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After Rahul Gandhi claimed Facebook India was controlled by RSS, Kapil Sibal appears in Court for the social media giant

OpIndia Staff
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After Rahul Gandhi claimed Facebook India was controlled by RSS, Kapil Sibal appears in Court for the social media giant

The Congress party has often accused social media giants of colluding with the BJP and being biased towards the central government. Based on a news report by the Wall Street Journal, even Rahul Gandhi himself had targeted Facebook over the matter. But now, it appears, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal is appearing for Facebook in the Delhi High Court.

The plea was filed by Bollywood production houses at the Delhi High Court against Republic TV and Times Now over their alleged derogatory reporting. Facebook was made a party to the suit as well and the social media giant appears to have hired Kapil Sibal to represent them at the Court. Appearing for Facebook, Kapil Sibal argued that the tech giant had no role in the suit.

Subsequently, Facebook India sought deletion from the suit as a necessary party. It ought to be mentioned that when the Aankhi Das controversy broke out, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that Facebook and WhatsApp was controlled in India by the RSS and BJP. It is not clear why a senior Congress leader would offer their services for an entity that is controlled by the BJP and RSS.

It is not entirely clear either why an entity controlled by BJP and RSS would seek the services of a senior Congress leader either. Apart from Rahul Gandhi, Ankhi Das had come under severe criticism from others as well due to her alleged inaction over alleged hate-speech by accounts linked to the BJP. She had later filed a case at the Delhi Police’s Cyber Cell unit over violent threats that she received. Only days before Facebook hired Kapil Sibal’s services as a lawyer, Ankhi Das had resigned from Facebook to pursue her interests in public service.

Uttar Pradesh: Congress leader’s son Sunil Gurjar arrested in animal husbandry scam, had also figured in Bhanwari Devi case

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Congress leader’s son Sunil Gurjar arrested in animal husbandry scam, had also figured in Bhanwari Devi case

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force has arrested Sunil alias Monty Gurjar in Animal Husbandry and Salt scam. He is the adopted son of former Lt. Governor of Puducherry and veteran Congress leader of Rajasthan, Govind Singh Gurjar. Sunil used his son’s nickname Monty to initiate dealings in the scam.

As per reports, the UP STF arrested Sunil from Jaipur airport minutes before he could board a flight to Dubai. He is accused of duping an Indore businessman of Rs 9.72 crore on the pretext of awarding him a tender of the UP animal husbandry department. He was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. He is reportedly a close aide of the scam mastermind Ashish Rai who is currently lodged in Lucknow jail.

Sunil also duped his sister-in-law of 21 lakh rupees and two Gujarat based businessmen Neelambhai Patel and his brother Sandeepbhai Patel of several crores.

In September, STF arrested Santosh Mishra in connection of the said case. Mishra was former state head of a TV channel. Till now, police have made over ten arrests in the case.

Ramnarayan Gurjar, Sunil’s biological father, was Congress MLA from 2014 to 2019 for the Nasirabad seat in Ajmer district. He also contested in the 2018 assembly elections on Congress seat but lost. Sunil wanted to contest assembly elections in 2014 and 2018, but Congress decided to give the ticket to Ramnarayan Gurjar. He and his father are from Sachin Pilot’s group.

The STF also seized Gurjar’s passport and Aadhaar card. Rs 18,500 in cash, three mobile phones and a trolley bag were also seized.

Sunil’s name has been involved in many fraud cases for a long time. It has been alleged that he made crores of illicit money by selling Nagmani, magic class, and antique items. However, due to his influential position, no one dared to register a case against him.

Gurjar’s connection in Bhanwari Devi Scandal

Sunil Gurjar’s name was echoed in the Bhanwari Devi scandal. 36-year-old Bhanwari Devi, who worked as a nurse, got in touch with some Congress leaders in connection with her transfers and postings in government hospitals. In 2011, she was abducted and subsequently killed.

