Cong leader Salman Khurshid’s home set on fire by extremists, days after book on Ayodhya

News Network

November 15, 2021

New Delhi, Nov 15: The Nainital home of Congress leader Salman Khurshid was vandalised and set on fire by extremists today, days after his new book on Ayodhya sparked a controversy by drawing a parallel between radical "Hindutva" and radical Muslim groups.

Visuals shared by Mr Khurshid on Facebook show tall flames, charred doors and shattered window panes at his Nainital home. Two men are seen trying to douse the fire by throwing water.

Sharing the visuals, the Congress leader said in a post, "I hoped to open these doors to my friends who have left this calling card. Am I still wrong to say this cannot be Hinduism?"

The former Union Minister has been under the spotlight ever since the launch of his new book, ''Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times''. At the centre of the controversy is a passage that reads, "Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years."

Hitting out, the BJP said Mr Khurshid's remark has hurt sentiments of Hindus and alleged that the Congress is resorting to "communal politics" to corner Muslim votes.

Soon after, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought to differentiate between "Hinduism" and "Hindutva" and the BJP, in a scathing response, said Mr Gandhi and his party have a "pathological hatred" of Hinduism.

Mr Khurshid also faced some criticism from within his party, with Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad terming his "Hindutva" parallel "exaggeration".

"We may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology but comparing it with ISIS and Jihadist Islam is factually wrong and exaggeration," Mr Azad said.

A Delhi-based lawyer has also filed a complaint against Mr Khurshid, also an eminent jurist.

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23 Israel-linked terrorists killed, 46 captured by Iran army

News Network

November 15,2024

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has killed or captured 69 terrorists linked to the Israeli spy agency Mossad during a major counterterrorism drill in the country's southeast, its spokesman says.

General Ahmad Shafaei, the spokesman for the “Martyrs of Security” drill, said Friday that a total of 23 terrorists have been killed and another 46 arrested in various clean-up operations ever since the IRGC Ground Force launched it in the Sistan and Baluchestan province on November 1.

Seven terrorists have also turned themselves in during the period.

“The undeniable fact about terrorists is that they rely on arrogant powers, particularly the intelligence service of the wicked and vicious Zionist regime," Shafaei said.

“Unfortunately, weapons and munitions at terrorists’ disposal are among the most sophisticated ones in the world. This accounts for their heavy dependence.”

The official stated that several members of the disbanded terror teams were non-Iranian nationals, who had been hired by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out acts of sabotage and terror inside Iran.

In a most recent operation, six terrorists were arrested and four others were eliminated, three of whom were non-Iranians, he added.

On October 26, ten members of Iran's law enforcement forces were killed in a terrorist attack in the Gohar Kuh district of Taftan in the Sistan and Baluchestan province.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault, which was one of the deadliest in the province in recent months.

The group has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in Iran, primarily in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Its tactics include the abduction of border guards as well as targeting civilians and police stations within the province to incite chaos and disorder.

In January, Iran launched a military operation during which the headquarters of the Pakistan-based terrorist group was targeted in missile strikes, destroying its infrastructure.

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