I also carry poha,” Murthy said. 

Sudha Murty also stated that she has a kitchen bag that has a “small cooker” that she uses to cook food. Ironically, she would frequently chastise her grandmother for never eating outside or travelling with food, both of which she has begun to do herself.

“When my Nani (grandmother) would travel 60 years ago, I used to joke with her that why do you bring food with you, why can’t you eat outside?” She would say she was used to it! Now I act like her! “I don’t care where I go; I always bring my own food,” she continued.

Left-liberals brand Sudha Murthy ‘casteist’ for being a “pure vegetarian”

Sudha Murthy’s remarks during the show soon sparked a discussion online with usual self-proclaimed flag bearers of equality and feminism trolling and criticising Murthy over her choice of being a “pure vegetarian” as they connected it with her caste. The usual Brahmin-hating left-liberals unleashed their hatred for a Brahmin woman proudly owning up to her food preferences.

Asia Editor at The Independent, Rituparna Chatterjee in her tweet claimed that the couple—Sudha Murthy and her husband Narayan Murthy sound more weird and casteist as they speak more, insinuating that Sudha Murthy is casteist since she prefers to be a vegetarian, that too, “pure”.

“They say if you want to know about a person, let them speak. The more this couple speaks, the more weird and casteist they sound,” Chatterjee tweeted.

Reacting to Chatterjee’s tweet, noted storyteller and journalist Neelesh Misra wondered how being vegetarian or carrying their own cutlery makes one casteist. 

“Um, how is this casteist? I am vegetarian. When I dine my friends ensure that the serving spoon used for my food isn’t used for non-veg food. Non-vegetarians might not understand this but it is so. If she wants to take her own cutlery as well, fair enough, what’s wrong in that?” Misra tweeted.

One ‘Opinionated Bong’ Arpan resorted to abusing Misra for merely expressing his thoughts as he blatantly termed “vegetarianism as casteism.”

One ‘Grouchy Maxx’ shared a picture of the Prime Minister of Britain and Sudha Murthy’s son-in-law holding some non-veg food items as she wrote, “Someone tell Sudha Murthy not to touch her son-in-law, daughter and their kids.”

The reluctance to respect Murthy’s choice of being a pure vegetarian and her food hygiene preferences as well as connecting it with so-called discrimination adds to the insinuation that pure vegetarians consider non-vegetarians as ‘untouchable’ or inferior, even though Sudha Murthy did not mention any such practice on her part. It is, however, impossible for the liberals to comprehend that being a vegetarian is a choice just like being a non-vegetarian and has little to do with caste(ism).

One Ruchika Sharma shared an image of a news article about Sudha Murthy’s said interview and ‘fixed’ its headline as she wrote, “She carries her casteism from India when travelling abroad: What if non-veg spoon pollutes the “pure” Murthy name?”

Another one wrote, “My suggestion is that Sudha Murthy should travel solely in a pure veg plane that only uses rasam or sambar for fuel. Fossil fuels are derived from decomposing animals after all.”

For some, vegetarianism is simply a food preference; for others, it is associated with the Hindu belief of Ahinsa (nonviolence); and many Jains practice vegetarianism in accordance with their religious beliefs; this, however, does not imply that they discriminate against nonvegetarians or impose their beliefs on them. People who choose not to slaughter an animal to quell their hunger understand how to respect other people’s eating choices and coexist peacefully.

In fact, reports suggest that contrary to common perception, vegetarianism has gained prominence among non-Brahmin castes as well. 

Vegetarianism is casteism, Halal is religious freedom: The Liberal hypocrisy

The same people going mad over Sudha Murthy being a “pure vegetarian” often support Halal certification of food items, which is actually a practice discriminating against non-Muslims as it involves the imposition of their religious connotations on the ‘non-believers’. 

Even with non-meat items, Halal certification is solely religious since it evaluates if the products include any components that are forbidden in Islam. The concept itself is discriminatory because the basis of the certification is a religious belief, whether a particular substance is ‘approved’ or not in the Islamic faith. However, liberals see nothing discriminatory in it; rather, they see a vegetarian woman who does not impose her beliefs and habits on others as discriminating. It’s also possible that these ever-outraged liberals bash vegetarianism yet defend or remain silent on Halal certification, knowing that the former will garner them validation from their ecosystem while the latter may have dire consequences.

