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‘College or madarsa?’: Himanta Biswa Sarma takes on Congress and its ally AIUDF ahead of Assam polls

OpIndia Staff
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‘College or madarsa?’: Himanta Biswa Sarma takes on Congress and its ally AIUDF ahead of Assam polls

BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday vowed to ‘teach a lesson’ to Congress that they will never dare to forge an alliance with AIUDF. Sarma took a 5-km long padyatra from Rangagora Road in Assam’s Tinsukia town which culminated at the Manav Kalyan Bhawan. Addressing his supporters, Sarma asked whether the voters need colleges or madarsas (Islamic centres of learning). “Do we need Modi or Ajmal?” he asked.

Sarma further attacked Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF and said that he needs to be sent to Bangladesh. “He thinks of women as machines to deliver babies. We think of girls’ and women’s prosperity. Perhaps, if Ajmal were to be pregnant, he would know the pain and will not ask women to keep on delivering babies,” he said. Earlier, too, Sarma had attacked Ajmal and alleged that he is getting funding from fundamentalist organisations.

In January this year, Sarma had asserted that once returning to power, the BJP government in Assam will work to bring education in madarsas at par with mainstream education in schools by introducing maths, computers and science. The steps against madarsas has attracted a lot of opposition from Muslim clerics.

He further added that the BJP government in state got only 3 years to work out of 5 since one year went in CAA protests and one in Chinese coronavirus. “Still BJP has brought a lot of development in three years, which the Congress failed to do in 40 years,” he said.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit, he said that the Gandhi siblings are doing nothing but indulging in ‘poverty tourism’. As per EastMojo report, Sarma said that the Congress party does not care about the poor. Questioning why are people still poor despite 60 years of Congress rule, he said, “If they actually have love for tea workers, take 50 girls from tea workers and make them sit with Sonia Gandhi on same dining table and have food. Then I will acknowledge their care for tea workers.”

Assam will vote in two phases in the upcoming elections. First phase of voting is scheduled for 27th March and second phase is scheduled for 6th April, 2021. Results will be declared on 2nd May, 2021.

#WorldWaterDay: India’s efforts on water conservation, cleaning rivers, and supplying safe water to every household

Akshita Bhadauria
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#WorldWaterDay: India’s efforts on water conservation, cleaning rivers, and supplying safe water to every household

“अपवन्तरमृतमप्सु“

This Rigvedic phrase means, ‘there is nectar in water, there is medicine in water‘.

With this report, we bring to you all that you need to know about India’s efforts towards conserving water, bringing sustainable development and the Modi government’s goal of providing clean drinking water to every household by 2024.

India has long been reeling under the grave issue of water crisis; from lack of safe drinking water to unavailability of potable water to deteriorating condition of major rivers. These are just some of the issues India has been grappling with no solution in sight.

However, understanding the importance of water and water conservation in the socio-economic development of the country, the Government of India launched the Ministry of Jal Shakti in May 2019. Integrating various departments and ministries dealing with water resources and water supply, the Ministry of Jal Shakti spearheads a pan-Indian movement addressing water issues at several levels.

Today, on World Water Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to launch ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign.

Extending the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, PM Modi will be launching National Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch The Rain’ with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”. The campaign aims at encouraging the states and stake-holders to take steps towards rainwater harvesting by creating appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata before the monsoon.

This campaign will see an integrated approach to check dams, water harvesting pits, removal of encroachments to increase a tanks storage capacity, removal of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them from the catchment areas and repairing of step-wells with the active participation of people.

To encourage public participation, states have been requested to open ‘Rain Centers’ in each district with dedicated mobile phone number of a rain water harvesting structure engineer.

Poster of National Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch The Rain”. Image source: Ministry of Jal Shakti

Atal Bhujal Yojna (ATAL JAL):

In this scheme for facilitating sustainable groundwater management, the government has laid emphasis on community participation for sustainable groundwater management in 8353 identified water-stressed areas in seven states of the country. The scheme envisions to improve source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission, contribute to government’s goal of ‘doubling farmers income’ and inculcating behavioral changes in the community to facilitate optimal water use. The scheme is being taken up in Gram Panchayats of Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Namami Gange:

Namami Gange is a comprehensive and integrated conservation mission with prime objective to contain and restrict pollution, conserve the Ganges and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. The program is built on multiple pillars such as sewerage treatment infrastructure, river-front development to boost tourism, river-surface cleaning, preserving bio-diversity, afforestation and industrial effluent monitoring.

