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Biden calls Putin and warns of ‘severe cost’ if Russia invades Ukraine, US says invasion remains a ‘distinct possibility’

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In an hour-long phone call, US President Joe Biden has warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of severe costs that the US would impose on Russia if Russia goes ahead with the invasion of Ukraine. As the tensed world watched and worried that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time now, Biden reiterated that any further invasion would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing.

The White House released a statement on Saturday and said that President Biden was clear with President Putin that the US remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, but is equally prepared for other scenarios. “If Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the US along with its allies, partners will impose swift and severe costs on Russia”, the statement read.

A senior administration official suggested that there was no change by Putin in the call with Biden, and a Russian invasion remains a ‘distinct possibility.’

This is a day after the United States decided to vacate the embassy in Kyiv issuing the warning that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time. Russia also announced to reduce its diplomatic staff in Ukraine. Earlier, US President had asked all the American citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. He had stressed that the US won’t send its troops to Ukraine on any terms as Americans and Russians shooting at one another will be a ‘World War’.

It is important to note that Russia has deployed more than one lakh servicemen at the Ukraine border. While Russia has constantly stated that it has no intentions to attack Ukraine, the US also has suggested other countries around the world to leave Ukraine as soon as possible.

Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron. He slammed western countries claims of speculative invasion and called the idea ‘provocative’ that could lead to a conflict in the ex-Soviet country.

It’s been one and a half months since the possibility of war between Russia and Ukraine is looming large. Russia has demanded in writing from the West to cease expansion of NATO. It has demanded that Ukraine should never be allowed to join NATO.

Financial fraud accused Washington Post columnist caught spreading lies on BBC on Karnataka burqa row

Financial fraud accused Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub had recently appeared on BBC World News to talk about the burqa controversy of Karnataka that has been spreading across the country. In the interview, Ayyub not only attempted to spread lies about girls wearing burqa in the educational institute but also called those students chanting Jai Shri Ram as ‘Hindu Terrorists’.

Ayyub ignored schools have a dress code that students need to follow

Ayyub claimed that Article 25 of the constitution gives a right to every citizen to practice their faith. While her statement was correct, it was not the whole truth. Though Article 25 gives a right to everyone to practice their faith, every educational institute has its own rules that include the dress code. Every student is bound to follow the dress code deemed either by the educational institute or by the state’s education department.

When the anchor countered her that she was informed by a BJP spokesperson about the dress code, that means students cannot wear religious symbols in the educational institutes. At that point, Ayyub lied and alleged the girls who were at the centre of the controversy wore a hijab to the school for a long time. She said, “These girls have been wearing hijab for a very long time. It is not for the first time. So why suddenly has this group of young Hindu vigilantes, Hindu terrorists for that matter, who are hoisting the saffron flag in an educational complex in Karnataka?”

She also claimed the youth were stopping the burqa clad girl, now identified as one Muskan Khan, daughter of PFI leader, from entering the school. In fact, the girls started the protests in December 2021 after they were consulted by the Campus Front of India (CFI), the students wing of the PFI in October 2021. The protestors have admitted that the CFI has been guiding them on the protests. PFI is a radical organisation that is banned in several states.

Muslim girls started wearing hijab recently

As a matter of fact, the school in question where the controversy first erupted had made photographs from previous years public in which it was evident the girls were not wearing hijab. It was only in December 2021 when they started coming to the school wearing hijab. Also, it was not male students but the administration that had barred them from wearing hijab in the school.

Another point that has to be noted here is that majority of the Muslim women and girls protesting in Karnataka and otherwise are wearing burqa that is completely different from hijab. While the hijab only covers the head, the burqa covers the woman from head to toe making them completely separated from the other students wearing school dresses.

When the anchor asked Ayyub if the hijab controversy was propaganda by the likes of her, she got baffled and pointed out the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor of Jawahar Lal University. She alleged the new VC, Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit, targeted Muslim and Christian students on Twitter. On the contrary, Pandit has categorically denied having any Twitter account. The handle that was in question has now been deleted from Twitter.

