The Hindustan Times on Thursday used a representational image that showed a Muslim man wearing a skull cap being tested for Covid-19 for its report on new coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu.
Original report by Hindustan Times
However, within minutes, the media house swiftly changed the featured image to a picture where the religion of the person being tested cannot be identified.
Updated report by Hindustan Times
HT changes image without facing any attack
The move by Hindustan Times to change the representational image without any provocation or apparent public attack has raised several questions, especially because an earlier incident where NDTV had used the same image and was threatened by Islamist Sharjeel Usmani.
Did HT receive objections from Islamists through private communication?
A possibility arises of the media house receiving ‘private attacks’ through phone calls or emails over the image. However, this can be confirmed or denied by the media house itself.
Is HT editorial team admitting that the previous image was ‘Islamophobic’?
India being a secular country offers equal healthcare facilities for every citizen irrespective of religion, caste or creed. Precisely why citizens of every state, community, religion and gender were clicked getting tested or vaccinated for Covid-19 without any ‘biased lens’.
However, there are high chances that the media house must have considered the harmless act Islamophobic and willingly changed the representational image without any prodding. The NDTV incident had clearly implied that for some Islamists, and their over-secular friends, even a representational image of a Muslim man that has no comments on religious lines can be termed ‘Islamophobic’.
Pressure groups/ hyper-sensitive Islamist factions within media?
Not long ago, NDTV had faced severe backlash for using the same image as used by Hindustan Times. The media house was accused of Islamophobia and was bullied into deleting the tweet and changing the featured image.
The hate attack was furthered by the likes of Usmani who made threat-like Tweets to pressure the media house.
Usmani had openly enquired about the NDTV employee who had chosen the same picture to go with the Covid-19 report in August. “Who in NDTV decided to use this picture with the report? Employees may reveal the name if they wish to. DM is always open,” read Usmani’s provocative Tweet.
Image Source: Twitter
Hence, the plausibility of the likes of Usmani playing the same cards cannot be ruled out either.
The interesting thing was, NDTV actually got bullied by a Twitter Islamist and changed the image, despite its daily claims of being the flagbearer of fearless journalism.
Such pressure groups within media houses are not uncommon and are always on the lookout to launch an assault on any media outlet that deviates from the dictate even in the slightest manner. So much so that the media houses do not bat an eyelid to mention the name of the Hindu perpetrator in the headline but even a Muslim occult practitioner accused of gang- rape is referred to as a ‘Tantrik.’
India’s self-proclaimed ‘secular media’ houses even use featured images of Hindu rituals and Hindu words/symbols to whitewash when the crime involves Muslims. Such is the fear.
Remember how alleged comedian Kunal Kamra had temporarily deactivated his Twitter account in 2018 after users started retweeting his old jokes on Muslims? Now whether that was because of the fear of appearing Islamophobic or probable expulsion from his current left-Islamist group is unknown. Currently, Kamra is enjoying cracking jokes on Hindus and their deities without the fear of having to deactivate his account.
Interestingly, this admission of ‘pressure groups’ within the media fraternity was made even by journalist-turned-YouTuber Abhisar Sharma, a known Modi hater, in the year 2013.
Seemingly upset with the one-sided Godhra riots coverage, Sharma had Tweeted, “My problem with Muslim journalists is that somehow they cease to be journos and become “Muslims” when they question Modi on 2002 genocide.”
Image Source: Twitter
In yet another Tweet from the same year, Sharma had revealed, “Still remembr whn I ws in BBC, a muslimJourno reactd 2 GodhraTrain burning by sying: Ye To hota hee rehta hai.Tone chnged whn muslims killed.”
Image Source: Twitter
Yet again Sharma was slammed by the Islamists in the comments who even called him a ‘right-wing propagandist.’
Like NDTV, and now Hindustan Times, there are a plethora of examples where individuals or organizations are seen being too careful of even indirect, remote accusations of Islamophobia while openly shaming Hindus and their lifestyles without the slightest consideration for religious sentiments.
Even a harmless image of a Muslim man being tested for Covid-19 is apparently unacceptable to the community who preaches ‘tolerance’ and ‘inclusiveness.’ The irony is, the self-proclaimed ‘secular liberal’ media bows down to such elements, being extra cautious lest they ‘offend’ the Islamists.
Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook has expressed concerns over crucial company information being leaked by insiders. The head of the tech giant, which is known to be extremely secretive about its product development, has come down heavily on those employees who help leak confidential information and said that they do not belong at Apple.
Ironically, Cook’s internal email to his employees warning against leaking company information was also promptly leaked.
Cook, in his email directed towards all the Apple employees, said that the company would do everything in its power to hunt down these disloyal employees and initiate action against them.
The email, which was leaked to the press and subsequently acquired by American technology blog, The Verge, read: “I’m writing today because I’ve heard from so many of you were incredibly frustrated to see the contents of the meeting leak to reporters. This comes after a product launch in which most of the details of our announcements were also leaked to the press. But they only work if we can trust that the content will stay within Apple. I want to reassure you that we are doing everything in our power to identify those who leaked. As you know, we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it’s product IP or the details of a confidential meeting. We know that the leakers constitute a few people. We also know that people who leak confidential information do not belong here.”
According to The Verge, Tim Cook was infuriated because two announcements he made at an all-hands meeting last week about the company’s policy for unvaccinated employees — who will have to be tested for covid-19 on a regular basis — and the Epic v. Apple antitrust case were leaked to the media shortly afterwards the meeting took place on September 17.
Apple would not accept the exposure of confidential information, whether it was product IP or the contents of a confidential meeting, sternly wrote an enraged Cook to his employees.
It may be noted that in recent months, Apple Inc has been cracking down on employees who are believed of leaking crucial business information. The tech giant has sent legal notices to tipsters earlier in June. One of the ‘leakers’ who received a legal letter from the company was the noted tipster Kang. Apple had told Kang and others not to reveal information regarding undisclosed Apple projects. According to Kang, the letter stated that leaking information before an official announcement might provide important knowledge to Apple’s competitors and “mislead customers because what is disclosed may not be correct.”
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a press meeting on Wednesday revealed that around 94 of 100 Malayalis who joined ISIS from Kerala till 2019 were Muslims. Speaking on ISIS recruits, Vijayan revealed, “The government verified the facts. Of the 100 Malayalis who joined ISIS, 72 had gone abroad for professional purposes but got attracted to ISIS ideology and joined it. Only one out of the 72 was a Hindu while the others were from the Muslim community.”
“The other 28 had left Kerala specifically to join ISIS after being attracted to the ideology. Of the 28, only five were converted from other religions to Islam,” he said further.
In the same conference, the CM also called the “organized controversy” around “Love Jihad” and “Narcotics Jihad” baseless and slammed the Pala Bishop for ‘damaging the secular fabric of the state’.
Further, in a bid to reject the allegations leveled by the Bishop on ‘narcotics Jihad’, the CM cited government data on drugs to claim that there was no relation between drug trafficking and religion.
“In 2020 under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) 1985 Act, 4,941 cases were registered in Kerala. Of the 5,422 accused 2700 (49.80 per cent) were Hindus, 1869 (34.47 per cent) were Muslims and 853 (15.73 per cent) were Christians,” informed the CM.
Putting forth a poor argument, Vijayan further said, “The ratio does not suggest that drug trafficking is based on any particular religion. Also, no cases of religious conversion by forced drug use have been reported.”
What is the controversy?
Earlier this month, Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt of the Pala diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church had stated that young Christian boys and girls of Kerala are being targeted for not just ‘Love Jihad’ but for ‘Narcotics Jihad’ too.
Going a step ahead, the Bishop added that there are specific groups operational in Kerala that are targeting non-Muslim youngsters and even providing assistance to carry out targeted exploitation of non-Muslim youth.
“Their aim is to destroy non-Muslim religions without fighting with weapons,” he had alleged further adding that Kerala has become a recruitment centre for terrorists, and such groups are trying to use the youngsters as their sleeper cells.
However, on Tuesday, Vijayan condemned the Bishop and said, “Those holding respected positions like him should have never used words like ‘Narcotic Jihad’. Our secular society didn’t support it. Nobody was willing to side with it barring a few with a vested interest.”
