Who is Remy Rowhani, the Baha'i leader jailed in Qatar over social media posts?
The ruling comes two weeks after UN human rights experts voiced 'serious concern' over Rowhani's detention, calling it 'part of a broader and disturbing pattern of disparate treatment of the Baha'i minority in Qatar.' The experts stressed that 'the mere existence of Baha'is in Qatar and their innocuous presence on X cannot be criminalized under international law.'Rowhani, a former head of Qatar's Chamber of Commerce, had faced earlier accusations over routine fundraising linked to his role in the Baha'i National Assembly. The latest charges involve posts on the Baha'i community's X and Instagram accounts, including greetings for Qatari holidays and Baha'i writings.Prosecutors argued the accounts 'promoted the ideas and beliefs of a religious sect that raises doubt about the foundations and teachings of the Islamic religion,' according to the BIC.The Baha'i faith — founded in the 1860s by Baha'u'llah, a Persian nobleman revered by followers as a prophet — promotes an interfaith credo. While accepted in many countries, it faces harsh repression in parts of the Middle East, particularly Iran, which bans the faith and has been accused by rights groups of influencing anti-Baha'i policies in places like Yemen, Egypt and Qatar.From its earliest days, Shiite Muslim clerics have branded Baha'is as apostates. Persecution escalated after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, when many followers were executed or disappeared. Today, there are fewer than eight million Baha'is worldwide, with the largest number in India.- EndsWith inputs from Associated PressMust Watch
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22 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
How Jinnah survived an assassination attempt in Bombay
On a July day in 1943, Muhammad Ali Jinnah entered his secretary's room in his Malabar Hill bungalow to find a young man speaking with the secretary. The man was desperate for a meeting with the Muslim League leader. He hoped that if he could just speak to Jinnah, he might convince him to reach a compromise with the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi on the issue of India's partition. But instead of dialogue, there was violence. Aggravated by Jinnah's refusal to meet, the young man pulled a knife from his pocket and attempted to stab him in the throat. Jinnah managed to deflect the blade – just barely. He suffered a small puncture wound on his jaw and a gash across the back of his hand. His assailant, Rafiq Sabir Mozangvi, was quickly overpowered by the household staff and arrested by the Bombay Police. But one question lingered: who was this man, and had he travelled halfway across India to attack the leader of the Muslim League? Travels from Lahore The story begins weeks earlier in Lahore, when Mozangvi boarded a train to Delhi, driven by a burning political grievance. Although only 32, Mozangvi had lived many lives – working as an electrician, committing petty crime, serving short stints in prison, and shifting allegiances among the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League and the Ahrar Party. Eventually, he aligned with the Khaksar movement, a paramilitary group led by political theorist and Islamic scholar Allama Inayatullah Khan Mashriqi, who opposed the creation of Pakistan and believed Muslims could prosper in a united India. 'I decided to stay at Delhi for a day as I thought Mr. Jinnah might pass through there, but on making enquiries I was told that Mr. Jinnah was probably already in Bombay,' Mozaangvi told the Bombay Police in a statement. From Delhi, he took a train to Cawnpore, spending a few hours there, and then hopping on another train to Mughal Sarai. 'As I travelled all the way without a ticket, I found it necessary frequently to alight from the train and catch another train,' Mozaangvi said, 'and I eventually reached Bombay V.T. Station at sometime near 8 pm last night having travelled via Gwalior, Busaval, Bhopal, etc.' He wandered the bazaars at night, slept on the footpath, and bathed in a mosque – though he could not say exactly where, claiming his mind was 'obsessed with the object' of meeting Jinnah and discussing the 'political policy of the Muslim League'. He asked around for directions to Jinnah's house and was given a receipt by a Muslim League member bearing the printed address of Jinnah's bungalow on Mount Pleasant Road. Angry confrontation At the gates of the bungalow, Mozangvi told the security guard, a 'Pathan with a long moustache', that he wished to see Jinnah. He was escorted to Jinnah's secretary, AI Syed, who asked him to put his request in writing. As they spoke, Jinnah himself walked in and asked what the visitor wanted. From this point, accounts diverge. According to John Colville, the Commissioner of Police for Bombay, Mozangvi told 'Mr. Jinnah that he wanted to have an interview with him regarding the solution of the present political deadlock in the country and Mr. Jinnah's refusal to see Mr. Gandhi. Mr. Jinnah told him that he was very busy and had no time, and that Rafiq Sabir could make an appointment with his Secretary and could see him in a day or two.' This apparently enraged Mozangvi, who first punched Jinnah in the jaw and then tried to stab him. 'Mr. Jinnah warded off the blow and caught hold of the assailant's right hand with his left hand and in doing so sustained an incised wound on the back of his left hand one and half inches long skin deep,' Colville wrote in a letter to the Home Secretary. 'He also sustained a small punctured wound on the angle of the left jaw.' Jinnah's servants managed to subdue Mozangvi and summoned the police, who arrived promptly and arrested him. Mozangvi offered his own version of events. He claimed that when Jinnah entered the secretary's office, he pointed at him and said something in English. 