Nearly 90 retired Generals and Admirals in the USA have issued a statement on Monday, calling for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley. The resignation was demanded over the disastrous withdrawal of US Forces from Afghanistan that saw Americans stranded in the war torn country.
The signatories said in the letter, “The retired Flag Officers signing this letter are calling for the resignation and retirement of the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) based on negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Source: FlagOfficers4America
“As principal military advisors to the CINC/President, the SECDEF and CJCS should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms. If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign. Conversely, if they did do everything within their ability to persuade the CINC/President to not hastily exit the country without ensuring the safety of our citizens and Afghans loyal to America, then they should have resigned in protest as a matter of conscience and public statement,” they added.
“A fundamental principle in the military is holding those in charge responsible and accountable for their actions or inactions. There must be accountability at all levels for this tragic and avoidable debacle,” the letter said.
US Forces left Afghanistan on the 30th of August, leaving Taliban in charge of the country. Apart from stranded American citizens, 51 contract working dogs were also left behind. Joe Biden has received intense criticism for his disastrous handling of the situation that has led to billions of dollars of military equipment falling into the hands of the Taliban.
A video of a mob brutally beating up a youth, with rods and sticks, was shared by Shiv Kumar Chawla ASP, the Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission Delhi district president and IT cell and social media in-charge, on Twitter in the early hours of August 31. Along with the video, he claimed that the youth was being beaten black and blue by “RSS goons” for not chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
He further claimed that the incident took place in front of a police booth near Moradabad police station.
Tagging UP Police and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, the Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission leader called for strict action against the RSS goons, whom he claimed forced the victim to chant Jai Shri Ram and beat him up in full public view.
Screenshot of the Tweet posted by Bhim Army leader Shiv Kumar Chawla on August 31
A few hours after Chawla’s Tweet, the Moradabad police took to its official Twitter handle to fact-check the Bhim Army leader. The Moradabad police confirmed that the video in question is from Yamunanagar, Haryana. They confirmed that the incident did not take place under its jurisdiction.
उक्त वीडियो जनपद यमुनानगर, हरियाणा से सम्बंधित है तथा प्रकरण का जनपद मुरादाबाद से कोई सम्बंध नहीं है।https://t.co/OTxJUt0rI9
The Uttar Pradesh Police also took to its official fact-check Twitter account to bust the fake news, shared by the Bhim Army leader. Sharing the link of a report published by the Hindi daily Jagran, the UP police confirmed that the viral video is not related to Uttar Pradesh but to Thana Hamida, District Yamunanagar, Haryana.
They informed the Bhim Army leader that the Moradabad police have been directed to take necessary legal action against Chawla for distorting facts.
This particular video along with two others, in which a group of men assault a man with rods and sticks, was widely circulating on WhatsApp recently. The attached message read: “This is the incident of Mewat in Haryana, some boys of Bajrang Dal are beating a Muslim boy, can one become a Hindu by forcefully saying Jai Shri Ram or one can become a Muslim by being forcefully called Allah Hu Akbar, let us stop our country from becoming Hindu rashtra gunda raaj. and give a rite to our future generations.”
The video was labelled ‘forwarded many times’ by WhatsApp.
Screengrab of the Whatsapp message which was in circulation recently
Fact-check
According to a report published by Jagran on August 18, the incident had taken place on August 12. The victim, identified as one Sahil Alvi was beaten up by a group of youths at Haryana’s Yamunanagar district. In fact, the Haryana police had also registered a case against the miscreant then.
The news was also covered on the same day by other media outlets like Zee News.
Reports had then suggested that the youth was rounded up when he was returning from a court hearing along with 4 others on August 12. Sahil was the plaintiff in this hearing. The defendants are related to the men who attacked Sahil. The feud between them dates back several years. The group of men who attacked Sahil didn’t belong to any particular religion, the reports specified.
Sahil’s uncle Amir had then refuted the communal angle that was affixed to the video when it started doing the rounds on social media, almost two weeks after the actual incident took place. He had also confirmed that there was a point when one of the aggressors and Sahil were friends.