Syro-Malabar Church defends Bishop
On the other hand, the Syro-Malabar Church issued a statement calling the controversy unfortunate. Those who are consciously campaigning to isolate & attack him by accusing him of preaching religious rivalry are requested to withdraw from it. While context & motive of his speech are clear, we recognise that call for action against him is deliberate,” the Church said.
Such moves will only serve to destroy brotherhood & co-existence that exists in Kerala society… We are making clear that we will stand against this & will stand united with him(Pala bishop): Syro-Malabar Church, Kerala (22.09)
Claiming that the intention was not to attack any particular community, the Church further said, “Such moves will only serve to destroy brotherhood & co-existence that exists in Kerala society… We are making clear that we will stand against this & will stand united with him (Pala Bishop).”
Prajna Pravah, an organisation affiliated with the RSS, has demandedthat the 1921 Moplah Massacre be termed as genocide. It has also demanded that a memorial should be made in its memory. J Nandakumar, the all-India convenor of Prajna Pravah said on Wednesday that the government should erect a “genocide memorial” to commemorate the 1921 deaths in Malappuram, Kerala, and proclaim September 25 as “Malabar Hindu Genocide Day.”
Until now, the incident has been remembered as a Muslim peasant insurrection against British rule and Hindu landowners. Sangh members have been advocating for a “correction” in the incident’s description, as it was “targeted killing of Hindus” by Muslim fanatics.
“Annie Besant and C Sankaran Nair, who was the president of the Indian National Congress, called it a genocide. But after 1975, it was illegally deemed as part of the freedom struggle,” Nandakumar said.
He added that the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala has not taken their request into consideration, but they are optimistic that the Central government would.
On September 26, the RSS-backed organisation will hold exhibitions and memorial sessions for the victims in Delhi and every block in Kerala.
Moplah Massacre leaders removed from dictionary of Indian freedom fighters
Last month, on the 23, a three-member panel, constituted to review the fifth volume of the dictionary published by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) had removed the names of Variamkunnath Kunhamed Haji and Ali Musaliar, the leaders responsible for the Moplah Massacre of Hindus, from the dictionary. Along with them, 387 others who died during the Moplah Massacre was also to be removed.
The panel had recommended the deletion as it came to the conclusion that the massacre was a fundamentalist movement bent on religious conversion and not a part of the freedom struggle.
The wounds of one of the worst communal pogroms recorded in the annals of Indian history remain fresh in the Hindu conscience even after 100 years of the infamous 1921 Moplah massacre. OpIndia has published a detailed report on the Moplah genocide of Hindus and 25th September 1921, the day when 38 Hindus were slaughtered and thrown in a well by a Muslim mob demanding a Caliphate in Malabar. The report can be viewed here.
A shocking incident has come to light from Surat, Gujarat where the Disturbed Areas Act was circumvented and permission to construct building was obtained through seemingly deceitful means. In Surat’s Adajan area, a permission to construct a building was obtained by one Raihan Heights project, next to a temple by ‘temporarily’ bringing up a Hindu partner in a Muslim owned enterprise in what appears to be a bid to hoodwink the law.
Raihan Heights in Adajan Surat: How Hindu partner was brought in ‘temporarily’ only for transfer of property
Elaborating on the details of the case, Surat-based activist Asit Gandhi said, “On 14th March, 2020 Rander area in Surat was brought under the Disturbed Areas Act. In this particular case, where the sale of land took place, there are three huge residential societies where residents are predominantly Hindus and there is a temple nearby. On 16th March, 2020, just four days after the area was notified under the Disturbed Areas Act, ‘Evergreen Corporation’, a partnership firm with Maqsood Godil (50%) and Mohammad Irfan Chamadiya (50%), brought in new partners, Shabnam Junaid Motiwala (10%), Ahmed Junaid Motiwala (10%) and Prakash Dholariya (10%) and diluted their own share to 35% each.”
Gandhi informed that the firm then applied to purchase land from Dhansukh Bejanwala, Mahesh Bejanwala, Arvind Bejanwala and Hasmukh Bejanwala. In the said application, they said that the buyers were Prakash Dholariya ‘and others’, thereby hiding the religious identity of the other partners, informed Gandhi. On 24th March, 2020 nationwide lockdown was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic, so all procedures were put on hold. Owing to this, the due process that needs to be done in such cases which fall under the Disturbed Areas Act, were not carried out.
