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AAP decides to take on Yogi Adityanath, after being embarrassed in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP

OpIndia Staff
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AAP decides to take on Yogi Adityanath, after being embarrassed in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP

Following an embarrassing defeat in last year’s Maharashtra assembly elections and an abrupt withdrawal from the recently concluded Bihar elections, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that Aam Aadmi Party will fight the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that are scheduled to take place in 2022.

In a press conference, the AAP supremo cited issues such as lack of good schools, healthcare facilities and chronic power supply to make a pitch for the Aam Aadmi Party’s entering the fray for the Uttar Pradesh state elections. Kejriwal said UP has been held back from progress and development because of “dirty politics” and “corrupt” politicians in the state.

The AAP chief drew on the party’s 8 years of experience in politics to justify its decision to contest the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections. “In its 8 years of experience, AAP formed government thrice in Delhi and has come out as main opposition in Punjab. We will fight Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal stated that UP elections would be fought on the plank of Delhi model of governance.

“In 2022 polls, AAP will contest Uttar Pradesh elections… a lot of people from Uttar Pradesh who live in Delhi have told us over the last few years that UP too deserve the welfare and benefits like Delhi,” Kejriwal added.

While Kejriwal made a bold announcement that his party will be gearing up for the UP Vidhan Sabha assembly elections in 2022, it is important to revisit the umpteen number of incidents when Kejriwal’s bluster has gotten the better of him and resulted into humiliating poll drubbings for the Aam Aadmi Party.

AAP wins 1 seat in Goa Zilla Parishad polls

On Monday, the ruling party BJP won 33 out of the 42 seats contested in two Zila Panchayat bodies in Goa. The Congress Party managed to win only one out of the 38 seats on which it contested. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the people have shown trust in BJP. He applauded the enthusiasm of the people of Goa to vote amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Notably, independent candidates won seven seats in the Zila Panchayat polls. Regional party MGP won four seats and AAP managed only one seat in the elections. According to the state election commission, out of 7,91,814 eligible voters, 4.50 lakh voters cast votes. Paper ballots were used in the election instead of EVM machines. This was the first time all major parties except Goa Forward Party were contesting in Zila Panchayat elections.

AAP chickened out of Bihar elections after entering the fray on Delhi model of development

In August this year, Aam Aadmi Party announced that it would be fighting the Bihar Assembly elections that were slated to happen between October 28 to November 7. Kejriwal’s governance and Delhi model of development was touted as a plank on which the AAP was going to challenge the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state.

Senior vice-president of the Bihar unit of AAP Angesh Singh said that Delhi’s model of development led by Arvind Kejriwal would challenge the Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar, a state, which he claimed, is plagued with corruption, crimes, migration of labourers, flood and plethora of other chronic problems. The party was planning to contest on 100 seats out of the total 243 Bihar Assembly seats and was also said to be planning to tie up with some smaller parties.

However, come October, just about 45 days after announcing that it would fight the state elections, AAP abruptly pulled out of the fray, citing COVID-19 and flood as reasons for not contesting the elections.

AAP lost deposits on all 24 seats it contested in Maharashtra Assembly elections

Bihar was the first full-fledged Assembly elections after the coronavirus pandemic caused grave disruptions and caused India to go into lockdown. However, even before the pandemic took root in India and the rest of the world, AAP’s electoral forays outside Delhi were hardly impressive.

In October 2019, Maharashtra went to the polls where AAP had decided to fight on the 24 of the total 288 Vidhan Sabha seats. During the poll campaign, Kejriwal-led party had promised to “re-engineer” Maharashtra, which, according to it, was “reduced to a failed state”.

However, the Maharashtra resident did not buy into AAP’s poll rhetoric as the party not only failed in opening its account in the assembly elections, but it also lost deposits on all the 24 seats it contested. Most of the candidates barely managed to secure 1,000 votes.

In fact, so devastating was AAP’s defeat in Maharashtra that NOTA(none of the above) had fetched more votes than the AAP candidates in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra polls, the party got 0.11 per cent votes, while NOTA’s vote share was 1.37 per cent.