Sahil had also refuted the claim that the incident was communally motivated. He said, “The aggressors also included one Muslim individual. His name was Parvez.
SHO Police Station Hamida and Yamunanagar SP Kamaldeep had also refuted the social media claim that Bajrang Dal was involved in the incident. Furthermore, they stated that the incident was not communal.
The Haryana police had then arrested one of the accused and were on the lookout for the rest.
To sum it up, despite multiple reports about the incident being available on public platforms, the Bhim Army leader used the old video along with the spurious claims to maliciously spread the hate crime narrative, often peddled by the so-called liberals and Islamist apologists with an intention to defame the Hindus.
Earlier, OpIndia had listed 20 incidents where the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan has been misused to turn a random crime into ‘hate crime’.
A major controversy has erupted over Punjab Congress councillor Sukhraj Aulakh’s alleged remarks against Hindu women and rituals. Disgruntled by the Congress leader’s derogatory remarks against Hinduism, many Hindus held a protest march against Sukhraj Aulakh in Bathinda on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami on Monday, August 30.
In Bathinda, Hindus held a protest against the Congress Councillor Sukhraj Aulakh who used vulgar language for Hindu women & rituals
Unfortunate is the state of Hindus in Punjab, the time when they had to celebrate Janmashtami, they had to carry protest rally against Hinduphobes pic.twitter.com/M1Fysego4N
Many Hindu men and women gheraoed Hanuman Chowk in Bathinda, Punjab and took out a peaceful march to protest against the Congress leader, who had allegedly mocked the Hindu rituals and holy practices, like the offering of Havan Yajna, the most ancient form of Hindu prayer and customs like wearing a Tilak on the forehead, in one of his social media posts. The Hindus, who walked down the streets with placards and posters in their hands, kept singing devotional songs (bhajans) while protesting against the Congress leader.
They demanded that a case be registered against the Congress leader for hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus through his disparaging post. They also protested against Punjab police and Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal for shielding Punjab Congress councillor Sukhraj Aulakh. The Hindus asserted they would completely boycott Badal if he did not order strict action against Aulakh.
Shiv Sena members demand a case under IPC section 295(A) against Punjab Congress leader Sukhraj Aulakh
Meanwhile, members of the Shiv Sena Hindustan, Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray party, and Shiv Sena HID, on Saturday, August 29, sent three different demand letters to Surinderpal Singh, the Superintendant of Police (Headquarters), Bathinda, requesting him to register a case under IPC section 295(A) [Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs], against Congress leader Sukhraj Aulakh.
Surinderpal Singh, the Superintendant of Police (Headquarters), Bathinda, has, in turn, assured that appropriate action would be taken against the Congress leader.
According to a report by Jagran, following the protest march that was carried out by various Hindu organisations Friday, August 28, SSP Ajay Maluja spoke to the Hindus and assured them an apology from Congress leader Sukhraj Aulakh. The Hindus, meanwhile, who were extremely enraged by the disparaging remarks made by the Congress leader, said that a mere apology would not be enough. They were hell-bent that a case for hurting religious sentiments, must be registered against the Congress leader.
Furious at the Punjab Finance Minister’s protection of the Congress leader, Hindus vowed that if he did not take action against his aide, they would not allow Manpreet Badal to visit any temple on Janmashtami.
Simultaneously, effigies of Punjab cabinet minister Manpreet Badal were also burned by Hindus led by BJP Punjab secretary Sukhpal Singh Saran. They accused the Punjab government of stirring up religious divisions by shielding culprits such as Sukhraj Aulakh.
According to the All India Hindu Federation and Shri Hindu Takht’s Principal Advocate Sandeep Pathak, Shiv Sena Hindustan’s Organization Minister Sushil Jindal and Bajrang Dal’s Sandeep Aggarwal, when they went to meet with the Bhatinda SSP, they were told that the police could, at the most, ask the Congress leader to apologise. As reported in Bhaskar, the SSP reportedly said that the police could not take any arbitrary action against the leader. Angered by the SSP’s response, advocate Sandeep Pathak asserted that police officials are extremely powerless in the face of the ruling elites in Punjab.
