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ISIS bride Shamima Begum’s Remorse is a Load of Fake Bullshit

Tara Abhasakum
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ISIS bride Shamima Begum’s Remorse is a Load of Fake Bullshit

Shamima Begum doesn’t feel any real remorse for her involvement in the ISIS. She simply cares about herself.

Last week, ISIS bride Shamima Begum was interviewed by Sky News about her involvement in ISIS. She said, “I don’t regret it [joining the caliphate], but when I saw underground oppression, it really hit me.”

Well, if she doesn’t regret it, then seeing oppression couldn’t have really hit her that hard.

But Begum’s lack of remorse goes further than this. In an interview with The Telegraph on Sunday, Begum was asked what she thought about the enslavement and rape of Yazidi women by ISIS fighters, she replied, “Shia do the same in Iraq.”

Let’s dissect Begum’s logic here: “If other people do it, then it’s okay.”

We are talking about the systematic rapes and torture of an already persecuted religious minority whose only “crime” is not being Muslim. ISIS persecution of Yazidis has involved cutting open pregnant women and raping their babies to death, as well as gang rape, and other unspeakable forms of torture.

Yet, all that Begum has to say is, “Shia do the same in Iraq.” Impressive. If one group commits genocide, then it’s perfectly acceptable for others to do the same, right?

Just one week later, Begum now says that she regrets joining ISIS because she “didn’t realize” the things they were doing. This is despite the fact that Begum says she was unfazed by seeing human heads in garbage cans. She’s really not doing a good job of making a case for herself.

Yet, there are already people defending Begum’s “right” to have a second chance. Those who take this position have even gone so far as to describe Begum as a victim of “grooming.”

ISIS propaganda videos show fighters beheading people. Even if it were true that Begum was “groomed” to an extent, and that she was presented with some of the “benefits” of being an ISIS bride (i.e having a husband, family, and house), it is highly unlikely that Begum was unaware of the violence that ISIS perpetrates.

That ISIS might provide some material benefits to jihadi brides is in no way an excuse to join a genocidal death cult. If Shamima showed no remorse for her actions just one week ago, why, then should we believe her when she says that she feels remorse now?

Where Do We Go From Here?

The internationally recognized Rome Statute of Crimes Against Humanity recognizes the following crimes as crimes against humanity:

  • Murder
  • Extermination
  • Enslavement
  • Deportation or forcible transfer of population
  • Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law
  • Torture
  • Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity
  • Persecution against an identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court.
  • Enforced disappearance of persons
  • The crime of apartheid
  • Other inhumane acts of similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health

ISIS committed what is officially recognized by the UN as a genocide against the Yazidis. This genocide involved murder, torture, rape and sexual slavery, extermination, and persecution against an identifiable group, all of which are recognized as crimes against humanity.


Yazidi survivors of the ISIS genocide (Picture credit: The Independent)

Let’s look back to Shamima Begum’s response when asked about her thoughts on the enslavement of Yazidis. “Shia do the same in Iraq.”

Nonchalant, isn’t she?                                                                                                   

It’s quite hard to doubt that Begum probably, in some way or another, helped to facilitate the genocide. Begum very likely could’ve been one of the ISIS brides who helped her husband rape Yazidis by tying them to beds, and not allowing them to breastfeed their children. In fact, many Yazidi women have testified that the wives were “worse” than the men.

This is not even to mention ISIS’s crimes against Shias, Copts, Assyrians, LGBT people, and Sunni Muslims who dare to challenge them.

Shamima Begum must be brought to the international criminal court.

Much work must also be done to locate possible victims of Begum in Iraq.

As for the possibility of “rehabilitating” Begum, no one who, just one week ago, said they were unfazed by capitated human heads, or is nonchalant about sex slavery, is likely able to be rehabilitated. If any country attempts to give Begum a chance to live anywhere outside of a prison, there is the possibility of her either committing a terror attack against locals, or tracking down former Yazidi captives to harass them, as some ISIS fighters have done.  

