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Pakistan: Transgender forced to dance to get ration in Gujranwala, video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Transgender forced to dance to get ration in Gujranwala, video goes viral

On Friday (January 27), a video of a transgender woman, dancing at a government office, in exchange for ration went viral on social media. The incident took place in Gujranwala city in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

According to a Pakistani channel ‘Express News’, the transgender was asked to dance and please the officials at the government office in exchange for food supplies. Forced by circumstances, she had to give in to their demands.

The staff, present at the office, also showered currency notes on her. The despicable act drew the ire of social media users, who sought strict action against the accused government officials.

After the video went viral, the Deputy Commissioner of Gujranwala ordered an inquiry into the matter. Reportedly, the officer-in-charge at the government department claimed that the video was old and that the transgender danced on her own accord.

Pakistan: JUI-F challenges Transgender Protection Act in Federal Sharia court

In September last year, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), a Pakistan government ally and member of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), challenged Pakistan’s Transgender Protection Act, 2018, at the Federal Shariat Court (FSC).

The party contested the law and demanded that it be ruled incompatible with Islamic Shariah, arguing that no law that conflicts with the Quran and Sunnah can be passed in the Islamic nation.

The plight of transgenders in Pakistan

For a long time, the situation of transgender people in Pakistan has been dire. Many people in Pakistan see trans individuals as misfits, particularly in conservative areas where they are frequently sexually molested, raped, and even murdered.

They also avoid enrolling in conventional schools in order to escape prejudice. While there is opposition to transgender legislation, a hotline for transgender persons has been established in an effort to protect them from discrimination and harassment.

The hotline comes as the Shehbaz Sharif government attempts to revise the transgender rights bill to allow trans persons to select their gender identity for previously issued government documents and national identity cards.

Jerusalem: Juvenile terrorist shoots at two Jews, a day after deadly terror attack

OpIndia Staff
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Jerusalem: Juvenile terrorist shoots at two Jews, a day after deadly terror attack

On Saturday (January 28) morning, a 13-year-old Palestinian terrorist open fired at a Jewish father-son duo near the City of David in Jerusalem.

As per reports, the accused attacked a 47-year-old man and his 22-year-old son while they were returning home after Shabbat services. The underage terrorist was equipped with a handgun and waiting in anticipation of Jewish worshippers behind parked cars.

The 22-year-old man, who is a paratrooper with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), shot back at the accused, severely injuring him in the process. He is said to be in stable condition while the juvenile Palestinian terrorist is in serious condition. The 47-year-old man got away with moderate injuries.

Meanwhile, the police arrested the parents of the terrorist and raided his residence in the Silwan neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. According to them, the accused stole the handgun from his family member without their knowledge.

Before going about his way shooting Jews, the juvenile terrorist reportedly wrote on Facebook – “Mom, please don’t be angry with me.” On receiving information about the attack, the paramedics rushed to the spot and rushed the victims to Shaare Zedek Hospital.

As expected, the spokesperson for the Islamist terror outfit Hamas, Hazem Qaseem, hailed the terror attack and dubbed it as a ‘heroic action’ and a ‘continuation of resistance’ against Israelis.

“The heroic action in Silwan is a confirmation of the continuation of the resistance action in all the occupied territories, and in response to the crimes of the occupation against our people in the holy places,” he said.

Meanwhile, the actions of the 13-year-old terrorist was condemned by the US Department of Defense. In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said, “We are in close contact with our Israeli partners and stand firmly with them in the face of this attack.”

Jerusalem: Palestinian terrorist kills 7 Jews, injures 3 others in a deadly attack

On Friday (January 27) night, a 21-year-old Palestinian terrorist went on a killing spree and gunned down 7 Jews outside a synagogue in Neve Yaakov in East Jerusalem.

As per reports, he started shooting at the victims at around 8:15 pm using a handgun, marking the deadliest attack on the Jewish community since 2008. The unnamed terrorist then fled the scene in his car, only to be tracked down by the police within 5 minutes.

