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Arrested ‘climate activist’ Disha Ravi shared toolkit leaked by Greta Thunberg, worked closely with Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation

OpIndia Staff
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Arrested ‘climate activist’ Disha Ravi shared toolkit leaked by Greta Thunberg, worked closely with Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation

On Saturday, the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police arrested a 21-year-old ‘climate activist’ named Disha Ravi in connection to the Greta Thunberg Files controversy.

According to Delhi Police, the so-called activist was the Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc, which was accidentally leaked on Twitter by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. As per reports, Disha created a Whatsapp group and actively collaborated to prepare the ‘Toolkit’ document. The Delhi Police further informed that she worked closely in creating the draft which revealed global conspiracy to defame India.

During the initial investigation, the police found that Disha Ravi also collaborated with Khalistani outfit named Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF). The police informed that the objective was to spread ‘disaffection against the Indian State.’ Reportedly, it was Disha who had originally shared the Toolkit document with the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The police also said that after Greta accidentally leaked the incriminating details of the document to the public, Disha Ravi asked her to remove the link. Contrary to the claims of the arrested activist, the cops said that she had edited more than 2 lines in the document.

Arrested Disha Ravi sent to judicial custody

In a closely-guarded operation, Special Cell of Delhi Police detained 21-year-old ‘climate activist’ and founding member of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays For Future’s India chapter, Disha Ravi. As per the reports, 21-year-old Disha was picked from her house in Soladevanahalli, North Bengaluru. She is a graduate of Mount Carmel college in Bengaluru and has been working in a company that produces plant-based food. She has now been remanded to five-day custody of the Delhi Police by a Delhi Court

The security agencies are investigating the toolkit and searching for people who created and distributed the documents. On February 4, Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered a case against the creators of the ‘toolkit’ on farmer protests under serious sections including sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting hatred among groups under Sections 124A, 120A and 153 A of the Indian Penal Code.

Toolkit, Khalistan and Poetic Justice Foundation

Popstar Rihanna, who tried to instigate protestors in India by resorting to propagating false propaganda against the Indian government, has now been accused of receiving $2.5 million (Rs 18 crore) by a Public Relations firm that has Khalistani-terror links.

Skyrocket, a PR firm where Khalistani Mo Dhaliwal is a director, allegedly paid $2.5 million to pop star Rihanna to tweet favouring the farmer protests. In Indian currency, that is well over Rs 18 crores. The sources also believe that the toolkit shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg was “fed to her” as part of a “larger conspiracy to create disharmony” in India.

Individuals such as Mo Dhaliwal, Marina Patterson, worked as a relationship manager in PR firms, Anita Lal, director of World Sikh Organisation in Canada, and Canadian MP Jagmeet Singh. Anita Lal is also a co-founder of the Poetic Justice Foundation, an organisation that features prominently in the toolkit shared by Greta Thunberg. Poetic Justice Foundation co-founder Mo Dhaliwal requested the youth to not dismiss the idea of ‘Khalistan’ and instead learn about the movement and embrace it..

Major terror attack foiled on the second anniversary of Pulwama attack, IED of 7 kg recovered from Jammu bus stand

OpIndia Staff
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Major terror attack foiled on the second anniversary of Pulwama attack, IED of 7 kg recovered from Jammu bus stand

Security forces were able to prevent a major terror attack by recovering explosives in a crowded bus station in Jammu and Kashmir. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing seven kilograms was recovered near the Jammu Bus Stand by Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday.

According to the reports, two persons have been arrested in connection with the recovery, identified as Suhail and Qazi. Suhail belongs to the Pulwama district, and he is a member of the Al-Badr outfit. The IED was recovered based on a specific intelligence input about it.

Jammu Inspector General of Police (IG) Mukesh Singh said that Raghunath Temple, Lakhdatta Bazar and Jammu railway station were on the hit list of the terrorists.  J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh said that Pakistan is trying to activate the dormant terror group named Al Badr, and some Kashmiri students studying in Punjab were being used by terrorists to further their activities.

“We were on high alert for the past 2-3 days as we had inputs that terror groups were planning an attack on the anniversary of the Pulwama tragedy. Last night, we detained a person named Suhail from Pulwama district and recovered 6-6.5 kgs of IED from his possession. He revealed during probe that he received message from Pakistan’s Al Badr Tanzeem to plant IED here. One individual from Chandigarh, named Qazi, has also been detained,” Muskesh Singh said.