According to the CBI charge sheets, Bhanwari Devi made a sex tape of her with Congress leader and former minister in Rajasthan govt Mahipal Maderna with the help of Congress leader Malkhan Singh Bishnoi’s sister, Indra. She (Indra) had a political plan – she wanted to defame Maderna with the sleaze tape and see him removed from the ministry. She thought Maderna’s removal will create space for her brother, Bishnoi, in the cabinet.

CBI said Maderna’s motive for killing Bhanwari Devi was this tape. For Bishnoi, the motive behind Bhanwari Devi’s killing was the nurse’s threat to announce during a community gathering on September 7, 2011, that Malkhan Singh was her daughter’s father.

Former minister Mahipal Maderna who is currently lodged in jail, told the media before his arrest that Sunil Gurjar showed him the sex CD in the first place. It was believed that Gurjar was behind the idea of making sex CDs of Bhanwari Devi, and he also made the arrangements to get it done. He rented a house in Ajmer for creating CDs, and Bhanwari Devi stayed there several times. 

CBI ran an extensive search of Gurjar in the Bhanwari Devi case, but he managed to avoid arrest for several months. Later, after prominent names echoed in the case, CBI postponed his arrest. It is believed that Sunil used contacts of his father, Govind Singh Gurjar, to avoid arrest.

Millions of diyas to light up Ayodhya as Ram Jamnabhoomi to have Deepotsava after five centuries

OpIndia Staff
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Millions of diyas to light up Ayodhya as Ram Jamnabhoomi to have Deepotsava after five centuries

Around 5,000 years ago, Bhagwan Ram returned home on Kartik Maas Amavasya from 14-year long vanvas (exile), and the people of Ayodhya lit diyas to welcome him. For millions of Hindus, Diwali not only connects them to the roots of Sanatan Dharma but also gives them a chance to connect with family members. While Hindu across the world will be lighting diyas, lights, and firecrackers, people of Ayodhya will experience never-like-before Diwali celebrations with over 5.51 lakh diyas in the city.

As per reports, state rural development department has brought together various self-help groups, many of which have women members, to create employment opportunities by manufacturing diyas. State govt plans to light up as many as 5.51 lakh diyas in Ayodhya during the Deepotsav planned from 11 to 13 November.

Ram Janmabhoomi to see celebrations after 500 years

Around 500 years back, the Bhavya Ram Mandir was replaced with a disputed structure often referred to as Babri Masjid. The people of Ayodhya were waiting since then for the return of Bhagwan Ram to the abode. In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India finally ruled in favour of the Hindus.

In August 2020, the construction of Ram Mandir started after Bhoomi Pujan by PM Narendra Modi. Several years of wait and supreme sacrifice by countless Karsewaks made it possible for every Ram Bhakt to experience the emotional moment of the first Diwali in 500 years at Ram Janmbhoomi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also take part in the festivities virtually.

A portal to virtually lighting Diyas in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh government is developing a web portal for the Ram Bhakts to facilitate virtual lighting of diyas on Diwali in Ayodhya. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, millions of Ram Bhakts will not be able to attend the first Diwali in 500 years in Ayodhya.

To make sure no Ram Bhakt feels left out, a web portal will provide the facility to virtually light up a lamp in Ayodhya. Before lighting the diya, the devotee will be able to choose earthen, brass, or copper diya and type of oil to light it. CM Yogi Adityanath is personally overseeing the preparations to ensure everything is on schedule.

5.51 lakh Diyas will lit up Ayodhya like never before

Since Yogi Adityanath took over charge as CM in Uttar Pradesh, Ayodhya breaks records of lighting diyas every year. This year, the city will experience the emotional rollercoaster ride with 5.51 lakhs diyas scheduled to be lit across the city. There are 10,000 volunteers working day and night to complete the preparations. Last year, 4,26,000 diyas were lit, which was a record in itself. In 2017, 1.17 lakh diyas were lit on Diwali in Ayodhya. 24 ghats have been marked for the celebrations.

