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‘I will cut billions in foreign aid that the USA sends to enemies including Pakistan and China’: US Presidential candidate Nikki Haley

OpIndia Staff
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‘I will cut billions in foreign aid that the USA sends to enemies including Pakistan and China’: US Presidential candidate Nikki Haley

American politician Nikki Haley, who has announced her candidature for president in 2024, has promised to slash financial help to “countries that are anti-US,” including Pakistan and China if she becomes the president. The former governor of South Carolina made the pledge in an op-ed in New York Post published on 24 February.

“America spent $46 billion on foreign aid last year. That’s more than any other country by far. Taxpayers deserve to know where that money is going and what it’s doing. They will be shocked to find that much of it goes to fund anti-American countries and causes. As president, I’ll put a stop to this fiasco,” she wrote.

She then gave several examples of financial aides provided to various countries by the USA that she intends to stop, and singled out money flowing to Pakistan and Iraq, whose governments are hostile to the US and where terrorist groups are active.

Haley wrote, that despite Pakistan being the base for at least a dozen terrorist organizations and its government being heavily indebted to China, Biden had renewed military assistance to the country. “The Biden administration resumed military aid to Pakistan, though it’s home to at least a dozen terrorist organizations and its government is deeply in hock to China,” she wrote. She added that as ambassador to the UN, she had “strongly supported President Donald Trump’s decision to cut nearly $2 billion of military aid to Pakistan because that country supports terrorists who kill American troops.”

She added, “It was a major victory for our troops, our taxpayers and our vital interests, but it didn’t go nearly far enough. We’ve still given them way too much in other aid. As president, I will block every penny.”

Nikki Haley wrote that the US gave more than $1 billion to Iraq over the last few years, “even though its government is getting closer to the murderous thugs in Iran who shout “Death to America!” and launch attacks on our troops.”

“We give hundreds of millions of dollars to Zimbabwe, a country with one of the most anti-American voting records in the UN,” she added.

Nikki Haley also criticised the Biden administration for restoring half a billion dollars to “a corrupt United Nations agency”, the UN Human Rights Council, saying that while it is supposed to help the Palestinian people, it in fact supports deeply anti-Semitic propaganda against US ally Israel.

Then she mentioned US money flowing into China, Belarus and Cuba, saying it is almost comical if it weren’t true. “American taxpayers still give money to Communist China for ridiculous environment programs, despite the obvious threat China poses to Americans. We give money to Belarus, which is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s closest ally. We even give money to Communist Cuba — a country our own government has designated as a state sponsor of terrorism,” she wrote in the op-ed in NY Post.

She added that this is not just under the Biden administration, it is happening for a long time. “Our foreign-aid policies are stuck in the past. They typically operate on autopilot, with no consideration for the conduct of the countries that receive our aid.,” she said,

Nikki Haley, born to Indian-origin parents and whose original name was Nimarata Randhawa, vowed, “I will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate us. A strong America doesn’t pay off the bad guys. A proud America doesn’t waste our people’s hard-earned money. And the only leaders who deserve our trust are those who stand up to our enemies and stand beside our friends.”

Haley asserted that she is vying for the presidency in order to re-establish the strength, pride and confidence of the American people. It makes sense to support American allies and friends like Israel and Ukraine. It is not to provide their tax money to enemies, she wrote.

She has vowed to stop funding countries that do not vote in favour of the USA at the UN. “We are giving huge amounts of cash to countries that vote against us most of the time. That doesn’t make sense. I’ll stop it. America can’t buy our friends. We’ll certainly never buy off our enemies.”

“No country has a right to the American taxpayer’s money. Our leaders have a responsibility to protect our people and promote our interests. Our politicians aren’t doing that, all the way up to President Joe Biden. It’s about time we had a president who did,” she added at last.

Nikki Haley formally launched her 2024 presidential bid on February 15, making history as the first American woman to do so for the Republican Party.

Mughal lovers in India suffer a meltdown after Aurangabad city’s name changed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar

OpIndia Staff
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Mughal lovers in India suffer a meltdown after Aurangabad city’s name changed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar

On Friday (February 24), Maharashtra’s Ministry of Home Affairs approved the decision to rename ‘Aurangabad’ city, named after Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb.

