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Tag: India

  • After Karnataka, Hijab conflict begins in India’s Uttar Pradesh

    After Karnataka, Hijab conflict begins in India’s Uttar Pradesh

    The dispute concerning the banning of the hijab has reached India’s large and populous state, Uttar Pradesh. A group of young men distributed a memorandum to college officials on Monday.

    They insisted that the administration of Dharma Samaj College implement a complete ban on the hijab in its premises. The college is located in the Aligarh district.

    The College Chief Proctor, Mukesh Bharadwaj, while talking to Reuters said, “Two years ago the same issue was raised and it has been raised again. We do not allow any type of religious uniform and we have a civil code of uniform for everyone.”

    He further added, “There is a changing room for girls and they can change their dress there before attending class.”

    He said, “We are investigating the matter.”

    The tension arose when the Indian state, Karnataka, banned religious clothes in government schools and colleges in February amid a controversy over the hijab and saffron scarves.

    Various incidents have been reported in the state when hijab-clad students were denied entry to college campuses over a fear of clashes with people belonging to the Hindutva ideology.

    Recently, the Muskan Khan incident has grabbed attention from all over the world. Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai spoke out regarding the incident as well as various Pakistan government ministers.

    Scholar and Professor Noam Chomsky also condemned the growing hatred against Islam and compared the brutal situation of IoK to Israeli forces occupying Palestine and blamed Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist regime for it.

  • Gehraiyaan: The movie actually makes you sink

    Gehraiyaan: The movie actually makes you sink

    Note: This review contains small spoilers

    Gehriyaan, the much talked about movie released after much delay on February 11 on Amazon Prime. The movie revolves around four main characters, Alisha (Deepika Padukone), Tia (Ananya Panday) who are cousins, Karan (Dhairya Karwa) who is Alisha’s boyfriend and Zain who is (Siddhant Chaturvedi) Tia’s boyfriend. The movie starts off with a couples weekend at Tia and Alisha’s childhood home where Alisha and Zain fall for each other.

    The movie’s main plot was the twisted love affair between Alisha and Zain. Their relationship starts off in a predictable way but ends rather dramatically.

    I started watching the movie thinking it was about infidelity and expected a millennial version of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. However, to my surprise, the movie had more to offer than that. Gehriyaan discusses how childhood trauma impacts our relationships when we grow up. It also talked about mental health issues in a very sensitive manner.

    The movie also stars Naseeruddin Shah who is Alisha’s father, but he is given very little screen time which was an injustice to his character. His character had a very strong impact on Alisha and the choices she made as an adult was the product of her childhood. In fact, one of the scenes in the movie in which Deepika and Naseeruddin Shah are having a conversation is one the strongest scene of the movie, and their conversation leaves you wanting more, which you don’t get.

    What worked for me and even for the people who did not like the movie, is the fact that Deepika looked effortlessly hot in the movie. Some might disagree but her hotness is the reason that doesn’t make us hate her character even after she leaves her fiance for her cousin’s fiance and starts a torrid affair. But the way she looks, the trials she suffers makes Deepika the ‘end-all, be-all’ of this movie.

    Final word: The movie does justice to the name Gehriyaan, as the movie actually makes you sink, especially in the last half of the movie. Its unpredictability and sudden twist in the story is what I liked most. However, the movie is facing criticism for the exact same reason, that it didn’t make much sense. However, the movie is worth the watch since it does highlight issues that affect all of us in the relationships that change the way we are.

  • Two men die while taking selfies

    Two men die while taking selfies

    Two men died on spot after being hit by a train in India. The deceased were standing on the railway track.

    According to India Today, Mithun Khan, 36, and Abdul Gain, 32, were taking selfies when the unfortunate incident took place in the West Medinipur district of West Bengal on Sunday.

    A third person, who was also present with the two, sustained crucial injuries and is currently hospitalised.

    The three men had gone for a picnic on the banks of the Kangsavati River. The railway bridge was situated near the spot where they went to take selfies. Eyewitnesses told the police that a train was running on the track at full speed.

    Railway Senior Section Engineer Biswajit Bala said, “Everyone is forbidden to climb on this part of the railway line. Despite the ban, many people are taking selfies lying on the train tracks. However, they did not move and ran along the line. So this accident happened.”