'I stood up and saluted and explained to Mr. Jinnah that I had travelled a long way to see him and asked him to hear me,' Mozangvi said. 'Mr. Jinnah abruptly refused and pointed towards the door saying in English 'get out' or 'walk out.' I do not remember which expression he had used, but the purport of his words was that I should leave the place. I understand enough of the English language to know what was being said.' Mozangvi said he refused to leave and repeated his request for an interview. At that, Jinnah 'flew into a rage' and abused him, calling him a 'dog' and 'zalil (despicable)'. He claimed that Jinnah's servants tried to push him out of the room and struck him. 'I also used my fists in retaliation,' he said. 'Mr. Jinnah was standing nearby. During the struggle, I remembered a clasp knife that I had in my pocket and took it out in self-defence. I cannot say how Mr. Jinnah was injured.' During interrogation, Mozangvi insisted that his only purpose in meeting Jinnah was to urge him to speak with Gandhi. 'I have no real grudge against the Muslim League or against Mr. Jinnah personally, beyond my disapproval of certain points of policy followed by them.' He added that he believed Jinnah lacked sincerity in seeking a constructive dialogue with Gandhi. 'I disapprove of Mr. Jinnah's attitude in this matter and consider he is doing a disservice to Muhammedans and to India in general. On giving the matter considerable thought I came to the conclusion that Mr. Jinnah's true policy is one of self-aggrandisement and that he has no real desire to do anything towards ending the political deadlock in the country for the mutual benefit of all Indians.' Panic in Bombay The police report noted that Jinnah's injuries were not serious and were treated by Dr Massina on Pedder Road. Soon after, Jinnah addressed the press about the attack. 'Although it was a serious and well-planned attack, no serious injuries were inflicted on me,' he told Reuters. 'I do not want to say anything just now but I appeal to Muslims to remain calm and cool, and let us all thank Providence for this miraculous escape.' The news of the attempted assassination spread through Muslim neighborhoods in Bombay. Some shopkeepers shuttered their stores until Muslim League workers assured them there was no need to panic. 'All the newspapers, including the extreme Congress press, had condemned the attempt and congratulated Jinnah on his escape,' the Intelligence Bureau wrote in a confidential report. The Bombay Police contacted their counterparts in Lahore and requested that an officer be sent to interrogate Mozangvi to determine whether a broader conspiracy was at play, as the Muslim League alleged. 'I saw Mr. Jinnah shortly after the incident and in the course of conversation I questioned him as to whether in his opinion the action of the assailant was that of one man instigated by an idea which he developed in his own mind or whether it was an idea planted by someone else,' Commissioner Colvile wrote in a letter to the director of the Intelligence Bureau. 'Mr. Jinnah's opinion was that the idea had been planted there by Allama [Inayatullah Khan] Mashriqi, the Khaksar leader.' When Colville expressed his doubts, Jinnah replied that Mashriqi 'was a very indiscreet gentleman and also extremely pig-headed and obstinate'. The commissioner offered an alternative explanation. 'I suggested that a leader might convey to several of his trusted followers that Mr. Jinnah was an obstacle to Self-Government, and that if he were removed, their goal might be within reach. This small group might then have incited the assailant to commit this dastardly act,' Colville wrote. 'Mr. Jinnah doubted this and said that in his opinion Allama Mashriqi was so indiscreet and individualistic that it was not at all unlikely that he personally would have expressed such views to the assailant – and that the assailant, having absorbed the idea, decided to act on it.' The Criminal Investigation Department had a file on Mozangvi, revealing that he had lived in various parts of India, including Aligarh, where he ran a tea shop, and Calcutta, where he was wanted for theft in May 1943. He remained untraceable after the theft until he resurfaced in Bombay two months later. The file also revealed that Mozangvi had embezzled Khaksar funds in Cawnpore. The police found no direct evidence linking the assassination attempt to Mashriqi. Threat to life In November 1943, Mozangvi was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by the Bombay High Court. The court found no links between the attack and the Khaksar movement. Police records from 1943 reveal that there was another plot by members of the Khaksar movement to assassinate Jinnah that year. 'It was reported that one Abdul Rahim Dagh, a resident of Ambala district and Nazim Bab-i-Ali of the Delhi Khaksars, had called on Sadiq, alias Munir to Delhi, and detailed him to proceed to Bombay to murder Mr. Jinnah,' GAJ Boon, assistant director of the Intelligence Bureau, wrote in a December 1943 report. When members of the movement in Delhi heard about the plot, they immediately informed Mashriqi. 'It was reported that Allama Mashriqi ordered that the plan must be frustrated at all costs,' Boon noted. The bureau remained vigilant, monitoring individual Khaksar members who might attempt to assassinate Jinnah. 'While, therefore, there is no evidence at present that the Khaksars are planning to assassinate Mr. Jinnah, it remains true that the Khaksars are not particularly pleased with him and the possibility of an individual attempt to harm him physically cannot, in the circumstances, be entirely discounted,' Boon added. 'Fortunately Rafiq Sabir has received heavy punishment for his attack on Mr. Jinnah and this may deter others from repeating the performance.' Mashriqi, who opposed the partition of India until the end, would go on to become a citizen of Pakistan after its formation. He remained politically active until his death in 1963.