The name of the city, which has over 30% Muslim population, has been changed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. It must be mentioned that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Bhosale, the son of Shivaji, was brutally executed by Aurangzeb in 1689.

While the decision to rename Aurangabad was taken last year (first by the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and then the Eknath Shinde faction), it only came to fruition on Friday, February 24 this year.

As expected, admirers of the Mughal tyrant were not pleased with the development. A miffed Shaikh Sadeque, the President of the Tipu Sultan Party (TSP), wrote, “If you hate the Mughals so much, then, break everything that they have created”

Former NDTV journalist and incumbent ‘Aurangabad’ MP Imtiaz Jaleel, was aghast at the decision of the Maharashtra government. On Friday (February 24), he threatened, “Aurangabad is, was, and will always be our city. Now, wait for our show of strength for Aurangabad.”

He further warned, “A massive morcha for our beloved city! Get ready Aurangabadis to defeat these forces (BJP) playing politics in the name of our city. We condemn & we will fight.”

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the decision to rename Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar was taken to drive a wedge between the Hindu and Muslim communities.

He said, “This move by the central government shows that there is an attempt to create discrimination. The government is trying to divide the Hindus and Muslims in the country.”

Islamist Twitter handle, India Muslim History, also cried foul over the development. “Historic city Aurangabad has been renamed as Sambhajinagar by the govt. This is an outrageous step that has been done without checking the history of the region,” it lamented.

Dubious ‘historian’, Audrey Truschke, also suffered a meltdown last year when the Maharashtra government took the decision to rename Aurangabad.

“Thinking today about Sambhaji, a seventeenth-century Maratha ruler who, by the end of his life, had alienated many supporters through brutal and miscalculated tactics. Seems that those who honour him may honour his legacy too. #Sambhaji,” she had tweeted.

Recently, controversial actor Naseeruddin Shah was also seen defending Mughal tyrants and trying to whitewash their bloody legacy.

Shah, who is playing the role of Akbar in ‘Taj–Divided by Blood’ web series, said, “…The Mughals didn’t come here to loot. They came here to make this their home and that’s what they did. Who can deny their contribution.”

He further added, “If everything they did was horrible, then knock down the Taj Mahal, knock down the Red Fort, knock down Qutub Minar.”

UPI and e-Sanjeevani are shining examples of power of Digital India, many countries drawn towards UPI: PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address

ANI
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UPI and e-Sanjeevani are shining examples of power of Digital India, many countries drawn towards UPI: PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address

Highlighting country’s digital strides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said many countries of the world are drawn to India’s UPI.

Addressing the 98th Edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, PM Modi remarked that the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) system and e-Sanjeevani App are shining example of the power of Digital India. “Many countries of the world are drawn towards India’s UPI. Only a few days ago, UPI-PayNow Link has been launched between India and Singapore. Now, people of Singapore and India are transferring money from their mobile phones in the same way as they do within their respective countries,” he said.

Prime Minister said the country has seen that at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the eSanjeevani App has proved to be a great boon for the people. It is a shining example of the power of Digital India, he said.

“Through this app, tele-consultation, that is, while sitting far away, through video conference, you can consult a doctor about your illness. Till now, the number of tele-consultants using this app has crossed the figure of 10 crore. This amazing bond between a patient and a doctor is a big achievement. For this achievement, I congratulate all the doctors and patients who have availed of this facility. This is a living example of how the people of India have made technology a part of their lives,” PM said.

During the programme, Prime Minister spoke with Dr Madan Mani from Sikkim. He also spoke to Madan Mohan, a resident of Chandauli district of Uttar Pradesh who shared his experience as a patient whoo got the benefit of teleconsultation via e-Sanjeevani App.

Prime Minister further spoke about Indian toys and story-telling forms in ‘Mann ki Baat’.

He said citizens have made ‘Mann Ki Baat’ a wonderful platform as an expression of public participation.

He said, “In Mann ki Baat, when we referred to Indian toys. My fellow citizens have promoted this too, readily. Nowadays Indian toys have become such craze that their demnad has increased even in foreign countries. When we spoke of Indian genre of story-telling in ‘Mann ki Baat, their fame also reached far and wide. People started getting attracted to the Indian story-teeling genre more and more.”