Ayyub ignored hate crimes against Hindus

Ayyub further alleged Muslims are being lynched, harassed and assaulted on the streets of India daily. She also claimed Muslims are not allowed to offer Namaz in designated areas. What she did not disclose is that the namaz was being offered on government land in sector 40 even though there were a lot of masjids nearby where one could offer namaz.

What Ayyub conveniently ignored is the countless hate crimes against Hindus over petty things like social media posts. Let it be Kishan Bharwad who was killed in Gujarat over a social media post or the recent murder of a young boy named Rupesh Pandey in Jharkhand who was killed for merely being part of Saraswati Visarjan, the likes of Rana Ayyub ignore these cases.

The mismatch in numbers in 4 minutes

Rana Ayyub, at the beginning of the interview, alleged 100 Hindu men hounded one Muslim girl in a hijab. Towards the end of the interview, she changed the number to 200. She said, “This is not the India we once took great pride in. This is the India of right-wing terrorists.”

Rana Ayyub accused of financial fraud in name of COVID donation

The Washington Post columnist is accused of financial fraud in name of COVID donation. Rs 1.77 crore of her assets were recently attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). It was alleged that she collected substantial amount of money through three fundraising campaigns on Ketto. Of that she failed to utilise most of the funds, which was lying unutilised in her personal bank accounts. She has accepted almost all charges but still claims innocence. Her supporters were most upset that despite putting their weight behind to discredit PM CARES fun, Rana went ahead and deposited part of the money there instead.

Uyghurs protest outside Pakistan embassy in Istanbul, oppose Imran Khan’s clean chit to China over the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang

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Protests were organized in Istanbul by the Uyghurs against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over statements he made about China shortly before travelling for the Beijing Olympics 2022 opening ceremony.

According to ANI, Uyghur Muslim protestors congregated in front of the Pakistan embassy in Istanbul in Turkey on February 11 and chanted slogans against Imran Khan’s comments in which he granted China a clean chit over its oppression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province in China. The major cause for the protest, according to Uyghurs, was “Imran Khan’s falsehoods and the deportation of Uyghur Muslims from Pakistan.”

Buses carrying 130 Uyghur protesters had arrived outside the Pakistan Consulate in Istanbul. However, only ten demonstrators were permitted to stand in front of the Pakistan consulate’s main entrance at any given moment.

The Pakistan consulate’s security officials were also given a document, which they refused to accept. The message was later attached to the front gate of the consulate.

Senior embassy officials came out to negotiate with the protestors and instead tried to urge them to march in front of the Chinese embassy. Several times throughout the gathering, there were clashes between security personnel and protesters. 

Pakistan’s disdain for Uyghurs

Despite international efforts to hold Beijing accountable for the suppression of Uyghur Muslims in the area, Imran Khan, who has long portrayed himself as a champion of Islamic issues, continues to defend China’s Xinjiang policy.

Chinese authorities have tortured a number of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region for years as part of their drive to monitor, regulate, and integrate members of the Islamic religion in order to combat religious extremism and terrorist operations. Nearly all Islamic countries have kept silent on the persecution of Uyghurs in China.

Persecution of Uyghur Muslims in China

In Xinjiang, nearly 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities have been reportedly detained in a network of detention centers since 2017. By stating that the camps are vocational training schools, Beijing has refuted numerous and proven reports that it has tortured Muslims in Xinjiang. The Communist Party of China’s (CCP) objective is to integrate Uyghurs into the dominant Han Chinese ethnicity by stripping them of their religious and ethnic identities. While Uyghur Muslims face re-educational camps, forced labor, and digital surveillance, including their children being indoctrinated in orphanages.

The CCP restricts any news revealing the horrors committed against the Uyghurs in the detention centers in order to counteract scathing foreign findings. Several foreign journalists covering the plight of the Uyghurs have been expelled from China, while academics, activists, and survivors who try to expose China’s deceit have been mocked and harassed. Those who speak out against China’s illegal detention of Uyghurs are either intimidated or executed.