The recovery of the IED in Jammu comes just days after the security personnel arrested two top terrorists – Zahoor Ahmad Rather, a terrorist associated with the Resistance Front (TRF) and Hidayatullah Malik of the Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM) were arrested from Kunjwani and Bari Brahmana on Saturday.

This incident comes exactly two years after the terror attacks on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama in which 40 security personnel of the force were killed. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) later claimed responsibility for the attack. A 22-year-old suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar had rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus.

The convoy had 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. In retaliation, India had carried out surgical strikes on terror groups inside Pakistan, killing more than 200 Islamic terrorists.

Rahul Gandhi was touted to ‘spearhead’ the Congress attack during the budget session but this is what we got instead

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Rahul Gandhi was touted to ‘spearhead’ the Congress attack during the budget session but this is what we got instead

On February 6th, Rahul Gandhi tweeted a table with weird statistics (You may wonder what’s new!). Stating that “Cowardice runs deep in GOI”, he attached the following image.

Rahul Gandhi tweet
Source: Twitter

It is natural for you to wonder why India’s budget speech would have a mention of China. However, by now we are used to such juvenile interpretations from the former and future President of the mighty Indian National Congress. There are other not-so-juvenile and baffling conclusions to be drawn from that table.

Here is a pdf link to the 2021 Budget speech. You can open it and search (Ctrl+F) for the word “Corporates”. A net total of 0 results turn up. Zero. The word “corporate” comes up 17 times though – 7 times as part of the word “incorporate”! Search for “Companies” – 15 results come up. Given Rahul Gandhi’s penchant for Ambani and Adani, you would think he is referring to them. The speech talks about Insurance companies, Power distribution companies, Companies Act, Public sector companies etc!

Is it Rahul Gandhi’s contention that India’s Budget speech should not talk about companies at all? Let’s leave the logical questions aside for a while. Don’t you feel sorry as to how the former and future President of the might Congress party does not have a team that can even get basic searches right in an electronic document?

His obsession with Prime Minister Modi is scary. Budgets presented during UPA time also had the “word” “Prime Minister” in the them. Budget speeches, even from the 1950s always referred to the Prime Minister. He/she is the captain of the ship, so why would the “word” Prime Minister not be used in the budget speech Rahul Gandhi?!

His reference to the absence of the word “defence” in the speech is further embarrassing. The annexure documents clearly mention the allocations to the defence sector. In another tweet on Feb 1st, immediately after the budget, he asked the Prime Minister “Why hasn’t he increased the Defence Budget for them?”

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has given an awesome reply highlighting the increases in the budget of the Defence ministry over the years. Defense minister Rajnath Singh had already tweeted about the “highest ever increase in capital outlay”.

The Budget document, available to all MPs, clearly shows the increase in defence allocations and spending (Page 47, “Allocations for Major Ministries/Departments” here). Why doesn’t the former and future President of the might Congress party read before writing such juvenile stuff? In addition, I cannot help but wonder how does he feel when he sees the increase in budget of pensions from 40,000 crores in 2013 to nearly 1 lakh crores in 2020?

Another tweet reads “Forget putting cash in the hands of people…”. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned about nearly 1.15 lakh crore rupees has been transferred to nearly 10 crore families of farmers in the country in the past 3 years! In her reply, she also mentions about how MNREGS will be spending nearly 1.1 lakh crore in this year alone. Lakhs of crores directly being transferred to people actually amounts to “putting cash in the hands of people” but how does this simple logic elude the former and future President of the mighty Congress party?

Let’s move away from his tweets and move on to this participation in the Budget debate. The build-up to his participation was unreal. “Rahul Gandhi to spearhead Congress’ attack during Budget debate in Lok Sabha”, we were told.

We were told so by Financial Express,  Business World, NDTV (ofcourse!), Times Now etc. Now, you would assume that Rahul Gandhi will have notes ready from the Budget document. You would assume that Rahul Gandhi will hold the Budget document in his hands, sift through various sections and make specific points. Because that’s what 76 of the remaining MPs who spoke on the budget did.

Defying all expectations, Rahul Gandhi refused to speak about the Budget. He pointedly said that he is protesting the farm laws and therefore he will not speak about the Budget but speak about the farm laws. There was a nearly ~15-hour debate on the Farm laws just 2-3 days back in the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha sat till midnight to debate the same. Rahul Gandhi was absent during this time. And because he thinks he is the King of the universe; he chose to speak about Farm laws during a debate on the Budget!

