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Sidhu vs Captain tussle escalates as former hails BJP ruled states over sugarcane pricing: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Sidhu vs Captain tussle escalates as former hails BJP ruled states over sugarcane pricing: Details

In yet another sign that the tenuous truce brokered between Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh and the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Navjot Singh Sidhu might be short-lived, the latter slammed Singh-led government in Punjab and hailed BJP-ruled states for higher State Assured Prices(SAP) for Sugarcane.

Sidhu on Monday posted a tweet calling for an increase in State Agreed Price (SAP) for sugarcane in Punjab, asserting that despite the higher cost of cultivation in the state, the SAP is lower than that received by farmers in BJP ruled states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

“The sugarcane farmers issue needs to be immediately resolved amicably…Strange that despite the higher cost of cultivation in Punjab the state assured price is too low as compared to Haryana/UP/Uttarakhand. As a torchbearer of agriculture, the Punjab SAP should be better!” Sidhu tweeted.

Source: Twitter

The SAP of the sugarcane in Punjab for early, mid and late varieties is Rs 310, Rs 300 and Rs 295 per quintal, respectively. These three varities are harvested in November-December, January, and February-March, respectively.

By contrast, in Haryana, the SAP stands at Rs 345 and Rs 340 per quintal for the early and late varieties, respectively. In Uttrakhand, it is Rs 327 and Rs 317 for early and late varieties and in UP, it is Rs 325 and Rs 315 for early and late varieties, respectively.

Sugarcane farmers in Punjab launch agitation against low SAP

Sidhu’s tweet came in the wake of indefinite protests carried out by thousands of farmers and sugarcane producers affiliated to nearly 32 farmers’ organisations demanding the clearance of pending dues of sugarcane and enhancement in the State Agreed Price(SAP).

As many as 20,000 farmers participated in the protests on the first day of the agitation on the Dhanowali Road on the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway on Friday. Many farmers sat on dharna on rail tracks also.

The farmers lamented that despite letters written to the state government on the issue for the past many years, there has been no interest from them to resolve the issue and alleviate our concerns.

“The state government has forced us to launch an agitation. More than six have elapsed but the state government hasn’t increased the rates of SAP for sugarcane. The prices of fertilisers, labour, diesel rates are increasing. We have been giving demand letters to the government every year,” said Kuldip Singh, who heads the Doaba Kisan Union. “When the government came in power in 2017, there was just a 10 rupee increase in the rate while they had promised 20. Earlier, the Akalis didn’t increase the rate, then the Congress came and promised they will increase the rate by Rs 10 every year. If they increased even that much every year, we wouldn’t have complained. But we need the sugarcane SAP to be at least Rs 400 per quintal.”

The tussle between Navjot Singh Sidhu and Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh

As disgruntled sugarcane farmers in Punjab took to the streets, Congress state president Navjot Singh Sidhu seems to use the crisis to his advantage. It has once again brought to fore the infighting within the Punjab Congress unit, with Sidhu and Singh allegedly involved in a perpetual tussle to exert their dominance over the party.

In July 2021, as speculations of Sidhu being elevated to the position of President of Punjab Congress Pradesh Committee started doing the rounds, CM Captain Amarinder Singh hinted that he will accept Navjot Singh Sidhu as the chief of the Punjab Congress but with a caveat. The CM has refused to meet the dissident Congress leader unless Sindhu apologises to him first.

Captain Amarinder Singh has demanded a public apology from Navjor Singh Sidhu for his offensive comments and tweets and has refused to meet him until he receives the apology. Reportedly, the CM told this to Harish Rawat, the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Punjab affairs.

For the last several months, Sidhu has been attacking Amarinder Singh with various allegations. He has accused the CM of colluding with the Badals of Akali Dal, accused of running a mafia raj in Punjab, and alleged that the CM is not taking action against sacrilege cases. Although several state leaders are not happy with Sidhu for such public outburst against the own govt, the high command is not willing to take action against him, eyeing the elections next year.

Months of bickering and speculations by the Punjab Congress leaders came to an end on July 19, with Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi setting aside reservations raised by Captain Amarinder Singh and anointing Navjot Singh Sidhu the new Punjab Congress Chief. 

Social media post from 2016 has Myntra in a soup, netizens trend #BoycottMyntra

OpIndia Staff
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Social media post from 2016 has Myntra in a soup, netizens trend #BoycottMyntra

E-commerce lifestyle platform Myntra is embroiled in controversy after a social media post from 2016 featuring the brand has gone viral. Netizens have called for a boycott of the platform after the old Hinduphobic post allegedly created by a content marketing company Scrolldroll started doing rounds on social media. 