Goa Elections: TMC tied up with MGP to prevent consolidation of Hindu votes in favour of BJP, says MP Mahua Moitra

In a recent interview with the Times of India, TMC MP Mahua Moitra has spoken in length about the fate of her party as the new entrant in Goan politics. She has claimed that one of the strategies of her party was to break the consolidation of Hindu votes with the intent to give a blow to the ruling BJP.

The TMC leader was asked about the presence of her party resulting in splitting the Non-BJP votes by standing against the saffron party as the many of the one alternatives. To which, Mahua Moitra claimed that particularly in North Goa where the Congress is weak, TMC has tied up with the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). While MGP is at direct loggerheads with the BJP, their alliance with the TMC is intended to prevent a consolidation of Hindu votes, which would not give the BJP an edge, she claimed.

According to Mahua, the BJP could win at the most 12 seats being the single largest party, in the worst-case scenario. Alleging that the Governor of Goa will allow the BJP to form the government in any case, she further added, “BJP will try to break up parties, use the ED, CBI and form the government.”

Talking about the fate of Congress in the state she added, “If Congress were in a position to win 21 seats, I would pack my bags and go home because I am not here to fight the Congress…(They) failed spectacularly in 2017 when even with 17 seats, didn’t ask for government formation.” “Do we leave it to them,I can’t take a risk” she added.

In case of a hung-house situation, she said her party is open to be in a situation where the Congress, AAP, Trinamool along with MGP come together to form an anti-BJP alliance. “Nobody is going to form a government without MGP-TMC,” she added.

When asked about TMC’s recent friction with Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC she covered up saying, “I think I-PAC has worked wonderfully with us in tandem and they have done a brilliant job. Are we where we should have been one week before an election? Yes, we are.”

The state of Goa goes on assembly polls tomorrow. It would be interesting to see whether the BJP retains its position yet again at a time when new regional entrants like the TMC, AAP, NCP and Shiv Sena are trying their luck to stand as an alternative to the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government.

‘A Hijabi will indeed become the Prime Minister of India’, says AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, tweets video with ‘Inshallah’

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has claimed that a girl wearing Hijab will rise up to become the Prime minister of India one day. He was speaking at a public rally, an excerpt of which has been shared by him on his official Twitter account.

With a caption to the 34-sec video saying, “Inshallah, one day a Hijabi will become the Prime Minister” AIMIM leader Assaduddin Owaisi can be seen justifying the practices of Hijab over the recent Udupi Burqa controversy. He says, “Inshallah If a girl decides to wear Hijab and confesses this to her parents, allowing her to wear Hijab, they should make sure that no one stops her from doing so. The girls will wear the Hijab and Niqab and will go to the colleges, will become doctors, collectors, SDM(s) and even businessmen. One day you all keep in my mind, even if won’t be alive, a girl wearing Hijab will become the Prime Minister of this country,”

The AIMIM leader has made many a controversial remark on the issue, while he is touring in the UP ahead of the assembly elections. While speaking to the Aaj Tak, he had earlier asked why Akhilesh Yadav in UP was silent on the issue of Hijab.

Karnataka hijab row: Father of Burqa-clad protestor Muskan Zainab who shouted “Allahu Akbar” is a member of radical Islamic group PFI

The role of radical Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) in orchestrating the ongoing Hijab protests by instigating the Muslim students to create the hijab controversy in Udupi, Karnataka, is now out in the open.

In a sensational disclosure, it has now been revealed that Muskan Zainab, the Burqa-clad protestor who rose to fame during the Hijab protests in Karnataka, has links to the radical Islamic organisation PFI through her father.

According to a report by Times Now, Bibi Muskan Zainab, the Burqa-clad girl who went viral recently after she was shouting “Allahu Akbar” at a group of students, is the daughter of PFI leader Abdul Sukoor.

