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Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam targets Adnan Sami over Padma Shri award, says despite Indian citizenship, he’s still a Pakistani

Singer Adnan Sami, who had embraced Indian citizenship a few years ago, has been conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award for his services in the field of Art. However, he has been under constant attack from Islamists and trolls associated with the Congress party after he was conferred with the honour.

On Sunday, following his party trolls, Mumbai Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam also stoked a controversy by objecting to Union government honouring Adnan Sami with Padma Awards. Nirupam said Adnan Sami was a Pakistani, despite having the Indian citizenship.

Questioning the Modi government over its decision to award Padma Shri to Singer Adnan Sami, Congress motor-mouth Sanjay Nirupam said, “Adnan Sami may be a great singer, but he is of Pakistani-origin. At a time when there is hostility with Pakistan, the decision to award Adnan Sami, despite him being an Indian citizen, has shocked the people of the country”.


Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has a taken a contradictory stand than Nirupam, as he congratulated Adnan Sami for being bestowed with the Padma Awards.

Taking to Twitter, Digvijaya Singh said, “I am very happy that Adnan Sami famous singer and musician and Pakistani Muslim immigrant has also been given Padma Shri. I had also recommended his case to GOI for giving him Indian Citizenship. He was given Indian Citizenship by Modi Govt.”


Singer Adnan Sami, who was granted Indian citizenship from 1st January 2016, became a target of many on the social media after he was honoured with Padma Shri. He was living in India from 2001 on a visitors visa, which was renewed regularly. When his Pakistani Passport expired in 2015, the Pakistan govt didn’t renew it, after that he had applied for Indian citizenship, which was granted by the union government.

One Syed Kamran Hussain, a Youth Congress worker took to the microblogging site to invoke Sami’s Pakistani lineage. Invoking Sami’s father’s association with the Pakistani military, the Congress worker even went on to shamelessly target BJP government for conferring Sami with the award.

Read- Adnan Sami slays Pakistani trolls who taunt him for taking Indian citizenship

In fact, several social media users attacked the Modi government for awarding Padma Shri to Adnan Sami as his father was a Pakistani Air Force pilot who had fought against India in Indo-Pak wars.

Samajwadi Party-friendly ‘journalist’ Rohini Singh who is associated with ultra-left wing propaganda website ‘The Wire’ and is notoriously known for fake news and propaganda went on to question the famed singer’s credentials.

Islamic troll and Propaganda website Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair also raised this point, by sharing a video of Arshad Sami Khan talking about how they had shot down Indian aeroplanes.

Shockingly, these are the same people who often proclaim to be the champions of liberty and choice, are now attacking Adnan Sami for the acts of his father as a soldier five decades back.

Ahead of the 71st Republic Day, the government of India released the list of Padma Awardees who will be conferred with amongst the highest civilian awards later this year by the President of India.

As per the list released by the government, the President, this year, has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (one award is given to two persons). The list includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards.

Apart from Adnan Sami, Bollywood actor, Kangana Ranaut is also among the notable personalities shortlisted for the Padma Shri award which is given for distinguished service in the field of Art.

Republic Day 2020 parade in pictures: A show of India’s strength, rich culture and heritage

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On Sunday, India celebrated its 71st Republic Day. The celebration commenced at 9:30 am with Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying homage to the fallen soldiers at National War Memorial. The Chief Guest, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, was accompanied to the parade by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.

The event featured India’s military capabilities, synchronised march past and several tableaux displaying India’s diversity and culture.

Here is the event in pictures:

PM Modi paid tributes to the fallen soldiers, by laying a wreath at National War Memorial. CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Air Force Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhaduria were also present. This year this event moved to the war memorial which was inaugurated in February last year, till last year, the wreath-laying was done at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate.

Wreath laying at National War Memorial
PM Modi at the national war memorial


 

Defense Minister, Prime Minister, Chief Guest, President

The winners of the highest gallantry awards were escorted by jeeps. They include the winners of Param Vir Chakra and the Ashok Chakra.

winners of the highest gallantry awards

49 children were awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskar for bravery, innovation, sports, arts, culture, social service and music.

Rashtriya Bal Puruskar winners

Display of Strength

This highlighted two Advanced Light Helicopters- Weapon System Integrated Rudra and 2 Advanced Light Helicopters, Dhruv of Army Aviation in ‘Diamond’ formation.