Viral post featuring Myntra

The post in question features a traumatic scene from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In a distasteful take, Shri Krishna is shown ‘shopping online for long sarees’ from Myntra as Dushashan disrobes Panchali. 

Owing to this, the netizens have called for a total boycott of the e-commerce brand. 

Tweet calling for boycott of Myntra

With over 9000 Tweets, the call for a boycott of the e-commerce platform is trending on the micro-blogging platform Twitter. 

Tweet calling for boycott of Myntra

However, dissociating itself from the creative, the company had issued a clarification back in 2016 saying that the artwork was not created by them.

Myntra’s clarification Tweet from 2016

The platform also asserted that they do not endorse such content. In fact, the web portal ScrollDroll, which had made the creative illustration had also clarified that Myntra is not associated with the ad.

British Islamist preacher urges Taliban go even more hardline, wants them to stone adulterers and chop hands of thieves

OpIndia Staff
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British Islamist preacher urges Taliban go even more hardline, wants them to stone adulterers and chop hands of thieves

Britain’s Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has called on the ultra-hardline Taliban to become more fanatic than it already is. The radical cleric, who has inspired generations of jihadists, has urged Taliban to abolish all traces of Western culture from Afghanistan by banning “useless pursuits such as music, drama and philosophy”.

Insisting that the Islamist fundamentalist organisation must enforce the strictest Islamic sharia in the occupied country, Choudary in his venomous tirade, suggested that only strict sharia punishments, including chopping off thieves’ hands, lashing anyone caught drinking alcohol and stoning adulterers, must be enforced in Afghanistan.

Choudary opined, “The penal code or Hudood is the right of Allah. To cut the hand off the thief, stone the adulterer, implementing capital punishment upon the apostate and lashing those who drink alcohol (all after due court process and evidence) must be implemented without question and hesitation.”

He urged the Taliban that the non-Muslims living in Afghanistan must pay the ‘jizya’ tax to ensure that they receive protection. When India was under the Mughal rule, jizya was common practice and non-payment could lead to enslavement. The slaves were then sold to recover the taxes during that time.

His vile rant did not end at this. The Islamist preacher, who was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 after being convicted of inviting support for the Islamic State group, also urged the Taliban to change the name of Afghanistan to Islamic State, which is what ISIS called its territory once it is declared a caliphate.

“There should be the removal of all borders and an invitation to all Muslims to become citizens of the new Islamic State to unite the Muslim land of the Indian sub-continent, to begin with, to be the precursor of greater unity under the Khilafah (caliphate),” he opined.

He also called on the Taliban to shut down Afghanistan’s embassies abroad, even in Muslim countries, and expelling the United Nations from Kabul.

The Islamist preachers advice comes at a time when the Afghans are staring at the resurgence of atrocities and oppression under Taliban rule. From the open execution of those trying to flee Kabul to multiple bans imposed on Afghan women under the Sharia law to the atrocities on the women and children of the war-torn country, the barbarity being executed by these Islamists fundamentalists on the innocent civilians from the time they have gained grounds in the country is very disturbing.

Kashmir: LeT’s affiliate TRF throws high-intensity hand-grenade at the home of Sarpanch in Baramulla

OpIndia Staff
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Kashmir: LeT’s affiliate TRF throws high-intensity hand-grenade at the home of Sarpanch in Baramulla

On August 22, The Resistance Front, an affiliate of terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, attacked the home of Sarpanch Narinder Kaur in Baramulla with a high-intensity hand-grenade. The Sarpanch is reportedly also the mother of a GoaChronicle journalist who has been investigating the radicalization of youth in Kashmir by foreign and Indian Islamic radical groups.

As per the reports, the attack took place at around 9 PM on Saturday. The grenade fell in the compound of the house but caused no injuries. However, the compound and some portions of the house got damaged. The family of the Sarpanch is safe.

Savio Rodrigues, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, GoaChronicle, said in a statement, “The attack on a GoaChronicle journalist is not going to dampen the spirit of the team to further investigate into the radical groups in Kashmir and their intent to create disharmony in the nation. Our journalist will be back in action. His family is safe and strong. The army and police authorities are investigating the matter. They have taken the CCTVs recording.”

