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28 foreign companies set to make investments worth over 9000 crores in Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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28 foreign companies set to make investments worth over 9000 crores in Uttar Pradesh

While markets worldwide are reeling from the effects of the Wuhan virus pandemic, over twenty foreign companies are eyeing Uttar Pradesh to make investments worth over Rs 9000 crores. According to a government spokesperson, 57 domestic and foreign companies have signed agreements for investments worth Rs 46,501 crores with the state government. Out of these companies, 28 foreign companies have signed contracts worth Rs 9357 crores with the Yogi government. 29 domestic companies have made agreements worth Rs 37,441 crore.

According to reports, a footwear manufacturing company shifted to the state from China and is currently manufacturing in Agra after an investment of Rs 300 crore. The state government has allotted a total of 850 plots to entrepreneurs during the pandemic period. Around 350-acre land has been allotted in sector 28 near Yamuna Expressway for the proposed Dedicated Medical Device Park. An MoU has been signed with Kalam Institute of Health Technology to prepare a detailed project report for the park. In order to kickstart all the projects at the earliest, CM Yogi has given orders to give possession of allotted lands to entrepreneurs within two months. Besides, the state government has adopted various measures to attract investment including amendment in labour laws.

Here are the details of companies and investments made by them in Uttar Pradesh:

  • Two Canada-based companies to invest Rs 1746 crores.
  • Four Germany-based companies to invest Rs 300 crore.
  • One Hong Kong-based company to invest Rs 1000 crore in the state.
  • Seven Japanese companies have signed contracts worth Rs 2000 crore with the state government.
  • Two Singapore-based companies to invest Rs 1600 crore.
  • Three UK-based companies to invest Rs 1375 crore in the state.
  • Five companies from the USA to invest Rs 309 crore in the state.
  • Four Korean companies have signed contracts worth Rs 928 crore with the state government.

CM Yogi seems to be making every possible move to attract companies to invest in the state so that maximum employment can be generated. Migrants workers from various states including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were severely hit by the pandemic. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had formed a commission in May this to employ the people who have returned to the state due to the Coronavirus lockdown. CM Yogi had also signed MoUs with industry associations to generate around 9.5 lakh jobs.

All landline phones to be given STD facility as govt mandates adding 0 before mobile phone numbers while dialling from landline phones

OpIndia Staff
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All landline phones to be given STD facility as govt mandates adding 0 before mobile phone numbers while dialling from landline phones

According to a circular [PDF] issued by the Department of Telecommunications on November 20, 2020, it will be mandatory to prefix ‘0’ before dialling a mobile number from a landline connection from the next year. The order has been passed to ensure adequate numbering resources for fixed-line and mobile services.

The telecom companies have to play a suitable announcement in the fixed-line to inform about the requirement of dialling the prefix ‘0’ for all fixed to mobile calls. In case a subscriber dials a fixed-line to mobile call without prefixing ‘0’, the announcement should be played. To ensure the transition is smooth, all the landline subscribers will get the STD dialling facility, as dialling a number starting with ‘0’ from landline phone is considered as STD dialling.

As per the circular, all telecom companies have to make all the arrangements to ensure compliance with the order before January 1, 2021.

The benefit of making the required change

As per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the existing 10-digit number scheme should continue as it is to avoid any inconvenience to the customers. In May 2020, TRAI issued a list of recommendations [PDF] on ‘Ensuring Adequate Numbering Resources for Fixed Line and Mobile Services’ in which the prefix ‘0’ before dialling fixed to mobile was recommended.

It said, “presently, inter-service area mobile calls from basic/fixed phone can be accessed with a dialing prefix ‘0’. However, mobile phones are accessed from a fixed-line phone, within a service area, without dialling prefix ‘0’. This puts the limitation that any digit which has been used as the first digit for the fixed network (for local calls) cannot be used for mobile numbers. By making it mandatory to access mobile numbers in a service area from the fixed network by dialling prefix ‘0’, all the free sub-levels in levels ‘2’,’3’,’4’, and ‘6’, can also be used for mobile numbers.”