Bihar: 1 killed, 2 injured in Katihar after police open fire on villagers protesting against power cuts

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: 1 killed, 2 injured in Katihar after police open fire on villagers protesting against power cuts

On the 26th of July, 1 person died in police firing at Barsoi in Bihar’s Katihar when the villagers gathered outside the office of the Electricity Department. They have been protesting against the irregular supply of electricity and higher power tariffs. However, in a shocking turn of events, the power outage protest turned deadly. Reportedly, at least one person died and two others sustained serious injuries in police firing.

According to a report in India Today, the person killed in police firing has been identified as Mohammad Khurshid (35). One of the injured persons is undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital in Katihar. Reports claim that the second injured has been referred to Siliguri in West Bengal.  

As per the information received, Police officials tried to control the protestors and resorted to lathi charges and aerial firing. However, things went out of hand and the police opened fire. 

The Police officials stated that the mob carried primitive weapons including sticks and boulders. The mob got violent and pelted stones at the government office. Around 12 officials of the electricity department were injured in the attack. The officials claim that the violent mob and stone pelting prompted them to open fire. 

The principal opposition party, BJP criticised the Bihar government and demanded a judicial inquiry into the firing incident. 

Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary targeted the Chief Minister. He said that on the one hand, CM Nitish Kumar claimed to provide 24-hour electricity to the people, however, his police has opened fire on villagers protesting against frequent power outages. 

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “First job, now the government is shooting those who ask for electricity. In Bihar, the police of the Nitish government, which is claiming to provide 24-hour electricity to the people, has opened fire on the people protesting for the demand for electricity, which is extremely unfortunate. There must be a judicial inquiry into this firing.”

BJP National Spokesperson condemned the incident and likened Nitish Kumar to General Dyer, the British officer responsible for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He also mentioned the recent death of a BJP leader in police lathicharge to highlight that this was not an isolated incident. He tweeted, “General Dyer of Bihar opens fire on protestors demanding electricity supply in Katihar. One killed,2 grievously injured In Bihar anyone who demands their rights- youth, kisan, teachers, common man – get lathis or goli Recently a BJP leader was also beaten & died ! This is he true face of Gen Nitish Dyer & his tanashahi govt Is this SAVING DEMOCRACY? Or killing democracy?? Is this I.N.D.I.A’s idea of democracy? From Bengal to Bihar – bullet, bomb, blast?”

Former Bihar Deputy CM, Tarkishore Prasad attacked the Bihar government and claimed that it has failed on all accounts. 

Speaking to media personnel on police firing in Katihar, he said, “Bihar government has failed in every aspect. People were protesting over power cuts, but the police opened fire that led to the death of one person.”

Earlier, on the 13th of July, Patna police used lathi charges to disperse protestors and BJP workers protesting against the Bihar govt on the issue of the posting of teachers and the employment issue in the state. Bihar BJP leader Vijay Kumar Singh died due to a lathi charge conducted by the Bihar police. Later, a complaint was lodged against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, a senior police officer, and Patna’s district magistrate in this matter. The complaint was lodged by BJP worker Krishna Singh in Patna civil court. 

USA: House Oversight Committee to hold an open hearing on UFOs, alien spacecraft, and more

Paurush Gupta
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USA: House Oversight Committee to hold an open hearing on UFOs, alien spacecraft, and more

On the 26th of July, the US House Oversight Committee will hold a historic open hearing regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs). In the hearing, three witnesses will share their experiences with UFOs. The House’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs will conduct the hearing. The live streaming of the hearing will start at 7:30 PM (IST) on GOP Oversight’s Youtube channel. You can watch the live stream by clicking here.  

According to a January report by the Director of National Intelligence, the federal government recorded around 510 UFO sightings since 2004. The government stated that it has closed a majority of the sighting after the objects were determined as airborne trash, drones, or Chinese surveillance devices. However, around 171 sightings were marked “uncharacterized and unattributed.”

Interestingly, the number of “close encounters” reported has increased in recent years with around 366 sightings of UAPs reported since March 2021. As per procedure, the hearing will start with opening statements and it will be followed by questions from members of Congress.