‘Mann ki Baat’ is a monthly address, aired on All India Radio on the last Sunday of every month, through which Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with countrymen.

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

Pakistan-backed terrorists wanted to repeat Pulwama attack in just ten days, Lt General KJS Dhillon (R) narrates how Indian armed forces thwarted it

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan-backed terrorists wanted to repeat Pulwama attack in just ten days, Lt General KJS Dhillon (R) narrates how Indian armed forces thwarted it

In his book, Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye, the former commander of the Chinar Corps Lt General KJS Dhillon details how Indian security forces thwarted a second suicide attack similar to the one that killed 40 CRPF troopers in Pulwama on February 14, 2019. The Indian Army killed three terrorists out of which two were from Pakistan. 

The former commander of the Chinar Corps writes in Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye that the intelligence agencies, Jammu and Kashmir police, and the Indian Army ramped up their operations following the Pulwama attack and were successful in penetrating the network of terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed in the South Kashmir region.

After receiving intelligence input about the presence of a module of Jaish terrorists in Turigam village where they were planning the attack, the Jawans of the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police led an operation to eliminate this terror module. 

The exemplary valour of DSP Aman Kumar Thakur and Naib Subedar Sombir

In his book, KJS Dhillion outlines the pivotal role played by Jammu and Kashmir DSP Aman Kumar Thakur and Naib Subedar Sombir in the operation against the Jaish terror module.

The retired officer lauded Jammu and Kashmir police Deputy Superintendent of Police in Kulgam Aman Kumar Thakur for providing crucial input about the terrorists with the local Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit and spearheading the operation with his team. 

The former Army officer emphasized the anti-terror operation carried out by the J&K police and the Indian Army and said that DSP Thakur witnessed Indian Army soldier Baldev Ram being shot by terrorist bullets. Thakur risked his own life by rushing toward the wounded soldier and evacuating him to a safe area.

Thakur then closed in on the Pakistani terrorist, fought him from close quarters, and eliminated him in a fierce exchange of fire. The slain Pakistani terrorist was later identified as Noman, a Pakistani resident and member of the Islamist terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. During the fierce gunfight DSP Thakur who was also shot with a bullet attained martyrdom. 

Moreover, Dhillon also mentions the bravery shown by Naib Subedar Sombir of the 34 RR, who laid down his life for his country by killing Pakistani terrorist Osama in a close-quarters gunfight. The Shaurya Chakra was awarded to DSP Thakur and Naib Subedar Sombir for their gallantry in sacrificing their lives in the operation.

Dhillon underscores the significance of the operation’s accomplishment in the Turigam village area by stating that “if these terrorists had not been neutralized, it would have been a huge disaster 10 days after Pulwama.”

Pulwama terror attack

On February 14, 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to Srinagar via National Highway 44 came under a suicide bombing attack.

22-year-old Adil Ahmad Dar, a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist from Kakapora in Jammu and Kashmir, rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a bus carrying the CRPF personnel to kill ‘cow piss drinkers’. 40 of our jawans were martyred in the attack.

TMC’s Jawhar Sircar caught sharing UPA-era post on service tax on healthcare to target PM Modi and FM Sitharaman

OpIndia Staff
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TMC’s Jawhar Sircar caught sharing UPA-era post on service tax on healthcare to target PM Modi and FM Sitharaman

On February 25, Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar shared an open letter by Dr Devi Shetty of Narayana Hridayalaya where he had called service tax on healthcare ‘misery tax’. Sircar wrote in the post, “Agree fully with Dr Devi Shetty that Modi-Nirmala’s service tax on health services will devastate the middle class and poor. Withdraw this tax!”

TMC’s Jawhar Sircar shared an open letter from 2011 to target PM Modi and FM Sitharaman. Source: Twitter

In the letter published as an advertisement in the newspapers, Dr Devi Shetty opposed a proposed service tax of 5 per cent on healthcare in the budget. Calling it a ‘misery tax’, Dr Shetty had called people to assemble at the Governor’s house of each state at 11 AM on March 12 with a petition to roll back the tax.