He was neutralised following a brief encounter with the cops. Meanwhile, his parents have been nabbed by the Israeli police. A total of 7 people were killed while 3 others were injured in the lone wolf attack. While 5 victims died on the spot, 2 others passed away on their way to the hospital.

Islamist terror outfit, Hamas, celebrated the death of Jews and even civilians were seen cheering with fireworks in the Gaza strip and other disputed territories.

Rakhi Sawant cries inconsolably as her mother passes away from cancer

OpIndia Staff
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Rakhi Sawant cries inconsolably as her mother passes away from cancer

On January 28, actress Rakhi Sawant’s mother, Jaya Sawant, died of cancer at a hospital in Mumbai. Sawant posted a video of crying inconsolably while her mother took her last breath. As per the story on Sawant’s Instagram account, her funeral is scheduled for 12 PM on January 29.

In the post, Sawant wrote, “Today, my mother left this world. I have nothing else left to lose. I love you, Maa. There is nothing left without you. Who will listen to my hue and cry? Who will hug me? What will I do now? Where should I go? I miss you Aai”.

Informing about the funeral, her story read, “With deep sorrow, I Rakhi Sawant, inform you of the sudden death of my beloved mother. Many of you know that she was suffering from some medical conditions, and I am sad to say that she is gone. Tomorrow, join us for the funeral service of my mother at 12:00 afternoon. Address: Municipal Christian Cemetery, Oshiwara Andheri West.”

Source: Rakhi Sawant’s Instagram account

Sawant, who recently converted to Islam as per some reports to marry Adil Khan Durrani, was heard praying to Jesus Christ to remove her mother’s pain. In the video, she said, “Father, please. Don’t give her pain. We don’t have anyone left, Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, take her. Holy Spirit, please release her.” Rakhi had earlier converted to Christianity.

Jaya Sawant was undergoing treatment for cancer. Rakhi had been sharing photographs and videos from the hospital and updating about her mother’s health. In paparazzi videos, she also requested her fans to pray for her mother.

Actors, including Jackie Shroff, commented on the video consoling Sawant on her loss. Shroff said, “I feel your pain, having lost my mom, dad, and brother; their soul will always be with us.”

Source: Instagram

Actor Pavitraa Punia said, “Stay Stying rakhi. Please take care. May God give peace to her soul. Om Shanti.”

Source: Instagram

Actor Ridhima Pandit said, “Stay strong Rakhi, sending prayers and love… May her soul rest in peace.”

Source: Instagram

Sawant recently made headlines after getting married to Adil and later getting arrested in a matter related to a complaint filed by actress Sherlyn Chopra.

You are bound to follow SC collegium decision, ex-SC Judge Fali Nariman takes a swipe at Kiren Rijiju

ANI
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You are bound to follow SC collegium decision, ex-SC Judge Fali Nariman takes a swipe at Kiren Rijiju

Following Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remarks on recent Supreme Court collegium resolutions while reiterating names for appointment as high court judges, former SC judge Rohinton Fali Nariman on Friday took swipe at the law minister, calling his remarks on judiciary ‘diatribe’. 

Aiming at Kijiju, without naming him, the former SC judge, who was a part of the collegium said, “We have heard a diatribe by the Law Minister of the day against this process. Let me assure the Law Minister that there are two basic Constitutional fundamentals that he must know. One fundamental is, unlike the USA, a minimum of five unelected judges are trusted with the interpretation of the Constitution Article 145(3). There is no equivalent in the USA. So minimum 5, what we call Constitution Bench, are trusted to interpret the Constitution. Once those five or more have interpreted the Constitution, it is your bounden duty as an authority under Article 144 to follow that judgement.” “You may criticise it. As a citizen, I may criticise it, no problem. But never forget, unlike me who is a citizen, you are an authority and as an authority, you are bound by that judgement whether right or wrong,” he said. 

This comes after Kiren Rijiju criticized the SC’s collegium system of seeking RAW and IB inputs on the appointment of judges in the High Courts, calling it a “matter of serious concern”. 

