Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has removed the Lord Hanuman sticker from the scale model of the Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42). In a statement, CMD of HAL CB Ananthakrishnan said, “It is not with any intention that it has been put, and it has not been with any intention that it has been removed. It is just to see that the program runs through successfully without getting into any [controversy].”
#WATCH | CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited speaks on the removal of the picture of Lord Hanuman from the tail of the HLFT-42 aircraft model displayed at Aero India show in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/khzDv144H6
Notably, HAL revealed a scale model of the Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) at Aero India show 2023 that began on February 13, 2023. The image of Lord Hanuman embossed on the tail with the phrase “The storm is coming” of this fighter aircraft has become one of the key attractions. The image of the Sanatan deity symbolizing power and devotion toward one’s duty comes with a declaration mentioned near the photograph that reads ‘The storm is coming’.
In another statement, Ananthakrishnan said, “We put up Lord Hanuman’s image only to showcase the plane’s strength. However, we decided to remove it after the controversy. The idea was to establish a link with our trainer aircraft, Marut. However, we saw controversy erupting around it. The project is at its first stage. We only want to concentrate on it.”
Several BJP leaders, including Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP State Secretary Andhra Pradesh Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, BJP National Secretary Y Satya Kumar, and BJP MP for Rajya Sabha Indu Goswami shared the image and praised Lord Hanuman. In a tweet, Piyush Goyal wrote, “The storm is coming! Jai Bajrang Bali.”
On Monday, February 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Asia’s largest aero show, Aero India 2023, at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, in Bengaluru. This year’s edition of the biennial event will highlight India as a developing centre for the production of military aircraft, helicopters, equipment, and cutting-edge avionics.
On Monday, February 13, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP senior leader Devendra Fadnavis reiterated his claims about the state’s political turmoil in 2019. Fadnavis disclosed at a TV-9 event that the three-day government created in Maharashtra in 2019 had the approval of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. Notably, Devendra Fadnavis made a similar disclosure in 2019 that he reiterated on Monday.
He stated that Sharad Pawar recommended forming a coalition government with the NCP because they needed a stable government. Fadnavis went on to say that he and Ajit Pawar were only sworn in with Pawar’s approval. Sharad Pawar, on the other hand, has called Fadnavis’ claim fabricated and incorrect.
“I was sworn in as CM, along with Ajit Pawar as deputy CM. Let me tell you, it was not a secret operation, it had the consent of none other than Sharad Pawar for providing a stable government. The entire plan for the formation of a BJP-NCP government was discussed at length with Sharad Pawar,” Fadnavis said, referring to Ajit Pawar quitting the government 80 hours later.
“In all fairness, I want to state that Ajit Pawar took the oath with me with honesty… but later on their (NCP’s) strategy changed,” he added.
Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that he was deceived twice when it came to forming the cabinet, first by Uddhav Thackeray and then by Sharad Pawar. “Uddhav Thackeray fought the election alongside us,” he remarked, adding that when Prime Minister Modi stated that Fadnavis will be re-elected as Chief Minister after the polls, Thackeray and other Shiv Sena and BJP officials welcomed the decision. “However, all of a sudden Thackeray felt that he could become Chief Minister and he stopped returning my calls. He then quickly changed sides and rushed to join hands with NCP and the Congress to become chief minister.”
“Uddhav Thackeray was in talks with Congress and the NCP. However, their discussions about forming a government together didn’t materialize, and that’s when the NCP proposed forming the government with us,” added Fadnavis.
Responding to Fadnavis’ remarks, Sharad Pawar said, “I felt that Devendra is a cultured person and a gentleman. I never felt that he will take recourse to falsehood and make such a statement.”
The 2019 political drama in Maharashtra
The BJP won 105 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, which were held on October 24, 2019. The Shiv Sena, which partnered with the BJP, won 56 seats.
Uddhav Thackeray wanted the Chief Minister’s post for either his son Aditya Thackeray or himself. BJP had flatly refused and said repeatedly that giving the CM position to Sena was not discussed when the alliance was formed. Shiv Sena, in its desperation for power, then allied with Congress and NCP to become the CM of the state.
