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Gorakhpur is not a political move, Yogi Adityanath is contesting from Gorakhpur because he loves the people

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Gorakhpur is not a political move, Yogi Adityanath is contesting from Gorakhpur because he loves the people

The decision of Yogi Adityanath to contest in the next assembly elections from Gorakhpur is not the result of a choice taken by a couple of party leaders, but rather of the local populace’s demand and Yogi’s determination to the development of the once-underdeveloped region of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. His concern for the upliftment of the downtrodden and his unwavering devotion to public service can be traced back to the late 1990s.

When Yogi Adityanath was elected from Gorakhpur in 1998, he was the youngest member of the 12th Lok Sabha, at the age of 26. He has been the Member of Parliament for the same constituency for five consecutive terms till 2017 when he was appointed Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. This silences those who are calling his contestation from Gorakhpur as a safe bet, as the decision owes to the goodwill of the people of Gorakhpur and the neighbouring districts, whose lives have flourished since Yogi Adityanath entered active politics.

No one is unaware of how UP was perceived several years ago. A state situated along the Ganga basin and rich in natural resources had the worst infrastructure and a dreadful state of public services a few years ago. And this awful state of affairs was the product of years of negligent leadership and vote-bank-oriented policies, rather than any “Act of God.” Eastern Uttar Pradesh was long regarded as an area prone to flooding during the monsoon season and rife with extremely contagious illnesses that spread on a regular basis.

When Yogi Adityanath took over as Chief Minister, he inherited a state that was falling behind in every category, whether it was road connectivity or health infrastructure. The community did not even anticipate electricity to be available on a regular basis. People were accustomed to power outages. The situation in the western half of the state was better due to people’s prosperity, which was also a result of previous governments’ leaders putting more emphasis on that region. Everyone around the country can discern the transformation Yogi Adityanath has brought to Uttar Pradesh since gaining power.

Since the Yogi Government came to office, UP has scored substantially higher in all areas, including highway construction and ease of doing business. In the Leads ranking, Uttar Pradesh is ahead of states like Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. This is essentially due to increasing investment opportunities in the state as a result of better law and order as well as commercial ease. The announcement of a number of Medical Colleges to be built in the coming years demonstrates the state’s vision to upgrade its health infrastructure. The work of the incumbent government has thoroughly satisfied the people of Uttar Pradesh. People who are attempting to incite unrest among the public are those who have lost their bread as a consequence of stringent anti-corruption policies introduced by the Yogi government.

Also, portraying Muslim displeasure as a result of so-called “populist policies” is a deception used by anti-development forces and opposition parties to divert attention away from the development agenda and instigate communal division to their advantage. For example, when the Yogi government came down hard on those creating violence during the anti-CAA riots, the opposition and the left ecosystem was quick to claim that Yogi Adityanath was being “communal”. It was almost as if they wanted him to not take action against violent forces and restore law and order because the chaos benefitted the opposition and therefore if the perpetrators were from the Muslim community, the trope of communalism would help the chaos continue.

Surprisingly, the Muslim population of Gorakhpur and its neighbouring districts, such as Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti, and Maharajganj, is delighted that Yogi was elected CM of UP because, despite the opposition’s instigated apprehension about their treatment after the formation of the BJP government, they are in far better condition than they expected to be under previous governments. While it is true that the Muslim community will perhaps never vote for BJP en masse, it is true that the Yogi government itself has ensured that it works for the development of the entire state.

Yogi Adityanath had in 2020 described his state of mind and manner of functioning adequately when he said that as a Hindu, he will not enter a mosque, but as a Chief Minister, he does not discriminate against the people he governs. For the ‘liberals’, this sentiment is one that is beyond their realm of understanding. While the Chief Minister works for the populace without fear or favour, the Yogi is free to follow his religious identity and wear it proudly.

In fact, not only eastern UP has benefitted from the policies of the incumbent government but the western region has also benefitted extensively. Whether it be the announcement of a world-class film city or making Noida into a global level manufacturing hub, policies by the Yogi government are strongly committed to the development of the state as a whole. Frequent visits of CM Yogi to Noida has bolstered the confidence of the companies planning to invest in the region.

