New Delhi : Overall air quality in Delhi continues to be in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday, however, in the national capital, the Anand Vihar dipped to the ‘severe’ category with PM 2.5 at 401 and PM 10 at 414 while the CO plunged to 103, in ‘moderate’ category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’; 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’; 101 and 200 ‘moderate’; 201 and 300 ‘poor’; 301 and 400 ‘very poor’; and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
The Bawana station recorded PM 2.5 was at 452, and PM 10 at 404, both in the ‘severe’ category, while the CO reached 88 (‘satisfactory’).
At Aya Nagar, the PM 2.5 reached 360 and PM 10 was at 351, both under the ‘very poor’ category. The CO was recorded at 77, under the ‘satisfactory’ category at the weather station.
The AQI monitoring station at Dwarka Sector 8 recorded PM 2.5 at 398, in the ‘very poor’ category and PM 10 at 287 (poor) while the CO was recorded at 86, in ‘satisfactory’ levels and NO2 was at 50, in the ‘good’ category.
The air quality at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport T3 area was in the ‘very poor’ category with PM 2.5 at 374 and PM 10 at 229, in ‘poor’ levels.
The PM 2.5 at Okhla Phase-II was recorded at 417, in the ‘severe’ category while PM 10 reached 370, placing it under the ‘very poor’ category. The Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) reached 100 and Carbon Monoxide (CO) was at 65, both in the satisfactory levels.
New Delhi : After searches in Punjab and Haryana, the Delhi Police Special Cell has detained a man, aged around 35, in connection with the pro-Khalistan graffiti on the walls of ISBT flyover in September, sources said, adding that banned SFJ founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had offered him money.
The man has been identified as Malak Singh and he was detained from Kurukshetra in Haryana.
As per media reports he was promised monetary benefits for the job by the ‘Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)’ handler, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Sources said that Malak Singh was being grilled to unearth the whole conspiracy.
More details were awaited.
In September, the Delhi Police had registered a case under the appropriate sections of the IPC following an incident in which pro-Khalistan graffiti was found on the walls beneath the Kashmiri Gate flyover.
A senior police official had said then, “As per the signage boards visible in the video, extensive search was launched in the area of North District, and graffiti was found on Yudhister Setu flyover coming from Seelampur towards Kashmere Gate.
“The FIR has been registered under the relevant sections of the India Penal Code and Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act. A probe has been initiated in the matter.”
In August the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch had arrested two men from Punjab over charges for defacing walls at five Delhi Metro stations with pro-Khalistan messages. The accused identified as Pritpal Singh a.k.a Kaka (30) and his associate Rajvinder alias Kale, who are associated with banned terror outfit SFJ, were promised USD 7, 000 for the job by the SFJ handler, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The walls at the metro stations of Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar, Udyog Nagar, and Maharaja Surajmal Stadium metro stations were smeared with the slogans “Delhi Banega Khalistan” and “Khalistan Zindabad”. A government school wall in Nangloi had also been defaced.
A video purportedly released by the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) displayed the vandalised metro station walls.
Sikhs for Justice was banned on July 10, 2019 by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its alleged anti-India activities.
Dense fog has caused disruptions in flight operations at the Srinagar international airport and the morning traffic as the cold wave strengthens its grip on Kashmir.
A dense fog cover engulfed most parts of Kashmir, affecting traffic in the early hours.
“The fog has delayed morning flights on Monday and Tuesday. The visibility remains poor in the early hours,” an official of the Airport Authority of India said.
The declining temperatures have dipped below freezing point, with various areas across the valley marking their coldest nights over the last some days.
Shopian in south Kashmir recorded a bone-chilling low of minus 3.9 degrees Celsius, while Srinagar city itself dropped to minus 1.2 degrees Celsius on Monday night, according to the Meteorological Department.
The cold spell has been widespread, with Qazigund hitting a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg ski resort at minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam at minus 2.9 degrees Celsius, and Pulwama at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius.
