‘Wonder Woman’ Gal Gadot would not have thought she might face backlash for sharing her “personal wonder women” with the people worldwide on the last day of 2020. One person she praised raised several eyebrows and netizens questioned if she even knows who the person really is.
Now-deleted story of Gal Gadot with Bilkis Bano’s image promoting her as activist who is allegedly fighting for women’s rights
On December 31, Gal Gadot decided to share some of the women who have inspired her and called them her “personal wonder women”. One of the women was the infamous Bilkis from Shaheen Bagh protests. Bilkis was a prominent part of the protests that were organized as India decided to give citizenship to religiously prosecuted people from neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. In the now-deleted Instagram story, Gadot shared a picture of Bilkis Bano and wrote, “Bilkis. This 82-year-old activist fighting for women’s equality in India showed me it’s never too late to fight for what you believe in.”
While the story was deleted by Gadot, the image is still in Gadot’s Instagram photos.
Photo of Bilkis Bano on Gadot’s Instagram profile
Bilkis was not fighting for women’s rights, she wanted persecuted non-Muslims in Islamic nations to be left to die
Those who have followed the incidents that led to anti-Hindu Delhi riots know how misinformed Gadot is in describing Bilkis. Those who don’t know her or have forgotten Shaheen Bagh Dadi, let’s jolt your memory a little bit. Bilkis, who was featured in the list of top 100 influential people of 2020 in Times Magazine, was recently seen at farmers’ protests gaining some more footage for herself. Her presence had brought back the grim memories of the Shaheen Bagh protests, where Islamists sat on a so-called ‘protest’ beginning in December last year, against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Bilkis along with the protestors had blocked a major highway and caused traffic disruptions for months. She was one of the leading ‘protestors’ at Shaheen Bagh against the humanitarian Citizenship Amendment Act. The sit-in protests disrupted the lives of the people of Delhi. Shaheen Bagh, the mecca of anti-CAA protests, was one of the major reasons that led to the worst anti-Hindu riots in recent history. Women like her were used as a shield at the sit-in protests. Anti-India slogans had attracted separatists from all over India and provided cover for the radicals and extremists. In the end, the riots happened and many including Dilber Singh Negi, IB officer Ankit Sharma and others were killed mercilessly.
Moreover, the anti-CAA protestors were essentially opposing the Indian government’s decision to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring Islamic nations, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in these nations are facing genocide. They are killed, kidnapped and raped every day. But the so-called ‘protestors’ saw the humanitarian law as “anti-Muslim”. Bilkis Bano of Shaheen Bagh was the face of such an Islamic movement that wanted the persecuted non-Muslims to be left to be killed.
Reaction from netizens
Several netizens criticized the Israeli actress for not doing her homework before supporting someone. A user Monica tagged Gadot and wrote, “Bilkis wasn’t fighting for women’s equality in India but she was opposing a law that gave citizenship to persecuted minorities of South Asia. You must read better.”
Bilkis wasn’t fighting for women’s equality in India but she was opposing a law that gave citizenship to persecuted minorities of South Asia. You must read better @GalGadotpic.twitter.com/D1u8kSO1Vl
Another Twitter user stated that Gadot’s post was a result of the powerful leftist lobby that spreads and creates misinformation and even makes it popular. It is notable here that Rana Ayyub had written a note for Bilkis in the Time Magazine for her inclusion in the list. Even in that note, she had spread blatant lies that the CAA was about ‘blocking citizenship for Muslims’. Time, however, had published that blatant lie without even bothering to verify.
Dear @GalGadot Bilkis Bano was not fighting for eqaulity, she was fighting to deny asylum to persecuted minorities. BTW do find out what Bilkis Bano thinks about Jews or Israel. pic.twitter.com/aNieMmmX5U
Another user tried to remind Gadot, a Jew, that the CAA was about helping the non-Muslims who are facing the same persecution that Jews faced, but by hailing people like Bilkis, the actress has shown that she is either ignorant or callous about the religious persecution happening in the Islamic nations.
@GalGadot I have been to Israel I know what your ppl have gone through and going through funny part is you don’t know what we have been through and going through
Gist is….get your facts right thats the first thing you should be doing prior to declaring anybody WONDER WOMAN https://t.co/YIs0uKSe2f
As international media praised Bilkis, there is a slight chance Gadot was fed the wrong information about the Shaheen Bagh Dadi. Gadot has deleted the story but the Instagram post still remains. You can learn about the anti-Hindu Delhi riots from our Delhi Riots archive or OpIndia’s report on the Delhi riots that is available on Kindle.
In another case of temple vandalization in Andhra Pradesh, the miscreants targeted the famous Ramatheertham in Vizianagaram district and desecrated 400-year-old idol of Bhagwan Ram. In the past year, several such incidents have happened in the state. The opposition is blaming the Jaganmohan Reddy government for inaction against the miscreants in the past for repeated attacks on temples.
The incident
As per the reports, when the priest reached the temple on Tuesday morning, he found that the doors of the ancient Sita Lakshmana Kodandarama temple on the Bodikonda hillock in Ramatheertham were broken. When he entered the sanctum, he found the desecrated idol of Bhagwan Ram. The idol of the Lord was beheaded. The authorities at the temple immediately informed the police about the incident.
Since the incident, several portions of the idol have been retrieved from the nearby temple pond. Vizianagaram district police are investigating the case, forming five special teams. Raja Kumari, SP, Vizianagaram said in a statement that they are investigating the case, but no arrests have been made so far. He said, “We are probing from all angles to know if this is an act of treasure hunters or involves communal angle or a miscreant act. We have not made any arrests so far.”
