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UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi gets threat calls from Mainpuri, files complaint, cites Samajwadi party

OpIndia Staff
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UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi gets threat calls from Mainpuri, files complaint, cites Samajwadi party

BJP Spokesperson from Uttar Pradesh Rakesh Tripathi reportedly received threat calls from a person from UP’s Mainpuri in the wee hours of today morning. The leader has lodged an FIR over the incident alleging the role of the Samajwadi Party behind the incident.

UP BJP leader and spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi received two calls – the first at 6:45 AM and then another later in the morning threatening him for life after hurling abuses. It was found that the calls came from a person located in UP’s Mainpuri, which Tripathi had visited two days earlier for campaigning. An FIR has been registered by the leader at Ashiyana station in Lucknow East.

Speaking to OpIndia, Rakesh Tripathi said, “Today morning I got a call at 6:45, wherein a person was continuously abusing me and gave me life threats. I contacted the Police to inform the same, after which I received a second similar call. In the second call, A person named Amit Yadav threatened me that I will be attacked soon,”

Alleging the role of the Samajwadi Party behind this, Rakesh Tripathi described the sequence of events after he visited Mainpuri. “Two days before, I had visited Mainpuri to participate in a debate by AajTak, which turned out to be very enthusiastic among BJP workers while Samajwadi party was dejected. Yesterday, I had also raised my voice against the attack on SP Singh Baghel’s convoy on many TV channels,” he added.

Talking about the politics behind the act, he asserted, “We are very much concerned about the repeated attacks on our party leaders, be it the attack on SP Singh Baghel in Karhal or the attack on RS MP Geeta Shakya’s car. The reason behind this might be the dwindling fate of Akhilesh Yadav as a candidate from Karhal.” He asserted, “They are trying to threaten us, attack us but we will not budge as we continue to have faith in democracy. We will keep on fighting,”

The attacks on BJP leaders in UP has seen a rise as the assembly elections in the state are on the way. On February 14, BJP MP from Rajya Sabha Geeta Shakya was attacked in Mainpuri while she was in her car. Stones and mud were hurled at her car, while her driver had been severely injured in the incident. On Tuesday evening in Mainpuri’s Karhal, Union Minister and BJP leader Satya Pal Singh Baghel was attacked and pelted with stones as well.

It is to be noted that Mainpuri has been a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party while Akhilesh Yadav has chosen Karhal as his constituency for the first time. Karhal goes to the polls on February 20 in the third phase of assembly elections this year.

USA: Catholic priest resigns after carrying out thousands of ‘invalid’ baptisms for over two decades

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Catholic priest resigns after carrying out thousands of ‘invalid’ baptisms for over two decades

A Catholic priest in Arizona has resigned from his parish after the church investigation revealed that he had performed thousands of incorrect baptisms throughout most of his 20-year career.

According to the reports, Father Andres Arango had to resign from the priesthood after the baptisms he had carried out were deemed invalid due to the incorrect wording used during the religious ceremony.

The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix announced on its website that it determined after careful study that Father Andres Arango had used the wrong wording in baptisms performed up until June 17, 2021.

Father Andres Arango, who performed thousands of baptisms in the last two decades, would say, “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” during the ceremony. Instead, the priest, who performed baptisms in English and Spanish, should have said, “I baptize,” the diocese explained.

“It is not the community that baptizes a person and incorporates them into the Church of Christ; rather, it is Christ, and Christ alone, who presides at all sacraments; therefore, it is Christ who baptizes,” the diocese said.

In its release, the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix said that if someone is baptized using the wrong words, that means that the baptism is invalid, and the person is not baptized.

Diocese spokesperson Katie Burke said that Arango is believed to have used the incorrect word since the beginning of his priesthood in 1995.

“I do not have an exact number of people affected, but I believe they number in the thousands,” the spokesperson added.