While Sircar targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in his post, the Rajya Sabha MP failed to do a simple fact check before jumping the guns. When OpIndia looked for the image he used, we found multiple reports dating back to March 2011 that had the same image. One of the reports noted that the open letter was issued by Dr Shetty criticising the tax on healthcare provided by private hospitals.

Furthermore, we found that in 2011, then-Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee proposed imposing a 5 per cent health care tax on hospitals with over 25 beds and amenities like Air Conditioning. Soon after the proposal, nationwide criticism from the healthcare industry was reported. Notably, as per reports from 2011, Dr Shetty also met then-FM Mukherjee and urged him to withdraw the proposed tax.

Following the flak received by the then-Indian government, the proposed tax was rolled back. In a statement, Dr Shetty said, “I am happy that the finance minister has decided to roll back the service tax. I met the FM two weeks ago and at that time he was of the view that the tax would hurt the common man and he would like to do something about it.”

It is noteworthy that Service Tax was merged into GST. That means no separate Service Tax is imposed on anything.

To summarise, a service tax on Healthcare was proposed by FM Mukherjee in the 2011 budget. After backlash, it was withdrawn by the government. The post that Sircar shared has the clipping of an open letter Dr Shetty wrote in 2011. Thus, Sircar’s post is misleading.

Jawhar Sircar and fake news go hand-in-hand

This is not the first time Sircar published fake news. In September 2022, two photographs of PM Modi went viral, where those who published the tweets claimed PM Modi was shooting with a lens cover on. While one photograph was with a lens filter, and people got it confused with a lens cap, in another photograph, someone went ahead and added a lens cap. However, the person who did it was not aware that the Canon lens cap would not fit a Nikon lens. Sircar had shared the latter one and deleted the tweet once he got exposed by netizens.

In June 2021, Sircar published a heavily-edited photograph of PM Modi to insinuate that he goes out of his way to be polite to ‘his friends’. Sircar tweeted, “Wish fellow parliamentarians and others in politics also received such courtesy and bonhomie — from their permanently-scowling PM. In a mature democracy, we would know the two-way relationship, favors, and transactions. Some day, history will tell us,” with an image of PM Modi bowing down politely to Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Group chief Mukesh Ambani. The image was, however, fake and photoshopped.

In December 2021, Sircar shared a doctored video to suggest that PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath were greeted with anti-Modi and anti-Yogi slogans during the inauguration ceremony of the Kashi Viswanath Corridor. He was called out by the netizens who published the original video of residents cheering for PM Modi and CM Yogi.

Again in December 2021, Jawhar Sircar went on a rant over the price of the modified Mercedes-Maybach 650 used by PM Modi. He tried to assert that a state-of-the-art car is not used for fortifying the security of the head of the state but for satisfying the vanity of PM Modi. Contrary to what he said, the armoured vehicle is for the post of India’s Prime Minister and not for the person who is currently occupying the post. The Prime Minister is not going to inherit the car when he retires from public office or when he is replaced by another one.

Gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed’s son one of the accused in Umesh Pal murder

OpIndia Staff
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Gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed’s son one of the accused in Umesh Pal murder

Uttar Pradesh police have gained major success in the investigation of the Umesh Pal murder case, as the four attackers who killed Umesh Pal, the key witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal on Friday have been identified by the police after analyzing the CCTV footage of the incident.

Among the four assailants were mafia and former MP Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed, Atiq Ahmed’s close aide Guddu Muslim, Arman, and Mohammed Ghulam. ADG Law and Order Prashant Kumar and ADG STF Amrit Abhijat have camped in Prayagraj. It is being said that seven people were involved in the attack on Umesh Pal, out of which four have been identified so far. Out of the four identified attackers, three have been arrested.

This comes after  Umesh Pal, the key witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was fatally shot on Friday evening at his home in Prayagraj. Raju Pal had been elected to the Allahabad (West) assembly seat in his first electoral campaign, defeating Khalid Azim, the younger brother of former MP Atiq Ahmed. Months later, Raju Pal was murdered. The prime suspects in the Raju Pal murder case are Atiq Ahmed, his brother, and former MLA Ashraf. All three accused individuals are currently lodged in jail.

