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‘Security forces stood stunned like the guards of Kansa’s prison when Krishna was born’: Sadhu recalls Babri demolition 28 years back

OpIndia Staff
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‘Security forces stood stunned like the guards of Kansa’s prison when Krishna was born’: Sadhu recalls Babri demolition 28 years back

28 years after the Babri structure was demolished on December 6, 1992, Sant Brajmohan Das, an eyewitness to that historic event, has revisited what exactly transpired on that day in Ayodhya. Sant Brajmohan Das is the Mahant of Ram-Lakhan-Vishwamitra Vishram Ashram. This ashram is situated in Bihar’s Madhubani district, in Bishaul village. Sant Brajmohan Das, who has been the Mahant of this ashram since 2001, originally hails from the Uttar Pradesh district of Deoria.

He recalls: “I am 55-56 years old now. In 1992 I was a young monk. I had, renounced my homestead rights some time ago after undergoing initiation. I had reached Ayodhya in November and was living in Hanumangarhi then”.

Speaking to OpIndia, Mahant Brajmohan Das said: “In 1992, Vishwa Hindu Parishad had announced to organises Kar Seva in Ayodhya. It was envisioned to be a symbolic event. An area was marked for the worship on December 6.”

According to the Mahant, the process of Karsevaks coming to Ayodhya began roughly 15 days before December 6. The number of people arriving n Ayodhya was increasing by the day. Not everyone who came in from the outside was a Karsevak. Security personnel were also stationed across Ayodhya. It was difficult to estimate how many police personnel and how many central forces were present in Ayodhya as many were also present in plain clothes. Likewise, it is difficult to estimate the number of Karsevaks present in Ayodhya at that time. It appeared that a camp was being organised in Ayodhya a week before December 6.

Security arrangements were unprecedented

Recalling the brutal massacre of Kersevaks and Hindu devotees in the year 1990 at the behest of the then CM Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Mahant said that in 1992, the security arrangements in Ayodhya were even tighter than it was in 1990. Nobody knew what was exactly going to happen because the city was packed with devotees on the one hand and security personnel on the other.

With the number of security officers deployed in the city, it was clear that if the 1990 massacre was replicated, none would come out alive from Ayodhya. Young sadhus like us would frequently inquire if security officers would open fire at Karsevaks as they did in 1990. They would respond that they were not strangers but fellow citizens and all they were doing was following orders.

According to Mahant, the security forces appeared to be in the same condition as the people of Ayodhya, anxious about what would happen on December 6.

There was ‘Ram Rajya’ in Ayodhya

The VHP and other Hindu organisations, according to Mahant, had made great arrangements for the Karsevaks arriving from all corners of the country. There was ample food arrangement at Karsevakapuram, ashrams and other places. Food laden trucks were arriving in Ayodhya from various places. Tents were built to accommodate the Karsevaks coming from other places. Blankets and all other basic essentials were provided in the Ashrams. People from the Sangh and the ashram were deployed at various bus stations and the railway station to ensure that visitors were not inconvenienced in any way. There was no shortage of anything as such. No chaos despite the overwhelming crowd. There seemed to be complete Ram Rajya in Ayodhya, recalled Mahant Brajmohan Das.

The Karsevaks were unstoppable

As the date of December 6 drew nearer, Mahant Brajmohan Das claims he began to hear reports that the train had been banned by the government. On the way, Karsevaks are being detained. To house them, schools were repurposed into alternative jails. Even still, the flow of people to Ayodhya continued unabated. Some arrived on their own, some by bus, and yet others by train. People were evading the administration by walking for several kilometres to get there. Karsevaks were unstoppable, they kept pouring in from all four directions.

Language was no barrier

According to the Mahant, a huge number of Karsevaks, including many women, arrived from South India as well. “We didn’t understand their language,” he says, however, the intensity of their chants and cheers as soon as they arrived at the station was incredible. Everyone was taken aback by their energy. Their enthusiasm was spoken about all across Ayodhya. Even we had to ask them to be more restrained at times, said the Mahant.

Atmosphere of Ayodhya on 5th December 1992

According to Mahant Brajmohan Das, going by the atmosphere in Ayodhya, even a day before on December 5, no one could imagine that something like the demolition would happen on December 6. Everything was absolutely normal and very festive the previous day. Karsevaks and security personnel were spurned across the city. Somewhere people were lined up for food while at other places people were making merry. Everything seemed to be in order. All the markets were operating as usual. There was no atmosphere of fear. There was only enthusiasm all around.