In a statement, Bishop Thomas J Olmsted, the head of the diocese, said that the error was first reported to him. It was later confirmed after an investigation by diocesan officials in consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. He noted that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith established in 2020 that baptisms conferred with the phrase “We baptize you” are invalid.

The church officials said they are working closely with Arango and his former parishes to find if anyone may have been baptized invalidly. The diocese said that while the situation may be legally sound, the words, materials and actions are crucial aspects of every sacrament, and altering them makes the baptism invalid.

“For example, if a priest uses milk instead of wine during the Consecration of the Eucharist, the sacrament is not valid,” the NPR quoted the diocese, adding, “The milk would not become the Blood of Jesus Christ.”

Meanwhile, Arango has apologized for his mistake in a statement, saying, “It saddens me to learn that I have performed invalid baptisms throughout my ministry as a priest regularly using an incorrect formula.”

Maharashtra: Maruti Bajgude of drought-prone Beed district finds a permanent solution for the water problem

Gopal Tiwari
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Maharashtra: Maruti Bajgude of drought-prone Beed district finds a permanent solution for the water problem

Maruti Bajgude, a farmer from Padalsingi village of the drought-hit Beed district in Maharashtra has dug one of the largest water wells in the region. He was busy making this giant water reservoir in his farmland for the last three years. It is notable that since November 2020, farmers in the northern part of the country especially Punjab were agitating against the farm laws and were blocking the roads. Bajgude, however, has set an example of solving one’s problem on his own.

Maruti Bajgude of Beed has dug 41 feet deep well in one acre of land. People in the surrounding villages are visiting the place. Photo: OpIndia

Maruti Bajgude lives in Padalsingi village of Beed district. The village is situated at a distance of 18KM from Beed on the Dhule-Solapur national highway. At around 400 meters from the highway, Maruti Bajgude owns his ancestral farmland of around 12.5 acres. As the region has always been severely hit by the usual droughts, he could seldom earn anything great through his farming profession. So, he turned into a tent decorator and started providing services for various functions and marriage programs.

Maruti Bajgude is now all set to develop his farmland for various fruit crops. Photo: OpIndia

Three years ago he conceived the idea of digging a grand well in his own farmland and to end the water problem of his agribusiness for once and all. Maruti Bajgude selected 1 acre of his land and started digging the well. He employed whatever machinery and men he could to make this 41 feet deep well. The diameter of this grand water well measures around 202 feet. The inner wall of the well is built in concrete from almost 6 feet above the bottom. The concrete wall is erected up to 4 feet above the ground level. The well has a storage capacity of around 10 crore liters of water and it is completely filled with water right now. It is also seen on google maps.

Many journalists and agro-experts are visiting the well. Maruti Bajgude narrates his story to them. Photo: OpIndia

Maruti Bajgude is now planning to grow some fruit crops like sweet lime (mosambi), watermelon, and guava on his farm. In the last two and half years to three years, he has spent more than 1.5 Cr rupees in making this well. But he has permanently solved the water problem he used to face. In a report by ABP Majha, Bajgude has said “I own farmland of 12.5 acres. Farming without water is impossible. Every two years or so, we face severe drought in the region. How to do this all without water then? That is why I thought of making a water well that is 41 feet deep and 202 feet wide.”

He further said “I did not keep the dug-out material in the farm itself. I sold it off right away. Had I kept the material in my farmland, I would take 13 to 14 acres which means more than the land I possess. I sold all the soft stone material to the IRB construction company that was building this highway at that time. The deep blasting was done to dig the hard rock. All the hard rock was sold to a stone crushing center.”

This grand well is also seen on google maps.

Beed is one of the worst drought-hit districts in Maharashtra. The rainfall pattern is uneven. Beed along with a few more nearby districts like Jalna, Parbhani, and Latur in the Marathwada region has been a victim of the El Nino effect in the years 2010 to 2017. The conditions had been so worse that special water trains had to be planned from Miraj in western Maharashtra to Latur in Marathwada. In absence of any great agricultural produce, Beed is looked at as a district that supplies labourers at cheap costs especially for cutting the sugarcane crop. Maruti Bajgude’s example is therefore important and an inspiration for others.