AAP draws a big zero in the Haryana Assembly elections

Similar was the fate of AAP in Haryana state polls. AAP had fielded 46 candidates of the 90 seats in neighbouring Haryana. But despite being home to Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, voters in the state did not poll for the Aam Aadmi Party. According to the information released by the Election Commission of India, AAP got fewer votes than those cast in favour of NOTA in Haryana. AAP’s vote share stood at 0.48 per cent in Haryana while for NOTA, it was 0.53 per cent.

The AAP had formed an alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls held in April-May, but after a humiliating defeat, it had called off the alliance. AAP had contested 3 seats in the May 2019 General elections, but it lost deposits on all the three seats. It, therefore, severed its ties with JJP in the state. However, JJP went on to win 10 assembly seats in Haryana in the state elections.

AAP loses deposits in all 29 seats it contested in Karnataka

In May 2018, AAP contested the Karnataka state elections, hoping to build a third front in the state against the rivals Congress and the BJP. The Party had contested in 29 seats, 18 of which were from Bengaluru and 11 from other parts of the state. However, it lost deposits on all the seats it fought on. Reflecting on this rout faced by AAP in Karnataka elections Reddy reflected, “We were washed out but I cannot understand why. We got a lot of support but that could not be converted into votes”.

NOTA outperforms AAP in 2018 assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

NOTA or None Of The Above was preferred choice over the Aam Aadmi Party in the assembly elections that took place in different states.

The NOTA vote share oscillated between 2.0% in Chhattisgarh but AAP could manage to get only 0.9% of the total votes.

In Madhya Pradesh too, AAP lost all candidates and failed to outnumber NOTA votes.AAP had contested on 208 seats out of total 230, and most of the candidates even failed to save their deposits. Their chief ministerial candidate Alok Agrawal, only got 823 votes in his constituency. AAP got 0.7% of total votes while NOTA received 1.4%. SP fared better than AAP, but still not more than NOTA, as it registered 1.3% votes.

Even in Rajasthan AAP got 0.4%, while both SP and NCP got 0.2% each. NOTA votes stood at 1.3%. In Telangana, CPI and CPM both got 0.4% each, while NCP managed 0.4%. NOTA has again outnumbered them all. NOTA registered 1.1% of total votes

AAP loses deposits on all seats in Gujarat and even got lower votes than NOTA on a few in 2017 state elections

If losing election deposits were an Olympics sport, AAP would have surely bagged gold in that. The Aam Aadmi Party lost deposits on all the seats it fought in Gujarat state elections in 2017. The party fought on 33 assembly seats but lost deposit on every single one of them. The embarrassment for the party didn’t stop there and reports emerged later stating that it polled lower votes than even NOTA on a few of the seats.

Pakistan: Police defuse faulty bomb, which failed to explode, from the car of a Chinese businessman in Karachi

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Police defuse faulty bomb, which failed to explode, from the car of a Chinese businessman in Karachi

A magnetic bomb was planted on a car in Karachi, Pakistan on Tuesday parked in a posh locality. According to reports, police officials defused a magnetic bomb planted on a red Vigo car belonging to the owner of a Chinese restaurant in Clifton locality near Bilawal House. A CCTV footage of the incident showed that two men riding a bike were moving along the car. The one seated at the front on the bike was wearing a helmet. As the car slowed down a bit, they planted the bomb on the car and drove off.

The 1 kg explosive malfunctioned and did not explode

The persons sitting in the car soon came out of the car and informed the police. The police got the vehicle evacuated and the rescued two forefingers sitting in it to a safer location. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) reached the spot and cordoned off the area. The BDS examined the vehicle and defused the explosive fixed on it. A Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) confirmed that the explosive was defused. Police officials reportedly informed that the explosive weighed around one kg and was supposed to be remotely detonated. Officials added that the device malfunctioned and failed to explode.

One Mr Yu is the owner of the Karachi restaurant

The manager of the restaurant, Mohammad Rashid, who was driving the car said that as soon as he stopped the car, the two miscreants came out of nowhere and drove off after planting the explosive on the car. The owner of the Chinese restaurant Mr. Yu used to visit the restaurant every day around the same time when the incident took place, said Rashid. He said that no such incident took place in the past. “No threat has ever been received prior to this incident”, said Rashid. Rashid is a foreigner and has been living in Karachi for last 35 years.