“Putting secret inputs of RAW & IB (on the appointment of judges in high courts) in public is a matter of serious concern. I will react to this in an appropriate manner in time,” Rijuju said. 

The minister’s remarks came at a time when the government and the judiciary have differences over the process of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. 

The appointment of judges, which has been under the purview of the Supreme Court collegium or panel of senior most judges since 1993, has been a point of contention for the central government over the years.

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

We asked ChatGPT to write an article on Modi the way a Modi hater like Arundhati Roy would have written, and it didn’t disappoint us

OpIndia Staff
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We asked ChatGPT to write an article on Modi the way a Modi hater like Arundhati Roy would have written, and it didn’t disappoint us

ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer), the app launched by Open AI in November 2022 is all the rage right now. The chatbot is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3 family of large language models, and is fine-tuned with learning techniques as it develops.

The artificially intelligent chatbot is knowledgeable enough to clear even the US law school exam, even if it was with a C+ grade. The worries about the misuse of this AI tool are already growing, with Bengaluru colleges banning its use, as it can be misused to write assignments and clear exams.

To test the effectiveness of this AI tool, we asked it to write an article on the Indian Prime Minister the way a Modi hater like Arundhati Roy would write, and the results were so similar to the anti-Modi articles we see. Below is our exchange with the chatbot.

Question asked by one of our colleagues – Write an article on Narendra Modi in the style of Arundhati Roy or any other Modi hater

ChatGPT response– It is with great reluctance that I write about Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India. Since his rise to power in 2014, Modi has become a symbol of everything that is wrong with India today: the rise of Hindu nationalism extremism, the suppression of dissent, the erosion of democratic institutions, and the general slide towards authoritarianism.

Modi’s rise to power was built on a foundation of lies and manipulation. He promised to bring “development” to India, to create jobs, and to improve the standard of living for all Indians. But in reality, he has delivered nothing but misery and suffering. Under Modi’s leadership, India’s economy has tanked, with GDP growth plummeting and unemployment reaching historic highs.

But Modi’s failures go far beyond economic mismanagement. He has actively promoted a dangerous brand of Hindu nationalism extremism, which has led to a surge in violence against religious minorities, particularly Muslims. His government has also been responsible for the suppression of dissent, with journalists, activists, and critics of the government being arrested, harassed, and even killed.

The Modi government has also been responsible for the erosion of democratic institutions in India. The judiciary has been packed with Modi loyalists, while independent institutions such as the Election Commission have been subverted to serve the interests of the ruling party. The media has been muzzled, and free speech has been suppressed.

In short, Modi has been a disaster for India. He has led the country down a dangerous path, one that threatens to destroy the very fabric of Indian society. It is up to the Indian people to reject this dangerous agenda and to demand real change, not just empty promises and rhetoric.

It is important to remember that the Modi government is not just a problem for India, but a problem for the world. Modi’s brand of extremist politics is a threat to peace and stability in South Asia, and the international community must speak out against it. We must call on the Indian government to respect the rights of all its citizens, to uphold the rule of law, and to restore democratic institutions.

Narendra Modi’s leadership is a dangerous threat to India’s democracy and secularism and should be critically examined and opposed by all who believe in the values of justice, equality, and fraternity.

The question asked to the AI bot

Even Artificial Intelligence knows how predictable are Modi haters

It should be noted that every person may not get the same answer from ChatGPT, and hence if you try and ask the same question as asked by our colleague, possibly you would get some other article, or maybe no article. In fact, the chatbot could offer a different answer to the same person too if the question is repeated or reworded.

However, this particular article has shown how predictable anti-Modi writers are and how their writing is full of rhetorical claims. One particularly alarming thing to notice is how even AI (artificial intelligence) knows that the final objective of all anti-Modi writing and activism is to paint India as some sort of dystopian state, into whose affairs the world must intervene and fix.

