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Days after 2 ST employees committed suicide, Medicine vendors to go on hunger strike against Uddhav Thackeray govt over pending dues: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Days after 2 ST employees committed suicide, Medicine vendors to go on hunger strike against Uddhav Thackeray govt over pending dues: Details

The All Food and Drugs Licence Holders Foundation (AFDLHF), which supplies medicines to civic hospitals and medical colleges in Maharashtra, has called a hunger strike against the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government on Thursday over non-payment of dues worth Rs 206 crores.

According to the reports, the critical medicine suppliers have decided to stage a protest against Maharashtra government alleging that despite regularly supplying medicines to civic hospitals and medical colleges, the procurement cell of Haffkine Institute, Mumbai has not released dues over the past seven months.

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the AFDLHF has stated that they did not have money to pay staffers their salaries during the festival season.

“Due to the non-receipt of the payments, our members’ financial condition got disturbed. We don’t have the funds to pay salaries to staff/workers. We don’t even have money to buy raw materials,” letter written by AFDLHF to Chief Minister’s office reads.

The Maharashtra government rules allow only Haffkine Institute to procure medicines all across Maharashtra. The institute selects a vendor, who supply medicines to civic and government-run hospitals, medical colleges, dispensaries among others. The vendors have now claimed they have not received their pending money since May despite submitting bills to the institute.

No money to pay school fees or celebrate Diwali, says vendors

According to AFDLHF, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has to pay a total pending amount of Rs 93 crore, while Maharashtra’s Directorate of Health Service (DHS) has to pay the remaining Rs 113 crore.

Abhay Pandey, president of AFDLHF, said DHS has released our money but the institute has no dispersed it to vendors. “We get blacklisted if we delay the supply of medicines to hospitals, but what about our sufferings? We have sent several letters to the authority but no one has paid any heed,” Pandey asked.

“People are lighting up their houses for Diwali, but we don’t even have the money to pay school fees of my children,” said another vendor.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Medical Education and Drugs Department, Saurabh Vijay, said that he was not aware of the situation right now but will look into it.

These protests against Maharashtra government over the non-payment of their rightful dues are not new. The Maharashtra government’s reluctance to pay dues and salaries to their employees has now taken many lives in the state.

Maha govt employees ending lives over non-payment of bills

Just a few days back, two employees of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation had committed suicide over the issue of non-payment of dues, reduction in salaries and irregularities. Manoj Chaudhary, a Jalgaon ST bus conductor had ended his life by hanging himself. In his suicide note, he had blamed the ST corporation and Thackeray government for the non-payment and reduction in salary for the last several months.

Similarly, another ST employee, Pandarang Gadde had committed suicide over the issue non-payment of salaries from the last four months by the Maharashtra government. 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.

Even as the Maharashtra government is busy in carrying out a witch-hunt against its critics who have dared to raise their voices against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, the concerns of the common man, especially the government employees have fallen on deaf ears, forcing them to take drastic steps.

The Shiv Sena-led government’s reluctance to pay salaries to its employees comes at the backdrop of recent reports that BMC had paid Rs.82.5 lakh in legal charges to a senior lawyer for representing the municipal body in Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow demolition.

Shockingly, the Uddhav Thackeray government has shown unusual alacrity in spending state exchequer to push his vendetta against his dissidents, however, it has failed to address the concerns of the government employees who are now facing a crisis because of the Uddhav Thackeray’s misplaced priorities.

Maharashtra government sanctions the purchase of luxury vehicles for its ministers, spends money on PR

Just recently, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government had not shied 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.

The Maharashtra government, disregarding the acute financial crisis suffered by thousands of government employees, had sanctioned the purchase of 6 new luxury vehicles for their ministers.

It is also important 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. 

Union Government approves Rs 1.46 lakh crore PLI scheme for 10 key sectors with the aim of transforming India into a manufacturing hub

OpIndia Staff
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Union Government approves Rs 1.46 lakh crore PLI scheme for 10 key sectors with the aim of transforming India into a manufacturing hub

In a big boost to Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, the Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Narendra Modi today gave its approval to introduce the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme in 10 key sectors for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and enhancing exports.

“The policy that we are taking in the PLI, through which we want the manufacturers to come into India, is clearly to say we want to build our strength but yet link with the global value chains. India should become a manufacturing hub is always been the call by our honourable prime minister,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while addressing a press briefing after the Cabinet decision.

