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Bollywood and nepotism: Remnants of a Clubhouse rant

Sagar Dubey
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Bollywood and nepotism: Remnants of a Clubhouse rant

Friend of mine (who I met on Clubhouse) pings me into a room run by actors and film “enthusiasts”. These enthusiasts are a substantial chunk of the Indian population and the literacy level doesn’t really matter. Someone with a good score from an Institute of Good Repute with a Bachelors Degree in a Hard Science shares the same appreciation as a laborer from a mud house in the deepest recesses of Bihar. In that way, this art is indeed universal.

One of the problems of being alive in 2021 is that wherever you live, you live in America. The boundaries of your cultural consumption are defined by the latest fad coming out of the incredible marketing machine of the United States. It’s only a matter of to what quality and to what degree it is aped and modified. The modifications have produced incredible results, the aping not so much (spare me the point of one not existing without the other)

India insists on importing the worst quality ideas formulated in the worst way possible for some reason, I don’t know why. So the US has Roger Ebert and we have Rajeev Masand. Considering that Rajeev is the pinnacle of fame when it comes to Indian Cinema criticism, consider the quality of the average Bollywood movie. This consideration is easy because there is no quality worth mentioning.

None of this has anything to do with the hundreds of thousands of people who work very hard in the industry, trying to do their best to satisfy the demands of the market. Once you get past the immediate middle class knee-jerk reaction to copying, even the fact that all the nostalgic ideas your parents had about Bollywood songs from the 70’s to the 90’s were copied is easy to get used to. I just wish the liked of Burman et al. had done more public acknowledgment of their lifts from the Western classical and modern canon.

And sure, the industry is extremely incestuous and nepotistic but who said it’s not supposed to be this way? I notice that the majority of the people espousing such an opinion are, like me, surrounded by the trappings of the Professional Managerial Class. These folks are the ones living in an artificial world of meritocracy, meanwhile the real world has always been intensely nepotistic (consider monarchies across the world across history). Yes the industry is nepotistic and the usual characteristics associated with nepotistic environments emerge. The sons and daughters are, at best, intensely mediocre and meanwhile the film “enthusiasts” say things like “the audience will accept or reject but they still work hard” meanwhile there is a 50 year old assistant director with 8 movies to his name who can’t catch a break. It took an outsider, Priyanka Chopra, to make it all the way to the US and make a name for herself there. Good on her.

It’s a chicken and egg problem. Is the content really bad and people have learnt to love it? Or is the industry meeting the audience demand perfectly?

One thing is happening for sure, the old generation is dying and usually that’s a good thing. Indians are now wealthier, more educated and with more exposure to what’s available when it comes to movies and TV shows (thanks to Amazon & Netflix) and are making the same demands. Even though it might take Sonam Kapoor 5 attempts to break through to a role people actually talk about (and maybe it always will), there are simply more movies and TV shows for those whose last name isn’t Khan or Kapoor to express their talent.

That can only be a good thing and I’m looking forward to it.

Note: This article was originally published on personal blog of the author on Substack.

China: Communist regime pressurises Ant Group to ditch its founder Jack Ma and divest his stake in the company

OpIndia Staff
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China: Communist regime pressurises Ant Group to ditch its founder Jack Ma and divest his stake in the company

A month after the Communist regime in China cracked down on the media assets of Alibaba, it has now directed Alibaba’s affiliate company Ant Group to take away control from its founder Jack Ma, reported Reuters. The business tycoon had attracted the ire of the Chinese government in October last year after he went on a tirade against China’s current banking system, its financial regulatory structure and the challenges posed by it to Ant Group.

The Ant Group is is an affiliate company of the Alibaba Group, which operates China’s largest digital payment platform Alipay. The group has stakes in Indian companies Paytm and Zomato, apart from several companies across the world.

The Chinese regulators have directed the Ant Group to find options to sell Jack Ma’s stake in the company so as to seize control from him. They have hinted to the financial technology giant that doing so will improve their ties with the Communist regime and avoid the scrutiny of their businesses. Reuters reported that the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) had held meetings with Jack Ma and the Ant Group separately between January and March this year.

During the talks, the possibility of Jack Ma’s exit from the Ant Group was discussed. Earlier, Wall Street Journal reported that the business tycoon had offered parts of the company to the Chinese government in November last year. However, Ant Group has denied all such claims in a statement. It said, “Divestment of Mr. Ma’s stake in Ant Group has never been the subject of discussions with anyone.”

