Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said that the Indian Army is ready to execute orders like taking back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it will carry out any order given by the Government of India. Whenever such orders are given, we will always be ready for it,” said Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Northern Army Commander, on the Defence Minister’s statement of taking back PoK.
“The military is always ready to make sure that ceasefire understanding is never broken as it is in the interest of both nations, but if broken at any time, we will give them a befitting reply,” said Dwivedi, Northern Army Commander on the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.
“The country has over 50 percent of people below the age of 25. If we take them in as Agniveers, teach them and send them back, we will absorb some, others by paramilitary, and police forces, and the remaining can be self-employed,” he stated.
“We have almost 160 terrorists sitting at the launchpad of which there are 130 north of Pir Panjal and 30 south of Pir Panjal. As for the complete hinterland, a total of 82 Pakistani terrorists and 53 local terrorists are there,” he further stated.
Earlier on October 28, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated New Delhi’s resolve to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying all refugees would get their land and homes back.
Saudi Arabia stunned two-time champions Argentina 2-1 in a group C FIFA World Cup tie played here at the Lusail stadium.
Argentina got off to a great start as Lionel Messi converted a penalty in the 10th minute to give his side a 1-0 lead. Playing in his fifth World Cup Messi beat Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais to find the net.
The Argentines also had three goals ruled out for offside as they went into half-time with a 1-0 lead. The second half was a different story altogether as 51st-ranked team Saudi Arabia came with a new vigour with Saleh Al-Shehri scoring a goal for them to level the score 1-1.
Al-Shehri squeezed in a low shot into the nets. Five minutes later the Saudis took the lead as Salem Al-Dawsari tapped in a goal in the 53rd minute to give them a crucial 2-1 lead.
Despite a lot of possession after conceding the goal, the two-time champions were unable to level the score. Saudi’s goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais made many important saves and their defence also stood tall in the match’s dying moments.
Abdulelah Al Amri was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his brilliant performance. Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina came into the FIFA World Cup 2022 as one of the favourites. Saudi Arabia broke Argentina’s 36-match unbeaten streak, including winning the Copa America 2021.
The two-time champions had 69 per cent of possession in comparison to Saudi Arabia who had only 31. There were six shots on target for Argentina in comparison to Saudi who had just two.
The Argentines will face Mexico on Saturday in their next group C match, while Saudi Arabia will take on Poland.
Zakir Naik again hit the headlines as some Muslim countries called him for preaching Islam in their country. Zakir-run channels, Peace TV and Peace TV Urdu are already banned in several countries, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Canada and the United Kingdom. Naik is accused of influencing through his speeches perpetrators of the 2016 Dhaka bombing at the Holey Artisan Bakery that killed 20, and the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka that killed over 250 in 2019. He fled to Malaysia in 2016, just before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) started a probe against the religious preacher. However, in Malaysia, he is banned from giving public speeches anywhere in Malaysia.
Naik is wanted in India as he faces money-laundering charges, and is also linked to alleged terror-related activities. Zakir Naik, a preacher who has influenced many minds is wanted in India. But he is not willing to return here as he feels there is a threat to his life. On 13 July 2016, Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Sadhvi Prachi announced a reward of ₹50 lakh (US$75,000) to anyone willing to behead Zakir Naik. This came a day after a Shia group styling itself the “Hussaini Tigers” placed a ₹15 lakh (US$22,000) bounty on his head. In the recent past, he has been subjected to many brutalities and abuses.
While he appreciates that people of other religions allow Muslims to freely propagate Islam in their country, Naik preaches that the diffusion of other religions within an Islamic state must be forbidden because he believes that other faiths are incorrect, so their propagation is as wrong. Ever since the ISIS-claimed attack on an upmarket Dhaka Cafe, the Modi government has said it will examine Zakir Naik’s speeches for remarks that can foment terror and religious strife. Anyways, Naik is not the only preacher who propagates violence in the name of religion.