After analyzing the CCTV footage, the police have reported that the attackers arrived at the scene in both a car and a motorcycle. The police have also stated that the assailants were pursuing Umesh Pal’s vehicle and had crude explosive devices in their possession. In one of the video clips obtained, an individual can be seen removing a bomb from their bag and throwing it at Umesh Pal. The police said additional men used improvised explosive devices during the attack, resulting in a cloud of smoke and inciting panic and disorder. Umesh Pal was quickly transported to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, he passed away from his injuries.

An FIR has been filed against Atiq Ahmed’s wife, Sahista Praveen, his brother, and his sons Ahzaan and Abaan, in connection to the murder of Umesh Pal. In addition, the police have apprehended 14 individuals, including Atiq Ahmed’s sons, for further questioning regarding the case.

Video of Pakistani woman saying her rich family swimming in luxuries is full of professional beggars emerges amid severe economic crisis

OpIndia Staff
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Video of Pakistani woman saying her rich family swimming in luxuries is full of professional beggars emerges amid severe economic crisis

Amidst the ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan, a video of a woman in Lahore being married to a ‘rich’ family of professional beggars is going viral on social media.

The said video was first posted on the official YouTube channel of one Syed Basit Ali on February 20 this year. The woman, identified as Shazia, is an MBBS doctor by profession.

She recounted how her family was being misled by the professional beggars, who claimed to have made their fortunes through import-export business.

Dr Shazia, who is now a homemaker, narrated her ordeal, “My marriage was fixed by my family. The first 4-5 months were great… I had to do no work. My in-laws told me to enjoy life to its fullest. I had a luxurious life there.”

“The bungalow of my in-laws was equipped with a gym, a swimming pool, cars such as Land Cruiser and Fortuner, and servants to take care of my needs,” she emphasised.

On being asked by Syed Basit Ali about her ‘shocking discovery’ after 4-5 months, Dr Shazia recounted, “I saw the family members disappearing one by one. They would simply sit in their cars and go somewhere. This included both young and old family members.”

“One day, I went to the basement of the building and found costumes of beggars. They would change into their outfit every day and go out in their cars to beg for alms…I once followed them and found them begging in groups,” she added.

Beggar in-laws hired a professional makeup artist: Pakistani woman

Dr Shazia pointed out, “My life had turned outside down and I felt pity for myself. I am an MBBS doctor who belongs to a good family. I have been cheated.”

On being asked why she refused to stay with her in-laws despite the luxury, she said, “It wasn’t their family wealth but money derived from professional begging.”

The woman also informed that the family of beggars had even hired a makeup artist so that they could pass off as destitute. “Self-respect is more important than money. So you can put up with such people,” she further added.

Dr Shazia exposes the tricks of her in-laws

“My brother-in-law would pretend to have one dysfunctional leg while my mother-in-law would pass off as a handicapped woman with two non-functional legs,” the woman narrated.

“My husband would put up bandages on his arms and keep a bowl in front of him…I was depressed for a month after witnessing all this,” Dr Shazia emphasised.

She also informed how her in-laws would physically assault her, post which she returned to her family. “Do not get impressed by the money of your prospective husband. Research about the family, and check whether they are making an honest living,” Dr Shazia advised other Pakistani women.

Syed Basit Ali is a YouTuber and content creator and on his channel he interviews people who appear to be having interesting life, so to say.

Deteriorating economic condition of Pakistan

The development comes at a time when Pakistan is experiencing its worst economic crisis, besides food shortages, flash floods, and poverty. Over 7 million workers in its textile industry have been laid off.

Other than this, Pakistan, which was declared South Asia’s weakest economy by a report is also hit by a severe food crisis. The situation in several cities of Pakistan is so grave that flour is being rationed and guarded by armed guards. Prices of flour and wheat have witnessed a dramatic surge. 

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan are among the worst sufferers as tens of thousands spend hours daily to get the subsidized bags of flour that are already short in supply in the market.

Incidents of clashes and stampedes have been reported in markets in many areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan. The situation is so dire that flour-loaded mini trucks and vans are escorted by armed guards to avoid clashes.

As these vehicles reach the markets, people gather around these vehicles. Recently, the people of Pakistan took to Twitter to voice their woes as a nationwide power outage left almost all regions without electricity on January 24, 2023.