The temperature drop has prompted discussions about closing schools for younger students. The Private Schools Association of Kashmir has urged the administration to declare winter vacations for primary classes.
Visibility remains poor during the early hours, affecting travel and necessitating caution during this period, as mentioned by an official from the Airport Authority of India.
The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, experienced the coldest night of the season as temperatures dipped to a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, marking a drop of nearly 2 degrees from the previous night’s 0.9 degrees.
According to the meteorological department, this is 1.0 degree below the normal temperatures expected for this time of year in the capital city.
The city woke up to a thick blanket of fog that significantly reduced visibility, causing disruptions in both pedestrian and vehicular movement during the morning hours. This foggy condition extended across various parts of the Kashmir valley, affecting daily routines for several hours.
Other areas in the region also felt the cold sting of winter settling in. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, registered a minimum temperature of 0.4 degrees Celsius, a deviation of minus 1.0 degree from the usual for this location. Pahalgam, renowned for its scenic beauty in south Kashmir, reported a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, almost 1 degree below its typical temperature.
Kupwara in north Kashmir experienced a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius, down by 1 degree from its normal conditions, while Gulmarg, the famed skiing destination in the north, recorded a minimum of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, maintaining its usual temperatures.
Contrastingly, Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir, maintained its typical temperatures, recording a minimum of 12.6 degrees Celsius, consistent with the expected norms for this time.
The weather forecast until November 26 suggests generally dry conditions with occasional cloudiness expected on November 25. The meteorological department anticipates shallow fog with mist during the morning and evening hours, predicting no significant weather activities during this period.
New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha has moved the Delhi High Court against the dismissal order of a trial court in a criminal defamation complaint lodged by Delhi BJP leader Chhail Bihari Goswami.
On November 9, Special Judge MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court dismissed the appeals filed by AAP leaders Satyendar Jain and Chadha.
Jain is currently incarcerated in an excise policy case. Judge Nagpal had upheld the magisterial court’s order summoning Jain and Chadha as accused in Goswami’s complaint, accusing Jain and Chadha of making defamatory remarks against him regarding the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) funds.
He had deemed the trial court’s order as perfectly correct and legal on facts as well as in law.
On Monday, Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma asked Chadha’s counsel to file additional documents and posted the matter for hearing next on December 11.
Goswami’s complainant alleged that the defamatory remarks were intended to lower Goswami’s moral and intellectual character in the eyes of the general public. These remarks are related to the alleged misappropriation of funds of around Rs 2, 400-2, 500 crore belonging to North MCD being controlled or ruled by the BJP.
The Special MP/MLA court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Vinay Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr has framed charges against four-time MLA and former minister Anil Sharma in a land fraud case in which he allegedly forged documents to claim ownership of a 980 square metre plot belonging to a private company in 2019.
According to advocate Javed Akhtar, a complaint was filed against Sharma by one Neeraj Tyagi, a resident of Bulandshahr, on behalf of Vaishno Infrahomes Pvt Ltd, a Bulandshahr-based company.
It was alleged that fake documents were prepared by Anil Sharma with the intention of grabbing this plot of land.
Based on the complaint by Tyagi, a complaint of fraud was filed in the court against Sharma and others.
“Sharma is accused of producing forged documents for a 980 sqm piece of land in 2019. The land was registered in the name of Vaishno Infrahomes Pvt Ltd, ” said Akhtar.
“On the basis of testimony of the witnesses and court proceedings, the court found Sharma guilty and summoned him under sections IPC 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 471 (fraudulently using genuine documents) of IPC, ” Akhtar added.
An advocate representing Sharma said, “The allegations made against MLA Sharma are false and based to defame him. Neeraj Tyagi is not associated with Vaishno Infrahomes Pvt Ltd, so he is not authorised to file such a complaint. The court has called witnesses in the case, but none appeared. We will file an appeal in the higher court against the order, ” said Sandeep Bharadwaj.
Sharma is a four-time MLA. In 2002, he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from Khurja on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket.