As she is very obviously doing right now, Begum could put on a false appearance to rehabilitation specialists to appear as though she has changed.

No one in the world with a brain stem should take Shamima Begum seriously when she says that she didn’t see what ISIS was doing, or that she now regrets her involvement in the ISIS.

Higher Education in India: Missing the Mark

Shivaji Sarkar
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Higher Education in India: Missing the Mark

“My dear, here we must run fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that”, Lewis Carol in Alice in Wonderland as quoted by Economic Survey 2017-18 in terms of  Indian education and development.

It is now certain that despite the wish, we are unable to run that fast particularly in the education or human resource development. Growing population, increased demand and increasing learning poverty gap as evident from Annual Survey of Education Reports, the Economic Survey (ES 17-18) states the basic learning benchmark is missed by sizeable section of the children despite higher enrolment and pupil teacher ratio (PTR).

Another aspect that the ES 17-18 stresses on is the basic and school education and not higher education. Despite the opening of many IITs, IIMs and central universities the allocation has remained low and general complaint of delivery has increased. It is well known that students have withdrawn from some of the newly set up IITs and many new central universities could not attract students as they lack in faculty, labs and other facilities. So it means we are posing as if we are running but actually stuck.

This is despite a positive approach by the NDA government since 2014. India in 2018 has 799 universities up from 670 in 2014 with 2.8 crore students. It looks good. But when it comes to allocation, interim budget for 2019-20 earmarked Rs 93,847.64 crore for the education sector. The allocation this year has seen an increase of 10 percent from last year. The centre during the Budget 2018 presentation had allocated Rs 85,010 crore for the sector. Out of the total allocation for 2019-20, Rs 37,461.01 crore has been assigned for higher education, while the rest of the amount, Rs 56,386.63 crore has been allocated for school education.

The centre has given some boost to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs). Two independent ‘Schools of Planning and Architecture’ (SPA) and 18 in the IITs and NITs as autonomous schools are proposed to be set up. However, there has been a decline in the budget outlays for IITs, IIMs, IISER, UGC and AICTE. The IITs alone have suffered a cut from Rs 7703 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 6143 crore. In revised estimates these can be further reduced as it happened in 2018-19, when it was cut by Rs 457 crore.

The stress on higher education has reduced. During the last two decades, governments have been stressing on school education and leaving the higher education to fend for itself. Even the ES 17-18 does not speak of higher education. The ministry of HRD has issued innumerable circulars to the higher government and autonomous institutions and universities, including the newly set up central universities to raise 30 percent of their budgetary needs on their own. In most cases it has not happened. It has affected the quality of education. They have only increased tuition and other fees. In short, India’s education has become expensive and large number students are under high debt.

Another problem most higher education institutions face is the crowding of classrooms with more and more reservations. The pupil teacher ratio (PTR) that is around 30 to 40 according to ES 17-18 in schools is mostly not there in higher education. An average of 60 to 90 is the norm. Neither classrooms have been added nor faculty. Rather in most public institutions and universities, there has not been replacement for retiring faculty.

While the process of liberalization opened up doors for setting up private universities, it has further exacerbated the quality of education. While the government universities, IITs and other institutions suffer from faculty crunch, contract employment at about 20 percent of the stipulated salaries, it is worse in private universities. The private universities, colleges and institutions have a double whammy. Without any social funding they compromise on the quality of faculty, their wages – often as low around Rs 3,000 to 30,000 a month in the best of conditions.

The governments have forgotten that higher education has been the key to the development in 1960s to 1980s. The brain drain then has become brain gain. So today without social funding, education is gasping and institutions are at their wit’s end for raising funds to meet their basic expenses.

India has to run faster. It has to rethink about education and its funding. Else despite political drum beating, the nation would remain under-developed and learning poverty ought to increase.