Parvez Ansari, a local shopkeeper from Deoria said “It is this government which has provided us excellent facilities. There was a two-lane road from Deoria to Gorakhpur and now it is made four-lane by Yogiji. We were referred to BRD medical college for any serious health issue but now medical college is being built in Deoria. We get electricity 24 hours and all the roads in the city and adjoining towns have street lights. We are happy that Yogiji became CM. We will vote for him again. He will surely win.”

Speaking on Yogi’s contestation from Gorakhpur, Sanjay Singh, BJP District Vice President from Deoria said “This is the love of people of Gorakhpur which is manifesting in his candidature from Gorakhpur. He has an emotional connection with the people of Gorakhpur and Deoria. Yogiji keeps visiting the Gorakhnath Mandir frequently and keeps connecting with people. And not only a particular section is happy about him contesting from Gorakhpur but every single community including Muslims are committed to voting with ‘Gaurav’ in the upcoming elections. This time Yogiji’s win will be historic.”

Given the fervour with which people are rallying behind their favourite leader, it is logical to think that Yogi Adityanath has emerged as a mass leader and that his campaign from Gorakhpur is motivated by a dedication to the people he considers his family. Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh is poised to play a key part in PM Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India. Uttar Pradesh’s growth will be accelerated thanks to the state’s dual-engine government.

Anushka Sharma claims was ‘caught off guard’ after daughter Vamika’s pictures are captured in a stadium full of cameras on Team India’s ex-captain

OpIndia Staff
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Anushka Sharma claims was ‘caught off guard’ after daughter Vamika’s pictures are captured in a stadium full of cameras on Team India’s ex-captain

On January 24, actress Anushka Sharma requested everyone to not share Virat and Anushka’s daughter Vamika’s photograph anywhere on social media. She said they were caught off-guard and did not know the camera was on them at the time when the photograph was clicked. Anushka was watching the Indian cricket team play against South Africa in Cape Town. As the match was going on, it was full of cameras. The official broadcaster panned the camera towards Anushka holding Vamika cheering for team India during the game.

Anushka and Virat shared the same story requesting everyone not to share Vamika’s photo. Source: Instagram

In the statement, she said, “Hi guys! We realise that our daughter images were captured at the stadium yesterday and widely shared after that. We want to inform everyone that we were caught off guard and didn’t know that the camera was on us. Our stance and request on the matter stays the same. We would really appreciate it if Vamika’s images were not clicked/published for reasons we have explained earlier. Thank you!”

The story was also published by Virat on his Instagram account.

Virat and Anushka had explained the rationale behind not sharing Vamika’s photos

In May 2021, during an Instagram stories Q and A session, Virat Kohli had replied to a fan explaining the rationale behind not sharing Vamika’s photographs or videos on social media. He had said, “We have decided as a couple to not expose our child to social media before she has an understanding of what social media is and can make her own choice.”

In December 2021, a video had turned up on social media where Kohli was seen asking paparazzi not to take Vamika’s photos, and his request was obliged by the photographers. Later, Anushka had said, “We seek privacy for our child and would like to do our best to give her a chance to live her life freely away from media and social media. As she is older, we cannot restrict her movement, and hence your support is needed, so kindly practice (retrain) in the matter. A special thank you to fan clubs and people of the internet for going out of your way to not post images. It was kind and highly mature of you.”

Anushka gave birth to Vamika in January 2021. The couple had decided to keep her daughter away from social media till she was mature enough to make her own decisions about her presence on social media.

Rana Ayyub plays the victim card, blames PM Modi after netizens from UAE also call her out for attacking Saudis

OpIndia Staff
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Rana Ayyub plays the victim card, blames PM Modi after netizens from UAE also call her out for attacking Saudis

Rana Ayyub, the controversial journalist, has been getting called out from all sides for her Houthis-supporting tweet in which she had called Saudis especially the leadership “bloodthirsty”. Netizens from Saudi Arabia expressed their displeasure over the misleading tweet posted by Ayyub. Irked by the backlash, Ayyub blamed PM Modi for the attack she might not have expected to receive from Saudi netizens. In a tweet, she wrote, “Saudi trolls are being cheered on by Modi supporters in India. You missed nothing.”

Ayyub blamed PM Modi for her own blunder.

A few hours later, netizens from the United Arab Emirates also called out Ayyub and questioned her support for Houthis Terrorists. Hassan Sajwani, an Emirati businessman, said, “The likes of Rana Ayyub are the biggest culprits. Under the smokescreen of “Humanitarian Voice”, they constantly back Houthis, Hamas, and Muslim Brotherhood aligned groups. Ms. Rana forgot that Houthis killed two innocent Indians (her countrymen) last week in Abu Dhabi. Shame!”