Several recommendations under consideration

The government is yet to decide about the other recommendations. TRAI also said that the ministry should think of shifting data-only mobile connections to 13-digits numbers just like they did for M2M connections to ensure the availability of 10-digit numbers for a longer duration. Nowadays, many customers use SIM-based internet connections, but they are allotted 10-digit numbers, reducing 10-digit numbers for regular use.

‘Mark of religious oppression, caste superiority’: Newly elected MP in New Zealand, Gaurav Sharma, targeted for taking oath in Sanskrit

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mark of religious oppression, caste superiority’: Newly elected MP in New Zealand, Gaurav Sharma, targeted for taking oath in Sanskrit

There has been a pattern of activism in recent-times that has sought to target Hindu politicians in the West for their religion and brand all Hindu religious symbolism and festivals as beacons for Hindutva. Apart from politicians, efforts have also been made to tarnish the reputation of Hindu organisations and ordinary citizens to rake up polarising issues such as caste.

Consistent with this pattern, a journalist in New Zealand targeted newly elected New Zealand MP Gaurav Sharma for taking his oath in Sanskrit. Michael Field, the journalist, claimed that Sanskrit is a language of “religious oppression” and “caste superiority”. He also claimed Sanskrit is a “mark of Hindutva”, a “mark of fundamentalism”.

Baseless allegations against Sharma

Gaurav Sharma responded to the slander by Field in a sensible manner. He said, “I speak multiple Indian languages and wanted to choose a language that would represent the wide range of current languages spoken in India. At over 3500 years old, Sanskrit is the oldest and considered the mother language of many Indian languages that originated from it.”

“I studied Sanskrit at a small school in a rural part of India where it is a compulsory part of education curriculum for every student, not just one class or culture,” he added. Taking a jibe at the journalist, he remarked, “If you do want to talk about oppression and class divide, a bit ironical that your mother tongue and your tweet is in English. Colonialism…”

Michael Field did not leave it at that, however. Even after the sound explanation, he wanted to know ‘why not Hindi?’. Again, Gaurav Sharma patiently explained to him the reasons for his actions.

The point of the matter, however, is that Gaurav Sharma should not be put in a position where he has to explain why he took his oath in Sanskrit amidst ridiculous charges of bigotry. Sanskrit is one of the classical languages of the world. It is the language of the Vedas and the Upanishads, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is verily the language of the Gods.

However, there has been an organised campaign by the Left to brand Sanskrit a ‘mark of Hindutva’. It further reveals that when they claim to be against ‘Hindutva’, what they really mean is that they are against any public demonstration of Hindu identity or the celebration of it. That is why any person in public limelight who takes pride in his or her Hindu culture is subjected to slander.

US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard faced similar Hinduphobia when she announced her presidential run. She was accused of being sympathetic and having ties to ‘Hindutva Nazis’. She was subjected to such bizarre allegations throughout her campaign. And now, the slander being peddled against Sharma in New Zealand for taking his oath in Sanskrit only further demonstrates the pattern that is emerging.

Amusingly enough, the newly elected NZ MP also took oath in the indigenous Maori language. But that appears to have been summarily ignored by his detractors. Gaurav Sharma was congratulated by the Indian High Commission to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi as well. He said, “Dr Gaurav Sharma, one of the youngest, newly elected MP in NZ Parliament took oath today, first in NZ’s indigenous Maori language, followed by India’s classical language- Sanskrit, showing deep respect for cultural traditions of both India and New Zealand.”

Umar Khalid used cover of ‘atheism’ and exploited Sharjeel Imam’s ‘religious fanaticism’ to push violent brand of political Islam: Delhi Riots charge-sheet

OpIndia Staff
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Umar Khalid used cover of ‘atheism’ and exploited Sharjeel Imam’s ‘religious fanaticism’ to push violent brand of political Islam: Delhi Riots charge-sheet

In a supplementary charge sheet filed in the Northeast Delhi riots case, the Delhi Police have alleged that former JNU student Umar Khalid carried the pretence of ‘atheism’ to accomplish his nefarious agenda of amalgamating violent brand of political Islam with mainstream political parties to take on the Indian State.