The opposition blames Jaganmohan Reddy government for the increasing incidents
The latest Temple vandalism case is being seen as a failure of CM Jaganmohan Reddy to maintain law and order in the state and the failure of the state administration in bringing culprits of previous cases of temple attacks to justice. TDP, BJP and Janasena have blamed Reddy government for the increase in such attacks.
Sunil Deodhar, the National Secretary of BJP and co-in charge of Andhra Pradesh compared the incident to Taliban’s destruction of giant Buddha statues in Bamiyan. He said, “Repeat attacks on Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh are reminiscent of actions of 16th century ruthless St. Xavier in Goa who destroyed temples & carried out forced conversions & Taliban’s destruction of giant Buddha statues in Bamiyan.”
‘Beheading’ of 400 yr old sacred Lord Ram’s idol in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh y’day is horrific. Authorities have not arrested anyone responsible for attacking “Uttarandhra Ayodhya” temple so far. @ysjagan‘s inaction in temple attacks shows tacit support.@BJP4Andhrapic.twitter.com/ZmbZFD4dmZ
On Tuesday night, Bharatiya Janata Party workers staged a protest at the temple. Somu Veerraju, Andhra Pradesh BJP chief has demanded stern action against the culprits.
Former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said, “The destruction of Ram idol at the four centuries old Ramatheertham temple is resultant of the negligence of the ruling party.” Naidu said that for unknown reasons the CM is just watching the attacks as a silent spectator.
“In the last 19 months, over 120 attacks took place on temples. These attacks were going on as per a premeditated plan. Over 23 idols were demolished in six temples at Pithapuram. Durga temple was brought down in Guntur,” he said.
Pawan Kalyan, Janasena Party chief, said, “At a time when the construction of Ram mandir is going on at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, the idol of Lord Ram is destroyed in our state. Separating the head of the idol cannot be an act of an insane person. It is an act of some religious maniacs.” Kalyan has urged Union Home Ministry to look into the matter and demanded CBI probe covering all attacks on the temples in the state. He added, “Why is the CM not responding to the spate of onslaughts on Hindu temples? He may have faith in any religion, but he should respect the sentiments of other religions.”
Past incidents of temple attacks in Andhra Pradesh
In February, a 50 feet tall ancient chariot of Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple at Bhogolu village of Bitragunta Mandal in Nellore district was set on fire. Several Hindu god and goddess idols and flex banners in Pithapuram city in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh were desecrated by unknown miscreants in January this year. In September, a similar incident took place in Antarvedi where the six-decade-old, 40 feet high wooden ratham of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha went up in flames. Amidst public pressure, the case was handed over to CBI by the state government.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today conducted raids at several locations in West Bengal including two Kolkata residences of Trinamool Youth Congress General Secretary Vinay Mishra. The raids were conducted in connection with a cattle smuggling case. The CBI had issued a Look Out circular against Mishra in relation to the case to prevent him from leaving the country.
CBI issues Look Out Circular against TMC leader Vinay Mishra in connection with cattle smuggling case: officials
A preliminary enquiry conducted by the CBI revealed that the menace of cattle smuggling was rampant along the India-Bangladesh border. The smuggling is allegedly aided by some corrupt officers of the BSF and Customs department receiving illegal gratification from smugglers.
On Thursday morning, a team of at least ten CBI officials reached two locations in Lake Town and Rashbehari in Kolkata after procuring a search warrant from a court.
It is pertinent to mention here that Vinay Mishra is considered close to Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhisek Banerjee, and is the general secretary of Trinamool youth Congress. It is also being reported that his name has come up several times in the course of the CBI investigation.
Raids conducted at several locations this year
Last month, the CBI had arrested Enamul Haque the alleged kingpin named of a cattle smuggling racket being run along the India-Bangladesh border. Haque, who is from West Bengal, was arrested by the agency in Delhi.
A BSF personnel was also arrested along with Haque. In September this year, the CBI had conducted raids at several locations in Kolkata and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal in order to expose the nexus facilitating cross-border cattle smuggling. Several locations in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Amritsar, and Raipur were also raided. CBI booked one Satish Kumar, the former Commandant of the 36 BSF Battalion, along with three others— Inamul Haq, Anarul Sheikh and Mohammed Golam Mustafa—in the illegal cattle trade case.
Smugglers adopt cruel methods to smuggle cattle
In June this year, the BSF had exposed the cruel method adopted by cattle smugglers to smuggles calves across the India-Bangladesh border. The smugglers tie up live calf inside a carcass and they also tie socket bombs to the necks of the cattle so that security personnel get injured if they catch them.
On Thursday, Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi, who is enjoying his vacation in Milan, Italy, took to Twitter to put out misleading information on the alleged ‘waiving-off’ loans of industrialists by the Modi government.
Rahul Gandhi, interestingly, coming up with some magical numbers of Rs 2,37,206 crore, claiming that the Modi government forgave some industrialists by ‘waiving-off’ their loans. According to Rahul Gandhi, the huge amount, which according to him was ‘waive-off’ by the government, could have been provided for 11 crore families in the difficult time of COVID, each with Rs 20,000.
However, the claims made by Rahul Gandhi that the Modi government has ‘waived-off’ are far from the truth. As usual, Rahul Gandhi fails to comprehend the micro-economic technicalities and continues to peddle information about the alleged waiving-off of lakhs of crores of loans of industrialists in the country.