Disinvestment options offered to Jack Ma will be reviewed by the Chinese regime

Citing sources, Reuters reported that Jack Ma was told by Chinese regulators that he could only sell his stake to existing investors within the Ant group and not to any external party. Moreover, he was directed to not sell his stake to an individual/entity close to him. Jack Ma was also given the option to choose a Chinese investor affiliated with the Communist Party of China (CCP). Nevertheless, every such decision will be reviewed by the Chinese government.

Reuters emphasised that all three sources, who had highlighted the disinvestment of Jack Ma’s stakes, were consistent in ‘terms of the timeline’ of events. However, the Chinese government and its subsidiaries have refused to comment on the matter.

Influence held by Jack Ma over Ant Group

It must be mentioned that even though Jack Ma has exited from corporate positions in the company, he still holds significant control and influence over Ant Group and Alibaba. Despite holding a 10% stake in Ant Group, he controls the company through its related entities. Through Hangzhou Yunbo Investment Consulting Co., Ltd, Jack Ma has control over two other entities with a 50.5% stake in Ant Group. Interestingly, Yunbo can decide on matters pertaining to Ant Group and exercise the combined voting rights of 3 entities. Jack Ma holds about 34% equity interest in Hangzhou Yunbo Investment Consulting Co., Ltd.

China worried about Alibaba’s media clout as it threatens CCP propaganda

It is believed that Alibaba has used its influence in the media to ‘reshape’ government legislation to favour its businesses. In May 2020, several social media posts on Chinese micro-blogging platform Weibo, accusing Alibaba executive of an extra-marital affair was removed. In a probe by internet watchdog Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), it alleged that Alibaba used ‘capital to manipulate public opinion.’

Alibaba has contributed around $100 million in advertising revenue on Weibo in 2019. CAC had lashed out at the micro-blogging platform for interfering in online communication. Without naming Alibaba, the Communist Party of China leader Xu Lin said that China will “resolutely prohibit dilution of the party’s leadership in the name of (media) convergence, resolutely guard against risks of capital manipulating public opinion.”

Not just Alibaba, several Chinese tech giants such as Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Bytedance Ltd. hold significant assets in the media. However, the Chinese regime has not made it clear whether the other tech companies will face the same wrath like that of Alibaba. Experts believe that giving aways its media assets would not affect Alibaba in a negative manner but will instead improve ties with the Communist regime by dismissing its insecurities. It will also help them in deterring future crackdown by the CCP, as it continues to tighten the restrictions on media.

USA: Incest marriage supporters come out in support of parent and child who want to marry, compare it to gay marriage

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Incest marriage supporters come out in support of parent and child who want to marry, compare it to gay marriage

Proponents of ‘consensual incest’ have come out in support of a parent in the United States who wishes to marry their own child. Richard Morris from Australia, who is involved in attempts to change incest laws in about 60 countries, is of the opinion that incest “should not be criminalized.”

In a petition before the Manhattan Federal Court, the parents expressed a desire to remain anonymous as the request is “an action that a large segment of society views as morally, socially and biologically repugnant.”

“Through the enduring bond of marriage, two persons, whatever relationship they might otherwise have with one another, can find a greater level of expression, intimacy and spirituality,” the parents argued.

“The proposed spouses are adults,” the court filing says. “The proposed spouses are biological parent and child. The proposed spouses are unable to procreate together.” According to the law in New York, incest is a third-degree felony offense and can be punished with up to 4 years in jail.

The parent wants the law to be declared unconstitutional and unenforceable in their case, which he calls “PAACNP” or “Parent and Adult Child Non-Procreationable” couples. The unconventional couple has received support from Richard Morris who calls it a fight for “marriage equality”.

“It seems to be as unjust as the law that used to imprison gay people, and the law that used to stop people of different races marrying,” he said. He has filed petitions in other countries seeking to decriminalize incest, without much public support.

Keith Pullman, who runs the blog Full Marriage Equality, said, “It is absurd to say that an adult can’t consent to marry their parent. That same adult can be sent to war, take on six or seven figures of debt, operate heavy machinery, be sentenced to death by a federal court, and consent to sex with five strangers (and marriage with one of them) but can’t consent to marry someone they love?”