The police mentioned that Khalid “resentfully accepted the idea of India in 2016” and devised a plan to split India in 2020 on the concept of Ummah, thereby annihilating all its secular, national and cultural identities.

Khalid played an instrumental role in mobilising Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims for anti-CAA protests

Khalid has also been accused of mobilising Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims for carrying out anti-CAA protests in the national capital. As per Delhi Police, Khalid leveraged his political acumen and his “consciousness of the fact that Indian Muslims will vehemently reject the perverted definition of Islam”. Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims, who lived in ghettoised setting and were bereft of socio-economic advantages, were easier to locate and enlist to fulfil his goal, the Delhi Police said.

The charge sheet further mentioned that Khalid was the “focal point of the twin lines of Pan-Islamica and Ultra-Left anarchism which had incubated, nurtured and propagated the common conspiracy, all squarely aimed at violent subjugation of the Government”.

The Delhi Police asserted that Khalid was guided by two “mutually reinforcing line of thought”. The first one was the “legacy passed on to him by his father” and the other one was the “ultra-leftist arena where he was desperately trying to surpass the likes of Yogendra Yadav”.

Khalid wanted to exploit the religious fanaticism of Sharjeel Imam

Sharjeel Imam, another man arrested in the Delhi riots case, was the fulcrum in Khalid’s scheme of things. JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s ‘religious fanaticism’, coupled with his academic legacy and pointed oratory skills provided a “perfect combination” to his mentor Umar Khalid to realise his vile pursuit of creating anarchy and chaos in Delhi, the charge sheet says.

The charge sheet further mentioned that for “deeply communal” Khalid, Imam was the “unapologetic floating froth of religious extremism who was to be used for executing the precipitation of the conspiracy in the riots”.

On removal of Sharjeel Imam from the Shaheen Bagh protest site, the charge sheet filed by Delhi Police said that it was under the pretext of a “classical Maoist strategy” of deriving individualism and giving an appearance that the protest was rooted in a mass movement.

Umar Khalid is the ‘veteran of sedition’, Imam a ‘detonator’

The supplementary charge sheet describes Sharjeel Imam as ‘detonator’, while Umar Khalid has been characterised as the ‘veteran of sedition’. Another individual, Faizan Khan, is also mentioned in the supplementary charge-sheet, with the allegations of facilitating the Jamia Coordination Committee, a group of so-called students and activists who had launched a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act passed last year, by providing them activated SIM cards for communication.

The supplementary charge sheet by Delhi Police was filed before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat under relevant sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on Sunday. Charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy, murder, promoting enmity on grounds of religion, language, caste, etc., and other sections of the IPC have been slapped against the three accused. The court took cognisance of the charge sheet on Tuesday.

While Imran Khan continues his rants against Emmanuel Macron, Pakistan govt expects debt relief of around $300 million from France

OpIndia Staff
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While Imran Khan continues his rants against Emmanuel Macron, Pakistan govt expects debt relief of around $300 million from France

Just days after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan railed against French President Emmanuel Macron for his remarks against Islamist extremism and hundreds and thousands of Pakistanis marched on the streets calling for nuking France, Islamabad is expecting debt relief from France worth hundreds of millions of dollars from France.

According to a report by The Express Tribune, Pakistan had qualified for the G-20 relief initiative announced in April this year for May-December 2020 period to fight the financial impact of the pandemic, along with 76 poor African nations. The relief was subject to the condition that each country would make a formal request. From the past seven months, Pakistan, which is staring at a catastrophic monetary crisis and whose total debt as of August stands at $25.4 billion, was able to secure about $800 million worth of debt freeze deals from 14 of the G-20 countries, including France.

As per official documents, Pakistan is yet to finalise the debt rescheduling modalities with Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Pakistan has reportedly not made repayments to these countries on the understanding that these members would eventually sign-off the deals as per the G-20 scheme.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs of Pakistan has estimated that it can receive a total $1.8 billion temporary debt relief from the members of G-20 nations for May-December 2020 period, which included $1.47 billion principal loans repayments and $323 million interest on the loans. Among this, they have been able to sign agreements to defer repayment of loans amounting to $800 million to 14 nations.