He was elected to the Assembly from Khurja for the second consecutive time in 2007.
In 2012, he contested in Shikarpur seat but lost to Samajwadi Party’s Mukesh Sharma. In 2017, he won from Shikarpur on a BJP ticket, and repeated the performance in 2022 from the same seat. From 2019 to 2022, he was Minister of State for Forest, Environment and Zoological garden.
Security forces killed five terrorists during an ongoing encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
“Kulgam Update – Day 2: Five #terrorists neutralized by Kulgam Police, Army, and CRPF. #Incriminating materials recovered. #Operation in final stage; area being sanitized,” said a police spokesman on X.
There was no immediate word on the identity of the slain terrorists.
The operation, underway since Thursday afternoon in the Samno pocket of DH Pora area, involved joint efforts by the Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles, 9 Para (elite special forces unit), police, and CRPF.
The forces surrounded the village overnight, enhancing visibility with installed lights near the encounter site to intensify containment measures.
Earlier this week, the army thwarted an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in the Uri Sector on November 15. In a joint operation named ‘Operation Kali,’ the army and Jammu and Kashmir Police killed the infiltrators, marking the second such attempt in the region.
Tehelka SIT investigation raises serious questions about potential existence of a larger network in the illegal sale of free passes and black marketing of match tickets.
Two days after Tehelka’s exposé on the rampant sale of complimentary passes during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, the Kolkata police summoned Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly for questioning in connection with the black marketing of cricket World Cup tickets. However, Snehasish Ganguly, who is the brother of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, had not responded to the police summons at the time of filing this report. Media reports indicate the Kolkata police have seized 94 cricket World Cup tickets and arrested 16 individuals for their alleged involvement in this illicit trade. A total of seven different cases have been registered so far.
In the first part of our investigation, we uncovered the rampant sale of ICC complimentary passes for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with prices fluctuating based on match demand. During the investigation, we encountered Pankaj Verma, a seasoned ticket tout, who revealed his ability to procure complimentary passes for virtually any desired match — all at a premium, of course.
On October 15th, our reporter’s first meeting with Pankaj Verma revealed his illicit trade in ICC complimentary passes. Pankaj offered a pass for the India-New Zealand match in Dharamsala, priced at Rs 15,000. After some haggling, he agreed to sell it for Rs 13,000. Of course, the reporter’s objective was not to attend the match but to expose the rampant corruption in the system. Before parting ways, Pankaj assured the reporter that he could arrange complimentary passes for other matches as well, costing Rs 12,000 per pass.
To verify Pankaj Verma’s habitual involvement in the sale of illicit passes, we decided to make another purchase. This time, he offered two complimentary passes for the India-England match in Lucknow on October 29, priced at Rs 7,000 per pass. Pankaj delivered the passes to us at the five star hotel of Delhi, charging a total of Rs 14,000 for the pair of passes.
During our meeting, Pankaj put a tantalizing proposition to the reporter. In addition to the complimentary passes he had been offering, he said that he could also secure “Box” seat passes for us at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. These passes would provide access to exclusive seating rights next to the players’ dugouts, along with free snacks and cold drinks. Pankaj further promised to provide us with two complimentary box passes for the Australia-England match scheduled for November 4 in Ahmedabad. He said that these passes were a personal favour from a friend, but hastened to add that any subsequent box passes would come at a cost, with rates varying depending on the teams involved in the match.
Reporter- Ye batao cricket mein jo banda hai jis sey aap pass le rahe ho… wo sirf passes tak hi limited hai ya aagey…?
Pankaj- Aagey wo box (seats) etc bhi dilwata hai…aap bata dena box bhi dilwa dunga..
Reporter- Sir pehle kyun nahi bataya..?
Pankaj- Box is wale (match) ki nahi hai..Bombay wale k liye ho jayega..?
Reporter- Bombay ka kaunsa match hai…?
Pankaj- Bombay mein bhi ek match hai.
Reporter- India ka Sri Lanka k saath ?