Diamond formation (Photo Credits: ANI)

Akash misile launching system of the mechanised infantry at the Republic Day parade.

Akash missile

The battle tank, T- 90 Bhishma, was led by Captain Sunny Chahar at the Rajpath.

T- 90 Bhishma

The Corps of Signals was led by Captain Tania Shergil. The motto of the Corps is “Teevra Chaukas. Tania Shergil became the first woman army officer to become parade adjutant for the Republic Day padade.

Republic Day
Captain Tania Shergil

The Camel Contingent of Border Security Force was led by Deputy Commandant Ghanshyam Singh.

Camel Contingent of BSF
View of the parade from India Gate

Celebrating Unity in Diversity

Tableaux of Assam depicted bamboo and cane crafts.

Republic Day
Tableaux of Assam

Kullu Dussehra festival was displayed by the tableaux of Himachal Pradesh.

tableaux of Himachal Pradesh.

The tableaux of Odisha highlighted the Rukuna Ratha Yatra of Lord Lingaraja.

Republic Day
tableaux of Odisha
Jammu and Kashmir tableaux was based on the theme – ‘Back to Village’.
Jammu and Kashmir tableaux

The tableaux by CPWD horticulture displayed the vibrance of India from ‘Kashmir to Kanyakumari’. It had a memorial of Swami Vivekananda, a ‘Shikara’ on the Dal lake and the Sanchi Stupa.

tableaux by CPWD horticulture

The ‘Beam Roll’ bike stunt was led by Head Constable Asha Kumari.

Republic Day
Beam Roll

The “fly-past” formation was executed by Group Captain Nishit Ohri, Wing Commander Nilesh Dixit and Wing Commander Karan Dogra.

Fly-past by 3 Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters

Garba, the folk dance of Gujarat, was performed by 150 girls.

Garba

PM Modi walked on the Rajpath for a small distance to wave at the audience before his departure from the venue.

Republic Day
PM Modi waves at crowd

The Republic Day parade concluded with the release of colourful balloons.

balloons

(Photo Credits: ANI)

Pakistanis trend ‘BlackRepublicDay’ on 71st Indian Republic Day, Radio Pakistan uses CPI’s Brinda Karat’s column in NDTV to target India

As we celebrated its 71st Republic Day, Pakistanis on Twitter were busy tweeting hate against India by trending the hashtag ‘#BlackRepublicDay‘ on Twitter.


Pakistanis also tried to peddle Khalistani separatist agenda.


Meanwhile, Pakistan’s public radio broadcaster, Radio Pakistan, used an article published in NDTV written by CPI leader Brinda Karat to further its anti-India stand.


NDTV today published an article written by CPI(M) Polit Bureau and former Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat, titled “In Targeting Protestors, Modi Government Spreads New Lies”, in which the politician yet again displays how the leftist cartel, which she is very much an integral part of, in their attempt to vilify the ruling party, is ready to put the interest of the nation in the backburner.

Brinda Karat’s article published by NDTV today.

In her article, the senior politician attempts to berate the Modi government by once again spreading false-hood about CAA, NRC and NPR. She writes that this move by the Modi-Shah government is the first step towards a theocratic State.

Pakistan, which is always looking for opportunities to rebuke India, laps up such hate-filled articles to advance their nefarious propaganda against India. This article written by Brinda Karat, published by NDTV was also picked up Radio Pakistan.

Radio Pakistan, in turn, published an article titled: “Anti-Muslim legislations by Modi, first step towards making India a Hindu theocratic state: Karat”, using excerpts from the Indian politician’s article.

Screenshot of the article published by Radio Pakistan.

Quoting the article on NDTV, Radio Pakistan wrote: “Indian politician and former Member of Indian Parliament Brinda Karat says the grave challenge to Indian constitution and the country, comes not from external inimical forces but India’s own central government”.

Read: Pakistan’s official agencies start quoting Quint’s article for their propaganda against Kulbhushan Jadhav

This is, however, not the first time Pakistani media has used statements made by Indian opposition leaders to advance their vile anti-India propaganda. After the Indian government abolished Article 370, Pakistan media had used statements made by Congress MPs and other opposition leaders’ speech in Parliament to further their agenda on Kashmir.

Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur Police register FIR against Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam, police raids his ancestral home in Bihar, detains 3

Another sedition case has been registered against Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam by Itanagar Crime Branch.


Pema Khandu, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, took to Twitter to inform that a case under section 124(A), 153 (A) and 153 (B) of the IPC has been registered against him for provocation inciting secession of Assam and other Northeastern states from rest of India.

Another FIR has also been registered by Manipur Police against Imam under sections 121/121-A/124-A/ 120-B /153 IPC.


Taking to Twitter, Rajat Sethi, Advisor to Manipur CM, said that Imam’s statement have hurt the people of entire northeast region.


Meanwhile, in a raid carried out by Police after multiple FIRs were filed against Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam, two of his relatives were reportedly detained.


As reported by News 18, raids were conducted in ancestral home of Imam in Kako, Bihar. A total of three people were detained. Central agencies and Jehanabad Police reportedly carried out the raids in a bid to arrest Imam, who has been booked by the Assam Police under UAPA for his seditious speech.

Earlier on Sunday, the Delhi Police filed an FIR against Imam, who is also a columnist with leftist propaganda website The Wire, under IPC section 153 for giving provocative statements with intent to cause riots.

Read: Non-Muslims are requested to carry out anti-CAA protests in non-Muslim majority areas too: Read how these protests have roots in Ram Janmabhoomi verdict

Earlier, Assam Police had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Sharjeel Imam, said to be one of the organisers of the anti-citizenship law protest at Shaheen Bagh after videos of him calling for the state to be cut off from the rest of India surfaced online.

A separate complaint has been registered against the JNU student for his comments in Aligarh, where the incendiary comments were reportedly made. Following the complaint, two teams of police from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh have been set up to arrest Sharjeel Imam.

Watch: Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders slap each other at Republic Day event in Indore

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh was left embarrassed on Sunday after two party leaders picked up a fight and assaulted each other in Indore during the Republic Day flag hoisting ceremony.

Reportedly, senior Congress leaders Devendra Singh Yadav and Chandu Kunjir fought and slapped each other outside the Gandhi Bhawan – the Congress party office in Indore. The brawl was captured on camera by media. Later, they were separated by the police and other Congress workers.


However, the reason behind the fight between the two leaders is not yet known. The two men were seen arguing before they started hitting each other.

Both Yadav and Kunjir are relative lightweights in the Congress. Kunjir and his supporters were later escorted out the police. Shortly after the chaos, MP Chief Minister Nath reached the site and unfurled the tricolour.

“You are a liar Mr George Soros”: Savio Rodrigues hits out on billionaire who committed USD 1 billion to ‘fight nationalism’ in India

During the course of his life, if there was one thing George Soros has hated the most, it is Nationalism. And at Davos, in his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Soros committed $1 billion towards fighting nationalism and nationalists. George Soros claimed that the “biggest and most frightening setback” was in India and accused Narendra Modi of “creating a Hindu nationalist state.” 

Social Activist and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Goa Chronicle, Savio Rodrigues, in an open letter, hit out on Sores for insulting India. OpIndia is republishing it verbatim with due permission.


At the onset of my open letter let me very bluntly state while you have a right to an opinion. I have a right to have an opinion on your opinion.

You are a liar Mr George Soros.

At Davos you decided to insult my motherland, my nation with half-baked information aimed at creating a discord between the Hindu and Muslim community in India that have been living for centuries in unity and harmony.

Your intent was an indulgence in fear-mongering and to lie to the Muslims in India that they are under threat from the Hindus because it is led by a political party and a political leader reportedly from a Hindu nationalist party. In the last six-years of Narendra Modi being the Prime Minister of India, I have seen the government work more for the welfare of the Muslims and Christians than the Hindus.

Mr Modi has stood for a united India and has been working towards a resurgent India globally.

At Davos in front of representatives from over 65 countries in the world, you said: “Nationalism, far from being reversed, made further headway. The biggest and most frightening setback came in India, where a democratically elected Narendra Modi is creating a Hindu nationalist state, imposing punitive measures on Kashmir – a semi-autonomous Muslim region, and threatening to deprive millions of Muslims of their citizenship.”