Perhaps, Rahul Gandhi does not understand the difference between a loan ‘write-off’ and a loan ‘waive-off’. There is a stark difference between restructuring a loan by ‘writing it’ off and completely ‘waiving-off’ of a loan given. Rahul Gandhi suggests that the loans that have been granted over last a few years, including some of the loans that were provisioned during the UPA era, are being ‘waived-off’ by the current government.
In the financial year 2019-2020, scheduled commercial banks, both private and public sector banks, in an effort to restructure the stressed assets, have reportedly written-off Rs 2,37,206 crores of loans. However, there is no credible source to suggest that loans worth that particular amount have been ‘written-off’.
Most importantly, as claimed by Rahul Gandhi, it is not an easy process for ‘waiving-off’ loans of industrialists without any credible rationale behind it. It is in fact an extremely lengthy process to either ‘waive-off’ loans or ‘liquidate’ the assets of the debtor in case if he fails to repay the loan.
Lets understand the technical difference between a loan ‘write-off’ and ‘waive-off’:
The ‘write-off’ is a process of balance sheet cleaning up exercise undertaken by banks to depict the real status of the bank’s assets and liabilities. The write-offs are not loan waivers as claimed by Rahul Gandhi. The banks usually write off loans (an asset to the bank) given to borrowers, which have now shown signs of weakness.
If banks fail to write-off these loans, it is reflected as a high-quality asset and the returns-on-assets should be classified as an income to the bank. However, the quality of a defaulted loan has deteriorated for some time now, which results in giving the wrong picture of the true assets of the bank.
Secondly, if a loan is not written-off and is continued as a healthy asset at a time when it actually is a Non-Performing Asset (NPA), then banks can continue to book interest income on the loan, on the accrual basis of accounting.
Write-offs are a purely technical, accounting entry. Loans, which may not be repaid by the borrower in the normal course of business are written off. Even when these loans are written off, various recovery procedures like recovery suits filed before the Debt Recovery Tribunal and action initiated under SARFAESI Act continue. Hence, the writing-off a loan is not simply a ‘waive-off’.
In addition to these differences, not all the loans that are being restructured by ‘writing-off’ are not provisioned during the current regime this year. The scheduled commercial banks have in the past, also in the current fiscal, may have written-off loans that are given by the banks in the UPA era. Loans writing-off is a normal banking operation, that is continuously undertaken every fiscal year by the banks to clean their balance sheet for accounting tax-related issues.
Contrary to the claims of Rahul Gandhi, no loans worth Rs 2,37,206 crore given to the industrialists are being ‘waived-off’.
Rahul Gandhi’s repeated lies about loan waiver to industrialists
This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has been spreading same lies by reiterating that Modi government has waived lakhs of crore of loans of few big industrialists. In his speech in July 2019, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that in the last 5 years the BJP government gave 4.3 lakh crore tax concessions and waived off 5.5 lakh crore tax for rich businessmen. He called out Modi government’s “shameful double standards”.
Many times in the past, Rahul Gandhi has repeated his lies, but interestingly, it has always been with a twist. Every time Rahul reiterates his lies, he keeps changing the amount. According to the Congress president, Modi government has waived loans of 5.50 lakh crore / 3.50 lakh crore / 3.00 lakh crore / 2.50 lakh crore / 1.50 lakh crore / 1.40 lakh crore / 1.30 lakh crore / 1.10 lakh crore owed by richest industrialists.
In November 2016, Rahul Gandhi spread lies and claimed that the Modi government had then waived off loans worth Rs 1.1 lakh crores of big industrialists. During campaigning for Gujarat assembly polls in 2017, Rahul Gandhi repeated the same trite, He inexplicably increased this figure by 20,000 Crores to Rs 1.3 lakh crores. In Karnataka, he went a step ahead and conjured up another grand figure- Rs 2.5 Lakh crores that were waived-off.
However, unfortunately, every time Rahul Gandhi makes such incorrect claims, he fails to understand the difference between ‘waiving off’ and ‘writing off’ of loans.
Our lives revolve around our social media accounts and online presence. Believe it or not, it is part of our legacy that we will leave behind when we leave this world. In the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, one thing that I learnt is that everything is uncertain. There is no reason to think that you will be alive a few days from now. Covid-19 took so many lives and destroyed so many families that were not prepared for it at all.
Some days back, I read about someone who has lost three family members to Covid, and two were in the hospital fighting for their lives. Amid all this uncertainty, what if I die tomorrow of Covid-19? What will happen to my social media accounts, Gmail account and other important aspects of my online presence?
Will it fade away slowly like memories, or will it stay there to haunt my family and friends forever? I needed some answers, and it forced me to look around with a heavy heart and a dreadful thought that I need to do something to provide access to someone to either turn my accounts into memories or just delete them forever, whatever they like.
I am already working on removing my footprint from online platforms as I think there should be some personal side of every person and we do not need to share every single thing on the social media platforms. For example, I don’t share my personal photographs. In this way, it will not matter to my existence or non-existence if no one takes control of my account after I die.
However, what about those who share every single aspect of their lives over the internet? Their accounts that are spreading happiness can become a haunting place for their family and friends, reminding them that someone was there who left early. Someone who made them smile and laugh. That will be painful for the people here and for the soul on the other side. Without stretching the philosophy any further, let’s see what option you can opt for to give access to all your accounts to someone when you die, of Covid or otherwise.
Facebook’s Legacy Accounts
Facebook provides you with two options. You can either request Facebook to delete your account when you die, or you can give information to someone who can have limited access to your account when you die.