India strongly rejects Pakistan PM’s response to Pulwama terrorist attack

News Intervention Bureau
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India strongly rejects Pakistan PM’s response to Pulwama terrorist attack

India on Tuesday strongly rejected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s response to its allegations of Islamabad’s involvement in the Pulwama attack, saying disclaiming its link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the neighbouring country

In a hard-hitting statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We are not surprised that the Prime Minister of Pakistan refuses to acknowledge the attack on our security forces. He has neither chosen to condemn this heinous act, nor condoled with the bereaved families.” 

“Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime,” the MEA said.

“It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action,” it said

In a video message, Khan had assured India that he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares “actionable intelligence”, but warned against any “revenge” retaliatory action.

Complacency in Terrorism-infested environment means Death

Lt. Gen. (retd.) Pradeep Singh Mehta
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Complacency in Terrorism-infested environment means Death

Counter insurgency implies countering the insurgents, who are always proactive and keep seeking soft targets. On the contrary, the security forces keep looking for the needle (terrorists / insurgents) in the haystack (innumerable public). The search tends to lose impetus due to poor results over extended periods. Complacency thus sets in, thinking that all is well. A false psychological veil develops amongst the security forces who begin to overlook procedures.

The pattern of terrorism established over the last 30 years in Kashmir, wherein, the peaks and troughs of their activities in summers and winters are well known, are also overlooked due to non-institutionalised approach and short lived memories. Political masters have over the years become complacent on the Kashmir issue since they have run out of ideas and options of how to tackle this menace. Making tall statements during critical periods and crisis management times are common. However, these too are forgotten when the dust settles. The bodies of martyrs are given respectful departures with media hype to soothe the public psyche. Martyrs keep increasing but their families are left to fend for themselves. Rioting, candle lights and political statements and debates build up a crescendo, but fall flat abruptly. 

Indian memories are short-lived. Complacency sets in when memories fade away. Chitti Singhpora, Nagrota, Kaluchak, Kargil, Uri, Pathankot and now Pulwama will once again get buried in the memories of Indian public and politicians.

Common questions as to when peace will return and how and when the bloodshed will stop remains unanswered. However these too get overshadowed by political infighting and lack of political will and desire to resolve this issue.

How do we deal with this menace?  Nobody in Delhi has the answer to include National Security Council, Army HQs (Director General Military Operations), National Intelligence and Investigation Agencies. These establishments get into a muddle of numerical counts while a large disparity remains in the field of military thinking. State governments and political parties make hay while the sun shines and the opposition parties keep calibrating militancy both during lean and critical periods. Pakistan and the ISI (Inter-Services Inelligence), however, are NOT complacent! They remain extremely proactive.

30 years is a long time to realize that old thinking, measures adopted and strategies both at Strategic and Operational levels have not accrued the desired results. “Iron Fist in Velvet Glove” and Sadhbavana have been tested; they have not achieved the desired degree of success. This needs to be understood by the military thinkers. Security forces cannot solve this problem by themselves. New measures that are proactive, aggressive and dynamic have to be instituted. Security forces have to think ahead of the terrorists. When measures which were adopted at the tactical level succeeded they came under the heavy hammer of Human Rights. Major Gogoi’s method to save the situation with a person tied in front of his jeep led him to be ridiculed at the national level. Where and what are the human rights after Pulwama attack? Can anyone answer now?  With this level of confusion at the strategic level only God can save us.

Lack of political will and foresight over the last 70 years has subjected our security forces in Jammu and Kashmir to death and hell. How long can political desires of nationalist parties trample the saviours of our nation? India has failed miserably to prove to the world that Pakistan is exporting terror in our state. We don’t need to prove this to anyone, the world is not blind. The UN has failed to set things right or provide support or options. This is our war and we need to fight it ourselves to bring an end to this issue, especially when all bilateral and diplomatic measures too have failed. Time has come to unleash action instead of words.

Kashmir needs an Israeli approach or the well-tested Punjab approach. This approach should be the preliminary method put in place to break the back of terrorists, radicals, fundamentalists, OGWs (over-ground workers) as also the local political parties. The main thrust should be on a swift military offensive to capture POK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), now that the opposition and the nation stand united to teach Pakistan a big lesson and recapture the balance of J&K. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) must launch a firm directive to execute an offensive into Pakistan rather than promising that we shall teach them a lesson.