Fact-Check: 25,000 soldiers of the Indian Army are NOT returning their Shaurya Chakra medals

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-Check: 25,000 soldiers of the Indian Army are NOT returning their Shaurya Chakra medals

According to a viral post that has been making rounds on social media platforms, as many as 25,000 soldiers have decided to return their Shaurya Chakra medals to show solidarity with farmers’ protest. The news was covered in a Telugu newspaper, Prajasakti.

2,048 Shaurya Chakras has been awarded to date

Ministry of Defence Spokesperson, A. Bharat Bhushan Babu, said in a tweet that the press report was published to damage the reputation of defence forces.

Ministry of Defence has released a press note in which they said that the report published in a Telugu newspaper named Prajashakti on December 15, 2020, was false. They said, “This is completely false, utterly baseless and malicious in nature and aimed at damaging reputation, honour and pride of our valiant defence forces. In fact, between 1956 to 2019, the actual number of Shaurya Chakras awarded stood at 2,048.” MoD further cautioned the media to verify facts and desist from publishing such blatantly false and malicious news.

Press release by MoD

Press Information Bureau (PIB)’s fact-check department also debunked the claim. It said, that the information posted in the report by Prajasakti is fake. In order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards, after Ashoka Chakra and Kirti Chakra comes the Shaurya Chakra, which is followed by Sena Medal. Between 1956 and 2019, 2,048 soldiers have received Shaurya Chakras for their valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaging in direct action with the enemy. The number is not even 10% of the claim made by the Telugu newspaper in its report. 

What to do before forwarding a message?

It is necessary to check the veracity of a message before forwarding it on social media and spreading the misinformation further. In this case, while 2,048 soldiers have received Shaurya Chakras, the Telugu news agency moved ahead and published fake news without confirming it. Such fake news, even after getting debunked by authorities, often keeps spreading, causing distress among the masses.

In case you have received a dubious message that offers you monetary benefits in exchange for filling a form or says that the government has launched a scheme where you may get a fixed amount, first of all, check if the government has launched any such scheme. Do not click on any link in such emails or messages. Also, make sure not to forward these messages to anyone so that no one gets duped by the scammers.

Farmers’ protest against Agriculture Laws

Thousands of farmers have gathered in and around the national capital to mark their protest against the recently passed Agriculture Laws. The majority of the farmers hail from Punjab and Haryana, who have joined the protests. The farmers’ unions have rejected the government’s proposal to amend the laws and demanded that the government must repeal the laws. Amidst the ongoing protests, opposition parties, Khalistanis, and anti-India forces are trying to take advantage of the situation to spread their propaganda.

There have been reports that Khalistanis and Naxalites have taken over sections of farmers’ protests. Some leaders are spewing anti-India, and anti-Hindu venom in their speeches during the protests. Some groups were seen giving death threats to PM Modi. Slogans praising Bhindranwale have become normal during these protests. Unfortunately, places of worship such as Gurudwara Bangla Sahib are also being used to spread misinformation about the laws. Recently, an editor-in-chief of Punjabi daily has released a video to spread fear among the protesters by alleging that the government is planning to launch an operation against the protesters. 

Kutch, devastated by 2001 earthquake is now a tourism hub. Read how the white desert emerged as economic powerhouse

Nirwa Mehta
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Kutch, devastated by 2001 earthquake is now a tourism hub. Read how the white desert emerged as economic powerhouse

“Kutch nahin dekha to kuch nahin dekha (If you’ve not seen Kutch, you’ve not seen anything)”, said superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

On 26th January 2001, a devastating earthquake measuring 7.7 in magnitude struck Gujarat. Kutch’s Bhachau was the epicentre. Thousands of people were killed and infrastructure worth crores turned into debris.

Eight months after it, Narendra Modi took over the reins from Keshubhai Patel as Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was a man on a mission.

He was going to turn this vast expanse of nothingness into a tourism hub. He wanted to bring water to the parched land of Kutch. And he wanted to make Kutch the next investment destination.

Narendra Modi turned desert full of nothingness into a festival. Literally

In 2006, Narendra Modi launched the Rann Utsav. The desert festival.

For a place which is extremely hot through the year with very little rainfall, winters are quite pleasant in Kutch. So from November to February the following year, the Rann of Kutch hosts the ‘Rann Utsav’. Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, a Government of Gujarat company, makes impeccable arrangements for tourists.

It looks a bit like this.