NDTV
22 minutes ago
- NDTV
Stepdad's Viral Push-Up Punishment For Stepson Divides Internet On Parenting Style: 'Not Okay'
A stepfather's actions to discipline his stepson has divided the internet, leading to extensive debate regarding the right kind of parenting style. In a now-viral video posted on Instagram, the child can be seen completing push-ups and 60 squats after he seemingly gave a sassy reply to his mother. The punishment was handed over after Dustin Maletich overheard his stepson, Tommy, tell his mother to "chill". In response, Mr Maletich, who works as a prison corrections officer, immediately told Tommy to get down and start with the push-ups. "I will never stop being grateful to be raising kids with a real man who knows how to be a father, especially to his boys. This is masculinity," the mother, Katie Maletich, captioned the video. "I was trying to send a work email while making breakfast for my family and my son kept asking me to use my phone after I had repeatedly told him "no, you need to wait." His dad overheard him tell me to "chill" and here is how he handled it," she added. After the punishment was complete, Mr Maletich had a calm discussion with the child about the importance of speaking respectfully. They ended the conversation with a hug as Mr Maletich told Tommy he loved him. See the viral post here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katie & Dustin. Blended Family. Oregon (@raisingmaletich) Also Read | 'Bhopal To Harvard': Indian Student's Emotional Family Reaction To Admission Goes Viral Internet divided However, as the video went viral, the reactions were mixed. While a section of users agreed with the parenting style, others said the use of physical punishment was abuse. "Umm nope! That's not ok. Physical punishment is never ok. I can't believe the mom just stood there and let it happen," said one user while another added: "This is abuse and also posting it on the internet is even worse!" A third commented: "My favourite part was when the dad hugged him and gave him love reassurance after putting boundaries and teaching discipline, he made sure the kid's feelings count too." A fourth said: "Great parenting! Both mom and dad. Your kid might not be able to do a push up but every physically mobile kid can do burpees until they're too tired to smart-mouth momma!" "If you have ever done 60 squats, you know it is painful, especially in a young prepubescent child," Dr Dyan Hes, paediatrician and medical director at Highline Modern Medicine in New York told Fox News. "Regardless, this is still a form of corporal punishment. Exercise should invoke positive connotations, not negative ones."
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Lawrence Bishnoi gang members held for ‘Independence Day terror plot', police say
The Rajasthan Police have detained some people who had allegedly planned to carry out terror activities in Delhi and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, on the occasion of Independence Day, August 15. Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch) Dinesh MN said that Jitendra Chaudhary, a native of Tonk, Sanjay, a native of Hanumangarh district, and Sonu alias Kali, from Kapurthala, Punjab, apart from three minors, were picked up from Jaipur and Tonk districts last week and handed over to Special Operation Cell, Amritsar, Punjab Police. The accused were wanted in connection with a July 7 blast in Nawanshahr, Punjab. The ADG said that in order to spread terror and extort money, the henchmen of Lawrence Bishnoi gang had thrown a grenade in front of a liquor shop in Nawanshahr and fled to Rajasthan. The Punjab Police had lodged a case under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 49 (abetment outside India for offence in India), 55 (abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 61 (2) (Criminal conspiracy) as well as sections of the Arms Act. He said that a team led by Siddhant Sharma, Additional Superintendent of Police, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), was sent to Jaipur Range and Ajmer Range, following the Nawanshahr blast. 'The team concealed its identity and, without caring for their lives, worked hard to collect intelligence about the wanted and arrested them on August 10,' the ADG said. 'Upon interrogation, it was found that they are associated with Lawrence Bishnoi gang and that their handler is Zeeshan Akhtar, who lives in Canada and had taken responsibility for the murder of Baba Siddique in Mumbai,' he said, adding that Zeeshan Akhtar, Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Manu Agwan and Gopi Nawanshahria are all allegedly connected with each other. 'They carry out criminal activities in different parts of the country and contact local youth by luring them with money to commit the crime. The accused in the present case are connected with Zeeshan Akhtar through Instagram and other online apps. Zeeshan Akhtar had also provided grenades to the accused for the Nawanshahr blast. He used to give instructions to them through online applications. He had also instructed them to carry out blasts in Delhi and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, on Independence Day, August 15,' the ADG said. In June, Mumbai police had said that Zeeshan Akhtar, who is one of the main accused in the murder case of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, has been detained in Canada. However, there has been little clarity on the case or Akhtar's whereabouts since then.
