The Evening Wrap: China announces removal of Defence Minister missing for almost two months

China has replaced Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, who has been out of public view for almost two months with little explanation, state media reported on October 24. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year, following former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from office in July with no explanation offered. Li, who became Defence Minister during a Cabinet reshuffle in March, hasn’t been seen since giving a speech on August 29. There is no indication that the disappearances of Qin and Li signal a change in China’s foreign or defence policies, although they have raised questions about the resilience of president and ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s circle of power. Xi has a reputation for valuing loyalty above all and has relentlessly attacked corruption in public and private, sometimes in what has been seen as a method of eliminating political rivals and shoring up his political position amid a deteriorating economy and rising tensions with US over trade, technology and Taiwan. Li is under U.S. sanctions related to his overseeing weapon purchases from Russia that bar him from entering the country. China has since cut off contacts with the U.S. military, mainly in protest over U.S. arm sales to Taiwan, but also strongly implying that Washington must lift the measures against Li, which Beijing refuses to publicly recognise. PDP leaders detained, not allowed to protest in solidarity with Palestine: Iltija Mufti The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 24 accused the Lieutenant-Governor’s (L-G) administration in Jammu & Kashmir of denying the party permission to hold peaceful protests over civilian deaths in Palestine, and detaining party leaders. Our party general secretaries, Ghulam Nabi Hanjura and Mehboob Beg, have been placed under house arrest. Several leaders, including elected District Development Council members, have been either detained or asked to report to police stations in Kashmir. They wanted to protest against oppression in Palestine. The administration is denying us the space to carry out peaceful protests over what is happening in Palestine,” PDP leader Iltiha Mufti said. Mufti said over 1,500 children had been killed in Israeli attacks in Palestine and even phosphorous bombs had been used against civilians. On the one hand, India is sending aid and support to the idea of an independent state of Palestine and on the other, they [the government] use force and detain illegally those who want to protest in solidarity with Palestine. There is a gap between what is being said and what is being implemented on the ground,” Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said. She accused the L-G’s administration of “selectively targeting the PDP and launching a one-sided vicious crackdown”. “Other political parties are allowed to hold seminars, etc., but not our party, since 2019. Our party was split first and then the leaders were forced to quit. We recently saw that when PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wanted to protest for Palestine, she was almost manhandled by the security officers and not allowed to protest peacefully,” Mufti said. She said India is the world’s largest democracy and Opposition is an essential part of it. “We are being denied the right to raise the issues of our people. Is it a crime to hold a peaceful protest over Palestine?” she added. Mufti said political parties in a democracy were “not supposed to apply for permission for everything they did”. “If the situation is normal in Kashmir, why not allow the parties to freely express themselves?” she said. In annual speech, RSS chief targets ‘cultural Marxists’ and ‘woke elements’, asks people to vote cautiously Targeting anti-India forces for fuelling hatred in Manipur and attacking “cultural Marxists” and “woke elements” for their negative impact on India’s education and culture, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his annual address at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Tuesday, cautioned people to remain alert to “anti-India” sentiments. On Vijayadasami, which is also the RSS’ founding day, Bhagwat asked the people of India to vote for the “best available option”. In a veiled message, he asked people to “control their tongue” as their words incited hatred within the country. “For many years, Meitei and Kuki communities have been living together in Manipur. How did the violence erupt all of a sudden? That is a border area of India. If conflict will erupt here, it will benefits external forces. Are external factors involved?” Bhagwat said. Expressing concern over the influence of “cultural Marxists” and “woke elements” in negatively impacting India’s education and culture, the RSS chief said that the modus operandi of “destructive and divisive forces” involved “taking control of media and academia, and plunging education, culture, politics and social environment into confusion, chaos, and corruption”. “Such an environment enables the creation of a vicious cycle of fear, confusion and hatred. A society that is divided and entangled in mutual conflicts and confusion becomes weak, and easily and unknowingly falls prey to these destructive forces that are seeking their own dominance everywhere,” he said. “We often see that a small incident gets exaggerated and publicised in a dramatic manner....tool-kits that incite violence are activated, and mutual suspicion and hatred are further intensified. All who seek and favour harmony in society need to be wary of these nefarious games,” Bhagwat said. Warning people to control their speech (“zubaan par lagaam”), Bhagwat said that imprudent language was increasing with each passing day. He cautioned those “who want India