The court filing in the present case has very sparse details and does not mention the gender or age of the parent and child.

Congress supporter Saket Gokhale spreads lies to defend Maharashtra govt’s harassment of Bruck Pharma director over Remdesivir supply

OpIndia Staff
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Congress supporter Saket Gokhale spreads lies to defend Maharashtra govt’s harassment of Bruck Pharma director over Remdesivir supply

Congress supporter and serial petitioner Saket Gokhale took to Twitter on Sunday to do what he is best at, that is fear-mongering and spreading fake news. Gokhale in a series of baseless tweets alleged that the BJP hoarded Rs 4.75 crores worth of Remdesivir in their party office in Maharashtra.

The allegations were made after the Mumbai Police on Saturday detained and questioned a director of Daman-based pharma company Bruck Pharmaceuticals over the supply of Remdesivir vials. Maharashtra unit of BJP had ordered Remdesivir from the company to be supplied to people in Maharashtra, but after the company had readied the product for delivery, the police had detained the director accusing them of hoarding the drug. The director was later released when Devendra Fadnacis raised the issue last night.

The serious allegations levelled against the opposition party by Gokhale have no proof attached and are also devoid of truth.

What Saket Gokhale claims

Gokhale in his first query expressed amusement over how a “private individual” like Fadnavis “could procure Remdesivir stock from Gujarat when the sale is allowed only to the government?”

The leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis in his media interaction had clearly stated, “Four days ago our leaders Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lal had gone to Daman to Bruck Pharma and requested them to supply the drug to Maharashtra. They obliged but said they did not have the license. Then I spoke to (union minister) Mansukh Mandaviya and got them the license.” The arrangement was made by the opposition party in Maharashtra after observing an acute shortage of the critical drug used in the treatment of Covid-19 in the state. It is also clear that the Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers had approved the delivery of the drug to Maharashtra, hence it was not a private deal unknown to the government.

Gokhale also displayed his poor knowledge of geography, as the Bruck plant is in Daman in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Union Territory, and not in Gujarat as he is claiming.

Gokhale, in his next tweet, alleged that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had bypassed the state government for procuring the drug.

Praveen Darekar of the Bhartiya Janta Party who had accompanied Devendra Fadnavis to the police station had informed that the state minister for Food and Drugs Rajendra Shingne was in the know of the plan as the procurement and transportation of the drug required state govt’s permission.

Gokhale in the same tweet made another baseless claim that the Remdesivir stock was being hoarded by the BJP in a party office. To his dismay, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, zone 8, Manjunath Shinge in a statement informed that they received inputs of 60,000 Remdesivir vials stocked in a ‘storage facility’ and that the director was called for an inquiry on the same.

Furthering NCP leader Nawab Malik’s deceit, Gokhale in his next tweet alleged that the Central government had stopped the supplies of Remdesivir to the Maharashtra government.

The BJP leaders were quick to diffuse the baseless allegations. BJP MP Manoj Kotak had shared images of two identical letters issued by the FDA’s of the respective state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat, stating the Centre has no role in the matter.

Mumbai BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua also shared the letters by the Gujarat and Maharashtra government respectively and exclaimed that the MVA government has not been prompt enough in dealing with the crisis at hand.

In his concluding tweet, Gokhale tagged the leaders of non-NDA parties and requested them to investigate if the BJP is running a similar scheme in other states. Asking for a probe into the matter, he launched an attack on the Centre stating, “Fadnavis in collusion with the Modi Govt is starving Maharashtra of Remdesivir supplies while hoarding them in BJP offices.”

However, it is imperative to know that the Maharashtra government’s latency had forced the opposition to get into action to deal with the current crisis at hand. A State FDA official admitted that they were still in the planning stage to give emergency approval to a few manufacturers for direct sale. “But right now it is in the talks stage. Bruck has not been given marketing approval yet,” he added. 

Role of Bruck Pharma

Bruck Pharma is one of the 16 manufacturers of Remdesivir with its manufacturing unit in Dabhel, Daman that has permission to export the drug. However, the company does not have a marketing license and this is where the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis had sought quick permission from the FDA to supply the drug to the state in a sincere attempt.