India thrashes South Africa 5-2 to finish 9th in the Hockey World Cup being held in Odisha

ANI
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India thrashes South Africa 5-2 to finish 9th in the Hockey World Cup being held in Odisha

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Akashdeep, Shamsher Singh were among the goal scorers as India thrashed South Africa by 5-2 in their classification match for the 9-12th position at the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup at Rourkela on Saturday.

With this win, India finished at ninth position in the tournament and are tied with Argentina. In the first quarter, India showed attacking gameplan and made early inroads into the South African penalty circle.

Nicholas Spooner of South Africa got a green card in the third minute. The home side got an early lead in the fourth minute after Abhishek collected a pass coming into the scoring circle and smashed it in the nets taking the scoreline to 1-0.

Nqobile Ntuli also got a green card in the seventh minute. After 10 minutes of the first quarter, India had penetrated SA’s circle four times while SA could penetrate India’s only twice.

After winning a penalty corner in 11th minute, skipper Harmanpreet Singh also joined the scoresheet with a brilliant conversion. India had doubled their lead.

India made a save and denied South Africa a late chance at the end of first quarter, at the end of which scoreline read 2-0 in favour of India.

The second quarter did not see any goals. India did earn a PC but failed to capitalise on it. Despite that, the hosts kept playing attacking hockey. South Africa also showed some improvement in their attacking game. They displayed more ball possession and circle penetration in the second quarter.

At the end of the second quarter and the first half, India was leading the game by 2-0.

South Africa got its first penalty corner in 32nd minute. A yellow card was given to Amit Rohidas after he threw his gear after PC was given to SA, which hit an opposition player. Following this, SA got another PC, which it could not convert.

Both India and SA tried to penetrate but could not score. India finally got a goal in the 45th minute. It was Shamsher Singh who scored the goal after Abhishek received an aerial pass, which he sent to Shamsher. Gowan tried to dive forward and intercept, but the Indian player managed to score. At the end of the third quarter, India was 3-0 in lead.

In the final quarter, Akashdeep scored a goal in the 49th minute. Jarmanpreet was stuck on touchline on the right side of the goal, he squared the pass and Akashdeep was able to get a touch. The scoreline was now 4-0 in favour of India.

South Africa managed to open its goal count in the 49th minute itself, Samkelo Mvimbi received an aerial pass and sent it past the goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. The scoreline was now 1-4.

In the 51st minute, Sukhjeet was shown a yellow card and India was reduced to 10 men for the next five minutes.

In the 59th minute of the match, Sukhjeet came back and gave support to Akashdeep, whose shot lacked power. Akashdeep found the ball at the front of the net and scored the fifth goal for India.

Cassiem converted a PC in the final minute to make the final scoreline read 5-2 in favour of India. 

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

‘Next will you rename or demolish Lal Qila, Taj Mahal’: Renaming Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Mughal Garden to ‘Amrit Udyan’ ruffles Congress feathers

OpIndia Staff
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‘Next will you rename or demolish Lal Qila, Taj Mahal’: Renaming Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Mughal Garden to ‘Amrit Udyan’ ruffles Congress feathers

Earlier in the day, news emerged that the iconic Mughal Gardens inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises has been renamed ‘Amrit Udyan’. The garden’s name has been changed to Amrit Udyan on the occasion of celebrations of 75 years of Independence as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

The BJP administration’s decision instantly triggered certain members of the Congress party, who went on to suggest that it is a partisan move by the central government to divide society along religious lines and sow seeds of hatred toward other communities.

Speaking to the media, senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi asked which other monument built by the British the BJP intends to rename or demolish next. “Will they now demolish the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament, Lal Qila or Taj Mahal, which were built by the British?” the leader lambasted.

Congress’s Rashid Alvi suggested that the Centre create new roads, gardens, etc., and give them whatever names it wishes, rather than renaming already-existing structures.

“The BJP government has a tendency of renaming cities, roads, and now even gardens. They view this as what constitutes development,” stated Alvi.