The war, since 1947, is active and on, with the troops of either side sitting across the LC (line of control) since last 70 years, with calibrated firing on a daily basis. This war needs to be completed by a final plunge. Indians should not forget that Pakistan was carved out of erstwhile Indian Punjab and portions of Sind. It is time to even test Pakistani’s nuclear irrationality and tolerance levels or the so called overhang to call the Pakistani bluff. Moreover there is a dire need to break the myth of Pakistani Army to ensure a peace loving neighbourhood.

This is the last opportunity that has come our way and needs to be cashed immediately, failing which, we will never be able to kill the snake. Another such attack in the near future where our security forces are mercilessly butchered or beheaded will prove that our policy makers and politicians are scared and self-centred with no respect for the sacrifice by our security forces, their honour as also the Sovereignty of the Nation. 

FIR against pro-Pakistan activist and JNU scholar Shehla Rashid for spreading fake news

News Intervention Bureau
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FIR against pro-Pakistan activist and JNU scholar Shehla Rashid for spreading fake news

Shehla Rashid, a former student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University and pro-Pakistan activist, was booked by Dehradun Police on Monday for allegedly spreading rumours and fear on Twitter, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. Prem Nagar Police Station has registered an FIR against Rashid under sections 505, 153, and 504 of the Indian Penal Code for disturbing public tranquility and trying to disrupt peace.

In a series of tweets, she had alleged that there were attacks on Kashmiri students living in Uttarakhand and other parts of north India. Rashid in a tweet, had said, 15 to 20 Kashmiri women students were “trapped” in a Dehradun hostel, while a mob of angry people standing outside demanded their expulsion. She added, the police was present at the spot, but was “unable to disperse the mob”.

However, the Uttarakhand Police dispelled all “rumours” in a tweet on Sunday, clarifying that the Kashmiris were not trapped in a hostel. The Dehradun Police alleged the former JNU student union leader tried creating panic among masses with her tweet. “In her tweet, Rashid claimed that Kashmiri girls were ‘trapped’ for hours and mobs outside were ‘baying for their blood’ both of which were factually incorrect and aimed at disturbing peace in the area,” the Senior Superintendent of Police Nivedita Kukreti was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

And, the crushing weight of a martyr soldier’s empty coffin

Saswat Routroy
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And, the crushing weight of a martyr soldier’s empty coffin

The airplane was ready on the runway. Coffins of the martyred CRPF Jawans (soldiers) were to be airlifted. Dheerendra Kumar Singh and his colleagues bent down to lift one of the coffins. Singh was surprised to see how easily he was able to lift the coffin, with almost zero effort. He did not feel the weight of the box. A moment later, his heart wrenched when he realized why the coffin was weightless.

Eyewitnesses recount that around 18 coffins were completely empty; they contained only the shreds of uniforms of martyred CRPF soldiers. Their bodies had just vaporized under the severe impact of 300 kilogram RDX blast.

And, empty coffins are the heaviest.

Rest of the coffins were more or less similar. What remained of the “bodies” of our martyred Jawans was nothing more than pieces and shreds of mangled, charred flesh. Soldiers who collected the ‘bodies’ of their martyred colleagues’ recount that it was impossible to collect most of the body parts simply because it had melted due to intense heat generated after the blast.

Indian soldiers look at the mangled and shredded body parts of CRPF Jawans who were martyred after a car laden with 300 kilogram high-grade explosives rammed into a CRPF bus at Pulwama in Kashmir on February 14.

The most primal thing in a funeral is the body of deceased, which is cremated. Parents, wives, children and friends of the martyred Jawans could not even get to see their man for that one last time. Several families who did not get any remnants of their sons to carry out last rites, used only tiny shreds of uniforms during the cremation rituals. All that was left of the martyred Jawan was a sea of past memories and a giant void.