Meanwhile, on November 23, 2019, BJP and NCP joined hands to form the next government in the state, in a surprise move. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the state chief minister and Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit joined him as his deputy claiming the support of a faction of NCP MLAs.
What followed was a major confusion, with the Sena claiming that Ajit had backstabbed them, and the NCP claiming that no MLAs are in support of Ajit Pawar.
Three days later, ahead of the floor test, NCP’s Ajit Pawar suddenly resigned as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra after which Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the chief minister.
Devendra Fadnavis reveals that Ajit Pawar had said Sharad Pawar knew of alliance
Notably, at the time, Sharad Pawar maintained that he had no knowledge of the collaboration in the state between Ajit Pawar and the BJP led by Devendra Fadnavis and had firmly distanced himself from the alliance.
However, in an interview with a TV channel, Devendra Fadnavis reiterated exactly what he said yesterday. He claimed that Ajit Pawar had told Fadnavis that Sharad Pawar knew of the alliance being entered into by Ajit Pawar. In fact, he has also added that most NCP MLAs knew about the alliance and Fadnavis himself had spoken to some of them.
Have you come across an ad on Facebook, Instagram or any other social media platform where an organisation is seeking donations specifically for Muslim prisoners in the US? We did, and we decided to check who they were after one of our team members saw the ad on a social media platform.
Notably, such advertisements started to crop up after the team member searched for some details on pending cases in Indian courts. The search and recent content consumed by the team member had nothing to do with the criminals in jail in the US or Muslims in jails in the US or anywhere outside India.
Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Council For Social Justice bills itself as a social justice/human rights organisation based out of the United States. As per its website, the organisation “strives to systematically facilitate assertive Muslim involvement in the field of human struggle for the rights of the poor and oppressed”. The ad attracted our attention, where it sought funds for buying hijabs for Muslim prisoners lodged in US jails. This is the ad that we came across.
The graphics read, “Muslim women behind bars are asking for hijabs to cover their hair”. It further describes the ’cause’ as “The Hijab can Serve as a Symbol of Submission to God, and a Way to Solidify One’s Identity as a Muslim Woman. Help Us Help Her.”
When we clicked on the ad, it took us to the organisation’s donation page that claimed that 10 per cent of the prison population in the US is Muslim. Interestingly, it further claimed that most of them “reverted” while in prison. The organisation runs a Muslim Prisoners’ Support Project (MPSP) to “distribute free religious material” to Muslims behind bars in the US. They distribute the “Qur’an, Islamic literature, headscarves, prayer mats, and more to prisons across the United States.” Interestingly, in the video on the donation page, one inmate described himself as a “new Muslim”. It is possible that the organisation is running a well-executed conversion program in US prisons and converting inmates to Islam using the money they collect via donations.
The over-the-board donation calls to give Islam-centric material to prisoners
Facebook Ad Library states that the organisation has over 200 active ads running in 39 different sets in India to collect donations. The recent mass campaign for India started on February 10, 2023. The ads call for donations for providing religious books, clean prison prayer rooms, hijabs, prayer rugs, and Eid meals. We did not find a single ad that runs in India and talks about their education or rehabilitation. It was strictly about making the Muslim prisoners more religious. Overall, there were 800+ ads from the organisation in the Facebook Ad Library alone.
The organisation also ran fundraisers for celebrating the birthdays of Muslims without much explanation.
Many fundraisers were for celebrating birthdays on its Facebook page. Source: Facebook.
The organisation’s anti-Modi crusade
Another alarming aspect of the organisation is now subtly interfering in India’s internal matters, which raises concerns. While the organisation is running ads to attract Muslims from India to donate money for Muslim prisoners in the US, they are using the anti-Modi narrative to gain sympathy from the viewers.
We found nine posts with the mention “Modi” on Twitter. The most recent one was about the BBC documentary. It talked about the ban that was imposed on the documentary by the Government of India. In the post, the organisation claimed Gujarat 2002 riots were a Pogrom on Muslims. Of course, they will never mention the burning of a train in Godhra, resulting in the death of 59 innocent Hindus that triggered the riots in the first place.
ICNA propagated against PM Modi in its social media posts. Source: Twitter
Older posts propagated the narrative that Hindutva is spreading in the US.
In another post, the organisation talked about the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and called it “Kashmir’s Black Day”.