Alvi was not the only Congress leader who took umbrage at the move. INC’s George Kurian also weighed in on the BJP government’s decision to rename the Mughal Garden in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He stated that the BJP has failed in its priorities and the move was “nothing but an attempt to distract from real issues.”

The Cuddalore Congress Sevadal also took to Twitter to slam the move, “The only development of BJP is nothing other than naming other’s Child.. Mughal garden renamed.”

Meanwhile, reacting strongly to Congress’s objection, BJP spokesperson Shehzaad Poonawala said, “What we are experiencing is the shedding of colonial legacy and colonial symbols, whether its the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path, whether it is getting rid of the statue of King George, whether it is getting rid of St. George’s cross from the Naval ensign and replacing it with Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj sign or whether it is renaming these past burdens with names that are more contemporary and that reflect Indian culture, Indian sentiments. I think that should be welcomed.”

“It’s very difficult to understand why Congress is opposed to every nationalist step. What problem it has with breaking away from the shackles of colonial mindset,” the BJP leader added.

Mughal Gardens in Rashtrapati Bhavan renamed ‘Amrit Udyan’

Earlier in the day OpIndia reported that the iconic Mughal Gardens inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises has been renamed ‘Amrit Udyan’. The garden’s name has been changed on the occasion of celebrations of 75 years of Independence as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

Navika Gupta, Deputy Press Secretary to President, said that the president of India has given a common name to the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens as ‘Amrit Udyan’. The Deputy Press Secretary further informed that the Amrit Udayan will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday, January 2.

It is notable that although called Mughal Gardens, the garden on Raisina Hill was not built by the Mughals, as the entire complex was built by the British, long after the fall of the Mughal empire. However, because the garden was designed in the manner of Mughal gardens built by Mughals in various locations throughout the country, it was given the generic name Mughal Gardens.

It is also important to note that there are numerous Mughal gardens in the country, most of them on the premises of Mughal-built structures like the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort etc.

Rahul Gandhi rakes up “outsider” rhetoric in Jammu & Kashmir amidst deadly attacks on ‘non-locals’ by Islamic terrorists

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi rakes up “outsider” rhetoric in Jammu & Kashmir amidst deadly attacks on ‘non-locals’ by Islamic terrorists

Congress scion Rahul Gandhi is currently in Jammu & Kashmir for the final leg of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. Ironically, this yatra, allegedly to promote unity in India, has consistently used divisive rhetoric, to pitch state vs state, locals vs outsiders, and gave platform to people who promote hate, and the last leg of this journey was no different.

Whipping up emotions against “outsiders” in Jammu & Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi said, “Earlier, locals of Jammu used to do business here. Locals of Jammu & Kashmir used to run Jammu & Kashmir. Today ‘outsiders’ are running it. Our rights, and our voice, are not heard by the administration.”

The Congress leader further said, “Entire trade in Jammu & Kashmir is being done by outsiders. The people of Jammu & Kashmir are just watching them. Secondly, unemployment is highest in Jammu & Kashmir in entire India.” Thereby implying that locals are losing out to outsiders when it comes to jobs and trade.

This rhetoric against ‘outsiders’ in the Union Territory from Rahul Gandhi has come at a time when non-locals have been facing an increasing number of targeted attacks in recent times. Incidents of targeted killings of ‘non-locals’ have become commonplace in the UT during the past few years.

In June last year, two non-local workers were shot at by Islamic terrorists in central Kashmir. In October last year, terrorists killed two labourers from Uttar Pradesh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. A month later, two migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh were left injured after being shot by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Anantnag area.

With non-locals already under threat, the rhetoric used by Rahul Gandhi further puts them in the crosshair of terrorists as they get blamed for unemployment in the state.

The divisive nature of Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi

Even though Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party have repeatedly said that they are spreading “love” against hatred and this Bharat Jodo Yatra is an attempt to unite Indians, this political stunt has been full of divisive agenda, and joined by people with hateful ideologies right throughout this ‘political pilgrimage’ of Gandhi.