  • ‘Anyone who understood Afghanistan’s history would never have done what Americans did’: PM Khan

    ‘Anyone who understood Afghanistan’s history would never have done what Americans did’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has spoken about the invasion in Afghanistan by the United States (US) for the “war on terror”, which continued for 20 years, terming it as a failure.

    In an interview with the Director of the Advisory Committee of China Institute of Fudan University Dr Eric Li, PM Khan said, “Anyone who understood the history of Afghanistan would never have done what the Americans did.” He argued that after the killing of former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, American forces didn’t know what they were doing there.

    “They [Americans] were never clear on what they were trying to achieve in Afghanistan. Was it nation-building; was it democracy; was it liberating the Afghan women? They had no clear aims,” the premier posed several questions during his interview.

    Since the ousting of the Ashraf Ghani-led government, the prime minister has been supporting to unfreeze the Taliban-run country’s assets.

    He said joining the “war on terror” and the corruption of the past rulers badly affected Pakistan. Furthermore, he highlighted that the country lost about 80,000 people and over $100 billion in the war.

    Talking about the recent treatment of Indian Muslims in India, the prime minister criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for marginalisation of minorities, including Muslims, and termed it a “tragedy” for the Indian nation.

  • Pakistan slams Modi’s fascist government’s planned ‘ghettoisation of Muslims’

    Pakistan slams Modi’s fascist government’s planned ‘ghettoisation of Muslims’

    Pakistani politicians and journalists have expressed their concern and called out Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s fascist government amid the hijab ban in the Indian state Karnataka.

    The backlash on Modi is coming after a Muslim student, Muskan Khan, wearing a burqa was surrounded by Hindutva mob on Tuesday within her college premises.

    In a video, it can be seen that the mob with saffron shawls are shouting at her, chanting “Jai Shri Raam”. Khan fearlessly retaliated by shouting back “Allah Hu Akbar” (God is Great).

    In an interview with NDTV, Khan said, “Since I started studying here, I’ve always worn the burqa and hijab.” Asked if she knew the men who bullied and harassed her, Khan responded, “Some were familiar faces from the college. Others I couldn’t recognise. My college principal and lecturers were very supportive after the incident took place.”

    Reacting to her video, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi strongly condemned the banning of Hijab at educational institutions in India. He said, “World must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims.”

    He has also urged Indian Muslims to stand up for their rights in the neighbouring country, reports Radio Pakistan.

    Praising Muskan Khan for her courage, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif said, “A young Muslim Indian girl is a symbol of resistance against the Hindutva mindset.”

    Several other politicians and journalists also highlighted the fascism of the Modi government.

    Last week, the Indian state, Karnataka, banned religious clothes in educational institutions amid a controversy over the hijab and saffron scarves.

  • KFC, Pizza Hut, Hyundai under fire in India for pro-Kashmir posts

    KFC, Pizza Hut, Hyundai under fire in India for pro-Kashmir posts

    Major Indian brands are facing calls for ban and boycott by Indian nationalists after the social media handles linked with the brands in Pakistan posted messages of solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    Some of the major brands that are facing backlash include KFC, Pizza Hut and Hyundai.

    Have a look at the posts that resulted in a backlash:

    A screenshot of a 2021 post from KFC Pakistan expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir went viral on Indian social media.

    A screenshot of an Instagram post of Pizza Hut is also being widely shared. However, it is not clear if the post is from 2022.

    Similarly, a post by Hyundai Pakistan is also being shared by Indian nationalists calling for a ban on the company.

    After the backlash, and calls for boycott, Hyundai India, KFC India and Pizza Hut have issued statements.

    Pizza Hut also issued a statement saying “it does not condone, support or agree with the contents of a post circulating in social media”. 

  • Indian state bans religious clothes over hijab and saffron scarves controversy

    Indian state bans religious clothes over hijab and saffron scarves controversy

    The Indian state, Karnataka, banned religious clothes in government schools and colleges on Saturday amid a controversy over the hijab and saffron scarves.

    The situation escalated when a group of Hindu students marched wearing saffron scarves and chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while going to college, which made the state government ban such clothing.