….’and on December 6 the magic happened’

According to Mahant, the morning of December 6, 1992, was also routine. The preparations were proceeding according to the predetermined schedule. All routes leading to the Ram Janmabhoomi were cordoned off with strong barricades and barbed wire by the administration. The administration had built a fortress around the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya at the site of the Babri Masjid with multi-layers of security. It was almost impossible to reach the site.

An empty bus belonging to the security forces was parked near Hanumangarhi. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Karsevak, whom Mahant Brajmohan Das says he did not recognise, entered the bus and took over the steering wheel. He raced the bus towards the site at full speed, shattering all the barricades that came in his way. Behind the bus, a horde of Karsevaks rushed uncontrollably towards the site.

Mahant Brajmohan added that “when several Karsevaks ascended atop the disputed structure, three teams were formed as part of a plan that was strategised on the spot. One team moved swiftly towards the structure. One was entrusted with the responsibility to protect the Karsevaks. Meanwhile, if the government took any action and ordered firing, it was the responsibility of the third party to protect the people while dealing with it.

“Everything happened all of a sudden on the spot,” the Mahant added when asked who was behind this plan. There was no renowned individual involved in this. All of them were regular Karsevaks. They hadn’t even met before”. The Mahant recalled how the Karsevaks completely demolished the Babri structure site to reclaim the Janmabhoomi (birthplace) of Lord Rama within four to five hours after the sadhu rampaged the bus through the multi-layered security. “No remains of the Babri structure were left to see,” recalled the Mahant.

“Until today, I feel amazed at what transpired on December 6. There was this tall structure at the Janmabhoomi a few minutes ago, and the next minute there was nothing. The barbed wire used to keep people away from the Janmabhoomi was sharp and the barricades were strong. I was shocked that the Karsevaks had ripped off those sharp barbed wires with their bare hands. Everything seems to be surreal. Till today, I am out of words, I cannot believe that it all actually happened”.

Where were the security personnel when all this was happening?

According to the Mahant, the security personnel’s condition on that day was akin to that of the jail guards during the birth of Lord Krishna born in his maternal uncle Kansa’s prison in Mathura. They were all stunned. Seeing their state, it was obvious that they did not expect something like this to happen that too so suddenly. The administration was left dumbstruck. They would not have anticipated someone to cross the one-kilometre fortress they had erected with batons and barbed wire around the structure that now stood demolished.

What is god’s miracle…ask those who were present in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992

According to the Mahant, breaking the structure of batons and barbed wire constructed around the Ram Janmabhoomi site where the disputed structure then stood without any weapons was an impossible task, which the Karsevaks accomplished in no time. He says it was unbelievable, like God’s miracle. The situation felt surreal.

“After what transpired on the 6th of December, Ayodhya was filled with joy and enthusiasm. Only those who were present in Ayodhya on that day can explain what God’s miracles and powers are”, exclaimed the Mahant adding that after the historic incident the Karsevaks slowly returned to the place from where they had come. He too returned to Vrindavan after about a month.

Kids given badges of ‘I am Babari’ in Kerala school by SDPI worker: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Kids given badges of ‘I am Babari’ in Kerala school by SDPI worker: Report

In a shocking case of involving school children into politics and forceful religious indoctrination, an alleged SDPI worker in Kerala has been distributing badges saying ‘I am Babari’ and even pinning those badges on the shirts of the the children from Chungappara St. George School in Kottangal.

BJP Kerala state president K Surendran in a tweet questioned whether Kerala is another Syria in the making and “The SDPI is forcefully pasting “I Am Babari” sticker on the students of Chungappara St. George School in Kottangal Panchayat, which is ruled by the @CPIMKerala – SDPI alliance” he tweeted while trying to draw attention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Surendran questioned the motive behind pinning those badges of “I am Babari” upon children and asked if Kerala is another Syria in the making. The mentioned Chungappara school in the Kottangal village is located in the Pathanamthitta District in the southern Kerala.

In one of the pictures shared, the badges of ‘I am Babari” could be seen tagged on a student along. The alleged SDPI worker also carried the same tag on his shirt.

As per reports, the Parent Teacher Association has lodged a police complaint and a probe has been launched. The incident took place in the school compound when students arrived at school on Monday morning. As per the report, once teachers noticed the badges to the classroom, the school authorities asked the children to remove them.

SDPI has also been tweeting that Muslims will not forget Babari demolition and that the mosque shall rise again.