As per reports, Congress councillor Sukhraj Aulakh had insulted Hindu traditions and ceremonies in one of his social media posts. He is also accused of making insulting statements about Hindu women, which has enraged members of numerous Hindu organisations. Following the outrage, the Congress leader rendered an apology. However, the Hindus have refused to accept the apology and demanded strict action against the Congress leader. They have made it clear that they would go to any length to punish the Congress councillor for demonising Hinduism and Hindus, even if they have to go to court.
In a telltale sign that the country’s economy is on its path to recovery after the coronavirus-induced downturn, statistics from April to June quarter suggest India’s quarterly GDP grew by 20 per cent, a highest-ever GDP growth in a single quarter.
“GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in Q1 of 2021-22 is estimated at Rs 32.38 lakh crore, as against Rs 26.95 lakh crore in Q1 of 2020-21, showing a growth of 20.1 per cent as compared to a contraction of 24.4 per cent in Q1 2020-21,” said the statement released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
In consistent with the predictions made by the economists earlier, the country’s GDP rose by 20.1 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year as against the same period a year ago when the first wave of coronavirus-induced lockdown had resulted in the economic contraction of 24.4 per cent.
In addition to the GDP, the Gross Value Added (GVA) has also grown at 18.8 per cent in the first quarter. “Quarterly GVA at Basic Price at Constant (2011-12) Prices for Q1 of 2021-22 is estimated at Rs 30.48 lakh crore, as against Rs 25.66 lakh crore in Q1 of 2020-21, showing a growth of 18.8 per cent,” the statement added.
The GDP growth of 20.1 per cent is the highest quarterly expansion since official growth statistics were stored from the mid-1990s. This is almost 13 times the 1.6 per cent GDP growth registered in the fourth quarter of FY21.
However, it is worth noting that despite the record economic recovery in the first quarter of FY21, the numbers are yet to reach the pre-COVID levels.
The bounce back in GDP could have been even higher if the country had not suffered the devastating second wave of coronavirus, which forced the administrations across the nation to impose localised restrictions. It was reported that at one point in time more than 98 per cent of the country was under some kind of lockdown.
One of the reasons why the country witnessed a swift recovery during the second wave could be attributed to the Centre’s decision of not imposing a nationwide lockdown and restrictions as rigorous as those imposed during the initial wave.
India’s envoy to Qatar Deepak Mittal on Tuesday met senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Stanikzai, head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, a statement issued by the Indian foreign ministry said in what appears to be the first-ever official meeting between the two sides.
“Today, Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of Taliban’s Political Office in Doha. The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, at the request of the Taliban side,” the statement said.
Source: Sidhant Sibal/WIONews
“Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up,” it said.
“Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner,” the Indian statement further added.
The Taliban representative assured the ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.
Who is Sher Mohammad Stanikzai of Taliban
It is worth noting that Stanikzai, an integral part of the Talibani leadership, had once served as a cadet at the prestigious Indian Military Academy in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun and was fondly called ‘Sheru’ by his course mates from the 1982 batch, who remember him as a moderate and not religiously inclined.
He was 20-years-old when he travelled to India under the Indo-Afghan defence cooperation programme and became one of the 45 foreign gentlemen cadets of the Bhagat Battalion’s Keren Company at the academy.
An ethnic Pashtun, Stanikzai was born in 1963 in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province of Afghanistan.
After completing his masters in political science, Sher Mohammad Stanikzai joined the IMA where he trained for 1.5 years after the Indian military institute was involved in training Afghan army officials in combat.
After completing his training at the IMA, Stanikzai went back to join the Afghan National Army as a lieutenant. He fought the Soviet-Afghan war, initially with Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi’s Islamic and National Revolution Movement of Afghanistan, and later with Abdul Rasul Sayyaf’s Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan, as commander of its south-western front.