The ministry estimates that Pakistan can receive $613 million worth of temporary debt relief from Saudi Arabia, $309 million from China, $23 million from Canada, $183 million from France, $99 million from Germany, $6 million from Italy, $373 million from Japan, $47 million from South Korea, $14 million from Russia, $1 million from the UK and $128 million from the US.

Pakistan expects France to agree for $183 million and $104 million in debt relief in two phases

As the menace of COVID-19 returns with the vengeance and starts affecting the countries yet again, the G-20 nations have decided to extend the debt relief initiative by another six months (January-June) 2021. Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee on Friday passed an approval to make another formal request to the G-20 nations for an extension to the debt relief initiative for another six months.

With G-20 extending the relief, the Ministry of Economic Affairs expects that Pakistan can receive relief of $915 million for the extended 6 months period. This includes $385 million from China, by $211 million from Japan, $104 million from France, $53.6 million from Germany, $65 million from the US, $12 million from Saudi Arabia, $7 million from Russia and $0.5 million from the UAE.

Thus, Pakistan is expecting debt rescheduling relief worth $183 million from France for the first eight-month period of Mya-December, it is estimating relief worth $104 million for the extended term of six months from January to June 2021. Therefore, the total estimate relief from France is USD 287 million for the entire 14 month period.

So far, Pakistani authorities have entered into 27 debt rescheduling agreements with about 16 countries, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

France-Pakistan relationship in a tailspin

The Pakistan government has been openly ranting against France and especially French President Emmanuel Macron after his denouncement of radical Islam following the gruesome beheading of a French schoolteacher by an Islamic terrorist.

Macron spoke against the extremism bred by radical Islam and stressed the need for developing an “Islam of Enlightenment”. Simultaneously, French authorities initiated a crackdown against certain mosques and deported individuals they deemed were involved in extremist activities in France.

This provoked a stern reaction from Pakistani PM Imran Khan, who appeared to justify the decapitation of Mr Paty during his address at UNGA. Imran Khan had also criticised Macron’s ‘leadership’.

However, Khan did not stop just there. In a bid to appear as the leading light of the Muslim Ummah, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan intensified his attack against the Western countries, especially against France, by releasing a statement wherein he issued a clarion call to the Muslim leaders in the world to take note of the “growing Islamophobia” in the non-Muslim states. The Pakistan National Assembly had passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of their ambassador to France, forgetting that for the time, Pakistan did not have an ambassador in Paris.

The Pakistani senate had also passed a resolution against France, and there has been calls to boycott French products both from politicians and citizens of Pakistan.

Pakistani citizens had asked PM Imran Khan to nuke France and impose a blanket ban on French products

Even as Imran Khan continued criticising Emmanuel Macron, Pakistani social media users urged their Prime Minister to launch a ‘nuclear attack’ against France. Social media plaforms in Pakistan were replete with messages asking Imran Khan to nuke France and asking their fellow countrymen to boycott all French products.

France too had responded in its own manner, refusing to upgrade Pakistan’s Mirage fighter jets and submarines. Recently, Pakistan’s minister Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari had shared a dubious report on Twitter saying, “Macron is doing to Muslims what the Nazis did to the Jews.” The French embassy in Pakistan called out her lies saying that claim she had made on Twitter was nothing but ‘Fake News and false accusations’. The French Foreign Ministry had asked Pakistani authorities to withdraw the insulting remarks by the Pakistani minister against Macron. The tweet was subsequently removed.

When Sonia Gandhi trusted Ahmed Patel for conveying to PV Narasimha Rao’s family that his funeral will not be held in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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When Sonia Gandhi trusted Ahmed Patel for conveying to PV Narasimha Rao’s family that his funeral will not be held in Delhi

Did you know it was Ahmed Patel who was entrusted by Sonia Gandhi to relay to the family of ex-PM P V Narasimha Rao that his funeral rites will not be taking place in Delhi. Sanjaya Baru, media advisor to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in his book ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ had made the revelation. Baru said Ahmed Patel approached him to let PV Narasimha Rao’s son know about Sonia Gandhi’s message. However, Baru refused to do so.