Terrorist rganisation TRF took responsibility for the attack

As per a GoaChronicle article, the TRF have issued a poster taking responsibility for the attack. They said, “Today, the Cadre of the Shaheen Squad #TRF carried out the grenade attack on Sarpanch Narinder Kaur under Operation Clean Out. This is not a warning shot. We are there watching and will strike anytime.”

Poster issued by TRF. Image: Savio Rodrigues/Twitter

Journalist was visiting his home after eight months

GoaChronicle reported that their journalist was away from his home for eight months as he was under the radar of the terrorists. He was visiting his home when the attack happened.

Recent attacks on leaders in Kashmir

On August 9, BJP Sarpanch Ghulam Rasool Bhat and his wife Jawahara Banoo were killed by Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorists. The incident took place in the Lal Chowk area in the Anantnag district of South Kashmir. In June this year, BJP leader Rakesh Pandita was shot dead by terrorists.

Recently, a bomb was thrown at BJP leader Jasbir Singh’s house in Jammu’s Rajouri. An infant was killed in the attack and several family members were injured.

In March, a group of terrorists opened fire at the guard post of BJP leader Anwar Khan’s residence in Nowgam, North Kashmir. One sentry who was critically injured in the attack succumbed to his injuries. In the same month, unidentified terrorist/terrorists attacked a Municipal council meeting in Sopore, chaired by State Secretary of BJP Fareeda Khan resulting in death of two including a police personnel.

US: Nancy Pelosi criticised for Democrats’ ‘no-mask, no social distancing’ fundraiser event at Napa

OpIndia Staff
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US: Nancy Pelosi criticised for Democrats’ ‘no-mask, no social distancing’ fundraiser event at Napa

On Sunday (August 22), Democratic leader and the Speaker of House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi came under fierce criticism for partaking in a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) fundraiser in Napa Valley. The participants at the DCCC retreat were mostly white, who neither wore masks nor adhered to social distancing guidelines.

The video of the event was posted on Twitter by New York Times (NYT) reporter Kenneth P Vogel. He tweeted, “NANCY PELOSI is scheduled to be in Napa this weekend for a @DCCC event benefiting vulnerable House Democrats. Donations start at $100/ticket & go through $29k to chair.” Nancy Pelosi, who is the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, was seen interacting with the donors with no qualms about diversity or Coronavirus protocols.

Netizens were quick to slam the Democratic party leader. The high profile guests at the elite event were seen not wearing masks and not following any social distancing protocols. Only the catering staff was seen wearing masks, drawing the attention of social media users to the sharp class divide. Twitter user (@RubberCitySpeed) mocked, “Diverse crowd” while highlighting that the crowd comprised of only white people.

Another user, Kent Graham, pointed out, “I see the only diversity is amongst the wait staff”

Other Twitter user criticised Nancy Pelosi for flouting social distancing guidelines. One user wrote, “This lack of social distancing at a big gathering outdoors sends a very bad message and is irresponsible. Also big money should not be part of politics.”

Another user emphasised, “Two classes of people. Masked and unmasked.”

Another user pointed out how the rules varied for common people and the ruling class.

Twitter user (@AaronK510) wrote, “Guess they forgot there is a covid outbreak going on. and As Americans are dying and being left stranded they sip wine and have a dance party crazy!! And they wonder why people are pissed off”

Nancy Pelosi was also criticised for her insensitivity and inability to comprehend the Taliban crisis in Afghanistan. At a time when 1000s of American citizens are stranded in Afghanistan and assaulted by the Talibs, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives was busy raising funds for her party.

Senate Majority Leader spotted dancing as US citizens remain trapped in Afghnaistan

On Saturday (August 21), the United States Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer sparked a controversy after he was seen dancing backstage with late-night show host Stephen Colbert in New York City (NYC). Schumer was attending the ‘We Love NYC’ concert at a time when thousands of US citizens are stranded in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The video of the United States Senate Majority leader, breaking into a dance, was shared by Bill Neidhart, who serves as the press secretary of NYC Mayor de Blasio. “Backstage antics,” he tweeted

Chinese state media mocks America after Taliban takes over Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese state media mocks America after Taliban takes over Afghanistan

Chinese state media Xinhua News on Sunday mocked United States of America after Taliban took over Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to Islamist group.

In a three-minute video shared on social media, Xinhua News, in a mockery of US occupation of Taliban, said that if one feels that their life is not going anywhere, one can always think about Afghanistan and America as after 20 years and four Presidents who spent over two trillion dollars and lost lives of 2,300 soldiers, the regime in Afghanistan has gone from Taliban back to Taliban.