He further mentioned how Ayyub conveniently ignored the war crimes committed by Houthis and called Saudis bloodthirsty. He said, “She ignores the atrocities and war crimes committed by the Houthis but calls Saudis “bloodthirsty”. These white label Islamists are even more dangerous than the terrorists themselves! Shame!”

She was also called out by other people such as lawyers based out of New York who accused her of spreading propaganda.

Many Muslims also called her out for supporting Iran-backed terrorists.

Many from Saudi continued to call her out. Some even accused her of not being a good Muslim for not covering her head.

Ayyub had posted a tweet against Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen that also destroyed a prison run by a Houthi rebel group. The strikes were in response to a deadly drone attack in UAE by Houthis, a member of the Saudi-led alliance. The group has been launching missile and drone attacks in Saudi Arabia.

Notably, Houthis control a large territory in northern Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition is supporting the internationally-recognized Yemen government to fight the group. As the coalition supports the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi government in Yemen, the netizens from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were shocked to see an Indian journalist supporting Houthis.

The Indian netizens also criticized Ayyub for her misleading tweet on Saudis.

US authorizes departure of govt employees from Ukraine amid escalating tensions, says it won’t be able to evacuate American citizens if Russia attacks Ukraine

OpIndia Staff
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US authorizes departure of govt employees from Ukraine amid escalating tensions, says it won’t be able to evacuate American citizens if Russia attacks Ukraine

On January 24 (local time), the United States government authorized the departure of the US government employees and ordered that thefamily members of US government employees at the US Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine leave the country amid escalating tensions. The authorized departure gives the govt employees an option to leave the country if they want to, however, their family members must leave Ukraine.

In the official statement issued by the Department of State, it was mentioned the decision was taken due to the “continued Russian efforts to destabilize the country and undermine the security of Ukrainian citizens and others visiting or residing in Ukraine.” It further added the US State Department had elevated travel advisory for Ukraine to level four, which means the US citizens must not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of significant Russian military action. Earlier, the advisory was at Level 4 due to Covid-19.

The US Embassy in Ukraine would continue to function, and Kristina Kvien, in charge at the embassy, would remain in Ukraine. The department further added it was working on finding a diplomatic solution to Russia’s “troubling build-up of forces in and around Ukraine.”

Notably, the US had delivered the first of several shipments of $200 million security assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces that was approved by President Biden in December. The statement added, “While the United States continues to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, if Russia chooses escalation and massive consequences due to significant military action against Ukraine, the current unpredictable security conditions, particularly along Ukraine’s borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine could deteriorate with little notice.”

‘US govt will not be in a position to evacuate US citizens’ – President Biden

One of the significant portions of the statement was the fact that the US government clearly told its citizens that in case Russia moves ahead with the military action against Ukraine, it would not be in a position to evacuate American citizens. It said, “As President Biden has said, military action by Russia could come at any time, and the United States government will not be in a position to evacuate American citizens in such a contingency, so US citizens currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly, including by availing themselves of commercial options should they choose to leave the country.”

Russia completed military build-up at Ukraine border

On January 19, it was reported that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time as it had completed military build-up at the Ukrainian border. Russia also has started reducing the number of people in ints embassy in Ukraine, giving a possible hint of invasion. Reportedly, families of Russian diplomats left Ukraine on buses in the past few days, and the diplomats are told to be prepared to leave when instructed.

The Ukrainian military report further has revealed that the Russian troops have made their permanent camps in the Central and Eastern part of the country and that it supports around 35,000 rebels in eastern Ukraine. However, Russia denied the claims and agreed to set up additional radio and satellite traffic units near the Ukrainian border and tripled the reconnaissance flights.

Russia-Ukraine conflict

Since 2014, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, has been facing a conflict with Russian-backed separatists. These separatists are holding control of several territories in Ukraine with the help of Moscow.

In 2013, then-President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, decided to reject a deal for greater economic integration with European Union. His decision led to a series of protests and conflicts that led to a violent crackdown by the security forces. However, the administration’s decision to forcefully stop the protesters backfired and the number of protesters increased exponentially on the streets. As a result, President Yanukovych had to flee the country in February 2014.