Raihan Heights, Adajan, Surat
Gandhi informs that the Disturbed Areas Act is wrongly interpreted that it applicable where at least one party between buyer and seller are either Hindus or Muslims. The thing is, any such transactions in such areas would require to follow due process. This is to preserve the religious and community value and identity of the areas which are susceptible to demographic change. A Collector would carry out formal inquiry after any such application is made and police and district magistrate have to carry out the inquiry. He said that in such cases, the authorities have to physically go to the property and take information that is publicly available and even take written approval from people affected. This includes those who live nearby that particular property as well. Only once the procedure is followed and Collector is satisfied will he approve the transfer of property.
In this case, when the coronavirus pandemic related lockdown ended and the unlock was being phased in, on 20th June, 2020, the Deputy Collector approved the sale of immovable property without any formal inquiry. Further, what is interesting is that even before the transfer of property was done on 20th June, on 11th June, 2020, the builders had already applied for construction permission on the said land.
Gandhi further said that Surat Municipal Corporation, without approval from the Collector approved the construction activity to take place on the property. One of the conditions of transfer of such property is that if in future it comes to light that facts were hidden, the deal is liable to be cancelled. If false information is provided, it becomes a case for cancellation of deal.
Interestingly, after the permission for construction was cleared, Prakash Dholariya was removed as partner from the firm. On 29th August, 2020, as per a notarised agreement, the partnership firm ‘Evergreen Corporation’ removed Dholariya from the firm. Now, Maqsood Godil (35%), Mohammad Irfan Chamadiya (35%), Shabnam Motiwala (15%) and Ahmed Junaid Motiwala (15%) are the partners.
Raihan Heights, in what appears like a deceitful transaction, started constructing 5 high rise buildings with 260 flats. After the facts came to light, the Deputy Collector City Prant Surat has now cancelled the original transaction of sale of land between Evergreen Corporation and the Bejanwala family.
Surat Deputy Collector cancelling the original land deal
With this order, all the construction activity now stands halted. The rule states that once the cancellation of transfer of property order comes in, the seller has to return the amount received as payment within 3 months and the buyer has to return the property. If not, then the Collector gives judicial order of 5 years of rigorous imprisonment and fine of 10% of Jantri value.
Raihan Heights not an isolated incident
What is unfortunate is that this is not an isolated incident. Asit Gandhi tells OpIndia that these kind of property deals are rampant in various parts of Gujarat as people exploit the legal loopholes. In this case, they were able to get the deal cancelled and action taken because of support of people with political will like Purnesh Modi, Surat West MLA.
Describing how the deceitful transactions are taking place, Gandhi said that there are three major ways these deals take place. “One, they don’t go through the regular route but just go ahead with notarised documents which circumvents the entire process ahead of transfer of property. Then sometimes they don’t wait for transfer of property and start construction on the land already. The flats would be constructed and sold off and buyers would be left cheated as the land ownership was not transferred. And third method is setting up a middleman who takes permissions in his names and then eventually leaves,” he said.
Many areas in Surat in recent times have had a change in religious identity. “In Gopipura area, there are 44 Jain temples and it had sizeable Jain population. However, now only few Jain families live there and the area has become a Muslim dominated area. Similarly, in Nanavat area, there is a very old Radha Krishna temple. Now, with demography change, the temple structure remains but the idols have been moved to another temple in Piplod area. The temple is left without the deities,” Gandhi lamented.
“This is not just in Surat, but similar things are being done in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Kalol and other places in Gujarat, using same modus operandi,” he said.
Disturbed Areas Act in Gujarat
It must be noted that Adajan in Surat falls under the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act where transfer of immovable property can take place only after the Collector signs off an application made by the buyer and seller of the property. The seller, in the application, must mention that the seller is selling the property by their own free will.
Essentially, the Collector is the peacekeeper of the district and it is his/her responsibility that the communal harmony is maintained. To make sure things don’t escalate and communal riots do not break out, the Collector has the responsibility of keeping peace.