The conservatives will lead the hearing

The Republican Congressman from Tennessee, Tim Burchett will be co-heading the probe while Republican Congresswoman from Florida Anna Paulina Luna will be the co-investigator. 

In a briefing held last week, Burchett claimed that the federal officials had been stonewalling them ever since they tried to dive into the mystery.

He said, “We’ve had a heck of a lot of pushback about this hearing. There are a lot of people who don’t want this to come to light.” 

According to Burchett, the US holds proof of mind-boggling technology that defies the laws of physics known to mankind. However, he assured everyone that they will unravel the truth as they are fed up with cover-ups. 

He said, “We’re gonna get to the bottom of it. Whatever the truth may be. We’re done with the cover-up.” 

Similarly, the Representative from Florida, Luna stated that the status quo on the part of the U.S. government has been to leave the American public in the dark regarding information about UAPs. They have refused to answer questions posed by whistleblowers and avoided the concerns Americans have about the possible threats UAPs pose to US national security and public safety. 

Claiming that the issue impacts the transparency and accountability of the government, they will bring this topic to light. 

Three witnesses will share their experiences with the committee

Three witnesses who will share their testimonies before the committee include – 

  1. David Grusch – He is a former Air Force veteran and ex-member of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. He worked in a special unit to study UFOs. 
  2. Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves – He has first-hand accounts of UFO encounters.
  3. Former U.S. Navy commander David Fravor – He is known for his close encounter with a Tic Tac-shaped craft that was captured in a viral video.

In a June article in the Debrief, Grusch claimed that the US government had recovered partially or fully intact UFOs of “exotic origin” for decades.

In an exclusive NewsNation interview, Grusch alleged the U.S. government has a “secret alien spacecraft retrieval program”. He has been further claiming that he received extensive classified information about deeply covert programs. 

The committee will like to examine Grusch’s claim whether the Pentagon allegedly possesses ‘intact and partially intact’ alien UFOs or craft of non-human origin. 

Chris Mellon was the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence under President Bill Clinton’s and President George W. Bush’s administrations. He has been backing Grusch’s claims and asserts that the U.S. had recovered alien technology.

While speaking to NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, Mellon said, “I’ve been told that we have recovered technology that did not originate on this earth by officials in the Department of Defense and by former intelligence officials.” 

Before the hearing, Former Navy pilot Graves wrote, “UAPs are in our airspace, but they are grossly underreported. These sightings are not rare or isolated; they are routine.”

Similarly, Retired Navy Commander David Fravor previously described an incident near San Diego on “60 Minutes.” He recounted a strange encounter during a 2004 training exercise. According to him, he was accompanied by another pilot and they observed a white Tic-Tac-like object above a region of roiling whitewater. 

He added that the object had no markings, wings, or exhaust plumes. It performed swift manoeuvres, mirroring Fravor’s F/A-18F as he approached for a closer inspection.

Timeline – How the issue came into mainstream

Here is a timeline of how the issue which was once taboo started coming openly in the public and now an open hearing is being held on UFO sightings. 

In December 2017, the New York Times report revealed that the Department of Defense had conducted a secretive UFO research program. It was called ‘the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program’. It was done at the behest of Democratic Senator from Nevada, Herry Reid. 

According to the report, he had attended a series of clandestine meetings with a group of high-powered businessmen, scientists, and engineers. This happened a decade earlier and the group discussed ways to explore the existence of UFOs and extraterrestrial life. 

In May 2019, the Times reported that Navy pilots had encountered flying objects in 2014 and 2015 off the Atlantic Ocean coast. These objects displayed no visible engine or exhaust plumes, intruding on Navy aircraft formations and flying at “hypersonic speeds.” The encounters prompted the Navy to establish new guidelines for reporting UFOs.

Following this incident, in June 2019, a series of classified congressional briefings on UFOs were held. This prompted members of Congress to speak publicly about their interest in the Pentagon’s knowledge of sightings. Democratic Senator Mark Warner (Virginia) and then Republican Senator Mark Walker (North Carolina) after receiving the briefings expressed their concerns. They claimed that the Department of Defense was stifling reports of UFO sightings by Navy and Air Force members.