‘Arvind Kejriwal wanted to be either Punjab’s CM or Khalistan’s PM’: ex-AAP leader Kumar Vishwas calls out ‘separatist’ dreams of Delhi CM

OpIndia Staff
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‘Arvind Kejriwal wanted to be either Punjab’s CM or Khalistan’s PM’: ex-AAP leader Kumar Vishwas calls out ‘separatist’ dreams of Delhi CM

On February 16, during an interview with news agency ANI, former Aam Aadmi Party leader and poet Dr Kumar Vishwas called out Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal for extending support to separatists. He said that at one point, Kejriwal claimed he would either become Chief Minister of Punjab or will become first Prime Minister of an independent nation (Khalistan).

Vishwas was talking about Kejriwal’s campaigns in the Punjab assembly elections. He said Kejriwal should understand Punjab is not just a state but an emotion. He said, “Amidst this, a person like him, whom I suggested not take support from the separatists and fringe elements who were linked to the Khalistani movement in the last elections, and he told me not to worry. When I asked him how he would become CM, he told me the formula as well. He is on the same path. Even if he is not on the same path, he will use a puppet to control the government.”

Speaking about the deep-rooted separatism in Kejriwal’s mind, he added, “He even made dangerous statements in front of me that everyone knows in Punjab. One day when I asked him about referendum 2020 that was being funded by ISI and other elements across the world, he told me not to worry and said, “Either I will become Chief Minister of the state or I will become first Prime Minister of an independent nation (Khalistan).”

Gul Panag had made similar allegations

In 2018, similar allegations were made by actress Gul Panag 2018. Referring to Khalistani supporters in Punjab as K Gang, she had said, “Poorly calculated flirtation that was. One I warned against. Repeatedly. It’s because they didn’t ‘get’ or ‘understand’ Punjab. I thought the K gang had electoral weightage. All of us from Punjab knew better. But alas!”

Gul panag’s 2018 Tweet. Source: Twitter

Notably, during the 2017 assembly elections, banned Sikh body International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) Gurdial Singh had batted for Kejriwal and campaigned for AAP. In 2018, it was revealed by Republic TV that Khalistani groups had funded AAP in the Punjab elections.

Gujarat HC issues notice to state govt after PIL calls for ban on loudspeakers in mosques

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat HC issues notice to state govt after PIL calls for ban on loudspeakers in mosques

In response to a PIL seeking a statewide ban on the use of loudspeakers in mosques, the Gujarat High Court has written to the state government to reflect upon the same. A PIL was filed by one Dharmendra Vishnubhai Prajapati, a doctor from Gandhinagar in June 2020, alleging that people living nearby mosques are subjected to great inconvenience during the azan calls on loudspeakers.

The two-member bench comprising of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh J. Shastri passed the order on the plea moved by the doctor by issuing a notice to the state government returnable on March 10. It is learnt that Dr Prajapati had already written to the state authorities but did not get any response from them. He then moved to the court after the Allahabad High Court ruling on loudspeakers on azan in May 2020.

The Allahabad High Court in May 2020 held that while azan is certainly an essential Islamic practice, the use of microphones and loud-speakers during the same is not. In his PIL, Prajapati highlighted the arguments on limitations under article 25 which talks about freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. He said, “the right contained under Article 25 of the Constitution of India is subject to public order, morality, health and Part-III of the Constitution of India, which has been violated because of the use of the loudspeakers.”