Through this Act, the government is trying to keep a check on the polarisation of communities in sensitive parts of the state.
Ahmedabad’s Varsha Flats in Paldi: What went wrong
Similar case had happened in Ahmedabad’s Paldi area where the Disturbed Areas Act is in place. In June 2019, Varsha Flats in Jankalyan Cooperative Housing Society in Paldi landed in controversy after mandatory sanction sale was withdrawn. When the society went for redevelopment, many Muslim families purchased the property. However, because the area falls under Disturbed Areas Act, the due process including Collector’s permission would be needed for the deal to be concluded.
Subsequently, Collector asked the 13 residents of Varsha Flats to vacate the apartments as they were in violation of the Disturbed Areas Act. An FIR was filed against the builders and owners of Varsha Flat for violation of the Disturbed Areas Act. The residents had then approached the High Court which asked them to approach Special Secretary Revenue (Appeal and Revision) against the District Collector’s refusal to sanction sale.
Dwarka and Somnath, the holy Hindu pilgrimage sites
Mumbai resident Anand narrates his brush with subtle change in demographics and says during his recent week-long trip to the holy places of Somnath and Dwarka in Gujarat. He said that one of the places for pilgrimage was ‘Beyt Dwarka’, which was the residence of Lord Krishna during the time he ruled Gujarat. It is a small island off the coast of Dwarka and one needs to take about 30 minute boat-ride from Okha.
Anand says, for Dwarka-darshan, a bus-conductor cum guide, a practicing Brahmin, enthusiastically talked about the rich heritage of Gujarat and Shri Krishna’s Dwarka. “He told us about the families which inhabit the island now. As of now about 7,000 families live on the island, of which about 6,000 families are Muslim families. I was shocked at such demography of a place of Hindu pilgrimage in a Hindu majority country,” he said.
However, his guide explained that the entire region has salty water and fertility is very low. The Muslims in the area engage in fishing and fisheries related activities for livelihood. “Brahmins on the island are dependent on the very little money they make from Puja at temple and other rituals. Since Hindu population on the island is decreasing, demand for rituals in homes is also decreasing,” the guide told Anand.
Anand, describing his journey from Okha to Beyt Dwarka, one of the holy sites for Hindu pilgrimage, said that his first visuals were of a mosque. “You will see hundreds of fishing boats along the way and most of these boats would have two flags, one flag would be an Indian flag, perhaps for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, and the Islamic flag. Similar sights are there throughout Dwarka as well. The mosques and dargahs are strategically placed on the western coast of India.
For example, here is a map of Shree Somnath temple, the first Jyotirlinga and one of the holiest sites for Hindus.
Somnath temple
In one kilometre radius of Shree Somnath temple, there are at least three dargahs/masjids.
Beyt Dwarka map
Beyt Dwarka was once the residence of Lord Krishna and Somnath has a history of attacks and looting and destruction by many Islamist rulers. Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and looted Somnath 17 times.
While every Indian citizen has the right to reside in any part of India and the constitution ensures no discrimination is carried out, constitution also provides for safety and security of every Indian. If the history of India, especially in places like Kashmir is anything to go by, the demography change has resulted into Hindus having to flee to protect their lives as well as religious identities.
That the demography change in these areas is subtle, it is real and should act as a cautionary tale.
The Uttar Pradesh government headed by CM Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday recommended a CBI probe into the death of Mahant Narendra Giri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) who was found dead in Baghambari Math in Prayagraj.
The state home department of Uttar Pradesh informed through a tweet that on the order of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath a CBI probe of this case has been recommended.
“On the order of the Chief Minister a CBI probe into the tragic death of Mahant Narendra Giri, president of Akhara Parishad has been recommended,” the tweet reads.
प्रयागराज में अखाड़ा परिषद के अध्यक्ष महन्त नरेन्द्र गिरि जी की दुःखद मृत्यु से जुड़े प्रकरण की मा. मुख्यमंत्री जी के आदेश पर सी.बी.आई. से जाँच कराने की संस्तुति की गई l
Yogi Adityanath, who had visited the Baghambari Math on Tuesday to pay homage to Mahant Narendra Giri had said that the culprits would not be spared and they will receive strict punishment. He had further said that several pieces of evidence were collected regarding the incident.