    Another group of Hindu female students wearing saffron scarves marched in the market while chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on their way to college.

    The government order stated, “Invoking 133 (2) of the Karnataka Education Act-1983, which says a uniform style of clothes has to be worn compulsorily. The private school administration can choose a uniform of their choice.”

    The dress code has to be followed by every student given by the educational institutes’ authorities.

    The order also included, “In the event of the administrative committee not selecting a uniform, clothes which disturb equality, integrity and public law and order should not be worn.”

    The tension arose last month when a section of the Hindu right-wing group appeared wearing saffron scarves and threatened their Muslim female class fellows not to wear the hijab during classes, which made state government college in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, ban the hijab and saffron scarves over fears of rising tension.

    On February 3, the principal of the government college in Kundapura closed the gate for students wearing hijab. This incident happened after some Hindu students in saffron scarves were stopped at the gate as well. They were raising slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

    While a group of Dalit students came in support of hijab-clad students at another government college, IDSG in Karnataka.

  • Fact Check: Did SRK really spit on Lata Mangeshkar’s dead body?

    Fact Check: Did SRK really spit on Lata Mangeshkar’s dead body?

    Claim: Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan spat on legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral

    Fact: SRK did not spit at Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral

    Lata Mangeshkar, the nightingale of India, was cremated in Mumbai with full state honours on Sunday.

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and many Bollywood stars attended the funeral. Large crowds gathered to pay their respects and people on social media platforms across the world also paid their tribute to the legendary singer.

    A video in which Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was present there along with his manager, can be seen reading a Dua and then blowing it at her corpse. A typical ritual for prayers in Islam.

    However, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Arun Yadav accused SRK of spitting on Lata’s body. BJP-affiliated accounts and Hindutva trolls were called out for spreading Islamophobia and targeting Muslims.

    VERDICT: FALSE

  • ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is on a four-day visit to China, cited India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology as a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    The premier’s remarks came in an exclusive session with the heads and representatives of leading Chinese think tanks, universities, and the Pakistan Study Centre in Beijing.

    “The atrocities of India are continuing in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK). The world should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India against Kashmiris,” said PM Khan.

    Referring to India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology, PM Khan said that the country was a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    “In view of myriad global challenges, the world did not need another Cold War. Divisions could result in mounting suffering and prevent common benefits. Pakistan was, therefore, of the belief that the key driver in international politics should be cooperation, rather than confrontation,” said PM Khan.

    In his meeting with NDRC chairman and Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference vice-chairman, the prime minister said the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has a strategic significance for both countries and was delivering tangible benefits. PM Khan noted with satisfaction that CPEC’s early-harvest projects had transformed Pakistan’s economic landscape, thus laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth.

    Reaffirming the commitment of two sides to timely completion of CPEC and its high-quality development, the premier said both sides would continue to expedite efforts to achieve Gwadar’s potential as a hub of regional commerce and industry while also prioritising preparatory work on the railway’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) and key energy projects.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended the inauguration of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 at the national stadium.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the sports event that brought together around 3,000 athletes from 91 nations to compete across 109 medal games.

  • Muslim students protest over hijab ban in Indian college continues

    Muslim students protest over hijab ban in Indian college continues

    Muslim students are continuing to protest outside their college gate on Friday after they were barred from entering the premises for wearing a hijab. The college is located in Karnataka state, India.

    Police arrived at the protest after hundreds of students joined the sit-in protest and demanded that the girls be allowed to enter the college.

    They were chanting, “We want Education”.

    https://twitter.com/safaperaje/status/1489520351105241089

    Parents of the students also joined and questioned college authorities on sending their children out of school and making them stand on the road for wearing a hijab. However, college authorities claim that they have to follow the orders from the government.

    The management claims that if they allow hijab on their campus then other Hindu students would take saffron shawls and religious symbolism is not permitted in the educational institute.

    Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that religion should be kept away from education and students should neither come wearing hijab or saffron shawls to schools.

    On Thursday, the principal of the college closed the gate for students wearing hijab. This incident happened after some Hindu students in saffron shawls were stopped at the gate as well.


    They were raising slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

    Another government college in Karnataka has banned the hijab and saffron scarves over rising tension fears.