In March 2014, Russian troops took control of the Crimean region in Ukraine. Crimea is located in the south of the Ukrainian region of Kherson. After Russia took control over the Crimean region, a local referendum was done where the Crimeans voted to join the Russian Federation. After the referendum, it was formally annexed in Russia.

In July 2014, the situation in Ukraine took the shape of an international crisis when a Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukrainian airspace. There were 298 people on board, including the staff and pilot. No one survived the incident. The incident caused tension between Russia and its western counterparts, including the United States and the European Union.

Since the conflict started, it has been alleged that Russia has been targeting Ukraine with cyber attacks. In December 2015, it was reported that around 225,000 people lost power due to a cyber attack. In December 2016, another blackout happened in Kyiv due to an alleged cyber attack.

According to United Nations, till April 2021, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has claimed over 13,000 lives since 2014. Around 24,000 people have been injured in the conflicts.

‘You are supporting terrorists’: Saudi netizens slam Rana Ayyub after she attacked ‘bloodthirsty Saudis’ for air-strike in Yemen

OpIndia Staff
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‘You are supporting terrorists’: Saudi netizens slam Rana Ayyub after she attacked ‘bloodthirsty Saudis’ for air-strike in Yemen

If getting slammed by Indians for fake news and supporting terrorists was not enough, Rana Ayyub is now being blasted by Saudis for one of her tweets. Yesterday, the controversial journalist had posted a tweet slamming Saudi Arabia for launching a military operation against Yemen. She is now attacked on Twitter by Saudi netizens in response to that, accusing her of supporting terrorism.

“Yemen is bleeding and there is nobody to stop the bloodthirsty Saudis,” Rana Ayyub had tweeted on Saturday, saying that as a Muslim she is ashamed that “these savages are guardians of the holy mosque”.

Her comments came after Saudi led air-strikes on a temporary prison run by Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The strikes were intensified after a deadly drone attack on UAE, a member of the Saudi led alliance, by the Houthis. The group has been launching missile and drone attacks in Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis control a large territory in northern Yemen, and the Saudi-led coalition is supporting the internationally recognised Yemen govt to fight the group. As the coalition is supporting the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi government in Yemen, Saudi citizens were shocked to see that the Indian journalist was slamming them for the same.

After Rana Ayyub posted the tweet, several Saudi netizens responded to her saying that their govt is supporting a recognised government, while Ayyub was supporting a Islamist terror group trying to overthrow that government.

Saudi engineer Gassan called it fake news, and said that Saudi Arabia has launched military operations in Yemen as part of a coalition of over ten countries in response to a direct request from the legitimate government of Yemen. “We supporting legitimate and you supporting terrorists”, he added.

One Twitter user Abu Sultan called her a “fu**ing liar”, saying all she “said are bullshit”. The user noted that this why Ayyub has disabled replied to her tweets.

Another Saudi netizen said that she is among the “media elitist Hypocrites who support Terrorist Houthis who use child soldiers and are the main root cause of suffering in Yemen.” He said that why Saudi Arabia is working to end the tyrannical reign of the Houthis, she is supporting the terror group.

One user from Greece said that Rana Ayyub is supporting terrorists like the Houthis who use child soldiers, kill, abuse Yemeni and attack other countries with drones almost everyday.

One user went a bit off-track, and slammed Rana Ayyub for not covering her hair and face despite being a Muslim.

Rana Ayyub was also slammed by netizens from India and many other countries for her support to the Houthi group. People commented that she is speaking against the attack on the group, she was silent when several innocents including two Indians were killed in the drone attack in Abu Dhabi by the terror group.

Tennis Australia stands firm to its decision to ban clothes and banners supporting missing Chinese Tennis star Peng Shuai

OpIndia Staff
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Tennis Australia stands firm to its decision to ban clothes and banners supporting missing Chinese Tennis star Peng Shuai

Tennis Australia defended its decision of asking Australian Open spectators to take off T-shirts with a message in support of Chinese Tennis star Peng Shuai. During the ongoing Australian Open, police and security authorities had forced two spectators to remove a T-shirt with the words “Where is Peng Shuai?” that they were wearing. A poster bearing the same statement was also seized.