First of all, let’s learn about Legacy settings.
First, log in to your Facebook account and click on the down arrow on the top left side of the screen.
Now click on Settings & Privacy, followed by Settings.
How to go to settings on Facebook
Now on this page, you will see an option that says “Memorialization Settings.” Click on Edit.
Click on Edit in front of Memorialization Settings
A section will appear where you can assign Legacy Contact. Please note that the person has to be on your friend’s list on Facebook to become your Legacy Contact. As you type any letters of the name of the person you want to choose, the form will show the account.
Choose the option as per your choice
Choose the account of your choice and click on Add. A message window will pop-up that will let you send a message to the person that you have chosen him or her as your Legacy account. You can either send the message or click on Not Now to exit the message window.
Choose the person as Legacy Account from your friend listThe message that the person whom you have chosen as Legacy Account will receive
Please note that the Legacy Account will gain access only after submitting the required information about your death. The access will be limited. Here are a few things that the Legacy Account will be able to do:
Manage tribute posts on your profile, which includes deciding who can post and who can see posts, deleting posts, and removing tags
Request the removal of your account
Respond to new friend requests
Update your profile picture and cover photo
Now the question comes what if you want your account to be deleted once you have died. Please follow the steps here to do that.
In the Memorialization Settings, you will see an option that reads, “Request that your account be deleted after you pass away.” When you click on this option, a message will appear that ask you to confirm your request. Once Facebook has enough information and proof that you have died, the account will be removed forever.
Choose this option of you want your account to be deleted after your death
Now the question arises what if you haven’t chosen any of these and your family members want the account to be gone forever in case of your death or if you are medically incapacitated. There is an option to memorize or delete the account. One of your family members can go to this link and fill out the required information in the form. Facebook requires a Full Name, contact email ID, Full name of the person’s profile and the URL of the profile. Then, the person has to select if they want to memorialize the account or delete it.
Form to be filled if you are a person related to the deceased or medically incapacitated person
Please note that Facebook will need your Death Certificate to process the request. In case your death certificate is not available, other documents that can be submitted include Power of Attorney, Birth Certificate, Last will and Testament, Estate Letter and proof of death that can be Obituary or Memorial Card. Facebook will ask for documents when the person clicks on any options like “please memorialize the account” or “please delete the account,” etc.
Instagram account after death
Just like Facebook, Instagram too has two options. You can either memorialize the account or get it deleted. Unlike Facebook, you do not need to add Legacy contact on Instagram. After your death, someone from your family can either get the account memorialized or deleted.
When someone’s account is memorialized, the word “Remembering” is added under the deceased person’s profile photo. Please note that no one can log in to a memorialized account. For example, if you visit the account of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput or legendary Basketball player Kobe Bryant, you will notice the feature.
Memorialized accounts of Kobe Bryant and Sushant Singh Rajput
The feature was introduced in 2020. Earlier, Instagram used to accept deletion requests only. After Covid-19 pandemic happened, the demand for a feature to memorialize Instagram account spiked and Instagram rushed to roll out the feature in April 2020. Sadly, this feature has been extensively used for the people who died of Covid-19.
How to get the Instagram account of a deceased memorialized:
A form will appear to ask your name, email address, the full name of the deceased person and the username of the deceased person along with other documentation.
The form is pretty much the same as the one where the account is memorialized. There is one difference, though. In case you want the account to be deleted, Instagram will verify that you are an immediate family member. In this case, you can upload a death certificate, the deceased person’s birth certificate, or proof of authority.
Instagram only provide this facility for the deceased persons and not for the medically incapacitated persons.
Form to be filled to get Instagram account of a deceased person removed
Twitter has a quick and simple process
The microblogging platform Twitter has kept the process as simple as it can be. Twitter has a policy of deactivating the account of a deceased or medically incapacitated person after receiving a request from a family member. Twitter clearly says in its policy here that it won’t provide anyone access to your account. The policy reads, “In the event of the death of a Twitter user, we can work with a person authorized to act on behalf of the estate, or with a verified immediate family member of the deceased to have an account deactivated.” It further adds, “We are unable to provide account access to anyone regardless of their relationship to the deceased.”
To request deactivation of the Twitter account of a deceased or medically incapacitated person, please visit this link. Choose “I want to request the deactivation of a deceased or incapacitated person’s account.”
Choose the third option that says “I want to request the deactivation of a deceased or incapacitated person’s account”
Here you will find a form as shown in the image below. Fill out the relevant details. First choose if the person has died or if the person is medically incapacitated.
Choose if you are submitting request for a deceased person of incapacitated person
the username of the person, full name of the person, your relationship with the user (family member, authorized person etc.), your name and email ID. Once submitted, Twitter will review the application and send you further instructions. The company may ask proof of death, proof of relationship etc. to complete the deactivation process.
Fill the required information and submit the form
Let’s talk about Google
Towards the end, including Google in the list, is necessary. Everything you do is mostly connected to Google, and after your death, this account has to go for good with all your secrets, the darkest secrets. Okay, let’s not get too dramatic and see what options we have for our beloved Google account.
Go to this link. You will see a page like in the image below.
Click on Data & Personalization in the left menu
Now scroll down and look for an option that reads “Make a plan for your account.” Click on it.
Click on “Make a plan for your account”
In the next page, click on “Start”.
Click on Start
If you have connected your phone number to the Google account, you can click on Next otherwise add a phone number.
Add your phone number of manage your email accounts
If there are phone numbers linked to your account, it will show link this. Choose the relevant one.