SDPI is the political wing of Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) which has been banned in various states for extremist activities. In November this year, one RSS worker A Sanjith was hacked to death by SDPI goons in front of his wife. S

Honour killing in Maharashtra: Pregnant girl gets beheaded by mother and brother, culprits display severed head to neighbours

OpIndia Staff
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Honour killing in Maharashtra: Pregnant girl gets beheaded by mother and brother, culprits display severed head to neighbours

In a gruesome case of honour killing, a teenage youth beheaded his 19-year-old pregnant sister with the help of his mother and allegedly displayed her severed head before the neighbours in the small agricultural village of Goygaon in Vaijapur tehsil Aurangabad district in Maharashtra on Sunday, December 5. It is also being alleged that the mother-son duo took selfies with the severed head.

Police confirmed that the mother-son duo also told the neighbours that they had killed their daughter because she got married without their consent. The deceased, Kirti Thore had eloped and married a college friend earlier this year.

Police confirmed that after killing his sister, the brother proceeded to the verandah with the severed head. He then waved it in the air for all to see. He, along with his mother also took selfies with the severed head before surrendering to the police.

According to reports, the deceased’s husband was present in the house when the incident took place. The accused teen had also tried to attack his brother-in-law but, somehow, the latter had managed to escape. After the shocking crime came to the fore, the police detained the teenage brother Sanket Sanjay Mote (18) and arrested his mother Shobha Sanjay Mote (38). 

Speaking about the incident, the superintendent of police Nimit Goyal told TOI, “We will send the cellphone for forensic analysis to recover the picture. It is a crucial piece of evidence.”

The police confirmed that Kirti Thore had eloped in June and had been living with her husband. Her family was against the relationship. Last week, Kirti’s mother contacted her and requested to visit her on the pretext of reconciliation. On Sunday, she and her son visited her daughter’s house.

The pregnant woman’s husband was ill and lying in another room when the mother-son duo arrived at her home. Her brother struck her from behind when she was making tea. Her mother allegedly held her by the leg while her brother used a sickle to cut off her head. He then carried the head outside for neighbours to see.

A police official said the victim’s brother surrendered before the Virgaon police station and was arrested along with his mother. The boy is 18 years of age, the official said, adding that the matter is being investigated.

Islamists attack Jitendra Narayan Swami for reverting to Hinduism, say ‘Wasim Rizmi’ was never a Muslim, call him kafir

OpIndia Staff
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Islamists attack Jitendra Narayan Swami for reverting to Hinduism, say ‘Wasim Rizmi’ was never a Muslim, call him kafir

After former Shia Waqf Board chief Wasim Rizvi reverted to Hinduism and became Jitendra Narayan Swami under the guidance of Mahant Yati Narasinghanand Giri at Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad, the Islamists have expressed their anger on social media and started to claim that Jitendra Narayan Swami had been thrown out of Islam and even called him a ‘kafir’. Kafir is a term often used by the Islamists to refer to people of other religions. The Islamists have now attacked Rizvi who belonged to the Shia minority and claimed was never a Muslim.

Rizvi had also been the target of Islamists in the past for his comments and criticism of the verses of Quran. After making the Ghar Wapsi, Rizvi said, “Mughals have given the tradition of defeating Hindus. Muslims vote unanimously for the party that defeats Hindus. Muslim voters are only for defeating Hindus.” He added, “I was thrown out of Islam. Every Friday, they announce more rewards for my head. Today I am accepting Sanatan Dharma.”

However, he was soon attacked by Islamists on Twitter and said how it was Allah who removed him from ‘holy Islam’.

Source : @asaadali/Twitter

An Islamist with the handle name @asaadalii said,”Waseem Rizvi wanted some of the verses from the The Noble Quran to be removed and subhan Allah, Allah removed him from the Holy Islam. So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (Al-Quran 2:258) #IslamIsPeace”

Source : @koolcan96/Twitter

Another Twitter user named @koolcan96 said,”Laanati Wasim Rizvi was never a Muslim. He was a rawafidh who abused and slandered the first three caliphs. Anyone who abuses and slanders the first three caliphs, Sahaba and believes that the Qur’an was distorted (nauzubillah) can never ever be a Muslim,” which roughly translates to how shameless Rizvi was never a Muslim who ‘slandered and abused first three caliphs’.