A flagship program inaugurated in 2014 has witnessed some major developments.

Data source: Ministry of Jal Shakti

Har Ghar Jal Yojna:

The Har Ghar Jal Yojna aims at providing a functional household tap connection to every household by 2024. The entire mission aims at improving the lives and reduce the drudgery of women, especially girls by providing safe water in every household through a tap connection. It is to ensure that every rural house receives an adequate quantity of potable water on a regular and long-term basis. The program has marked monumental progress as, under the initiative, 84.84 lakh households were provided with tap connections in 2019-2020. 71 Lakh people in Arsenic contaminated areas and 5.35 Lakh people in Fluoride contaminated areas, were provided safe drinking water in the same duration, and also villagers are being skilled as masons, plumbers, electricians, etc. so as to ensure long-term maintenance of water supply systems. In yet another thoughtful step, approximately five women in every village are trained to check the quality of water supply using simple ready-to-use test kits.

Functional Household Tap Connections provided under Jal Jeevan Mission. Image source: Jal Jeevan Mission Report

Jal Shakti Abhiyan:

Led by the Minister of Jal Shakti, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India are working together with state and district officials in the most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management by focusing on extensive implementation of: water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies / tanks, reuse and recharge of bore well structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation.

Community-led step well rejuvenation in Jalore, Rajasthan. Image source: Jal Jeevan Mission Report

Currently 28 schemes and programs are active under the Ministry of Jal Shakti focusing on irrigation, flood management, ground water management, river basin management, hydro plants and many more.

The Philippines demands withdrawal of over 200 Chinese vessels from Whitsun Reef, calls it ‘provocative action’

OpIndia Staff
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The Philippines demands withdrawal of over 200 Chinese vessels from Whitsun Reef, calls it ‘provocative action’

The Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has demanded a complete withdrawal of over 200 Chinese vessels from a South China Sea reef which is claimed by the Philippines. The Philippines Defense Secretary claims that the vessels were manned by militias and accuses China of a “ clear provocative action of militarizing the area.”

“We call on the Chinese to stop this incursion and immediately recall these boats violating our maritime rights and encroaching into our sovereign territory,” said Defense Secretary Lorenzana in a statement, making no assertions as to whether the Philippines will uphold its territorial sovereignty. According to a Philippine government watchdog, about 220 Chinese vessels are moored at Whitsun Reef, a reef that China also claims. Pictures of these Chinese vessels on Whitsun Bay were released by the watchdog.

A picture taken on March 7 2021 by the Philippines Coast Guard depicting some of the over 200 Chinese vessels moored at Whtisun Bay

Lorenzana has added that the presence of 220 Chinese vessels in The Philippines’ EEZ is a matter of grave concern. He has added that China should immediately recall those vessels as they violating their territory.

The Philippines has filed an official diplomatic protest over the Chinese presence on the disputed reef, according to Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin. The location of the disputed reef, which is called Julian Felipe by the Philippines is about 324 kilometres west off the coast of the western Philippine province called Palawan. According to the Philippine government watchdog, the reef is within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone and the Philippines “enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources.”

The watchdog goes on further saying that the increased number of Chinese vessels are “a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to the safety of navigation.” China is yet to issue a comment on this dispute.

Critics of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte have long accused of being too close to China, citing his refusal to demand compliance from China over an international arbitration which invalidated China’s claims over virtually the entire South China Sea. “When Xi says ‘I will fish,’ who can prevent him?” Duterte was quoted two years ago, explaining his approach to China. Duterte has also credited diplomatic talks with China for allowing the return of Philippine fisherman to fishing grounds from where the Chinese drove them away.

Philippines has grown closer to China especially due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with the Philippines seeking infrastructure funds, trade and investments and COVID-19 vaccinations from China.