From Father George Ponnaiah who has employed hateful rhetoric against Hindus, to Rijil Chandran Makkutty who slaughtered a calf in public, this yatra has given a platform to all sorts of figures who promote hate.

The Congress scion himself attempted to create animosity between the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra by falsely claiming that projects meant for the latter were being moved to favour the former. He even went on a vitriolic tirade against freedom fighter Veer Savarkar during the Maharashtra leg of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ On November 15, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the freedom fighter took a pension from the British government to work against the Indian National Congress (INC).

With its divisive theme throughout, it is hardly surprising that Rahul Gandhi wants to end his yatra on a similar note by pitting Indians against fellow Indians even at the last stage

Israel on high alert after deadly Jerusalem synagogue shooting, thousands of Palestinians celebrate the attack with firecrackers, sweets and Allah hu Akbar chants

OpIndia Staff
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Israel on high alert after deadly Jerusalem synagogue shooting, thousands of Palestinians celebrate the attack with firecrackers, sweets and Allah hu Akbar chants

42 people have been taken into custody by Israeli police in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at a synagogue in East Jerusalem on Friday. Seven people were massacred and at least three others sustained injuries in the deadliest assault of its kind in recent years.

Gunshots are clearly heard in videos of the moment when the attack took place.

A 21-year-old Palestinian terrorist opened fire at the synagogue in East Jerusalem, killing seven people and wounding three others. According to police, the terrorist arrived by car at 8:13 pm. in the Jewish East Jerusalem area and opened fire at people outside the synagogue and others on the road.

Five men, aged 20, 25, 30, 50, and 60, and two women, aged 60 and 70 were killed in the attack.

The terrorist then fled by car towards the Palestinian neighbourhood of Beit Hanina, but he was confronted by police around 5 minutes later. He got out of the car and opened fire on the police while trying to escape on foot. The police returned fire and he was shot dead in the firing. A handgun used in the attack was seized. The terrorist has been identified by the Shin Bet security agency as 21-year-old Alqam Khayri,a resident of East Jerusalem with no prior terror-related offences.

Israeli police described it as a “terror attack”, and said that it took place in a synagogue in Neve Ya’akov, which is considered by Israelis as a neighbourhood within Jerusalem. But Palestinians and several countries consider it occupied territory, which was annexed by Israel after a war in 1967.

Following the tragic terrorist assault on Friday evening, Israel’s Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai was ordered to increase the alert to the highest level on Saturday morning. A police spokeswoman had said that beginning on Saturday morning, officers will perform 12-hour shifts.

Chief Superintendent Yaakov Shabtai, the commissioner of police, issued a statement requesting, that the public immediately report any suspicious individuals or objects to the police hotline 100.

In another ghastly incident, two individuals were hurt in a shooting on the exterior of the Old City in the Silwan area, just outside the old and walled city of East Jerusalem, according to Israeli Army Radio and Israel’s rescue emergency response service Magen David Adom (MDA).

A 47-year-old father and his 23-year-old son were described as having “gunshot wounds to their upper torso,” as per an MDA representative. The son was an off-duty officer in the Paratroopers Brigade, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who had managed to shoot and hit the assailant despite his injuries.

According to a police spokesman, the incident on Saturday was a “terrorist attack,” and the perpetrator, a 13-year-old Palestinian, named Muhammad Aliyat, a resident of Silwan was “neutralized and injured.”

After the two incidents, Kobi Shabtai directed that a squad of officers from the prestigious Yamam counter-terrorism unit be stationed in Jerusalem.

Senior police officers promised to beef up their presence nationwide, especially in the capital, they told Kan public broadcaster. IDF head Herzi Halevi also gave orders to enhance force levels in the West Bank and along its security fence in order to fortify against potential regional escalation. These orders were in addition to the police’s reinforcement.

Additionally, police have stated that they are worried about potential “price tag” retaliation attacks against Arabs.