Muskan Zainab, who is a student of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya in Karnataka, had come to the limelight after she was seen yelling Islamic slogans “Allahu Akbar” while wearing a burqa as the camera strategically captured the ‘brave moment’.

The Hindu students, who were protesting against the Muslim students in hijab and burqa, chanted “Jai Shree Ram” in response to Islamic slogans raised inside the PES college campus. Bibi Muskan later claimed that “outsiders” troubled her and added that her classmates and authorities at the PES College in Mandya supported her. 

Following her theatrics, Muskan Zainab is being hailed as another “shero” by the left-liberal media establishment. The Islamists have been showering Muskan Khan with gifts and rewards. Maharashtra Congress MLA (Bandra) Zeeshan Siddique had paid a visit to her residence in Mandya and handed Khan an iPhone and a smartwatch for her ‘courageous act’.

Earlier on Wednesday (February 9), Islamic outfit Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had stoked a controversy by announcing a cash reward of ₹5 lacs to Muskan Khan.

In addition, another Burqa-clad protestor Aliya Assadi is a cousin of high-ranking PFI leader Nazad Assadi. The reports also suggest that there are other protesting girls wh are directly connected to the radical Islamic organisation.

SDPI role in instigating riots in Kundapura

Earlier, we had reported on the Udupi police arresting two persons for plotting to unleash violence during the ongoing protests by Muslim girl students against the government’s order to enforce strict uniform rules in educational institutions in the state.

The police had arrested 32-year-old Haji Abdul Majeed Gangolli and 41-year-old Rajab Gangolli for plotting to unleash violence during the hijab protests outside the government college in Kundapura, Udupi district. They were caught flashing knives during the ongoing hijab protests.

According to the latest reports, one of the six attackers is associated with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The police had said that around five to six attackers had carried knives and threatened some of the students. As the police approached the spot, four escaped, and two were detained. Khaleel, Rizwan, Ifthikar and another attacker had escaped from the spot. Ifthikar, an attacker who is absconding currently, is a member of SDPI.

PFI, Jamaat-e-Islami – the brain behind the Hijab protests

Ever since the hijab issue snowballed into a major controversy with protests being reported from many parts of the state, the link between the protests and the involvement of the Popular Front of India (CFI) has also emerged.

Earlier, we had reported regarding the role of the Campus Front of India(CFI), the notorious student wing of the radical Islamist outfit Popular Front of India, in instigating the Muslim students to create the hijab controversy in Udupi, Karnataka. The Muslim students who are protesting against uniform regulations in the state are in contact with radical Islamist outfit CFI.

The students had admitted that they began wearing the hijab in college only in December 2021, realising that there was no particular rule banning the hijab in the college rulebook. The Hijab-clad Muslim students also admitted that the Campus Front of India members is counselling them on the ongoing controversy. 

In addition, an investigative report by activist Vijay Patel revealed how radical groups and the left-liberal media had exploited the hijab controversy in Udupi, Karnataka, to spread their venomous anti-India propaganda. 

Iqbal bets Amit that RLD/SP candidate will win in Ghaziabad’s Loni constituency, signs a stamp paper contract

Amidst the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly Elections, a monetary challenge signed by Uttar Pradesh residents named Amit Baisal and Iqbal is making rounds over the internet. The contract claims conditional payment of Rs 18,000 between the parties posing to the victory of the candidates of Ghaziabad’s Loni constituency in the elections.

The contract on stamp paper of Rs 10 reads that Iqbal will pay Rs 18000 to Amit Baisal if BJP’s Nandkishor Gurjar wins the elections from Loni and Amit Baisal will owe the same amount to Iqbal if Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Madan Bhaiya attains victory from Loni.

According to the contract, the entire amount of Rs 18000 is currently with Iqbal and he will pay the amount to Baisal if BJP powers, or else will keep the entire amount to himself. The date of execution of the contract has been decided as March 15, five days after the vote count. The contract is not notarised and hence not enforceable in the court of law. Further, gambling is illegal in India and income on gambling is taxed at 30% flat rate.

