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‘We will transform India into a global export hub, Viksit Rashtra in next 25 years’: PM Modi at Bharat Tex 2024

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‘We will transform India into a global export hub, Viksit Rashtra in next 25 years’: PM Modi at Bharat Tex 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed to transform India into a Global Eain auxport Hub as he inaugurated the global textile event, Bharat Tex 2024 at Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam on Monday.

“We have a firm belief that we will transform India into a ‘Global Export Hub’. In the last decade, we have added another new dimension to Vocal for Local. Today, public movements of Vocal for Local and Local to Global are going on in the entire country,” PM Modi said while addressing the textile event.

“We have resolved to transform Bharat into a ‘Viksit Rashtra’ in the next 25 years. Four important pillars of Viksit Bharat are poor, youth, farmers and women. And notably, the textile sector of Bharat is connected with all these pillars,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said that the government’s consistent efforts are giving rise to increased foreign investments in India’s textile sector.

“Today, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the textile sector has doubled from what it was before 2014,” he said.

He highlighted the efforts of the government in building the textile sector, adding that it is focused on quality control.

“The positive impacts resulting from the efforts of a stable and visionary government on the textile sector can well be seen. In 2014, the valuation of the textile market of India was less than Rs 7 lakh crores, today, it has crossed Rs 12 lakh crores,” the Prime Minister outlined.

“During the last 10 years, there has been a 25% rise in the production of yarn, fabric, and apparel. The government is very much focused on quality control in the textile sector,” he added.

PM Modi further emphasised how Khadi played a role in strengthening the women workforce in the industry.

“Out of every 10 garment makers, 7 are women and in handloom, it is even more. Apart from textile, Khadi has also given new strength to the women of our country,” he said.

“I can say that whatever efforts we have made in the last 10 years have made Khadi a means of both development and employment,” the Prime Minister added.

Today in India, along with scale, we are also laying great emphasis on skill in this sector, he said.

“The network of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has reached 19 institutes in the country. Nearby weavers and artisans are also being connected to these institutions,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister further emphasised ‘Kasturi Cotton’ launched by the government, which is anticipated to create an identity for India.

“Today, India is one of the largest producers of cotton, jute, and silk in the world. Lakhs of farmers are engaged in this work,” he said.

“Today the government is supporting lakhs of cotton farmers, purchasing lakhs of quintals of cotton from them. The Kasturi Cotton launched by the government is going to be a big step towards creating India’s own identity,” he added.

Bharat Tex 2024, one of the largest-ever global textile events held in India, marks a significant milestone in promoting India’s rich textile heritage and fostering collaboration within the industry.

Speaking on occasion, Union Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the remarkable growth of Bharat Mandapam since its inauguration just seven months ago.

He emphasised the need to expand the infrastructure to accommodate the increasing demand, suggesting the initiation of Phase 2 at both Bharat Mandapam and YashoBhoomi.

“It has been only 7 months since this Bharat Mandapam was inaugurated by PM Modi on July 26, 2023 and in just seven months, this place and YashoBhoomi have started falling short of space. Now, we need to start Phase 2 at both locations as early as possible, which you can inaugurate in your third term,” the Union Minister said.

Bharat Tex 2024 serves as a platform to showcase the iconic handloom and handicraft traditions of various states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have been designated as the ‘Partner States’ for the event, underscoring their significant contributions to India’s textile sector.

Additionally, Gujarat, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh have joined as ‘Supporting Partner States,’ further enriching the diversity of textile offerings at the event.

The premier global textile event also features state pavilions from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Assam, highlighting the vibrant textile ecosystems across different regions of India.

Bharat Tex 2024 brings together key stakeholders, including textile manufacturers, artisans, designers, and policymakers, to explore opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth in the textile industry.

The event not only celebrates India’s rich textile heritage but also underscores the country’s position as a global leader in the textile and apparel industry.

With its diverse range of traditional and contemporary textiles, Bharat Tex 2024 offers a unique platform for showcasing India’s craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation to the world.