To support his argument, he also cited the use of loudspeakers as a violation of rules under noise pollution. Prajapati said that as per Rule 5 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, a loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the competent authority. However, he added, “In the facts of the case, admittedly, there is no valid written permission obtained by the persons of the Muslim community while using loudspeakers while offering prayers. Hence, some restrictions are required to be imposed upon them,”

He also mentioned that the use of loudspeakers is also a violation of Covid-19 protocols since many of the namaz offerees are not turning up to the mosques. When asked about the personal disturbances when has to face as a doctor, Prajapati replied, “the sound of the loudspeaker is very hectic and intolerable for the public at large, which causes many severe mental illnesses, physical problems to old aged persons, small children and it also affects the work efficiency for the public at large; in short, is not good for health.”

Russia announces end of military drill near Ukraine border, releases video of train carrying military equipment crossing Crimean Bridge

OpIndia Staff
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Russia announces end of military drill near Ukraine border, releases video of train carrying military equipment crossing Crimean Bridge

Perhaps ending a global for the time being, Russia has started withdrawing troops it had deployed along the Ukraine border today. Yesterday Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that Russia will be sending some troops to the bases after completing drills, and even though Ukraine and western nations were sceptical about this announcement, today Russian media reported that the troops from the Crimean Peninsula are returning to the mainland Russia.

According to a report by Russian state-owned media house RIA Novosti (ИА Новости) citing the Russian defence ministry, units of the Southern Military District are returning to the garrisons after military drills in Crimea.

“Southern Military District units have finalised their participation in tactical games at ranges on the Crimean Peninsula and are heading to their bases by train,” the defence ministry said. The ministry further added that the first train has already crossed the Crimean Bridge and entered mainland Russia.

The ministry informed that tracked armoured vehicles such as tanks, infantry combat vehicles and self-propelled artillery systems were loaded on flatbed cars of the special military train. “Military trains will bring the troops and hardware to their bases,” the ministry said in the statement.

RIA Novosti also released video footage of the train crossing the iconic Crimean bridge, which connects the Crimean Peninsula with Russian mainland. As Ukraine separates Crimea from Russia, the bridge provides the only land connection between the peninsula and mainland Russia, which was completed after Russian annexed Crimea.

The footage shows the military train crossing the Crimean railway bridge carrying heavy military equipment like tanks and artillery guns loaded onto flatbed cars.

Yesterday Russian defence minister Igor Konashenkov had also announced that the military exercise that began on February 10 has ended, and the troops and the military equipment will return to the bases.

Although the Southern Military District units have started withdrawing from Crimea, the troops of the Eastern Military District and the Airborne Forces still remain in the peninsula. These forces will start returning to bases from February 20, at the end of the training operation.

Reportedly, nearly all Russian military districts, fleets and airborne forces took part in the large-scale manoeuvres in the peninsula, which is being concluded now. Moscow had been insisting the exercise was defensive in nature and do not threaten anyone, but the massive military build-up had raised concerns that Russia was invading Ukraine. USA had even warned that the invasion was very imminent, and had also ordered the withdrawal of its citizens from Ukraine.

Former US President Donald Trump makes a social media comeback on ‘Truth Social’

OpIndia Staff
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Former US President Donald Trump makes a social media comeback on ‘Truth Social’

It looks like the former President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, is all set to make a comeback on social media, reports Daily Mail.

After facing a ban on almost all social media platforms, former POTUS Donald Trump is expected to return on his own social media platform “Truth Social”.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former President, tweeted a screenshot of the former President’s first post on his upcoming social media platform Truth Social. 

“Time for some Truth!!!’ Donald Jr. wrote Tuesday night. The image shared by Donald Trump Jr. consisted of an image of the Truth Social post from the former President that read, “Get ready! Your favorite President will see you soon.”

The new platform almost looked like Twitter, with similar engagement options such as like, quote and retweeting the post. However, the tweets are referred to as ‘Truths’ on the yet-to-be-launched social media platform.

Screenshots of Trump’s Truth Social account show he reportedly joined the social media network on February 10. On Truth Social, Donald Trump had 175 followers.