Pankaj- I think ..Sri Lanka ke saath.
Pankaj- Ahmedabad k pass chahiye to bata dena box ka…wo to mera ek friend hai..free of cost dilwa dunga..
Reporter- Ahmedabad mein kiska hai…?
Pankaj- India ka nahi hai ..par kisi ka hai 4 November ko…
Pankaj- Ahmedabad agar dekhna hai to box hai..?
Reporter- Box ekdum free hai..
Pankaj- Haan 1-2 ticket karwa dunga.. 2 le lo aap
Reporter- Free karwa do..ya kisi aur ka ho box..
Pankaj- Dekho aur jagah to I think paid hai wo…yahan ka na mera kafi accha hai…wo kya kehtey hain banda aviation wagera k ander ka hai…to kisi ne bas de diye…
Reporter- ICC ka koi banda hoga..?
Pankaj- Jo free hai free hai..
Reporter- Mujhe ye lag raha hai aapka jo bhi banda haina…wo ICC ka koi banda hoga ussey le rahe hai..?
Pankaj- Nahi -nahi… that is a sponsorship…jo brands wagera sponsor kar rahe hain…cricket etc k ander jaise ki XXXX hain, XXXX tyres hain….inhoney jo sponsorship kartey hain na inko kuch passes miltey hain…staff k liyeya..unke known wagera k liye ..to ye wo wala scene hai..
Reporter- Accha
Reporter- Sir ye batao.. semifinal-final ka kya scene hai..milege passes ?
Pankaj- Mil jayengey..aap mujhe bata dena kaun sa chahiye … Ahmedabad wala agar box chahiye free of cost to mujhe bata dena… 2 karwa deta hoon, mere ko bola tha us bande ne agar aap jaogey to mein dunga.
Reporter- Box mein kya kya hoga..?
Pankaj- Box aapka pavilion ke saath mein hoga.. wahan par snacks …cold drink sab free hoti hai…
Reporter- Acha Ahmedabad ka free mil jayega uske baad ?
Pankaj- Uskey baad sara paid hai…
Reporter- Wo kitney ka milega doosri jagah..paid..
Pankaj- Maine ek baar check karke bataunga…koi idea nahi hai…jo aagey se code hota hai bata dunga..
[In a surprising turn, Pankaj also disclosed his sources, revealing from whom he procured all the complimentary passes, shedding light on the intricate web of connections behind this illegal ticketing operation.]
As the conversation progressed, Pankaj revealed how black marketeers had surreptitiously purchased all the online tickets for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, leaving genuine fans scrambling for seats. He revealed the touts were now profiteering by selling them in the black market, with prices varying in response to the demand for specific matches. He pointed out that tickets for India’s matches were particularly lucrative, fetching significantly higher prices. As an example, Pankaj cited that tickets for the India-England match, originally priced at Rs 3,500, were now commanding a staggering black market rate of Rs 18,000 to 20,000 rupees per ticket.
Reporter- Ye bhi jaise aap keh rahe they demand supply par hoga jaisa aap bata rahe they…?
Pankaj- Exactly log zyadatar India ka match prefer kartey hain…India k time par zyada rate rehta hai..
Reporter- Ticket to inhoney advance mein BCCI ne online rakhey they..?
Pankaj- Haan online rakhey they khatam ho gaya …aaj ki date mein kuch nahi hai… aur mil bhi gaya to 18-20 k se kam nahi hain…
Reporter- India k match ki ya ye wali 29 October ko hai..?
Pankaj- Ye wali…18-20 ki India-England
Reporter- Black mein..?
Pankaj- Haan ji…ye wali jo ticket hai na…ye aapko milegi hi nahi….aapki complimentary ticket mein na…aap ye mat socho ismein paise nahi hai..complimentary mein. aapko itni acchi bay milegi… normal ticket nahi aayegi…complimentary complimentary hai…sirf khaney ko chodh warna complimentary bahut acchi hai…
Reporter- Ye 18k wala ticket kitney ka hai originally…?