Source : MirAsif/Twitter

Interestingly, Islamist Mir Asif has thanked Allah for the Rizvi Ghar Wapsi to Hinduism. He said, “Shukr Allah ka kyuki is jaise bande ki koi zrurt nahi hai islam mai. Aur faziil mai apne aap ko shia bolta tha..” with the hasgtag #wasimrizwi and also shared a quote saying, “Tujh jaise ki na zaroorat thi Na hai Aur Na hi rahegi.” (Thank Allah because this (Rizvi) kind of person is not needed in Islam. And he was calling himself a Shia just like that. “Your kinds were never needed and will never be needed.” Firstly you were never a Muslim and now even you accepted it.)

Source: MirHaTim/Twitter

Twitter user Mir Hatim also called Rizvi a ‘kaafir’.

Source : Md Imtiaz Alam/Twitter

One Twitter user Mohammad Imtiaz Alam also questioned whether Rizvi was even a Muslim to begin with.

Soon, there were calls made on social media to arrest him over allegations of ‘blasphemy’.

In fact, some Islamists also defaced his photograph with shoe print on his face demanding his arrest.

At the time of this report, the hashtag demanding arrest of Jitendra Narayan Swami, formerly known as Wasim Rizvi, had over 45,000 tweets.

HM Shah addresses Parliament on Nagaland firing incident, says action will be taken at the highest level

OpIndia Staff
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HM Shah addresses Parliament on Nagaland firing incident, says action will be taken at the highest level

On December 6, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the Nagaland firing incident in which over 13 civilians lost their lives. HM Shah said that the security forces had got a tip-off about insurgents movement in the area.

A battalion of 21 Para Commandos laid down an ambush to attack the insurgents. During that time, a vehicle was passing by that was asked to stop by the security forces. Instead of stopping, the driver tried to escape the scene. The security forces suspected there were insurgents in the vehicle, and they opened fire. Six out of eight people died. Later it was found that it was a case of mistaken identity.

“The two injured were shifted to the hospital by the Army,” HM Shah added. He further said, “When the locals came to know about the incident, they surrounded the battalion and attacked them. The mob burnt down two army vehicles and attacked the soldiers. One soldier lost his life in the attack.” He said to save themselves from the attack and to disperse the crowd, the security forces had to open fire at them. “Another seven civilians lost their lives, and many were injured,” he added. The local Police reached the spot and tried to calm down the situation. “The situation is tense but under control,” HM Shah said.

On December 5, higher officials of Nagaland Police reached the spot. The case has been transferred to State Crime Police Station. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed to investigate the case. The SIT has been instructed to complete the investigation in a month.

HM Shah said that on the evening of December 5, a mob of around 250 people attacked the operating base of Assam Rifles in Mon and vandalized the base. They also set COP’s house on fire. The Assam Rifles personnel had to open fire to disperse the crowd that resulted in the death of one more civilian. Another Civilian got injured. HM Shah added, “Additional forces have been deployed in the area to ensure law and order is maintained. In a press note, the Army has expressed regret over the death of civilians.”

He further said that Army would also investigate the reasons behind the incident and would take appropriate action as per the law. “I contacted Governor and Chief Minister of Nagaland. Home Ministry also contacted the Chief Secretary of the state. Yesterday, the ministry closely monitored the situation. Upper Secretary of North East was rushed to Kohima where he met Chief Secretary, senior government officials of Nagaland and senior army officials on Monday morning.” He said that the officials are trying to calm down the situation as quickly as possible.

The Home Ministry has further instructed the security agencies to ensure while fighting the insurgents, they should be extra vigilant so that such incidents do not happen in the future. Curfew has been imposed in the region to control the situation. “The government of India expresses its condolences to the families of the deceased,” he added.

The opposition continuously raised slogans while HM Shah was addressing Rajya Sabha.

The Home Minister expressed regret over the situation and stated that all agencies have been instructed to ensure that no such incidents are reported in the future.

PM Discussed situation with HM and ministers

PM Modi earlier discussed the situation with the ministers and Home Minister Amit Shah. As per reports, the situation in Nagaland and the government’s strategy in both houses was discussed during the meeting.

Why the Gurugram namaz issue is unprecedented in the history of Hindu-Muslim relations in India

Abhishek Banerjee
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Why the Gurugram namaz issue is unprecedented in the history of Hindu-Muslim relations in India

The following is the camera ready version of the story of community relations in India that liberals want to tell the whole world.