Kutch offers history, culture and the colours of Gujarat. Did you know Dholavira in Kutch is one of the sites of Indus Valley Civilisation?

Parched land of Kutch now has Narmada water

As the then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi launched the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana in September 2012. SAUNI word in Gujarati means “everyone’s”. Through SAUNI Yojana, 115 dams in the arid Saurashtra region will be filled by diverting flood waters which overflow from the Sardar Sarovar dam in South Gujarat, a couple of kilometres away.

A spider pipeline network of 1,125 km long was involved. In June this year, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani announced phase two of SAUNI Yojana.

SAUNI Yojana will provide benefit of Narmada water to 737 villages of 11 districts and 31 cities in the Kutch-Saurashra region.

Kutch to have world’s largest renewable energy park

Yes, you read that right.

On his one-day visit to Kutch, PM Modi today virtually laid the foundation stone for the world’s largest hybrid renewable energy park at Khavda as well as a desalination plant in Mandvi along the Arabian Sea coast. The 30,000 MW hybrid renewable energy park will be the world’s largest with both windmills and solar panels being set up to generate power.

Gujarat has the highest number of approved solar parks. Did you know Gujarat alone has 2/3rd of India’s residential solar rooftop system? Gujarat is followed by Maharashtra.

Kutch farmers went from lack of irrigation water to exporting produce

There was a time when farmers in Kutch faced acute water shortage. Kutch is a no-cultivation zone. And while water continues to remain an expensive commodity in Kutch, the famers have prospered. Over 150 farmers in Gujarat have been cultivating dragonfruit, an exotic fruit native to South America. And while dragonfruits of Kutch are on plates across hotels in India, the pomegranates are being exported to other parts of the world.

Not just a pinch of salt

There’s probably a bit of Gujarat in everything you eat. Did you know the salt desert of Kutch contribute to 75% of total salt production in India?

Salt farming in Kutch (image courtesy: CNN.com)

Close to the Arabian Sea, major part of the desert is flooded by sea water for most part of the year. When the sea water recedes, the farmers begin to harvest the salt left behind by the evaporating sea water. Till next monsoon, the Agariyas, or the salt farmers, work in extreme conditions to bring you that swadanusar namak on your plates.

From hosting migratory birds like flamingos to being home to incredible embroidery, Kutch has managed to turn obstacles into opportunities.

And indeed. Kutch nahin dekha, to kuch nahin dekha.

Karnataka: Congress manhandles Assembly Deputy Chairman, Naseer Ahmed and Narayana Swamy try to pull him out chair

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Congress manhandles Assembly Deputy Chairman, Naseer Ahmed and Narayana Swamy try to pull him out chair

On Tuesday, a ruckus broke out in the Karnataka Legislative Council after Congress legislator opposed the JDS MLC and Deputy Chairman SL Dharmegowda from taking the Chair. The Council had met for a day-long session after CM Yediyurappa had petitioned the Governor that important bills, including the new cow slaughter bill, had to be passed by the government.

As per reports, the chaos began over a no-confidence Motion against the incumbent Chairman and Congress MLC Prathap Chandra Shetty. The motion was initiated by the BJP, with the support of the JDS, against Shetty as the House had no confidence in him. The ruling BJP argued that since the motion was against Shetty, therefore, he could not preside over the session.

The Congress MLCs alleged that the Chairman was locked outside and prevented from taking the Chair. When JDS MLC and Deputy Chairman SL Dharmegowda, Congress MLCs gheraoed and manhandled him. The angry Congress legislators then ambushed the well of the House, gheraoed the Deputy Chairman and began manhandling him. They also attempted to remove him from his Chair.

In a video shared by ANI, the Congress leaders, namely, Naseer Ahmed and Narayana Swamy could be seen pulling SL Dharmegowda from his seat while the BJP MLCs tried to pull him back. The Congress leaders claimed that it was unconstitutional for him to occupy the Chair. This prompted a dozen House marshals to intervene and come to his rescue. Amidst the scuffle, the Council has been adjourned sine die.

India Today reported that another issue that led to the chaos was the cow slaughter bill. While the BJP wanted to pass the bill, the Congress was opposed to it. JDS, however, wanted to send the bill before a select committee. The BJP insisted on the No-Confidence Motion to remove Chairman Shetty as they believed that the bill might be referred to the select committee by the combined Opposition.