An opportunity to the righteous path for women hooch peddlers

Women hooch peddlers of Barabanki took a giant leap of faith in Bhagwan Ram and adopted the righteous path this Diwali. It was an initiative of Barabanki police under which they reformed women hooch sellers of Chayanpurva under Ramnagar police station. The region is infamous for the production and sale of hooch that is a deadly concoction mostly brewed by women.

Arvind Chaturvedi, superintendent Barabanki police, said the initiative was started two months back as they began to encourage women to shift to alternative jobs like beekeeping and to produce wax candles. They trained women before the festive season to mold earthen diyas. Every woman will get Rs.5.50 per diya that they make deposited directly in their bank account.

Kanchan had been making the poisonous potion even after losing her husband to hooch to keep her kitchen running. She happily shifted to diya molding under the initiative. For Kanchan, it was no less than a miracle. Times of India quoted her saying, “A miracle is happening. Just two months ago, I was selling hooch and was a criminal in the eyes of law. Today, I am doing a pious job and my diyas will hail the homecoming of Lord Ram from exile.”

50-year old Sundara also left the illegal production of hooch and shifted to diya molding. She said, “My husband was disabled after consuming illicit hooch, but I continued to be in the liquor business to bear expenses of my two grandchildren, who study in Lucknow. Now, there’s a huge turnaround in our lives. I don’t have to go to jail or suffer police raids.”

Diyas made of cow dung

The government-run gaushalas are preparing special diyas made out of cow dung. These diyas will be used in the celebrations, especially in the Ram Mandir campus. The Rashtriya Kamdenu Aayog, a government enterprise, started the national-wide project to develop cow-dung based products in view of Diwali in October. 33 crore cow-dung diyas were to be made under the project. At that time, it was announced that 3 lakh of these diyas would be used in Ayodhya.

Bollywood drug probe: NCB raids Arjun Rampal’s premises

OpIndia Staff
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Bollywood drug probe: NCB raids Arjun Rampal’s premises

Intensifying the Bollywood drug probe, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday raided the premises of actor Arjun Rampal. As per reports, the raid comes days after his girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades’ brother was arrested over allegations of being in touch with drug peddlers. The South African national was reportedly in touch with the drug peddlers arrested in connection to Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

As per reports, his driver has been taken into custody.

On Sunday, Bollywood film producer Firoz Nadiadwala’s wife Shabana Saeed was arrested by the NCB. Nadiadwala was not at home when the raid took place. He has also been summoned by the NCB. Earlier, NCB had summoned Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor in the case.

Arjun Rampal’s name had also emerged in the Bollywood drug probe. A report by Dainik Bhaskar had stated that the top Bollywood actors under probe for drug abuse whose names start with ‘A’, ‘D’ and ‘S’ are Arjun Rampal, Dino Morea and Shah Rukh Khan respectively. Citing the NCB officer, Bhaskar report states that the drug peddler source told them that Arjun Rampal would take drugs to Shah Rukh Khan’s house. 

Last month, NCB had said that Rampal’s girlfriend’s brother is part of the drug syndicate that supplies drugs, and was in touch with other accused arrested in the case. During the raids, 1 strip of Alprazolam tablets was recovered. Following that, a room in Lonavala was raided where they recovered 0.8 grams of small round shaped black coloured sticky substance purported to be charas.

Following the recoveries, Demetriades was summoned by NCB questioning, where he confessed that he consumes cannabis leaves sometimes. He revealed that a rickshaw driver had supplies him the drugs. 

Tejashwi will defeat Nitish like Biden defeated Trump: Shiv Sena’s Saamana goes starry-eyed with Bihar-USA parallels

OpIndia Staff
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Tejashwi will defeat Nitish like Biden defeated Trump: Shiv Sena’s Saamana goes starry-eyed with Bihar-USA parallels

Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana is often known for making hyperbolic assertions. In its latest article, it seems to have taken its embellishments a notch further by drawing an analogy between the US Presidential elections and the Bihar Assembly elections. 