Many Muslim leaders believe that the present controversy involving Dr Naik is a small part of the larger plan of dogmatic division among Muslims. Many commentators in the Muslim media have termed the controversy as an attempt to move from Hindu-Muslim to Muslim-Muslim strife. Dr Zakir Naik is the founder of the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), he is under the scanner following disclosures that two of the five young militants who butchered 20 hostages, including an Indian, at a popular cafe in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka on July 1, drew their inspiration from his speeches.
There is conflict among Muslims these days; Shia and Sunni are bloodthirsty for each other. Muslims killing Muslims is on the rise. Deoband is acknowledged as ‘the epicentre of terrorism and all other schools like Wahabi (Ahl-e-Hadis), Jama ‘t-e-Islami and Tableeghi Jama’ are linked with terrorism. The Sufi Muslims have taken sides with BJP impressed that they were the only faithful and patriotic group among the Muslims in India, and others are linked to terrorism and extremism. But in nutshell, all leading Muslim organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Markazi Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadees Hind, All India Milli Council, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Urdu Journalist Forum and a host of top clerics and Muslim scholars and community leaders have extended support to Dr Zakir Naik, with some even suggesting that the vilification media campaign against him in an attempt to bully Indian Muslims as a whole.
Before becoming a public speaker, he trained as a physician. He has published booklet versions of lectures on Islam and comparative religion. Although he has disclaimed sectarianism in Islam, he is regarded as an exponent of the Salafi ideology, and as a radical Islamic televangelist propagating Wahhabism. Several researchers have investigated the link between Naik and terrorism. In 2007, reports claimed that Darul Uloom considered him a self-styled preacher unattached to any of the four orthodox Sunni Islamic schools of jurisprudence (fiqh) and therefore has issued many fatwas against Zakir Naik, rejecting him as being amongst the ghair muqallidin (a term used in Islam to describe someone who does not relate with the four madhabs viz. Hanafi, Hanbali, Sha’afi and Maliki) thereby appealing towards Muslims to avoid listening to his sermons. In 2016, a Darul Uloom spokesman clarified reports that although a few fatwas had been issued by Darul Uloom against Naik on legal matters, these were being “deliberately highlighted” by the media.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Maharashtra, Nitesh Rane, has alleged the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi is “stage-managed” and actors are being paid to walk with him, a claim dismissed by Congress as a “malicious propaganda” to discredit the yatra.
Rane, son of Union minister Narayan Rane, tweeted a screenshot of a purported mobile phone conversation on Monday without mentioning any names with a comment, “Ye Pappu kabhi pass nahi hoga!!”
“So the Rahul Gandhi Yatra is stage-managed. This is proof of how actors are being paid to come and walk with him. Sab Golmaal hai bhai!”, he tweeted.
Amit Malviya, the in charge of BJP’s national information and technology department, alleged a “paid PR”.
“Other than refurbishing Rahul Gandhi’s credential as a leader, all that his yatra has achieved is enable the rise of a self-serving coterie around him, which is doing more harm by this kind of paid PR. But who are these people willing to associate with Rahul even for some money?” he questioned in a tweet.
Questioning the authenticity of Nitesh Rane’s tweets and claims, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Sachin Sawant on Tuesday alleged the tweet shows BJP’s desperation to discredit the yatra.
“Such bogus WhatsApp images are being shown as proof. No name, no numbers. It is BJP that masters the art of arm-twisting celebrities to portray artificial support for them, not Congress.
“Don’t we remember tweets of celebrities on petrol and diesel rates during UPA government and during farmers’ protests? Everyone knows that it takes courage to stand against autocratic and divisive agenda of BJP. Those who have joined Bharat Jodo Yatra are standing for the cause and for our nation,” he tweeted.
Sawant said the BJP’s attempt to belittle the honesty of artists and malign their characters shows how correct the stand of artists is.
“Today’s statement of PM against Bharat Jodo Yatra and such malicious propaganda from BJP only reaffirms our resolve and proves that the yatra is on the right track,” he added.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the state government has taken a serious note of the Mangaluru blast case.