Chairman earlier declined no-confidence against him

Earlier, the BJP had requested the Chairman to move a no-confidence motion against him on December 11. Shetty, declined the motion, citing the requirement of a 14-day notice period. He had also adjourned the House earlier than the schedule on December 10. As such, the BJP argued that he could not preside over his own no-confidence motion on Tuesday. BJP leader Srinivas Poojary said, “In our view, as the Council chairman (Shetty) does not enjoy the confidence of the House. He cannot adjourn the session abruptly when a motion against him and important Bills have to be passed.”

Political reactions on the incident

While speaking on the incident, BJP MLC Lehar Singh Siroya said, “Few MLCs behaved like goons by forcibly removed Vice-Chairman of Legislative council from the chair and misbehaving with him.” He added, “We have never seen such a shameful day in our council’s history. I’m feeling ashamed about what the public might be thinking about us.”

However, Congress MLC Prakash Rathod justified the incident and said, “Congress asked him to get down the Chair. We had to evict him as it was an illegal sitting.” He also blamed the BJP and JDS for making SL Dharme Gowda make an illegal sitting, when the House was not in order.

Speculations rife about TMC rebel Suvendu Adhikari joining BJP, TMC might get a jolt in 86 seats in upcoming Assembly Elections

OpIndia Staff
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Speculations rife about TMC rebel Suvendu Adhikari joining BJP, TMC might get a jolt in 86 seats in upcoming Assembly Elections

If reports are to be believed, Trinamool Congress senior leader Suvendu Adhikari might be joining the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) shortly. His induction is likely to happen during Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state later this week. According to a report by News 18, Adhikari is also expected to be given Z+ security by the Union home ministry, formalities for which are currently in process.

Adhikari has been expressing his disenchantment with Mamata Banerjee and has not been attending what he calls the party’s “apolitical” cabinet meetings and rallies for some time now. On November 27, Adhikari had finally put down his papers as the Transport and Irrigation Minister of West Bengal but remained a Trinamool MLA. Now, it is being speculated that the TMC senior leader will resign from the party on December 18, a day before Amit Shah is likely to reach the poll-bound West Bengal.

The exit of Suvendu Adhikari might prove fatal for TMC

Once considered to be a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the two-time former MP retains a lot of clout in the party and is believed to have sway in as many as 86 Assembly seats in Purulia, Murshidabad, Malda, West Midnapore, Jhargram, East Midnapore, Bankura and in Bishnupur. Suvendu’s departure will, in all likelihood, prove fateful for West Bengal’s ruling dispensation in 2021 assembly polls, as his exit may change the mathematics of these 86 assembly seats, where Suvendu Adhikari is believed to be an excellent taskmaster in booth management.

Influential TMC leader disgruntled with party’s top brass

Reportedly, Suvendu Adhikari has been skipping key cabinet meeting and holding rallies, not under the flag of Trinamool Congress or the posters of the party supremo. Mamata Banerjee had sent election strategist Prashant Kishor to Adhikari’s residence but he had refused to meet him. A desperate attempt was also made to pacify Adhikari through senior party leader Sougata Roy but the talks have remained ‘inconclusive.’

Now, the Trinamool Congress has decided that it will not take any further initiative to convince the disgruntled Adhikari to remain in the party. 

Meanwhile, talking to News 18, BJP Vice President Mukul Roy confirmed that the decision had been taken and Suvendu Adhikari will join the party in the next 2 to 4 days.

BJP MP Arjun Singh opined that if TMC stalwart Suvendu Adhikari ditches Mamata Banerjee and joins BJP, then the TMC government will fall before 2021 Assembly elections in the state.

Suvendhu Adhikari was among the first leaders to switch from Congress to the TMC when it was founded by Mamata Banerjee. He is considered as one of the main architects of the Nandigram movement which had helped Mamata Banerjee led TMC to overthrow the 34-year left rule in the state. However, in recent months, Adhikari has been giving enough hints, both subtle and overt, that all is not well between him and the TMC top leadership. Adhikari’s ire is believed to be mainly directed at Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Shetra announces Mass Contact and Contribution Campaign: Read Details

OpIndia Staff
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Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Shetra announces Mass Contact and Contribution Campaign: Read Details

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has announced that a nation-wide Mass Contact and Contribution Campaign will be launched soon. As per reports, the campaign will begin on January 15. The campaign aims to invite people to contribute to the construction of Bhavya and Divya Ram Mandir. The trust said that they would inform people about the historical significance of the Janmabhoomi Movement.