In 1996, Stanikzai took a radical turn and joined the Taliban. In the years between 1996 to 2001, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, Stanikzai served as deputy minister of foreign affairs under foreign minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil and later deputy minister of health. He often gave interviews to foreign media during the Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001 as he spoke English well.
In 2016, Stanikzai travelled to China and represented the Taliban for their talks with the Chinese officials. Then in August 2018, he led a delegation of Taliban officials to Uzbekistan. There, the delegation met Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Uzbekistan’s special representative to Afghanistan Ismatilla Irgashev. In the same year, Stanikzai travelled to Indonesia for discussions with officials, meeting Indonesian First Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Hamid Awaluddin, Indonesia’s special representative for Afghanistan.
Stanikzai also served as deputy negotiator Abdul Hakim Haqqani, head of the Taliban’s negotiating team, on talks with Afghan government officials. In September 2020, Stanikzai was declared as the chief negotiator to discuss peace with the Afghan government. But, days before the meeting, it was announced that he would act as a deputy to Abdul Hakim.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28 dedicated the renovated monument of Jallianwala Bagh Smarak to the nation through a virtual conference.
Join me as we inaugurate the renovated complex of Jallianwala Bagh Smarak today at 6:25 PM. I also invite you to watch the sound and light show. It would display the horrific massacre of April 1919 and instil a spirit of gratitude and reverence towards the martyrs. pic.twitter.com/p2BDHUbXAJ
Calling the monument inspirational, PM Modi addressing the event virtually said, “Jallianwala Bagh is the place that gave courage to an innumerable number of revolutionaries like Sardar Udham Singh and Bhagat Singh to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of the nation.”
“It is the duty of a state to preserve its history,” said the PM further encouraging people to learn more about our nation’s history and struggle for independence.
PM Modi who is also the chairperson of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust, held the inauguration in the presence of other trust members including Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Governor VP Singh Badnore, and several parliamentarians.
However, did you know that the President of the Indian National Congress was a permanent member of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust until 2019 when the Modi government brought in an Amendment to change the existing provisions for the maintenance of the Trust?
Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill
The bill to make the Jallianwala Bagh trust apolitical was tabled by the Modi government in its first parliamentary session since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This is because the representation was skewed with one party gaining a prominent position in the Trust.
The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was then passed by the Parliament in November 2019 marking an end to the automatic nomination of the Congress President as President of the Trust.
केंद्रीय संस्कृति मंत्री , श्री @prahladspatel ने आज राज्यसभा में जलियाँवाला बाग राष्ट्रीय स्मारक संशोधन विधेयक को पारित करने हेतु प्रस्तुत किया एवं उस पर अपना वक्तव्य दिया । pic.twitter.com/W4JrmIZG8B
“It seeks to make apolitical the trust that runs Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial by removing the clause pertaining to the President of INC as a permanent member of the trust. The Bill also amends to include the Leader of Opposition recognised as such in the House of the People (Lok Sabha) or where there is no such Leader of Opposition, then the Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in that House as a member of the trust,” read the Bill.
Congress opposed the Bill
The bill met with opposition by Congress when it was first introduced in July 2019. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had alleged that the bill was a “denial of the heritage of the country” and one should not “betray our history and heritage.”
However, despite the hue and cry by Congress, the bill was passed in both houses. Ensuring adequate representation, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is also a trustee of the Jallianwala Bagh Trust.
After Bill, Congress now opposes renovation
The Jallianwala Bagh Smarak seems to have become a pain point for Congress so much so that the party is unable to digest even the renovation of the smarak.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a targeted campaign against the ruling government making absurd allegations.
In a Tweet today Rahul claimed that the renovation is an insult to martyrs and that he would not tolerate it at any cost.
जलियाँवाला बाग़ के शहीदों का ऐसा अपमान वही कर सकता है जो शहादत का मतलब नहीं जानता।
मैं एक शहीद का बेटा हूँ- शहीदों का अपमान किसी क़ीमत पर सहन नहीं करूँगा।
In another Tweet, for which Rahul Gandhi was subjected to brutal trolling, he said, “Those who didn’t struggle for freedom can’t understand those who did.”