to grow and flourish” to “not fall prey to divisive forces”. He stressed that this cautionary advice was “for all” and “not a particular community or people”. “I won’t get a house if I go to look in an area that doesn’t have my people. I will get a house only in an area where my people live. How did so much enmity develop between the people of one country?” Bhagwat said. In the special session of Parliament organised in October, BJP Lok Sabha MP Ramesh Bidhuri had hurled communal slurs at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member Kunwar Danish Ali, drawing criticism from all parties. Bhagwat said people should vote cautiously. “The country is going to hold elections to the Lok Sabha in the early days of 2024 and there will be attempts to harvest votes by inflaming emotions,” Bhagwat said. “Let us avoid these things as they hurt the unity of society. Think with a calm mind as to who is good and has done good…who is available best.” Kremlin rejects speculation that Putin is ill and uses body doubles The Kremlin on October 24 denied a report that President Vladimir Putin was ill, and laughed off persistent rumours that he used body doubles to cover for him in public appearances. “Everything is fine with him, this is absolutely another fake,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about an unsourced report by a Russian Telegram channel, picked up by some Western media, that the President had suffered a serious health episode on Sunday evening. The spokesman laughed in response to a further question about body doubles, and denied that Putin had any. “This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile,” Peskov said. Putin, a judo enthusiast who has long cultivated an “action man” image, turned 71 on Oct. 7. He maintains an intensive schedule of meetings and public appearances, many of them televised. His recent programme included a visit to China last week, with stop-offs in two Russian cities on the way back. In a 2020 interview, Putin denied longstanding rumours that he uses body doubles, although he said he had been offered the chance to use one in the past for security reasons. In Brief: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended the inclusion of QR code on food products for accessibility by visually impaired individuals, stating that this will ensure access to safe food for all, including individuals with special needs such as visually impaired individuals. In its recent advisory signed by Director, Science and Standards Division, Amit Sharma, the authority notes that ensuring inclusive access to information is a fundamental right of citizens. “It’s imperative that food products are labelled in a manner that ensures accessibility to all consumers, including those with visual impairments,’’ said the communication. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 24 October 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( China announces removal of Defence Minister missing for almost two months with little explanation [China has replaced Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, who has been out of public view for almost two months]( with little explanation, state media reported on October 24. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year, following former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from office in July with no explanation offered. Li, who became Defence Minister during a Cabinet reshuffle in March, hasn’t been seen since giving a speech on August 29. There is no indication that the disappearances of Qin and Li signal a change in China’s foreign or defence policies, although they have raised questions about the resilience of president and ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s circle of power. Xi has a reputation for valuing loyalty above all and has relentlessly attacked corruption in public and private, sometimes in what has been seen as a method of eliminating political rivals and shoring up his political position amid a deteriorating economy and rising tensions with US over trade, technology and Taiwan. Li is under U.S. sanctions related to his overseeing weapon purchases from Russia that bar him from entering the country. China has since cut off contacts with the U.S. military, mainly in protest over U.S. arm sales to Taiwan, but also strongly implying that Washington must lift the measures against Li, which Beijing refuses to publicly recognise. PDP leaders detained, not allowed to protest in solidarity with Palestine: Iltija Mufti [The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 24 accused the Lieutenant-Governor’s (L-G) administration]( in Jammu & Kashmir of denying the party permission to hold peaceful protests over civilian deaths in Palestine, and detaining party leaders. Our party general secretaries, Ghulam Nabi Hanjura and Mehboob Beg, have been placed under house arrest. Several leaders, including elected District Development Council members, have been either detained or asked to report to police stations in Kashmir. They wanted to protest against oppression in Palestine. The administration is denying us the space to carry out peaceful protests over what is happening in Palestine,” PDP leader Iltiha Mufti said. Mufti said over 1,500 children had been killed in Israeli attacks in Palestine and even phosphorous bombs had been used against civilians. On the one hand, India is sending aid and support to the idea of an independent state of Palestine and on the other, they [the government] use force and detain illegally those who want to protest in solidarity with Palestine. There is a gap between what is being said and what is being implemented on the ground,” Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said. She accused the L-G’s administration of “selectively targeting the PDP and launching a one-sided vicious crackdown”. “Other