The Saamana editorial claimed that just like Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the US elections, similarly, Tejashwi Yadav will defeat the NDA alliance of BJP and JDU in Bihar. The assertion was made days after several exit polls suggested that Bihar might see a hung assembly, with NDA alliance and its rival Mahagathbandhan coalition racking up almost identical number of seats in the 243-seat Bihar Assembly elections. 

The article went to claim that just like the Americans took the ‘wise decision’ of removing US President Donald Trump out of the office, the people of Bihar have decided to vote out Nitish Kumar. 

Standing besides the wrong person is never our culture: Saamana

“Just like Americans have voted for their ‘independence’ by voting for Joe Biden, signs of independence is visible in Bihar too. The struggle of Biden and Tejashwi Yadav was against injustice, untruth, and hypocrisy. He seems to be successful,” the editorial said. 

The editorial also took a swipe at the BJP government and PM Modi for organising “Namaste Trump” event and appearing to back Donald Trump. “Standing beside a wrong person has never been our culture,” the article said.

Even before the Bihar elections results are out, Saamana preemptively proceeded to claim that Prime Minister Modi and Nitish Kumar could not stand in front of the RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. 

‘Tejashwi Yadav wave sweeping Bihar’: Saamana

“False balloons were released into the air and they have now disappeared in the air. People took the election of Bihar into their hands. Tejashwi did not bow down before Prime Minister Modi and Nitish Kumar. A Tejashwi wave was sweeping Bihar, with large number of people attending his rallies,” the article said. 

The article further said, “The power of public is superior and omnipotent. Even the fears of the return of Jungle Raj were unheeded. People have made it clear that we don’t want your rule. First the NDA has to go. Later, if Jungle Raj returns, we will deal with it.”

Donald Trump’s ‘transactional marriage’ may come to an end as Melania Trump may call it quits: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Donald Trump’s ‘transactional marriage’ may come to an end as Melania Trump may call it quits: Report

Hours after the media declared Democratic Candidate Joe Biden as winner in the US Presidential elections, speculations became rife about the possible dissolution of the ‘transactional marriage’ between incumbent US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump, reported Daily Mail.

According to former aide Stephanie Wolkoff, Melania had been negotiating a post-nuptial agreement that would provide her son, Baron, an equal share of Trump’s wealth and property. She further alleged that the couple had separate bedrooms and had a transactional marriage. Moreover, another former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman alleged that the marriage of Donald Trump and Melania was over. She claimed, “Melania is counting every minute until he is out of the office and she can divorce. If Melania were to try to pull the ultimate humiliation and leave while he’s in office, he would find a way to punish her.”

Melania Trump was seen bursting into tears when she learnt that her husband was elected to the Office in 2016 although she did not expect him to win. She eventually moved to Washington from New York months after Trump assumed office as their son had to finish his school. Even though the couple maintains that they have a good relationship, insiders believe that their marriage is almost over. According to lawyer Christina Previte, Melania must have gone into a prenup agreement with Donald Trump, just like his second wife Marles Maples, which is preventing her from critically speaking against him in public.

Legal expert believes that the Presidential race is far from over

Earlier, a top legal analyst in the United States of America, Jonathan Turley, has said that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should tell the Democratic party to support scrutiny and transparency into the election process. He has also opined that although Joe Biden appears to have enough votes to win the elections, Donald Trump is certainly not out of the race yet. His comments come at a time when the media has already declared Joe Biden the president-elect and celebrations have begun.

Jammu and Kashmir: Saubhagya Scheme brings electricity to far-flung villages in Nowshera for the first time

Dibakar Dutta
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Jammu and Kashmir: Saubhagya Scheme brings electricity to far-flung villages in Nowshera for the first time

In a positive development, several villages in the hilly-border areas in the Nowshera sub-division in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir were electrified by the Union government under the flagship Saubhagya scheme.