The entire statement made by at Davos, Soros is a lie. I as an Indian belonging to the Christian, which is considered by some in India, to be more of a minority than the Muslim community, can unflinchingly and proudly tell you that there is no better place in the world for people of different religious beliefs to exist other than India.

I am sure you know that most of the Islamic nations you support clandestinely follow a theocratic form of governance and administration where other religions are not free from fear of being targeted for their religious beliefs.

In fact recently you met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. I am sure you would be aware of the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan in particular of the Hindu, Christian and Sikh minorities. The presence over the years has dropped to less than 2 per cent. The minorities in Pakistan have been attacked, raped and forced to convert to Islam. But that would not bother you because in you’re left leaning thoughts, that is an excepted evil of governance in Islamic countries and left-wing ruled nations.

Read: George Soros vows to fight PM Modi and Nationalists: Here are some Indian ‘intellectuals’ and NGOs connected to him

India on the other hand has seen a rise in Muslim minorities over the years. You do not find Hindus undertaking violent conversions of Muslims in India. In fact it is the Muslims and Christians that have been unlawfully indulging in mass conversions of Hindus.

You bring in Kashmir into your discussion. The organisation you fund Open Society Foundation has been subtly fuelling the thought of a Free Kashmir. It has even conducted programs for solving the Kashmir crisis. Their idea of solving Kashmir is blaming India, Indian Army of untold atrocities and freeing Kashmir from India. That however is not going to ever happen. No Indian will let go of Kashmir.

So let me correct you, because your statement clearly proves that you are either ignorant of the facts on the issues in Kashmir or you are deliberately painting a gory picture to suit your diabolical interests of fear-mongering and creating a Hindu – Muslim divide in India.

The Abrogation of Article 370 was a completion of the inclusion of Kashmir with the rest of India and the rest of India with Kashmir. The people of Kashmir have always been a part of India and have been allowed to prosper not only in Kashmir but in other parts of India too. However, the rest of India were restricted from owning properties or businesses in Kashmir, even though the rest of India looked after the welfare of Kashmir.

I visited Kashmir post the Abrogation of Article 370. It was the first time I visited Kashmir. I was sad that, we as Indians, being inattentive, allowed for the Islamic radicals to brainwash our people in Kashmir. That for years they believed that they were superior to other than Indians because they were Kashmir Muslims, especially after the violently threw the Kashmiri Pandits out of Kashmir. The political leaders in Kashmir were crooks and autocratic and they were complemented with crooks and autocratic political leaders at the Indian government at that time.

Such was the hate fuelled in Kashmir over the years by Islamic radicals prompted by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey that the Kashmiris Hindus, 30 years ago, faced a horrific genocide and had to flee Kashmir over night.

The Kashmiri Hindus continue to fight for their rights to return to their homeland; successive Indian governments have failed the Kashmiri Pandits in taking up their case and giving them justice. The Narendra Modi government has taken the first step through the Abrogation of Article 370.

If you, George Soros, had an iota of knowledge on the history of Kashmir, you would know that Kashmir is not a Muslim region but actually a region of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.

Have you or the organisations you fund such as Open Society Foundation ever spoken or advocated for the rights of the Kashmiri Pandits that were ostracised from Kashmir and their homeland. You have not. And therein lies you hypocrisy.

You mention rather stupidly in your speech that millions of Muslims will be deprived of citizenship. Let me rebuke your stupid statement with some facts. No Indian Muslim has or will ever be deprived of their rights as a Citizen of India, because to us, they are Indians. They are our brothers and sisters. More importantly most Indian Muslims consider themselves to be children of India.

Of course you will have some Indian Muslims who have been brainwashed by the Islamic radicals and people like you that fear-monger to create chaos in nations for business benefits and cry that they are in danger in India. But strangely their democratic rights continue to be respected. That’s why even after the Citizenship Amendment Act has been passed and some Indian Muslims have been on a riot and arson violent rampage in India; they have been tolerated.

Sometimes in a family, you will have a brother or sister who could go astray due to peer pressure. But as the Holy Bible states, we must not judge the prodigal son but accept them with their weaknesses.

However those Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar who have been illegal living in India, will be thrown out without a doubt. It will be foolish on the part of India to keep such dangerous and anti-national immigrants in our secular nation.