The 40 CRPF Jawans who were martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack on February 14, hailed from different Indian states, were of different castes, clans and varnas. But they were Indians first. They lived and died for this nation.

Unfortunately, a specific section of people in this country often comes out with a guitar in their hands and compose songs like “This valley of death is not my country”. These “great men and women”, who often protest against the crackdown of terror outfits in the Kashmir Valley celebrate martyrdom of Indian soldiers. An Indian soldier in uniform remains the ultimate symbol of oppression in the eyes of these “great people”. These self-proclaimed ‘learned’ men and women often reach out to the terrorists to tell their side of the story but miserably fail to report about the pain suffered by a martyred Jawan’s family.

Till yesterday the martyrs’ might have been in pain seeing those few celebrating their deaths. Today, they might find solace that billions of Indians have stood up for them and want action against the traitors who have been celebrating the terror attacks and untimely martyrdom. It’s said that a new dawn comes up only with great sacrifice. The Indians who, hitherto, were lost in their self-centered lives have now started to show signs of life, they are seething with anger and demanding action against the seditious moles. It needed 40 lives to make us realize that we are intolerant to sedition. It needed 40 Jawans to make us stand against these groups of anti-nationals who sympathize with terrorists and demonize the men in uniforms.

A handful of these self-proclaimed intellectuals in this country question a Jawan’s sacrifice by comparing him with a paid security guard. These arm-chair, 5-star activists often say: “Jawans are security guards who get paid. They aren’t doing this out of greatness. Does an employer really feel pain for a security guard?” Okay yes, Jawans are security guards who get paid for their service. But their employers are 130 crore (1.3 billion) Indians who know what great service these “security guards” do. That’s why, when a commie believes that a compensation of Rs. 3,000 ($42) is too much for a security guard, the 130 crore (1.3 billion) Indians believe that even Rs. 10 lakh ($14,000) is too small an amount to compensate a Jawan. When a commie believes that we are paying back a “security guard” for his services, the nation believes that we are merely providing a maintenance for the soldier’s family, not the price of his precious life.

When a Jawan dies, the parents lose a son, children lose their father, wife loses her husband, siblings loses their brother and a friend loses his/her friend. When a Jawan dies, he leaves behind several broken hearts and a heroic legacy. All these things can never be measured by few pieces of paper with some numbers and an image of Gandhi—the rupee.

February 14th will forever be remembered in Indian history, till the day mankind exists.

For the world, 14th Feb will be the day of love.

For Indians, 14th Feb is the day of re-awakening.

Jai Hind.

Pulwama: India Seethes with Anger, Expects Decisive Action

Ravi Bhagwat
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Pulwama: India Seethes with Anger, Expects Decisive Action

Dark underbelly of Celebrity Journalists and 5-Star Activists

Ravi Bhagwat
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Dark underbelly of Celebrity Journalists and 5-Star Activists

Yes, we will win this war

Ravi Bhagwat
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Yes, we will win this war

Consider Pakistan as your second home: Imran Khan to Saudi Crown Prince

News Intervention Bureau
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Consider Pakistan as your second home: Imran Khan to Saudi Crown Prince

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman concluded his first state visit to Pakistan on Monday. The Crown Prince thanked Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan who drove him back to the air base. Khan and Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa saw off the royal guest at Nur Khan Airbase.

Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan said the relations between the two countries were focused on economic ties. “The enhanced ties are just the beginning of future relations,” he said. “Pakistan’s geo-strategic location, the comparative advantage Saudi Arabia has in certain areas, and the advantages that Pakistan has – the combination augurs very well for the future,” Khan said.

“We want you to consider Pakistan your second home. The PM House, where you were staying, rest assured that when you are in Pakistan … (you can) consider it your own house and come and stay there,” he told the visiting dignitary. Prince Salman responded by saying that he also feels “at home in Pakistan”.

Earlier, Prince Salman held one-on-one and delegation level talks with Khan and the two sides also singed seven MoUs and agreements worth USD 20 million. The Crown Prince also met President Arif Alvi, General Bajwa and a parliamentary delegation of all political parties.

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