As per reports, the villages had no electricity even after 70 years of Independence. While speaking on the laudable development work in Rajouri, a local resident Abdul Hamid was quoted by ANI as saying “We’re grateful to govt. Earlier, our children couldn’t study. We had to go to another village to get phones charged,” he stated.

Assistant Engineer Varun Sadotra, associated with the electrification, project informed, “A lot of border areas weren’t electrified even after 70 years of independence. So, under PM Modi’s Saubhagya scheme, far-off border villages were provided electricity, giving a boost to the rural economy.”

As per reports, about 44 Panchayats in Nowshera have been covered under the electrification project. Over 1500 hundred families living in these far-flung villages now have access to electricity. Saubhagya Scheme provides free electricity connections to poor households.

Village near LoC lights up after 73 years

Earlier, it was reported that three villages in North Kashmir, which are located in close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kupwara district, got electricity after 73 years. The villages of Keran, Mundian, and Patruu in the district remain cut-off for 6 months due to heavy snow. Besides, due to natural geographical barriers, the life of 14000 residents of the three villages remain endangered due to heavy shelling from the Pakistani side of the LoC.

A two-year-long electrification project was completed, which eased the woes of the local inhabitants of the Kupwara district. Under the electrification project, 979 utility posts, a receiving station, and a 33 Kilovolt line have been installed by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL).

Shah Rukh Khan aide, who has been urging Kashmiri youth to fight against India, calls for assault on other journos after Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Shah Rukh Khan aide, who has been urging Kashmiri youth to fight against India, calls for assault on other journos after Arnab Goswami

Amidst the ongoing harassment of Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami by the Mumbai police, ISI agent and California-based Kashmiri separatist Tony Ashai has now chipped in the controversy. Continuing their witch-hunt against Republic TV chief, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday had arrested Arnab Goswami in a closed case of abetment of suicide.

While responding to a Republic TV video wherein Arnab Goswami alleged threats to his life, Tony Ashai claimed that Arnab had endangered the lives of other people by making ‘false’ accusations. “After putting many lives in danger by falsely accusing them and destroying their lives, Arnab Goswami now pleads for his life,” he tweeted justifying the assault on Arnab Goswami.

Tony Ashai also issued threats to Times Now journalist Navika Kumar and Kashmir-based journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh and called for an assault against them for speaking against the Pakistani State and Army. The ISI operative stated, “The same fate awaits Aarti Tikoo Navika Kumar and others. I hope with Trump gone, there will be a wave of restoration of good values worldwide.”

Ashai has had a long association with Shah Rukh Khan and many other Bollywood celebs

In July this year, netizens unearthed images of Shahrukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan with California based Kashmiri separatist Tony Ashai, who has been urging Kashmiri youth to fight against India. It was alleged that Shah Rukh Khan had a very close relationship with Tony Ashai. Ashai is believed to have built a lot of his properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and also designed his apartments in Los Angeles. His son Bilal Ashai has been urging the Kashmiri youth to pick up guns.

A Srinagar-based activist Al Iskandar @(Skandar on Twitter posted a series of tweets alleging that Tony Ashai, also known as Aziz Ashai, had been a member of the terror group Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) sponsored by ISI. The Bollywood superstar, according to him, had hired Ashai as an architect. Khan’s wife Gauri, he claimed is involved with Ashai in a lot of her project.

My life is in danger, says Arnab Goswami

On Sunday, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief made a shocking disclosure stating that his life was under threat as he was being shifted from the quarantine centre in Alibag to Taloja jail by the Mumbai Police. “My life is under threat. My life is under threat. Not being allowed to speak to lawyers. They assaulted me this morning. Woke me up at 6am, said I can’t speak to my lawyers. Please tell people of India my life is under threat,” said Arnab Goswami.