Choose the number for verification purposes
In the next step, you can choose a person to notify that your account has been inactive by clicking on Add Person (you can add up to ten people), or you can skip to next part.
Add required information
If you choose a person to notify, in the next step, you will be able to choose what all you want to share with that person from the list.
Choose what all you want to share with the person(s) you have chosen
You can also add a custom message to be sent to people who send you email after your account goes inactive. In this option, you can choose if you want to send the reply to all or to those who are in your contact list.
Add an auto reply that you want to send to those who contact you after your account becomes inactive
In case you want your account to be gone forever, click on the “Yes, delete my inactive Google Account.”
Review the plan in next step
Now review the plan and then Confirm Plan.
Once reviewed, confirm the plan
What if you did not plan for your Google Account?
In case you haven’t planned, or someone from your family hasn’t planned and died, here is what can be done. Go to this link. Now choose from the three options mentioned. With every request, a different form will appear. For example, if you are asking for deletion of the account, it will ask you the name of the deceased person, email address, your name, your email address, your relationship with the person and so on. Google required death certificate of deceased, your ID proof, and any additional documents if needed.
Choose what you want to do with the account of the deceased
In case the deceased person had an Adsense account or Wallet, you can ask Google to transfer the funds to your account. In this case, Google will require all personal details of the deceased person, your details (as the legal representative) and court-certified letters testamentary.
Forms based on your request
In case you want to obtain data from a deceased person account, first, you have to agree to their terms, then provide all details along with the list of services you want data from such as Blogger, Drive, Gmail etc. Google will also need your ID proof, death certificate of the deceased and any additional documents.
Please note that Google holds the right to approve and reject your request.
It sounds grim to plan what happens to your email accounts and social media accounts after you die. But think about it once. You have shared a lot on these platforms. There are countless emails in your account(s). Hundreds of followers, friends, likes, DMs and whatnot, everything will just stay there haunting someone by reminding them of you. Some memories should vanish from the face of the earth not for the sake of your darkest secrets but for the sake of your existence that may haunt someone you love. So, go through the options and start planning for your death today. At least in this way you can have some control over the accounts after your death.
Say hello to 2021! May the new year brings happiness in your life.
It has only been a year and there are visible cracks appearing in the Maha Aghadi Government in Maharashtra. The Mumbai Congress has reportedly written to the party president Sonia Gandhi complaining about how the party is being sidelined in the Maharashtra MVA government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
“Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is weakening the Congress party like termites weaken wood”, Mumbai Congress general secretary Vishwabandhu Rai who is considered close to Sanjay Nirupam, has said in the letter to Sonia Gandhi.
Congress remains to be a mere ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra
Hinting that the role of the Congress in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance government in the state of Maharashtra has been that of a mere bystander, Vishwabandhu Rai stated in his letter that Congress has remained an ally in the one year of Maha Aghadi government in Maharashtra, while Shiv Sena and NCP are seen in the role of running the government.
“A large number of Congress ministers in Maharashtra government are not getting any work of the organisation at the grassroots level while the general public and party workers do not know the department of its party’s ministers,” read the letter. “Our allies are hurting our party by making thoughtful strategy and are engaged in advancing their own party. We are failing to stop this,” Rai told Sonia Gandhi.
Some necessary concrete steps are needed to prevent migration from the party: Mumbai Congress to Sonia Gandhi
Alleging that no concrete steps are being taken to fulfil the promises made by the Congress party in its 2019 Election manifesto, Rai furthered: “Some necessary concrete steps are needed to prevent migration from the party. It is also necessary to instruct the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party to follow the coalition ‘dharma’.”
For the unversed, it was almost a year back in November 2019, when Shiv Sena made the first overture of stitching together an unlikely alliance with ideologically disparate political parties of NCP and Congress, only to keep BJP at bay and acquire the CM’s chair. However, in this one year, many Congress leaders have expressed their dismay over this unusual alliance.
Sonia Gandhi sceptical about the alliance in Maharashtra: Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat had said that Shiv Sena initiated the alliance with Congress in Maharashtra to keep BJP out of power. He also claimed that interim President Sonia Gandhi wasn’t particularly inclined to have an alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra but when the likelihood of another BJP regime in the state was weighed against the coalition government between the two parties, she acceded.
Congress snubs Shiv Sena, asks them to back off
Recently also when Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut exhorted the UPA parties to come together against the Modi government, Congress had snubbed the Shiv Sena, stating that the party was not a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its association with the Shiv Sena was limited only to Maharashtra.
The year 2020 has been quite a washout owing to the Coronavirus outbreak. Like every other festival, this year, the new years’ eve celebrations will also not be the same. Though the numbers of daily COVID cases in India are on a decline, the concerns of the new mutant strain of novel coronavirus in the UK, which has reached India, has forced state governments to take unprecedented precautionary measures. Several Indian states have re-imposed fresh Covid-19 restrictions ahead of the New Year Celebrations in the country.
Here are the states that have renewed restrictions ahead of new year celebrations:
Delhi: Ahead of the 2021 new year’s eve celebrations, Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Thursday imposed a night curfew in the national capital. The authority issued a circular stating that not more than five persons will be allowed to assemble at public places. Also, no new year celebration events or gatherings are permitted at public places from 11 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1 and 11 pm on January 1 to 6 am on January 2.
Delhi Disaster Management Authority imposes night curfew in Delhi; Not more than five persons to assemble at public place, no new year celebration events, no gatherings at public places permitted from 11pm of 31st Dec to 6am of 1st Jan and 11pm of 1 Jan to 6am of 2nd Jan pic.twitter.com/EstAg05Wpx
The Delhi Police has said public events or terrace parties will not be allowed on New Year’s Eve. No events or large gatherings will be allowed without permission and those who break the law will face penalty.