Anti-India narrative by ICNA. Source: Twitter
In a post from October 2022, the organisation talked about freeing Kashmir.
Call to “free Kashmir” by ICNA. Source: Twitter
How the organisation has been spreading propaganda about Kashmir for years can be explained by the fact that it is using stock images for its social media posts that have nothing to do with Kashmir or even India. Have a look at this post. The third image in this post has a photograph that was picked from istockphoto.com. It is a 2011 shot clicked by photographer Adrian Hillman. The description reads, “Editable vector illustration of a soldier carrying a wounded comrade with a background made using a gradient mesh.” It is not even a real photograph but an illustration.
ICNA used stock images to propagate against India. Source: ICNA’s Twitter/iStockPhotos
The posts on its websites are full of anti-India and anti-Hindu narratives. For example, in a post, they talked about the demolition of rioters’ houses and claimed it was an anti-Muslim drive. It blamed Hindus and Hindutva for creating an anti-Muslim narrative here, here and here.
Who runs the organisation?
Dr Zahid Bukhari is the founder and Executive Director of ICNA CSJ. He was born in Pakistan and often shared anti-India narratives on social media. We noticed he has also shared reports by the infamous anti-Hindu professor Audrey Truschke.
From riding on the coaster against former BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma to blaming Hindus for attacking ‘innocent Muslims’ while talking about the gruesome murder of Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan, the Pakistan-born “scholar” Bukhari left no stone unturned to run well-planned propaganda on social media.
The United States has issued a warning to its citizens in Russia, asking them to leave the country immediately. The US attributed this to the war in Ukraine and the risk of arbitrary arrests and harassment by Russian law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said on Monday, 13th February 2023, that it had received intelligence that the US military was preparing Islamist terrorists to attack targets in Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Due to security complications associated with the escalating crisis in Ukraine, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is advised Americans to leave Russia “immediately.” The U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a warning against the “unpredictable consequences” of the battle in Ukraine and noted that dual citizens of the United States and Russia in particular stood the possibility of being forcefully conscripted in Russia’s military.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said, “U.S. citizens living in or traveling to Russia should leave immediately. Take precautions to avoid the risk of being wrongly detained. Don’t travel to Russia.” The embassy also issued a warning that Americans in general risked being wrongfully detained or subjected to harassment by Russian security forces. However, the Kremlin dismissed appeals for Americans to leave the country as “not new.”
Prior warnings by USA embassy to its citizens
The US has repeatedly warned its citizens to leave Russia. The last such public warning was given in September 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of the military. American embassy said at that time, “Russian security services have arrested US citizens on fake charges. USA citizens are being targeted in Russia for detention and persecution. They are being deprived of a fair and transparent legal system. They have been convicted without a secret trial or presenting credible evidence.”
It further said, “Russian authorities have arbitrarily enforced local laws against US citizen religious activists. It has also launched suspected criminal investigations against US citizens engaged in religious activities.” The Federal Security Service said in January 2023 that Russia had opened a criminal case against the US citizen on suspicion of espionage.
Russia accuses the USA of deploying Islamic terrorists
Russia has alleged that the USA is training terrorists to attack Russia. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), headed by Sergey Naryshkin – a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said it had intelligence that 60 such terrorists from Islamic State and Al Qaeda-linked groups have been recruited. They are being trained at an American base in Syria.
SVR said, “They will be tasked with planning and executing terrorist attacks against diplomats, civil servants, law enforcement officials, and armed forces personnel. Special attention is paid to attracting immigrants from Russia’s North Caucasus and Central Asia” It is pertinent to note that the SVR was once part of the powerful Soviet-era intelligence agency KGB. It is led by Sergei Naryshkin. He met CIA Director William Burns in Ankara last year.
Note: The following report was based on initial reports in the media. However, more details emerged after publishing of this report. The FIR in this case mentions that as per the complainant, when their house was demolished in presence of the officials, SDM Janeshwar called upon people to come and set the house on fire. As per the complaint, the fire was lit by Lekhpal Ashok Singh and the SDM had said that no one should remain alive. As per Shivam, he somehow managed to get out of the burning house but even then SHO Dinesh Gautam mercilessly beat him up along with his colleagues. As per the FIR, Shivam’s mother and sister could not come out of the burning house and were burnt alive.