My honest advice to you George Soros is to stop meddling in the affairs of India. I know you have been funding several left-leaning NGOs who have been constantly attempting to create chaos in India over several issues only because the Indian government is led by a man like Narendra Modi who puts nation first over any global pussyfooting.

I earnest appeal to the Indian government to take stern action against your lies on an international platform. Your own history is dubious and crooked, so please do not point fingers at my India, because there are many fingers pointing at you back and the crooked people in governments you back.

Your plan to fund the destruction of nationalism in India is a joke. I would like to advice you to spend your money wisely because you will lose in this dream of yours to destroy Nationalism in India. We Indians are proud of India. We are also proud of our Hindu roots. This after all Hindustan. We are all culturally connected to the roots of India because we are all Hindus. But you will not understand this simple thought of an Indian. For that you need to belong to one motherland. You George Soros have only one mother and that’s money not motherland. You will sell your biological mother, if you can make money.

India is a nation of Sanatan Dharma. Our restrain must not be considered to be cowardice or slumber. It is not far, when the Indian and International lobby, some funded by you, working against the interest of India will face the wrath of the people of India. It will be difficult for you or your organisations to do business in India.

Don’t insult our Mother India. We Indians do not take that lightly.

West Bengal: State police clashes with BJP Yuva Morcha workers performing ‘Bharat Mata Puja’ in Howrah

Tension soared in West Bengal’s Howrah district Sunday after the state police stopped Bharatiya Yuva Morcha (BYM) workers from performing ‘Bharat Mata Puja’ on the occasion of Republic Day.

According to reports, clashes broke out between BJP Yuva Morcha workers and the state police after the workers were ruthlessly manhandled by the state Police for ignoring their orders.

In a video shared by Times now, the West Bengal police are seen using force to disperse the crowd, while the workers are seen resisting the police excesses. The Police are seen pulling one of the workers by his hands on the road and also forcefully stuffing the workers inside the police van. According to reports, several workers have been taken into preventive custody.


The workers of Bharatiya Yuva Morcha wanted to hold ‘Bharat Mata Puja’ outside two police stations namely Gorabari police station and Howrah police station, both in Howrah district to symbolically protest against the state police excesses, for which they said they had sought police permission.

The police had reportedly threatened to take legal action against the workers who were adamant on performing the puja. It is alleged that to hinder the puja, the sculptor who made the idol of Bharat Mata was also threatened by the police not to sell the idols to the BJP workers. Apart from the sculptor, sound system providers had also been threatened.

Police said that the puja was disallowed as it was organised on a congested road causing traffic disruption. The state police at the behest of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has on several previous occasions discharged excesses on BJP workers in Bengal.

Last year also, BJP’s effort to organise a similar puja in Kolkata and other districts of the state to mark the 73rd Independence Day was throttled by the West Bengal police. The party’s student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had then also accused Trinamool Congress-backed miscreants of vandalising an idol of Bharat Mata near Howrah’s Kona Expressway.

In March last year, the state police had lathi-charged and baton-charged BJP workers to stop them from carrying out Vijay Sankalp bike rally. This led to violent clashes between the police and the BJP workers at Durgapur and Asansol in West Burdwan district, Midnapore town and Goaltore in West Midnapore and Balurghat in South Dinajpur where the rallies were taken out.

Earlier the West Bengal government had refused to give permission for BJP’s Rath Yatra citing the law and order situation as a reason.

Delhi Police files an FIR, UP Police dispatches two teams to nab Sharjeel Imam, mastermind of Shaheen Bagh and The Wire columnist

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Shaheen Bagh protest chief organiser Sharjeel Imam for instigation people to cause violence. The Delhi police have registered a case against Sharjeel Imam under IPC section 153 for giving provocative statements with intent to cause riots.


Earlier, Assam Police had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Sharjeel Imam, said to be one of the organisers of the anti-citizenship law protest at Shaheen Bagh after videos of him calling for the state to be cut off from the rest of India surfaced online.

A separate complaint has been registered against the JNU student for his comments in Aligarh, where the incendiary comments were reportedly made. Following the complaint, two teams of police from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh have been set up to arrest Sharjeel Imam.

Speaking to the media, SP Aligarh Akash Kulhari said that two teams have been sent to arrest Sharjeel Imam. We are working in coordination with the Delhi Police and Bihar Police, added SSP Kulhari.