Here are the 10 key sectors along with the details of the financial outlay earmarked by the Union Cabinet:-

PrioritySectorsImplementing Ministry/DepartmentApproved financial outlay over a five-year period in Rs crore
1 Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC) BatteryNITI Aayog and Department of Heavy Industries18100
 2Electronic/Technology ProductsMinistry of Electronics and Information Technology5000
 3Automobiles
& Auto Components		Department of Heavy Industries57042
 4Pharmaceuticals drugsDepartment of Pharmaceuticals15000
 5Telecom & Networking ProductsDepartment of Telecom12195
6Textile Products: MMF segment and technical textilesMinistry of Textiles10683
 7Food ProductsMinistry of Food Processing Industries10900
 8High Efficiency Solar PV ModulesMinistry of New and Renewable Energy4500
 9White Goods (ACs & LED)Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade6238
 10Speciality SteelMinistry of Steel6322
PLI scheme introduced in the above listed sectors

The total outlay has been pegged at Rs 1,45,980 crore. The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while making the announcement added that the scheme would entail an expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore.

The PLI scheme will be implemented by the concerned ministries/departments and will be within the overall financial limits prescribed. The final proposals of PLI for individual sectors will be appraised by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) and approved by the Cabinet. Savings, if any, from one PLI scheme of an approved sector can be utilized to fund that of another approved sector by the Empowered Group of Secretaries. Any new sector for PLI will require fresh approval of the Cabinet.

As per the press release issued by the Press Information Bureau, the PLI scheme across these 10 key sectors will strengthen the competitiveness of the Indian manufacturers globally, attract investment in the areas of core competency and cutting-edge technology; ensure efficiencies; create economies of scale; enhance exports and firmly embed India in the global supply chain.

ACC battery manufacturing represents one of the largest economic opportunities of the twenty-first century for several global growth sectors, such as consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. The PLI scheme for ACC battery will incentivize large domestic and international players in establishing a competitive ACC battery set-up in the country.

With regards to Electronics and Technology products, the Government’s push for data localization, Internet of Things market in India, projects such as Smart City and Digital India are expected to increase the demand for electronic products.

The automotive industry is one of the most significant contributors to the Indian economy. The PLI scheme in this sector will turn the Indian automotive Industry more competitive and will strengthen the globalization of the Indian automotive sector.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the third-largest in the world by volume and 14th largest in terms of value. It contributes 3.5% of the total drugs and medicines exported globally. India possesses the complete ecosystem for development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and a robust ecosystem of allied industries. The Union Cabinet decision of extending the PLI scheme in this sector will provide incentives to the global and domestic players to engage in high-value production.

Another crucial sector that also forms a strategic element of developing a secured telecom infrastructure is Telecom equipment. India aims to become a major original equipment manufacturer of telecom and networking products. This aspiration is expected to be fulfilled by the inclusion of the sector in the PLI scheme which would attract large investments from global players and help domestic companies seize the emerging opportunities and become big players in the export market.

The Indian textile industry is one of the largest in the world and has a share of ~5% of global exports in textiles and apparel. However, India’s share in the manmade fibre (MMF) segment is low in comparison to the global consumption pattern, which is majorly in this segment. The PLI scheme will attract large investment in the sector to further boost domestic manufacturing, especially in the MMF segment and technical textiles.

The development of Food Industry would directly affect the welfare of the Indian Farmers and reduce high levels of wastage. Products which hold high growth potential and capabilities to generate medium- to large-scale employment have been identified for providing support through PLI scheme.

Another important sector that would boost India’s commitment to lowering carbon emission is solar PV panels. The large imports of solar PV panels have posed huge risks in supply-chain resilience and bear strategic security challenges considering the electronic (hackable) nature of the value chain. The PLI scheme for solar PV modules will incentivize domestic and global players to build large-scale solar PV capacity in India and catapult India in capturing the global value chains for solar PV manufacturing.

White goods (air conditioners and LEDs) have very high potential of domestic value addition and making these products globally competitive. A PLI scheme for the sector will lead to more domestic manufacturing, generation of jobs and increased exports.

One of the most strategically important industries in India is Steel. India is the world’s second-largest steel producer in the world. It is a net exporter of finished steel and holds the promise of becoming leading exporter in certain grades of steel. A PLI scheme in Specialty Steel will help in enhancing manufacturing capabilities for value-added steel leading to an increase in total exports.