On February 14, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government initiated action against the SDM, Lekhpal and police officials over the death of mother and daughter during a demolition drive in the village Madauli under the Rural Police Station area, district Kanpur. As per reports, the mother and daughter immolated themselves during the demolition drive on February 13.
कानपुर वाली घटना पर बाबा जी ने दोषी अधिकारियों पर सख़्त से सख़्त कार्यवाही के दिए आदेश।
An FIR under Sections 302, 307, 436, 429, 323, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at Rura Police Station, district Kanpur Dehat against Ashok Dikshit, Anil Dikshit, Nirmal Dikshit, Vishal, JCB driver Deepak, SDM Maitha Gyaneshwar, Kanoongo, Lekhpal Ashok Singh, SO Dinesh Kumar, 10-12 unnamed, and 12-15 police officials.
Mother and daughter immolated themselves
As per reports, 45-year-old Pramila Dikshit and her 20-year-old daughter Neha died in the incident. The district administration, revenue officials and police had gone to the village Madauli in the Rura area to remove encroachment on ‘Gram Samaj’ land. Reports suggest that some of the villagers had filed multiple complaints against one Krishna Gopal Dixit’s family, alleging they encroached on the ‘Gram Samaj’ land.
जनपद कानपुर देहात में हुई दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण दुर्घटना के वीडियो में महिला दरवाजा बंद करती दिख रही है। पुलिस तो दरवाजा खोलवाने का प्रयास कर रही है।
भूमि अधिग्रहण के इस मामले की जांच में सहयोग करें। भ्रम न फैलाएं। निष्पक्षता के साथ मामले में कार्रवाई हो रही है। pic.twitter.com/e9BsYQoOZm
Krishna Gopal Dixit’s wife Pramila repeatedly warned the officials to back off or else she would take extreme steps. However, the police and administration did not pay heed and continued the demolition drive. A video of her warning the police has gone viral on social media.
#adgzonekanpur आलोक सिंह द्वारा जनपद कानपुर देहात के थाना रूरा क्षेत्रान्तर्गत घटित घटना के सम्बन्ध में तत्काल मौके पर जाकर घटनास्थल का निरीक्षण किया गया तथा मृतका के परिजनों से वार्ता कर प्रकरण में निष्पक्ष जांच कराकर दोषियों के विरूद्ध कठोर कार्यवाही कराने का आश्वासन दिया गया। pic.twitter.com/RafqZI9PCI
Soon after, she immolated herself. The police officials and her husband rushed to save her, but by that time, the burning roof made out of straw had fallen on the victims. Dixit and SHO Dinesh Gautam sustained burn injuries as they tried to save the duo.
In a statement, Kanpur Dehat Police stated that there were complaints of land encroachment at the place. SDM Metha led the team to remove encroachment when the incident happened. Based on the family’s son Shivam Dikshit’s complaint, an FIR under Sections 302, 307, 436, 323 and 34 has been filed against Ashok Dikshit, Anil Dikshit, Nirmal Dikshit, and others. Investigation in the matter is underway.”
Following the incident, some officials ran from the scene. The aggrieved family members allegedly attacked the officials and pelted stones at the police, after which the team members fled the spot. Additional Director General of Police Alok Singh and Divisional Commissioner Raj Shekhar visited the village and promised strict action against the accused. The family members of the victims have demanded FIR against SDM, Lekhpal and others.
As per the latest reports, the driver of the JCB, the Lekhpal and the SDM have been arrested in the case.
The Varanasi Airport on Tuesday refuted allegations leveled by Congress leader Ajay Rai, who said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s plane was deliberately denied landing permission by the airport authorities due to government pressure. The Airport authorities said that the flight was canceled by the charter jet company carrying Gandhi, and that the Varanasi Airport was not at fault. “Please correct your statement as the flight was canceled by the operator,” Varanasi Airport tweeted.
The flight was cancelled by M/s AR Airways by sending email to AAI Varanasi Airport at 2116 hrs on 13 th Feb 2013.Please correct your statement as the flight was cancelled by operator.