MPs vie for an opportunity to speak about the Budget and put forth their specific points. Instead of resorting to such a colossal waste of time, Rahul Gandhi should have given opportunity to any one of the other 50 MPs from his party to speak some sense instead of the juvenile blabber he did. How can the former and future President of the mighty Congress party end up wasting such precious legislative time of the Lok Sabha?

However, none of these are as disturbing as the fact that the leaders of Congress party took strong objection to Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman taking Rahul Gandhi’s name in his absence (56:22 to 56:56 here). This astonishing sense of princely entitlement is simply baffling.

It is common practice for ministers to take members names to clarify on points raised during debates, whether they are present in the house or not. What special privilege does the former and future President of the Congress party have, that his name should not be taken when he isn’t present in the house?

Rahul Gandhi’s impatience in sitting through the budget speech, intolerance towards hearing the opposing argument, and impairment to comprehend basic documents is now beyond embarrassing. One can understand Congress party placing some faith in him pre-2019. Why the mighty Congress party wants to stick with him is beyond any reasoning now.

Rahul Gandhi, why do you hate us Gujaratis so much?

Nirwa Mehta
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Rahul Gandhi, why do you hate us Gujaratis so much?

Dear Rahul Gandhi,

Why do you hate us Gujaratis so much? Is it because the people of Gujarat have consistently voted against your party in all elections in over two decades? That the last time a Congress leader was the Chief Minister of our state was in 1995?

Today while speaking in Assam you said that if Congress comes to power in the state you will increase the wage rate of tea workers. That’s great. But while making the promise, you said that to fund that extra wage rate, you will take money from Gujarati tea traders. Why this divisive politics, Rahul Gandhi? What harm have we done to you?

On one hand you claim that you want to ‘stop this hate’, but on other hand, you propagate this hate against Gujaratis.

And why specifically Gujaratis?

Is it because Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are Gujaratis? Has your hatred for these two men blinded you so much that you have started hating on an entire community?

And what has your party done for Gujarat, really?

Did you not gamble away Gujarat to save one Rajya Sabha seat of Ahmed Patel? You think Gujaratis have forgotten how Congress MLAs were vacationing in five star resorts in Bengaluru as the state was inundated with floods only because you wanted to send Ahmed Patel to Rajya Sabha? You kidnapped the Congress MLAs and took them away only so they do not ‘cross over’ to BJP. If you don’t trust your own MLAs, how do you expect people of Gujarat to put their faith in these people?

Sure, the BJP has its flaws too. But when the state was drowning, these leaders were out there. Not in a resort far away complaining about breakfast served to them. You let Gujaratis die because you wanted to save Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha seat.

You think we would forget?

When Sabarmati Express train was set on fire in Godhra and Karsevaks were burnt live by a Muslim mob, violent communal riots broke out in the state. The situation at border was a little tensed because of the December 2001 Parliament attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists. The then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi reached out to three neighbouring states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. All three Congress ruled states. None of them sent help.

Gujaratis have not forgotten. Is that why you hate us?

Speaking of divisive politics and riots, you know who presided over the worst riots in Gujarat? Your leader Madhavsinh Solanki. Madhavsinh Solanki, the great manufacturer of caste divide, had applied the ‘KHAM’ (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim) theory in the 80s and presided over two of the worst caste based riots in Gujarat (which eventually graduated to communal riots).

Is that why you hate us, Rahul Gandhi?

Or is it because the businessmen you hate with all your might, Adani and Ambani, both are Gujaratis? Is it bothering you that two men, like many others, who have contributed to nation building way more than perhaps some of the people you are related to by law, are Gujaratis?

Why don’t you come down to Gujarat some day and have a chai pe charcha with me. Let me show you how we Gujaratis only know how to spread cheer, even if others hate us.

Till then, hate less, love more.

Regards,

Nirwa Mehta,

Gujarat.

Himanta Biswa Sarma alleges AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is getting money from fundamentalist organisations

OpIndia Staff
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Himanta Biswa Sarma alleges AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is getting money from fundamentalist organisations

On February 14, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and senior cabinet Minister of Assam, labelled All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal as the ‘enemy of Assam’. He said, “Probably this is the most dangerous phase of Assam politics. He (Badruddin Ajmal) is bringing money from fundamentalist organisations. In the name of social service, he is creating a network which is not conducive for Assamese culture.”

Sarma was referring to allegations that various charitable services run by Badruddin Azmal are actually funded by money received from fundamentalist organisations and terror groups abroad, and they are not funded by Azmal’s business as commonly believed.