In a video that had gone viral on social media, a pro-democracy campaigner from Hong Kong Max Mok and a fellow spectator were asked to remove their T-Shirts with pro-Peng Shuai graffiti. The T-shirts had a photo of Peng on the front below the word “Wanted”, while the back of the T-shirt had “Where is Peng Shuai?” printed on it. The cops had explained to them that the material violated Tennis Australia’s ban on political statements at the tournament. “I’m not saying you can’t have those views, but Tennis Australia sets the rules here,” a police officer had told them.

At the end of the video, a police officer adds, “The Australian Open does have a rule that there can’t be any political slogans.”

Tennis Australia expressed concern about Peng’s safety but stated that supporters at the Australian Open were not authorized to make political comments with their clothes. “Under our ticket conditions of entry, we do not allow commercial or political clothing, banners, or placards,” stated a Tennis Australia representative.

Peng Shuai and her disappearance

According to reports, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai went missing after accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex at his house. 35-year-old Peng is a doubles champion at Wimbledon and the French Open. She wrote a lengthy message on the Chinese social media site Weibo in November 2021. According to screenshots of a now-deleted social media post dated November 2, she has not been seen in public since making the charges against Zhang Gaoli. After removing Peng Shuai’s initial post within 30 minutes, Chinese censors erased any references to the claims from the internet. Peng Shuai’s Weibo account, which has over 500,000 followers, had also vanished.

Her disappearance sparked widespread anxiety for her safety. The United Nations, the White House, athletes, and campaigners have all spoken out about the disappearance.

The revelation of Peng Shuai’s disappearance came only months before China is set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February. However, the Chinese official media has supposedly revealed an email in which Shuai, a tennis star, retracted her claims and stated that she is alright.

PM Modi unveils the Holographic statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth Anniversary at the India Gate

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi unveils the Holographic statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth Anniversary at the India Gate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today unveiled the holographic statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate marking the 125th Birth Anniversary of the Illustrious freedom fighter today. The Iconic canopy at the India Gate which once hosted a statue of King George V until 1968, will be hosting the one-of-a-kind holographic statue of Netaji projected by a 4K projector. The hologram will later be replaced by a 28-ft-high permanent jade black statue of Subhas Chandra Bose made in Granite.

The decision to install the Netaji’s statue was announced by PM Modi on Twitter, saying it is a ‘gesture of India’s indebtedness to him’. Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister paid tributes to the leader in the Central Hall of the Parliament. The event in the evening was graced by the Prime Minister, HM Amit Shah, MoHUA Minister Hardeep Singh Puri among other cabinet ministers, veterans and officials from the armed forces.

The PM in his speech while referring to Netaji as ‘the brave son of mother India’ emphasised that it was Netaji has instilled in us the belief for free India. He added that Netaji, once in front of the British had said, “Mein Svatantra ki Bheekh nahi loonga, mein isse hasil karunga” (I’ll not accept freedom as a beggar, rather I’ll achieve it). Talking about the occasion, the PM said ‘The moment is historic and so is this place which very close to the Parliament and also close to the National War Memorial.” PM Modi said the statue is a fitting tribute to Netaji, who established the first Independent government on the soil of India. Soon this hologram statue will be replaced by a granite statue and it will remind us of our National duties and will continue to inspire generations galore.”

Emphasizing the Importance of Disaster Management, The Prime Minister distributed the ‘Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar’ for four consecutive years (2019 to 2022) to people who have made excellent contributions by participating in managing disasters like floods, droughts and cyclones which hit the country over the years. Talking about the erstwhile condition of disaster management in the country, Modi lamented, “Many wouldn’t know that earlier Agriculture department used to look after disaster management. Things started changing after Gujarat’s 2001 earthquake. Gujarat became the first state to pass the Disaster Management Act. Soon after in 2005, the Govt. of India constituted the NDRF in 2005.”

On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, which marks the birth anniversary of Netaji Bose, the PM recalled the tragedies of cyclones in eastern and western coastal states, earthquakes and floods which stormed the country during the Pandemic. He lauded the efforts of the NDRF and the SDRFs who saved the people stuck in dangerous situations while putting their own lives at stake. “Today is the day to salute their efforts” he added.