Source: True Social

Earlier in October last year, former United States President Donald Trump had announced that he would be launching his own social media application, Truth Social.

According to Apple App Store, Trump plans to launch the Truth Social platform on February 21 – Presidents’ Day. Reportedly, the beta version of Truth Social has been launched for certain users, including the former President. 

Trump had announced floating ‘Truth Social’ after being banned on Twitter, FB in the wake of Capitol Hill insurrection

By announcing a social media company, Trump had announced a battle against the Big Tech companies, ever since he was banned from Twitter and Facebook after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol Hill. The Twitter ban is permanent, while Facebook and Instagram have said that they might consider reinstating Trump at a later date.

Trump had announced that he would be launching the Trump Media Technology Group toward the end of last year, with plans for a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ with entertainment, news and podcasts. 

Following his ban, Trump had announced that he would be launching the Trump Media Technology Group toward the end of last year, with plans for a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ with entertainment, news and podcasts, as well as the new social media platform. 

BHU Professor superimposes his and wife’s picture on Lord Ram and Goddess Sita’s image, students protest

OpIndia Staff
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BHU Professor superimposes his and wife’s picture on Lord Ram and Goddess Sita’s image, students protest

A Banaras Hindu University (BHU) professor has stoked a controversy by superimposing his picture on a painting of Lord Ram and his wife’s face on the picture of Goddess Sita.

According to the reports, Amresh Kumar, assistant professor of Visual Arts at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), had created a series of images in which he had superimposed his face on a painting in place of Lord Shri Ram and his wife’s face over the face of Goddess Sita.

The picture was displayed at an exhibition organised by the Faculty of Visual Arts at BHU.

The images have now triggered a major outrage inside the campus. Several students have now demanded action against the professor, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments. The students also warned the varsity authorities of severe protests if action was not taken against the professor.

Meanwhile, Amresh Kumar defended his action, saying that the images are not a big deal because Lord Ram belongs to everyone. The professor said he and his family are great devotees of Lord Ram.

The BHU administration has not reacted yet to the controversy.

BJP MLA from Bihar’s Jamui Shreyasi Singh to play next Women’s Trap Shooting World Cup: Details

OpIndia Staff
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BJP MLA from Bihar’s Jamui Shreyasi Singh to play next Women’s Trap Shooting World Cup: Details

Shreyasi Singh, the BJP MLA from Jamui, Bihar is set to play the next Women’s Trap Shooting World CUP. She is the Number 1 player in the category in India. Singh shared this information through her Twitter handle.

She wrote, “They say there’s a first time for everything, and this definitely will be the first time that an MLA from Bihar is also ranked India’s No.1 Trap women shooter and will be representing India at the upcoming World Cup !! Thank you everyone for your love and support ❤️”

Shreyasi Singh, an international-level shooter, has been selected for the Indian shooting squad for the next three World Cups. Shreyasi has achieved first with 343 points in the NRAI selection trials, which took place from February 12 to 15.

In December of last year, Shreyasi earned her second women’s trap title at the National Championship. Shreyashi won the fifth individual national title of her career and her second in women’s trap.

Who is Shreyasi Singh?

Shreyasi Singh is an Indian politician and shooter. She is a Bharat Janata Party MLA from Bihar’s Jamui seat and specializes in the women’s double trap. She earned a gold medal in women’s double trap shooting at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, and a silver medal in shooting at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2020.

She won the Jamui Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Bihar Legislative Assembly election in 2020, beating RJD candidate Vijay Prakash by over 41000 votes.

Shreyasi studied Arts at Hansraj College in Delhi and an MBA from the Manav Rachna International University of Faridabad. Shreyasi comes from the Gidhaur town in the Jamui district. Digvijay Singh, her father, was also a former union minister. Kumar Serender Singh, Shreyasi’s grandfather, and his father, Digvijay Singh, were both presidents of the National Rifle Association of India.