Congress leader Ajay Rai, on February 14, alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s plane was denied permission to land at the Varanasi airport late at night on Monday, February 13, owing to government pressure. He alleged that the authorities cited President’s visit to the city as an excuse and denied permission.
Varanasi airport refutes allegations that permission was not granted for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s jet to land. Airport says the charter jet company carrying Rahul Gandhi cancelled the flight it themselves. https://t.co/kzDfbvfhtypic.twitter.com/9YTY44CK7O
“Gandhi’s plane was scheduled to land at the Babat airport here on his return from Wayanad in Kerala. But the airport authority did not allow his plane to land here due to pressure from the govt. They said there is a traffic jam here and deliberately did not give permission,” Rai claimed as he accused the airport of disallowing the scheduled landing.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is ‘scared’ of Rahul Gandhi and that is why they denied permission for his plane to land at Varanasi’s airport. The prime minister of the country has been anxious ever since Rahul Gandhi led the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Now, they are troubling Rahul,” Rai further asserted.
However, Varanasi airport director Aryama Sanyal issued a statement saying that there was no prior information about Gandhi’s arrival. She also denied allegations that the authorities had refused permission for Gandhi’s plane to land. “The air traffic controller was told that the plan to land at the airport has been canceled,” Sanyal said.
According to the reports, Gandhi was scheduled to visit Prayagraj for a function at the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital on Tuesday. Reports mention that he also wanted to visit Varanasi to offer prayers at the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Reportedly, President Droupadi Murmu also visited Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple on Monday evening after she offered prayers at the Kotwal Baba Kaal Bharav temple in Varanasi.
The recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria has not only brought disaster in its wake but has also spawned resentment among certain Turks towards the millions of Syrian refugees in the country, who are being blamed by some for looting in the midst of the chaos and devastation.
In Turkey, a Muslim-majority country, xenophobia against Syrians has been on the rise, especially in the aftermath of the earthquake, as the Turks picking up their lives from the rubble have blamed Syrian refugees of ransacking them and exploiting the natural disaster to carry out their loot.
In earthquake-affected towns and cities, some Turks have accused Syrians of stealing from damaged shops and homes, a report published on Reuters said. On Twitter, there has been a trend of anti-Syrian slogans such as “We don’t want Syrians,” “Immigrants should be deported,” and “No longer welcome.”
Syrian earthquake victims sheltered in emergency camps were reportedly kicked out of the shelter homes, while a Syrian man who established a shelter in the city of Mersin exclusively for his compatriots, experienced racist insults amid the plundering witnessed by Turks.
The accusations nevertheless expose the mirage of the ummah that Muslim countries, including Turkey and Syria, often hanker to in their bid to mobilise the Muslim world.
A Syrian man, who preferred not to be named, lamented that they stopped visiting rescue sites due to being yelled at and shoved around when others heard them speaking Arabic. He further mentioned that people continuously accuse them of looting to create discord.
The official death toll resulting from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has surpassed 37,000, and it is expected to increase as the likelihood of finding additional survivors dwindles.
Several areas have experienced delays of several days in providing food and emergency shelter to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. In addition, there have been reports of looting, and some foreign aid teams suspended their work temporarily due to a worsening security situation, according to residents and aid workers.
The Justice Minister of Turkey announced the law enforcement officials had arrested 48 people for looting without saying where they were from. President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to deal sternly with looters.
Notably, tensions have been on the rise between Syria and Turkey, two neighbouring countries with Muslim majority, ever since the civil war broke out in Syria in 2011. Turkey has welcomed almost 4 million Syrian refugees and provided them with a home. The majority of these refugees are located near the Syrian border in the south of the country. In the city of Gaziantep, which was severely impacted by the earthquake, approximately 500,000 Syrians reside, making up 25% of the population.
Although resentment towards Syrians is not a new phenomenon, the earthquake has exacerbated existing tensions. The latent grievances underscore the differences that exist between countries in the Arab world, even though they put up the charade of unity under the banner of Islam.
Even as Turkey continues to face acute economic distress, it has spent over $40 billion in the past decade to accommodate Syrian refugees. Some Turkish people regard Syrians as low-cost labour who have taken over jobs and used services, and the subject of Syrian refugees was anticipated to be a crucial issue in this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Social media platforms have been yet another forums where anti-Syrian sentiments are actively fuelled.