He also said the Karnataka police are alert and have so far busted 18 terror sleeper cells in the state over a period of time. “We have taken it (Mangaluru blast case) seriously keeping in view the national security,” Bommai told reporters. He said that some people having connections with other states are conducting their (terror-related) activities in Karnataka. The police have arrested those from other states as well, he added. “You should know that the Karnataka police has busted 18 terror sleeper cell and sent them to jail. Yet they are making attempts,” Bommai said.
“The NIA has initiated measures to bust the terror organisation, be it international or national, which is behind him (Mangaluru blast accused Mohammed Shariq),” he added.
Meanwhile, police got the photograph of the iconic Shiva statue at Coimbatore of the Isha Foundation from the blast accused. Mangaluru police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said: “We are yet to interrogate him (Shariq). Whatever information we have got through various other evidences, we are continuing our investigation.” When asked whether Shariq and his accomplices had visited Isha Foundation when he was in Coimbatore, he said “the investigating officer is probing that aspect.” Police found materials that go into making bomb from the rented house in Mysuru of Shariq, who was “influenced and inspired” by a global terrorist organisation.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Alok Kumar said the police are trying to find out the 24-year-old’s links with people outside Karnataka. Shariq, hailing from Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district, was travelling in an autorickshaw with a pressure cooker fitted with detonator, wires and batteries, when it exploded on the outskirts of Mangaluru on Saturday. He suffered burn injuries, is currently being treated in a city hospital and unable to speak. The Karnataka police termed the explosion “an act of terror” with intention to cause serioud damage. They are probg the incident along with central agencies. “…Our priority is to see that he survives, we have to take him to a stage where we can question him”, Kumar said on Monday.
Heavy rain interrupted play with Team India scoring just enough for a tie in the final T20 against New Zealand here and walking away with a series win in the three-match series.
The Duckworth-Lewis method was employed as the rain did not allow play after India had scored 75/4 in 9 overs chasing a target of 161 runs.
With the first match having been washed away due to rain and India having won the second match, the Hardik Pandya led-team clinched the series 1-0.
This is the second time India has won a T20 series under the leadership of Pandya. India had earlier won a series against West Indies under his leadership earlier this year.
Chasing 161, the visitors did not get the best of starts losing opener Ishan Kishan dismissed by Adam Milne for 10 in the second over as they lost the first wicket with only 13 runs on the board. Rishabh Pant looked dangerous in his short stay but was dismissed in the very next over by Tim Southee for 11 of 5 balls. In the very next ball Shreyas Iyer was sent packing to leave India tottering at 21/3.
India desperately needed a partnership and skipper Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav did just that by taking India’s total beyond 50-run mark in 4.4 overs.
India went on to score 58 runs with the loss of three wickets in six overs of powerplay. Ish Sodhi was introduced into the attack and he broke the 39-run partnership. Deepak Hooda walked out to join his skipper Hardik Pandya and the duo took India’s total to 75/4 in 9 overs. Rain then interrupted the play and it started pouring heavily forcing the umpires to call off the match.
India’s score of 75/4 in 9 overs was on par with the Kiwis as per Duckworth-Lewis method. Mohammed Siraj was declared as ‘Player of the Match’ while Suryakumar Yadav was named ‘Player of the Series’.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. New Zealand faced a jolt in the second over as pacer Arshdeep Singh trapped Finn Allen leg-before-wicket for just three runs off four balls.
NZ was 9/1 in 1.3 overs. Mark Chapman joined Devon Conway, the other opener. Both started to hit Indian bowlers with some clean strikes. Conway in general looked aggressive, smashing Arshdeep for two fours and a six in the fourth over.
The duo were slowly building a good partnership but Chapman found Arshdeep at mid-on on Mohammed Siraj’s second delivery of the spell. Chapman was back for 12 off 12 balls. Kiwis were reduced to 44/2 in 5.2 overs. Glenn Phillips joined Conway.