Those who didn’t struggle for freedom can’t understand those who did.
Opposing the laser show installed at the monument, Congress’s Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi tweeted, “Call me a traditional Indian but I am not a fan of installing disco lights on institutions of importance and dignity. Such pomp reduces the gravity and horror of the Jallianwala Bagh Smarak to base entertainment. Similarly the strobe lights on Parliament are also appalling.”
Call me a traditional Indian but I am not a fan of installing disco lights on institutions of importance and dignity. Such pomp reduces the gravity and horror of the Jallianwala Bagh Smarak to base entertainment. Similarly the strobe lights on Parliament are also appalling. https://t.co/ZesKZtKNKD
The lights Gogoi complained about have been installed to illuminate the walkway. Additionally, a 28-minute “Sound and Light” show re-enacting the events of April 13, 1919 (Jallianwala Bagh massacre), will be shown free of cost every evening.
Several new sculptures of martyrs representing ordinary Punjabis who had walked into the park that fateful day to never return, have been installed on the high walls of the monument.
Before and after images of Jallianwala Bagh Complex. Image Source: Indian Express
Four new galleries using underutilized buildings have been erected to depict the history of Punjab, history of the freedom movement, and the Gadar movement.
The smarak has been restored and renovated equipped with basic facilities such as ticketing counters and drinking water.
However, while the opposition has accused the BJP of ‘erasing history’ with this attempt of restoration and renovation, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said the monument looks nice to him.
“I don’t know what has been removed. To me it looks very nice,” says Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh over the renovation of the Jallianwala Bagh pic.twitter.com/uM3aut0Opo
Moreover, the Punjab CM urged the Prime Minister “to use the offices of Government of India to bring back the personal artefacts like the pistol and personal diary of Shaheed Udham Singh, who avenged the injustice of this massacre, from UK to India.”
Earlier today, the official Twitter account of ANI Digital shared a report about a tender released by the BCCI for owning and operating two new IPL teams.
“BCCI announces the release of tender to own and operate IPL team,” the tweet read along with the link to the report.
BCCI announces release of tender to own and operate IPL team
The announcement that the BCCI is inviting bids to acquire the right to own new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the tournament from the 2022 season, through a tender process, elicited rave reactions from cricket fans, who started hazarding guesses over what would be the names of the new teams.
The official Twitter account of CNBC News 18 was also one amongst those who posted cheeky names of the proposed two teams. “Patna Popats, Lucknow ke Lau…wait a second,” CNBC TV18 News tweeted.
Source: Twitter
The tweet was deleted briefly after it was posted but not before it was spotted by several social media users, who were amused by the names of the teams suggested by CNBC TV 18 News.
While the tweet may have been promptly deleted by the official Twitter account of CNBC TV 18, but in this digital age, and especially on Twitter where keenly observant social media users keep their eyes peeled for such gaffes, removing posts seldom ensures safeguard from the ensuing embarrassment.
Notably, several netizens took the screenshot of CNBC TV 18 News’ response to the ANI tweet and posted the same on Twitter.
IPL Governing Council invites bids for acquiring rights to own two new teams
The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday announced a tender process, inviting bids to acquire the right to own and operate 1 (one) of the 2 (two) new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the tournament from 2022 season.
“The detailed terms and conditions governing the submission and evaluation of bids including eligibility requirements, process for submissions of bids, proposed new teams’ rights, and obligations, etc. are contained in the ‘Invitation to Tender’ (“ITT”) which will be made available on receipt of payment of non-refundable fee of INR 10,00,000 (Rupees Ten Lakhs Only) plus any applicable Goods and Services Tax,” said the BCCI in an official release.
A 12-year-old Hindu soccer player of Indian origin Shubh Patel was reportedly asked to leave the field during a match for wearing a ‘mala’ in Australia’s Brisbane. The mala was was made of basil wood beeds (kanthi mala), worn by some adherents of Hinduism.
As per The Australia Today, Shubh on getting an ultimatum from the referee politely declined to remove his mala which he has been wearing since the age of five.
