Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently received an invitation from the party’s overseas unit, the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC), to visit the United States of America, Canada, and Europe. According to a Times of India report published on 26th July, a group of NRIs led by IOC convener Rajwinder Singh held a meeting with him in this regard. According to them, Rahul Gandhi’s visit aims to discuss ways to empower Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and reforms back home.
After meeting Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, Rajwinder paid obeisance at the Golden Temple where he said that apart from motivating NRIs, the Congress leader would also hold meetings with the US Democrat leaders.
He added that Rahul Gandhi would also visit Canada ahead of the Canadian Federal elections and then to Europe to hold meetings with the NRIs.
According to Rajwinder, Rahul Gandhi aims to initiate some pilot projects in Congress-ruled states in India which will also help to strengthen ties with the diaspora.
While there is no official confirmation yet whether Rahul Gandhi has accepted or declined the IOC’s invite for a foreign visit including to the United States, his last US tour in 2023 has been at the centre of a storm over the ‘secret’ meeting at the White House and/or with the officials of the Biden administration.
Incidentally, after OpIndia pointed out on 30th July 2024 that an Economic Times report written by journalist Seema Sirohi claimed that Rahul Gandhi had clandestine White House meetings during his Washington trip in 2023, Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty took to Twitter (now X) to threaten OpIndia.
He claimed that there was no “secret” White House meeting.
However, it is pertinent to note that Sirohi who had heaped praises on the Congress leader, had also mentioned in the Economic Times’ article that Rahul Gandhi had these “White House meetings which both parties involved – the Biden administration and Congress – had chosen to keep under wraps.”
The news at the time was source-based. In her report, Sirohi did not reveal how she got this information. She later appeared on Barkha Dutt’s YouTube show and confirmed her story.
However, when Congress trolls started abusing Seema Sirohi for reporting about the ‘secret’ White House meeting, Sirohi revealed that her source for the story was none other than Praveen Chakravarty, the one who yesterday threatened OpIndia for reporting about the said clandestine White House meeting.
Strikingly, on the 3rd of June 2023, Praveen Chakravarty spoke to PTI and confirmed that Rahul Gandhi had indeed met officials from the White House, and the Biden administration.
However, after expected questions and backlash were directed against Congress for the clandestine meetings, Seema Sirohi tweeted that Praveen Chakravarty had changed his mind – a whole 1 week after he gave the statements to PTI – and said that there was no White House meeting. Click here, to read in detail how the Congress leader who issued a public threat to OpIndia for highlighting gaps in various versions of Rahul Gandhi’s secret White House meeting, has tied himself in knots. Click here, to read about OpIndia’s expose on Congress leaders’ links with the US Deep State.
Nonetheless, even while denying the White House meeting, Praveen in the interaction with The News Minute admitted that Rahul Gandhi met Senators and Government officials during his USA trip, alluding to the fact that he was only contesting that Rahul Gandhi visited the White House and not the fact that he met with govt officials from the Biden administration.
With Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi giving a breach of privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sharing the speech of Anurag Thakur made in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, sources said that that the BJP MP’s remarks are part of parliamentary record and the breach of privilege notice does not hold ground.
After the opposition members, including Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, objected to some of his remarks made during his speech on union budget, Anurag Thakur said he had not named any member.
Sources said Anurag Thakur’s remarks are part of parliamentary records and his remarks have not been expunged.
Slamming Congress over its protests, Union Ministers and BJP leaders said Anurag Thakur did not name anyone.
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said Congress is resorting to excuses.
“He (Anurag Thakur) did not ask the caste. Those who don’t know caste are speaking about Caste Census. He did not name anyone, so why are you taking it upon yourself? Anurag Thakur clarified it on the floor of the House. They need an excuse. The intention is to divert the issue. From Pandit Nehru to Indira Gandhi, to Rajiv Gandhi – everybody has opposed reservation for OBC…,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to divide the country based on caste.
“I condemn what Congress has done, they keep talking about castes all the time…they ask the castes of media people and army personnel…Congress has hatched a conspiracy to divide the country based on castes…they keep asking about everyone’s castes, but Rahul Gandhi’s caste can’t be asked…are they above the country and Parliament?…they want to weaken democracy and country’s economy, they want to spread anarchy and violence,” he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke on Anurag Thakur’s remarks and said PM Modi should not have lauded the speech.
