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Protests against farm laws are based on rumours and misinformation: PM Modi punctures holes in the propaganda surrounding farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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Protests against farm laws are based on rumours and misinformation: PM Modi punctures holes in the propaganda surrounding farm laws

Amidst the renewed protests against the historic farm bills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a gathering at Varanasi on Monday debunking the propaganda surrounding the government’s initiative that is aimed at the welfare of farmers.

PM Modi informed that the Union government had allocated one lac crore rupees for the development of cold storage facilities. He stated, “When connectivity expands in an area, our farmers benefit greatly. Over the years, efforts have been made to create cold storage arrangements along with modern roads in Indian villages.” He also informed that the government had set up ‘perishable cargo centres’ in Varanasi, thereby easing the sale and storage of fruits and vegetables.

Emphasising on the importance of the newly introduced farm bills, he asked whether the farmers should not have access to the global market and high prices for their produce. He also stated that the government has been investing a huge sum of money for the modernisation of Mandis.

(Video Courtesy : Youtube/ Narendra Modi)

Farmers now have legal protection against fraud, reiterates PM Modi

“New agricultural reforms have given farmers new options and new legal protection. Earlier, transactions outside the Mandi was considered illegal. Now, even a small farmer can also avail legal options on every deal that is made outside the Mandi. The farmers have now got legal protection from fraud,” PM Modi emphasised.

PM Modi clarifies on aspersions surrounding MSP

PM Modi stated that the farmers have been provided with 1.5 times Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce, as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. He emphasised that the promise was fulfilled and the due amount has been transferred to the bank accounts of the farmers.

Prime Minister reveals how Centre’s schemes benefitted farmers

PM Modi informed that between 2009 and 2014, the UPA government had procured only ₹650 crores worth of pulses from farmers. However, the BJP government at the Centre had bought about ₹49,000 crores worth of pulses, thereby leading to a 75 times increase in procurement.

He added that while the UPA government had purchased ₹2 lac crore worth of rice between 2009 and 2014, the BJP government had directly passed the benefit of ₹5 lac crore to farmers through purchase of pulses at MSP.

Hitting out at the Congress party yet again, PM Modi highlighted how only ₹1.5 lac crore worth of wheat was bought from farmers between 2009 and 2014. However, in the following 5 years, the government had doubled the procurement with the purchase of ₹3 lac crore worth of wheat.

PM Modi stated that owing to government initiatives and development of modern infrastructure, Indian farmers are now able to sell black rice at around ₹850 per kg. He added that the variety was provided to farmers in the Chandauli area in order to increase their income and bring prosperity to their lives.

PM Modi reassures farmers, says their fears will mitigate in future

The Prime Minister asserted that fear of farmers surrounding the new laws stems from decades of mistrust in the government. He assured farmers that the current political dispensation at the Centre is working with the right and pure intention of bringing prosperity in their lives. Reiterating his belief that the new farm laws will benefit farmers and help enhance their income, PM Modi noted, “The government is consistently addressing the fears and queries of farmers, who are anxious about the government’s decision. And even those who still have doubts about the new farm laws today will benefit from them and increase their income in future.”

PM Modi hits out at the Opposition

He stated, “Earlier, MSP used to be declared but little produce was bought at MSP. Farmers were tricked for years. Similarly, large loan waiver packages were announced for farmers. But, it never reached them. As such, fraud was committed even in the name of debt relief.” Hitting out at the Opposition, PM Modi stated, “Although big schemes for farmers were announced, they (Congress party) themselves admitted that only 15 paise out of a rupee would reach the farmers. Such fraud was committed in the name of new schemes.” Rumours have formed the basis of protests against the farm laws, the PM stated.

He had also lashed out the Congress-ruled Punjab government for not implementing the PM Kisan Yojna in Punjab and vowed to provide the cash handouts to farmers when the BJP will form government in the State. This is despite the fact that about 10 crore farmers in the country have already been benefitted from the scheme.

All you need to know about farm laws

In September 2020, the Central Government announced three new agriculture sector reform laws named Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Service Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The main aim of these reforms is to provide a better platform for the farmers to sell their produce.

Simultaneously, several clauses protect farmers’ rights on how they want to sell the crop, timely payments, and more. Despite several clarifications by the Central government that the MSP provisions will remain as is, opposition parties have repeatedly indulged in spreading misinformation and accused the government of trying to end MSP provision. PM Modi had come down heavily on the parties opposing the farm laws on September 18 and said those who had kept farmers tied to restrictions for decades are now lying about agricultural reforms.

Not ‘just a municipal election’, a defeat of TRS in the Hyderabad Municipal Elections will alter the political discourse of the state

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Not ‘just a municipal election’, a defeat of TRS in the Hyderabad Municipal Elections will alter the political discourse of the state

“Just a municipal election” is the new mantra that is being chanted by the members of the WhatsApp group of English journalists. The reference is to tomorrow’s election to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Council (GHMC) and how BJP’s top central leadership participated in the campaigning for “just for a municipal election”.

What these people very conveniently don’t tell you is that the ruling TRS is also taking the “just a municipal election” very seriously. Almost all ministers of the cabinet have been given specific responsibilities in this campaign. More than 50 MLAs of the party are assisting these ministers in campaign strategy and implementation. The CM himself released the manifesto and spoke for more than an hour there. He spoke for nearly an hour in a public meeting organized on Saturday. Pretty much the entire might of the TRS party is focused on trying to win “just a municipal election”. This begs the basic question – If the incumbent is so serious about it, why shouldn’t the opposition be equally or more serious about it?

This GHMC election is not “just a municipal election”. This election has the potential to alter the political discourse of the Telangana state. The ruling TRS won a very predictable landslide in 2016. It won 99 out of the 150 divisions. Their friend, the MIM won 44 seats. Given the landslide, TRS could have its own mayor without the support of friendly MIM too. That election established the supremacy of TRS in the electoral politics of the new state and set the course for the 2018 election victory of the TRS. BJP won a partly 4 divisions. They were contesting the elections in alliance with TDP, which won only 1 division.

Ever since the crushing defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP has been able to challenge the supremacy of TRS slowly but steadily. The first blow to TRS came in the Lok Sabha elections, when TRS  won 9 out of the 17 seats (KCR’s daughter was defeated by BJP; the constituency for which KCR’s son was incharge was won by the BJP). BJP’s victory in 4 LS seats boosted the morale of the cadre. The second blow to TRS came in the recently concluded Dubbaka by-poll where the BJP registered a stunning victory, and more importantly found the right voice to challenge TRS’s monopoly in the Assembly.

It is in this background that the GHMC election is being held. A victory to the BJP does not necessarily mean that they should win the Mayor seat. Given the composition of the GHMC Council that elects the Mayor, the BJP actually has to win a whopping 95 seats out of the 150 to be able to have its own Mayor. On the other hand, the TRS has to win 67 seats to be able to get a Mayor of its own. However, even if the TRS-MIM combine win 67 seats, they will easily come to an agreement to share power and have their Mayors rule the roost.

It is also a victory for the BJP if the TRS fails to win 75/150 seats. Whatever number game will result thereafter, this basically means that TRS did lose the popular mandate of the people. It will rejuvenate the cadre in ways that hasn’t happened in a very very long time. It will give out a message that the mighty TRS can be electorally defeated again and again, if the right guidance and leadership is provided to the party. That today, such a scenario is seen as a strong possibility (TRS not winning 75) is also a testament to the effort the party has put into the fight.

Though the TRS was made to sweat it out, if it does win more than 75 seats, it would reestablish the supremacy of KCR’s son, KTR in the party. It would also mean that the path to even establish a decent opposition to the TRS party has become even more stronger. Undoubtedly, the BJP has replaced Congress as the main opposition, but a victory for TRS would certainly mean that they have a lot of catching up to do.

As is the case with all campaigns, the speeches from both sides had their ups and downs. This is the first time since 2014 that there is a possibility of unseating TRS from a strong position of power. And if that happens, “just a municipal election” would have altered the political discourse of the state. If key leaders of political parties listened to this bunch of condescending English journalists, then they would be confined to the drawing rooms of their party offices. If you don’t believe me, ask the cadre of the Congress party!

Former PMO official from UPA era gets excited at ‘New Zealand MP supporting farmers,’ except that no MP from New Zealand supported

OpIndia Staff
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Former PMO official from UPA era gets excited at ‘New Zealand MP supporting farmers,’ except that no MP from New Zealand supported

As thousands of farmers continue to protest on the Haryana-Punjab border against the three farm bills passed by the Modi government, Pankaj Pachauri, the former adviser to Manmohan Singh has been delighted by the thought that the agitation against the alleged ‘anti-farm’ laws by the Modi government has received “global recognition”. He claimed that the ‘MPs from New Zealand’ have taken notice of the protest happening in India. And while making this claim the ex-MMS advisor surprisingly shares a Tweet by Jack Harris, a Canadian leader of the pro-Khalistani New Democratic Party.

Pachauri, the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Go News and formerly the communications adviser to Manmohan Singh during the latter’s Prime Ministerial tenure Twitted: “India gets global recognition when little known MPs in New Zealand take notice of our new #FarmLaws2020”.

Pankaj Pachauri mistakes Canadian MP as New Zealand MP

Pankaj Pachauri thinks NL is New Zealand

Pankaj Pachauri, who was recently called out for spreading fake news against the government regarding trade between India and China, made the claim in a tweet attempting to mock Modi government, however, the Congress leader, as usual, ended up compromising on the factual accuracy in pursuit of it. Jack Harris is an MP from St John, a city in Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador.

Many Twitter users tried to set the facts straight for Pachauri, giving him some geography lessons in the process.

Jack Harris’s New Democratic Party accused of leading anti-Indian movement in Canada

Jack Harris, whose Tweet the Congress loyalist shared, belongs to the New Democratic Party(NDP), which not only shelters Khalistanis in Canada but also leads the anti-Indian movement in America.

According to a dossier prepared by Indian intelligence agencies last year, New Democratic Party leader and Sikh MP Jagmeet Singh provides shelter to pro-Khalistan activists in Canada and is also believed to be involved in the funding of terror outfits.

In 2015, when Singh was a legislature member of NDP, he had appeared at a pro-Khalistan rally in San Francisco, United States. At that rally, Singh left no stone unturned to show dreaded terror leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, killed in Operation Blue Star, as a martyr. A year later, he supported the use of violence as a legitimate means of resistance to achieve the goal of Khalistan. Moreover, in 2013, Singh had organised a conference of pro-Khalistan activists in Canada’s Ontario.

The RAW report last year highlighted the fact that the leader of NDP, the party which Jack Harris is a part of, had been facilitating funds to Khalistani outfits, which had their base in Pakistan. His links with prominent Khalistani and Kashmiri separatist groups based out of European countries have also come to the fore.

It is believed that Singh is working to bring Khalistani and Kashmiri separatists under one umbrella in Canada.

Post Modi government’s Article 370 move, Singh had openly supported the pro-Pakistan narrative on Kashmir while accusing India of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

‘Farmers’ Protest hijacked by pro-Khalistan elements, opposition parties and radical Islamic organisations

As the ‘farmers’ protest continues on the Haryana-Punjab border to protest against the three farm bills passed by the Modi government, details have emerged revealing how the very people who had instigated JNU violence and the Anti-Hindu riots in Delhi early this year are now fanning the ‘farmer protests’ along the Haryana-Punjab border. Besides, the pro-Khalistan elements, radical Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) and ‘United Against Hate’ which is accused of fuelling anti-Hindu Delhi riots have also been found extending their support to the protest. Moreover, political parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, CPIM and the Congress have also jumped in to politicise it, most members being clueless as to what the agitation is about.

From issuing various clarifications to making several attempts to hold talks with agitating ‘farmers’, the Central government have made various attempts to bring a peaceful resolution. However, the ‘protestors’ don’t appear willing.

Bijnor: Youth murdered because his brother had run away with a girl, case filed against the girl’s father Asgar and her brothers

OpIndia Staff
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Bijnor: Youth murdered because his brother had run away with a girl, case filed against the girl’s father Asgar and her brothers

A young man was brutally murdered by crushing him to death with stones and later was burnt so that no one can identify him, just a few months after his brother had run away with a Muslim girl. The incident happened in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. The dead body was found on November 27, and it was identified as Shivam. His brother has filed a complaint against six people, including the brothers and father of his other brother’s girlfriend.

His head was crushed with stone

According to the report published in Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, the burnt body of the youth was recovered near the Jhalu bus stand on Bukhara road. A blood-stained stone was found near the body. He was killed by heavy blows to the face and head. SP City Laxmi Niwas Mishra, CO City Kuldeep Gupta, and City Kotwal Rajesh Solanki reached the spot and started an investigation. A dog squad was also deployed to find clues about the murder.

As per the reports, Shivam went out on Thursday evening after asking his family members to prepare food but never returned. The family searched for him but didn’t find him. On Friday evening his half-burnt body was found by locals.

During the post-mortem, the deceased was identified as Shivam, a resident of Bhadwan Nagar Complex, by his relatives. Vasu, brother of the deceased, said that his other brother Sagar ran away with a Muslim girl from the neighbourhood. Around five months ago, he was arrested and sent to jail by the police. The girl was handed over to her family, while Sagar is still lodged in jail.

Shivam was trying to help Sagar

Vasu said that Shivam used to take a stand for his brother Sagar. The people from the Muslim community in the neighbourhood were irked by his attitude. He alleged that girl’s brother and father killed Shivam. Police have started looking for the accused, but all of them are absconding. SP has assured that they will take strict action against the culprits.

The Bijnor police have informed that a case has been registered against Naseem and others based on the complaint of the deceased’s brother. The police also assured that necessary action is being taken against them. The accused named in the case are Asgar, his sons Naseem, Naeem, Ejaz, and another person Arif. Based on the complaint of Vasu, police have registered a case against them.

The girl was pregnant

According to Hindi daily Amar Ujala, people of the locality have alleged that the girl with whom Sagar had run away was pregnant. They have seen Shivam standing outside the house of the girl at around 6 PM. Shivam was married and had two children. Station in-charge, City, Rajesh Solanki said that Shivam was murdered as a vendetta. Police are currently investigating the case and looking for the accused.

Similar cases from the past

This is the not first time someone was killed as a result of a relation between persons of different religions. Rahul Rajput was killed in Delhi by the family of the girl he was in love with. He was beaten up by  Muhammad Afroz and Muhammad Raj, brothers of the girl, to the extent he died as his intestines burst. Ankit Saxena was also killed for the same reason in Delhi.

Odisha: BJD MLA expelled from party for links with ‘vigilance raid’ IFS officer and his son, accused of ‘anti-people activities’

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: BJD MLA expelled from party for links with ‘vigilance raid’ IFS officer and his son, accused of ‘anti-people activities’

On Sunday, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) expelled one of its MLAs, Dr Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, for his personal links with IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, who has been arrested by vigilance on charges of corruption and accumulating disproportionate assets.

Pradeep Panigrahi, a 3-time BJD MLA and former minister from Gopalpur in Ganjam district of Odisha, was removed from the primary membership of the BJD for his ‘anti-people activities’. As per reports, his expulsion came at the backdrop of his connections with the corruption-accused IFS officer and his son Akash. Pradeep Panigrahi’s daughter Shruti was scheduled to marry Akash Pathak, the son of IFS Abhay Kant Pathak in December, prior to the unearthing of the corruption case. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik issued an order removing Pradeep from the party on Sunday.

Panigraphi’s daughter was to marry IFS officer’s son

Soon after over a dozen teams of over 150 vigilance officials raided several properties owned by the IFS officer and his son, their close family ties with the BJD MLA were all over the state media. Panigrahi’s daughter and Pathak’s son were to get married at a high-end luxury palace hotel in Rajasthan’s Udaipur in December. Pathak’s son Akash was reportedly staying in a luxury apartment in Pune that he had rented for over Rs 5 lakhs per month. He also had rented another farmhouse for over 5 lakhs a month. The Pathak’s ultra-luxurious lifestyle, dozens of chartered plane flights and other expenses that have been unearthed in the recent raids have grabbed public attention in the state.

It is notable here that Akash has been named in an FIR filed by Tata Motors in crime branch for defrauding job seekers while posing as an MD in the company. As per reports in Odia media, most of the fraud victims are from the Gopalpur constituency, where Pradeep Panigrahi is the MLA. Akash had allegedly cheated crores of rupees from dozens of victims by using fake email id, and forged documents bearing the name of TATA companies. A state crime branch team has reached Gopalpur to investigate the fraud case.

Largest ever vigilance raid in Odisha on IFS officer

IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak has been arrested for alleged corruption after the multiple vigilance raids. His son Akash was also arrested for impersonating as a top executive officer of Tata Motors and facilitating fake recruitments. As per the findings of the crime branch and State Vigilance Department, the accused had issued a letter of intent to several job seekers in Gopalpur. It is now being probed whether any financial transactions were involved in these recruitments. While conducting raids in connection to the case, the State Vigilance Department had found a whopping ₹9.4 crore in bank accounts of Akash. Reportedly, about ₹8.4 crores were deposited in cash at Bhubaneshwar while ₹70 lacs was deposited at Ganjam.

What they never told you when they said India was the worst performing emerging economy

Abhishek Banerjee
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What they never told you when they said India was the worst performing emerging economy

How would you like to see India’s GDP grow at double digit rates? Sure, you would love that. Suppose then that India’s (real) GDP growth soars to 10%. Add to that say 4% inflation, leading to nominal GDP growth of 14%. Fantastic! I wish…

Just one catch. In return for this 14% nominal GDP growth, you must agree to the Indian Rupee crashing by 50% against the US Dollar.

How do you like the bargain now?

Of course, such a situation would never present itself in the real world. If India’s economy was chugging along at 10%, the whole world would be at India’s door. The Indian Rupee would rise in value, not fall. On the flip side, if India’s economy was doing horribly, the world would rush for the exit. The Indian Rupee would lose value.

You must have seen the headlines. As the Mint put in “plain facts,” India’s GDP, with a shocking contraction of -23.9% is pretty much at the bottom of the table of emerging economies.

Mint article on Indian economy

So who is doing better than India? Apparently, almost everyone. I suppose this is a good time for all and sundry, from the high brow Kaushik Basu to social media based economist Dhruv Rathee to take potshots at Modi’s India.

Now, here is what is missing from those “plain facts.” Did they mention what happened to the respective emerging market currencies during this same time? Every country reports GDP growth only in its national currency and not in USD.

India’s economy contracted by 23.9%. For comparison, Brazil’s GDP contracted by 11.9% and Russia’s GDP by 8%. So, did they really do better than India?

Absolutely not. Brazil’s GDP contracted by 11.9% in terms of the Brazilian Real (BRL). Russia’s GDP contracted by 8% in terms of the Russian Ruble (RUB). India’s GDP contracted by 23.9% in Indian Rupee terms.

Unless we move to the same unit, we are almost literally comparing apples to oranges to mangoes.

So what happens when we look at the respective contractions in USD terms? Here is the disaster that struck the RUB and the BRL in times of the Wuhan Coronavirus.

USD vs Russian Ruble

From 1 USD = 61.73 RUB at the beginning of the year, the RUB has collapsed to 76.09 to the dollar. That is down by over 23%!

And look at the Brazilian Real (BRL)

USD vs Brazilian Real

From 1 USD = 4.02 BRL at the beginning of the year, the BRL has collapsed to 5.34 to the dollar. That is down by nearly 33%!

And now see the Indian Rupee, almost rock solid.

USD vs INR

Down by barely 4% since the beginning of the year. As it always happens, the US Dollar gains in value during times of global distress. Even though we are facing a once in a century global crisis, the Rupee has barely lost any value.

Does it not make more sense to compare everything in same units? So Brazil lost 11.8% of its apples and India lost 23.9% of its oranges. But the price of apples fell by 33% during the same period, while the price of oranges declined only by 4%. So who really lost more?

Oh great economic minds, do tell us.

Assam closes down temporary Covid-19 care centres, gears up to reopen elementary schools as pandemic gets under control

OpIndia Staff
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Assam closes down temporary Covid-19 care centres, gears up to reopen elementary schools as pandemic gets under control

A record number of children are not attending school for over 8 months because of closures mandated by governments in an attempt to slow the spread of the Chinese coronavirus. Now, with Assam recording reduced the number of cases, the state health and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced the reopening of elementary schools in the state from January 1, 2021. Though Assam had allowed resumption of offline classes from Class 7 and above earlier in November, the offline junior classes had not yet started. 

In a press conference at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that since the Covid-19 situation in the state is under control elementary schools will be reopened from the beginning of next year in a staggered manner. The detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the same will also be released.

“The Covid-19 situation in Assam is satisfactory and under control. But keeping in mind, the situation in other parts of India and the world, we are on alert. A survey by a weekly magazine has ranked Assam as the best state in Covid-19 management,” Sarma told journalists in Guwahati.

Decreasing coronavirus cases in Assam

Sarma informed that the number of positive cases has continuously gone down in November starting from 325 cases on an average daily in the first week of the month to 158 cases daily in the last week.

“Keeping in view the present situation, we have decided to allow the opening of elementary schools from kindergarten to Class 6 from January 1 and allow residential schools and colleges to allow final year students to stay in hostels from December 15,” he said.

Speaking on the government’s decision to reopen educational institutions the state health and education minister confirmed that the college hostels in the state will reopen from December 15 with several Covid-19 safety guidelines set into place.

The hostels across the state will open with certain limitations for the safety of the students, according to the minister, and only final year students will be allowed to enter the hostels initially to prevent overcrowding. Sarma further stated that some instructions regarding the cleaning and preparing of hostels that were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic have also been issued to the college and university principals.

All temporary Covid-19 care centres have been shut down due to reducing Covid-19 cases in Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma

The minister stated that due to reducing cases of COVID-19, all temporary Covid-19 care centres have been shut down in Assam and the covid patients would now be treated in only three hospitals namely, Kalapahar Covid Care Hospital, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) and Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH). He confirmed that most new cases being recorded in the state are from outside and said that local transmission in very less in Assam.

Last month the minister had stated that the Covid-19 curve in the state has started to flatten. Nearly 5 per cent dip in the rate of positivity in the past six weeks prompted the Assam health department to make the claim.

Higher classes resumed from November in the state

“In September, our rate of positivity was 8 per cent. Now in the past few days, the average rate of positivity has come down to 3.5 per cent”, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters on October 13. He had also announced to reopen educational institutions for classes seven to the postgraduate level with certain restrictions in place from November 15, 2020. Private schools and coaching centres could reopen from November 2 and must follow the COVID regulations, however, each of them would have to remain in contact with the health department and periodic testing will be conducted in these institutes, Sarma had said.

With the anticipation of Covid vaccination drive to begin sometimes in January, the Assam government has constituted three committees to oversee the entire process. While the state-level task force will make sure the day-to-day activities are executed properly, the district level committee will ascertain that the procedure of vaccination in the district level is carried out unhindered.

Till Sunday, Assam had recorded 2,12,617 Covid-19 cases with 981 deaths. At present, there are 3,350 active cases in the state. The recovery rate is 98 per cent while the death rate is 0.46 per cent.

Shiv Sena to organise Azaan recitation competition, party leader calls it as important as ‘Maha Aarti’

OpIndia Staff
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Shiv Sena to organise Azaan recitation competition, party leader calls it as important as ‘Maha Aarti’

Taking their freshly ‘secular’ and newly ‘liberal’ image forward, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has decided to organise an ‘Azaan Recitation Competition’. The announcement was made by Shiv Sena South Mumbai Division head Pandurang Sakpal.

Defending the decision, Shiv Sena division chief Pandurang Sakpal stated that the Azaan recitation competition will be held in line with Bhagavad Gita recitation competition. Slamming the critiques who called Sena’s move as an attempt to cosset Muslim minorities in the state, Sakpal said the decision was taken to encourage Muslim children to recite Azaan.

Speaking about how the idea of holding an Azaan recitation competition crossed his mind, Sakpal said, “I live next to the Bada Kabristan in Marine Lines. That is why I get to hear the Azaan every day. I have found the Azaan to be amazing and pleasing. Whoever hears it once, eagerly waits for the next schedule of Azaan. That is why I came up with the idea of ​​holding Azaan competition for the children of the Muslim community.”

Shiv Sena will reward the winners of Azaan recitation contest: Sakpal

Sakpal also added that rewards will be given to children on the basis of their pronunciation, voice modulation and their recitation. Shiv Sena will bear the cost of the rewards, he said.

“The children of the Muslim community wonderfully recite Azaan. The purpose of keeping this competition is to provide a platform for talented artists. I don’t think such a competition has taken place in the entire country. This is the first experiment and we hope it will get a good response,” Sakpal said.

‘Azaan as important as Maha Aarti’: Shiv Sena functionary

Sakpal also took a dig at those questioning the competition, saying that such people should be ignored like a “rock of salt” and went on to compare Azaan to ‘Maha Aarti’.

“Azaan lasts for only 5 minutes. So, if anyone is bothered by these few minutes, he should be ignored like a rock of salt. The tradition of Azaan is several centuries old. It is not a recent phenomenon. Such protestations should be ignored. Azaan is as important as Maha Aarti. It’s a symbol of love and peace.

‘I am like the Laila who has thousands of Majnus’: AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi on BJP’s attacks

OpIndia Staff
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‘I am like the Laila who has thousands of Majnus’: AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi on BJP’s attacks

It looks like All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi loves to compare himself to a beautiful woman surrounded by men. Home Minister Amit Shah had recently said that there is an alliance between AIMIM and TRS. In an interview with ABP News, while reacting to HM Shah’s comments, the AIMIM chief said he feels like Laila surrounded by Majnus.

Owaisi on ABP News

‘I feel like Laila,’ said Owaisi

Dekhiye mera haal aisa hai na ke main Laila hun aur mere hazaron Majnu hain. Bihar mein Congress ne keh diya ke main BJP ki B-Team hun. Ab yahan Congress keh rahi hai ke Owaisi nahi hai to humko vote de do. Ab BJP kuch aur keh rahi hai. Mujhe koi fikr nahi hai. Main ek laila hun aur mere chahne wale itne hain ki har koi chahta hai ki mujhe mudda bana kar vote hasil kiya jaye.”

It translates to:

See, my situation is like I am Laila, and there are thousands of Majnu around me. In Bihar, Congress claimed that I am BJP’s B-Team. Now Congress is saying if not Owaisi, vote for them. BJP is saying something else. I don’t care. I am Laila, and there are so many people in love with me that everyone wants to make me a subject and get votes on my name.

Taking a potshot by the comments made by Congress and BJP leaders, Owaisi asserted they are using his name to create political rhetoric and seek votes. He added that while his party is seeking votes on issues that Hyderabad faces, like water supply, drainage, and other civic issues, parties like BJP and Congress are using his names to create controversy. He accused BJP of not helping the residents of Hyderabad when the city was suffering from floods.

Owaisi previously compared himself to ‘Raziya’

During an interview with Aaj Tak. AIMIM Chief Owaisi said that his situation is like “Fas Gai Raziya Gundo Mein.” After winning five seats, he said that he felt like being stuck among goons as BJP calls him anti-national, and Mahagathbandhan is blaming his party for ‘cutting votes’.

Owaisi’s beef biriyani jibe

Asaduddin Owaisi is best known for making provocative statements, especially during the elections. On November 25, he had made ‘beef biryani’ sly on BJP leaders. He said, “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.” BJP’s Raja Singh had responded to Owaisi’s beef biriyani sly with an offer of pork biriyani.

GHMC elections

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections are scheduled for December 1. The results will be announced on December 4. Ballot papers will be used in the elections. Several high-profile BJP leaders are campaigning for the candidates in the GHMC elections, including Amit Shah, Tejasvi Surya, MPs Arvind Dharmapuri and G Kishan Reddy among others.

Chinese foreign ministry shares a fake image of Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child; PM Scott Morrison demands apology from Beijing

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese foreign ministry shares a fake image of Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child; PM Scott Morrison demands apology from Beijing

Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, is asking the Chinese Government to delete a tweet attacking the Australian Defence Force deployed in Afghanistan, saying that it is fake. The PM was referring to a tweet posted the Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lijian Zhao, who had shared a fake image on his official Twitter account which allegedly showed an Australian soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child.

“Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, and call for holding them accountable,” Zhao tweeted. The image showed a soldier in combat uniform beheading a child.

According to the Australian government, the image is fake, and said that it is a digitally morphed photo.

Australian PM Scott Morrison demands apology from China

Reacting to the fake image, Australian PM Scott Morrison demanded an apology from the Chinese government and asked them to delete the “repugnant” image attacking the Australian Defence Forces. Mr Morrison added that the Australian government has formally requested the Chinese government to delete the post and contacted Twitter to have the post removed.

“It is utterly outrageous and cannot be justified on any basis whatsoever, the Chinese government should be really ashamed of this,” Morrison said. “Australia’s seeking an apology from the Chinese Government for this outrageous post,” he added.

The Australian PM also acknowledged the spiralling tensions between the two countries but stated that this is not how it should be dealt with.

The Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne stated that this was the most “egregious” example of social media disinformation she had witnessed in her career and that there was no justification for the tweet posted by the Chinese government. “The Australian Government has called in the Chinese ambassador and sought an apology from the ambassador in relation to this tweet,” she said. 

The spat over the fake image between China and Australia comes in the backdrop of increasing animosity between the two countries. Earlier this year, as the coronavirus outbreak that first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, galloped the world, Australia spearheaded the nations that demanded an impartial inquiry into the origins of the contagion.

A fierce pushback had followed since then from Beijing and its pugnacious diplomats, who have tried to fend off the demands into the investigation of the origins of the coronavirus outbreak by making outrageously misleading claims about the source of infection, intimidating economic punishments and indulging in psychological warfare to coerce and manipulate its detractors.

Ever since Australia demanded an impartial investigation into the origins of the coronavirus which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, it has come under the attack from China. From overt economic threats to psychological warfare, Beijing has employed every trick in its playbook to attack Australia. China has also been quietly reducing its imports from Australia, inflicting economic punishments for its defiance to hold Beijing accountable for the coronavirus outbreak.

China’s attack comes in the wake of Australian forces’ war crimes inquiry

The fake image from the Chinese Foreign Ministry came on the heels of a recently published four-year military inquiry report of the Australian forces that brought to light the pervasive culture of the special forces deployed in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

The independent inquiry commissioned by the Australian government painted a grim picture of how some of the Australian Armed Forces indulged in wanton violence, killing innocents and prisoners and methodically covering it up.

India too a victim of Chinese propaganda and misinformation

Australia is not the only victim of China’s state sponsored propaganda war. India has also been at the receiving end of the Chinese propaganda machinery. Recently, as WHO geared up to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, Beijing made an absurd and preposterous claim, stating that India was the source of coronavirus pandemic.

In a desperate attempt to shift the blame of coronavirus, Chinese ‘researchers’ from Chinese Academy of Sciences claimed that the pandemic originated in India in summer of 2019.

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