political parties are allowed to hold seminars, etc., but not our party, since 2019. Our party was split first and then the leaders were forced to quit. We recently saw that when PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wanted to protest for Palestine, she was almost manhandled by the security officers and not allowed to protest peacefully,” Mufti said. She said India is the world’s largest democracy and Opposition is an essential part of it. “We are being denied the right to raise the issues of our people. Is it a crime to hold a peaceful protest over Palestine?” she added. Mufti said political parties in a democracy were “not supposed to apply for permission for everything they did”. “If the situation is normal in Kashmir, why not allow the parties to freely express themselves?” she said. In annual speech, RSS chief targets ‘cultural Marxists’ and ‘woke elements’, asks people to vote cautiously [Targeting anti-India forces for fuelling hatred in Manipur and attacking “cultural Marxists” and “woke elements”]( for their negative impact on India’s education and culture, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his annual address at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Tuesday, cautioned people to remain alert to “anti-India” sentiments. On Vijayadasami, which is also the RSS’ founding day, Bhagwat asked the people of India to vote for the “best available option”. In a veiled message, he asked people to “control their tongue” as their words incited hatred within the country. “For many years, Meitei and Kuki communities have been living together in Manipur. How did the violence erupt all of a sudden? That is a border area of India. If conflict will erupt here, it will benefits external forces. Are external factors involved?” Bhagwat said. Expressing concern over the influence of “cultural Marxists” and “woke elements” in negatively impacting India’s education and culture, the RSS chief said that the modus operandi of “destructive and divisive forces” involved “taking control of media and academia, and plunging education, culture, politics and social environment into confusion, chaos, and corruption”. “Such an environment enables the creation of a vicious cycle of fear, confusion and hatred. A society that is divided and entangled in mutual conflicts and confusion becomes weak, and easily and unknowingly falls prey to these destructive forces that are seeking their own dominance everywhere,” he said. “We often see that a small incident gets exaggerated and publicised in a dramatic manner....tool-kits that incite violence are activated, and mutual suspicion and hatred are further intensified. All who seek and favour harmony in society need to be wary of these nefarious games,” Bhagwat said. Warning people to control their speech (“zubaan par lagaam”), Bhagwat said that imprudent language was increasing with each passing day. He cautioned those “who want India to grow and flourish” to “not fall prey to divisive forces”. He stressed that this cautionary advice was “for all” and “not a particular community or people”. “I won’t get a house if I go to look in an area that doesn’t have my people. I will get a house only in an area where my people live. How did so much enmity develop between the people of one country?” Bhagwat said. In the special session of Parliament organised in October, BJP Lok Sabha MP Ramesh Bidhuri had hurled communal slurs at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member Kunwar Danish Ali, drawing criticism from all parties. Bhagwat said people should vote cautiously. “The country is going to hold elections to the Lok Sabha in the early days of 2024 and there will be attempts to harvest votes by inflaming emotions,” Bhagwat said. “Let us avoid these things as they hurt the unity of society. Think with a calm mind as to who is good and has done good…who is available best.” Kremlin rejects speculation that Putin is ill and uses body doubles [The Kremlin on October 24 denied a report that President Vladimir Putin was ill]( and laughed off persistent rumours that he used body doubles to cover for him in public appearances. “Everything is fine with him, this is absolutely another fake,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about an unsourced report by a Russian Telegram channel, picked up by some Western media, that the President had suffered a serious health episode on Sunday evening. The spokesman laughed in response to a further question about body doubles, and denied that Putin had any. “This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile,” Peskov said. Putin, a judo enthusiast who has long cultivated an “action man” image, turned 71 on Oct. 7. He maintains an intensive schedule of meetings and public appearances, many of them televised. His recent programme included a visit to China last week, with stop-offs in two Russian cities on the way back. In a 2020 interview, Putin denied longstanding rumours that he uses body doubles, although he said he had been offered the chance to use one in the past for security reasons. In Brief: The[Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended the inclusion of QR code]( on food products for accessibility by visually impaired individuals, stating that this will ensure access to safe food for all, including individuals with special needs such as visually impaired individuals. In its recent advisory signed by Director, Science and Standards Division, Amit Sharma, the authority notes that ensuring inclusive access to information is a fundamental right of citizens. “It’s imperative that food products are labelled in a manner that ensures accessibility to all consumers, including those with visual impairments,’’ said the communication. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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