The seer was found hanging from the ceiling with a nylon rope inside his room at the Math on Monday evening. Police also recovered 7-8 pages of a handwritten suicide note supposed to be written by the sheer where he has mentioned the reason behind his alleged suicide.
Indian Express quoted sources stating that a panel of five doctors conducted an autopsy to confirm that the cause of death was “antemortem hanging”.
Three people have been arrested
The recommendation for the CBI probe has come a day after Uttar Pradesh police arrested three people Anand Giri, Adhya Prasad Tiwari, and Tiwari’s son Sandeep on the charge of abatement of suicide whom the deceased seer in his suicide note had blamed for blackmailing and torture.
Anand Giri was Narendra Giri’s favourite protégé until they fell out in May after the latter was expelled from the Niranjani Akhara over accusations of financial irregularities. He was arrested from Uttrakhand.
Narendra Giri in the suicide note had written that he always lived with dignity in society, but Anand Giri defamed him in a wrong way.
But questions were raised on the genuineness of the suicide note as some media reports claimed the suicide note contained different signatures of Narendra Giri as compared to his previous documents, indicating a conspiracy behind his death.
On September 22, Azizullah Fazli, Afghanistan cricket chairman, said he would visit Pakistan to invite them for the One Day International cricket series on September 25.
Amidst the ongoing war in the country, the cricket team of Afghanistan somehow managed to rise in international cricket. There are some good players in the team, including the world’s top spinner Rashid Khan. However, since the Taliban took over the country, there had been calls to boycott the men’s team.
As the Taliban now controls Afghanistan, they ruled to abolish the women’s team. This is where comes the catch. As per the regulations under International Cricket Council (ICC), nations who want to participate in international Test matches must have an active women’s team. Something that is farfetched in the country ruled by Talibs. Though no policy has been announced by the Taliban on allowing women to play sports, a senior official has already declared it as “unnecessary”.
Interestingly, the newly-appointed chairman of Afghanistan cricket also wants to visit India and other countries in the region to meet official cricket boards. While talking AFP, he said, “I am taking a tour of Pakistan from September 25 and then will go to India, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates to meet officials of cricket boards.”
Afghanistan cricket team was due to play in Sri Lanka against Pakistan in September, but that could not happen. Fazli said that he would meet Ramiz Raja, chairman of, Pakistan Cricket Board, and “offer to host Pakistan for the series which we were due to play in Sri Lanka in September”. The three-match one-day series between Afghanistan and Pakistan was cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak and logistical issues in Sri Lanka. Fauzi further added, “We are seeking to improve Afghanistan cricket so that will come with cooperation from other countries.”
Reportedly, Raja has confirmed that Fazli will be in Pakistan on September 25. Fazli has served as chairman of the board once before between September 2018 and July 2019. Notably, Afghanistan is part of the Twenty20 World Cup that is scheduled to start on October 17 in the United Arab Emirates. Afghan team is in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages.
Recently, Australia took a stern stand against the Taliban’s decision to not allow women to play cricket. Australia has threatened to cancel a Test match that was scheduled to be played against Afghanistan in Brisbane in November.
Notably, the Taliban also replaced the Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board. Hamid Shinwari was sacked by Talibs, and Naseeb Zadran Khan took his place. Khan is said to be linked to the Haqqani network that is responsible for some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan.
The security threats in Pakistan for cricket teams
Recently, two countries stepped back from playing cricket in Pakistan over security concerns. On September 17, New Zealand’s B-team that was in Pakistan announced that they would be heading back to their homeland and cancelled the series with Pakistan Cricket Team. The reason that they gave for the sudden decision was a bomb threat. Later, on September 20, the England team also cancelled their tour to Pakistan over security concerns. Both incidents resulted in a meltdown from Pakistan authorities, cricketers and fans.
Netizens speculate Afghanistan’s stand over security threats
As soon as reports of Falzi visiting Pakistan to initiate talks to have cricket matches between the two countries, jokes and memes flooded the Indian social media space. Cricket fans were amused over the thought of war-torn countries trying to picture themselves as ‘patrons of peace’ who want to play cricket with other countries in the region, including India.