Gorakhpur tragedy accused Dr Kafeel Khan asks people to use steroids as ‘self medication’ to manage COVID

OpIndia Staff
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Gorakhpur tragedy accused Dr Kafeel Khan asks people to use steroids as ‘self medication’ to manage COVID

Dr Kafeel Khan, an accused in the Gorakhpur tragedy, is advising people on social media to ‘self medicate’ themselves against Covid-19 and has even suggested a series of medicines with dangerous side-effects if consumed without medical supervision.

The controversial doctor prescribed inhaled budesonide (steroid) 2 puffs twice a day and Dexamethasone (steroid) 6 mg daily for 10 days. Such medicines if taken without medical supervision can have extremely dangerous side effects.

The source of the information, according to the message shared by Khan, is Dr Zain Chagla, a physician in Canada with expertise in infectious diseases.

After people pointed out the risk of such advise, Kafeel Khan issued another tweet saying that Dexamethasone should only be consumed under trained medical supervision. But by then, it was too late and the tweet had received hundreds of retweets and thousands of ‘likes’.

As a responsible media platform, we urge people to consult a physician before following any recommendation on social media.

Dr Kafeel Khan was suspended after allegations of medical negligence were levelled against him in 2017 after 72 infants had died in BRD medical college in Gorakhpur due to lack of oxygen supply, and was arrested on that charge.

Two years later, after a probe by UP police, the charges of negligence and corruption were dropped, but he was still charged with running a private practice and two other accusations. He was released in 2018 after spending 9 months in jail.

He had in the past taken to social media to spread false news that he had been given a ‘clean chit’ in the 2017 case in a departmental inquiry. The Uttar Pradesh government had in October initiated a fresh inquiry against him for spreading misinformation and forcibly entering a hospital and trying to treat patients during his suspension period.

Uttar Pradesh government ramps up preparations for Covid-19 surge in the state, five quarantine centres set-up in Lucknow for migrant workers

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh government ramps up preparations for Covid-19 surge in the state, five quarantine centres set-up in Lucknow for migrant workers

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has ramped up preparations to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases. The state has decided to set up five quarantine centres for migrant workers coming from other states. Yogi Adityanath government has ordered to establish quarantine centres in every district and village so that the migrant workers coming from other states like Maharashtra can be quarantined before letting them go to their native places.

Beds already arranged in two out of five centres in Lucknow

250 beds have already been put up in two out of five quarantine centres in Lucknow, which are located at Radhasoami Satsang Vyas Sthal in Mohallaganj and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Institute in Kankaha. The state government will provide medical facilities and basic amenities in these centres. The locations for other centres are BBD University, Avadh Shilp Gram (in association with HAL) at Shaheed Path and Shakuntala Devi University. These centres will be functional soon.

Testing to be done at railway stations, bus stations and airports

The state has made all the arrangements to screen travellers coming entering the state from railway stations, bus stations and airports. The visitors have to undergo Antigen and RT-PCR tests. If anyone shows symptoms of Covid-19, the person will be kept at a quarantine centre. In case someone does not have the facility to stay under home isolation, they have to undergo institutional quarantine.

State-wide weekend lockdown for 35 hours

The state went under a 35-hour weekend lockdown on April 17, 8 PM, which will continue till April 19, 7 AM. Navneet Sehgal, ACS, Information, Government of Uttar Pradesh mentioned during this period, only sanitization, sanitation and emergency services will be allowed to operate. The state, however, allowed examinations to take place during the weekend. ASI-controlled monuments including the Taj Mahal will remain shut for the public till May 15.

Sehgal said that the state is increasing dedicated Covid-19 hospitals in every district. The number of L-2 and L-3 hospitals is also being increased in the state.

During a virtual press conference, Amit Mohan Prasad, ACS, Health and Medicine, Uttar Pradesh, said, General OPD and OTs will remain closed for the weekend. Chief Minister Arogya Mela has also been postponed due to the increasing number of cases in the state.

Oxygen plants underway

On April 18, CM Yogi ordered the setting up of 10 oxygen plants in the state. These plants will extract medical grade oxygen from the atmosphere. DRDO will provide support for these plants. As per the reports, these plants will start functioning in the next two weeks. He directed the officials to ensure oxygen supply to all hospitals and asked the DG (Medical Education) to arrange cylinders for the hospitals where there was no ICU bed available due to lack of oxygen. An oxygen plan started to function in SGPGI with a capacity of 20,000 litres.