Protecting Indian and Assamese culture

Sarma said that he is an extremist in protecting Indian and Assamese culture in this land. He said that he would keep talking about identity politics till opposition leader and Lok Sabha member Ajmal is on the political scene.

He said, “I am trying to protect Indian nationalism. There have to be two extremes. So, if there is a north pole, there will be a south pole. If Badruddin Ajmal disappears, then we will also disappear. Then we will talk about development and something else. But as long as Badruddin Ajmal is there, we will talk about development and politics of identity. And if that made me an extremist, I am happy about that.”

When reporters asked him about allegations of being extreme of polarisation politics, he said, “I am an extremist in protecting Indian and Assamese culture in this land. If anybody has given me this title, kindly convey my regards and thanks to them.” He further answered the allegations that he and Ajmal are equal in their politics of polarisation. He said what Ajmal is doing is alien to Assam’s culture, on the other hand, he is trying to protect Assamese culture.

Badruddin Ajmal and his relations to controversies

Badruddin Ajmal is not a new name to controversies. His party is contesting upcoming assembly elections with Congress in the state. Sarma recently commented, “People are enraged that Congress is aligning with Ajmal, a person who has destroyed Assamese culture and ethos, captured land in Kaziranga. Congress has betrayed the people of Assam, coming generation will not spare the party.”

In January, he made allegations that if BJP comes in power again, they will close down mosques and madarsas in the state. Replying to his allegations, Sarma had said that a Maulvi’s job is to teach religion, education of students is the govt’s responsibility. He further added that if BJP comes into power again, they will ensure modern education is provided in Madarsas.

In December 2020, an investigation against Ajmal’s NGO was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs based on NCPCR’s report that alleged around 300 children were missing from the childcare homes. The inspections were done in six childcare institutes in Dhubri, Goalpara, Hojai, Nagaon districts in Assam and Thoubal district in Manipur Between December 14 and December 18.

Jammu and Kashmir to be given statehood at an appropriate time, Kashmiri Pandits will be resettled by 2022: Home Minister Amit Shah

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu and Kashmir to be given statehood at an appropriate time, Kashmiri Pandits will be resettled by 2022: Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be given statehood “at an appropriate time” once development of the erstwhile state was put on the track.

Speaking at the Lok Sabha on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that dilution of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is not unconstitutional as claimed by opposition, adding that Supreme Court would have stayed it it was so.

Home Minister Shah, responding to a debate on an amendment to the J&K Reorganisation act, 2019 – which split the former state into two union territories after Article 370, said that Jammu and Kashmir will be reorganised as a state at an appropriate time in the future.

“I have said in this House, and I repeat it – this bill has got nothing to do with the statehood of Jammu & Kashmir. Statehood will be given… at an appropriate time,” Home Minister Shah said.

Further, the Home Minister said, “Many MPs said bringing the amendment means J&K won’t get statehood. I am piloting the bill as I brought it. I have clarified my intentions. Nowhere is it written that Jammu and Kashmir won’t get statehood. Where are you drawing this conclusion from?”

Earlier on Monday, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad had reiterated the Congress party’s demand to restore statehood status to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Amendments provides merger of J&K cadre

The fresh amendment to the bill provides for the merger of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre of IAS and IPS with the AGMUT cadre. The J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill seeks to merge the J&K cadre of all-India services officers with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.

Attacking the Congress party over its opposition to the legislation, he said that the Congress always avoided taking a clear stance on the revocation of Article 370 and has refrained from challenging it in the Supreme Court. The Home Minister also said that Congress had no right to ask the government about development done in the last 17 months when “it had not given an account of its work over 70 years in power”.

Highlighting the Modi government’s achievements in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah also said that the Union Territory had seen record development during the last 17 months.

In August 2019, the Union Government had abrogated the controversial Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Kashmiri Pandits will be settled, jobs to be created: HM Amit Shah

On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also stressed that the Modi government will resettle all displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the valley by 2022 and create 25,000 jobs for the people and increase connectivity to the region.

The Home Minister said that the government provides Rs 13,000 per month to the families of 44,000 Kashmiri Pandits who have relief cards.

“The government also provides free ration and has plans to settle them back in their houses in the Valley by 2022,” Home Minister Shah said.

Allaying fears of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister assured that “no one will lose their land in the Union Territory” as the government has enough land for development work.

“The biggest hurdle to set up industries in Jammu and Kashmir was that they did not get land if they wanted to invest there. After the withdrawal of Article 370, we changed the law of the land. Now the situation is such that the industries will be established inside Kashmir,” the Home Minister said.