As such, the government has now surrendered itself to Almighty Allah. Pakistani Finance minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar said that the government was praying, that Allah would bring prosperity back to Pakistan.

Watch: South Korean Embassy wins hearts as the Ambassador and staff dance to RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’ song

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: South Korean Embassy wins hearts as the Ambassador and staff dance to RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’ song

RRR’s “Naatu Naatu” song continues to hold its spell.  On February 25, Saturday, the Korean Embassy in India shared a rendition of the Oscar-nominated song on Twitter.

Sharing the dance cover video on Twitter, the Korean Embassy in India wrote, “We are happy to share with you the Korean Embassy’s Naatu Naatu dance cover. See the Korean Ambassador Chang Jae-bok along with the embassy staff Naatu Naatu!!”

In the 53-second Korean envoy, Chang Jae-bok performed the hook step of the Naatu Naatu song while other workers were also seen grooving. Netizens were elated to see the Koreans dancing to an Indian song.

A Twitter user named Shivangi wrote, “Wait wait wait now the Oscar will go to Ambassador Chang for giving a tough competition to @tarak9999.”

 Another Twitter user wrote, “Loved it, Grateful to the Korean Embassy.”

“This is so wonderful to see – cultural exchange between two countries that share many cultural similarities,” ‘Fair&Square’ wrote.

The ‘Naatu Naatu’ song originally features Telugu actors Jr NTR and Ramcharan. Interestingly, the song was shot at the Mariinsky Palace, the Presidential Palace of Ukraine located in Kyiv. The shooting took place in August 2021 as a part of the final shooting schedule in Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially resides in the palace.

The Telugu song Naatu Naatu was composed by MM Keeravani and the lyrics were written by Chandrabose. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava are the singers. In January this year, Naatu Naatu won the Best Original Song trophy at Golden Globes 2023.

The Telugu action film “RRR,” directed by SS Rajamouli, won four awards at the 2023 HCA Film Awards on Saturday, including the best international picture and best action film.

The Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) conducted the celebration at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles on Friday night. The film also received the prize for best stunts, and its Oscar-nominated song “Naatu Naatu” won the prize for best original song.

The fictional pre-Independence story “RRR” centers on Alluri Sitarama Raju played by Ram Charan and Komaram Bheem played by Jr NTR, two real-life Indian revolutionaries in the 1920s.  

On Ahmedabad Foundation Day, read about trail of destruction of Hindu temples in the city by the Islamic Sultans

Gopal Tiwari
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On Ahmedabad Foundation Day, read about trail of destruction of Hindu temples in the city by the Islamic Sultans

On 26th February 1411 Ahmed Shah (First), the self-proclaimed “Nasir-ud-dunya Wad-dín Abul fateh Ahmed Shah” laid the foundation of a new capital city on the banks of Sabarmati which was earlier known as Asawal and ruled by Asha Bhil. The ancient city in western India was also known as Karnavati. In the name of making a new capital city, Ahmed Shah (First) of the Gujarat Sultanate destroyed old temples around and went on to build Islamic structures on the temple sites using the temple rubbles.

As Ahmedabad ‘established’ by Ahmed Shah turns 612 and enters into the 613th year on 26th February 2023, let us not forget the tyranny this land has survived. The era of the Gujarat Sultanate has turned this land of temples into an abode for medieval Islamic structures which are built on the temple sites using the rubbles of the same temples destroyed by the barbarians.

Muzaffarid Dynasty

Barring invasions of Mahmud of Ghazni, Muhammad Ghori, Mamluk, and Qutubuddin Aibak, the land of Gujarat remained under the control of Hindu Rajput kings of Gujarat till 1297 when Alaudding Khilji defeated Raja Karnadevaraya of Anhilwada (present-day Patan). Gujarat remained under the control of the Delhi Sultanate till 1407 when Zafar Khan – who in 1391 was appointed as a governor of the Delhi Sultanate declared himself an independent ruler of the Gujarat area. As this invader was also called Muzaffar Shah, this dynasty is called the Muzaffarid dynasty. This Muzaffar Shah destroyed the Somnath temple twice.