Eventually, though, PV Narasimha Rao’s mortal remains were flown to Hyderabad but not before he was insulted even in death as his body was not allowed to enter Congress headquarters at 24, Akbar Road.

Sonia Gandhi wasn’t particularly fond of PV Narasimha Rao and in his death, she trusted her close confidante Ahmed Patel to do the dirty work for her. Patel, too, like many other senior Congress leaders was not too fond of Rao. P V Narasimha Rao was the first prime minister outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to complete a full term of five years. He had become the PM in 1991 due to the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi during the elections.

Former Congress President and Rahul Gandhi’s mother Sonia Gandhi loathed former Prime Minister and Congress President P.V. Narasimha Rao enough to not allow his mortal remains to enter the AICC (All India Congress Committee) compound. His body stayed parked in a carriage outside the gate. Only one person could have given orders to open the gates of Congress headquarters and Sonia Gandhi did not do so.

PV Narasimha Rao, who was hailed by Dr Manmohan Singh as “father of economic reforms in India” did not even receive a state funeral. In fact, leaders like Sanjay Gandhi, who presided over horrendous programs such as forced sterilisation during the Emergency was honoured with a state funeral and a samadhi in Delhi. However, PV Narasimha Rao was not considered by the Congress leadership, headed by Sonia Gandhi, of worthy enough to deserve a state funeral and a samadhi in Delhi. Sonia Gandhi, it is believed, was ‘upset‘ about the way the investigation on Rajiv Gandhi assassination had proceeded.

When Rao’s pyre burnt in Hyderabad, it was shown on television. With his body half-burnt, stray dogs were pulling at the pyre.

Ahmed Patel, Sonia’s closest aide, passed away this morning due to coronavirus related complications.

BJP releases audio, accuses Lalu Yadav of trying to lure NDA MLAs with offer of ministerial berths after he brings Nitish govt down

OpIndia Staff
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BJP releases audio, accuses Lalu Yadav of trying to lure NDA MLAs with offer of ministerial berths after he brings Nitish govt down

On Wednesday, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi released an audiotape, allegedly featuring a conversation between Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Lallan Paswan, RLSP MLA from Chenari constituency, asking him not to vote in Speaker’s election.

In the audio, Lalu was heard asking Paswan to support his party during the Speaker’s election in Bihar Assembly. Lalu said that he would make sure Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar falls, and after that, he will make Paswan a minister in the cabinet. When Paswan said that he could not go against the Party, Prasad urged him to be absent from the Assembly on the day of the election.

In a previous tweet, Modi alleged that Lalu is making calls to NDA MLAs promising them ministerial berths. he said, “Lalu Yadav making a telephone call from Ranchi to NDA MLAs & promising ministerial berths. When I telephoned, Lalu directly picked up. I said don’t do these dirty tricks from jail, you will not succeed.”

Bihar elections

In the recent Bihar Assembly elections, NDA won 125 seats; however, the Congress-RJD Mahagathbandhan managed only 110 seats. NDA formed the government with Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister for the seventh time in 15 years.

Lalu’s luxurious jail term

Lalu Prasad Yadav was jailed in multiple cases linked to the infamous fodder scam. Instead of living in Jail, he is enjoying his time in the bungalow allotted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Director in Ranchi. He was shifted to the Bungalow from RIMS to apparently save him from Coronavirus infection. It is believed that Lalu was running his party from the hospital for the last two years, and during the Bihar elections 2020, he had managed everything from the RIMS Director’s Bungalow. Meanwhile, the Director is forced to stay at the institute’s guest-house.