Palestinians celebrate the attack

Hamas and  Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the attack, calling the victims terrorists. But none of them took responsibility for the attack. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem lauded the attack, saying it proved “the resistance knows how to find the appropriate response” to Israeli “crimes.” 

Celebrations broke out in Gaza after the news of the death of 7 Israelis in the attack emerged. Several videos have emerged on social media showing Palestinians celebrating the terror attack by distributing sweets, bursting firecrackers, and dancing on the streets.

Large crowds of Palestinians on the streets of Gaza can be seen celebrating, and raising anti-Israel slogans. Videos showed fireworks, celebratory gunfire, drivers honking horns, bonfires and crowds chanting Allah hu Akbar in the streets. At several locations across the Gaza Strip, dozens of Palestinians came out to the streets to celebrate the attack, with some coming out of dessert shops with large trays of sweets to distribute.

In Gaza City, Allah Hu Akabar chants were played on loudspeakers, while people fired guns in the air and honked car horns. Similar celebrations were also seen in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Sharing such a video of celebrations, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, called it ‘disgusting’. “Disgusting! On the day that the world remembers the horrors of the Holocaust, Palestinians are celebrating the murder of innocent Israelis in Jerusalem with fireworks and dancing. This is the result of decades of Palestinian incitement and hate that the world ignores,” he tweeted.

Vandalism, violence, and stone-pelting reported during the Saraswati Visarjan in several places across Bihar and Jharkhand: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Vandalism, violence, and stone-pelting reported during the Saraswati Visarjan in several places across Bihar and Jharkhand: Details

Tensions gripped several cities and towns across Bihar and Jharkhand after Saraswati idol immersion witnessed vandalism, violence, and stone-pelting.

As per reports, violence took place in Patna, Saharsa, Nalanda and other regions in Bihar during the immersion of the Saraswati idol.

Earlier yesterday, a firing incident took place during the Saraswati Puja idol immersion procession near Gandhi Maidan in the capital Patna. A young man died of a bullet injury. The incident took place after a stampede broke out between gate number four and five of Gandhi Maidan during the Saraswati Idol immersion.

The police later said they had scoured through CCTV footage and identified the man responsible for firing in the crowd. The accused will soon be arrested, said a senior Patna Police officer.

Similarly, Jharkhand, too, witnessed violence and vandalism as anti-social elements attacked devotees participating in the Saraswati Idol immersion procession.

Officials announced that Section 144 of CrPC was imposed in a village in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district on Saturday following an incident of stone-throwing that injured two police officers during a Saraswati idol immersion procession.

The incident occurred in Dokadih village on Friday evening when a community blocked the procession’s path. When police tried to resolve the situation, the crowd pelted stones and injured four officers. Police then fired into the air to disperse the crowd, according to a police officer.

Jamtara Deputy Commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz stated to PTI that the attack on police was likely premeditated by anti-social elements, resulting in two officers being injured. The suspects are being identified and face severe consequences. The situation is stable and Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the village.

The recurrence of attacks during Saraswati immersion

Significantly, Jamtara also saw a scuffle between the Hindu and Muslim communities last year during the Saraswati Visarjan. Some local Muslims had reportedly stopped the procession of Saraswati Murti Visarjan in Firkoria village, Karmatand Police Station area, Jamtara, leading to tensions between the two communities. The locals informed the police, which deployed a large contingent of law enforcement officials to clear the path for the procession. 

Violence during Saraswati Puja and Murti Visarjan, especially in Bihar and Jharkhand, has become alarmingly common in the past few years. In February 2022, violence erupted in different parts of Jharkhand during Saraswati Puja and Moorti Visarjan. A minor lost his life in Naitand village, Hazaribagh, eight people got injured as Muslims stopped the Saraswati Visarjan procession that was allowed only after the police’s intervention.

Markachao in Jharkhand was similarly in the grips of violence last year when a Muslim mob attacked a Saraswati Visarjan procession. As per reports, the violence erupted when members of the Muslim community objected to overplaying DJ during the procession. Eight people, including a child, were injured during the violence. The police said the situation was under control.

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