The trust further said that just as crores of Shri Ram Bhakts contributed to the mukti of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi, “the Mandir shall also be built with the voluntary contribution of crores of Shri Rambhakts.”

During the nation-wide campaign, the photos of the proposed new model of Shri Ramjanmbhoomi Mandir will reach the households of crores of Ram Bhakts. The trust has invited voluntary donations against which Rs.10, Rs.100, and Rs.1000 coupons will be available.

The campaign will begin on Makar Sakranti

On Makar Sakranti, i.e. January 15, the campaign will begin, continuing till Magh Purnima. The trust has also requested Ram Bhakts to devote their time to the historic campaign. The trust is aiming to reach the remotest corners of the country. West Bengal and Seven North-Eastern states will be prioritized along with Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Rann of Kutch.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, said in a statement that the trust wants to tell the present generation of the country about Ram Mandir and the history associated with it. “We will try to reach out to at least half of the country’s population in this campaign,” he added. As per reports, frontal organizations of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), including Vishva Hindu Parishad, will play a prominent role in the campaign.

Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir Construction Committee announced

On December 14, the Ram Mandir Trust had announced the formation of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir Construction Committee under the supervision of the chairmanship of Shri Nripendra Mishra. The objective is to construct the Temple with the highest quality and longevity, considering the various geo-technical suggestions.

Bhavya Ram Mandir will be ready in two years

In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India allowed the construction of Ram Mandir and put an end to the decades-old land dispute. On August 5, Bhoomi Pujan for the construction of Ram Mandir was commenced in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders and saints. As of now, testing work of the foundation pillars of the Mandir is going on under the supervision of L&T.

After hounding Arnab Goswami in fake TRP case, Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit will now ‘investigate’ Kangana-Hrithik’s alleged affair

OpIndia Staff
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After hounding Arnab Goswami in fake TRP case, Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit will now ‘investigate’ Kangana-Hrithik’s alleged affair

The case filed by actor Hrithik Roshan against actress Kangana Ranaut that has been on the back burner for a long time was transferred to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Crime Branch of the Mumbai police yesterday. The FIR in the case was lodged in 2016 after Roshan alleged that he had received hundreds of emails from Ranaut’s email ID. Mumbai police cyber cell has been investigating the case.

The case was transferred after Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani wrote to the Mumbai Commissioner of Police on behalf of his client Roshan, stating that no progress was made in the case. He had requested for the completion of investigation in the case.

Roshan had filed the case in 2016 under section 419 of the IPC and sections 66(c) and 66(d) of the Information Technology Act. He had written to the then Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) cybercrime division alleging that a person was in contact with his friends and fans using a fake email address.

He reportedly came to know about the fake account when he started receiving calls from his friends asking him why he was not replying their e-mails. Kangana Ranaut came into picture after she referred to Roshan as “silly ex” in a 2016 interview after which legal noticed were exchanged between both the parties. Email exchanges between her and Roshan were also leaked to the media. The statements of Ranaut and her sister were recorded at the cyber police station during the investigation of the case.

After the transfer of Roshan’s case to the CIU, Kangana Ranaut had strongly reacted to it terming the case Roshan’s “sob story”.

The CIU is also investigating the TRP scam and the fake followers scam

The CIU that has been entrusted with the investigation of Roshan’s case is also investigating the TRP scam and the fake followers scam. Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had held a press conference in October this year informing that the Mumbai police had come across a new racket involving fake television rating points (TRP).

Interestingly, the FIR filed by Hansa Research a complaint in relation to the case mentioning the name of India Today. However, Mumbai police started investigation against Republic TV instead of India Today. A couple of days ago, Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani remanded to police custody by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court Mumbai.

The fake followers case had emerged after two celebrities complained about fake social media accounts being created in their names. The complaints were filed by singer Bhoomi Trivedi and other by actor Koena Mitra. During investigation, the police found that the accounts were created by some companies to provide fake followers, likes, comments and other social media related services.