Arnab’s disclosure regarding the threat to his life comes days after a magistrate court in Alibag had sent Arnab to 14 days of judicial custody. Arnab Goswami was arrested a few days ago in connection with a 2018 abetment to suicide case that was recently reopened by the Mumbai Police.

Swami Vivekananda statue, which was defaced by JNU goons by painting ‘F*ck BJP’ graffiti last year, to be inaugurated by PM Modi on the university campus

OpIndia Staff
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Swami Vivekananda statue, which was defaced by JNU goons by painting ‘F*ck BJP’ graffiti last year, to be inaugurated by PM Modi on the university campus

On 12th November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda at Jawaharlal Nehru University via video-conferencing. Vice-chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil (through video-conference) the life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda installed in the university campus on November 12, at 6:30 PM. The unveiling of the statue will be preceded by a programme on Swami Vivekananda.”

The statue has been installed on the campus with the support of JNU alumni. Kumar further added that Swami Vivekananda is one the most beloved intellectuals and spiritual leaders India has been fortunate to produce. “He enthused the youth with his message of freedom, development, harmony and peace in India,” he said.

The statue was vandalized in November 2019

In 2018, the executive council of the university decided to install Swami Vivekananda’s statue in the admin block across Nehru’s statue. JNU Students Union (JNUSU) and JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) questioned the funding source at that time. In 2019, before the statue could get inaugurated, JNU goons vandalised it and wrote ‘F*ck BJP,’ ‘Bhagwa jalega’ around it.

Delhi, are you choking? It could be because of Punjab. Here is why

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi, are you choking? It could be because of Punjab. Here is why

Punjab has recorded 6,318 new incidents of stubble burning on Saturday alone. The highest number of 952 incidents was recorded in the Sangrur district. The state had recorded 37,777 incidents in 2017, 33,687 in 2018 and 45,114 in 2019. As per data released by Ludhiana based Remote Sensing Centre, this year, the state has already recorded 59,228 cases irrespective of the ban on stubble burning and steps taken by central and state governments.

Farmers claim ‘it is inexpensive to burn stubble’

Despite efforts to raise awareness about the environmental impacts, farmers are claiming that hiring or purchasing machines like combine harvest, super seeders, and super straw management systems to manage crops is a costly deal for them. Burning the stubble is easy and cheap. They are demanding Rs.200 per quintal or Rs.6000 per acre compensation on paddy for straw management. The Punjab government has demanded Rs.100 per quintal compensation from the central government.

A woman died in stubble fire

In a recent incident, an elderly woman named Manjit Kaur was burnt alive after the scooter she was riding entered stubble fire as it lost control. As per the reports, she was going to Bhikiwind on a scooter with her grandson, Lovepreet Singh on Saturday. He lost control as he could not see the road because of the smoke from stubble burning. Lovepreet narrowly survived the incident while Manjit Kaur suffered 80% burns on her body and succumbed to her injuries. A case under Section 188 has been filed against the farmer who burnt the stubble. Deputy Commissioner Kulwant Singh said that two people had lost lives due to stubble burning in Punjab this year.

Strict action against farmers in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh government has registered cases against the farmers for burning stubble despite of a blanket ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal. On 5th November, cases in Salempur were reported against 18 farmers for burning stubble. SDM Omprakash Baranwal said that farmers must use adequate machinery for stubble management, and if any farmer is found burning stubble, cases will be registered as per law.

240% rise in stubble burning cases in Punjab

As per a report published by the Central government in October, stubble burning has increased by 240% in 2020. The center said that the farmers often grow vegetables between rice and wheat crops. To prepare the fields quickly for vegetable plantation, they prefer to burn the paddy stubble and clean the farm.

On the other hand, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have seen a 30% and 33% drop, respectively, in stubble burning cases. All three states have targets of machine distribution where Punjab performed poorly. Against the target of 27,000 machines, Punjab had distributed only 14,000 by October 23rd. In the case of Haryana, the state had achieved 70% of the target, and UP had achieved 69% of the target of machine distribution by the same date.

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