The Prime Minister’s clarion call for an ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat‘ envisages policies for the promotion of an efficient, equitable and resilient manufacturing sector in the country. Growth in production and exports of industrial goods will greatly expose the Indian industry to foreign competition and ideas, which will help in improving its capabilities to innovate further. Promotion of the manufacturing sector and the creation of a conducive manufacturing ecosystem will not only enable integration with global supply chains but also establish backward linkages with the MSME sector in the country. It will lead to overall growth in the economy and create huge employment opportunities.

Earlier, a PLI scheme for mobile phone manufacturing was announced, where proposals by 16 phone makers were approved by the Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology. The scheme will lead to a total production of more than Rs 10.5 lakh crores over the next five years.

‘Don’t waste your time on a lowly worm’, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani advises lawyer who filed cybercrime case against Kunal Kamra

OpIndia Staff
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‘Don’t waste your time on a lowly worm’, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani advises lawyer who filed cybercrime case against Kunal Kamra

The Supreme Court’s order granting interim bail to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has triggered major liberal meltdown. Propagandist masquerading as ‘standup comedian’, Kunal Kamra seemed to have a nervous breakdown and could not control himself from blabbering about the Supreme Court and the Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee who passed the order.

Kamra used highly derogatory and condemnable language against the Supreme Court and the judges for granting relief to Arnab Goswami.

Screenshot of Kunal Kamra’s tweet
Screenshot of Kunal Kamra’s tweets

After Kamra posted several tweets which were contempt of the apex court of the country, Advocate Chandani Shah said on Twitter that she has filed a contempt plea against Kamra for his vile remarks. Shah posted the screenshot of the email that she wrote to the Bar Council of India requesting it to take cognisance of Kamra’s contemptuous remarks against the Supreme Court and the judges. She also filed a cyber complaint against him.

Shah later posted another tweet confirming that her complaint against Kamra had been handed over to the Secretary General of Supreme Court of India.

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Read- ‘Mentally unstable’ Kunal Kamra abuses and heckles Arnab Goswami on a flight to Lucknow: Here is what actually happened

Mahesh Jethmalani calls Kamra a “lowly worm”

Commenting on Shah’s tweet, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani advised her not to waste her time on Kamra. Calling Kamra a “lowly worm”, Jethmalani suggested Shah not to turn the “lowly worm” into a “glow worm” by giving him attention.

He said that Kamra deserved darkness and he should not be given the attention that he seeks so desperately. “Don’t waste your time. You’ll turn a lowly worm into a glow worm. He wants the glare: give him the darkness he deserves”, said Jethmalani.

Kunal Kamra, who often posts tweets seeking attention, seems to have become used to such insults on social media. In March this year, he was shown his place by author Chetan Bhagat. Kamra had shared a screenshot of a Twitter conversation of Bhagat in which he had asked: “Scale of 1-10, how bored are you right now?” A Twitter user had replied: “11 but still won’t read your book.” Sharing a picture of this conversation, Kamra tagged Chetan Bhagat and said that even he didn’t get insulted so frequently and badly. Bhagat gave a befitting reply to Kamra saying, “You have to be someone to get insulted bro.”

Muslim man voted for Tejashwi, his wife voted for Modi: Viral video shows how women voted in record number to ensure NDA victory in Bihar

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim man voted for Tejashwi, his wife voted for Modi: Viral video shows how women voted in record number to ensure NDA victory in Bihar

A video of a Muslim couple talking about their choice of candidate in the recently concluded Bihar Assembly election is being widely shared in social media. In the video, a TV9 journalist is asking a Muslim couple as to which party they thought would win the state Assembly elections. To this the husband replied with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s name but, interestingly, the wife meekly responded with PM Modi’s name.

In the video, shared by a Twitter user who goes by the Twitter Id @atulahuja_, the TV9 journalist can be seen asking the man named Mohammad Taufeeq in Patna, “Whom will you make the King of Bihar?”. The man replied,”Tejashwi Yadav”. The journalist then put the same question to his wife who replied “Modi ji”. The journalist said how come there were different opinions in one family. The woman shyly said, “How does that matter?” When asked why she wanted Modi to win she said that he was nice and had done good work for people.

Apparently embarrassed by her wife’s reply, the husband said that she was joking because she was feeling nervous in front of the camera. However, the wife immediately corrected him and said that she was not joking. “Don’t lie. I am not joking”.