Pankaj- 18k wali I think aayegi 3500 rupees mein..
Reporter- Rs 3500 ka 18000 mein…black mein baap re..
Reporter- Lekin saare matches ka black nahi hai sir..?
Pankaj- Saare ka nahi hai but dekhney wale matches ka end moment par black hain…jisne dekhna use dekhna hai…
Reporter- Mujhe lagta hai…jitney bhi black marteers hain unhoney pehle online booking karwa li hai…
Pankaj- Karwa li hai aur dekh bhi aaye hai…aap mano ge nahi..India-Pakistan ka to Rs 24k mein bikey hain..mere friend ne office k bande ne kai jagah dekar aaye hain…
[Pankaj provided insights into the intricate workings of the black market ticket trade for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. These ticket touts were now reselling the tickets at exorbitant prices, capitalizing on the high demand for certain matches, particularly those involving India.]
Pankaj confided in our reporter that he was initially apprehensive when he met us for the first time. His apprehension stemmed from the fact that he was selling free passes, which were strictly prohibited under ICC regulations. Also, he was uncertain about our identities and intentions.
In a candid conversation, Pankaj disclosed that the passes he was providing to us were not actually free in the strictest sense. Someone had, in fact, spent money to obtain these passes, emphasizing that securing complimentary passes was no simple feat as only insiders with privileged access could do so.
Reporter- Aur batao sir…us din to aap itna darrey hue they…?
Pankaj- Aise kaam na mein karta nahi hoon, jaise ye abhi aaye hue hain…to mein ye hi charity kar raha hoon…
Reporter- Is kaam mein aisa kya galat hai..?
Pankaj- Galat matlab…kisi k complimentary aa rahe hain kyun sale karna…complimentary mein.
Reporter- Accha free pass sale kar rahe ho aap ?
Pankaj- Free pass nahi hai ye isko bhi ..paid hota hai..
Reporter- Originally dekha jaye to ye free pass hai…?
Pankaj- Uske pass kuch na kuch portion hota hai ki wo pay karega…complimentary agar aap le rahe hain..to sabko nahi milta ..right…matlab jiske pass bahut acchi setting hogi uske baad hi wo complimentary passes le payega……itna easy nahi hai complimentary lena..
Reporter- Hmm..wahi
Pankaj- Uske liye…wo iski cost nahi hogi…but …jo le raha hai wo kuch na kuch cost pay kar raha hai….kyunki demand supply wala game hai…
[Pankaj disclosed he was initially wary of our reporter even as he explained that laying hands on complimentary passes was no mean task as it required insider connections.]
Pankaj revealed to our reporter that during our first encounter he was so overwhelmed with fear, that he fabricated details about his personal life. Pankaj said that he had lied about owning a business during their first meeting, while in reality he was employed in the treasury department of a reputable private airline.
Furthermore, Pankaj acknowledged the moral complexities of his actions, conceding that selling complimentary passes was a dubious endeavor that he had engaged in, but he was drawn to the easy money.
Reporter- Aap job mein ho apna business hai…?
Pankaj- Job mein hoon
Reporter- Us din aap apna business keh rahe they.?.
Pankaj- Wo to aisey hi… pehli baar mila tha.
Reporter- Haha…bahut zyada dare hue they aap…?
Pankaj- Dekho ji karna nahi hai..aisey kaam mere ko na bahut ajeeb lagtey hain…mein apna settled hoon…aapne XXXX ka naam suna hoga?
Pankaj- wahan par mein apna role dekhta hoon treasury ka…
[Pankaj, who claimed to be an employee of a private airline, admitted that he was conflicted about his work of selling complimentary passes for easy money. This admission hinted at the ethical dilemmas he may have faced in his line of work.]
After providing us with three complimentary passes for two different matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Pankaj assured us that he would continue to secure free passes for all upcoming matches at our request, while maintaining reasonable prices. Remarkably, he claimed that he hadn’t profited from the sale of the three free passes we had acquired for the two matches.