“Taunting in the House, this doesn’t happen in Parliament. Nobody’s caste is asked in the Parliament…He (Anurag Thakur) said this purposely to insult him (Rahul Gandhi). This is not right. Several of their (BJP) senior leaders have had intercaste marriages. They should look at themselves in the mirror and then speak…He (Anurag Thakur) is immature but was there a need for the Prime Minister to tweet?” Kharge asked.
“Several of their leaders are in an intercaste or interfaith marriage. Will they ask about everyone’s caste? This is wrong, I condemn this. I also condemn the tweet of the Prime Minister. PM Modi should know where to speak and who to defend. Leaving that aside, he is talking about inflaming sentiments. This should not be allowed in Parliament, it should be expunged,” he said.
Channi, a former Punjab Chief Minister who is MP from Jalandhar, wrote to Speaker Om Birla giving notice of breach of privilege against PM Modi.
“I have moved a privilege motion against the PM. I have written to the Lok Sabha Speaker that it was contempt of the House when the PM tweeted and promoted the certain objectionable remarks made by Anurag Thakur after they were expunged from House records,” Channi said.
He said PM Modi “tweeting of remarks which had been expunged from the proceedings of Lok Sabha clearly amounts to a breach of privilege and contempt of the House” and urged the Speaker to admit his motion.
Former Karnataka CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said he is shocked over the Congress protest.
“How can the caste census be without asking the caste?… If they think they were insulted (by Anurag Thakur), they are insulting the whole country by asking for a caste census. They are talking about caste census,… then why is it an insult when someone asks them their caste?” he asked.
BJP MP Sambit Patra asked when Anurag Thakur “did not name anyone why only one person felt bad”.
“The number of 99 (Congress strength in Lok Sabha) and the game of arrogance of Congress party… When Anurag Thakur yesterday spoke without naming anyone, why did only one person feel bad, and on his direction, all members of Congress stood up? This is the kind of behaviour that will be shown on asking about one’s caste?…The caste of media personnel, administrative officers, judges and also army soldiers can be asked but if someone asks you your caste you start talking,” he said.
The Congress has said several times that it is committed to conducting a caste census in the country.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday announced that he has received the resignation letter of Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta and has accepted her resignation with immediate effect.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Dhankar said, “Honourable members, I have to make an announcement. I have received a letter today from honourable member Mamata Mohanta, representing the state of Odisha, resigning her seat in the Rajya Sabha. She has resigned her seat by writing to the Chairman and handed personally to me.”
He further said, “… I have accepted the resignation of Mamata Mohanta, member representing the state of Odisha with immediate effect.”
In her resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman, Mohanta wrote, “I Do hereby tender my resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha, today, i.e. July 31, 2024. I have taken this decision consciously.”
The letter further said, “I express my gratitude to your good self for the opportunities given to me to raise issues of public importance in the House.”
Mohanta also took to her official X handle and posted about her resignation. She said, “I have resigned from the post of Rajya Sabha member today. The Biju Janata Dal Party president chose me as a member of the District Council and a member of the Rajya Sabha and gave me the opportunity to serve my district…”
In her resignation letter to Naveen Patnaik, Mohanta said, “I do hereby resign from the Primary Membership of Biju Janata Dal today, i.e. July 31, 2024. I sincerely express my gratitude to your goodself for giving me an opportunity to serve the people of Mayurbhanj and also to take the cause of Odisha at the national level.”
She added further, “However, I feel that there is no requirement of the services of myself as well as my community in the Biju Janata Dal. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A shocking case of gang rape of a minor girl has come to light from the Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh. It is alleged that Samajwadi Party leader Moeed Khan and his servant Raju Khan gang-raped the minor girl a few months ago. They also recorded the video while committing the heinous crime, to blackmail the minor victim. By threatening to leak the obscene video, they continued sexually exploiting her for over 2 months. However, the family came to know about the crime when her health deteriorated and she became pregnant.
It is further alleged that the Bhadarsa Police Station didn’t file an FIR in this matter for more than 30 hours. It is also alleged that since 2012, this Police station had been running from the house of the accused SP leader Moeed Khan.
According to reports, the victim hails from a labourer family and OBC community. On Tuesday (30th July 2024), the police registered a case and arrested the accused SP leader Moeed Khan and his servant Raju.
The incident took place in the Pura Kalandar police station area of Ayodhya. The accused SP leader Khan has a bakery shop near the Bhadarsa Outpost. The minor victim lives with her mother.
According to the minor victim, around 75 days ago, when she was returning home, Raju, a servant working in Moeed’s shop, lured the victim to his shop by offering her a toast. Since she had been going to the shop earlier as well, she trusted him and went there. It is alleged that both the accused took turns to rape her inside the shop and also recorded obscene video of the entire incident. By threatening to leak the video, they continued sexually exploiting the minor for over 2 months. As a result of continued sexual exploitation, the victim got pregnant.