PM Modi credited women voters for Bihar victory

NDA’s victory in the Bihar Assembly elections is being attributed to the women voters in particular. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the credit of Bihar victory to women voters and said that women had voted this time in record numbers which showed how massive their contribution was in making an independent Bihar.

“Daughters and sisters have shows how massive their contribution is in making an independent Bihar by voting in record numbers. We are satisfied that NDA got an opportunity to give a new confidence to women power in past years. This confidence will help us in taking Bihar forward”, PM Modi tweeted yesterday.

Netizens indulge in meme-fest mocking Shiv Sena and Congress after SC grants bail to Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Netizens indulge in meme-fest mocking Shiv Sena and Congress after SC grants bail to Arnab Goswami

The Supreme Court of India today granted bail to Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police at the behest of the Maharashtra government last week.

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra hearing the petition said that Bombay High Court made an error in rejecting the application for grant of interim bail on technical grounds. The apex court also directed the Raigad police to ensure the compliance of the order of release of Arnab Goswami forthwith.

As the top court ordered Arnab Goswami’s bail, social media websites were flooded with memes that mocked the Shiv Sena party, Maha Vikas Aghadi, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi after Arnab secured interim relief in what is widely believed as a state-sponsored witch-hunt against the Republic TV.

One of the Twitter users shared Sanjay Raut’s picture saying “Next time SC judges will be from Shiv Sena”.

Another Twitter user shared a meme of Arnab Goswami chasing ‘stand-up comedian’ Kunal Kamra and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Many others took a dig at the Maharashtra government which has shown little tolerance and showed eager alacrity to prosecute those who have dared to mock them on social media websites. One Twitter user said he wouldn’t create memes on Maharashtra government as he has no wish to spend his Diwali in jail.

The jibe was in response to the arrest of one Sameet Thakkar, who continues to remain under arrest for simply referring to Maharashtra environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray as “baby penguin”.

Others too joined in to poke fun at the Maharashtra government leaders after the top court granted bail to Arnab Goswami.

Arnab Goswami arrested in a closed case by Alibaug Police

The Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was arrested last Wednesday in connection with abetment to a suicide case of one Anvay Naik that was already closed. The Mumbai Police officers barged into the residence of Mr Goswami, manhandling him and his family members before arresting him.

Since then Arnab Goswami had been seeking ad-interim relief but was consistently denied bail by the Bombay High Court. He then approached the Supreme Court, which not only issued an immediate bail order for the journalist but also rapped the High Court for denying him bail.

Arnab Goswami at loggerheads with the Maharashtra government

Goswami had been in the bad books of the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police ever since he raised uncomfortable questions of the Sonia Gandhi over her silence on the horrifying lynching of the Hindu Sadhus in Palghar and referred to her with her maiden name “Antonio Maino”. Goswami had also been sharply critical of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and Mumbai Police in the Palghar lynching case, following which a concerted attempt was undertaken to attack Republic TV.

Multiple FIRs were lodged against Arnab Goswami and Republic TV for their coverage on Palghar Hindu Sadhus lynching and Bandra migrant crisis. He was also interrogated for more than 11 hours by Mumbai Police. Subsequently, a Republic TV reporter and a cameraman were arrested by the police for pursuing an investigative story in Navi Mumbai. Journalist Pradeep Bhandari of Republic TV was encircled by Mumbai Police officials and illegally detained.

The witch-hunt against Republic TV reached a crescendo when Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh convened a press conference accusing the channel of indulging in manipulating TRPs. It was later found that India Today was mentioned in the complaint and not Republic TV. Accounts of witnesses being coerced into naming Republic TV as accused has also come to fore. The culmination of the witch-hunt, however, was the arrest of Arnab Goswami last Wednesday.

“Game of murders cannot go on in a democracy”: PM Modi raises the heat on TMC as a spate of BJP and Hindu activists killed in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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“Game of murders cannot go on in a democracy”: PM Modi raises the heat on TMC as a spate of BJP and Hindu activists killed in West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the celebrations over win in Bihar assembly elections organised at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Towards the end of his speech, he made significant comments on the ongoing attack on BJP workers and leaders in West Bengal.

He said that those who are unable to compete with BJP in democratic ways, those who are finding it difficult to challenge BJP democratically, such people have adopted the tactic of killing BJP workers. “In some parts of the country, they think that by killing the BJP workers they will succeed in their plans. I try to explain them with request, I do not need to threaten them, that will be done by the people”, the PM said, inviting cheers and applauds from the crowd present.