Hyderabad elections: Owaisi makes ‘beef biriyani’ sly on BJP leaders, Raja Singh offers him pork biriyani

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad elections: Owaisi makes ‘beef biriyani’ sly on BJP leaders, Raja Singh offers him pork biriyani

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections have become a matter of pride for AIMIM’s chief Asaduddin Owaisi. His party has recently won five seats in the Bihar Assembly elections and will soon contest in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Owaisi is known for making provocative remarks during his speeches. In one of the recent addresses during an election rally for GHMC, Owaisi tried to provoke BJP leaders by asking them to have Biryani at Alhamdulillah Hotel, which is famous for its beef dishes.

BJP is frustrated, should have biryani

He said, “Ab BJP wale to aisa dikh raha hai ke kuch samajh nahi aaraha BJP ko, itna frustration ka shikaar ho gaye hain. Hyderabad ko aarahe hain to baba zara in Alhamdulillah ki biryani to khilao thoda hosh thikane aajayein (It seems like BJP is confused and frustrated. If they are coming to Hyderabad they should have biryani at Alhamdulillah to get their minds straight).” The hotel he referred to is famous for its beef dishes.

Owaisi takes a dig at Tejasvi Surya

Taking a dig at BJYM chief and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who is currently campaigning for the GHMC elections, Owaisi stated that the elections are between Hyderabad and Bhagyanagar. Surya, in a recent tweet, had referred to Hyderabad as ‘Bhagyanagar’ and had started a campaign to ‘change Hyderabad’.

BJP leader offers pork biriyani to Owaisi

BJP’s Raja Singh said that BJP does not believe in attacking someone’s sentiments. He said, “Chunavon ke darmiyan woh yeh kehta hai ki BJP wale frustration mein aagaye. Aur unko biryani khane ki salah woh de raha hai. Hotel ka naam jo de raha hai wahan par beef ki biryani banti hai. Aur BJP walon ko keh raha hai ki beef ki biryani khao (Amid the polls, he is saying that BJP is frustrated and suggesting us to eat biryani. The hotel that he is referring to serves beef biryani. He is telling BJP to have beef biryani).”

Raja Singh responded to Owaisi’s beef biriyani sly with an offer of pork biriyani. He said, “I am offering biryani today. In my locality, the Valmiki community makes good biryani. If you are fond of eating biryani, come I will offer a delicious biryani.” Though Singh did not name it, he was referring to pork biriyani that is also popular in some localities in Hyderabad.

Raja Singh further stated that the Muslims of old Hyderabad are dissatisfied with Owaisi and his party because of the rampant corruption during and after the recent Hyderabad floods. He asserted that AIMIM workers pocketed the 10,000 rupees allowance that was given by the state government to flood-affected families and many localities in old Hyderabad are still waterlogged.

TRS is cutting votes in Hyderabad, says BJP’s Muralidhar Rao

While talking to India Today, BJP leader Muralidhar Rao has said that there is an internal understanding between Chandrashekhar’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and AIMIM to cut votes. He said that TRS is indulging in spreading misinformation instead of getting into the debate of the correct narrative. They are representing BJP as a party that is dividing society. MIM is deadwood and liability. Its track record and history are anti-India. He further added that TRS is indulging in shifting the demographic is the whole city.

GHMC elections

GHMC elections are scheduled for December this year. The polling for 150 wards of GHMC will be held on December 1. The counting will take place on December 4. Ballot papers will be used instead of EVMs.  

Wayanad: Bride lands for wedding in a helicopter, people gather thinking Rahul Gandhi has come

OpIndia Staff
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Wayanad: Bride lands for wedding in a helicopter, people gather thinking Rahul Gandhi has come

In a town in Wayanad, a swanky helicopter landing had reportedly raised the curiosity of the local people who had thought that their MP Rahul Gandhi has come. As per a report in Mathrubhumi, on Monday afternoon, a helicopter landed in the Pazhassiraja College ground in the town of Pulpally.

Local people reportedly flocked to see the chopper thinking perhaps their MP Rahul Gandhi has come. But actually, it was a pretty bride making a dramatic entry for her wedding. The grand entry was a part of a wedding at a nearby Church. The bride got down from the chopper and then proceeded with her relatives to the nearby Adikolly church.

As per the report, the ‘VIP’ bride was a woman named Mariya Luke, the daughter of Luke Thomas and Lissie from Vandanmedu in Idukki. The groom was a man named Vaisakh, the son of Adikolly residents Tommy and Dolly. Their wedding was held at the Adikolly St Sebastian Church on Monday morning.

As per a report in Asianet News, the bride’s family stated to media that they chose the helicopter entry because of the COVID pandemic and the long distance. From their native place, travel to the wedding venue would have taken over 14 hours, the bride’s father informed. The bride and her immediate family had come by the chopper while their other relatives had travelled by road the previous day.

The wedding was to happen in May but was postponed to November because of the pandemic, the family has informed. The helicopter entry has reportedly cost the family Rs 4.5 lakhs.

Rahul Gandhi, the MP from Wayanad, is currently vacationing in Goa with his mother Sonia Gandhi.

How Congress lost Gujarat to save Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha seat

Nirwa Mehta
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How Congress lost Gujarat to save Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha seat

On 8th August, 2017, Congress moved mountains, figuratively and MLAs, literally, to save Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha seat. In the bargain, Congress let Gujaratis die as flood inundated the state.

Three Rajya Sabha seats were up for reelection in Gujarat and it had 4 contenders. One of the seats was of Ahmed Patel.

Gujarat was seeing Rajya Sabha elections for the first time since 1996 as they were always uncontested. Other two seats up for grabs were being contested by Amit Shah and Smriti Irani of the BJP, both heavyweights in their own way. Their victory was almost certain. BJP has fielded Balwantsinh Rajput, former Chief Whip of Gujarat Congress in assembly against Ahmed Patel. 

Ahmed Patel was then a 7 time MP from Gujarat (3 times Lok Sabha and 4 times Rajya Sabha) and also the political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. By first week of August it was clear that Congress was a sinking ship in Gujarat. Patel needed 45 votes to retain his seat. Gujarat Congress originally had 57 MLAs. Of these, by 1st August, 6 had resigned and joined the BJP. It was a close call.

So what does Congress do? The oldest trick in the book. Kidnap the MLAs, take them to a luxury resort till voting day to stop them from ‘crossing over’ to the BJP. Except, when the Congress MLAs were enjoying buffet breakfasts, Gujarat was inundated with floods, one of the worst in a decade. Banaskantha’s Dhanera was one of the worst affected areas in the floods. Their Congress MLA, Joitabhai Patel, was one of the 44 MLAs vacationing in then Congress-ruled Bangalore.

When the citizens needed their elected leaders in time of natural calamity, their leaders were not reachable because their phones were switched off. In fact, special chef was arranged for the Gujarat Congress MLAs as their constituencies struggled with rescue operations.

The high-octane elections continued post-midnight and the drama was no less than a Bollywood potboiler. Congress had put all money and muscle power to save that one Rajya Sabha seat. Patel won, but Congress lost Gujarat in the bargain.

This when the state was going into assembly elections just few months down the line. BJP was facing almost 20 years’ anti-incumbency. A generation of voters had grown up in a non-Congress ruled Gujarat. In these twenty years, Gujarat has seen an earthquake, burning up of train compartment full of karsevaks followed by riots and alleged fake encounters. But then, Gujarat has also witnessed rise in foreign investment, construction of Narmada canal spider network and better power and water connectivity.

But did Congress do all this just for Ahmed Patel? No. It was to save Sonia Gandhi’s face. Ahmed Patel’s loss would mean Sonia Gandhi’s loss. BJP was going all out to make it sure that the defeat is seen as a ‘blow to Sonia Gandhi’. A revenge for all the “Blow to Modi” headlines that Ahmed Patel is believed to have managed when Congress ruled. And Congress was going all out to save Patel and in turn save Sonia’s face.

For a party that has gambled the entire nation over the years, gambling Gujarat to save Sonia did not come as much of a surprise.

71-year old Ahmed Patel passed away earlier today following multiple organ failures due to coronavirus. He was being probed in multiple UPA-era scams. And for Congress, it is left with riot-convict and sedition accused Hardik Patel as party chief in Gujarat.

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