When she complained of stomach pain, her mother got suspicious. She then narrated the entire incident to her mother who then went on to lodge a Police complaint in this matter.
After receiving information about the incident, Hindu organizations started gathering at the spot. Along with BJP and Bajrang Dal workers, members of the Nishad Party also gathered at the police station.
During the investigation, it was also found that the Bhadarsa police station area where this incident took place was running on the property of the accused SP leader Moeed Khan. The police station was then shifted from Khan’s property to a different place overnight. According to reports, the accused Khan is said to be close to Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad and is the party’s Nagar President of the Bhadarsa region. As per reports, a bank is also operating on Khan’s property.
The victim’s mother alleges that after she filed the complaint, she is facing constant pressure to withdraw the case.
She said that when they went to confront Moeed Khan, he gave them Rs 2,000 for medication and said, “Get treatment, abortion medication is available. All of this keeps happening.” When we asked where is your servant Raju? He said that Raju does not work for them.
The victim’s mother added that they belong to a poor family. Taking advantage of this, those people did wrong things to my daughter.
Police have arrested SP leader Moeed Khan and his servant Raju. They have filed an FIR under sections of gang rape and POCSO Act. Meanwhile, the Police are also probing whether Khan’s bakery shop has proper documentation or not.
Following the death of three students at a UPSC coaching centre due to flooding of its basement, the Delhi govt today issued safety guidelines to be followed by all educational institutions. Delhi Govt’s Directorate of Education has issued safety guidelines to all the Principals or Heads of Govt, Govt Aided and Unaided Private Recognized Schools.
The safety guidelines state that if any school building has a basement, it has to be used only for permitted activities as per provisions of the Master Plan and as per the sanctioned plan. It states that the access to the basement shall be properly marked and clearly indicated in the school evacuation plan. Electrical wirings & fittings including appliances shall be checked and all safety norms be followed to avoid any kind of untoward related incident.
After the Old Rajinder Nagar incident, Delhi Govt’s Directorate of Education issued safety guidelines to all the Principals or Heads of Govt, Govt, Aided and Unaided Private Recognized Schools- the basements, if any in school buildings, shall be used only for permissible… pic.twitter.com/v5wKmCr7Yq
The guideline states that it was issued after the Old Rajinder Nagar incident on 27 July where three students died in the library located in the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, and before then the death of a UPSC aspirant due to electrocution on 22 July.
The guidelines state:
The provisions of Master Plan for Delhi, 2021 regarding use of basement in public buildings shall be followed.
The basements, if any in school buildings, shall be used only for permissible activities as per provisions of the Master Plan and as per the sanctioned plan.
All gates of the school buildings shall be functional and opened for entry & exit.
The access to the basement shall be properly marked and clearly indicated in the school evacuation plan.
All the corridors shall be free from obstructions at all times and smooth passage be ensured.
School corridors and staircases shall be regularly checked for water accumulation and requisite necessary action to be taken.
Ensure all necessary steps at school level are being taken to avoid water logging in and around school premises.
Electrical wirings & fittings including appliances shall be checked and all safety norms be followed to avoid any kind of untoward related incident.
The school shall have all requisite fire safety measures in place.
Notably, Rau’s IAS Study Circle centre was issued a fire safety certificate just 18 days before the incident, which stated that the basement was to be used for storage. But in reality, the basement was being used as a library. Moreover, the library was equipped with biometric lock which can be unlocked only with fingerprint.
On the day of the incident, the flood caused a power failure, and a result the biometric lock could not be unlocked. The students present in the library were trapped in the flooded basement where the water level reached 12 feet, leading to the death of three students at the coaching centre.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday expressed his support for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said that the organisation has been contributing to national welfare. He emphasised that everyone should take pride in any organization dedicated to serving the nation in such a selfless manner.
While addressing the Rajya Sabha, Dhankar emphasized that the RSS comprises individuals who have dedicated themselves to selflessly serving the nation. “I hereby rule that RSS is an organisation that has full Constitutional rights to participate in the development journey of this nation. This organisation bears unimpeachable credentials, comprised of people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly. To take exception that a member of this organisation cannot participate in the development journey of this nation is not only unconstitutional but beyond the rules. Our rules prescribe a methodology…,” he said.