The event reaffirms the government’s commitment to promoting the growth and competitiveness of the textile industry, thereby contributing to India’s economic development and cultural heritage preservation. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

2024 Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Maanila Congress joins forces with BJP, chief GK Vasan says decision based on ‘Tamil Nadu’s welfare and national outlook’

OpIndia Staff
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2024 Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Maanila Congress joins forces with BJP, chief GK Vasan says decision based on ‘Tamil Nadu’s welfare and national outlook’

The Tamil Maanila Congress as part of NDA will face the coming elections under BJP’s leadership, party chief GK Vasan has said on Monday, 26th February.

This is the first alliance that the BJP has brokered in Tamil Nadu with a regional party after the AIADMK severed ties with it last year.

Vasan will reportedly attend the Prime Minister’s public meeting at Palladam in Tirupur district on 27th February.

The Tamil Maanila Congress was part of the AIADMK-led NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu in the 2021 assembly elections. However the alliance fell apart when Edappadi K Palaniswami’s AIADMK left the alliance in September 2023.

The Tamil Maanila Congress chief, who is a Rajya Sabha MP has said that his party has had a “national outlook” ever since its founding by his late father GK Moopanar.

He said the party’s decision to join forces with the BJP is based on issues like the welfare of Tamil Nadu and Tamils and a strong and prosperous India.

He reportedly said that the people have realised that another term under Prime Minister Modi will lead to economic prosperity and reduction in poverty, among others.

GK Vasan was an ally of the Indian National Congress serving as the Union Minister under UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments.

In 2014, he broke away from the Congress and took forward his father’s legacy with the Tamil Maanila Congress party, which had eventually merged with the Congress in 2002.

Vasan’s exit came as a big jolt to the Congress as he had earned a standing similar to that of former Chief Minister K Kamaraj of Congress (O) faction that was formed as a breakaway force from Indira Gandhi-led Congress.

Mira Road, Mumbai: BJP’s T Raja Singh holds rally to commemorate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary

OpIndia Staff
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Mira Road, Mumbai: BJP’s T Raja Singh holds rally to commemorate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary

T Raja Singh, a Telangana BJP MLA, held a gathering in Mumbai’s Mira Road area on Sunday (25th February) to commemorate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary. The rally organized by the local Hindu organizations was conducted under heavy police presence. Reportedly the police, based on a Bombay High Court order, videotaped the demonstration to monitor hate speech.

Police initially had denied permission for the event due to the communal rioting that had erupted in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road from 21st to 23rd January. One of the rally organizers then petitioned the High Court to overturn the police order, claiming that Raja Singh has not uttered any such speech since the Supreme Court’s hate speech judgment on 19th January. The HC then gave its approval, but only under specific conditions.

The MLA praised Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and stated that he would continue to strive for the Hindu religion and the cow protection campaign.

According to reports, patriotic and spiritual songs were played throughout the rally, which began at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Kashimira and ended at the SK Stone Junction on Mira Road.

T Raja, accompanied by local legislator Geeta Jain, spoke from a makeshift stage. Raja, who professed the value of ‘Akhand Hindu Rashtra’, spoke on Aurangzeb, asserting that the Mughal emperor destroyed several temples.

“Many people tried their best to stop me from coming to Mira Road, but your love pulled me here. It is the need of the hour for us to take a resolution to work towards forming a Hindu Rashtra and act against those involved in heinous acts like cow slaughter and love jihad,” the MLA said.

Raja informed the media before the rally that it had nothing to do with the elections. “I am shocked by the large police presence. It appears that social media had concerns about hate speech and violence, forcing them to adopt preventative measures. I wholeheartedly support the farmers and believe that the government should initiate talks to resolve the concerns amicably. Only the Modi government is capable of leading the country, and I am convinced that we will win over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections,” he added. 

It is important to note that the Mira Road region in Mumbai is Muslim dominant area and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In June 2023, massive controversy erupted in the capital city of Maharashtra after one of the Muslim families living in a society on Mira Road, Mumbai brought two goats a day ahead of Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha). The society members happened to refuse the Muslim family to get the goats inside the society premises for slaughter and said that they wouldn’t allow any kind of slaughtering activity within the society premises. However, the chaos erupted after the Muslim family claimed that they were harassed by the society members.

In the second crucial incident that was reported recently in January 2024, the Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.

In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith. 