TMC claims water contamination can cause stomach issues but ‘connecting the deaths to polluted water is wrong’ after 3 die in Mamata’s constituency

OpIndia Staff
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TMC claims water contamination can cause stomach issues but ‘connecting the deaths to polluted water is wrong’ after 3 die in Mamata’s constituency

On Tuesday (March 16), about 50 people fell ill, after drinking contaminated water in the Shashi Shekhar Bose road area in Bhowanipore in South Kolkata. Bhowanipore is the Vidhan Sabha constituency of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

As per reports, the tap water in Ward No.73 and Ward No.74 of Bhowanipore got contaminated with sewage from a nearby drain. As a result, about 50 people developed severe diarrhoea and had to be hospitalised. Several infants were also infected due to the consumption of polluted water. Over a span of two days, the number of infected individuals rose to 55. Three people, including a 5-year-old child, died due to the contamination.

Following the outbreak of diarrhoea, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had sent water trucks to Bhowanipore and directed the locals to not use tap water. The municipal authorities initiated a drive to clean water tanks and sewers in the area. Besides Bhowanipore, 12 inmates have been infected with diarrhoea in Alipore Women Correctional Centre.

(Video Courtesy: Youtube/ABP Ananda)

Contamination not cause of death: Firhad Hakim

“Contamination has occurred. I don’t disagree. But, then, a situation of panic was created. It is not normal for anyone to die by drinking contaminated water. The sewage might have contaminated the tap water due to blockage caused by plastic. This might lead to stomach ailments but connecting the fatalities to the contamination is wrong,” claimed Kolkata Mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation ‘rules out’ water contamination

KMC member Mainak Mukherjee even alleged that the water was not contaminated at all. “We had sent water samples to the laboratory run by the Health Department. We did not find any evidence of contamination”, he said. This is despite the fact that the locals have complained about stinky, dirty water pouring from their taps. Meanwhile, the Municipal authorities have commenced the work of finding leaking underground water pipes.

BJP stages protest against water-borne fatalities in Bhowanipore

The BJP has launched a protest, following allegations of water contamination. While hitting back at the Trinamool Congress administration, BJP leader Shashi Agnihotri said, “Ward No. 73 is the residence of the Chief Minister. She has her party co-ordinator and Chairman here. Despite this, such an incident has occured here. This is why we are protesting against it. “

Sensors installed to monitor water quality

In the aftermath of fatalities, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hideo) has been installing sensors in overhead tanks to track the water quality. The body has directed the cleaning of public toilets and overheads tanks in markets in the New Town area. It has also asked the residents to clean tanks and underground reservoirs, every 3 months.

An official informed, “There are 23 overhead water tanks in New Town. We are installing smart sensors in nine water tanks for random checking and monitoring of the water quality. Reports will be generated every 24 hours on the water quality in these tanks,” said an official.


100 crore vasooli: Sharad Pawar, Anil Deshmukh invent hospitalisation, quarantine stories. Read how their claims don’t add up

OpIndia Staff
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100 crore vasooli: Sharad Pawar, Anil Deshmukh invent hospitalisation, quarantine stories. Read how their claims don’t add up

After former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that tainted police officer Sachin Vaze had a meeting with Anil Deshmukh wherein he was asked by the Home Minister to extort money from business owners in Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has come in the defence of Deshmukh, alleging that he was in the hospital from February 6-16 and was later under quarantine from February 16 to 27.

Addressing the media amid a political storm over former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh’s corruption allegations against the home minister, Pawar said, “Anil Deshmukh was in the hospital from February 5 to 15 and from February 15 to 27, he was in home isolation in Nagpur.”

Essentially, Sharad Pawar rubbished the allegations made by Param Bir Singh in his letter about the meeting between Anil Deshmukh and Sachin Vaze, claiming that the Maharashtra Home Minister was down with coronavirus during the period February 6 to 16.

However, Pawar was caught off-guard when the journalists told him that Deshmukh had attended a press conference during the said time period. During the press conference, when journalists and reporters informed the NCP chief that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had organised a press conference on February 15 and that he was not in a hospital, Pawar appeared baffled as he reiterated his statement that Deshmukh was hospitalised during the said period. Pawar then went on to chastise the reporters for diverting the issue.

Anil Deshmukh meets Congress delegation on February 8, convenes a press conference on February 15

However, even as Pawar jumps in the defence of his party man Anil Deshmukh, it is important to note that the Maharashtra Home Minister had addressed a press conference on February 15. The same was shared by Deshmukh on his Twitter page. In fact, the press conference was related to the celebrities coming out in support of the Indian government after popstar Rihanna and some international names had deviously tried to internationalise the ongoing ‘farmers’ protests.