“Elections come and go, wins and losses keep happening, sometimes this party rules sometimes that party rules, but this game of murders can not go on in a democracy”, Narendra Modi said. Nobody can win votes by the game of murders, read these writings on the wall, the PM added, without naming any state or party.

Modi said that his party is devoted to democracy, and the party is committed fulfil the trust that the public has put upon the party.

Although Narendra Modi made the comments of murders of BJP workers without mentioning any details, it was clear that he was referring to West Bengal, where hundreds of BJP workers have been killed in the state, and BJP alleges that those murders have been done by TMC workers.

Modi’s comment came just a week after home minister Amit Shah had referred to the political murders in West Bengal during his visit to the state. During a rally in the state, Amit Shah had stated that violence and political killings had become the hallmark of the Mamata regime.

Saying that West Bengal tops the chart in political killings, Shah had asked CM Mamata Banerjee to release a white paper on political killings in the state. He also said that the state government has not sent the statistics of crime to the National Crime Record Bureau.

There have been several incident of murders of BJP leaders in the state. Last month, lawyer and BJP councillor from Titagarh Manish Shukla was shot dead by unknown assailants near Titagarh police station in Brackpore area. A week after that, one BJP worker hailing from Ranaghat in TMC ruled West Bengal’s Nadia district was brutally shot dead.

Other than shootings, bodies of BJP workers found hanging from trees in rural areas also happen regularly. BJP leaders have alleged that TMC goons are behind all these murders.

A large number of people gather outside Taloja Jail to welcome Arnab Goswami, light diyas on the street

OpIndia Staff
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A large number of people gather outside Taloja Jail to welcome Arnab Goswami, light diyas on the street

Minutes after the Supreme Court of India ordered the immediate release of Arnab Goswami, the Managing Director and editor-in-chief of Republic Media Network, his supporters and fans came out on the streets across the country to celebrate his release. A large crowd also gathered outside the Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai, to greet the Editor of India’s largest TV news network when he comes out of the jail after formalities are completed.

Visuals shared on social media showed people lighting diyas outside the entrance gate of the jail, and a large number of people can be seen cheering the release.

The people gathered outside the gate could be heard chanting slogans of win of truth and defeat of falsehood.

Arnab Goswami’s supporters had started gathering outside the jail gate in the early evening, moments after the Supreme Court judgement came. The crowd continued to grow, and waited for several hours.

To control the crowd at the location, police had to deploy extra forces, so that the traffic movement on the road is not disrupted.

Till the time of writing this report, Arnab Goswami has not been released from Taloja Jail.

“MGB would have lost regardless of AIMIM candidates”: Asaduddin Owaisi punctures Congress’ “vote katua” allegations

OpIndia Staff
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“MGB would have lost regardless of AIMIM candidates”: Asaduddin Owaisi punctures Congress’ “vote katua” allegations

The Bihar assembly elections saw a close contest between the NDA alliance and the Mahagathbandhan alliance, with the former managing to win the elections with 125 seats, crossing the halfway mark required to form a government in the state. The victory of NDA in Bihar meant that the Congress party would continue its dismal electoral performance, losing yet another assembly poll. Soon after the trends indicated that MGB would fall short of the numbers required to form a government in Bihar, Congress attempted to fend off the inadequacies of the Congress party by pinning the blame of their defeat on AIMIM. 

Congress alleged that that Asaduddin Owaisi’s party, which won 5 of the 20 seats it fought in the Bihar elections, acted as a “vote katua” party which resulted in Congress’ defeat.

However, these allegations were staunchly opposed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who took to Twitter to demolish the claims made by the Congress party. He had alleged that Congress is blaming its failures on AIMIM’s success. 

Owaisi shared the statistics of the 20 seats on which his party’s candidates fought elections. Out of 20 seats that AIMIM fought on, they won 5 while MGB bagged 9 seats and the NDA emerged victorious in the remaining 6 seats.

Sharing the details of the victory margins of the NDA candidates on the 6 seats that they won, Owaisi alleged that the margin was higher than the total votes secured by AIMIM candidates on those seats. Meaning, NDA would have won even if all those votes received by AIMIM had gone to MGB. As the votes received by AIMIM in those seats is less then the margin of victory of NDA candidates, the MGB candidates would have still ended up losing the seats. 

On Sahebgunj seat, NDA alliance partner VIP’s Raju Kumar Singh won the elections with the victory margin of over 15,000 votes. The AIMIM candidate in this constituency managed to get only 4000 odd votes. 