Recently, OpIndia also recorded 15 brutal cases of forceful conversion and community crimes from the Mira Road region in the past year. Hindus, especially the women in the region are deliberately harassed, trapped in love affair and then forced to convert their religion to Islam. OpIndia accounted 15 such cases. The detailed analysis of thes reports can be read here.

Indian villages have prospered over the past ten years: purchasing power has risen, poverty level down to 5 per cent of population

अर्पित त्रिपाठी
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Indian villages have prospered over the past ten years: purchasing power has risen, poverty level down to 5 per cent of population

Over the past ten to eleven years, the economic gap between the village and the metropolis has narrowed. People dwelling in villages now spend the same amount of money as those living in cities. People’s spending on other items has risen during this period, while their food expenses have declined. The nation’s rate of poverty has also gone down over this period. The Central Government has made all of this information available in a recently released report on the survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

Yesterday (February 25, Sunday), the Central Government’s Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Family Consumption Expenditure Survey statistics detailing the expenses incurred by families across the country. This survey was conducted between August 2022 and July 2023. This was the 76th edition of this survey. The report provided insight into many significant data. Details regarding one person’s monthly expenditures are provided in this report. Statistics for those residing in cities and villages have been provided separately in the report.

Spending capacity has increased in villages; gap with cities has narrowed

The national survey indicates that the per capita monthly expenditure in rural areas is Rs 3,773, while in urban areas, it stands at Rs 6,459. Comparing this to the 2011–12 survey, it is roughly 2.5 times higher. In 2011–12, a villager spent Rs 1430 on himself, whereas a person living in the urban area spent Rs 2630. As per the report, a villager spends 46 per cent of his entire income on food, whereas a person living in the city spends 39 per cent.

Currently, there is a 71% gap in the consumption expenditure of those living in villages and cities, compared to an approximate 84% gap in 2011–12. This implies that the disparities between the two segments have narrowed. Villagers are now spending more on the amenities that were formerly exclusive to cities and are now available in the villages.

According to the research, the wealthiest 5% of the urban population spend Rs 20,824 monthly, while the top 5% of villagers spend Rs 10,501. Similarly, the least wealthy 5% of the rural population spends Rs 1373 monthly, while the lowest-income 5% urbanised population spends Rs 2001 monthly. In the rural area, a person’s monthly food expenses hover around Rs 1750, whereas in the city, it is Rs 2530. The research indicates that the entire country’s population is spending less on food overall.

The report further indicated that, compared to 1999–2000, when food accounted for 59% of a rural person’s overall expenditures, that percentage has declined to 46%. In urban areas, it was 48% at that time and is currently 39%.

The report made available by the central government also included state-specific statistics.

Which state’s population spend the most?

According to the survey, the people of Sikkim spend the highest among all states. The people of Sikkim spend the highest among all states, according to the survey. In Sikkim, an urban individual spends Rs 12,105, while a rural person spends Rs 7731. In contrast, Chhattisgarh has the lowest spending. Here, an urban individual spends Rs 4483 and a rural person spends Rs 2466. The comparable expenses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are Rs 5040 (urban)-Rs 3191 (rural) and Rs 4768 (urban)-Rs 3384 (rural) respectively.

The amount that persons with various jobs spend is also included in these data.

In villages, the total household expenditure of those engaged in farming is Rs 3702 a month, while those in jobs spend Rs 4533 monthly. However, in cities, self-employed individuals spend Rs 6067, while those in jobs spend Rs 7146. Based on the social fabric, the country’s Scheduled Tribe population spends Rs 3016 in rural areas and Rs 5414 in urban areas per month. The similar spending for other backward classes is Rs 4392 in rural areas and Rs 7333 in urban areas.

Expenditure on fruits and cold drinks went up while expenditure on grains and vegetables declined in both rural belts and cities

Data regarding people’s spending habits has also been provided in the survey. In 2011–12, villagers spent 10.6% of their income on grains; today, that percentage has decreased to 4.89%. Likewise, the amount spent on pulses has dropped from 2.76% to 1.77%. The amount spent on veggies dropped from 6.6% to 5.38%. In contrast, spending on fruits has gone up from 2.25% to 2.54%, while spending on beverages and packaged foods has gone up from 7.9% to 9.62%, indicating a shift towards a more prosperous lifestyle.