Rana Ayyub’s tweet on Gurugram namaz issue

There it is. A young male who looks like he could get violent any minute. He is waving an angry finger in the face of an elderly Muslim who appears to be getting ready for prayers. In case you didn’t notice, two powerful foreign leaders have also been tagged in this tweet. And in case Joe Biden is too lazy to watch, they have labelled the video in bold letters. “Hindutva extremists” on one side, “Muslims” on the other.

Why won’t the “Hindutva extremists” just let the Muslims perform their prayers? Why don’t these “Hindutva extremists” just live and let live?

The ‘camera ready’ version distracts us from looking at what is really happening. First, one group of people begin to encroach upon a public space. By the time others wake up and realize what is happening, the space already belongs to someone else in all but name.

For the encroachers, being slow, patient and strategic has paid off. All they have to do now is act with dignity in front of cameras as they assert their new moral title to the land. They get to keep the land and play the victim. The camera will show the other side as thugs.

This is what makes the controversy over namaz in public spaces in Gurugram so unprecedented in the context of Hindu-Muslim relations in India. In the liberal argument, there is no mention of the secular ideal. There is no reference to any constitutional or legal principle. Members of one community want the public land, and so it is theirs. Apparently because they are the “good” community. Or at least the community with the “first right” to resources (famous words, remember?). Anyone who opposes this is an extremist.

How did it become controversial to say that public space belongs to everyone? But quite unbelievably, it has. You can no longer even refer to these spaces as public land. They are now “Muslim prayer sites.”

The Guardian on Gurugram namaz issue

And “Hindu groups” are now on notice for targeting them. In other words, local Hindus are now invaders for demanding the right to public space.

That headline in The Guardian is not unique. This kind of usage is now common across all forms of media.

ThePrint headline

The public space of yesterday has become the “namaz ground” of today. And local Hindus now stand accused of interfering with the rights of Muslims to use their newly acquired private space as they see fit.

How the leftist media covered Gurugram namaz issue

Seems like one side was caught napping, no?

Again, notice that nobody is even mentioning the legal principles involved. Because there simply isn’t one. Instead, we are watching an altogether new moral principle being manufactured here. If a certain community wants something, it must belong to them. You must not complain. You must not protest.

Where did this new principle come from? We cannot say, but let us read more closely the language of the article in The Guardian

“Usually such prayers are held in mosques but Gurgaon, a city that rose in the 1990s from the brushland on the outskirts of Delhi to serve India’s new middle class, has a severe shortage, with around 13 to cater for a city of more than 1.5 million people.”

A severe shortage? Just 13 places to cater to a city of more than 1.5 million people. Listen for the tone. They make it sound like they are talking about the shortage of a public amenity, don’t they? Not enough schools, not enough hospitals, not enough mosques.

Wait a second! It is not the role of the government to provide prayer spaces. Private individuals and communities may establish institutions of their faith, on land they own. They can’t just take public land if they feel that they don’t have enough.

But the Guardian article works very hard to gloss over this point. The way they write, it feels like someone somewhere will soon compile a Global Mosque Index and find that India ranks something like 109th out of 120 countries in mosques per capita. And that the rank has dropped 6 places since last year. What is the government doing about this?

It’s not just this Guardian article. Read this article by Hilal Ahmed on the same issue.

Hilal Ahmed on offering namaz in public places

Namaz on busy streets? Don’t you love the author chooses not to make a distinction between various types of spaces? Namaz inside a functional Hindu temple? Who am I to say no if the temple administration says yes. In the corridor of a hospital? I would say that a hospital corridor should be left open for patients. So if it is a state run hospital, the answer is no for sure. On a busy street? Definitely not. You can’t block the street because it belongs to us all. So the answer varies in each case, depending on the scenario.

But the point of that article is that it doesn’t matter. Whether in a hospital, a train, or on a street, the right to perform namaz anywhere and everywhere comes first. And if you don’t like that, they will label you bigoted.

The argument seems to be that public space in India must be reorganized around the practices of one religion. You know, as in Middle Eastern theocracies.

There is another curious angle to this controversy over namaz in Gurugram. Read this line from the Guardian article.

“They even sought permission from the administration and by 2018 the Muslim community had been granted permission for outdoor prayers in 108 places across the district.“

Everyone knows that the liberal media, especially the Guardian, is no fan of the BJP. But look how the Guardian plays this story. They don’t blame the BJP for allowing this. Instead, they wave this permission from the local authorities as legitimization for the religious takeover of public space. Like I said, they are thinking about namaz facilities as public amenities that the state is somehow legally required to provide to citizens. Apparently, the Indian state failed to provide enough mosques to “cater” to a population of 1.5 million. And so the least they could do was offer public land as unofficial namaz grounds.