Anticipating a large crowd on New Year’s Eve, the Delhi Metro authorities have decided to shut the Rajiv Chowk metro station after 9 pm. The entry of passengers will be allowed till the departure of the last train.
New Year Eve Update
To ease overcrowding on New Year’s Eve (31 December 2020), exit from Rajiv Chowk metro station will not be allowed after 9 PM onwards. Entry of passengers will be allowed till the departure of last train.
Please plan your journey accordingly.
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें? (@OfficialDMRC) December 30, 2020
Covid guidelines for the Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon may vary according to the state jurisdiction. In Noida, for example, the district administration has said that not more than 100 people will not be allowed at a venue for a new year’s party. Hotels, clubs and restaurant owners will have to get prior permission from the relevant authorities. The police and local civic bodies have to be told how many guests are expected.
Maharashtra: The state has announced a seven-hour night curfew across all cities and municipal corporation areas. The 11 pm to 6 am curfew which has been in place since December 22 will continue till January 5, 2021. As per night curfew restrictions – restaurants, pubs and other recreational establishments will have to down their shutters by 11 pm sharp. Strict actions will be taken against restaurants and establishments that fail to shut shop by 11 pm on 31st December 2020.
“This is not a normal new year which is why we cannot have normal celebrations. The curfew is being imposed to ensure that such violations are not repeated,” Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said.
However, owing to the night curfew, people might celebrate before 11 pm, but after that strict action will be taken against people who violate the prohibitory orders, the official said.
The Maharashtra state government has appealed that children below the age of 10 years and elderly citizens older than 60 years of age must avoid venturing out of the home on New Year’s eve.
About 35,000 Mumbai Police personnel will be keeping vigil on the law and order situation in Mumbai. No violations of COVID-19 norms will be allowed. No parties will be allowed to be held on terraces and boats, organisers will be punished for violations, said the Maharashtra state government.
Speaking about the availability of public transport, the Maharashtra govt has stated that though there will be no restrictions on public transport, if you hire a taxi, ola or uber, there can be four people in the vehicle including the driver. However, unlike in past years, there will be no special trains buses after midnight to help people get home.
Delivery of food by platforms like Swiggy and Zomato as well as directly from restaurants will be allowed.
Bengaluru (Karnataka): The Karnataka government has issued fresh guidelines according to which the night curfew will be in force between 11 pm and 5 am from December 31st till January 1. It has stated that gathering of not more than four people will be allowed at public places or open spaces. However, families can have their own new years eve arrangements but no public events will be allowed. Building societies and clubs have been ordered to not allow assembly of more than 4 people and no public celebration.
Further, hotels, malls, restaurants, clubs may carry on the regular activity but no special events like DJ, parties, events, shows, programmes, musical nights, performances will be allowed.
No rush at hotels, restaurants allowed, only advance booking with e-tokens to be allowed.
Kolkata (West Bengal): In compliance with the Calcutta High Court orders, Kolkata Police have taken measures to ensure that all COVID-19 safety protocols are maintained and there is no large gathering for celebrating the New Year eve. Security has been beefed up in and around the city to avoid any untoward incident on that day.
Hyderabad (Telangana): Hyderabad has also issued guidelines amid fears of the new coronavirus variant. It has stated that any new years eve celebration event should be organised between 8 pm on December 31 to 1 am on January 1. No celebration would be allowed beyond the stipulated time. The Outer Ring Road (ORR) will be closed from 10 pm on December 31 to 5 am of January 1, except for passengers bound to and from the airport.
Police have warned all hotels, resorts and farmhouses against violation of protocols saying that strict action would be taken against violators. Cyberabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar has issued warnings that no new year events should be organised without prior permission of the police.
Tamil Nadu: The state government issued an order banning new years eve celebrations on beaches, hotels, clubs and resorts on the night of December 31 and January 1, 2021. There will be no entry to the beaches on these days. According to the govt orders, no midnight revelries would be allowed on beach roads, restaurants, hotels, clubs, resorts including beach resorts, and similar places on New Year’s eve and the following day, an official statement read.
Rajasthan: According to orders passed by the state Home Department, curfew will be imposed in Rajasthan from 8 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1. Markets in the state will also be closed at 7 pm on New Year’s eve. The state government has decided that ‘Diwali-like’ restrictions will be put in place during new year eve and it will be applicable in all municipal councils.
Uttarakhand: Dehradun, the state capital has banned public celebrations like parties at hotels, bars and restaurants on December 31, 2020, and January 1, 2021. The state government has said that violation of the ban will be punishable under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Epidemic Diseases Act and other relevant sections of the IPC.
Mangaluru: Mangaluru Police Commissioner has issued prohibitory orders from 6 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1. Gathering of 5 or more people and celebration of the new year in public has been prohibited. Hotels, malls, restaurants, clubs, pubs, etc shall not organise any special events.
Kerala: The Kerala government has issued an order prohibiting all public gatherings during New Year celebrations and directed that all celebrations in the state on December 31st (Thursday) should cease by 10 pm.
India’s overall COVID-19 cases tally and the death toll was pushed to 10,267,283 and 148,774 respectively, according to worldometer. Five new cases of the UK strain of coronavirus have been detected, which takes the total number of such patients to 25. All 25 patients have been kept in isolation at designated health facilities.