The same trend has been seen in cities also. People living in cities were spending 6.6% on grains during 2011-12, which has now come down to 3.62%. Expenditure on pulses has decreased from 1.93% to 1.21%. In comparison, expenditure on packaged food and beverages has increased from 8.9% to 10.6%.

Data reflects the status of India’s poverty level 

The data provided in this survey also paints an accurate picture of the poverty level in the country. According to BVR Subramaniam, CEO of NITI Aayog, India’s poverty level has fallen to just five per cent, signalling an improvement in the nation’s economic landscape. In light of this data, he asserted that there is now no scarcity issue in the villages. The assertion that village expenditures were declining and that the villages’ conditions remained unchanged was refuted by the CEO of NITI Aayog. In fact, he underscored the narrowing gap between rural and urban consumption, suggesting a positive trajectory towards economic parity.

Bengaluru to implement new property tax system from April 1, tenants and house owners both worried: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru to implement new property tax system from April 1, tenants and house owners both worried: Details

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s guideline value-based property tax, which is set to take effect on the 1st of April, would impose an additional cost on landlords who have rented out their houses for residential and commercial purposes in the city of Bengaluru.

This significant increase in property tax values is anticipated to raise rents for tenants who are already paying higher prices for renting. The new tax system requires rented out properties to pay twice the property tax as property occupied by owners themselves. Additionally, tariffs have been increased 3-5 times for different commercial structures.

Even though the existing rule mentions seven separate tariffs for rental premises, such as paying for guest accommodations, convention halls, or malls, features such as air conditioning or escalators are not included in the new tax structure.

According to the reports, traders and property owners expect a rise in the yearly BBMP tax of at least 40 percent after the guiding value was increased by 33 percent. Even if the BBMP reduced the property tax hike to 20 percent in its recent notification, owners must pay the difference in the following tax year.

Clement Jayakumar, one of the residents of Mahadevapura, was quoted by Deccan Herald as voicing worry that, despite tripling the levy on rented houses or flats, the BBMP is not providing any additional services.

“The new rule will have a spiraling effect and eventually, the tenants will have to bear the additional cost,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior BBMP officials rejected the increase of tax by several folds. “This is not a new model that we are adopting,” one of the officials clarified. “Almost all cities in Karnataka have adopted the guidance value-based property tax system. The BBMP did a test run for over six lakh cases to see the implications of the new system. Overall, we found that the property tax collection will not increase beyond 5 percent. So, there is no need to be concerned,” he added.

According to a public policy professional, the Palike devised zonal classification to calculate property taxes without mapping every street. Rents for rented houses in Bengaluru may be impacted by the property tax structure.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal not to appear before ED today, likely to skip seventh summon: Sources

ANI
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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal not to appear before ED today, likely to skip seventh summon: Sources

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Directorate of Enforcement on Monday after the Directorate of Enforcement issued the seventh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, according to sources.

“The matter is in the court and the next hearing is on March 16. Instead of sending summons daily, the ED should wait for the court’s decision. We will not leave the INDIA alliance. Modi government should not create pressure like this” the party source said further.

Earlier, on February 22, the Directorate of Enforcement issued the seventh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to appear before the agency. Sources say the Delhi CM has been asked to appear before the ED on February 26.

On February 14, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a sixth summons to the Delhi Chief Minister in the money laundering probe related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case, asking him to join the investigation on February 19.

The fresh summons to the Delhi Chief Minister were issued after he skipped the fifth summons on February 2.

Arvind Kejriwal had earlier skipped five previous summons issued by the ED on February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2 and December 22, calling them “illegal and politically motivated.”.

The ED wants to record Kejriwal’s statement in the case on issues like the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalised, and allegations of bribery.

While skipping the fifth summons issued by the ED, Kejriwal termed it “illegal”, saying he was ready to cooperate but the agency’s intention was to arrest him and stop him from election campaigning.

“All five notices sent to me (by the ED) are illegal and invalid in the eyes of the law. Whenever such general, non-specific notices were sent by the ED in the past, they were quashed and declared invalid by courts. These notices are being sent as part of a political conspiracy,” Kejriwal said after skipping the fifth notice.

A day after Kejriwal skipped the fifth summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, the agency on February 3 approached a Delhi Court against him for “non-compliance with the summons”.