Similarly, BJP candidates from Chhatapur won with the vote margin of over 20,000 votes. Here, too, AIMIM candidate Alam could manage to secure only 1,990 votes. 

In Narpatganj, Jai Prakash Yadav from BJP won by over 28,500 votes while the AIMIM candidate got 5,495 votes. 

Similar was the story for Pranpur, Raniganj and Barari constituencies, where the NDA candidates secured a significantly higher number of votes as compared to their AIMIM counterparts, indicating that the votes collected by Owaisi’s party would have made little difference on the final outcome if they had not contested the elections and all of their votes had gone to MGB candidates.

It is notable that AIMIM had fielded Hindu candidates in several seats, like Phulwari, Sahabpur Kamal, Manihari, Raniganj and Barari. Therefore, even if AIMIM had not contested in those seats, it can’t be said that all of those votes would have gone to MGB candidates, and and some AIMIM votes could have gone to NDA candidates also.

Owaisi says Congress leadership is politically impotent to take on the Modi government

Earlier yesterday, Owaisi and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera were involved in a heated argument over mutual allegations of radicalisation. Khera had gone on to allege that AIMIM’s “counter-radicalisation “ helped NDA secure majority in the state. 

These allegations were fiercely opposed by the AIMIM chief, who contended that Congress’ time is over and yet the party refuses to see the winning on the wall. He accused them of hiding their own shortcomings which led to their defeat.

Owaisi tore into the Congress party, claiming that the party leadership was “politically impotent” to take on the Modi government. He also also accused Congress of being a party that promoted radicalisation of youth, with its former PM Rajiv Gandhi opening the locks of Babri structure and more recently, by allying with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

Delhi Government bans Chhath Puja in public places including riverbanks and temples

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Government bans Chhath Puja in public places including riverbanks and temples

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority has issued orders banning Chhath Puja in public places. Chief Secretary and Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) executive committee chairman Vijay Dev has ordered all DMs and DDCs of Police and all authorities concerned to ensure that the Chhath Puja rituals in November do not occur at public places, riverbanks, temples, etc.

The order has been passed to maintain social distancing regulations amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In the last few weeks, the number of cases in Delhi has increased exponentially. The government has also banned firecrackers in Delhi during Diwali stating that the increase in pollution may spike the number of Covid-19 cases. The government has said those who want to celebrate the Chhath festival can do it in their private spaces. However, they have to maintain the social distancing norms while performing rituals even on the rooftops.

Hold meetings with religious and community leaders

The Delhi government has asked DMs and DCPs to meet religious and community leaders and Chhath Puja Samitis before the festival and ask them for cooperation to maintain law and order.

Chhath’s importance in Delhi

Chhath Puja is celebrated in Delhi on a large scale by the natives of eastern UP and Bihar. This year the festival will be celebrated on 20th and 21st November. The devotees worship the Sun God at a nearby water body such as a river, pond, or tank. Last year, over 1100 ghats were marked for the festivities.

Pro-Beijing administration in Hong Kong disqualifies four pro-democracy legislators, other lawmakers threaten to resign

OpIndia Staff
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Pro-Beijing administration in Hong Kong disqualifies four pro-democracy legislators, other lawmakers threaten to resign

The Communist Party of China has continued to trample pro-democratic voices in Hong Kong after they forced their proxy administration in Hong Kong to disqualify four lawmakers on Wednesday citing a threat to national security.

According to the reports, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee after holding a series of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday passed a resolution to disqualify those who support the city’s independence or refuse to acknowledge China’s sovereignty over the city.

The Standing Committee has removed the four lawmakers accusing them of committing acts that threaten national security and asking external forces to interfere in the city’s affairs.

Following the arbitrary disqualification of four pro-democracy lawmakers, several lawmakers have also warned against the disqualification saying that they would resign if the Hong Kong government does not reconsider their decision. The four lawmakers disqualified lawmakers are Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung.

“In terms of legality and constitutionality, obviously from our point of view this is clearly in breach of basic law and our rights to participate in public affairs, and a failure to observe due process,” said Kwok.

Reportedly, the new resolution was brought by Beijing through China-backed Hong Kong Chief executive Carrie Lam, who wanted the four lawmakers to be gone immediately as the term of the current legislation was extended for one year until 2021. The latest resolution comes nearly four months after the draconian National Security Law was passed by Beijing, which allowed them to prosecute anybody demanding separation from China.  

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