Former England captain complains about ‘pitch’ after English team’s batting collapse, Shane Warne gives befitting reply

OpIndia Staff
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Former England captain complains about ‘pitch’ after English team’s batting collapse, Shane Warne gives befitting reply

After the visiting English team successfully aced the 1st Test match against India, their woes on turning tracks returned to haunt them during the 2nd match. India posted a total of 329 runs for the 1st innings, after having won the toss. With the early breakthrough provided by fast-bowler Ishant Sharma, coupled with a five-wicket haul from R Ashwin, the Indian team bundled up the England team for a paltry score of 134 runs.

Screengrab of the scorecard at the end of England’s 1st innings (Photo Credits: Cricbuzz)

Michael Vaughan comes to England’s rescue

As the English batsmen struggled against the Indian spin attack, former England captain Michael Vaughan complained about the pitch. Instead of questioning the poor performance of the players, he chose to blame the pitch instead.

“It’s entertaining cricket as things are happening all the time but let’s be honest this Pitch is a shocker,” he claimed. Michael Vaughan further alleged that the pitch was not suitable for a 5-day Test match. He added, “Not making any excuses as India have been better but this isn’t a Test Match 5 day prepared Pitch.” However, his comments did not go down well with former Australian leg-spin legend Shane Warne.

Shane Warne gives befitting reply

While replying to Vaughan, Warne replied, “The toss was more important to win in the 1st test than this one, as it did nothing the 1st 2 days. Then exploded. This one has been a turner from ball one.” He said, “England should’ve bowled India out for 220. No different between spinning or seaming & Rohit showed how to play on this surface.”

He further stated, “Everyone should celebrate the amazing test cricket we are/have witnessed from all countries over the past few months. It’s exciting. The best bowlers/batsman will rise no matter what the pitch conditions or situation of the game. My prediction was (India 359/ England 157=202 run lead) it’s 195.”

As stated by Shane Warne, England was able to ace the 1st Test match after having chosen to bat on a wicket that was initially very good for batting. The competitive advantage helped the visiting side put a mammoth target of 578 runs for the 1st innings. This ultimately proved to be disastrous for the Indian side as they lost by 227 runs.

However, the pitch for the second Test match at Chennai has been a turner since Day 1. While India’s top order struggled, Rohit Sharma was able to put up a stellar score of 161 runs. This became a game changer for the Indian cricket team, while the entire English side was ripped apart for 134 runs (lower than the individual score of Rohit Sharma).

How Modi govt raced against time to crack down on Chinese apps amid China’s aggression in Ladakh

OpIndia Staff
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How Modi govt raced against time to crack down on Chinese apps amid China’s aggression in Ladakh

Amidst the border standoff with China, the Indian government cracked down on Chinese apps such as TikTok, WeChat in June last year. In order to implement the unprecedented government decision, the officials at the Information and Technology Ministry (IT) had to pull all-nighters for the extensive paperwork, reported The Times of India.

The top IT officials had received a specific brief from the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were tasked to finish the paperwork on time such that the announcement of the ban on Chinese apps could be made before the third round of talks between the Indian and Chinese military commanders, the report states. With the help of law officials, the IT Ministry was successful in completing the paperwork on time.

The Times of India reported that although the Chinese side had a substantial advantage along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Modi government deviated from the ‘conventional cautious approach’ to an assertive one. With the sweeping ban on Chinese apps, the government sent out a strong message to China that their aggression, as witnessed during the violent Galwan Valley clash that claimed 20 lives of Indian soldiers, will be met with an unequivocal response.

India’s approach led to de-escalation, took the Chinese regime by surprise

The TOI reported that the Indian government’s approach to not just focus on military counters but also on political, diplomatic and economic counters took the Chinese regime by surprise. “The repeated signals that India would not step back even at the risk of a showdown with an economically and militarily stronger opponent effectively stalemated the situation,” the report emphasised.

This helped the Modi government to ease the escalated border tension at Pangong Tso. The Chinese side also failed to intrude into the Indian territory and it provided a major breakthrough in stabilising the Line of Actual Control. The nefarious plan of the Chinese regime to alter the LAC permanently did not materialise and India’s occupation of the Finger 4-8 area was crucial to counter China’s high-handedness. Although India will stay out of the area, it also implied that China too could not intrude into the territory again.

Indian government bans Chinese apps in 3 phases

On 29th June 2020, the Government of India blocked access to 59 mobile apps including TikTok. In July, the Government banned 47 apps that were operating as clones of the previously banned apps. On 2nd September 2020, the Government further blocked 118 mobile apps including PubG under the provisions provided by Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. In November last year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India (MeitY), had issued an order to ban access to an additional 43 mobile apps.