Lauding the RSS further, Dhankar said, “Every organisation associated with the development of the nation should come forward. It is soothing to note, wholesome to note that RSS as an organisation has been contributing to national welfare, and our culture, and everyone should take pride in any organisation which is acting in this manner.”
The remarks by the Rajya Sabha Chairman come after the central government lifted the ban on participation of government employees in RSS activities. A few days ago, an order was reportedly issued by the Ministry of Personnel, lifting the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities. The order has, however, sparked a row, drawing criticism from the opposition.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had referred to it as “very strange” after the central government lifted the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities.
Tharoor said that it is the responsibility of the government employees to work for everyone and added that they should remain “neutral” when in government.
“This is very strange. RSS work and government work are different, both should not be together and the Narendra Modi government did not change this rule for 10 years, then why are you changing it now? It is the responsibility of government employees to work for everyone, work for the whole country. This is not fair, after retiring from service you can do whatever you want but when you are in the government you should remain neutral,” Tharoor had said.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 31st July, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas confirmed that their chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, Iran. He was killed in an Israeli air strike on his house. His three sons, Hazem, Amir and Mohammad, along with a number of his grandchildren, were killed in an Israeli attack in April this year.
Haniyeh was killed months after Israel vowed to destroy Hamas following the bloody October 7 terror attacks that resulted in the deaths of over 1,300 Israelis and the abduction of hundreds of others, prompting the Netanyahu government to launch an all-out war against the terror network controlling the Gaza Strip.
However, with the assassination of Haniyeh, which is attributed to Israel, the Jewish nation has reached an important milestone in the war effort that has dragged on for over 9 months now, leaving thousands dead and the terror network’s infrastructure critically damaged.
Origin of Hamas
Hamas, short for “Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya” (Islamic Resistance Movement), was established in 1987. It was an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza. In the beginning, the Muslim Brotherhood was relatively moderate. However, with the evolution of Hamas, it turned into a radical Islamist organisation. The full name of the Palestinian terrorist organisation translates to the “Islamic Resistance Movement”.
In its founding documents, specifically in the Hamas Charter published on 18th August 1988, the group emphasised jihad and the establishment of an Islamic state from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. From the charter, came the infamous murderous slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. The ultimate goal of the terrorist organisation is the destruction of Israel.
History of Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyah was born on 29th January 1963. He rose to prominence within Hamas in the 1990s as with his close links to the organisation’s co-founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. In 2006, Hamas won a parliamentary majority in the Palestine elections and Haniyeh was appointed Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA). He remained one of the top leaders of Hamas for two decades.
Control over Gaza
In 2007, there were violent clashes in Fatah after which Hamas took full control of Gaza. Following the clashes, he was dismissed by then-President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abaas. However, Haniyeh continued to act as the Prime Minister of the Hamas-controlled Gaza. Since then, he has been a leading public representative of Hamas from within Gaza.
Between 2014 to 2017, Haniyeh served as the deputy leader of Hamas. On 6th May 2017, he was elected as the chief of the political wing of Hamas. The idea was to soften his extremist image in the public. Though his title was limited to the political wing, his influence extended beyond political matters and often shadowed the decisions made by the armed wings of Hamas. Under his leadership, the lines between political wing and military wings faded consistently.
Designation as a Terrorist
In January 2018, the United States Department of State deemed him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist because of his close links with the armed wing of Hamas and his advocacy for armed struggle, including against the civil population of Israel.
The 31st January 2018 release by the State Department read, “Ismail Haniyeh is the leader and President of the Political Bureau of Hamas, which was designated in 1997 as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and in 2001 as an SDGT. Haniyeh has close links with Hamas’ military wing and has been a proponent of armed struggle, including against civilians. He has reportedly been involved in terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens. Hamas has been responsible for an estimated 17 American lives killed in terrorist attacks.”
Along with him, Harakat al-Sabireen, Liwa al Thawra, and Harakat Sawa’d Misr (HASM) were also designated as terrorists or terrorist organisations. The release further read, “Today’s actions notify the U.S. public and the international community that Ismail Haniyeh, Harakat al-Sabireen, Liwa al-Thawra, and Harakat Sawa’d Misr have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of U.S. agencies and other governments.”
Crimes Committed by Ismail Haniyeh
Under Heniyeh’s leadership, Hamas has been involved in widespread and systematic crimes against humanity including murder, imprisonment and torture of civilians in Gaza. The acts of terrorism were not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate campaign to ensure Hamas maintained control over Gaza and suppress political dissent.