And read the sense of hurt in this line:

” … the Gurgaon administration reduced the number of namaz sites from 108 to 37, to the dismay of the Muslim leaders who felt the administration was bowing to the demands of fanatics. “

Indeed, where are the priorities of the Indian state? As it is, the population is already dealing with a severe shortage of prayer areas. And they go ahead and reduce the availability of even unofficial prayer areas!

This idea of treating mosques as part of essential infrastructure of a city has been everywhere in the media coverage around this incident. And the media has been acting as if it is the moral duty of people to come to aid of those who are suffering from this lack of critical infrastructure. When one Hindu individual offered his own house as a namaz space, the media was ecstatic. Well, that person can do whatever he wants with his house, but I find it hard to see him as a hero. Worshipers of one particular faith are not humanitarian aid workers. But they made it sound like they were.

Here is what I found most interesting. Despite the extreme media pressure to virtue signal on this issue, nobody else in the local population volunteered their home or business space. The media may think prayer spaces for one community are a public amenity, but hardly anyone is fooled by this.

So there is hope. Not everyone is woke.

US: Anti-Israel Democrat running for Congress gets fooled by parody account, jumps in to host a fake fundraiser in Gaza

OpIndia Staff
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US: Anti-Israel Democrat running for Congress gets fooled by parody account, jumps in to host a fake fundraiser in Gaza

On Friday (December 3), a 31-year-old anti-Israel politician named Imani Oakley fell for a parody account on Twitter while trying to organise a virtual fundraiser in Gaza. Oakley, a Democrat running for US Congress from Newark, wanted to organise the virtual fundraiser with the help of one Rabbi Goldstein, a parody handle run by a US lawyer.

The Democratic Party leader proposed discussions on topics such as ‘Occupied Tel-Aviv’, ‘Zionism and other white supremacy movements’, ‘The morality of intifada’ to raise funds for Gaza. The idea was proposed by the parody account via email correspondence. “I would be grateful if you could provide dates/times for this week or next to connect and discuss further,” the campaign manager of Oakley had emailed on November 23.

“I think it would be terrific if Ms Oakley would in-person or virtually (over Zoom) attend a house party/fundraiser in Gaza. I can’t think of a better way to show off her #FreePalestine bona fides. There are several influential Jewish-Americans in Gaza who can provide plenty of help back in her district, including contributions and media placement,” the parody account said in another email correspondence.

Known for her anti-Israel activism, the Democrat hoped to join hands with ‘anti-Zionist’ Gaza-based Rabbi to benefit her campaign. Oakley believed that the Twitter handle of Rabbi Goldstein was real. Despite the several pro-Hamas tweets by the account, the Democratic leader had decided to go ahead with the campaign. The account was created by a pro-Israel lawyer named Michael to mock far-left and anti-Zionist Jews.

“I am making fun of the five per cent of Jews that hate Israel. I created this personality that shows how reductive and absurd these people are,” Michael stated. While taking a dig at Imani Oakley, he said, “Jews cannot live in Gaza. So the fact that people think she is the chief rabbi in Gaza or has a temple in Gaza just shows how uneducated people are about the conflict.”

Screengrab of the profile of Rabbi Linda Goldstein

It must be mentioned that the Twitter account of Rabbi Linda Goldstein boasts 3.8K followers. The fact that it is a parody account becomes evident from the cover image itself. It reads, “Encourage women to smell their poop to be more inclusive to trans women.” Besides, expressions such as ‘Jewish advisor to Hamas’, ‘nude Yogi’ and ‘Chief Rabbi of Gaza’ in the bio are clear indicators that the account was made for satirical purposes.

Imani Oakley defends herself after falling for a parody account

After realising that she was duped by a parody account, Oakley stated, “Let me be clear: no political attacks will stop me from defending the humanity and dignity of the Palestinian people, fighting against human rights abuses by the Israeli government, and demanding an end to apartheid.”

She added, “We were in the process of vetting Linda like we would any fundraiser host. Today, Levine Jonathan (journalist at New York Post) reached out asking us for comment for a story mocking us for responding to a parody account. We were in the process of vetting Linda Goldstein. If you Google the name, plenty of people come up. It’s a common name, and we had no indication that it was tied to a parody Twitter account.”

She went on to play the victim card, despite supporting a Twitter handle that boasted about ties with Hamas. The Democrat even played the race card and stated that mocking her foolishness on social media is a “shameful attack on women of colour.”