More than 50 companies were found involved in selling social media followers, likes and comments. Bollywood rapper-songwriter Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, alias Badshah had confessed to the police that he had paid Rs 75 lakh to enhance views on social media platforms. Name of Sagar Gokhale, husband of journalist Faye D’souza, had also come up in the case.

Vandalism over salary non-payment, denial by Labour Dept, and a Communist hand: All you need to know about Wistron plant saga

OpIndia Staff
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Vandalism over salary non-payment, denial by Labour Dept, and a Communist hand: All you need to know about Wistron plant saga

Thousands of employees of the Apple’s contract manufacturer Wistron India were recently seen entering into the facility at Narasapura in Kolar, Karnataka, vandalising and ransacking the office properties. Wistron is a Taiwan-based manufacturer that makes iPhones for Apple Inc.

The escalation took place after the employees alleged that the Taiwan-based organisation had reduced their salaries and was making irregular payments. The angry group of workers went on a rampage on Saturday last week, damaging factory property including vehicles of officials parked at the premises. The workers also shattered windowpanes, furniture, and CCTV cameras at the campus. The Wistron Corporation has said it suffered losses worth several crores in the incident.

The incident was condemned by senior leaders in the Karnataka government, with the Deputy Chief Minister C Ashwathnarayan assuring that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators and ensuring that the government will do the needful to resolve the matter expeditiously and dispel the concerns of all stakeholders involved in the dispute.

An FIR has been filed against 7,000 unknown people, including 5,000 contract workers in connection with violence and vandalism at the facility of Wistron Pvt Ltd, manufacturer of iPhone. So far, 150 people have been arrested by the police in connection with the vandalism incident at the iPhone manufacturing unit in Kolar on Saturday. They have been sent to judicial custody and have been lodged at different jails in Kolar. A total of four FIRs have been registered by Kolar Police.

What is the issue that led to violence at the Wistron plant?

The employees who ran riot at the Wistron Plant near Bengaluru on Saturday have alleged that the issue of reduced salary and delayed payment has been lingering for over four months now. They have alleged that the company has been deferring the payments of the salaries for the last four months. They also accused the organisation of reducing their salaries and not paying them for the overtime.

Communist-affiliated trade union justifies vandalism

“This issue has continued for over four months now. Initially, there were three shifts which were converted to two shifts with 12 hours duty and four hours overtime. The company is not paying salaries for the overtime and it has also reduced the promised salaries to the employees,” said Krishna Siddi, All India Trade Union Congress member.

It is notable here that the All India Trade Union Congress is affiliated to the Communist Party of India. Justifying the violence and vandalism that took place in the plant, MD Harigovind, the general secretary of the AITUC said, “The industrial violence in Wistron is a direct result of the brutal exploitation of workers and sweatshop-like conditions created by a company, manufacturing the most expensive phones. The state government has allowed the company to flout the basic rights of the workers like payment of wages and working hours.”

Last month, the Toyota Kirloskar Motors facility at Bidadi had declared a set down in its factory after the continued strike by union members. The Bidadi facility has two production plants with a total installed capacity of 3.10 lakh units per annum. The TKM management cited ‘breach of discipline and unacceptable behaviour’ by some employee union members and declared a shutdown.

iPhones looted, losses over 400 crores

On Saturday, violence erupted when some of the contract workers alleged non-payment of regular and overtime dues. They started pelting stones, and some vehicles parked inside the factory were vandalised. Boxes of iPhones, which had been manufactured at the facility and were kept for export, were looted by the workers, as per some reports.

A complaint filed by the company executive TD Prashanth stated that office equipment, mobile phones, production machinery and related gadgets worth several crores were lost. Damages to other factory infrastructure, cars and golf carts equipment and machinery were also reported. Boxes of iPhones ready to be shipped were also stolen.

As per the latest reports, the company has stated that the damages were found to be less than their initial estimate. As per ET Now journalist Chandra Srikanth, Wistron India has updated its estimated loss to be about Rs 26 to 52 crores. And not over 400 crores as was initially estimated. Srikanth informed through a tweet that the company has also stated that no major damage to manufacturing equipment and warehouses were done either.

Labour department denies allegations of delayed salaries

The vandalism incident at the Wistron manufacturing unit has taken a new turn as the Labour department claimed that the organisation has been regularly paying salaries to its employees and there was only a 4-day delay this month.