The Canopy where Netaji Bose statue is replacing King George V statue

Talking about the steps taken to empower the NDRF, PM Narendra Modi added, “Along with Relief, Rescue and Rehabilitation we have moved towards Reform in the practices of disaster control. We are strengthening the NDRF and it is spreading its wings to many regions in the country. We have employed the use of space technologies, methods of planning and management while dealing with the arena in a holistic approach.” He further added, “I’ve been told that the NDMA’s ‘Aapda Mitra’ scheme is inviting a lot of positive response while people are willing to help when a disaster is struck.” He also added that people no longer want to be ‘victims’ but ‘volunteers’ in the disaster management process.

The PM concluded his speech saying, “I am confident that with our Parakram (valour) & Jan Bhagidari (People’s participation), we will be able to build India of Netaji’s dreams”.

The installation of Netaji’s statue marks yet another change to Central Vista avenue, which has been redeveloped under the Central Vista project. The canopy where the statue is installed is located at the centre of the India Gate Hexagon complex, with the National War memorial located to the east of it and the India Gate to the west. After a wait for decades, the war memorial was finally constructed by the Modi government and it was inaugurated in 2019.

According to govt sources, work on the permanent stone statue will start in the next few weeks and it could take at least five to six months to complete the same. The statue made of black granite from Telangana is expected to be installed by August this year. Talking about the statue, a govt official had said, “This will be a realistic sculpture made of a single-piece granite stone. The stone has been selected considering the strong character of Netaji.” The official added that the culture ministry had started the project two months ago and the groundwork has been completed.

Taliban Delegation reaches Norway for talks with the western world on ‘Human Rights’ and ‘International assistance’

OpIndia Staff
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Taliban Delegation reaches Norway for talks with the western world on ‘Human Rights’ and ‘International assistance’

In the midst of Afghanistan’s deteriorating humanitarian crisis, a Taliban delegation led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi began three days of discussions with Western government officials and Afghan civil society groups in Oslo in Norway on Sunday. The Taliban delegation was invited by the Norwegian govt to hold talks on various issues.

The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it has invited representatives of the Taliban to Oslo for a visit from January 23 to 25. However, the govt clarified that it does not imply recognition of the Taliban govt in Afghanistan. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt said, “It does not in any way imply any recognition of the coup that took place. We will make strong demands on the Taliban, but we do not know if they will implement them afterwards.”

According to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, “the Taliban will meet representatives of Norwegian authorities and officials from a number of Ally nations” for dialogue on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and human rights. The ministry did not confirm who would be there, but Norwegian daily VG said that Britain, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States would be among the allies.

Reportedly, discussions on girls’ education and women’s rights will be top of the agenda in the discussions. Taliban has greatly curtailed the rights of women in Afghanistan, and Norwegian govt will demand to restore them.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said they are making moves to meet the requests of western nations. He said, “The Islamic Emirate has taken steps to meet the demands of the Western world and we hope to strengthen our relations through diplomatic ways with all countries, including the European countries and the West in general, and to transform the atmosphere of war, which we had previously, into a peaceful situation.”

The Taliban delegation arrived in Oslo on a private jet reportedly paid for by the govt of Norway. They were also joined by Anas Haqqani, the leader of the Sunni Islamist terrorist organization Haqqani Network. However, citizens in Osolo protested against the visit, and questioned why their govt invited an organisation that is blacklisted by the USA.

Following a stalemate on the battlefront, the Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan in August as the US and foreign troops initiated their final departure from the country. The trip marks the first time that Taliban leaders are meeting other governments in Europe since the group took control of the nation in August. They had already visited Russia, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, China, and Turkmenistan.

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated considerably since August. International assistance has come to a halt, and the US has blocked the Afghan central bank’s assets worth $9.5 billion (£7 billion). Muttaqi is anticipated to emphasize the Taliban’s demand that the US and other Western countries release the frozen funds during the talks.

According to a statement released by the US State Department, a US delegation led by Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West will discuss the formation of a representative political system, responses to urgent humanitarian and economic crises, security and counterterrorism concerns, and human rights, particularly education for girls and women.

According to the United Nations, starvation presently scares 23 million Afghans, or 55 percent of the population, and the government needs $4.4 billion from donor countries this year to solve the food crisis.

This year’s Navy tableau for Republic Day parade to depict the Naval Uprising of 1946

OpIndia Staff
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This year’s Navy tableau for Republic Day parade to depict the Naval Uprising of 1946

This year, The Indian Navy’s tableau is all set to depict the 1946 Naval revolt which rocked the shackles of the British Empire, a year before the Independence. The tableau which will feature one of the unsung episodes in the history of India’s freedom struggle will be led by Lieutenant Commander Aanchal Sharma with a marching contingent.