A smiling, chirpy sounding Chinese journalist points out how US President Joe Biden famously said ‘America is back’ after having own elections last year and how it has now come true with US pulling out of Afghanistan after twenty years. She juxtaposes Taliban taking over Presidential palace with guns and rocket launchers long with scenes from the Capitol Hill riots earlier this year.

Chinese state media then compares Capitol Hill rioters to Taliban and claims how the former were ‘angry civilians’ while the Taliban were demonised and US spent twenty years ‘eliminating them’. She then gleefully says how all this attack against Taliban was done at the cost of USD 2 trillion and lives of 2,400 troops. The video then shows the US Air Force flight taking off with Afghans clinging on to the windows and doors in a bid to escape.

Chinese state media then claims that in the 20 years America spent in Afghanistan on its ‘war on terror’, the terror groups in Afghanistan grew from single digit to about twenty and over a lakh civilians were either killed or wounded. She then puts up a video of US President Joe Biden answering to a question on reason behind the Afghan war, where he takes a long pause as he thinks of the two reasons for the war. “We know when a person is rapidly blinking that person is thinking really fast,” the Chinese host mocks Biden.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan

Earlier this month, Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to Islamist group Taliban after the President Ashraf Ghani and other top government officials fled the country. The country then spiralled into chaos as people tried to escape the Taliban rule since the Islamist group in the past has not shown any regard to human rights. Horrifying visuals of people falling off the sky as they hung on to the planes trying to escape Afghanistan went viral on social media. Along with that, videos with Taliban with rocket launchers on their back having a good time in amusement parks also went viral.

Afghan VP Amrullah Saleh has since declared himself caretaker President and is creating a resistance force against Taliban.

Govt of India’s Know India website hails Mughal rule as ‘greatest ever’, Ministry issues clarification

OpIndia Staff
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Govt of India’s Know India website hails Mughal rule as ‘greatest ever’, Ministry issues clarification

The hopeless love for the Mughal invaders seems to have no end in the minds of the Indian government’s officials. On August 23, author Ratan Sharda pointed out that the Know India website maintained by the government, (KnowIndia.gov.in) hails the Mughal period as “the greatest empire ever” in Indian history.

In the ‘culture and heritage’ section of the KnowIndia website, the Medieval History section sings the glory of the Mughal empire, with many distorted details and no mention of the atrocities inflicted by them.

It went ahead and claimed that during that period, “India became united under one rule, and had very prosperous cultural and political years during the Mughal rule.”

It also goes ahead and claims, “In India, there were many Muslim and Hindu kingdoms split all throughout India until the Mughals came.” Basically, the entire ‘Medieval History’ of India, as per the Ministry of Culture website was all about the Mughals and their glory.

The page titled The Mughal Empire under Medieval History talks about different Mughal rulers while painting them as secular, tolerant and good rulers. Interestingly, Rajput and Maratha rulers, or the Ahoms who fought for centuries with Mughals, and limited the spread of their empire have no mention in the said section of the website. The whitewash of the atrocities done by Mughal rulers is to the extent that there is no mention of Hindus killed by them, no mention of the destruction of Hindu temples and forced conversions. For Jehangir, It claims, “He strived to reform society and was tolerant towards Hindus, Christians and Jews.”

Screenshot from the website. Source: KnowIndia.gov.in

There is only one mention of the execution of Sikh Guru Arjan Dev Ji in a very vague manner, but that too has distorted the actual history. The website claims that Guru Arjan Dev (the website refers to him as Arjun Dev which is incorrect) was killed by Mughal emperor Jehangir because he provided aid and support to the Jehangir’s stranded son Khusrau. In reality, the fifth Guru was killed as he refused to pay a fine for preaching Sikhism and also refused to remove certain hymns from Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Vaani, which Jehangir founded offensive. Guru Arjan Dev suffered five days before succumbing to the torture at the hands of the Mughal ruler.

Praising Aurangzeb

The site has no mention of Aurangzeb’s atrocities on Hindus, and the rampant destructions of the holiest of Hindu temples. The paragraph only laments that Aurangzeb could not fulfil his dream of bringing the entire subcontinent under his rule. But there is no mention that the Marathas had dealt him repeated defeats and his ‘rule’ are more or less confined to only Northern India. There is no mention of Ahoms who had, under Lachit Borphukan, stopped Mughal advances towards Assam.

Interestingly, the site claims that Aurangzeb’s ambition remained unfulfilled only because ‘he kept his five sons away from the royal court and hence they could not be trained properly, not because of the Marathas and Ahoms.