Davinder Singh Rawat said, “Both the countries not visiting each other citing security reasons. No other country also visiting them because of the same reason.”
Both the countries not visiting each other citing security reasons. No other country also visiting them because of same reason.
Twitter user YearOfRat said, “Taliban has invited Pakistan to play in Afghanistan, and not offered to play in Pakistan themselves, because even they know the security risks in Pakistan. Taliban: Pakistan khelne jaayen kya? Osama: Pagal hai kya!”
Taliban has invited Pakistan to play in Afghanistan, and not offered to play in Pakistan themselves, because even they know the security risks in Pakistan.
Satire portal The Fauxy published a post in which it was said that “Afghanistan Cricket Team Cancels Its Pakistan Tour Over Security Concerns”, which further ignited the laughter riot.
BREAKING: Afghanistan Cricket Team Cancels Its Pakistan Tour Over Security Concerns pic.twitter.com/hf4mRxVGGK
The screenshots of the satire report were shared as real across Twitter, with people making fun of both countries.
Recently, the Taliban had banned the broadcast of the Indian Premier League in Afghanistan because of the “presence of female spectators and cheerleaders in IPL matches”. Cheerleaders and women watching the matches in the stadium with their hair visible were ruled as ‘anti-Islamic content’ by the Taliban.
In a first major foreign visit amidst the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the USA on Thursday starting his three-day visit. PM Modi is scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, deliver a talk at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and attend a QUAD leaders in-person meeting.
During the long flight, the PM shared an image of himself immersed in paperwork on board the Air India One. The image instantly started trending all over social media.
“A long flight also means opportunities to go through papers and some file work,” Modi Tweeted sharing an image.
A long flight also means opportunities to go through papers and some file work. pic.twitter.com/nYoSjO6gIB
Upon landing, Modi received a warm welcome from the members of the Indian community in Washington DC. To receive him at the Andrews Joint Airforce Base were senior officials of the Biden Administration, India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and a significant number of Indian Americans.
“Grateful to the Indian community in Washington DC for the warm welcome. Our diaspora is our strength. It is commendable how the Indian diaspora has distinguished itself across the world,” the PM Tweeted.
Grateful to the Indian community in Washington DC for the warm welcome. Our diaspora is our strength. It is commendable how the Indian diaspora has distinguished itself across the world. pic.twitter.com/6cw2UR2uLH
On the first day of the tour, the Prime Minister is slated to meet US Vice President Kamala Harris at the Eisenhower Executive Office building. This will be followed by interactions with global CEOs including one-on-one meetings with Cristiano E Amon from Qualcomm, Shantanu Narayen from Adobe, Mark Widmar from First Solar, Vivek Lall from General Atomics, and Stephen A Schwarzman from Blackstone.
Just ahead of departure, the PM had informed, “At the invitation of @POTUS @JoeBiden, I am visiting USA to continue our dialogue, and exchange views on areas of mutual interest. Also looking forward to meet @VP @KamalaHarris to discuss global issues and explore ideas for cooperation between India and US.”
“Will also participate in the Quad with President @JoeBiden, PM @ScottMorrisonMP and PM @sugawitter. We will take stock of outcomes of Summit in March. I will also address UNGA focusing on the global challenges,” he had said further.
As per a Government of India press release, Modi will be concluding his visit with an address at the United Nations General Assembly. His speech is expected to entail pressing global challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic, the need to combat terrorism, climate change and other important issues.
A rather rare and bizarre medical condition called a Rectourethral fistula or Rectal prostate fistulas has come to the fore after a group of doctors last month published a case study on it in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.
Rectal-prostate fistulas are uncommon anatomical connections between the prostatic urethra and the rectum. In this unusual medical condition, a patient urinates and ejaculates sperm from the rectum rather than its usual exit, the urethra.
The case study published in the medical journal was carried out on a 33-year-old male, who had approached the doctors after he experienced five days of testicular pain. The doctor noted that for the last two years, the patient had been passing gas in his urine (pneumaturia), urinating faeces, also known as ‘fecaluria’ in medical terms and passing a “substantial amount” of urine and semen from his anus. The patient, however, only sought medical help when he started experiencing pain in his testicles.