The case is based on a First Information Report (FIR) alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruption.

In its sixth charge sheet filed in the case on December 2, 2023, naming AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his alleged aide Sarvesh Mishra, the ED had claimed that the AAP used kickbacks worth Rs 45 crore generated via the policy as part of its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022.

Two senior AAP leaders — Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh — are already under judicial custody in the case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning and on October 5, the ED arrested Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member. (ANI)

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Aaj kutton ka waqt hai, hamara daur ayega’: AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel refers to Hindus as ‘dogs’ as he supports Mufti Salman Azhari

OpIndia Staff
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‘Aaj kutton ka waqt hai, hamara daur ayega’: AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel refers to Hindus as ‘dogs’ as he supports Mufti Salman Azhari

In a recent rally in Maharashtra’s Akola, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel came out in support of hateful Islamic preacher Salman Azhari for his “Aaj kutto ka waqt hai kal hamara ayega” speech against Hindus. Speaking in the public rally in Akola on 19th February, Jaleel said that the Mufti Salman Azhari had only spoken a ‘Sher’ (couplet). He questioned why those offended with Azhari’s speech assumed that they are dogs.

“Unhone kaha ke aaj kutton ka waqt hai kal hamara daur ayega (He [Mufti Azhari] said that today it’s these dogs [Hindus] time but our time will also come. Toh Maulana Sahab ko lekar chale gaye (so they arrested the Maulana Sahab). But who said that you are dogs tum kyun samajh rah eke tum kutte ho (Why are you assuming that you are dogs)? Humne kaunsa tumhara naam leke kaha…lekin raat mein jitney bhi gaye ghar ke upar sab bhaunkna shuru kar diye (Although we did not name anyone, but they all started barking),” Jaleel said.

Notably, Gujarat Police arrested Mufti on 4th February for his inflammatory speech against Hindus in Junagadh on 31st January. Accused Mufti Salman Azhari gave a hateful speech during a program attended by a large number of Muslims on the grounds of Narayan Vidya Mandir near the Junagadh court.

In the video, Azhari was heard saying, “Abhi to karbala ka akhiri maidan baqi hai…Kuch der ki khamoshi hai, fir shore ayega… Aaj kutton ka wakt hai, kal hamara daur ayega.” (The final battle of Karbala is yet to come… a moment of silence, then there will be noise again. Today is the time of the dogs, tomorrow will be our time).” After saying this, he chanted, “Labbaik Ya Rasulallah” and the crowd repeated after him.

Then Azhari and the crowd start chanting the slogan ‘Ghulam Hai Ghulam Hai, Rasool Ke Ghulam Hai’.

Further citing research on Muslims, he said, “Muslims are beaten, slaughtered, children killed, women robbed, houses destroyed, mosques burnt, but it is not their leader who brings them back together. Now and then they have been scattered and reunited and come alive in the name of Mohammed, gathered in the name of Tajdar-e-Madinah.”

He continued, “Today we are yours. Not even asking about the condition of the necks, but the point is that our young man plays pubg all night, uses the internet, pain while the dogs are barking at the dignity of the presence when it comes to destroying their akhlaq (Urdu word meaning morality). happens. Your house is being set on fire and you are doing mujra on Tiktok.”

As reported earlier, Mufti Salman Azhari has a history of delivering inflammatory speeches and instigating Muslim youths against Hinduism. The Islamic preacher has multiple hate speech cases filed against him.  

Recently, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said that an investigation will be conducted into the terror angle in the case against Azhari. As reported earlier, Gujarat ATS SP Om Prakash Jat said that ATS will probe the financing of Mufti Azhari’s trust ‘Al-Amaan Education and Welfare Trust’ in addition to his activities.

AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel lauds Asaduddin Owaisi for instigating Muslims against Ram Mandir

The AlMIM MP was also heard talking about the demolished Babri structure and praised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for his speech in the Parliament earlier this month wherein he said, “Babri Masjid thi hai aur rahegi (Babri Masjid was, is and will continue to exist).