Tests and vaccination ramped up in state

The state is also working on increasing the number of testing done per day. Sehgal mentioned that UP had administered 2,15,790 tests in 24 hours. So far, the state has administered 3,80,29,865 Covid-19 tests. A total of 1,05,62,121 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered in the state. 89,97,344 people have received their first shot, while 15,64,777 have received both shots of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Uttar Pradesh reported 19,383 cases on April 17. While 7,831 recovered, 120 lost their lives due to Covid-19 related complications. 

Aam Aadmi Party shares manipulated media of Amit Shah to claim PM Modi ‘sleeps’ 24 hours a day

OpIndia Staff
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Aam Aadmi Party shares manipulated media of Amit Shah to claim PM Modi ‘sleeps’ 24 hours a day

On April 17, Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit shared a manipulated media of Home Minister Amit Shah to claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘sleeps’ 24-hours a day.

In the tweet, AAP alleged that HM Amit Shah ‘exposed’ PM Modi and said, “Modi Ji sleeps 24 hours for benefit of poor.” The party further wrote, “If Modi Ji did not sleep for 24 hours, some lives could have been saved.” The tweet contains an eight-second clip which has Shah speaking while addressing a rally.

The truth behind the manipulated media

The video was clipped from HM Amit Shah’s public address in Chapra, West Bengal. When OpIndia checked the video, it was clear that Aam Aadmi Party tried to get away with mishearing’ sochte’ (think) with ‘sote’ (sleep).

During his address, Home Minister Shah had targeted West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. He said, “This government works for the benefit of the nephew of Banerjee. PM Modi keeps thinking 24 hours a day about how he can work for the benefit of the poor. On the other hand, didi [Mamata Banerjee] keeps thinking when his nephew will become Chief Minister.”

The social media team of Arvind Kejriwal’s party trimmed the video and made it look like as if HM Shah was criticizing PM Modi for ‘sleeping’ the whole day.

AAP has a track record of doctored videos and misinformation

Aam Aadmi Party has a long history of publishing misinformation and doctored or manipulative media. On December 8 last year, AAP claimed that Delhi Police had house arrested CM Kejriwal. However, Delhi Police released a video of Kejriwal attending a video to bust the party’s claims.

On April 8, 2021, AAP claimed that the Food Corporation of India was not procuring wheat in Delhi. However, FCI rubbished the claims and posted photographs of Mandis functioning in the state.

It has to be noted that former MLA of AAP Tahir Hussain, one of the main accused in the 2020 Delhi Riots, had allegedly used doctored videos to show himself as a victim of the riots. More details about Tahir’s alleged involvement in the riots can be read here.

Bomb scare on AirAsia flight bound for Delhi from Bengaluru. Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Bomb scare on AirAsia flight bound for Delhi from Bengaluru. Here is what we know so far

On Saturday (April 17), an AirAsia India flight travelling from Bengaluru to Delhi was subjected to a bomb scare after the flight captain discovered a threat note in the washroom, reported The Times of India. It must be mentioned that the flight was scheduled to travel to Srinagar, after reaching Delhi.

The flight (15-741) departed from Bengaluru at about 11:30 am. When the journey was close to completion, flight Captain Kiran Sangwan discovered a note threatening about a bomb blast. “There is a bomb on board I will blast as on as it reaches Delhi,” the note emphasised. Captain Sangwan immediately alerted the Delhi Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the situation at hand. He sought a ‘priority landing’ at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 1:53 pm.

The ATC briefed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who then formed a threat assessment panel as per the procedure. The flight landed at the IGI airport at 2:07 pm and was taken to the bay area instead of the operational area. Following that, a total of 159 passengers were asked to deboard along with their handbags. The CISF personnel then checked the aircraft, luggage, and the passengers. The security forces soon realised that the threat note was a hoax. After a few hours, the aircraft was allowed to fly again.

Investigation narrows down to 12 people

Meanwhile, the investigation in the case was narrowed down to just 12 passengers, on the basis of profiling and handwriting test. A police investigation has now been initiated in the bomb scare cases. The statement of the flight crew has been recorded while the 12 suspects were taken to the IGI police station. The remaining 143 passengers were allowed to go. Cops are now matching their handwriting samples with that of the handwriting on the threat note.