Prominent Bollywood personalities Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Kailash Kher and several others have called for unity in the light of comments made by several international figures, including singer Rihanna and activist Greta Thunberg, over the ongoing farmers’ protests. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had then called a press conference in which he said that he had called an inquiry into the matter to ascertain if the BJP IT cell was involved in the case.

It is also noteworthy to mention that on February 8, a delegation of the Congress party had met Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh to assert that Indian celebrities reacted to Rihanna’s tweet under pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Clearly, Deshmukh was not hospitalised as alleged by Sharad Pawar in his recent press conference.

Deshmukh rushes in the defence of Sharad Pawar, addressed press outside the hospital

After Sharad Pawar came in the defence of Anil Deshmukh, it was the latter’s time to defend the former. After questions were raised of Sharad Pawar on the hospitalisation chronology he mentioned, Deshmukh has now come forward to issue a clarification. The Maharashtra Home Minister said that the press conference he had addressed on February 15 was from outside the hospital after he got discharged on February 15th.

“A few journalists were waiting for me at the hospital gate after I got discharged on 15th February. I was feeling low and weak so I sat on the chair there and responded to their questions. Then I went straight to my car and went home,” Deshmukh said.

“I was in home quarantine from February 15th to 27th. I stepped out of my house for the first time on February 28th” he said.

Anil Deshmukh had paid last respect to his security guard on February 18

However, soon after he claimed that he was quarantined raised questions over a tweet posted by him on February 18 where he could be seen paying tributes to a police officer who worked as a security guard at his bungalow in Nagpur.

Clearly, the minister was not under quarantine as claimed by him and Sharad Pawar. After Param Bir Singh’s allegations, the haste with which senior political leaders in NCP and the Maharashtra government have been coming up with defences and clarifications has further deepened the mystery.

Param Bir Singh moves Supreme Court demanding probe into his allegations against Maha HM Anil Deshmukh: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Param Bir Singh moves Supreme Court demanding probe into his allegations against Maha HM Anil Deshmukh: Details

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has moved the Supreme Court demanding an investigation into the “various corrupt practices” of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Earlier, in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he had accused Deshmukh of instructing Sachin Vaze to collect Rs. 100 crore from business establishments every month.

Param Bir Singh seeks an “unbiased, uninfluenced, impartial and fair investigation in the various corrupt malpractices of Shri Anil Deshmukh, the Hon’ble Home Minister of Government of Maharashtra, before the evidences are destroyed”. He will be represented in the matter by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi.

The Mumbai cop had created a lot of stir after writing a letter to CM Thackeray on the 20th of March. He said in his letter, “Sachin Vaze, who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police was called by Shri Anil Deshmukh, Hon’ble Home Minister, Maharashtra, to his residence several times in the last few months and repeatedly instructed to assist in the collection of funds for the Hon’ble Home Minister.”

He added, “The Hon’ble Home Minister expressed to Shri Sachin Vaze that he had a target to accumulate 100 crores a month. For achieving the aforesaid target, the Hon’ble Home Minister told Shri Sachin Vaze that there were about 1750 bars and restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of 2-3 lakhs was collected from each of them, a monthly collection of 40-50 crores was achievable.”

Anil Deshmukh had promptly denied the allegations and claimed that Param Bir Singh was making false allegations to avoid legal consequences over his own involvement. Sachin Vaze is currently in prison for his alleged involvement in the Mansukh Hiren death case and the Antilia Bomb Scare.

Here’s how BJP’s promise of OBC reservations for the Mahisyas of Bengal in its manifesto could impact the elections

OpIndia Staff
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Here’s how BJP’s promise of OBC reservations for the Mahisyas of Bengal in its manifesto could impact the elections

The Mahisya community in West Bengal has become central to the aspirations of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the state. Home Minister Amit Shah, announcing the BJP’s manifesto for the assembly elections, promised that the Mahisya community and Tilis will receive the benefits of OBC reservations should the BJP come to power in the state.