We have mostly heard of Somnath Mandir invasion and destruction by Islamic invaders. However, in Ahmedabad alone, dozens of temples were destroyed and even today Islamic structures stand on the ruins of our temples. In the book “Hindu Temples – What happened to them?”, historian Sitaram Goel covers 9 out of 18 such sites in the Ahmedabad district area.

The 18 structures in Ahmedabad cover the sites in Patan, Asawal, and Chandravai areas. The Palace and Citadel of Bhadra, Ahmed shah’s mosque in Bhadra, Jami Masjid of Ahmed Shah, Haibat Khan’s Mosque, Rani Rupmati’s Mosque, Rani Bai Harir’s Mosque, Malik Sarang’s Mosque, Mahfiz Khan’s Mosque, Sayyid Alam’s Mosque, Pattharwali Mosque, Sakar Khan’s Mosque, Baba Lulu’s Mosque, Shykh Hasan Muhammad Chishti’s Mosque, Mosque at Isanpur, Mosques, and Mazars of Malik Shaban, Rani Sipri, and Shah Alam, and the Maqbara of Ahmed Shah.

Besides this, a mosque each in Dekwara, Isapur, Usmanpur, Ranpur, and Paldi is built on a temple’s site. Some of them are built by Delhi Sultanate while others were built by the Gujarat Sultanate. There are six sites in Dholka that are having Islamic structures built by destroying a temple or by using temple material. They are – the Mosque and Mazar of Bahlol Khan Ghazi, Mazar of Barkat Shahid, Tanka or Jami Mosque, Hilal Khan Qazi’s Mosque, Khirni Mosque, and Kali Bazar Mosque. All six structures are built in the 14th century when Gujarat was ruled by Delhi Sultanate.

Sayyid’s Mosque and Jami Mosque in Mandal are built by razing temples. The Dargah of Shykh Ahmed Khattu Ganj Bakhsh and the Maqbara of Sultan Mahmud Begada both are built using temple materials.

Here is how Islamic rulers of present day Ahmedabad destroyed our temples.

Ahmed Shah (First)

Ahmed Shah (First) was the grandson of Muzaffar Shah. He laid the foundation of what is known as Ahmedabad today. He destroyed many temples and converted them to mosques and other Islamic structures.

The Twitter handle of “Reclaim Temples” documents such occupied Hindu sites where Islamic tyrants have built Islamic structures. It tweeted, “Ahmed Shah’s Masjid in Ahmedabad Gujarat is a Hindu temple seized and converted to a Masjid by Sultan Ahmed Shah 1 in 1414 AD. Hindu temple ceilings, pillars, motifs, and other temple designs can be seen. However, all the sculptures of Hindu Gods were removed.”

In the next tweet, “Reclaim Temples” says, “Jama Masjid Ahmedabad in Gujarat is a Bhadrakali temple which was forcefully converted into a Masjid by Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1415 AD. Garbhagrihas, the mutilated sculpture of Hindu Gods, Hindu temple motifs prove that it is a Hindu temple under Muslim occupation.”

The Dargah of Shykh Ahmed Khattu Ganj Bakhsh in Sarkhej is also built by this Ahmed Shah. Ahmed Shah’s tomb is situated near Jama Mosque in Manek Chouk of Ahmedabad and it is built using temple material. He also built the Citadel of Bhadra from the rubble remains of Bhadrakali Temple. He ruled the Gujarat sultanate from 1411 to 1442 and destroyed many other temples to convert them into Islamic structures in his 32 years of rule.

Mahmud Begada

Mahmud Begada ruled the Gujarat Sultanate for 54 years that is from 1458 to 1511. Out of around 166 years of the Gujarat Sultanae’s Muzaffarid dynasty rule, almost 87 years of rule is under Ahmed Shah (First), and Mahmud Begada. This Mahmud Begada is called Begada because he won two important forts (gadh) of Junagadh and Pavagadh. Be means two in Gujarati. Gadh means fort. This Mahmud Begada was more fundamentalist than the earlier Sultans of this dynasty. In 1472, he destroyed Dwarka, one of the four most holy places of Hinduism.