A CT scan of the man’s pelvis later revealed he was experiencing a chronic case of “rectourethral fistula”.
Experts said that other illnesses such as prostate cancer, rectal cancer, surgery, or severe trauma are the most common causes of the occurrence of this rare ailment. A substantial number of cases have happened “during times of war”. The symptoms of this disease are pneumaturia, fecaluria, hematuria, and urinary tract infections.
However, in this case, the reason was not immediately clear as the man denied having undergone “abdominal surgeries, rectal manipulation and penetration, or rectal trauma,” according to the study.
Later it was revealed that the uncommon pathologic condition occurred in the patient due to traumatic Foley catheter insertion.
The study reveals that the 33-year-old man, who had a history of illicit drug use, had spent three weeks in a state of coma, due to the regular consumption of a combination of cocaine and phencyclidine (better known as PCP, or “angel dust”) for two years. During those three weeks of his stay in the hospital, he was administered a Foley catheter, a thin, sterile tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine in hospitalized patients. Experts believe that the injury was likely caused by the catheter, as it made a hole creating a pathway between the urethra and rectum.
But the good news is that the team of doctors treating the 33-year-old man were able to plug the opening. They also used a catheter put above the pubic region to allow the man to relieve himself for a short period of time. Finally, the patient made a near-perfect recovery.
While being able to, fortunately, cure the rather bizarre medical condition the patient went through, the team concluded that while Foley catheters are of importance in the treatment of patients, doctors need to be aware of potential (and rare) complications that can result from their use.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the Raisen district officer in Madhya Pradesh to carry out a probe in a deplorable incident where a school teacher named Nishaad Begum has been accused of getting a minor boy beaten up for sporting a Tilak to school.
Taking cognisance of the case in accordance with provision 31(1)(J) of the CPCR Act 2005, NCPCR has granted 7 days to the district officer to carry out the probe and submit its report on the same before the statutory body.
In the letter dated September 18, 2021, the statutory body informs that the father of the victim has alleged that his son’s class teacher got his son beaten up by outsiders for merely wearing Tilak to school.
Apprising the Raisen district officer about the case, NCPCR has sought various documents, like the proof of age and the medical reports of the victim, from the officer.
This incident of bigotry and communal hatred came to the fore after various Hindi media outlets reported the matter. According to reports, Pawan Sen, a student of class 8 studying in Government Primary school in Gairatganj Tehsil in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh was assaulted by some people, who did not belong to the school, on the instructions of his teacher named Nishaad Begum. The teacher was reportedly irked by the fact that the student wore a Tilak to school.
Meanwhile, a video of the injured boy recuperating in the hospital after being assaulted is being widely shared on social media. In the video, the boy is heard telling the media person that he visits a temple every day before going to school where the priest applies a tilak on his forhead.
In secular India..
A Hindu child of class 8 gets brutally beaten on orders of a teacher for wearing a TILAK..
This is from Madhya Pradesh..Teachers name ‘Nishad’..
— Ritu (सत्यसाधक) #EqualRightsForHindus (@RituRathaur) September 19, 2021
Pawan Sen further reveals that when he went to school three days ago sporting a tilak, his teacher, whom he identifies as Nisaad ma’am, warned him against wearing the same to school. She threatened Pawan that she would either hit him or get him beaten up if he continues to wear a tilak to her class.
Pawan added that the day the incident took place, he, as usual, went to school wearing the tilak. The agitated teacher then got him beaten up by some people, revealed the minor boy.
According to reports, after the assault, Pawan Sen was taken to Gairatganj Primary Health Center where he received first aid. He was then referred to the District Hospital, Raisen, where he is undergoing treatment.
The father of the victim has submitted a memorandum to the Collector and the Superintendent of Police demanding action against the teacher. Based on the boy’s and his family’s statement, the Gairatganj police have registered a case against the school teacher and the matter is being probed.
The teacher, on the other hand, has come out in her defence saying that a scuffle had broken out between the children in school, in which Pawan Sen got injured.