In April 2020, the Pentagon declassified several videos showing Navy pilots witnessing UFOs in three distinct incidents from 2004 and 2015. While intelligence officials stated that there was no evidence of extraterrestrial activity connected to these objects, they did not completely dismiss the possibility.

Later, in June 2020, Republican Senator Marco Rubio led Senate Intelligence Committee ordered the Defense Department to commission a report cataloging UFO sightings.

As of December 2021, Congress established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office through the National Intelligence Agency and the Defense Department. The purpose of this office is to investigate UFOs, and it was included in the annual defense spending bill. The office is mandated to provide Congress with regular updates on UFO sightings and their analysis of these objects.

In May 2022, Congress held its first hearing on UFOs in more than 50 years. 

In July 2023, Republican Senator Mike Rounds (South Dakota) and Democratic Senator from New York Chuck Schumer introduced legislation to report all UFO sightings. The bill mandated the US government to report all UFO sightings to a review board that would have the authority to declassify the information. 

The same month, in June 2023, Congress announced that the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs will hold a hearing on UFOs on the 26th of July. 

Various videos from different parts of the world have emerged, capturing unidentified flying objects (UFOs) navigating through the skies. These include a triangular craft observed hovering over a military base in California and an unidentified object swiftly moving across the sky in the Middle East. The committee will like to find answers for these mysterious sightings.

Uttar Pradesh: Farzana weds Virendra Kashyap in a Bareilly temple and becomes Saraswati, seeks police protection after her father files case

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Farzana weds Virendra Kashyap in a Bareilly temple and becomes Saraswati, seeks police protection after her father files case

A Muslim girl married a Hindu man in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district and is converting her religion to Hinduism. Farzana wed Virendra Kashyap in a temple in accordance with Vedic rituals on 25 July and adopted a new name, Saraswati. Furthermore, she has also started the legal procedure to convert to Hinduism officially. In addition, she has requested the administration to ensure the safety of both her and her husband.

The couple was in a relationship for three long years. She is originally a resident of Bareilly’s Gahluiya hamlet, which is a part of the Shergarh police station district whereas the man belongs to the nearby village of Madhopur. He is an exorcist by profession.

Her father had taken her to him for treatment and the two fell in love with each other during the period. They each made an effort to convince their respective families. However, her family members continued to object to their union and restrictions were imposed on her. She was not allowed to meet with her partner.

Virendra Kashyap then went somewhere from his village with Farzana on 22 July. Her father registered a First Information Report against the former and referred to her as a minor.

A case has been filed by the police under sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping) and 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing a woman to compel her for marriage etc.) of the Indian Penal Code. An FIR copy is available with OpIndia. Meanwhile, the lovers tied the knot in a temple in Bareilly.

She identified herself as an adult in the marriage affidavit. She has attached her Aadhaar card and stated that she is 23 years old. The Aadhaar card listed her birth year as 2000. She confirmed that there is no coercion or greed in her marriage to her 32-year-old partner. 

There were attendees from Hindu organisations at the wedding and she urged them to call her Saraswati from now onwards. Later, she recorded a video in which she called for protection for both herself and her spouse.

Udupi restroom video row: Mohammed Zubair peddles half information after FIRs are filed in the case, dog-whistles against ANI’s Smita Prakash yet again

Amit Kelkar
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Udupi restroom video row: Mohammed Zubair peddles half information after FIRs are filed in the case, dog-whistles against ANI’s Smita Prakash yet again

In the wake of massive public outrage over the secret filming of the video in Netra Jyothi College, the Udupi district police have filed two cases: one against 3 Muslim female students and the college administration for deletion of the video, and another one over the uploading of the hidden camera video on YouTube channels.

Allegations arose that topless videos of Hindu girls were being recorded in the women’s washroom of Netrajyoti College in Udupi and subsequently shared with Muslim groups. The college management conducted an inquiry into the matter and concluded that the video had been deleted, closing the case. However, the case assumed massive proportions after several social media users, including Rashmi Samant and Shefali Vaidya, raised the matter and demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter.

Following the public outrage, two suo moto cases have been registered at the Malpe Police Station in the Udupi district.