He spread Islam wherever he attacked. He destroyed temples and built Islamic structures on those sites. Talking about Ahmedabad in particular, suburbs like Alimpura, Isanpur, Islampur, and Vatva – all of them were populated by his nobles who were not so noble in fact. Many mosques are built in these areas in his tenure, most of which are originally temples that were converted to mosques. Malik Sarang – one of his governors – was Rajput by birth. Sarangpur suburb and Malik Sarang’s mosque are named after him. The whole Gujarat Sultanate and this dynasty had many such converted commanders. He would win during the border expansion, asking the captive king to accept Islam, and killing the king who refused.

In Ahmedabad, Mahmud Begada built Rani Rupmati Mosque. He also destroyed the Kalika Devi temple on Pavagadh in Gujarat. Begda had completely destroyed the Shikhara and then to further insult the Hindus, right where the Shikhara was there in the garbhagruh (sanctum sanctorum), a Dargah of one Sadanshah Peer was constructed. After the attack, for over 500 years, no Dhwaja was unfurled at the Mandir. In Hinduism, it is considered inauspicious to unfurl a Dhwaja on a Shikhara that is destroyed. Hence, for over 500 years, Maa, in her own temple, was stuck under a Dargah. The Dargah has now been shifted and the temple reclaimed in 2022. Finally, the Dhwaja flies on the mandir decades after it was destroyed by Islamic invader.

Mahmud Begada would use conquered temple sites for funerals and would make tombs inside the sanctum sanctorum. His burial site is also a temple converted to Maqbara. It is located in the Sarkhej area of Ahmedabad. His wife Rajbai (originally a Hindu woman) is also buried in a similar manner. This is in addition to major temples destroyed and converted to mosques by him in Junagadh, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Surat when he was alive.

Bhadra Fort and Jami Mosque

Bhadra Fort is the place where the Rajputs of Gujarat ruled the old city. The tyrants of the Gujarat Sultanate just reinforced the old structure, yet most Marxist and Islamist historians tend to credit Ahmed Shah (First) for its construction. The fort surroundings had an ancient temple of Bhadra Kali that is the goddess Lakshmi. It was desecrated and converted to a mosque by Ahmed Shah (First). He also desecrated a temple inside the fort to build a mosque.

Remains of colonial rule

Teen Darwaza, Sarkhej Roza, Shah Alam’s Roza, and Siddi Sayyid Mosque are among other remains of the colonial rule of the Gujarat Sultanate that can still be seen in Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on the occasion of the 75th independence day that people should get rid of the symbols of colonial rules and embrace the future of New India.

Whether Ahmedabad manages to reclaim its lost heritage, only time will tell. But one can always read history to know about the ruins on which it was built over 600 years ago.

Pakistan: First transgender news anchor in the country shot at in Lahore, was receiving threats for raising the voice for her community

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: First transgender news anchor in the country shot at in Lahore, was receiving threats for raising the voice for her community

The first transgender news anchor in Pakistan, Marvia Malik, was reportedly attacked outside her residence in Lahore on Thursday. According to reports, two unidentified gunmen fired at the 26-year-old news anchor while she was returning from a pharmacy. Malik narrowly escaped the shooting attack.

Malik told police that she had been receiving threatening calls for some time for raising the voice for the transgender community in Pakistan and cited her activism as the reason behind the attack.

Malik, who had fled Lahore fearing for her safety, had returned to the city for a surgery when the attack occurred.

She stated that her advocacy for the transgender community was a “major factor” in the assassination attempt.

Malik made history in 2018 when she became the Islamic Republic’s first transgender news anchor. She was engaged by Pakistan-based Kohenoor News, but she admitted in multiple interviews that landing the feat was not simple.

Before becoming a news anchor, Malik created history by becoming the first transgender model at a prominent fashion show held annually by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council, according to reports.

“Like other trans people, I did not get any support from my family. On my own, I did some menial jobs and continued my studies. I had always wanted to be a news anchor, and my dream came true when I got selected,” she told American broadcaster Voice of America in a telephonic interview.

She hopes that her work will change people’s perceptions of the transgender community. “If given the chance, transgender people are equally capable of doing anything,” she told the news agency AP in an interview. “Our degrees are of no use…even if we seek jobs, we get rejected due to our identity, I want to change this mindset,” she said.

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