“I’m being targeted for standing up for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. Dirty political tactics trying to slander me and my campaign have no place in this or any elections. This is a shameful attack on a woman of colour fighting for justice,” she concluded.

Race of the “useful innocents”: Why BJP can’t be fooled by the ‘opposition cannot unite’ Kabuki

Ganesh R
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Race of the “useful innocents”: Why BJP can’t be fooled by the ‘opposition cannot unite’ Kabuki

Rowan Atkinson, well known to most kids as Mr Bean, is a prolific comedian and brilliant actor. He is in a way India’s ‘damaad’ because he was married to an Indian origin lady. Now they have split up. My favourite is the BlackAdder TV serial set in various periods of England’s history in multiple seasons. It is an endless source of biting sometimes nasty wit, sarcasm and of course, useful quotes.

In one of the episodes, BlackAdder, who’s butler to the Prince Regent, is talking to a French nobleman. Set in the French Revolution period, when royals are being guillotined by revolutionaries. Many escape to England. Le Comte de Frou Frou is one such nobleman. BlackAdder (Rowan) wants this guy to help him in some deception. 

So he asks him “Would you like to earn some money?”

The Comte replies “No I wouldn’t!” and after a bit of hesitation, adds, “I would like other people to earn it and GIVE it to me!”

You can watch the funny clip in this YouTube link. 

You could say this is exactly the attitude of our own Prince Regent. He is too blue-blooded to have to work for the PM chair. And the family has “sacrificed” a lot already, as we are reliably told by eminent historians.

He would naturally prefer others to earn it and give it to him. And India is not short of people that are eminently qualified and willing. Especially those with a degree in African studies, sociology, political “science” or other such esoteric topics that many ugly capitalists find unsuitable for productive jobs.

Those in the media and elsewhere, sniping at Rahulji seem to entirely miss this point. They think he should work for his chair! How preposterous! 

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Didi also made this mistake recently. Her remarks, as quoted in The Telegraph.

Continous endeavour is necessary in politics. You can’t be abroad most of the time.

– Mamata Banerjee

Interestingly enough, although she did not name anyone, Congress reacted sharply as if to confirm who spends most of the time holidaying. The thrust of their riposte seems to be that Congress is essential in alliance to defeat BJP. Sibal went to the extent of saying UPA without Congress is without “body and soul”. One wonders if Congress is both body and soul, what the rest were!

Media courtiers have recently taken to attacking RG (not me!) for his alleged relaxed politics and advise him that politics is 24x7x365 and he has to get tough.

Yes, if you haven’t noticed, it’s the same crowd that often attacks Modi for doing politics all year round. But then to this crowd, Tejaswi Yadav flying around Bihar in chartered helicopters during the election campaign is a “young man working hard and deserves a win”.

The concept of useful innocents

I find the term useful idiots derogatory and wont use them. Useful innocents sounds very nice.

Congress and the family understand very well that opposition has no choice but to come knocking on their doors.

Their actions prove this louder than words – they snatched Kanhaiya from the left despite the dubious value he brings, without caring for what the Politburo worthies will think.

Rest of opposition, instead of getting together, running their own race serves them even better. 

  • Because none will win by themselves, and like gladiators in the arena, more likely fatally injure each other and cut BJP votes even more effectively by confusing the electorate, offering mirage as options.
  • So if Left wants to chart its own course, that’s even better.
  • If they think there is a great future for a non-Congress, non-Didi, non-<insert some name here> coalition, wish them Godspeed!
  • If Arvind Kejriwal thinks he is the Yugpurush, Indians are desperately praying for (although that dream soured in 2014), if I were Congress, I would quietly even fund him.
  • And if Didi thinks she is PM material, because she killed BJP in WB, physically as well as politically by “action on the ground” as Sagarika-ji puts it, they will happily humour her, staging mock protests. In fact, Rahul Gandhi has so far not attacked Didi for her remarks.

Because these “useful innocents” going around doing their job saves them the bother.

Finally, when it comes to divvying up the takings, they know they will be at the head of the table. And the “fearless, speaking truth to power” media elites now attacking Rahulji will invent intellectually nuanced reasons why this is exactly the right thing.

All their past sins are forgotten and the gravy train will chug on.

So, BJP has to watch out, not Congress!

Because, they can be fooled by all this Kabuki and assume the worst – that opposition cannot unite so they are safe!

Remember, opposition is disunited because there is nothing to unite over. 