A day after the results of Bihar Assembly polls, a much-flustered intellectual declared: “Elections are no longer the most happening things in our democracy.” He continued his rant in columns that he wrote, explaining that Bihar’s election has been emptied of political significance. A few weeks later, this anti-democracy activist resurfaced in our living rooms, through our television sets. This time, he was supposedly the face of 60 crore Indians who depend on farming. Half of India’s population, who have apparently outsourced their political agency to him. Someone who is a psephologist, a political “scientist” or something meaningless of that sort.
As 2020 comes to an end, think about what we are watching on our television screens. A supposed “farmers” protest with approximately 10,000 people, almost all of them from one region, with a supposed mandate from half of India’s 1.2 billion population.
What are we not talking about? We have already forgotten about Bihar. The voice of this one anti-democracy activist is being heard louder than 10 crore voters of that state. Why? Surely something is rotten about our media and political class.
If we look back, the NDA’s victory in Bihar elections was the most remarkable event in Indian politics this year. Not just the win, but how they achieved it. The BJP had everything going against it. Fifteen years of anti-incumbency. A pandemic and a recession that was conveniently blamed on the ruling government by the opposition. If problems of migrant workers were going to hurt the BJP, they would hurt most of all in Bihar.
The ecosystem tried its best. They started out by demanding that the Jungle Raj of Lalu Yadav should be written off from India’s collective memory. And that Lalu Yadav’s son, who has inherited the RJD from his father, should be allowed to start from a clean slate. Some sycophants went as far as to write scholarly articles claiming that RJD’s fifteen years were not jungle raj at all. According to their “studies,” Bihar under Lalu was actually the best-governed state in Northern India! Even Tejashwi Yadav himself did not make such a bold claim. Instead, he tried to play down his father’s legacy. But the “scholars” would not let him. More loyal than the king, of course.
The ecosystem nearly got their wish. But then, something happened. As the election progressed, word began to spread that the party of jungle raj was coming back. Women voters came out in droves. By Phase-III, female voter turnout exceeded male turnout by an astounding 11%. The NDA swept this phase and shut the RJD out of power.
The yuvraj of jungle raj will have to wait. At least for now.
There was no leader behind this mobilization. This was grassroots action by women of India’s poorest state. This was democracy at its finest. There had been articles in major newspapers mocking the women of Bihar. They had dismissed the women of Bihar as too illiterate and poor to have minds of their own. But the women of Bihar showed that a lack of gender studies degrees is not the same thing as a lack of intelligence. The women of Bihar stood up, took their fate into their own hands and decided who should form the government. This should have been feminism at its finest if there was ever such a thing.
This amazing political mobilization should have been the talk of the town. But no! Instead, they have given the floor to a handful of professional protesters because the latter make more noise. On the day of the Bihar results, one of these professionals had the temerity to say that the state has delivered only an outcome, not a mandate! One anti-democracy activist gets to speak over the women of all of Bihar. The shame! And the irony of calling this “liberalism.”
Have you ever thought about why we have elections? Because if we didn’t, only the powerful and well-connected would rule. Only those who make the most noise would be heard. We have elections so that even the weakest person in India can express themselves freely and without fear. And that is why the shiny NGO types are badmouthing elections. Because they don’t want everyone to be heard.
And yet, as the year comes to a close, we are obsessing about the talking points of professional protesters. We are playing into their hands. Why? Why are handing over our media space and mind space to anti-democracy activists?
The female voter of Bihar is person of the year. Let us give her the respect she has earned.
In a Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) investigation carried out by IIT Gandhinagar and the Archaeological Department on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has been revealed that there are three historical structures beneath the Somnathtemple in Gujarat. The investigation was carried out by IIT Gandhinagar along with four of its associate institutions. In 2017, the Prime Minister, who is a trustee if the Somnath temple, had asked the Archaeological Department to conduct this investigation in a meeting held in the national capital.
L shaped structure beneath the temple
In a 32-page long report prepared by the Archaeological Department, it is stated that there is an L shaped structure beneath the Somnath temple. The investigation was conducted by experts using the latest technologies and machines worth Rs 5 crore. The GPR investigation revealed that about 12 meters into the ground, there was a structure with an entrance gate.
The study has revealed a 3-story structure below the ground in the area. The different levels of the structure are at the depth of 2.5 meters, 5 meters and 7.3 meters from the ground level. A second structure also has need detected below the ground at the location where the security check point for the visitors of the temple is located.
The report also states that there are Buddhist caves beneath the areas surrounding the Statue of Unity which is located at a distance from Digvijay Dwar of the temple. The report has been handed over to the temple trust.
Somnath temples was demolished several times by Muslim invaders
It is said that there was a temple at the place that was reconstructed many times after it was demolished several times by Muslim invaders. In the seventh century, Maitrak kings of Vallabhi had reconstructed the temple. It was demolished by Arabian Governor of Sindh named Junaid. Later Pratihara king Nagabhatta rebuilt the temple for the third time in 815 AD. On the ruins of this temple, Malwa king Bhoj and King Bhimdev of Gujarat built it again for the fourth time. The temple was constructed for the fifth time in the year 1169 by King Kumar Pal of Gujarat.
Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had demolished the temple in 1706. Thereafter the temple was reconstructed in 1951 after the then Home Minister Saradar Vallabhbhai Patel ordered the construction of the temple in 1947 following the merger of Junagarh in India.