The first of the seven phases of voting in Uttar Pradesh began on Thursday (February 10). Loni in Gaziabad is one of the most important constituencies where BJP has fielded Nandkishor Gurjar and Rashtriya Lok Dal, which is fighting UP polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, has given a ticket to Madan Bhaiyya.

Reports mention that Gaziabad recorded 50.40% of voter turnout ratio reduced from 53.27% in 2017. Of Gaziabad, Loni recorded 61.87% voter turnout ratio. It is important to note that 10 2017 Assembly polls, RLD candidate had got 42,539 votes and BJP’s Nandkishore Gurjar had won after receiving 1,13,088 votes, over 41% of the total votes polled.

Assembly elections are being held in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to to March 7 in seven phases to elect all 403 members of the Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on 10 March this year.

Muskan Khan of ‘Allahu Akbar’ fame gets ‘Urdu Ghar’ in Malegaon named after her, was earlier gifted iPhone and Rs 5 lakh reward

On Thursday (February 10), the Mayor of Malegaon Municipal Corporation (MMC) Tahera Shaikh Rasheed announced that the ‘Urdu Ghar’ in the city will be named after Muskan Khan.

Khan is a student of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya in Karnataka. She came to the limelight after yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ in a burqa while the camera strategically captured the ‘brave moment’. 

While speaking about the matter, the Malegaon Mayor remarked, “When Asif Shaikh was an MLA (from the Nationalist Congress party), he had built the ‘Urdu Ghar.’ We now want that the building is named after the ‘braveheart’ Muskan Khan. We will put a proposal in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation about the same.”

“Khan has shown exemplary courage by standing up to extremists and has inspired other women to follow suit. She should be rewarded for standing up for our ‘right to wear Hijab.’ We want to reward her by renaming the Urdu Ghar,” she added.

Tahera shaikh Rasheed concluded, “Just like Maulana Madni (of JUH) who had announced ₹5 lacs to acknowledge her bravery, we also want to do the same by naming the Urdu Ghar after Muskan Khan.”

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind announces Rs.5 lakh reward, Burqa-clad girl also gets iPhone

On February 11, Maharashtra Congress MLA (Bandra) Zeeshan Siddique paid a visit to Khan’s residence in Mandya and handed her an iPhone and a smartwatch for her ‘courageous act’.The Congress MLA referred to the Hindu students as ‘zaalims’ (cruel) and claimed that wearing hijab is a constitutional right.

“One can wear clothes of her choice. You have problem with her hijab or with the fact that she is getting educated. There are crores of brothers behind Muskaan to protect her right of wearing hijab. I felt happy after meeting her family,” he said.

Earlier on February 9, Islamic outfit Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had stoked a controversy by announcing a cash reward of ₹5 lacs to Muskan Khan. In a tweet, the Deoband based Islamic organisation claimed that Bibi Muskan Khan had stood up amid heated protests for her constitutional and religious rights.

Who is Muskan Khan

A video of Bibi Muskan Khan had gone viral on February 8 after she was seen shouting “Allahu Akbar” at a group of students inside PES College in Mandya, Karnataka. The students, who were protesting against the Muslim students in Hijab and Burqa, was seen at the receiving end of Muskan Khan’s theatrics on Tuesday.

The Hindu students chanted “Jai Shree Ram” in response to Islamic slogans raised inside the PES college campus. Bibi Muskan Khan later claimed that “outsiders” troubled her and added that her classmates and authorities at the PES College in Mandya supported her. 

Pakistan: Islamist mob stones a man to death for allegedly burning some pages of Quran in Tulamba, hanged his corpse to the tree

On Saturday, Islamist mob in Pakistan’s Tulamba town of Khanewal district stoned a man to death for allegedly burning the pages of Quran in Madarsa. The corpse of the innocent man was later hung on the tree.

The videos of the gruesome lynching of a man in Mian Channu’s Tulamba Madrasa went viral over the internet. According to the reports, the local police in order to protect themselves from the mob allegedly allowed the accused to leave the police station where the violent mob was present.