The 2014 Gaza conflict
In 2014, clashes took place in Gaza often known as the 2014 Gaza Conflict or Operation Protective Edge. During the conflict, Haniyeh-led Hamas carried out a brutal campaign of abduction, torture and unlawful killings against the people of Palestine who were accused of collaborating with Israel. As per reports, Hamas terrorists tortured and summarily executed the people of Palestine during this period which amounted to war crimes.
According to the information available from the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Haniyeh played a vital role in crafting extremist ideology. He did not prevent Hamas terrorists from committing war crimes during the 2014 war and actively encouraged and funded their war crimes. The civilians were used as “human shields” during the 2014 war. Hamas consistently fired rockets and mortars from densely populated areas making the civilians potential military targets. They stored weapons in schools, hospitals, mosques and other civilian structures.
Notably, Hamas used rockets during the war that were prohibited under international laws. The missiles were not easy to control and therefore could not accurately fire at lawful military targets putting civilian areas at risk. The modus operandi of Hamas continued to be the same in the Israel-Hamas war that broke after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7th October 2023.
Targeted Killings
Under Haniyeh, Hamas also executed several individuals accused of “espionage” and “collaborating with Israel”. In April 2017, Hamas executed three men in Gaza claiming they provided information to Israel that led to the deal of Palestinian terrorists. The execution of three men was part of a broader pattern of using extreme measures to ensure fear is implicated among the population eliminating the possible threats to the authority of Hamas in the region.
Continued abuse of power
Under Haniyeh’s leadership, the abuses of power continued beyond the 2014 conflict. Several organisations documented cases of arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. His administration was accused of using the justice system and security apparatus to suppress political opponents and silence dissent.
Ismail Haniyeh was wanted by the International Criminal Court
In May this year, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said he would seek an arrest warrant against Ismail Haniyeh. He accused him and other Hamas leaders of war crimes and crimes against humanity about the 7th October 2023 terrorist attack.
In his appeal, ICC Prosecutor Karim AA Khan accused Haniyeh of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Israel and Palestine, particularly in Gaza from 7th October 2023. Haniyeh, along with Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif were accused by the prosecutor of extermination, murder, hostage-taking, sexual violence, torture, and other inhumane acts. The evidence submitted against Heniyah included interviews with survivors, CCTV footage, authenticated media and statements from the members of Hamas. He asserted that Heniyah and others planned and instigated those crimes and emphasised their involvement and responsibility.
Ismail Haniyeh’s tenure as PA of Hamas was marked with severe human rights violations and crimes against humanity. His leadership oversaw a regime that employed violence and terror to ensure Hamas maintained control over Gaza and targeted political opponents while perceiving extreme measures.
Amidst the continuous conflict between Israel and Palestine, Hamas, the terrorist group based in Palestine, stated in a statement on 31st July that its political leader Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards had been killed in Tehran. The dreaded terrorist organisation was formed in late 1987 at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada (uprising) and has roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Notably, the group behind the horrific attack on Israel on 7th October is not only responsible for terrorism in the Jewish country or the Middle East, but also has penetrated its venomous claws in India as well.
The Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) which had close ties with Pakistan-based terror outfits and Indian Mujahideen (IM) was banned by the government of India on 27th September 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. The group faced serious charges including sedition, creating hatred and engineering communal violence, among others. SIMI was reportedly established in 1977 as the student branch of the Jamat-e-Islami-Hind (JIH), the Indian equivalent of the JeI (Jamat-e-Islami), which was established in the 1940s by Maulana Mawdudi. Its objective was to revitalize its senior student organization, the Students Islamic Organization (SIO).
SIMI was founded in Aligarh, with Professor Muhammad Ahmadullah serving as its first president. SIMI’s cordial relationship with the JIH could only last till 1981. Along with a host of other ideological disputes, the SIMI and JIH symbolically split up in 1981 over disagreements over Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s visit to India. Others also assert that JIH dissociated itself from the SIMI. According to JIH, Arafat’s visit was a positive step forward and he was viewed as a supporter of Islamic ideals. On the other side, SIMI activists in New Delhi welcomed Arafat with black flags, fiercely denounced him and dubbed him a puppet in the hands of the West.
The 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution was seen to have been another element that caused friction between SIMI and JIH. JIH was worried that SIMI’s extreme behaviour would damage its reputation, so the group detached itself from the latter and tried to concentrate and rely on its senior students’ front, SIO.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
Coincidently or not, Arafat and the Hamas leadership have a very strained relationship as well which resulted in hundreds of fatalities and injuries. His political party “Fatah” which is currently ruling over the State of Palestine under Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has been in a relentless and violent power struggle with Hamas but the two sides have repeatedly failed to reach an agreement.