Let the glue – power – come somewhere within reach, you will find they will be thick as ..

And when that happens, the entire ecosystem will change tune. 

Because the “Idea of India” has triumphed. Now is the time to upgrade from 2BHK to a farm house!

Remember Maharastra?

So that is what it is folks, a race of useful innocents. Who wins this race is pointless. The cup can only go to one person.

And he doesn’t have to run! Like our Le Comte de Frou Frou.

Originally published by the author on substack, republished with permission. You could read the original article here.

Maharashtra: Loksatta editor Girish Kuber faces ink attack at Marathi literary meet in Nashik

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Loksatta editor Girish Kuber faces ink attack at Marathi literary meet in Nashik

On December 5, activists of Sambhaji Brigade threw ink at Girish Kuber, editor, Loksatta, at the Marathi literary meet venue at Nashik. The activists were protesting against allegedly controversial references about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Kuber’s book. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis condemned the incident.

Reportedly, Kuber had made some controversial remarks about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in his book “Renaissance State: The Unwritten Story of the Making of Maharashtra”.

Kuber was participating in the 94th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan on its concluding day and was scheduled to attend a symposium. When he was behind the stage, some unidentified men hurled ink on his face, shirt and hair. The Police personnel present at the spot received some splashes too.

Former CM Dadnavis said anything written against Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj should be condemned, but at the same time, an ink attack during the literary meet was wrong. “If something is factually wrong, it should be countered with facts and evidence,” he said.

NCP leader Pawar said the attack on the writer was an attack on the freedom of expression. “I condemn this incident which doesn’t suit the image of Maharashtra,” he said. He further added that he has read Kuber’s book and said there were some controversial portions in it. “Though there is a controversy over some portions of this book, at the same time, Kuber has the right to express himself. Those who disagree with his views also have the right to oppose him, but such attack is not acceptable,” he added.

Girish Kuber has a controversial history

Girish Kuber has a substantial connection to controversies. In May 2020, social media users had exposed him for passing off a blog post by UK based economist Andrew Lilico as his own editorial. Though his piece was published in Marathi, the uncanny resemblance with Lilico’s post was clear. The UK economist himself tweeted that Kuber did not seek permission from him for using his work.

In October 2020, he was censured by the Press Council of India for publishing a fake story about the Statue of Unity. In the contentious editorial on November 3, 2018, in Loksatta by Editor-in-Chief Girish Kuber, he alleged that several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) had contributed ‘immensely’ for the construction of the Statue of Unity. The basis of his claims was supposedly a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report from August 2018. His claims were rubbished by activist Sadanand Ghodgerikar.

In 2019, the PCI had slammed the media group Loksatta for spreading fake news after it had published a hit job article written by journalist Karan Thapar, one of the oldest members of the Congress-backed Lutyens media, against RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat by attributing fake quotes to him. Along with Karan Thapar, the editor of the Loksatta Girish Kuber wrote an editorial containing a fake quote of the RSS chief.

In 2020, former CM of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, indirectly accused Loksatta of being partisan and overly deferential to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. He said that the paper, which prided itself on being anti-establishment for years, had forsaken its role of the neutral organisation after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government came to power in Maharashtra.

Pakistan: Thieves steal monocles from Jinnah statue in Punjab govt office

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Thieves steal monocles from Jinnah statue in Punjab govt office

Thieves in the Punjab province of Pakistan have stolen the monocles from the Jinnah’s statue located at the Vehari Deputy Commissioner Complex, according to reports. Monocles is a type of corrective lens used to enhance vision in one eye. The Deputy Commissioner complex in Vehari, Punjab also encompasses offices of the district’s top officials.

As per reports, the statue of Mohammed Ali Jinnah in Vehari escaped vandalism while the thieves have stolen the monocles from the statue on saturday night. Jinnah who is also referred to as Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah in the Islamic country is known to have used such monocles during his lifetime. However, the monocles stolen from the statue is a replica while the statue itself is believed to be a representation of Jinnah’s August 11 speech. Considering how statues or idols are disregarded in an Islamist state, it is not surprising to hear that Jinnah statues are being vandalized in Pakistan.

Deputy Commissioner Khizar Afzal Chaudhry have informed that an investigation has been launched after the theft. He has assured that the thieves would be tracked soon with the help of CCTV cameras. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also taken notice of the incident and ordered a report from the Multan commissioner.

Notably, earlier, the statue of Olympian Samiullah was also targetted by the thieves. A hockey stick and a ball were stolen from the statue.

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