SFJ confirms that Khalistanis are puppets of Pakistan, extends support to burqa row and demand creation of another Muslim country

OpIndia Staff
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SFJ confirms that Khalistanis are puppets of Pakistan, extends support to burqa row and demand creation of another Muslim country

Amidst the ongoing controversy over the refusal of permission to some female Muslim students to wear hijab in the classrooms of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi in Karnataka, Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had demanded the creation of a ‘new Muslim country’ and conducting of a referendum on the issue of ‘hijab’.

While speaking about the matter, SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun falsely claimed that India is putting a blanket ban on wearing hijab in the country. The extremist then resorted to fear-mongering and alleged that the supposed ‘hijab ban’ in India would be followed by a ban on Azaan, Namaz and Quran.

“Modi’s India wants to be a Hindu country. What 200 million Muslims of India should do? Start Hijab referendum movement. It should break India, balkanise it and create a Muslim country from the Union of India named Urduistan,” he said in a now deleted video. In the video he made it amply clear how the Khalistanis are puppets of Pakistani intelligence agencies.

“In 1992, they destroyed Babri masjid and Muslims remained quiet. And then, there were Gujarat killings of Muslims and Muslims remained quiet. They took over Kashmir and Muslims remained quiet. You cannot keep quiet when somebody is challenging your religious beliefs,” Pannu said.

The Khalistani extremist went on to claim that Hijab is the fundamental/birthright of every Muslim. “Sikhs are following a Khalistan referendum to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation. We will guide you (Islamists), organise you and fund the Muslims of India. You also start a Hijab referendum movement for the creation of a new country from Union of India called Urduistan.”

Screengrab of the website of Hijab referendum movement

This is also how Pakistan has been keeping the terrorism fire in Kashmir burning.

The SFJ chief also called upon the Indian Islamists to learn from Pakistan and how they created a separate Muslim nation. To further his sinister agenda, he has set up a website by the name of ‘Hijab referendum’. The Khalistani extremist had urged the Islamists to share their name, Whatsapp number and email ID will his proscribed organisation.

Pannu even showed a map of the proposed ‘Urduistan’. The imaginary country includes Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar and West Bengal. Interestingly, Karnataka, where the hijab controversy is raging, is missing from the so-called ‘Urduistan’. Pakistan had also updated its map in similar fashion to even include part of Gujarat in India as part of Pakistan. Obviously, India has not recognised any such shenanigans of the neighbouring country.

Earlier in January 2021, Pannu asked Sikh youths to hoist the Khalistani flag on India Gate and remove the Indian flag from other places in Delhi. Pannu declared an award of USD 2.5 lakh for anyone who hoists the Khalistani flag on India gate. He further threatened the Indian government, saying that if peaceful protests were not allowed, the Sikhs in India would not hesitate to join the armed insurrection of Khalistan.

Recently, the Taliban had also extended support to the burqa-wearing girls in Karnataka who demand an exemption from the uniform dress code.

Udupi hijab row: The background of the case

The controversy began on January 1 this year when some female Muslim students of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi tried to enter their classes with hijabs, in defiance of the uniform dress code. The school had asked them to follow the dress code and had prevented their entry in the classrooms without hijabs.

He pointed out that it nullified the purpose of a uniform. According to Karnataka’s Education Minister BC Nagesh, uniforms had been in existence in the said government PUC since 1985. He had informed that there has never been an issue to date.

“Uniform in the college has been there since 1985. Till now, no problem was there. Uniformity creates a common mind. Kesari shawls are not allowed in college either. The same Muslim girls have been ok with the uniform dress code till recently. They have been suddenly provoked,” he had remarked.

The girls then launched a protest outside their classrooms for several days to allow them entry with their hijabs on. They then moved the High Court and the Supreme Court for grievance redressal. Meanwhile, Hindu students launched a counter-protest sporting saffron shawls and demanded uniformity in school attire.

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