“I would rather keep following my religion than like break it…just for one soccer game,” said Shubh while speaking with the media. The young member of the Toowong club informed that it was against Hinduism to remove the mala.
Shubh, Swaminarayan sect follower, further said, “If I would have taken it off then at that time God would have felt that I have stopped believing in Him.”
The Hindu boy asserted that the mala provides him comfort and also makes him feel safe. Shubh then continued to watch his team play sitting on the sidelines.
This was the first time Shubh was asked to remove his mala. The report suggests that he has played fifteen matches wearing the mala and not once was he asked to take it off by his coach or teammate.
‘No religious symbols’ says rules
Reportedly, as per Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules, a player must not sport any equipment or wear anything dangerous at the time of the game.
Prior to 2014 FIFA too had imposed a ban on hijab saying it posed a great risk of injury to the head or neck of the player.
Football Queensland apologises
Football Queensland, the governing body of football and futsal in Queensland, Australia has initiated an investigation and also issued an apology to Shubh Patel’s family and Toowong Soccer Club following the incident.
“Football remains the most welcoming and inclusive sport in Queensland, respectful and embracing of all cultures and religions,” said Football Queensland in a statement.
India’s medal tally at Tokyo Paralympics keeps getting taller. Indian para-athletes Mariyappan Thangavelu has won the Silver medal in the men’s high jump T63 event, and Sharad Kumar has won the Bronze.
Just like the Rio Paralympics, it is two Indians on the podium.
Just as at Rio 2016, #IND have 2️⃣ athletes in the podium places in Men's High Jump T63 Final! ??
Mariyappan Thangavelu had won the Gold medal in Rio Paralympics. He had become India’s first Paralympian to win a Gold medal at an Olympic event. The 26-year-old Tamilian is a Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award winner para-athlete.
Bihar born Sharad Kumar (29) is a former world number 1 high jumper. He had claimed the world number 1 position in 2012 at the age of 19 years.
With the Silver and Bronze by Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar, India has now won 10 medals in total. Earlier today, Singhraj Adhana had won the Bronze in the 10m Air Pistol final. On August 30, India’s shooter Avani Lekhara and javelin thrower Sumit Antil had won Gold medals.
PM Modi has tweeted congratulating Thangavelu and Kumar.
The revamped version of the Jallianwala Bagh Smarak inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28 has Congress leaders upset. However, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh seems to be quite pleased with it.
"I don't know what has been removed. To me it looks very nice," says Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh over the renovation of the Jallianwala Bagh pic.twitter.com/uM3aut0Opo
As reported by news agency ANI, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that he does not know what has been ‘removed’ from the smarak and that to him, the newly renovated complex looks ‘very nice’.
Congress leaders including senior leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has been quite displeased about the renovation.
Referring to himself as ‘son of a martyr’ Rahul Gandhi claimed that this renovation is an insult to the martyrdom (of those who were killed in the massacre). He claimed that he will never tolerate this insult as a ‘son of a martyr’.
जलियाँवाला बाग़ के शहीदों का ऐसा अपमान वही कर सकता है जो शहादत का मतलब नहीं जानता।
मैं एक शहीद का बेटा हूँ- शहीदों का अपमान किसी क़ीमत पर सहन नहीं करूँगा।
Congress claims the renovation, which is aimed at preservation and letting visitors know about the horrifying massacre through sound and light show is an ‘insult’ to memories of the martyrs. It must be noted that sound and light shows at various memorials across the country as well as world is a very common practice to educate the visitors about the place. Such sound and light show take place regularly even at the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad as well as the Somnath Temple complex in Gujarat.
It must be noted that Congress President was a de facto permanent member of the Jallianwala Bagh Trust till Modi Government brought in the amendment in 2019. The amendment ended the automatic nomination of the Congress President and gave more power to the Central government to terminate the term of a nominated trustee. In November 2019 the bill was passed that removed the Congress President as a permanent trustee. Now, the leader of the single largest opposition party will be the member.