Hamas and SIMI’s shared goal of an Islamic state in India
The ideas of secularism, democracy, and nationalism, according to SIMI, are anti-Islamic and it frequently emphasises the need for an armed struggle to establish Islam’s supremacy, the restoration of the Khalifat (the Islamic state or caliphate), and ummah (Muslim brotherhood). SIMI places particular emphasis on the creation of the Khalifat in the context of India. The organization holds that, despite being a minority in the country, Muslims should work hard to ensure that Shari’ah is implemented, as failure to do so will result in their demise in Hell. Hence, the creation of an Islamic polity in the state of India is considered to be the primary goal of Indian Muslims, per SIMI.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
The goals of SIMI, which frighteningly resemble what Hamas seeks to do to Jews in Israel, underscore yet another commonality between the two groups. Their profound relationship is further demonstrated by the “Ikhwan Conference” hosted by SIMI in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 29th and 30th October 1999 which was attended by over 20,000 people and featured speeches by Sheikh Yaseen, the founder of Hamas, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the leader of Jammat-e-Islami-Pakistan, and the Imam of Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque via telephone. It declared, “Islam ka ghazi, butshikan/Mera sher, Osama bin Laden (The warrior of Islam, the destroyer of idols/ My lion, Osama bin Laden).”
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
SIMI which had a pan-India presence with bases in states including Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir not only had close links with JeI, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Pakistan-based jihadi groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) but even Hamas as proved by Sheikh Yaseen’s telephonic address during the Ikhwan conference. The connections were found to be even deeper when Salim Sajid, an ex-financial secretary of SIMI who was later imprisoned unveiled that one of the organization’s main funding sources was Hamas.
He also informed that SIMI received financial support from and had connections to both Bangladesh’s Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) a student wing of JeIBangladesh and Saudi Arabia’s Jamayyatul Ansar (JA) which is mainly made up of Indian Muslims who work in the country and believed to be transferring money to SIMI. The Consultative Committee of Indian Muslims in the United States, the International Islamic Federation of Students Organizations headquartered in Kuwait, and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Riyadh were identified as other sources of finance.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
The immutable umbilical cord of Jihad and Mulsim Ummah extends across boundaries as evidenced by security agency inquiry reports which pointed out that SIMI had ties to multiple extremist organisations, including Hamas in Palestine, Saudi Arabia’s Jamayyatul Ansar, and Bangladesh’s ICS.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
SIMI transformed into PFI
Similar to a chameleon, SIMI members tried to alter its appearance after the ban on the outfit and started to take part in other organisations, however, they joined groups such as the Popular Front of India (PFI), much like a leopard that cannot change its spots. Multiple SIMI members became part of the PFI, according to reports from the Andhra Pradesh (AP) state intelligence agency which also pointed out PFI’s activities in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and its involvement in the 2011 communal violence in Adoni.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
Reports on SIMI’s reorganization in several regions of the nation had surfaced. Based on an intelligence assessment indicating that SIMI cadres are attempting to reorganize, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent out alerts to Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra after which a nationwide hunt for at least 80 SIMI members who belonged to various Uttar Pradesh (UP) districts as the intelligence report also warned that these cadres were absent from their home territories since the SIMI ban went into effect.
PFI was formed in 2006 with the merger of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and the National Development Front (NDF). On 28th September 2022, the Government of India declared PFI as an “unlawful association” and temporarily outlawed the organisation for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention (UAPA) Act. The government reasoned that the organisation was “prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country” and cited PFI’s connection with terror organisations like Students Islamic Movement of India, Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The intelligence report was supplemented by a broadcast that aired on a television network on 2nd November 2010 which reported to have been informed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) that the PFI is attempting to establish connections with the SIMI. According to a similar allegation published in The Hindu on 22nd January 2008, SIMI was suspected to be operating in Kerala under the umbrella of at least 12 groups. The investigation pointed out that to evade police monitoring, the organizers of SIMI would occasionally rebrand their front groups. According to the report, which cited intelligence sources, SIMI activists were working under the guise of organizations for enhancing personal efficiency, rural development and research centres as well as religious study centres.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
SIMI reportedly divided into two factions. The Safdar Nagori group of SIMI, which adheres to “armed jihad,” split apart from the organization after the ban in 2001. The other faction has been contesting the ban in court and has not been active since it went into force.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
The Indian government’s repeated extensions of the ban on SIMI are proof that the organization continues to pose a threat to the country. Simultaneously, as previously stated, a segment of SIMI has been litigating in a court against the prohibition. On the other hand, intelligence reports and publicly accessible sources indicate that Islamist groups such as the PFI have been used by former SIMI members. It is suspected that these radical groups are radicalizing young people by utilizing SIMI’s extensive network and resources. Additionally, reports indicate that a large number of these groups might be rebranding themselves regularly to dodge surveillance by law enforcement agencies.