Reporter- Aur baki matches ka kya scene hai..?
Pankaj- Baki ka aap bata dena …mein aapke liye mangwaonga.. mere ko zyada wo nahi hai..but aapke liye mil jayega…1-2 karwa donga.
Reporter- Rate sahi lagwa do…?
Pankaj- Rate ka aap mann lo mainey aapko aisey hi bataya hai…kuch bhi nahi kamaya.
Reporter- Accha jo aagey k milenge wo ticket hongey ya complimentary?
Pankaj- Complimentary honge..ticket wagera nahi hain…wo wale Australia- Neitherland k tickets they…wo I think 1500 k they 2000 mein diya tha..
Reporter- 500 rupees zyada..?
[Even after selling us three complimentary passes for two separate ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup matches, Pankaj promised that he’d provide more free passes for future games at fair prices, claiming that he hadn’t made a profit from the passes he’d sold us.]
We paid Pankaj Rs 10,000 for two complimentary passes for the India-England match on October 29 in Lucknow. Pankaj however insisted that we pay the full amount of Rs. 14,000, as we had agreed. Butwe declined to make the additional 4,000 rupee payment on the spot, informing him that we would settle the remaining amount later through PAYTM.
Reporter- Lo gino…
Pankaj (counts money…)
Reporter- 10 ho gaye sir…?
Pankaj- 14 bola tha.. mainey pehle hi bola tha..
Reporter- Chalo baaki mein paytm kar dunga…
Pankaj- Haan haan no problem
Reporter- Kyunki mere pass cash nahi hai…
Pankaj- Aap mujhe paytm kal ya abhi kar dijiyega..
Reporter- Mein kar dunga abhi thoda sa network ka issue hai…mein kar dunga…
Pankaj- Theek hai..
Reporter- 10 k ho gaye sir…thoda sa network ka issue hai…
Pankaj- Theek hai…
Reporter- 10k ho gaye..29 October key.
Pankaj- Aap mujhe aagey wala bata dena right…aap paytm kar dena mujhe aagey de dena hai…
Reporter- Aap tension mat lo sir…Rs 14k ke 2 tickets..… 2 complimentary India- England 29 October.
[When we handed over Rs. 10,000 for two passes for the India-England match, Pankaj demanded full payment for complimentary passes. But we refused to pay the remaining Rs. 4,000 on the spot, opting to settle it later via PAYTM.]
When we inquired about acquiring the two complimentary passes for Rs 10,000, Pankaj declined our request, noting that he had already extended a Rs 2,000 discount on the first pass. He expressed his inability to offer any further discount for the two passes and emphasized that he was earning a modest Rs 500 which merely covered his petrol expenses. He said that he was essentially providing us with assistance.
Reporter- Ab aagey ka dekh lena.. thoda discount dilwa do..?
Pankaj- Sir mein aapko kya bataoon..mainey pehle hi Rs 15k par 2000 discount tab diya..
Reporter- Ye 10k ka kar lo..?
Pankaj- Agar hota to mein definitely deta ..seriously…aapko mainey pehle hi bol diya..you are really a kind person..
Reporter- Thanks a lot.
Pankaj- Mere koi bhi negotiable nahi hai..mein bhi kuch nahi kama raha sir, sirf Rs 500 bachtey hain ..petrol padh jata hai…mein to sirf aapki help kar raha hoon..
Reporter- Thank you sir…thanks for coming.
[When we proposed purchasing the two passes for Rs 10,000, Pankaj declined, citing the Rs 2,000 discount he’d already provided on the first pass. He couldn’t offer additional discounts and mentioned he was making a nominal profit of Rs 500 to cover his petrol expenses and was only helping us.]