About Owaisi’s speech, Imtiaz Jaleel said, “Himmat lagti hai…300 baithe hain saamne, aur wahan par wo khade reh kar bolta hai ke hamare liye wo [Babri] masjid thi hai aur rahegi (It take courage..they have 300 MPs sitting in Parliament…and there he [Owaisi] stands up and says for us, Babri Masjid was, is and shall exist in perpetuity [at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir site]).”

The AIMIM leader’s assertion about the Babri structure came even as a grand Temple of Lord Ram was constructed at the Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya after the Supreme Court verdict. In a historic ruling in 2019, the Supreme Court settled the five-century-long dispute with a unanimous decision, allowing the entire 2.77-acre disputed site for the construction of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Ram Lalla, one of the three claimants in the case.

“I join the ranks of Tibetan & Ukrainian exiles”: Anti-India propagandist Nitasha Kaul says denied entry into India by Centre, was invited to a Karnataka govt event

OpIndia Staff
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“I join the ranks of Tibetan & Ukrainian exiles”: Anti-India propagandist Nitasha Kaul says denied entry into India by Centre, was invited to a Karnataka govt event

On 25th February, Nitasha Kaul, an British academician and author, ranted on social media after being denied entry into India upon arriving at the Bengaluru Airport. Kaul, who resides in London, was deported allegedly for “unknown reasons”. The alleged incident occured after the Congress-led Karnataka government invited her to speak at the ‘Constitution and National Unity Convention’.

Kaul said she was detained at the airport by the immigration officials who cited “orders from Delhi” to not allow her entry into the country. She said that she possessed all the necessary documentation for her visit but faced a challenging situation. She claimed she would continue to advocate “democracy and civil liberties” despite the “adversities faced”. She consistently ranted against the “right-wing” and “Hindutva” throughout her post on X.

Kaul wrote, “The government at the centre in India refused me entry to a conference where the state government invited me. Unless this is fixed, I join the ranks of the Tibetan exiles and Ukrainian exiles and others throughout history who have faced the arbitrary exercise of brute unreasoning power.”

She said that government should talk to her. She also appealed to academicians and the media to engage with her work and emphasised its “relevance” to democracy and geopolitical alignments. She claimed the “harrowing ordeal” and “intimidation” she faced only strengthened her resolve to champion the cause of “democracy”.

She added, “How can the world’s largest democracy be threatened by my pen & the word? How is it ok for the centre to not allow a professor to be at a conference on the Constitution where she was invited by the state govt? To give no reason? Not the India we cherish, is it?”

The left-liberal coterie has launched an uproar on social media in Kaul’s defense even as the anti-Indian propagandist has to her credit several objectionable statements. For instance, in 2019, she made unwarranted comments about India’s policies in Kashmir soon after Article 370 was repealed. Her comments have brought into question her motivations and the potentially damaging impact of her presence at the conference funded by the Congress-led Government of Karnataka.

Kaul’s comments during the US House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2019

During a US House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on South Asia Human Rights, Kaul claimed there was a “humanitarian crisis” in Kashmir. She blamed the Indian state for the “mass migration” of Kashmiri Pandits, thereby whitewashing the genocide by terrorists.

She said, “Indian state which has claimed sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir singularly failed to protect the minorities while suppressing the majority. The denial of democratic rights in Indian-Administered Kashmir affects not only the residents but also those living outside in India and overseas.”

Kaul particularly called Kashmir “India Administered Kashmir” in her written submission, asserting that Kashmir is not an integral part of the country. She said, “Elections in Indian Administered Kashmir are deeply divisive with many people boycotting it since electoral participation is represented as the consent of Kashmiris to being ruled by India and thus making redundant the promise of the referendum that India and Pakistan made through United Nations Resolutions of 1947 and 1948. However, some Kashmiris do participate in elections since they believe in working within the Indian system. Even those pro-India leaders are now under indefinite arrest. This illustrates that the Indian government is fully aware of the erasure of autonomous statehood as being deeply unpopular, and thus, its action lacks democratic consent. To repeat, an imposition of a landmark change in governance while keeping the entire population locked is a sign of authoritarianism and not democracy.”