AirAsia releases statement following the bomb scare case

While speaking about the matter, an AirAsia India spokesperson said: “Flight 15 741 from Bengaluru to New Delhi on Saturday was subject to a bomb threat while en route. The crew took all necessary precautions and landed at Delhi uneventfully. The aircraft was taken to an isolation bay till cleared by authorities and all guests and crew were deplaned safely. Security procedures were initiated as per laid down norms and an investigation is currently ongoing.”

The spokesperson further added, “AirAsia regrets the disruption in travel plans of our guests on account of circumstances beyond our control. We are reaching out and providing all possible assistance to all our affected guests. Aircraft search completed by authorities and clearance has been given. Aircraft moved out from isolation bay to operational bay.”

World Hindu Foundation asks Justice Rohinton Nariman to take back his ‘mischievous’ comments on Vedas

OpIndia Staff
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World Hindu Foundation asks Justice Rohinton Nariman to take back his ‘mischievous’ comments on Vedas

Swami Vigyananand, founder of the World Hindu Foundation, has expressed outrage at recent comments on Hinduism made by Justice Rohinton Nariman. The Supreme Court Justice had recently made comments on the stature of women in religion and the Rig Veda at the 26th Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture.

Justice Rohinton Nariman had claimed, “Rig Veda says do not make lasting friendship with women because she would be like hyena.” The remark has attracted severe criticism, which was interpreted by many an insult to Hindu sentiments.

Swami Vigyananand said, “I am wounded and outraged at Justice Rohinton Nariman’s disparaging and incorrect comments on Rigveda during his address at the 26th Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture organised on the 16th April 2021 and livestreamed. As a Panini grammar, Vedang, Eastern Philosophy, Brahamana and Vedic Samhita scholar, I wish to bring to Justice Nariman’s notice that Vedas are not the scriptures to be translated literally.”

“I believe that you are not qualified to interpret Vedas and ancient Hindu scriptures. Therefore, you must resist from making any commentary on Hindu scriptures and Vedas based on your reading of secondary sources. Moreover, you hold a responsible position in judiciary. You must behave responsibly in speaking about issues concerning the great Dharma and Bharat’s civilisational heritage,” he said.

Swami Vigyananand continued, “Finally, I request you to take back your incorrect interpretation of Rigveda through your lecture. If you have any doubts about interpretation of Vedas, I invite you for an open debate at any platform. I hope you shall amend at the earliest the hurt and outrage caused to 1.2 billion followers of the faith by your mischievous comments on Rigveda.”

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta challenges for free flight tickets to Pakistan but goes into hiding after Twitter user provides it. Read what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Filmmaker Hansal Mehta challenges for free flight tickets to Pakistan but goes into hiding after Twitter user provides it. Read what happened

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta is surely not having his best time on social media platform Twitter. After mocking the sadhus of Kumbh Mela, Mehta on Sunday posed a question asking if Pakistan was performing as bad as India in terms of the new coronavirus cases. Of course his attempt was to assert that the conditions in Pakistan were better than in India.

To this, a netizen was quick to offer a first class one way ticket to Pakistan if Mehta agreed to move out of the country permanently since he considered the situation in our neighboring country to be better.

Screenshot of Hansal Mehta’s banter with a Twitter user

To his Mehta asked the user to book his ticket instantly and offered to share his bank details in case the user was willing to transfer the amount for the ticket.

The user then put the condition that Mehta would have to pay him 10 times the ticket amount if chose to return back from Pakistan.

The banter continued with Mehta asking him to transfer the money first and put conditions later.

To everyone’s surprise, the user actually booked the ticket from Mumbai to Dubai and Dubai to Pakistan for the 20th of April under Hansal Mehta’s name.

Screenshot of Dev’s tweet with the booked ticket

Here’s the full image of the ticket shared by the user.

Ticket booked by twitter user for Hansal Mehta’s trip to Pakistan

The netizens however are still waiting for a reply from the filmmaker.

Speaking the language of the left media, Hansal Mehta the famed filmmaker shared an old image of the Kumbh Mela’s congregation and mocked the sadhus.

Hansal Mehta sharing an old 2019 image as current Kumbh image

However, Hansal Mehta has since made his account private.

Hansal Mehta’s Twitter account made private

Mehta’s flight to Pakistan via Dubai is scheduled for 20th April, 2021. We shall keep you posted if Mehta goes to Pakistan or will he register his name in long list of paper tigers.

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