The Government of Odisha has recently passed a cabinet decision to bring reservation in medical and engineering courses for students from government schools in the state.
infographic shared by Odisha government
As per the Naveen Patnaik government’s decision, a high-level committee headed by a retired HC judge, comprising educationist and eminent personalities will be set up to chalk out the details and submit its report within 3 months. It will recommend the percentage of seats to be reserved, inclusion/exclusion of creamy layer(if any) and other details about who can be the beneficiaries.
Announcement by the Odisha government regarding seat reservation
For our non Odia readers, here is a rough translation of the cabinet decision.
“It has been observed that there has been a steady decrease in the number of state government school students enrolled for medical/Engineering courses after all-India entrance exams like NEET and JEE were started. This is not due to lack of merit but due to lack of access to quality coaching.
These competitive exams need specialised coaching, which can only be imparted through coaching centres or online coaching classes. These coaching centres are primarily located in urban areas. Students from rural areas and govt schools do not have access to these centres.
Therefore the competitive exams are bringing in inequality among students. To bridge this gap, inspire confidence and to provide a level playing field to these meritorious students from government schools, the state cabinet has decided to give reservations in engineering and medical entrance exams.”
It was hailed as one of the greatest schemes to bridge the gap between the rich and poor by the pro-BJD media and political sphere. Hashtags were trended by BJD MLAs/MPs. But if you haven’t realized how deeply flawed this is, read along.
The problem and the solution
You are a telecom service provider. Your service quality is not on par with competitors. Your subscriber base is falling. What do you do?
Improve your service quality?
But this would require setting up new BTS, towers, strengthening your fibre network, installing quality switches, routers and so on. Quite some work, isn’t it? Now let’s add a rider. You are a state-owned service provider and enjoy unlimited regulatory power. You bring in a new regulation that stipulates that every day, between noon to 3, private operators have to switch off their network. This 3 hours window will be exclusively reserved for the state-owned provider. You force people to subscribe to your service without improving your service quality.
This is what essentially the Odisha government is doing. By the government’s own admission, the problem is access to better coaching and learning facilities. The solution should be to improve the quality of coaching. But the solution the government is offering is to reserve seats in competitive exams.
Government’s admission of failure?
In its explanation for the need of the reservation, the Odisha government has said this:
Tweet by CMO Odisha
“This is not due to lack of merit but a deeper divide in access to coaching”.
This is the fifth term of Naveen Patnaik’s rule in Odisha. What he is telling us is, government schools have failed. Government education is not up to the mark even after 21 years of his rule. And he can’t improve it either. In these 21 years, he has in fact created a new backward class. But, because he can’t uplift them, he will give them a reservation. Rarely we have seen such honest admission of failure.
Reservation cannot be a solution
What is the primary aim of reservation? To provide a level playing field to backward classes so that they can be brought into the mainstream.
How do you assess the success of such a scheme? The most objective assessment would be, how many backward classes have been uplifted by such schemes. And the answer is ZERO.
Article 341 lays down the law regarding the identification of races, tribes and castes as SC/ST. Part 2 of the same article empowers the government to include or exclude castes from the list of SC/ST. However, post-1950, not a single caste has been removed from the list of SC or ST. To summarise, reservation has not been able to uplift a single caste from SC/ST.
Does caste based discrimination exists? Yes, it does. Can reservation be a solution to this? Data in last 70 years tell us, reservation has failed to bridge this inequality and uplift backward classes. Hence, reservation as a policy, to provide level playing field, has failed.
Reservation for Economically Backward Classes
This idea has been gaining a lot of traction, at least on social media. It may sound righteous and hence difficult to counter. But it is deeply flawed too.
The genesis of reservation is to undo the historical wrong. Lower castes were and in some cases, still are denied a level playing field. And this denial comes from a socially imposed disability on them. Because, the society has imposed disability, it becomes society’s responsibility to compensate for it. Hence, society must give more than equal share of resources to such classes.
EWS are also disadvantaged like backward classes in terms of access to resources, education for example. However, is this disability imposed by society? There is no theory which backs this assertion. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense for society to compensate from their share.
So should govt leave poor people at their own fate? Of course not. There should be schemes like scholarships, mid-day meal, focussed coaching for confidence-building measures. But to take away someone else’s share sounds totally unfair. Does it sound like wealth redistribution? Do you now see what’s wrong?
What About poor students from non-government schools
Let’s take the government’s proposal at face value. The intention is to “build confidence among meritorious students” who are not able to access quality coaching like students of privates schools do. What about meritorious students who are not from government schools but still belong to the economically weaker section(EWS), and live in rural areas?
There are a total of 1000 Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandirs in Odisha, run by RSS, which have 420,956 students under its tutelage being taught by 12,000 teachers. Up to 2010, SSVM students topped the matriculation exams for 4 consecutive years, post which the government stopped publishing this data. In fact, 55 out of the top 100 and 18 out of top 30 were from SSVMs. What about these meritorious students? They too are from EWS and hence don’t have access to quality coaching like other government school students. They chose SSVM because they thought SSVMs are better than government schools. Why deny reservation to them? Are they not poor? Or are they not meritorious enough?
This is a lazy solution to a genuine problem. Socialism debate apart, in our country, healthcare and education are two fields where the government must continue to play a significant role. However, moves like this will do irreparable damage. No successive government will try to improve the quality of education in govt schools as they have found an alternative but an ineffective and lazy solution. The bigger problem is, no political party worth its salt will ever challenge it in court or roll it back. The moment you attach “pro-poor” to a scheme, it becomes sacrosanct.
One can just hope against hope that better sense prevails and the Naveen government stops this disastrous move before the cabinet decision becomes law.