Image from the website

Sharp reaction from netizens

Netizens expressed displeasure over the distorted history of India. Many expressed displeasure over the lack of will to correct teaching of a whitewashed and pro-Mughal version of history that has been taught to students so far.

Distorted events in history with no proof

This is not the first time the Government of India has been called out for not correcting the history on the websites or in books. In January 2021, in reply to RTI, it was revealed that the claims about the construction of Qutub Minar, as mentioned in the NCERT books, has no documented proof whatsoever. In the reply, DESS said that they do not have any evidence to support the assertion made in the textbook. The names of those who proposed the content are mentioned in the book, and it was approved by the National Monitoring Committee, Chaired by Prof. Mrinal Miri.

Update

The Ministry of Culture has said that it has been brought to its notice that the website in question “misrepresents India’s history”.

“The Ministry of Culture does not run this website and is working with the concerned entities to accurately portray the events,” it said in a tweet.

UK: ‘Woke’ civil servants come together to blame ‘uneducated voters’ for ‘rising fascism’ at a ‘woke’ conference

OpIndia Staff
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UK: ‘Woke’ civil servants come together to blame ‘uneducated voters’ for ‘rising fascism’ at a ‘woke’ conference

A mob of about 300 ‘woke’ civil servants in UK came together at an event ‘UKGovcamp’ where they put the blame on ‘middle aged people’ to ‘jump on clickbait’ news stories. They also accused the general public at large for ‘lacking the education’ to ‘unpick fascist ideas’, the Mail on Sunday reported.

As per the report, left-wing staffers within the UK government were expressed discontent over the existing government and the ‘uneducated’ British public over ‘rising fascism’ in the country. Staff members from 16 government departments including Home Office, Cabinet Office, Foreign Office and the spy agency GCHQ as well as the BBC were part of the ‘woke’ conference.

The virtual event lasted for three days had the staffers patronisingly discuss how the general British public is not educated enough to ‘unpick’ fascist messages and ideas. They claimed that ‘middle-aged people who jump on clickbaits’ have more ‘polarised’ views and older people in authority with extreme views have a platform and are able to influence many more people like that.

As per the report, the event was led by civil servants, including Sarah Baskerville of the Department for Transport who was earlier under fire for criticising Government policy and MPs.

Referring to BBC providing platform to British politician Nigel Farage, one ‘woke’ civil servant felt that something ‘really ugly was normalised and amplified’. Other ‘woke’ worker was upset at the ‘rise’ of ‘far right’ and drew parallels with the Nazi Germany. Worker even suggested setting up a ‘secret chat room’ which could be hidden from official records for their discussions.

The UKGovcamp, however, has claimed that it is not affiliated with either the government or civil servants.

Afghanistan President Amrullah Saleh says Taliban have amassed forces near Panjshir after being sent away from Andarab, ‘see you’ he warns

OpIndia Staff
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Afghanistan President Amrullah Saleh says Taliban have amassed forces near Panjshir after being sent away from Andarab, ‘see you’ he warns

Days after the resistance forces led by the current acting President Amrullah Saleh attacked the Taliban on the outskirts of Panjshir valley, Saleh had openly challenged the radical Islamist group from amassing its forces in the valley. It must be mentioned that the Afghan forces had recently gained control over the Charikar area of the Parwan province from the radical Islamist group backed by the Pakistan military.

In a tweet on Monday (August 23), the acting Afghan President tweeted, “Talibs have massed forces near the entrance of Panjshir a day after they got trapped in ambush zones of neighbouring Andarab valley & hardly went out in one piece.”

He further cautioned, “Meanwhile Salang highway is closed by the forces of the Resistance. “There are terrains to be avoided”. See you.” Saleh, the former Vice President, had declared himself the President after Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

Screengrab of the tweet by Amrullah Saleh

His comments come at a time when social media reports have surfaced that show the Taliban dispatching forces to attack the Resistance forces in Panjshir. Reports from the country suggested that the Resistance defeated the radical Islamist outfit in Andarab valley after the Taliban moved to the Baglan Province from Kunduz city on Sunday (August 22). The chaos in Afghanistan caused following the US exit under President Joe Biden, drew criticism from several quarters.

US President Biden continues to face criticism for the hasty and badly managed withdrawal from Afghanistan that effectively handed the country over to the Taliban on a platter. His recent statements and justification of the withdrawal were termed “shameful falsehood after shameful falsehood” by US Senator Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska). US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley called the Afghanistan fiasco an ’embarrassing failure’ for the USA. Congressman Adam Kinzinger expressed concerns about whether the USA is even capable of stopping the growth of terrorism after the ‘disastrous’ withdrawal.