The Mahisyas dominate constituencies in South Bengal, in areas from where the BJP primarily derives its strength in the state. It is numerically significant in the border areas of North and South Bengal, where the BJP has performed extremely well in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

The Trinamool Congress has promised OBC reservations for the Mahisyas as well, however, since they have been in power for a decade and yet, not implemented the same, it is likely to work in BJP’s favour.

The Mahisyas themselves have a complicated relationship with the backward class categorisation. Jogendranath Bhattaharya in his book on the castes and sects in 1896 described the Mahisya community as a ‘fairly advanced caste’ with a fair number of quasi-royal families in Medinipur and lawyers and University graduates.

Anirban Bandyopadhyay, a scholar on Mahisyas, writes that it was the Chashi Kaibartas who assumed the Mahisya surname sometime in the 1890s. The name itself indicates descendants of an inter caste marriage between a Kshatriya man and Vaishya woman.

Until 1931, however, the Mahisyas were considered a “depressed class”, the term that was substituted by “Scheduled castes” in independent India. Birendranath Sasmal, the most popular Mahisya leader and a rival to Netaji Bose for the position of Mayor of Kolkata in the 1920s, had written to census authorities saying that he did not wish for the Mahisyas to be counted among the “depressed class”.

Sasmal wanted the Mahisyas to be considered as equal to the Upper Castes. The family of Rani Rashmoni, who appointed Ramkrishna Paramhans as the chief priest of the famous Dakshineshwar Temple in Kolkata, belonged to the community. The Mahisya community is greatly diverse and in the 1960s, emerged as the King maker in Bengal politics.

However, since the 1970s, their influence has been on the wane. But the community itself has been divided on the matter of reservations and some well-off among them had gone to Court against the initiative. They have, nonetheless, appeared to have come around since then.

Once again, the Mahisya Community is at the center of Bengal politics. The OBC reservations, if it so happens in the future, would impact others currently in the OBC category. Muslims, who enjoy OBC reservations in West Bengal, could end up being the most impacted.

Uttarakhand: Police remove ‘No entry for non-Hindus’ banner placed outside Dehradun Temple, registers case under Sec 153A

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Police remove ‘No entry for non-Hindus’ banner placed outside Dehradun Temple, registers case under Sec 153A

A day after the Hindu Yuva Vahini put up banners in over 150 Temples in Dehradun saying that the entry on non-Hindus is banned in the premises, the Uttarakhand police have removed one such banner placed outside a temple in Dehradun’s Ghanta Ghar. It has also registered a case against the person whose phone number was mentioned on the banner. Section 153A of the IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) has been invoked, Kotwali police was quoted by ANI as saying.

The temple authorities have denied knowing anything about the banner put up outside the temple.

‘No entry for non-Hindus’ banners come up in over 150 Dehradun Temples 

On Sunday, it was reported that ‘No entry for non-Hindus’ banners came up in over 150 Dehradun Temples, following the recent Dasna Temple controversy.

“This premise is a holy place of Hindus. Entry of non-Hindus impermissible here,” the banner read.

Earlier this month, in Ghaziabad’s Dasna Temple, a Muslim boy was allegedly thrashed for trespassing the Temple premises despite the banner. Yati Narsinghanand, the Mahant (head priest) at the Dasna Temple, and others have alleged that Muslims from the locality often entered the Temple to harass Hindu women and there have been multiple theft and dacoity at the Temple.

BSP MLA Aslam Chaudhary had then threatened to enter the Temple and claimed that the Temple belonged to his ancestors. It was in response to the threat that the Hindu Yuva Vahini has decided to put up the banners across Uttarakhand.

TMC leader of Irish descent tries to create Bengalis vs outsider wedge ahead of West Bengal elections

OpIndia Staff
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TMC leader of Irish descent tries to create Bengalis vs outsider wedge ahead of West Bengal elections

On March 21, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien attacked Home Minister Amit Shah by calling him an ‘outsider’. In a tweet, he said, “A resident of Gujarat with a resident of Madhya Pradesh by his (right) side, releases a manifesto and then makes a full speech in Hindi to create a #ShonarBangla.”

The TMC leaders often mock the BJP leaders by calling them ‘tourist gang’. Though O’Brien is in full attack mode by calling BJP leaders non-Bengalis, he seems to have forgotten where his ancestors came from.