The presentation by the Indian Navy will be part of the 25 tableaux presented by various states, ministries and government departments at the Republic Day Parade on January 26. The tableau is based on the navy’s theme of ‘Combat Ready, Credible and Cohesive’. Talking about the specifics, Lieutenant Mayank Bhagour said the forward part of the tableau depicts “The naval uprising of 1946, an event which contributed in India’s struggle for Independence while The rear section of the tableau illustrates the ‘Make in India’ initiatives of the Indian Navy, particularly for the period 1983 to 2021.” According to the statement released by the Navy, The theme of the tableau resonance with the ongoing ‘Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations and highlights the Navy’s contribution to the Indian freedom struggle.

Apart from the tableau, a naval contingent comprising of 96 men, three platoon commanders led by Lieutenant Commander Aanchal Sharma, an observer officer posted at the Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 314 will be part of the Republic Day celebrations. Interestingly, The 72-men band, whose rehearsal videos are adding to the buzz on social media for tuning popular songs also makes a presence at the Parade.

The Naval Revolt of 1946 which shook the base of the British Empire

The Royal Indian Naval Revolt was triggered in Bombay over the quality of food being served to the soldiers in February 1946. However, in no time it quickly escalated into a concerted mutiny with sailors taking full control of ships and shore establishments. The sailors of the Royal Indian Navy, with a nationalistic uproar, stopped obeying the demands of their British officers. News of the coordinated effort spread across the city of Bombay and students, industrial workers including many government employees went on a strike to support the Naval mutineers.

Following the development, February 20, 1946, the unrest spread across the major harbour hotspots in the country. The sailors in Calcutta and Karachi also joined the revolt. At its peak, the Naval revolt involved, 78 ships, twenty shore establishments and around 20,000 sailors in the Royal Indian Navy. However, while the naval revolt got no support from the erstwhile political leadership of the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, it also lacked serious leadership from within. The episode ended peacefully with their mutineers finally surrendering to the British Administration. However, it soon sent shock waves all over that loyalty of the Indian Soldier could no longer be banked, upon which the British Raj had rested. Soon after this, the realization within the Raj to unwind its powers from the Indian subcontinent happened. The episode is thus said to have contributed much into what culminated a year after, the complete Independence of India in August 1947.

Arunachal Pradesh’s missing teenager in possession of Chinese Army, Rahul Gandhi attacks government even after return process initiated

OpIndia Staff
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Arunachal Pradesh’s missing teenager in possession of Chinese Army, Rahul Gandhi attacks government even after return process initiated

The missing teenager from Arunachal Pradesh has been traced. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Sunday that an Indian boy who went missing by crossing the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh has been found. The Chinese PLA has informed the Indian Army about this. It has also been said that the missing boy will be sent back to India after proper formalities. According to ANI, PRO Defence, Tezpur Lt Col Harshvardhan Pandey has informed this.

The Indian Army is verifying the Chinese claim and trying to find out if the boy is the same one who was reported missing. The army had on Thursday 20th January 2022 sought the help of the PLA to locate the missing boy identified as Miram Taron and return him as per established protocol.

Chinese army accused of abduction

The Indian Army had stated earlier that when they received information about Taron, they immediately contacted the PLA through an established hotline system and informed that a man, who was collecting herbs and hunting, has lost his way and could not return. It was alleged that the boy was kidnapped by the Chinese PLA.

Arunachal Pradesh MP Tapir Gao alleged in a tweet on Wednesday that the Chinese PLA has abducted 17-year-old Miram Touren of Jido village. Taron’s friend Johnny Yaying managed to escape and informed the authorities about the kidnapping by the PLA. Gao said the incident happened near the point from where the Tsangpo river enters India in Arunachal Pradesh. Tsangpo is called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam.

Tapir Gao had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and others to ensure the early release of the kidnapped boy. Accordingly, the process to bring him back is initiated. The Indian Army will first confirm his identity for the same.

Rahul Gandhi attacks government

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has attacked the government even after the army has initiated the process to bring the teenager back. Rahul Gandhi has posted in a tweet ‘Sarkar ho to farz nibhao, Miram Taron ko wapas laao’ which means ‘if you are the government, then you abide by your duty and bring back Miram Taron’.

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