This marks the second instalment of our investigation into the sale of complimentary passes for the cricket World Cup. We’ve unveiled Pankaj Verma’s involvement in selling these passes on two occasions. News reports from various cricketing centers indicate that agents are being caught selling World Cup tickets in black, and cases are being registered against them.Pankaj Verma’s two encounters captured on Tehelka’s camera raise serious questions about the potential existence of a larger scam in the distribution of free passes and the black market availability of tickets. The responsibility now falls on the ICC and BCCI to answer the concerns raised by our investigations.
It is said that the silence of the good people is more dangerous than the brutality of the bad people. That is what is happening in case of the continuing nightmare in Gaza. It is indeed a crisis of humanity and the recent reports of military raids in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza are appalling. More appalling is the silence of many nations that raise voices against trivial issues on the drop of hat but are observing a deafening silence on this grave crisis. Martin Griffiths, the UN’s chief of humanitarian affairs, summed up the situation when on November 15, he posted on X that, “The protection of new-borns, patients, medical staff and all civilians must override all other concerns. Hospitals are not battlegrounds.” In response, Israel says it is carrying out a targeted operation at the hospital against Hamas for allegedly running a command centre under the hospital. However, positioning tanks in the hospital compound has made the situation catastrophic.
It is amply clear that diplomatic windows are being shown the door in this conflict. It’s time for India to exert pressure for a ceasefire. India had abstained from a Resolution for a ceasefire in the United Nations Assembly only a few days back, but in such a situation when every moment counts to save lives, India must play a decisive role to mitigate the humanitarian crisis. Indeed, the Gaza catastrophe is the result of a brutal attack by Hamas killing over 1000 and taking 240 hostages, but Israel’s response to decimate Hamas and killing over 14,000 of people in retaliation is even more savage. At least 70 per cent of the population has been forcibly displaced. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for putting an end to violence and carrying out a more proportionate counter-terror campaign, unless the hostages are released.
The nightmare in Gaza is a crisis of humanity and worst victims are children, women and innocent people. Every country faces a fundamental responsibility to stop the suffering. India has taken a stand on the need for de-escalation and an early restoration of peace but it has to put its weight behind the overwhelming world sentiment for a meaningful course-correction from Israel. Even Joe Biden, the US President, has now said that “hospitals must be protected”. India’s official response to the Israel-Hamas war reflects a strategic tilt toward Israel and yet it should not be misinterpreted as a broader alignment with the United States or any other “camp” in this bitter contest. The maxim that Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has repeated in geopolitical contexts holds equally true for India’s stance in the Middle East: “Do not think it’s necessary for India to join any axis. India is entitled to make its own choices which will be a balance of its values and interests.” The time has come for India to break its silence and raise its voice to articulate options for an immediate ceasefire.
The J-K administration has taken every precaution to ensure that the valley remains free from protests related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict. It fears that any pro-Palestine rally could quickly turn into a pro-separatists stir, as has happened in the past. A report by Riyaz Wani
In 2014, when Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas fired rockets into the country, Kashmir Valley plunged into turmoil for days on end. People protested against Israel. The parts of the Valley witnessed large rallies in support of Palestine. Pro-Palestine graffiti was also scrawled across the walls.
Cut to 2023. Ever since the Israeli invasion of Gaza began following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, the Valley has been silent. There have been no public protests, no stone throwing, no graffiti on walls. However, there were some protests taken out by political parties, though.
Soon after the Israeli invasion, a gathering of Kashmiri Muslims led by Shia cleric Aga Syed Akeel, staged a demonstration in central Kashmir’s Budgam district to show their support for Palestinians. The demonstrators voiced their opposition to Israel and the US, condemning what they perceived as unjust violence against the people of Gaza. They displayed their solidarity with the besieged population of this West Asian region by holding the protest outside the Shia Imambara, with protesters carrying placards bearing messages such as ‘Ya Allah – Protect our brethren in Gaza and Palestine.’
This was followed by a protest by the PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti at her party’s office which the police later foiled.
The administration has taken every care that the protests over the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict are not held in Kashmir. And it is for this reason that the government has disallowed Friday prayers at Srinagar’s Grand Mosque. Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that he has been put under house arrest each Friday to prevent him from talking about Palestine. Even other Muslim preachers have reportedly been told not to mention Palestine in their sermons.