The Irish ancestors of Derek O’Brien

On several occasions, TMC leader Derek O’Brien has talked about his Irish ancestors. In August 2012, he published a blog post titled “The O’Briens of India and Pakistan” where he talked about his father’s paternal grandmother Nellie Bella O’Brien. According to his post, Nellie Bella, who was a Hindu, married a second-generation Irish settler O’Brien. Her first-born Patrick stayed in Pakistan after partition in 1947. Interestingly, Patrick had a large family in Pakistan. His brother was a fighter pilot in Pakistan Air Force. His essay was also published in Indian Express in 2013.

In 2018, on 50th death anniversary of Nellie Bella, he wrote, “Fondly remembering my paternal great grandmother Nellie Bella on her 50th death anniversary. A Bengali who married an Irish settler (O’Brien), she built our family home in #Kolkata . Widowed early, she became a doctor. To my innocent eyes she seemed to stand for Mother India.”

During the discussion of the Citizen Amendment Bill (now Act) in Rajya Sabha in 2019, O’Brien narrated the same story. At around 10 minutes, he said, “Sometimes the best stories are the personal stories. This is my personal story. My great grandfather was an Irish Christian. He was married to a Bengali Hindu. My grandfather and his youngest brother stayed back in India. His eldest brother was in Pakistan. So we have O’Briens of India and O’Briens of Pakistan.” He further added that the O’Briens in Pakistan either moved to England or Canada or married to Muslim women and converted to Islam. Notably, O’Brien also attacked HM Shah for speaking Hindi and not Bengali. However, O’Brien himself was not fluent in Bengali during his speech in Rajya Sabha.

Former NDTV employee Nidhi Razdhan in her book ‘Left Right and Centre’ included an essay by O’Brien. In the essay, he talked about his father’s paternal grandmother Nellie Bella Biswas—or Nellie Bella O’Brien as she became on marrying the descendant of an Irish settler in India—symbolized history.

In 2012, while replying to a tweet, O’Brien said, “My great grand father was Irish.”

The Bengali vs outsider issue raised by TMC leaders including people like O’Brien and Mamata Banerjee only shows how deeprooted the hate for people of other parts of India is. Especially Gujarat. A Gujarati has as much right to be in Bengal as O’Brien with his Irish ancestry has.

Congress goes back to ‘ecosystem’ in Gujarat, this is how they are planning to use farmers after losing local polls

Nirwa Mehta
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Congress goes back to ‘ecosystem’ in Gujarat, this is how they are planning to use farmers after losing local polls

Gujarat Congress leader and Chief Organiser at All India Congress Sevadal, Lalji Desai has decided to mobilise the farmers in Gujarat to protest against the recently enacted farm laws.

The ‘farmers’ from Punjab and Haryana, with explicit and logistic support of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, have been camping at Delhi borders since past three months protesting against the new farm laws. These farm laws, amongst other things, aim at removing the middlemen and giving the farmers and option to sell their produce to whoever they wish to sell. The central government has time and again reiterated that the minimum support price (MSP) for the produce will continue as is and that the farmers who wish to sell their produce at APMC markets can continue to do so. However, Congress-backed protests, have continued.

Further, there have ben reports that Khalistani separatists have been giving financial support to the farmers’ agitation and had even infiltrated the ‘protests’.

Gujarat farmers not opposing new farm laws

Amid all this, the farmers of other states have not joined the agitation. Gujarat farmers have stayed away from the protests in Delhi. Rakesh Tikait, the ‘farmer leader’ had recently proclaimed that he will ‘free’ the farmers of Gujarat who ‘want to protest’ but are being ‘held back’. His statement had come just days prior to the local body polls in state where Congress faced a humiliating defeat.

Tikait had claimed that Gujarat people are ‘imprisoned’ and are not ‘allowed’ to join the protests. Tikait had tried to influence the rural folks who were to vote in upcoming elections. Of course, the rhetorics did not work and BJP emerged victorious.

In past few months, the Punjab farmer agitation, which was being portrayed as nation-wide movement, has been losing the support. People have been questioning why only predominantly Punjab farmers have issues with laws which are set to benefit farmers and also improve the water level and protect environment. Amid these questions, it became imperative for these ‘farmer’ leaders to make sure that the protests don’t lose steam. After all, in a nation which has been plagued with news about suicides of farmers due to debts, the plight of farmers always strike a chord. The protests against farm laws were a great opportunity for opposition leaders to make Modi come across as the bad man.