Note: Graphic visuals, reader discretion advised.

The victim was dragged to a nearby place, tortured and killed. Following the incident, district police officer (DPO) and the station house officer (SHO) reached the spot to investigate the entire matter. The South Punjab Additional Inspector General of Police Captain (retd) Zafar Iqbal Awan directed the Tulamba police to take immediate action against those responsible.

Also, the IG Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan sought report over the incident and demanded action against those who took law into their hands.

Reports mention that, this is not the first incident when the angry mob has decided over the punishment given to be given to the accused for alleged crime. Earlier in November, a violent mob had set a police station on fire in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district for not handing over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

Also, in December last year, a Sri Lankan man named Priyanthan Kumara was set on fire after the mob lynched him to death on the charges of blasphemy in Pakistan’s Sailkot. The Pakistan Police had arrested more than 40 people identifying them on the CCTV footage in the case.

According to a BBC report, the people in Pakistan have become more cautious to express their opinion in public, owing to increased incidents of mob lynching in Pakistan. “People know that the maximum the court will punish them is 5-8 years and then the’ll be set free. The Police aslo become silent spectators at such times”, the report says.

It further adds that more than 60 people have been killed on blasphemy charges in last 30 decades in Pakistan and many of them by large angry crowds who attack the victims like vultures do. The investigation in the Mian Channu’s Tulamba Madrasa case is still underway with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar demanding strict legal action in the tragic case.

No, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan did not reward ‘Allahu Akbar’ chanting burqa clad protestor in Karnataka Rs 5 crores

Many parties, including Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, have supported Muskan Khan, the burqa clad girl who raised cries of ‘Allahu Akbar’ in the midst of the hijab controversy that began at PU College in Karnataka’s Udupi district. Meanwhile, the word is spreading on social media that Bollywood stars Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have given five crore rupees to this youngster in recognition of her bravery. Some Pakistani Twitter users have also shared such posts, claiming that this is true.

According to social media posts, Salman and Aamir Khan have paid Muskaan Khan 3 crore rupees, while the Turkish government would pay her 2 crores as a reward for her bravery in shouting Allahu Akbar in public while wearing a burqa.

According to a Pakistani Twitter user called Zahid (@Xahidpk), Salman Khan gave Rs 3 crore to hijab girl Muskan Khan.

Pakistani Twitter user claiming Salman Khan gave Rs 5 crore to Muskan Khan

Nizam Khan, another user, made a similar assertion. In his tweet, he stated that Salman Khan gave Muskan Khan five crore rupees. The individual also uploaded a link to the ‘Kahani Centre’ YouTube channel, which made similar claims. It has around 7 lakh subscribers as well. While commenting on the video, Islamists have expressed their support for Muskan Khan.

Muslims rejoicing at reports of Salman Khan giving money to Muskan Khan

A similar ruse was posted by a user named Kashmir Today (@KashmirToday085), who claimed that the actor had paid Muskan Khan Rs 3 crore.

Another user named Qayyum Khan (@Qayyumk43775285) shared a link to a video posted by a YouTube channel named Pakhtunkhwa Channel and wrote a tweet stating that Aamir khan has rewarded Muskan Khan.

However, this news does not hold any valid proof that can justify it. Muskan Khan, the burqa clad protestor who raised Allahu Akbar slogans, has received no money from Salman Khan or the Turkish government. In its investigation, ‘Factly’ labeled it as ‘fake’ news. 

Similarly, koimoi.com has also rejected this claim of actors rewarding her money. Another claim that the Turkish government is awarding the protestor in Karnataka are also unverified.

However, Muskan Khan has indeed been given rewards for her Allahu Akbar chanting protest. Zeeshan Siddiqui, a Congress MLA from Bandra in Mumbai, paid a visit to the home of the hijab girl in Mandya and presented her with an iPhone and a smartwatch. Muskan was also given a Demand Draft for five lakhs by Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind.