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Congress leader Jitu Patwari imagines Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony and invites Manmohan Singh as chief guest, gets mocked on Twitter

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader Jitu Patwari imagines Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony and invites Manmohan Singh as chief guest, gets mocked on Twitter

Did Jitu Patwari fall for fake news on WhatsApp? It seems so! The former Cabinet Minister for Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs of Madhya Pradesh shared “happy and proud” news with his followers on social media that former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, will be ‘chief guest’ for the swearing-in ceremony of presumptive President-elect Joe Biden.

Jitu Patwari was caught spreading fake news about former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being invited to Biden’s swearing in ceremony

Patwari wrote, “Dr. Manmohan Singh will be the chief guest of the ceremony at the swearing-in of the new President of America, the greatest economist of the world, and who has brought the pride of India to great heights. It is called the pride of India.”

His tweet triggered a laugh-riot on Twitter as netizens mocked the Congress leader for sharing fake news.

Previous misadventures of Jitu Patwari

This is not the first time Jitu Patwari has fallen for fake news or gotten himself tied in some misadventures. In August 2020, he shared fake news claiming that PM Narendra Modi was flying in a luxurious private jet. He also claimed in the same tweet that Railways had been sold. He later deleted the post.

In June 2020, NCPCR issued a notice to Patwari and asked him to apologize for calling the birth of a girl child a misfortune. In March 2020, he was caught on camera, creating ruckus at Bengaluru resort as police stop him from meeting rebel MLAs. In December 2019, he was seen assaulting his own party workers as he kicked and pushed party man out of the room.

Days after the Kabul university attack killed 25, suicide car bomber kills 4, injures 40 in Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
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Days after the Kabul university attack killed 25, suicide car bomber kills 4, injures 40 in Afghanistan

Days after a deadly day-long encounter between terrorists and security forces in Kabul’s biggest university left at least 25 students dead and several injured, a suicide car bomber killed at least four people and wounded 40 in an attack on a police base in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan late Sunday night.

Those wounded included both soldiers and civilians, said Mohammad Ashraf Nadery, the provincial director of Kandahar public health department, as paramedics continue to search the debris of homes destroyed in the attack in the province’s Maiwand district. Though no terrorist outfit has yet taken the responsibility for the attack, there are speculations that the Taliban is behind the attack.

Kandahar province in Afghanistan is notoriously known for being the stronghold for the Talibani terrorists. In July this year, in a gunfight with the Afghan security forces Maruf and Arghistan districts in Kandahar in Afghanistan, 14 terrorists of the Islamic terror outfit Taliban were neutralised. The security forces had recovered Pakistani ID cards from the terrorists.

University in Kabul, Afghanistan attacked by terrorists

Last week, a book exhibition was held at Kabul’s biggest university when the varsity was stormed by terrorists, leaving as many as 25 students dead and several injured. Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian had confirmed that in the gunfight, two of the three attackers involved in the dastardly attack were eliminated by the security forces and the third one blew himself with explosives. Several videos had surfaced on social media which shows students fleeing the varsity in the wake of the dastardly attack by gunned terrorists.

Then too, no terrorist group has taken responsibility for the attack on the university. Taliban had also denied any involvement in the same. Despite Afghan government efforts, the country has continued to be under constant threat from the Taliban terrorists. Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist terror outfit originating in Afghanistan, waging war in the country in the form of an insurgency. The dreaded terrorist organisation has reportedly carried out several attacks on Afghan forces, despite aiming to talk to Kabul.

Last month, the Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on an educational centre in Kabul’s Shi’ite dominated neighbourhood of Dasht-e-Barchi in which at least 24 people, mostly students, were killed. Last year, at least two people were killed and 10 injured in an explosion outside the Kabul University campus’ gate. In 2016, the American University in Kabul had come under attack, leading to the death of 13 people.

Delhi HC hears Bollywood suit against Republic TV and Times Now, praises media’s work but asks not to use ‘sharp words’

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC hears Bollywood suit against Republic TV and Times Now, praises media’s work but asks not to use ‘sharp words’

The Delhi High Court, while hearing a suit filed by leading associations and production houses of Bollywood against Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now, Navika Kumar and Rahul Shivshankar has issued summons and notices in the matter, directing Republic TV and Times Now to respond within two weeks.

The Court has directed Republic TV and Times Now to ensure that no defamatory content is displayed on their channels or uploaded on social media, in the meanwhile. The matter has been posted to be taken up next on December 14. While hearing the plea, the court observed that reporting by media houses is not the issue but it is the manner of reporting which has been creating a problem.

Referring to an incident where a school teacher almost got killed by lynching by residents after media reported that she disseminated obscene material or how in the case of Princess Diana, she died because she was racing away from the media, the court claimed that though this kind of reportage is taking place all over the world, ‘we expect clear reportage and neutrality’.

It raised objection to the kind of language being used by participants on Live TV channels. “Now participants on TV are using cuss words on live TV channels because they get so excited. If you keep egging them on, that is what happens”, opined the court. The court furthered that there are certain guidelines that have been set by the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) which all the media houses should follow. It said that toning down of language while reporting is what needs to be followed by media houses.

“What is that should be put in place to change the way the reporting is carried out?… There needs to be some toning down. There are orders of NBSA. But it seems that news channels are not following that. As an officer of the Court, what is the next step here if you do not follow self-regulation? What are we to do about this? It is a general remark across the board. All of you have to think about it. It is a little disheartening and demoralises everyone,” observed the court.

The plaintiffs had in the suit alleged that media, especially the two channels (Republic TV and Times Now) in question have been interfering with the right to privacy of persons associated with Bollywood. The court observed that though no one wants to have his private life dragged in public, that element of privacy does get diluted for public personas to a certain extent. “If you live on public praise, you are likely to get a certain amount of flak as well“, said the court.

Delhi High Court asks media to refrain from using sharp language

The court concurred that media has been doing outstanding work, when Malvika Trivedi of Phoenix Legal representing Republic in court, highlighted that it cannot be ignored that there were two mysterious deaths here (that of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his manager Disha Salian) and a lot of the information came to the public domain because of the media’s work. However, it asked media to refrain from using sharp language.

Justice Shakdher hesitated in restraining media reports since it is a constitutional right but maintains that it expects fair reportage which has been somehow diluted “not only in India but even globally”. The court was answering Akhil Sibal, son of senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, appearing as the counsel for the plaintiffs who in this case are some Bollywood’s leading associations and production houses.

While claiming that the “vitriolic attack” by these media houses are impacting “vulnerable individuals”, Akhil Sibal said before the court that Republic TV and Times Now represent 70% of English news audiences, admitting that the high TRP of Republic TV is rather accurate, that too when the Maharashtra alliance government his father’s party is a member of has accused Republic TV of manipulating TRP and generating fake stats to claim high viewership.

Bollywood biggies join hands to target Arnab Goswami and Republic TV in Delhi High Court

On October 12, Bollywood’s leading associations and production houses, including that of Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Farhan Akhtar, had filed a suit in Delhi High Court against Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now, Navika Kumar and Rahul Shivshankar. As per reports, the suit asks them to refrain from making ‘irresponsible, defamatory and derogatory remarks’ against Bollywood in wake of mysterious death of Sushant Singh Rajput and subsequent drug scandal that has emerged. The suit also asks them to take down all “defamatory” content published by them against the film industry.

The Bollywood bigwigs are upset at the alleged use of words like “dirt”, “filth”, “scum”, “druggies” & expressions such as “all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood” to describe the film industry.

OpIndia accesses internal communication of Bollywood cine-associations

It is pertinent to note here that days after four cine-associations and 34 movie production houses filed a petition against Republic TV and Times Now over the coverage of Bollywood-drug nexus, it has been revealed that the original petition included more TV news channels which were dropped in the final petition, without informing some of the petitioners.

OpIndia had accessed email exchanges between Solicis Lex, the law firm representing CINTAA (Cine & TV Artists Association), and the Producers Guild, which discuss about possibility of adding more channels in the petition so that it does not look like targeted against two channels.

Chemical found from ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain’s house was acid, video clips of him on the rooftop were undoctored: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Chemical found from ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain’s house was acid, video clips of him on the rooftop were undoctored: Reports

From the 24th of February to the 25th of February, Delhi burnt with perhaps one of the worst anti-Hindu riots that the country has seen in recent times. One of the main protagonists of the sinister ploy was Tahir Hussain, the AAP leader who spearheaded the Delhi riots in which IB staffer Ankit Sharma was murdered brutally by a mob and several Hindu properties were burnt to ashes.

Post the deadly riots, the crime branch had seized a large number of bottles containing chemicals and commercially used acid from the terrace of Tahir Hussain’s residence in the Chand Bagh area of north-east Delhi. According to the police, approximately 50 litres of acid was seized by them. Now, Times Now has reported that the State Forensic Science Laboratory has confirmed that the chemical found at the house of Tahir Hussain was “acidic and lethal for human body”.

Submitting its report to the Delhi Police crime branch after analysing the chemical bottles seized from Tahir Hussain’s terrace, the Forensic department confirmed that the chemicals found on his terrace were indeed acid.

CCTV footage and video clips showing Tahir Hussain walking about on his terrace and pelting stones and petrol bombs at the Hindus were “not doctored”

Moreover, it also confirmed that the videos clips and the CCTV footage which had surfaced showing the suspended AAP leader Tahir Hussain walking about on his terrace and pelting stones and petrol bombs at the Hindus were “not doctored”.

According to TOI report, this report by the Forensic department will now be part of the supplementary charge sheet that will be submitted by the crime branch. “This forensic report will help the prosecution in building a strong case,” said a senior officer in the crime branch on the condition of anonymity.

Sources in the probe team, however, say they are yet to get the ballistic report of Hussain’s revolvers which can be matched with cartridges recovered from the bodies of those who died in the riot. “We will submit the ballistic report as soon as SFSL gives its final opinion,” he added.

The suspended AAP MLA Tahir Hussain has over ten criminal cases registered against him. He was the first to be charge-sheeted in the Delhi riots for violence that broke out in Chand Bagh area.

Tahir Hussain admitted of stocking bricks, stones, petrol, diesel and acid on the roof of his house

In his confession, Tahir Hussain had said that Khalid Saifi introduced him to Umar Khalid, ex-student of JNU at PFI office in Shaheen Bagh. According to Delhi Police, Tahir Hussain has confessed that he had collected empty liquor and cold drink bottles from scrap dealers, and as construction was going on at his house, collecting bricks and stones without arousing doubt was not an issue. He also collected petrol and diesel by filling the tanks of vehicles full, which was transferred to containers at his house. Tahir also said that Umar had also asked him to collect acid, and accordingly, he had stocked large quantities of acid, bricks, stones, petrol, diesel etc on the roof of his house.

It is pertinent to note here that OpIndia was the first to report the statement of Ex-Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain confessing his involvement in the Delhi riots, which was later confirmed by Delhi police too.

How NGOs and Media, like The Wire, came together to stall doubling of railway tracks in Goa and how they are wrong

OpIndia Staff
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How NGOs and Media, like The Wire, came together to stall doubling of railway tracks in Goa and how they are wrong

A controversy has been created by environmentalists and the media over Railway infrastructure projects in Goa. The infrastructure project is related to the double-lining of tracks between Hospet in Karnataka and Vasco da Gama in Goa. The project has already been sanctioned by the Union Ministry for Railways. Apart from NGOs, media outlets such as The Wire also claimed that the proposed infrastructure projects could fundamentally damage the environmental scene at Goa.

252 km of the 342 km between Hospet and Vasco has already been completed, 245 km of that was in Karnataka and 7 km in Goa. Of the remaining 90 km, 70 km lies in the state of Goa. It is the completion of this remaining portion that has now generated controversy. The need for the infrastructure projects was generated by the inability to introduce 24 coach length passenger trains due to the existing length of platforms and others concerns.

Improved railway connectivity is also expected to benefit the people of Goa as tourist footfall will increased. The introduction of new passenger trains will improve connectivity with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other parts of the country. Currently, a majority of stations in Goa lack suitable passenger amenities such as adequate length of platforms, platform shelters, water booths, foot over bridges, platform toilets, ramp for disabled passengers among other things.

Concerns that have been raised

Certain NGOs and village panchayats in recent times have raised certain objections seeking to stop the doubling of railway tracks in Goa. Village Panchayat, Sao Jose De Areal, Salcete, Goa has issued a notice to South Western Railway demanding an immediate stop to construction work near the Railway gate at Nessai and also at Railway station, Ralloi, Sao Jose De Areal in connection with the doubling of tracks.

The notice was issued under Section 64(j) of the Panchayat Act. Other Village Panchayats are also agitating for the stoppage of work relate to doubling of tracks. At Railway Gate, Nessai, around 200 people of Sao Jose De Areal gathered for stopping the work on 28th October, 2020. The concerns that have been raised can be broadly categorised as:

  1. Concerns of environment related to Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife sanctuary as well as in Mollem National Park
  2. Damages to heritage buildings
  3. Damage to the environment due to increased transportation of coal
  4. Stay granted by the High Court, Goa Bench against doubling in protected area
  5. Railway Board order dated 28.07.2020 for stopping the infrastructure work
  6. Railways has not sought approval from village panchayat for execution of doubling under section 64 (j) of the Goa Panchayat Act.

What does the Union Railway Ministry say?

Sources within the Railway Ministry with knowledge of the matter told us that the concerns that have been raised do not have a basis in fact and the local public is being misled by those with vested interests.

Concerns regarding wildlife sanctuary and national park

Sources told us that the existing single line track has been in existence for over a century. The construction of the track was started in 1882 and was completed in 1905. The railway track passes through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National park where the Railway is in possession of having only 0.869 square km of land as against 240 SqKm area of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wild Life Sanctuary. Thus, Railways occupies a negligible 0.36% of area of the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Furthermore, the Railway has already conducted an Environment Impact Assessment Survey through IISC, Bangalore, one of the most prestigious institutes in the country and it has been scrutinized by the Forest Department and Ministry of Environment as well. With a view towards permitting safe crossing for animals in the area, 5 new under passes and 3 new over passes are planned for construction along with doubling which are not currently available on the existing single line track.

Heritage Buildings

Sources clarified that not a single heritage building will be dismantled in the process of doubling of tracks.

Coal

Sources informed that as a matter of policy, the Government of India is cutting down its dependence on imported coal.

High Court, Goa Bench

A public interest litigation was filed before the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court by the Goa Foundation in July, 2020. The Railways have filed a counter reply in response to it, however, the matter has not yet come up for hearing. Sources told us that there is no stay on the infrastructure work from the High Court.

Railway Order

There is no such order from the Railway Board instructing the doubling of tracks to be stopped.

Approval from Village Panchayat

Sources told us that as per the provisions of the Railway Act, 1989, the Railway Administration does not require approval from any local body or village panchayat given the fact that the infrastructure work is being conducted on land that belongs to the Railways. “The Railway administration is authorized to execute any modifications to existing structures or tracks or any kind or new structure constructions or tracks or any kind as and when required and for execution of works within Railway land, the Railway Administration is not bound to obtain permission from any local body or village panchayat,” sources said.

Sources also told us that according to Section 65 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 and rules, jurisdiction of a Village Panchayat is restricted to village roads and building which are not under the control of another government organization or private. Since the Railway land is under the control of the Union Government, it is beyond the jurisdiction of a village Panchayat. Therefore, the section 65 of Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 is not applicable in the current scenario.

The path forward

Sources told us that there is no objection towards the completion of the remaining 20 km stretch in Karnataka and it will be completed in due course of time. We were also informed that abandoning a project sanctioned by the Ministry is now within the competency of the Zonal Railways. Moreover, the Railway administration insists that the local public is being misled by vested interests. Thus, it is extremely unlikely that the project will be abandoned henceforth.

Sameet Thakkar case: Bail rejected, sent to judicial custody

OpIndia Staff
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Sameet Thakkar case: Bail rejected, sent to judicial custody

On Monday, popular social media user Sameet Thakkar has been remanded to judicial custody. He has been re-arrested and sent to judicial custody by a local court in Girgaon. The development was confirmed on Twitter by his sister Sneha Singhvi.

Singhvi tweeted, “Hearing is over. Sameet Thakkar has been re-arrested for making the grave mistake of tweeting (against the Maharashtra CM and his son)…Earlier, he was kept in police custody and now sent to judicial custody.” Multiple FIRs have been registered against Thakkar in Nagpur and Mumbai for his remarks where he has allegedly referred to the Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray as “baby penguin”.

Activist Sunaina Holey had tweeted that Thakkar was re-arrested by BKC Police.

Earlier, the Mumbai Police rearrested Sameet Thakkar from the court premises after a Nagpur court granted him bail. “After being in police custody for 7 days, my brother(Sameet) was granted bail by the Nagpur Court today. However, just after he got bail, he was once again arrested. This time by Mumbai VP Road Police who are now taking him to Mumbai in Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express,” Smaaet’s brother Rishi had stated.

Sameet Thakkar tied with a rope, his face covered in black cloth

Earlier last week, an unsettling video of Sameet with his hands being tied with a rope and his face covered with a black cloth, led by police officials had surfaced on the internet. The video was from October 30, when Sameet was being taken to the court which extended his police custody till November 2. In the video, it could be seen that a man with a black cloth wrapped around his head was being led by a man with a rope. The video was captured from a distance and there are policemen clearly visible. Sneha Singhvi, the person who shared the video on Twitter, confirmed to us that the man with a black face cover was indeed Sameet Thakkar.

Sameet’s brother Rishi Thakkar had then reacted that it was gross “human rights’ violation by police as his brother’s hands were tied & face was covered with black cloth when he was brought to court. Rishi Thakkar also added that his brother was being treated like a hardened criminal. He further told ANI, “My brother is paying the price of calling Maharashtra CM a modern-day Aurangzeb & his son, a baby penguin – the terms coined by NCP leaders who are currently in govt with them”.

Punjab Railway blockade: Shekhar Gupta ignores Punjab govt’s inability to clear tracks, blames Modi for cancelling trains

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab Railway blockade: Shekhar Gupta ignores Punjab govt’s inability to clear tracks, blames Modi for cancelling trains

Even as Indian Railways are bearing huge losses due to the ongoing ‘Rail Roko’ agitation by the farmers in Punjab, journalist Shekhar Gupta has attempted to shield the inaction of the Punjab government in getting the tracks cleared and instead passed the buck of the continuing deadlock on the Modi government.

Taking to Twitter, Gupta critiqued the Modi government’s handling of Punjab protests by stopping all the rail traffic, alleging that the government’s decision to stop trains was to “subdue” the farmers. He added that instead of “arm-twisting”, Punjab farmers should be provided with incentives to switch their produce from paddy to corn and citrus.

“Modi Govt’s handling of Punjab protests by stopping all rail traffic is unwise. Can’t subdue Punjab farmers like this. It must work with Amarinder & restore confidence. Punjab farmer needs incentives to switch to corn & citrus from paddy. Arm-twisting will boomerang,” Gupta tweeted.

In essence, there are two points that Shekhar Gupta has made in his tweet. Firstly, he believes that the Modi government should continue to operate the railways in Punjab amidst the looming threat of vandalism and attacks, despite the fact that several cases of assault on locomotive pilots have been reported in the state.

It would be incredibly unwise of the central government to run the railways business as usual even as farmers in Punjab have occupied the tracks and protesting against the government. Railways run the risk of being vandalised, attacked and delayed if the government heeds to Mr Gupta’s suggestions and continue operating the trains, in disregard of the threat posed by the agitation. The protests can take an ugly turn if the trains are allowed to operate even as agitating farmers continue to squat on the tracks.

What is also evident from Mr Gupta’s tweet is that the entire task of allaying the concerns of farmers is Modi government’s responsibility. He has conveniently passed the buck from Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to the Modi government. While the central government does have a big say in the country’s agricultural policies, however, the state governments are also equally invested in ensuring the welfare of the farmers and therefore it is their responsibility as well to assuage the misgivings of the farmers in their state.

Besides, law and order are the state’s responsibility and if the Punjab government cannot stop the so-called ‘farmers’ from squatting on railway tracks and blocking the passage of trains, there is little that the railways can do here except to cancel the trains to prevent damages and vandalism.

Secondly, Gupta suggests that the government should offer incentives to Punjab farmers to shift from paddy farming. There is merit to the argument made by the Print founder here. Mr Gupta is not wrong when he advises the government to employ inducements to spur farmers away from growing paddy but such ideas cannot be the sole premise for restarting of railways through Punjab.

Initiatives such as offering incentives to the farmers to dissuade them from farming paddy can work on average days when the state is not roiled with agitations and protests. In the current scenario, the railways cannot afford to take the chance of operating in Punjab, where the farmers are occupying the tracks and risk being ransacked and attacked by the agitators. The reports of loco pilots getting assaulted in Punjab indicate how the situation can devolve if the railways are asked to resume their operations in Punjab.

Punjab Government’s inaction responsible for the current railway blockade

Furthermore, it is the responsibility of Captain Amarinder Singh’s government in Punjab to persuade the farmers into calling off their agitation and clear the railway tracks of squatting protestors. However, the fecklessness of the Punjab government, demonstrated in their lack of action to get the railway tracks cleared, suggests that the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress regime in the state views the festering of the issue as beneficial to its brand of politics.

Indian Railways has lost over Rs.500 crores in revenues due to the ‘Rail Roko’ agitation in Punjab. All Industries and Trade Forum president Badish Jindal said that the overall loss the state’s businesses have incurred is close to Rs.5000 crore as ‘farmers’ continue to block railway lines. From the steel industry to essential commodities, Punjab is facing a shortage of almost everything. Due to the inaction of the government of Punjab, power stations are unable to get coal for power generation leading to a severe shortage across the state.

High Court had rebuked the Punjab govt over failure to clear railway tracks

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed its displeasure on the failure of the Punjab government to clear the railway tracks. The High Court had said on 29th October that the Punjab government is unable to handle law and order. The High Court had even stated that in case the government fails to get the tracks cleared, it will issue an order and write that the Punjab government has failed to follow the constitution. However, even a rap on the knuckles by the courts haven’t had the desirable effect of Punjab government pushing to end the imbroglio.

It is also pertinent to note that the Congress government in Punjab not only stoked rebellion among the farmers in the state against the central government but also staged protests against the centre for the passage of the three agricultural bills that were passed in September this year.

‘Rail Roko’ agitation started after the passage of three Agricultural Bills

The Rail Roko agitations in Punjab started in September, after which Railways suspended its services in the state stating security reasons. The services were resumed for a short span but again suspended as the government of Punjab failed to get the tracks cleared. In September, the Central government announced three new bills for the agriculture industry. These bills are aimed to remove the middlemen from the sale and purchase of the produce. However, opposition parties tried to paint the bills as an attempt to remove Minimum Selling Price (MSP) and alleged that the Modi government brought these bills to facilitate large players in the agriculture business. Captain Amrinder had tabled a resolution to bypass the new regulations.

Maharashtra: Two ST workers commit suicide within 12 hours, blame Uddhav Thackeray govt for non-payment of dues, reduced salaries

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Two ST workers commit suicide within 12 hours, blame Uddhav Thackeray govt for non-payment of dues, reduced salaries

Two employees of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation(MSRTC or simply ST) have committed suicide within a span of just 12 hours. One of them, in his suicide letter, has blamed the ST corporation and Uddhav Thackeray government for non-payment of dues, reduction in salaries and irregularities as the reason for taking such a drastic decision of giving away his life.

Manoj Chaudhary, a Jalgaon ST bus conductor committed suicide by hanging himself this morning. In his suicide note, he has blamed the ST corporation and Thackeray government for the non-payment and reduction in salary since last several months.

Chaudhary’s bereaved brother claimed that the mounting financial pressure on his brother because of the reduction in his salary by the ST department has pushed him over the edge to commit suicide. “ST department and Thackeray government are responsible for the cutback on the salaries of the employees which triggered my brother to give up his life. From the last three months he was getting a reduced salary,” Manoj Chaudhary’s anguished brother told media.

Earlier yesterday, another ST employee, Pandarang Gadde, from Ratnagiri division had committed suicide. His body was found hanging from the ceiling by his roommate P.A. Tandle, who broke into the room at 4 PM after Gadde did not open the door. It is been alleged that non-payment of salaries from the last 4 months might be the reason behind Gadde committing suicide.

While the Maharashtra government is busy punishing the dissidents who have dared to raise their voices against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, the concerns of the government employees have fallen on deaf ears, forcing them to embrace suicide. The Uddhav Thackeray government has shown unusual alacrity in punishing Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami by incarcerating him and actor Kangana Ranaut, whose office was demolished by the BMC for her remarks on Mumbai.

However, the same urgency is not displayed in addressing the concerns of the government employees who are suffering from the insurmountable financial crisis because of the Uddhav Thackeray’s misplaced priorities. Earlier in August, an ST employee of the Maharashtra government had committed suicide for over non-payment of salary for over two months. Amol Mali, the ST worker, after being in depression for not receiving his salary for the period of the last two months, had decided to end his life.

Doctors and nurses from other states were deferred payment by Maharashtra government

It is also pertinent to note that not just ST employees and workers but the frontline forces of doctors and nurses battling the coronavirus pandemic were also not paid their dues by the Maharashtra government. In July this year, several doctors and nurses from Kerala, who had come to Mumbai at the Maharashtra state government’s bidding to fight the coronavirus spread in the city, had gone back to their state as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed in paying them their salaries.

Maharashtra government sanctions the purchase of luxury vehicles for its ministers

Even as the Maharashtra government struggled to pay the dues of the government employees and medical practitioners, it did not shy away from authorising the purchase of vehicles for its ministers. The approval from the Uddhav Thackeray government came at a time when the Maharashtra Treasury was in a bad shape in the wake of coronavirus induced lockdown in the state. However, disregarding the acute financial crisis suffered by thousands of government employees, whose salaries were either deferred or reduced, Uddhav Thackeray government sanctioned the purchase of 6 new luxury vehicles for their ministers.

Uddhav Thackeray government floats e-tender worth Rs 5 crore on the PR campaign

It is also notable to mention that amidst the coronavirus pandemic that had severely had the state in its grip, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had floated an e-tender, inviting private advertising agencies to apply for managing the PR of the Chief Minister and the Government of Maharashtra. Notwithstanding the dismal cash position of the government’s treasury, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was all set to shell out a sum of over Rs 5 crores to promote his Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

According to a government resolution issued by CMO and the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations, the agencies will use audio-visual content, develop creatives and come up with campaigns to promote the government’s image and policies. A major thrust will be on social media.

This entire PR exercise would cost the exchequer a hefty sum of Rs 5,43,60, 240, that is a little short of Rs 5 crore 50 lakhs.

Bombay HC refuses to grant interim relief to Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC refuses to grant interim relief to Arnab Goswami

The Bombay High Court has refused to grant interim relief from arrest to Arnab Goswami. As reported by Live Law, the Bombay HC, rejecting the plea for interim relief, has stated that alternative remedies are available.

As per reports, the HC bench hearing the plea stated that says no case has made out for exercising extraordinary jurisdiction by the High Court. The bench also stated that it had made clear that alternate remedy is available to the petitioner and the case will not bar the petitioner from availing those remedies. The bench also advised the petitioners to approach the sessions court where the concerned court will decide it within the specified time limit. Saying that their observations are prima facie in the nature only for the purpose of deciding the interim application and will not apply to the application made by Goswami seeking regular bail.

The interim bail applications of other co-accused Nitish Sharda and Parveen Rajesh Singh have also been dismissed, citing the same reasons.

Kapil Sibal’s son admits in court that the high TRP of Republic TV is accurate, while Maha govt alleges ‘scam’

OpIndia Staff
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Kapil Sibal’s son admits in court that the high TRP of Republic TV is accurate, while Maha govt alleges ‘scam’

Advocate Akhil Sibal, son of senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, appearing on behalf of leading Bollywood production houses has admitted that Republic TV has a massive audience and TRP. He admitted that the two channels, Republic TV and Times Now together represent 70% of the English visual media. This is when the alliance government his father’s party is a member of has accused Republic of manipulating TRP and generating fake stats to claim high viewership.

The Delhi High Court was hearing a plea by leading Bollywood production houses on the alleged derogatory reporting by Republic TV and Times Now. The matter was taken up by the single judge bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher.

Sibal, duding his argument, emphasised that media needs to practice self restraint and should not slander Bollywood with derogatory references.

The Case against Republic TV and Times Now

Bollywood’s leading associations and production houses in October had filed a suit at the Delhi High Court against Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now, Navika Kumar and Rahul Shivshankar. The suit asks them to refrain from making ‘irresponsible, defamatory and derogatory remarks’ against Bollywood in wake of mysterious death of Sushant Singh Rajput and subsequent drug scandal that has emerged.

The suit also asks them to take down all “defamatory” content published by them against the film industry. The Bollywood bigwigs are upset at the alleged use of words like “dirt”, “filth”, “scum”, “druggies” & expressions such as “all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood” to describe the film industry.

The TRP Scam

The initial FIR that was filed over the matter named India Today and others but not Republic TV and yet, it is Arnab Goswami and his channel that has been targeted over the matter for alleged TRP manipulation by the Mumbai Police. Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh had named Republic TV in the alleged scam, claiming that the channel had been indulging in illegal practices to manipulate the TRP meters and claim high viewership. Later, Hansa Research had asserted that its employees are being harassed for not offering a false statement against Republic TV.

The statements by the complainants had also accused that they were paid to watch India Today at their homes. The Mumbai Police’ targeted attack on Republic TV, while ignoring India Today had caused a massive embarrassment for the police and Maharashtra government.

The company, which operates the Bar-O-Meters of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), has moved the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the probe into the case from Mumbai Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reports Bar and Bench.

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