“Quake survivors are welcome to stay in my Ankara home for a year, on condition that they are not Syrian,” read one of the many tweets offering conditional help to quake victims.
Mustafa Ali, a former Syrian opposition politician, is operating an impromptu shelter in Mersin that accommodates roughly 250 Syrians. He reported that he reached an agreement with local authorities to keep them separated from shelters intended for displaced Turkish citizens.
He stated that the differences in culture, way of life, and language could potentially resolve many of these issues due to the separation.
On Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of the assembly elections scheduled in three north-eastern Indian states of Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. Shah said that Gandhi was engaged in the Bharat Jodo Yatra but that would hardly affect the elections as he has ‘no time’ to visit the states even once.
During an exclusive interview with ANI journalist Smita Prakash, Shah said that there are elections in the three states and the results of these upcoming state elections will show the impact of Bharat Jodo Yatra. “There are elections in Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. He hasn’t visited the states even once. Ana na ana unki fursat ka sawal hai lekin parinam to ana chaiye na. The country will itself see how many people support Congress,” Shah said when asked whom BJP considers as its principal opposition for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Shah added that it was in the hands of the people to show who they support and who will be the principal opposition of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 2024 elections. He indicated that Bharat Jodo Yatra would have no effect on the ruling party and its politics. He also stated that Congress, in these three states, had formed new alliances to win against BJP and it shows that Congress is scared of the BJP. “BJP isn’t scared of anything like Bharat Jodo Yatra. They think BJP is scared but that is their misunderstanding,” he added.
The Home Minister also said that Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya were all ruled by Congress earlier but now people there are hoping for BJP to win. “People there want development. And BJP is giving them what they want. I visited a poor individual’s home in Tripura today. He showed that now he has electricity, running tap water, cooking gas, a toilet, etc. He also showed me his Ayushman Bharat card. People are getting benefits under the BJP govt and this will continue,” he assured.
Talking about the alliance of Congress with Communists, Shah said, “They are scared of BJP.” Shah added that he has done several rallies and roadshows in Tripura ahead of the elections.
Elections in Tripura are scheduled to be held on 16 February 2023 to elect all 60 members of the Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, elections are scheduled to be held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on 27 February this year.
On Monday (February 13), Union Home Minister spoke about an array of issues ranging from foreign propaganda, and domestic and cross-border terrorism to upcoming elections in State Assemblies in an interview with Smita Prakash of ANI at Agartala.
During the interview, Amit Shah said that the Popular Front of India was banned for promoting religious fanaticism in the country. He emphasised that the decision to ban the organisation was made without any consideration for vote bank politics.
“We have banned PFI successfully…PFI promoted radicalism and religious bigotry. They were in a way trying to prepare raw materials for terrorism. So many documents have been found which show that their activities were not good for the country’s unity and integrity,” he further pointed out.
Amit Shah added, “I said that there were various kinds of cases against the PFI cadre. The Congress government tried to close the cases but the court stopped it. What is there to be upset about? You should not have done it and if you do, you will have to listen…We decided to ban it, rising above the vote bank politics.”
Home Minister speaks about Hindenburg Research report controversy, BBC documentary
While speaking to ANI, the Home Minister also responded to the Opposition’s claims about collusion between the Adani Group and the Modi government, which were raised after the publication of the infamous report by Hindenburg Research.
He remarked, “The Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the matter. As a minister, if the Supreme Court is looking at the matter it is not right for me to comment. But in this, there is nothing for the BJP to hide and nothing to be afraid of.”
Amit Shah asked his political rivals to approach the courts instead of making unsubstantiated claims. He said, “Even at the time when Pegasus issue was raised, I had said go with proofs to the court…They only know how to create noise.”
He pointed out, “Those who approached the court, the court took cognisance of Pegasus and also delivered its judgment. The investigation was also done.”
While rejecting the propaganda-laden documentary by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on PM Modi, he said, “The truth emerges despite a thousand conspiracies around it. They are after Modi since 2002. But every time, Modi Ji comes out stronger & more popular.”