Journal of Defence Studies (The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far – Anshuman Behera)
PFI cadres joined SDPI after the ban
Taking a cue from SIMI, PFI’s members began joining the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the radical Islamist group that the central government had not outlawed last year. Consequently, the Popular Front of India (PFI) created the SDPI in the backyard of its former cadres to continue operations in Karnataka. “Some of the PFI members are in the SDPI and some of the SDPI members are in the PFI. Everyone isn’t here (in the PFI) because it’s a Muslim-only organisation whereas the SDPI also has Hindus and Dalits,” Chand Pasha who served as the PFI’s district president for Chikkamagaluru for three years before the ban was captured admitting on camera, last year in April.
“Let me tell you off the record that the PFI cadre is now the SDPI cadre. They work in the background. Arrests can’t happen. They don’t have evidence. If, for instance, I belong to the PFI, there isn’t any document to establish it. There was no such system for issuing IDs in the PFI,” Asif, the SDPI in charge of the Moodbidri Assembly constituency in the coastal area of Dakshina Kannada revealed the deception with which the entire scheme is executed. “We get the maximum support from the Gulf. They (our financiers) would tell us to collect their remittances from the homes (of their contacts) here,” he added.
Muneeb Bengre, an SDPI corporator in the Mangaluru City Corporation, likewise mentioned, “They have come in. It’s no longer the PFI after the ban. They have come to the SDPI. They are our supporters, our members. They are all working. That cadre is not working with PFI identity, but it’s working for our SDPI.” Nazir, another SDPI office bearer stated, “It’s not shaken. Cadres aren’t something that will go away. Young men who don’t have training shake. But we are fully trained from the beginning. I don’t know if they (the PFI cadre) are attacking leaders (of other right-wing groups), but there’s always a fear, the PFI is highly feared,” he boasted about the violent image of PFI.
Conclusion
Extremist and terror groups frequently establish front organisations to hide their identities, and members of these groups often join groups that share similar beliefs, be it LeT which tries to masquerade as a “charity outfit” named Jama’at-ud-Da’wah or Jaish-e-Mohammed which is hiding behind People’s Anti-Fascist Front to carry out its violent operations in Jammu and Kashmir. More importantly, the relationship between Hamas and SIMI, or any other terror group, may seem odd to some because of multiple differences including linguistic, geographic or even political but the important thing to remember is that these groups are all motivated by the same ideology which is hatred of Kufar or Kafir (infidels) and the establishment of an Islamic state. What others consider to be significant distinctions disappear before their unwavering will to impose Sharia law and govern the entire world under the banner of Islam, which is their ultimate goal.
On Sunday, 31st July, at around 1 am a terrible fire broke out in Anantnag’s Lone Mohalla in Mattan, swallowing and destroying five Kashmiri Pandit houses to ashes. The event compelled the Jammu and Kashmir Police to organize a special squad to look into the origin of the fire.
As per the reports, the fire began in a vacant Pandit home and swiftly spread to other homes, causing extensive damage. Neighbours in the surrounding community quickly called the fire department, which arrived on the site at 1:45 am with five trucks. Despite their efforts, it took several hours to contain the fire, which damaged five structures and razed one house to the ground.
Nissar Ahmed, a Fire Brigade Officer, commented on the incident and said, “We were informed and we came immediately. About five vehicles were deployed and the fire was controlled in three to four hours.”
Three Kashmiri Hindu houses were gutted in massive fire in Mattan of Anantnag, South Kashmir on July 29th night. Police have launched an investigation. I hope perpetrators are caught if there is a foul play. Since early 1990s many Hindu houses have been gutted in fire in Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/xnY1CBzxeD
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a report and begun an inquiry into the cause of the fire. Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who live outside Kashmir believe that the fire was deliberately lit to scare them and prevent them from returning to the Valley.
The National Conference political party has declared solidarity with the Kashmiri Pandit. “We stand with our Kashmiri Pandit brothers after the tragic fire that destroyed several houses in Mattan, Anantnag. One of the affected houses holds deep emotional significance as it was the maternal home of our additional spokesperson, Umesh Tashi. We call upon the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the culprits to justice,” it said.