According to Labour Commissioner Akram Pasha, the data showed that the firm had been prompt in paying the dues to its employees, except for this month, where it had been delayed in transferring the remuneration by just 4 days. “Only the police can investigate why this happened. We saw the data and there was only four days’ delay in salary distribution. Many claimed it was for several months but it wasn’t there in the report,” Pasha said.

The labour department has asked for more documents to investigate the matter and the company has sought one week’s time to revert.

Regarding reports that the firm was mulling over increasing its employee strength from current 5,000 to over 10,000, the commissioner said that the reports might not be true as the company has followed the due process and trained all its employees before taking them into the factory.

Reportedly, the four-day delay in the payment was caused due to a software bug. Earlier, biometric attendance was taken and wages were paid based on their attendance. However, after October 2020, the company switched to software which appeared to have developed a bug in registering the attendance, as per reports.

Even Karnataka’s Minister of Labour Department, Shivaram Hebbar stated that the labour authorities were not informed of the problems related to delayed wages at the Wistron facility of Apple Inc where violence broke out on the previous Saturday.

Wistron Plant, near Bengaluru, is involved in the production of flagship Apple iPhones

The Wistron manufacturing plant, like other contract manufacturers employed by Apple, is involved in the manufacturing of its flagship line of smartphones. The factory, that is located in Narasapura, close to Bengaluru, is a new plant which recently started cranking out the new iPhone SE(2020). Spreading over a sprawling campus of 43 acres, the plant was built with an initial investment of Rs 3,000 crores. The unit had opened in July this year.

The original iPhone SE was the first iPhone to be manufactured in India and now there are four models, including the last year’s flagship iPhone 11, being produced here. Besides Wistron manufacturing unit in Narasapura, the other Wistron plant is located in the Peenya locality of the capital Bengaluru’s outskirts, from where iPhone SE models have been manufactured since 2017.

There are about 2,000 regular workers and 5,000 contractual employees employed by the Narasapura unit. The old Peenya unit employs about 3,500 people. The iPhones and other gadgets produced at the Narasapura and Peenya facilities are exported to other countries across the world.

Late Pranab Mukherjee’s children fight over his memoir, daughter accuses son of doing ‘cheap publicity’: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Late Pranab Mukherjee’s children fight over his memoir, daughter accuses son of doing ‘cheap publicity’: Read details

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of Pranab Mukherjee and national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee, has come out all guns blazing against her brother Abhijit Mukherjee. Her comments came after the former president’s son demanded that Rupa Publications stop the publication of their father’s memoir.

She requested her brother “not to create any unnecessary hurdles in publication of the last book written by our father.” “The final draft contains my dads’ hand written notes and comments that have been strictly adhered to. The views expressed by him are his own and no one should try to stop it from being published for any cheap publicity. That would be the greatest disservice to our departed father,” Sharmistha Mukherjee said.

Sharmistha Mukherjee hits out at brother

Abhijit Mukherjee had earlier demanded that Rupa Publications stop the publication of his father’s memoirs ‘The Presidential Years (2012-2017)’. The demand was raised after the announcement of the book by the publishing house revealed that the late Congress stalwart believed that the party had lost focus following his elevation as the president of the country.

Abhijit Mukherjee requested Rupa Publications to “kindly stop the publication of the memoir as well as motivated excerpts which is already floating in certain media platforms without my written consent.” “Since my father is no more, I being his son want to go through the contents of the final copy of the book before it’s publication as I believe , had my father been alive today , he too would have done the same,” he added.

In the fourth volume of his autobiography titled, ‘The Presidential Years (2012-2017)’, former President Pranab Mukherjee has blamed the Congress party for losing its focus, after his elevation to the post of the President. The new book of the former president, who passed away on August 31 this year, is slated to release in January 2021.

Pranab Mukherjee recounted, “Some members of the Congress have theorized that, had I become the PM in 2004, the party might have averted the 2014 Lok Sabha drubbing. Though I don’t subscribe to this view, I do believe that the party’s leadership lost political focus after my elevation as President.”

It appears that Abhijit Mukherjee wants to spare the Congress party the blushes but Sharmistha Mukherjee remains intent on staying true to her father’s wishes.

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