Amit Shah speaks about North East development under the BJP govt
The Home Minister said that in the past, the Northeast region was notorious for blockades, strikes, bombings, and insurgency. However, the region is now benefiting from the development of transportation infrastructure such as roads, railways, and airports.
Home Minister Shah said that the North-east region in India is experiencing peace due to the government’s successful negotiations with various radical groups. Over 8,000 militants have surrendered and integrated into the mainstream.
“In a span of less than 8 years, PM Modi has visited the Northeast 51 times. Since independence, no PM has visited the region this frequently. Every 15 days one of the Cabinet ministers has to visit the region,” Amit Shah said.
He further informed, “In the last 9 years, the local languages of the Northeast have strengthened, even primary education being imparted in the regional languages. BJP govt has strengthened the identity of Northeast.”
Union Home Minister on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir
Amit Shah said it was previously communicated that Statehood would be reinstated following the elections in the Union Territory.
He added that the process of compiling a voter’s list in the Union Territory is almost finished, and it is now up to the Election Commission to decide on the scheduling of the elections.
“Since the time terrorism started in Jammu & Kashmir, the terrorism-related figures are at their lowest today. Crores of tourists and yatris are visiting J&K now. This is a huge change,” he told ANI.
The Union Home Minister added, “Since 1950, it was on our agenda to remove Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir. Now with the manner in which development work is going on in J&K, and the way terrorists and terror attacks are decreasing, this is being proved. You can see data.”
Amit Shah talks about the menace of domestic terrorism
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed that left-wing extremism has almost been eradicated from Bihar and Jharkhand, and the security vacuum in Chhattisgarh has been filled.
This is a significant achievement, as the total number of casualties among both locals and security personnel has fallen below 100 for the first time in two decades.
Shah has also noted that the government is closely monitoring the Khalistan issue and has had discussions with the Punjab government. There is good coordination between the different agencies involved, and Shah is confident that they will not allow it to grow.
BJP leader predicts victory in upcoming elections
Amit Shah also expressed his confidence about winning the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Tripura, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
“BJP will form the government with full majority in Karnataka. In the last 2 months, I’ve visited the state 5 times. I’ve sensed the pulse of people of the state and witnessed PM Modi’s popularity there -BJP will get a huge mandate in Karnataka,” he told ANI.
“Even the people of Mandya are now shifting from dynastic parties and accepting BJP’s politics of development. This is a good sign for Karnataka. I believe that there is no competition in the 2024 elections, the country is wholeheartedly moving forward with PM Modi,” he also added.
According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the BJP will increase both its seats and vote share in Tripura. He has also mentioned that the Congress and Communist parties have come together, recognizing that they are unable to defeat the BJP alone. Shah is confident that the BJP will secure a full majority and form the government in Tripura by noon on counting day.
The “Chalo Paltai” slogan was introduced to transform the situation in Tripura, which the BJP has successfully accomplished. Previously, during the Left’s tenure in the state, government employees were paid under the 5th Pay Commission.
However, the BJP implemented the 7th Pay Commission without increasing the fiscal deficit. Shah has stated that the BJP has eradicated violence in Tripura and taken strict action against cross-border drug trafficking in the state.
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the state-sponsored media of the United Kingdom. Some reports suggest the phones of the employees are seized as well.
The BBC survey was carried out at the BBC premises in view of the BBC’s deliberate non-compliance with the Transfer Pricing Rules and its vast diversion of profits. Transfer Pricing essentially ensures that the transaction between ‘related’ parties is at a price that would be comparable if the transaction was occurring between unrelated parties.
According to sources, there has been persistent non-compliance with the Transfer Pricing rules for years. The sources have informed that BBC has been served several notices by the IT department, however, they have persistently been non-compliant. They have also been allegedly diverting their profits.
The key focus of these surveys is to look into the manipulation of prices for unauthorised benefits, including tax advantages. These surveys have been undertaken due to BBC’s persistent non-compliance with the norms, making it a repeat offender.
In this case, BBC has been:
Non-compliant under transfer pricing rules;
Persistent and deliberately violative of transfer pricing norms; and
Deliberately diverted a significant amount of the profits and have not followed the arm’s length arrangement in the case of allocation of profit
BBC has frequently come under fire for its biased reportage. You can read more about the recent problematic reportage here and here.