At the end of six overs, NZ was at 46/2, with Phillips (1*) and Conway (23*) unbeaten. Phillips and Conway brought up their fifty-run stand in 43 balls. In the second half of the innings, Phillips upped his run rate, smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel for fours and sixes. Conway brought up his half-century in 39 balls, while Phillips brought up his eighth T20I fifty in just 31 balls.
At the end of 15 overs, the Kiwis scorecard was much healthier at 129/2, with Phillips (53*) and Conway (54*) still on the crease. The 86-run partnership between the duo came to an end as Siraj dismissed Phillips for 54 off 33 balls. New Zealand was at 130/3 in 15.5 overs.
Arshdeep also took another wicket quickly, sending back Conway for 59 off 49 balls. Kiwis was at 146/4 in 16.4 overs. India continued to make a comeback in the match. As the pair of Siraj and Pant dismissed a dangerous James Neesham for a duck.
In 17.1 overs, NZ had lost five wickets for 147 runs. Mitchell Santner was Siraj’s fourth wicket, he was back in the pavilion for just one. Kiwis’ collapse continued as all-rounder Daryl Mitchell was dismissed for 10 off five balls and Ish Sodhi was also dismissed.
Arshdeep got both wickets, taking his wicket tally to four. NZ was at 149/8. Adam Milne was run out by Siraj for zero. Kiwis finished their innings 160 all out, with Harshal Patel taking the last wicket, dismissing Tim Southee for six. Mohammad Siraj was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 17 runs in four overs. Arshdeep also took 4/37. Harshal took a wicket.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 160 in 19.4 overs (Devon Conway 59, Glenn Phillips 54, Mohammad Siraj 4/17, Arshdeep Singh 4/37) vs India 75/4 in 9 overs (Hardik Pandya 30*, Suryakumar Yadav 13; Tim Southee 2/27).
A Special Court of Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday sought a response from Tihar Jail Authorities on jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain’s plea for direction to provide food as per his religious beliefs and to immediately conduct a medical check-up of the applicant which has been due since October 21.
The Special Judge Vikas Dhull on Tuesday listed the matter for tomorrow and issued notice to Tihar Jail Authorities related to the Food and health status of Satyender Jain.
The same Court also heard the detailed arguements on a contempt plea moved by Satyneder Jain’s legal team alleging ED for leaking CCTV footage of Satyender Jain despite there was undertaking not to leak any content of that pen drive containing video of inside Tihar Jail. The court posted the matter for November 28, 2022.
In his plea, Satyendar stated that the jail administration has stopped providing Satyendar Jain/applicant with basic food items as per his religious beliefs which include fruits, vegetables, mixed seeds, dry fruits, and dates.
As the applicant has been on a religious fast for the last 6 months, the dietary intake of such basic food items is necessary for his sustenance, nourishment, and survival. Due to the said religious fast, there is a serious risk of protein and iron deficiency, the plea stated.
The plea has been moved before Special Judge Vikas Dhull, which is likely to be heard on Tuesday along with other pending applications. The same court recently dismissed bail for Jain and two others in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Jain in a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
The plea further stated that due to the withdrawal of food items being provided to the applicant, he has alarmingly lost 2 kg of weight in the last week.
In total since the day of his arrest, he has lost 28 kg in the last six months which is indicative of the applicant’s debilitating health status. It is his most basic human right to have food to survive. The said stoppage of food items during the religious fast is illegal, and arbitrary and amounts to harassment of applicants within the Jail premises.
The plea also stated that the applicant was due for a medical check-up including MRI Scans on the October 21 and the same was not allowed to be done by the jail authorities, citing one excuse or another, ultimately delaying it till now for 30 days.
That the applicant has had a history of severe medical illness – the post-COVID cardio-pulmonary issues, falling in jail toilet causing damage to his nerve endings and an injury in the spine – for which the Applicant has been admitted to hospital- both prison and referral, and has been operated on twice under anaesthesia, whereby injections were administered to block the nerves causing pain and the applicant’s recovery was then advised to be augmented with a physiotherapy regimen.
Ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh Deshmukh on Tuesday withdrew his anticipatory bail application.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier issued summons to Hrishikesh for questioning in an alleged money laundering case, in which his father, Anil Deshmukh, was arrested.
Hrishikesh is also an accused in the case and never appeared before ED despite summoning by the agency, said sources.
Hrishikesh Deshmukh was an active participant in money laundering and had assisted his father in laundering the ill-gotten money, sources said.
ED had asked Hrishikesh to appear before it on November 6, but he failed to do so, said ED officials. Hrishikesh’s father Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED in November last year in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations levelled against him by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
In a letter to CM Thackeray, Singh had alleged that Anil Deshmukh was involved in several wrongdoings, including asking Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs100 crore from bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
Anil Deshmukh allegedly misused his position as state home minister and collected Rs4.70 crores from various bars in Mumbai through some police officers.
Late goals from Cody Gakpo and Davy Klaassen guided a spirited Netherlands to 2-0 victory over Senegal in the Group A match here at Al Thumama Stadium.
The contest with tight and the two teams were unable to score for most part of the match. The teams made several moves but each time the ball missed the goal or was put out.
The breakthrough came for Netherlands in the 84th minute through strike by Cody Gakpo. The Dutch were playing their first World Cup match since 2014, failing to qualify for the tournament’s previous edition in Russia in 2018.
The Netherlands had an opportunity to take the lead in the sixth minute as Cody Gakpo passed the ball to teammate Steven Bergwijn whose attempt was blocked.
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong failed to capitalize on another chance in the 18th minute. The Netherlands failed to convert their chances into the goal and the first half ended in a deadlock.
While the Dutch team seemed to have an edge in the first half, it looked to have lost some steam in the second half. Cody Gakpo’s goal was also a result of poor goalkeeping by Eduard Mendy as he went out to punch the ball and completely missed it. Gakpo’s header was on target as the Netherlands opened their account.
In the stoppage time, Memphis Depay’s shot forced Edouard Mendy to parry to Davy Klaassen, who provided a comfortable tap-in to make it 2-0 for Netherlands. The Dutch are on top of Group A with Ecuador, who scored a 2-0 win over Qatar in the tournament’s opening match on Sunday.
There was not much to choose from in terms of ball possession as the Netherlands had 53 per cent in comparison to Senegal which had 47. Senegal had four shots on target while the Netherlands had only three.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray ) senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday hit out at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for his recent comments on Shivaji and said that the dignity of the governor ended in Maharashtra.
Speaking to the media Sanjay Raut said “We are not ready to consider him as Governor. He is a humble BJP worker. Governor should be neutral and show dignity in his words and conduct but our Governor speaks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule. He has made a mockery out of Maharashtra.”
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a hero of the past era and the state may turn to personalities such as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to Nitin Gadkari as their present heroes.
The remarks have sparked a huge controversy as Maratha organizations and opposition leaders demanded that the center should recall the governor.
Sanjay Raut further said “There was never such anger against any Governor in any state. People are agitating. The dignity of the post of Governor has ended in Maharashtra because BJP has made the Raj Bhavan its party headquarter.”
Media On NCP and some Shiv Sena (Shinde group) leaders’ demand of moving out Maharashtra Governor, Sanjay Raut said that It is not only our feeling but the ruling MLAs and ministers also want the same thing but not expressing publicly.
After three days of silence from Shinde group of Shiv Sena, an MLA from Maharashtra’s ruling Sena faction spoke up against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji.
“Ship him out” was the unambiguous message from Sanjay Gaikwad to the BJP, heaping embarrassment on the ruling ally which has been caught in the political firestorm over Koshyari’s remark.
“The Governor should understand that the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never age and he cannot be compared to any other great person in the world,” Sanjay Gaikwad said.
NCP leader Mahesh Tapase said that Maharashtra Governor always created controversy due to his statements.
He said, “Today, in a letter to President Draupadi Murmu, I will request her to write to Maharashtra Governor and make him aware of his responsibilities. If he doesn’t listen, he should be transferred to another state.”