She also accused India of acting like a “colonial power” and went further to blame the ruling party, BJP, for suppressing the voices in the valley. She ran a propaganda claiming that Muslims were being lynched in India and said, “Muslim and Christian minorities are seen as enemies and obstacles in the agenda. Various rights organisations, scholars and news commentators have highlighted the spike in everyday discrimination, prejudices and violence that religious minorities have to endure. The primary focus is on demonising and marginalising the largest religious minority – Muslims. Several Muslims have been lynched, and instead of calling for the punishing of the culprits, members of the ruling party have justified the acts and sometimes valorised the culprits.”

Karnataka BJP criticises Congress for inviting Kaul

Karnataka BJP has strongly criticised the Congress party and the Chief Minister for inviting Kaul and accused them of disgracing the Constitution of India. In a post on X, BJP Karnataka wrote, “Congress party has disgraced Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India’s break up. Don’t you have any shame left, CM Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the Constitution & threaten the unity & integrity of India? It is now apparent that the Congress party is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare the ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity & integrity.”

“At the expense of Karnataka taxpayers, the Congress govt is channelling funds to terrorist sympathisers, Urban Naxals, Anti-Nationals, and riots accused of destabilising India ahead of elections. Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India & detained at the airport. There is no money to spend on drought relief or Karnataka’s developmental needs. Still, Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the Break India Brigade to appease Rahul Gandhi and save his CM Chair, all in the name of Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitution. What a disgrace! #AntiNationalCongress,” they added.

Who is Nitasha Kaul?

Nitasha Kaul is an academic, author and economist whose work spans the region’s politics, economics and cultures around Kashmir. She is known for her divisive views on India particularly targeting the Central Government.

Allahabad High Court dismisses Muslim side’s plea against Puja in Vyas Ka Tehkhana, upholds Varanasi District Court order

OpIndia Staff
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Allahabad High Court dismisses Muslim side’s plea against Puja in Vyas Ka Tehkhana, upholds Varanasi District Court order

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a plea filed by the Muslim side challenging the district court’s order that had allowed Hindus to offer Puja and prayers at the Vyas ka Tehkhana inside the Gyanvapi complex.

The plea was filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the Varanasi District Court’s January 31 order. In its order, the Varanasi District Court had allowed the Hindu petitioners to offer regular Puja and prayers at the Vyas Ka Tehkhana.

The Allahabad HC verdict dismissing the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee’s plea was delivered by the single judge bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal. Justice Agarwal had reserved his order on February 15.

On January 31, the Varanasi District Court ordered Puja to be started and had given a time for 7 days to the administration to abide by the order. However, taking immediate measures to implement the court order, the Yogi Adityanath government got the Puja started in Vyas Ka Tehkhana on the same evening.

The mosque has four ‘Tehkhanas’ (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. Vyas had petitioned that, as a hereditary pujari, he be allowed to enter the Tehkhana and resume pooja.

on February 1, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee moved to the Supreme Court with their plea against the Varanasi District Court’s order. However, the Supreme Court refused to entertain their plea and asked them to approach the Allahabad High Court.

‘No armed foreign soldiers in Maldives’: Ex Maldivian FM says President Muizzu’s claim of “thousands of Indian military personnel” in Maldives a lie

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‘No armed foreign soldiers in Maldives’: Ex Maldivian FM says President Muizzu’s claim of “thousands of Indian military personnel” in Maldives a lie

The former Maldivian minister of foreign affairs, Abdulla Shahid, said on Saturday that the claims made by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu about “thousands of Indian military personnel” were just another in a string of lies, adding that there are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in their country.

Posting on his social media X, the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party said, “100 days in, it’s clear: President Muizzu’s claims of ‘thousands of Indian military personnel’ were just another in a string of lies. The current administration’s inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country.”

He further stressed that transparency matters and that the truth must prevail.

“Transparency matters, and the truth must prevail,” he stated.

Notably, the removal of Indian troops in the Maldives was the main campaign of Muizzu’s party. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives.

On the second day of assuming office, Muizzu officially requested the Indian government withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives.

In December last year, Muizzu claimed that, after talks with the Indian government, an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel.

The president also stated that diplomatic negotiations were underway for the withdrawal of Indian troops. He detailed that, as agreed in the last negotiations, the military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms would be withdrawn before March 10, 2024, and the military personnel on the remaining two platforms would be withdrawn before May 10, 2024.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India will replace military personnel at aviation platforms in the Maldives with competent Indian technical personnel. (ANI)

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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