A case has been filed against three Muslim students named Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz, and Alia, who were responsible for creating the video, as well as against the management board of Netrajyoti College. They are charged with evidence destruction. The police have registered multiple cases under sections 509, 204, 175, and 34. The other case pertains to a video uploaded on the YouTube channel of One India Kannada.

The FIR comes in the wake of outrage that swept the country after several prominent personalities and social media users, including Rashmi Samant and Shefali Vaidya, raised their voices over the lack of severity and seriousness in dealing with the Udupi restroom video case.

Interestingly, many propagandists such as AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair and Anusha Sood had then accused critics of communalising the incident and spreading misinformation.

Zubair, who is known for dog-whistling against Nupur Sharma and selectively fact-checking news items that suit his agenda, rushed to accuse Rashmi and others who talked about the incident of spreading misinformation and giving the incident a communal angle. However, like in the Nupur Sharma case where Zubair has so far refrained from fact-checking the veracity of her remarks on Prophet Muhammad, the Alt News co-founder did not mention what the misinformation Shefali, Rashmi, and others shared in connection with the Udupi case.

On similar lines, Anusha Sood of The South First, a left-wing portal that claims itself to be a media organisation but more often than not acts as a mouthpiece of the Congress party, shared an article whitewashing the criminal act of the three Muslim girls in Udupi as a mere ‘prank’ and blamed those demanding action against the culprits of adding communal colour to the incident.

The News Minute published a report where it quoted college authorities as saying that the incident was meant to be a ‘prank’. The report quoted the chairman of the college, who said the accused female students said that it was meant to be a prank, and they deleted the video in front of the victim.

How Mohammed Zubair and Southfirst’s Anusha Sood tried covering up for their fiasco in Udupi restroom video case after FIR was filed against Muslim students and for destruction of evidence

With the Udupi police registering a suo moto case in the matter, Zubair and Anusha have emphasized only those parts that aid them in cementing their positions. Instead of reporting that Udupi police had filed an FIR against three Muslim female students for filming private videos of Hindu girls, Zubair goes on to dog whistle against ANI, days after he had led a similar attack on ANI chief Smita Prakash. Zubair accused ANI of misinformation, adding that the Second FIR is linked to an old Tamil Nadu video on a hidden camera which was being circulated with doctored audio, and it was shared to give an impression that the incident was related to the Udupi incident.

In fact, it is also pertinent to note that Mohammad Zubair did not mention that the FIR had also been filed for the destruction of evidence, which is to say that a case was being built against the university management and students for deleting the offending video of Hindu girls topless, filmed secretly by the Muslim students and also failing to provide pertinent information and documents.

However, ANI simply summarised the police statement on the second FIR. ANI chief Smita Prakash tweeted that ANI tweet mentions nothing other than the Karnataka police press which does not mention any Tamil Nadu video.

It is pertinent to note that the police statement had no mention of the ‘fake news’ FIR being for an old or unrelated case and it did not mention Tamil Nadu anywhere. The ANI tweet merely summarised the police statement which was issued. Yet, Mohammad Zubair, who has made a career out of dog-whistling against Hindu women, sent his abusive followers against Smita Prakash in an attempt to not only whitewash the FIRs filed in the Udupi case but also settle scores and direct abuse at Smita Prakash, which he only did a few days ago as well.

Interestingly, Zubair was blaming ANI for peddling ‘misinformation’ while doing exactly the same himself. While ANI merely summarised the police statement, Zubair seems to have deliberately left out crucial information about the deletion of evidence in the case.

After Zubair tweeted selective information and claimed that ANI was spreading fake news, when they were not, Smita Prakash tweeted that as soon as the “dog whistler” signals, she starts getting a barrage of abusive tweets from his followers. While she did not mention Zubair by name, it was evident that she was talking about the co-founder of AltNews.

Anusha too briefly mentioned that one FIR is filed against the three students and the college administration for the act, while the second FIR was filed for spreading misinformation. She expediently omitted to mention that 3 Muslim students and the college administration were booked not just for the act but for defaming the dignity of a woman, failing to present information and documents, and deletion of the video of a student in the toilet as well.

After the fake allegations of fake news, Smita Prakash started getting a barrage of abusive tweets. Here are some abuses that she has been getting ever since Zubair decided to hound her.