However, the farmers from other states, who have already benefited from the agriculture reforms have not joined the protests. Over the years, Gujarat farmers have gained immensely from contract farming, especially of potatoes. In January 2020, ITC officials had said that the farmers in Gujarat earn as high as Rs 5 lakh per hectare. Gujarat farmers embracing contract farming has one of the major success stories from the state.

Congress tries to fight back in Gujarat

After humiliating defeat in recent polls and failing to garner support for the protests against farm laws in Gujarat, Congress leaders in state have activated their network to mobilise the rural folks in Gujarat. Scroll cites Lalji Desai who reveals that the ‘farmers’ have planned a ‘Haiya Holi’ a protest on the eve of Holi next week. Scroll identifies Desai as “a prominent leader of North Gujarat’s Azad Kisan Sangathan and one of the founders of KASAM”. Only later in the article it mentions that Desai is a Congress leader.

Apparently, these ‘farmer leaders’ want to ‘educate’ farmers against the new reforms because Gujarat is a ‘BJP stronghold’. Apparently, Desai wants to ‘end the perception’ that Gujarat farmers are happy with the reforms. Which is why they want a series of agitations in Gujarat.

Scroll also cites on Karan Desai general secretary of the Maldhari Vikas Sangathan, an organisation that claims to be working for cattle owners.Lalji Desai and his wife Neeta Pandya also run an organisation MARAG (Maldhari Rural Action Group). Scroll cites other Congress leaders to claim that Gujarat government is stopping them from joining the protests.

Foreign funded NGOs and ‘farmers’

The role of foreign funded NGOs having tried to escalate the stir at Delhi border is now quite well known. International protestor Greta Thunberg had inadvertently revealed a ‘toolkit’ to defame India on global platform and destabilise India. The ‘toolkit’ had support of pro-Khalistan leaders from Canada, UK and US.

Now, the foreign funded NGOs are trying to create a stir in Gujarat too through Congress leaders.

Lalji Desai, prior to joining Congress in 2014, led an agitation against the Mandal-Bechraji Special Investment Region (SIR) in Gujarat. Back in 2013, Maruti Suzuki was on its way to Becharaji to set up the factory. The land was clear and there was no controversy. Maruti’s entry would pave way for other automobile giants to set up shops and also aide ancillary industries of auto spare parts and others.

However, the usual suspects indulged in fear-mongering that the government was going to ‘acquire’ the land at cheaper rates. Lalji Desai was at the forefront of the agitation.

A 2013 report in online web portal DeshGujarat says that MARAG, run by Desai and his wife Neeta Pandya is funded by foreign organisations. Back in 2009-10, MARAG received over Rs 1.6 crore from Canada and Italy for ‘rural development’. In 2010-11, MARAG received over Rs. 1.12 crore of which about Rs 10 lakh were from Canada. Over Rs 1 crore were received from Child Relief and You and Save The Children. The foreign-based NGOs which work for children had sent lakhs of rupees to Gujarat-based NGO for ‘rural development’.

Desai, himself has donned various hats, latest being a Congress leader. He has been described as ‘activist‘ in 2002, ‘human rights activist’ in 2007 and a ‘maldhari’ activist in few others. As one can see, even Scroll decided to refer to him as a ‘prominent farmer leader’ and not Congress leader. It is amusing how the propaganda portals choose to divorce the two things to suit their agenda.

Lalji Desai, former AAP leader Kanubhai Kalsaria, another pro-Congress NGO chief and serial fake news peddler Shabnam Hashmi have in the past come together for various ’causes’. Some of these NGOs have also been on the watchlist for trying to stall development projects.

Congress and its ecosystem

Congress has turned to its loyal ecosystem to hit back with vengeance, especially after losing the recent local body polls. With prospects of the grand old party looking bleak in the five assemblies which go to polls, Congress seems to have resorted to doing what it excels in, ‘organise agitations’. Now, with the media in Rahul Gandhi’s lap and foreign-based NGOs more than glad to interfere, Congress appears more than happy to create chaos.

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