Chairman of Kashmir Sharada Peeth Awasthapan, Ravindra Pandita also commented on the issue and said, “The recent fire in the properties of Kashmiri migrants in Mattan has shocked everyone. The Deputy Commissioner, who is the custodian of minority properties, has not taken proper steps to preserve them. This is clearly a case of vandalism, and we need preventive measures. The administration should ensure such acts do not happen again and compensate the owners.”
Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community have stated that they will not be intimidated. Ashok Kumar, President of All Temples and Shrines South Kashmir, said, “We will not be frightened or scared. We have been threatened since the 1990s, but this is our Janmabhoomi, and we will remain here. We are renovating our buildings and temples, and we will not be deterred by their actions. The government must ensure the safety of Kashmiri Pandits and their property.”
The police have taken swift action, launching an investigation and gathering evidence. “There has been a report of a fire in the house of Shri Anand Ji Rajdan in the Mattan area. SHO Mattan reached the spot with a police party, and the fire brigade was called. The fire was controlled in about one and a half hours. Nearby houses were also damaged. We have registered a case under section 326BNS and collected CCTV footage for the investigation. A senior officer is supervising the investigation,” Javed Iqbal, DIG South Kashmir Range was quoted as saying.
Kashmiri Pandit community members, both inside and outside the Valley, are calling for a comprehensive probe and requesting the government to strengthen security for unoccupied Pandit properties and temples. They feel such steps are vital to counter the goals of those who oppose Kashmiri Pandits’ rehabilitation.
The sad tragedy has once again highlighted the issues confronting the Kashmiri Pandit community, as well as the need for coordinated actions to ensure their safety and return to the Valley.
On Wednesday (31st July), a shocking case came to light from a private boarding school in Bihar’s Supaul. It is alleged that a five-year-old boy carried a gun to school, opened fire on a Class 3rd student, and left him injured. Following the incident, the injured student was immediately admitted to the sub-divisional hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. According to doctors, he is out of danger.
The shocking incident took place on Wednesday at a private school named St. Johns Boarding School. The school is located in Lalpatti in Triveniganj in Bihar’s Supaul district. The incident unfolded before the assembly prayer session.
According to reports, the Nursery class student is said to be around 5-6 years of age. He stole his father’s pistol, who works as a security guard, hid it in his schoolbag and brought it to the school. After the morning prayers in the school, he went on to open fire on another student studying in Class 3rd at the same school. According to Police, the bullet hit the student’s left hand and he was rushed to hospital and is out of danger.
The injured student was identified as Mohammad Asif and his age is around 10-12 years. The bullet hit the palm of his left hand. So far, the reason for the shooting is not known. Asif’s uncle claimed that the minor boy aimed at his chest but as he ran after seeing the pistol in the boy’s hand, the bullet missed the target and went through his left palm.
The incident caused a stir in the school and the administration immediately informed the Police who rushed to the spot and started an investigation. Police are trying to find out how the Nursery class student got the weapon. Following the incident, parents along with some locals started vandalizing the school.
#BREAKING बिहार के सुपौल के त्रिवेणीगंज में एक प्राइवेट स्कूल में तीसरी कक्षा के छात्र को उसके सहपाठी ने गोली मार दी। pic.twitter.com/HACxGc0Shv
According to locals, the father of the nursery class student earlier used to work as a security guard in the same school.
The family of the injured student said that the school principal informed them that their child had been shot. They added that he was admitted to the hospital and asked them to immediately reach there.
According to the family of the injured student, when Mukesh Kumar Yadav, the father of the Nursery class student, got information about the incident, he hurriedly reached the school. There he saw that the pistol and magazine were kept separately on the Principal’s table. Taking an opportunity, he took the pistol and ran away with his son by scaling the school wall. However, he left his bike at the school, which is still there on the campus.
They have demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. Expressing shock at how a small child committed such an act, they demanded that the parents of the Nursery class student should also be interrogated.
Superintendent of Police Shaishav Yadav said, “The student fired at a 10-year-old boy, who studies in the same school in Class 3. The bullet hit his arm.”
He added, “The injured boy has been rushed to a hospital. We are trying to find out how the boy got to lay his hands on the firearm and managed to carry it to the private school, which is situated in Lalpatti area.”
Meanwhile, the Police have detained the director of the school and are questioning him in this matter.
The senior police officer added, “We are also asking schools across the district to ensure that bags of students are checked thoroughly on a regular basis. The incident has caused much anxiety among parents and guardians.”