The government blocked the apps based on the inputs stating these apps were engaging in activities that are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state, and public order. The Indian government has blocked four apps of Alibaba Group Holding Limited, also known as Alibaba Group, that are AliSuppliers Mobile App, Alibaba Workbench, AliExpress – Smarter Shopping, Better Living, and Alipay Cashier.

A phone call from a mother saved not only her son but around 25 others on the day of Uttarakhand floods: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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A phone call from a mother saved not only her son but around 25 others on the day of Uttarakhand floods: Read details

The panic phone calls made by a woman to her son helped not only save his life but 25 others on the day a glacier broke down initiating a flood in Uttarakhand, reports Times of India.

The 27-year-old Vipul Kaireni, who works as a heavy motor vehicle driver at the NTPC hydropower project in Tapovan, got repeated calls from his mother asking him to move away from the barrage. However, Vipul ignored his mother’s frantic calls.

Mangshri Devi, the mother of Vipul Kaireni, kept on calling her son, to inform him that she had seen a flooded Dhauliganga headed his way. Although initially he ignored the warning of his mother, after her repeated calls he was convinced, and then Vipul and other workers rushed towards a dilapidated staircase and took shelter there. Vipul had got married just two months ago, and his wife also saw surging water along with her mother in law.

“Our village is located at a height. My mother was working outside when the flash flood descended. Had it not been for her warning, I and around two dozen of my colleagues would be dead by now,” Kaireni said after escaping from the wrath of river Dhauliganga last Sunday.

Mother informed Vipul about increased water levels in river Dhauliganga

Vipul had left his village Dhaak situated near Tapovan project on Sunday to work for an extra day. ‘On a regular day we get paid Rs 600, but earn double that amount on Sundays. I had gone to work last Sunday to make some extra money’, Vipul said. He received a call at around 10.35 am from his mother who asked him to run.

“At first, I only heard her shouting and did not take it seriously. I asked her to stop joking, saying mountains don’t just burst. She called me again and pleaded with me to move. My mother and wife Anita had seen the water rise 15m over its normal height and engulf everything in its wake. We all ran towards the staircase and it saved our lives,” Kaireni said.

Another worker at the Tapovan project, Sandeep Lal, who hails from the same village, said Devi’s call saved him. He recounted the panic situation saying, “I was inside, fixing a fault in an electricity line. When Vipul called, I ran outside. I owe my life to Vipul’s mother and have learnt never to ignore a parent’s warning.

Lal, who is an electrician said many were saved from that call. Over 100 friends of Sandeep and Vipul are missing.

“They (friends) all have been swept away. The staircase, which we used to reach to safety, was filled with muck when they realized the flood was coming. They couldn’t use it,” Kaireni said. Tapovan village pradhan Kishore Kaniyal lauded Devi’s presence of mind.

Uttarakhand Floods:

A massive flood occurred in Uttarakhand on 7th February after the water level in Dhauliganga river rose suddenly due to the break down of a glacier near a power project at Raini village in Tapovan area of Chamoli district. 

More than 100-150 people may have been dead or severely injured due to the flash floods caused due to the breaking down of a glacier near a power project at Raini village in Tapovan area of Chamoli district. 

The flooding occurred due to cloudburst and the subsequent breaching of a reservoir near Raini village that destroyed many river bankside houses in the area.

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Rahul Gandhi promises to steal money from Gujarat tea traders to fund Congress’ political ambitions in Assam

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi promises to steal money from Gujarat tea traders to fund Congress’ political ambitions in Assam

Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in poll-bound Assam expressed his hate for Gujaratis and said that he will take money from Gujarat tea traders and give them to the tea garden workers in Assam.

Letting his hate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, both Gujaratis, spill on to the people of Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi claimed that Assam tea workers get paid Rs 167 per day wage while ‘traders in Gujarat’ get tea gardens. He did not give any proof to back his claims. He ‘promised’ that should the Congress come to power in Assam, the workers will get Rs 365 per day wage. “Where will the money come from? It will come from Gujarat’s traders”, he claimed.

Rahul Gandhi’s statement comes at a time when Gujarat is gearing up for local body polls.

Ahead of Gujarat local body polls, Rahul Gandhi hates on Gujaratis

Gujarat local body polls will be held in two phases on 21st and 28th February 2021. The polls to the six municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar will be held on 21st February. The elections to 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats will be conducted on 28th February.

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