While this has contained public protests, the pro-Palestine sentiment runs deep in the Valley. People have been closely following the developments in Gaza, more so on social media. This has generated deep anger over the civilian killings in Gaza, which has remained pent-up with the administration stifling its public expression.
Chary administration
The administration in the Union Territory has shown itself wary of a large pro-Palestine rally which, it fears, could transform into an anti-government or pro-separatist demonstration. This has happened invariably in the past, so the government has acted proactively to discourage any public display of solidarity with Palestine.
On October 25, a high-level security review meeting was convened in Srinagar in the backdrop of the ongoing Middle East crisis to discuss the potential impact on Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the 15 Corps in Srinagar and was chaired by R R Bhatnagar, Advisor to J&K Lieutenant Governor, and Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, Army Commander, Northern Command, along with other top intelligence officers.
It’s primary objective was to coordinate and strategize security measures in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Various senior officials from the military, administration, and security agencies, including DGP J&K police Dilbag Singh and the Chinar Corps Commander, were in attendance.
During the discussions, numerous aspects related to the prevailing security situation in the Union Territory were addressed. The ongoing situation in the Middle East was deliberated upon, and contingency scenarios were discussed to ensure preparedness for any potential developments.
Over a month since the outbreak of hostilities, Kashmir has remained calm. But it is also true that the anger and resentment has remained largely subterranean.
Future fallout
Yet, the successful denial of pro-Palestinian protests by the government doesn’t guard against the potential future fallout of the war in Gaza. And this is why the security agencies made it a point to deliberate it in a meeting on October 25. It is apprehended that the militants may have been watching the progress of war right from the Hamas attack on October 7 and may be interested in what its outcome may be.
The October 7 attack launched by Hamas suddenly made Israel’s vaunted deterrence look vulnerable and it has since been trying hard to reinstate its disproportionate military superiority over Hamas. The Israeli Defence Forces have so far killed around 11,000 Palestinians, a majority of them children, and levelled entire neighbourhoods in Gaza. But it is not clear whether Israel has dented the combative power of Hamas whose members are believed to be holed up in a network of underground tunnels. This will only be clear when the war ends. The hostilities could even go on indefinitely. But it will be increasingly difficult to prolong the war considering the mounting loss of civilian lives. So far, Hezbollah, Iraqi and Yemeni militants have stopped short of joining the battle, although they have been engaged in occasional skirmishes with the Israeli army.
In contrast, however, in Kashmir, the militancy has drastically declined in recent years. The reduction in the number of militants over the last four years has considerably decreased the violence in South Kashmir where it had become increasingly concentrated over the last decade. Since the withdrawal of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, security forces have killed over 500 militants which according to some estimates has shrunk militant count to under 100 now.
The most recent estimate has put the number at 81, out of which 48 are foreigners. This is after years that the ratio between foreign and local militants has altered in favour of the former, reflecting a drastic dip in the local recruitment, which earlier replenished the depletion in the militant ranks due to the killings. However, as the influx of the foreign militants shows, the effort seems to be to compensate for the setback to the local militancy.
So, there can be no plausible comparison between what is happening in Gaza and the situation in Kashmir. The group is said to have a 40,000-strong military wing, a military academy training a range of specialisations including cyber security, and a naval commando unit. It has also put together a military infrastructure in the form of hundreds of miles of underground tunnels. This has enabled the group to mount a veritable invasion of Israel through land, water and air. And the mighty nuclear-armed military of Israel has been struggling to eliminate Hamas.
That said, the conflicts do feed off each other. The tactics adopted by militants in one part of the world are adopted in the other. This is what makes the October 7 attack on Israel a source of worry for the governments around the world. This could embolden militant groups operating in different parts of the world to stage copycat attacks, creating a dire need for the countries dealing with local conflicts to reorient their military and even political responses.