Ahmad Massoud and the Resistance against Taliban in Panjshir Valley

Besides acting President Amarullah Saleh, one of the key leaders of the Resistance against the Talibs is Ahmad Massoud. Son of anti-Soviet resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, he had been mounting a fight against the radical Islamist outfit in Panjshir Valley. While speaking to Al Arabiya TB station on Sunday (August 22), he emphasised the need for dialogue but added that the fight would continue until the Talibs refuse to talk.

He has vowed to not surrender territories, which are under his control, to the Islamist organisation. “Government forces came to Panjshir from several Afghan provinces…The Taliban will not last long if it continues on this path. We are ready to defend Afghanistan and we warn of bloodshed,” Massoud cautioned.

Uncertainty remains over future of Afghanistan as politicians demand inclusive govt from Taliban, national flag still flies over presidential palace

OpIndia Staff
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Uncertainty remains over future of Afghanistan as politicians demand inclusive govt from Taliban, national flag still flies over presidential palace

One week after the Taliban captured Afghanistan capital Kabul following the escape of former president Ashraf Ghani, there is still no clarity on the kind of government that the Islamist group will form in the war-torn country. The greatest symbol of this uncertain situation is the tricolour Afghan national flag, which still flies over the presidential palace. Even though the Taliban has captured the palace, and they are attempting to replace the national flag with their own one, the flag at the presidential flag has not been changed yet.

In fact, dismissing media reports that the Taliban flag was hoisted at the palace removing the Afghan national flag, Taliban leader Abdul Hameed Hamasi has said that they don’t have any problem with the flag.

Today a video was posted on social media showing Hamasi and other Taliban leaders standing inside the presidential palace, where the national flag can be seen flying in the sky behind them. The Taliban leader said that some people from the former government are spreading propaganda that the flag was changed. He alleged that those people don’t want peace to prevail in Afghanistan.

The Talibani leadership has conducted several meetings with the political parties in the country, but the political leaders say no serious discussions on the future political system was held in those meetings. The Afghan political leaders have called for an inclusive government, including representatives from all political parties.

They said that the meetings were held merely as consultations, and no serious discussions were held about future governance in Afghanistan. “There is a need for fundamental discussions, we hope that discussions are held on this issue as soon as possible, because the nation is waiting for the formation of a system,” said Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhel, the former governor of Nangarhar.

Reportedly, the Taliban has hinted that they will form an inclusive government, but there is no clarity on that yet.

Days after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, former president Hamid Karzai, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Dr Abdullah Abdullah and chief of Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin party Gulbuddin Hekmatyar had formed a coordination committee to ensure a smooth transition of power. Yesterday Karzai and Abdullah met with Taliban political office members to hold discussions on the issue.

Taliban political office members Maulawi Shahabuddin Delawari Delawar, Abdul Salam Hanafi, Khairullah Khairkhwa and Abdul Rahman Feda met them at Abdullah’s house in Kabul. After the meeting, Abdullah’s office said that Both sides exchanged views on the current security and political developments, and an inclusive political settlement for the future of the country.

Karzai and Abdullah also held a meeting with Abdul Rahman Mansour, the Taliban’s acting governor for Kabul, and discussed security of the citizens of the city. They reiterated that protecting the life, property and dignity of the citizens of the capital should be prioritized. The Taliban governor pledged that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of Kabul, according to Abdullah’s office.

Kabul has been witnessing massive chaos since the Taliban captured it as thousands of people gathered outside the Kabul Airport trying to get out of the country. Several people have already died in the stampede outside the Airport, which is guarded by the Taliban on the outside and by NATO forces in the inside.

Yesterday the Taliban had said that they will unveil a new governing framework in the next few weeks. “Legal, religious and foreign policy experts in the Taliban aim to present the new governing framework in the next few weeks,” a Taliban official told Reuters.

While the Taliban has been trying to present a ‘moderate’ image, they have made it clear that they will implement the Sharia law. Which means there will be severe restrictions on the citizens on the country, especially on woman.

Most countries in the world, including the EU Commission, has confirmed that they will not recognise a Taliban government in Afghanistan. Due to this, the group may form an ‘inclusive’ government by including some members from the political parties. But what form the government will take and how much authority non-Taliban members in the govt, if any, will have, will be unfolded in the coming weeks.

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