Dhanya Rajendran, the Editor-in-chief of The News Minute, also defended themselves after publishing a report that sought to trivialise the sufferings of the victims. In a tweet, Rajendran said that the college chairman and three accused women said it was a ‘prank’ and that the TNM simply reported their defence. She further added keeping a camera to record in a bathroom amounts to bullying and harassment.

As the Udupi police finally filed an FIR against the three Muslim female students and the college administration for filming a private video of their fellow students, defaming the dignity of a woman, failing to present information and documents, and deletion of the video of a student in the toilet—which in itself is a vindication of the assertions made by the likes of Shefali Vaidya, Rashmi Samant, and other outspoken critics, the usual suspects are back to selectively highlighting only those developments that further their agenda and salvaging themselves for downplaying the nature of the crime committed by the accused.

Uttar Pradesh: Shakir traps a girl in a love affair, drugs and gang rapes her with friends Alam, Pappu and others

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Shakir traps a girl in a love affair, drugs and gang rapes her with friends Alam, Pappu and others

On Wednesday, July 25, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested three persons identified as Shakir, Alam and Pappu for gang-raping a girl and physically assaulting her. The accused persons also shot a video of the incident and used it to blackmail the girl and her family.

According to the reports, the incident took place in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. The primary accused in the case Shakir first trapped the girl in a love affair and promised her marriage. Later he abused the girl and assaulted her physically.

The accused along with his friends then took the girl to a jungle where he raped her and also allowed his friends to rape her. The accused also shot a video of the incident and used the video to blackmail her and rape her again. Later he uploaded the video and it became viral.

In the viral video, the girl can be heard crying for help. “Brother please let me wear my clothes back, please brother give me my clothes back,” she can be heard saying. One of the accused meanwhile can be heard asking the other one to hurry up and then the girl can be heard being brutally assaulted.

The incident first came to fore after the accused person sent the video to the brother of the victim girl. As per the complaint filed by the girl, the accused and his friends threatened the girl, drugged her and raped her for 2 years.

The Meerut Police took cognizance of the event and confirmed that the girl was gang raped and that the three accused have been arrested in the case. The police also said that the video which is making rounds on the social media is three months old. “Investigations are underway based on the statement given by the victim and her medical examination. The rest of the accused will soon be arrested,” the Police said.

Reports mention that the Police have booked a total of eight persons in the case who are said to have assaulted and raped the girl. However, the police has only arrested three persons identified as Shakir, Alam and Pappu. All the accused have been booked under the relevant sections of the law. Further investigations in the case are underway.

Recently, a similar dreadful case was reported from the state of Manipur where the violence is said to have erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3 in protest against the proposed inclusion of people belonging to the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

The violence attracted massive attention after the horrifying viral video of women being paraded naked surfaced from Manipur. The video sent shock waves across the country attracting demands of strict punishment against such heinous crime. The perpetrators were later arrested by the state police.

Also, on July 22, a disturbing video went viral on social media wherein two women were seen being stripped naked and thrashed by a frenzied mob in Malda, West Bengal. According to the news outlet, the two women were allegedly caught on suspicion of pickpocketing. They were then surrounded by a mob of angry locals who thrashed the duo black and blue.

‘We will hang you in the temple, we will burn you alive’: Anti-Hindu slogans raised at IUML’s youth wing rally in Kerala’s Kasargod

OpIndia Staff
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‘We will hang you in the temple, we will burn you alive’: Anti-Hindu slogans raised at IUML’s youth wing rally in Kerala’s Kasargod

On 26th July, a video of a rally organised by the Muslim Youth League, which is part of the Indian Union Muslim League, surfaced on social media, where its members were heard raising anti-India slogans. The video was from Kanhangad in Kasargod district.

The rally was organised in the backdrop of the clash between the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups in Manipur’s. IUML is part of the newly formed ‘I.N.D.I.A.’ alliance of the opposition parties.

Several Bharatiya Janata Party leaders criticised the video. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said, “Youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress, held a rally in Kerala’s Kasargode, and raised vile anti-Hindu slogans, threatening to hang them (Hindus) in front of Temples and burn them alive… They wouldn’t have dared to go this far had the Pinarayi Govt not been supporting them. Are Hindus and Christians now safe in Kerala? Not so long ago, at another rally, a 7-year-old boy, perched on his father’s shoulder, had raised slogans, asking Hindus and Christians to keep rice, flowers and camphor ready for their last rites. Kerala is now the new pit of rabid radicalisation…”

Malviya pointed out that a few months back, a video from Kerala surfaced about a young child raising anti-Hindu slogans. In May 2022, a video went viral on social media of a Popular Front of India (PFI) rally. The Kerala High Court noted the matter which instructed the police to take strict action. The child’s father and several other PFI members were arrested.

In the video, a young child was seen raising anti-Hindu slogans. He said, “Be ready for your death rituals if you won’t live in our land quietly. Be ready with rice flakes to fill your mouth if you won’t live quietly (For Hindus ). Be ready to burn amber in your home if you won’t live quietly ( For Christians). Because we are coming, we are your death. We won’t go to Pakistan or Bangladesh, you have to live here as we say, or else we know how to make you live quietly; we will kill you even if we are attacked. We take pride in being a martyr; we salute them. If you don’t live quietly, we know how to ask for ‘Azadi’. Be prepared for your death.”

Kerala BJP also condemned the incident and demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi be held accountable for the party’s actions that he had deemed “secular”. They wrote, “We strongly condemn the shocking footage from the Kanhangad protest. The chants of “We will hang you in temples” and “We will burn you alive” by the Muslim League, aimed at Hindus, are utterly reprehensible and cannot be justified. Rahul Gandhi must be held accountable for the actions of the party he calls ‘secular’. This instance is a worrying indicator of the Congress and its allies targeting Hindu society.”

Slogans raised during the rally

In the under 30-second video that has gone viral on social media, slogans like ‘Ambalathil Ketti Thooki’ (We will hang you in the temple) and ‘Pachakkittu Kathikkum’ (We will burn you alive) were raised. The complete slogan was “Without reciting the Ramayana, Will be hanged in Temple, will be burnt unto death”. The slogan meant without allowing to recite Ramayana, Hindus will be hanged in front of Sanctum Santorum. They will be burnt there unto death. Other slogans included ‘Youth League Zindabad’ and ‘Muslim League Zindabad’.

Party leaders confirmed that anti-Hindu slogans were raised

Speaking to Republic, IUML State Secretary PK Firoz confirmed that the person raising the slogans was a party member. He added that an internal inquiry had been initiated into the matter as the party “does not approve such slogans”. He claimed that pre-decided slogans were already given to the participants, and the slogans mentioned in the video were not part of it.

No action by Kerala police so far

Notably, no case has been registered by the Kerala police in the matter. So far, no investigation has taken place, and no persons involved in provocative sloganeering have been arrested.

Not to forget, rioters raised similar slogans during the Malabar Hindu Genocide in 1921. Variyam Kunnath Ahmed Haji, the leader of the rebels, said that the Islamic kingdom of “Al-Daula” was established and centered in the Malappuram district in Malabar. Later, when the Gurkha army came, Variyam Kunnath, who ran away, was captured and killed by the army.

Furthermore, CPIM leaders are also known for giving anti-Hindu speeches. Recently, during a school event, Ernakulam district Assembly speaker and communist leader AN Shamseer called Lord Ganesha a myth.

Rahul Gandhi called IUML ‘secular’

On 1st June, when Rahul Gandhi was in the United States, he made a bizarre assertion that the Muslim League, a Muslim political party in India which played a vital role in the partition of India on religious lines, was “completely secular”. The interviewer asked him, “You talked about secularism and democracy while opposing the Hindu party BJP, however, the Congress in Kerala has been in alliance with the Muslim party, the Muslim League in Kerala, the state from which you were an MP”. To this, Rahul Gandhi said, “Muslim League is a completely secular party, there is nothing non-secular about the Muslim League. I think the person has not studied the Muslim League”.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which claims to be born after Indian Independence in 1948, is actually an off-shoot of Pakistan founder and Islamist Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s All India Muslim League (AIML). The All India Muslim League was succeeded by the Muslim League in Pakistan and the Indian Union Muslim League in India. On its website, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) claims that its motto is secularism and communal harmony but has often openly indulged in carrying out those objectives which are contrary to its own motto. More details about IUML can be read here. Our complete coverage of IUML can be checked here.

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