Read: Radical Islamists say Muslims must stand by Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam, defend his decision to cut off Assam

The FIR comes after the Wire columnist and Shaheen Bagh roadblock mastermind Sharjeel Imam’s video went viral where he had asked Muslims of the country to break India by cutting of North-east from the rest of the country. “Our main aim is to permanently cut Assam and North-east India from rest of India,” he could be heard saying in the video.

In his video, Sharjeel Imam had added, “If 5 lakhs Muslims are organised then we can cut the North-east from rest of India. If we cannot do permanently, at least we can cut North-east from India for months”.

Further, Sharjeel Imam who is also a columnist with The Wire and mastermind of Shaheen Bagh protests had said, “Our responsibility is to cut the Assam from India then Govt will hear our voice. If we have to help the Assam then we will have to cut the Assam from rest of India”.

Sharjeel Imam is the mastermind and main coordinator of the Shaheen Bagh protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Interestingly, earlier, ‘Jinnah Wali Azadi’ slogans were raised at Shaheen Bagh which also pointed towards the main agenda of these anti-CAA protests, specifically at Shaheen Bagh, is the second partition of India.

Watch: Indian Air Force wows crowd at 71st Republic Day parade by performing gravity defying manoeuvres

As India celebrates its 71st Republic Day today the fly-past by Indian Air Force took everyone’s breath away as IAF pilots performed some of the most amazing gravity-defying stunts. The grand finale and one of the most keenly awaited segments of the parade was the fly-past by the Indian Air force.

Piloted by Wing Commander Yathartha Johri along with Flight Lieutenant S Mishra, a lone Su-30MKI flew at a speed of 900 km/hr and split the sky with a gravity-defying ‘Vertical Charlie’.


The stunt from another angle left everyone speechless.


The entire national capital has been put under multi-layered security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil over it, including the celebration venue Rajpath.

The grand parade at Rajpath, which is performed as a tribute to India’s unity in diversity and rich cultural heritage comes to an end today with the Indian Air force performing some enthralling stunts with its aircraft.

The India air force also stunned the crowd with the ‘Arrowhead’ formation. Five Jaguar Deep penetration strike aircraft, in ‘Arrowhead’ formation flew past at a speed of 780 kmph. The formation was led by Group Captain Parijat Saurabh.


The Sukhoi 30MKIs of Indian Air Force executed the ‘Trishul’ manoeuvre.  The formation was being led by Group Captain Nishit Ohri. The captains of the other two aircraft were Wing Commander Nilesh Dixit and Wing Commander Karan Dogra.


Wing Commander SK Chauhan leads the ‘Vic’ formation, comprising three Dornier aircraft. The captains of the other two aircraft are Squadron Leader Vikas Kumar and Squadron Leader Abhishek Vashisht.


This is 1st time that a “Tri-service Formation” took part in the Republic Day celebrations. It comprised of three ALH (Advanced light helicopters) in a ‘Vic’ formation. This formation was devised during World War 1. Three or more aircraft fly in close formation with the leader at the apex and the rest flying to left and right. The entire arrangement looks like a ‘V’. The tri-service formation is significant as India got the post of Chief of Defence Staff, a tri-service chief looking after Navy, Army and Air Force.

Today, for the first time, the Rajpath saw the formation of the formidable Apache attack helicopters. The Indian Air Force in a tweet on the Republic Day even shared the video from the rehearsals.


Apache was first inducted in the IAF in September 2019.

Additionally, three Chinook helicopters took part in the Republic Day parade for the first time after being inducted last year.

Breaking from the tradition, Prime Minister Modi had paid homage to the fallen soldiers at the newly built National War Memorial (NWM) at the India Gate, instead of Amar Jawan Jyoti, on Sunday morning prior to participating in the 71st Republic Day celebrations.

National Geographic Traveller ‘likes’ tweet by ex-JNU student Umar Khalid where he is mocking Amit Shah’s challenge on CAA debate

National Geographic Traveller India’s Twitter handle today ‘liked’ a tweet by ex-JNU student and activist Umar Khalid where he was mocking Home Minister Amit Shah’s challenge to opposition leaders to debate with him on Citizenship Amendment Act.

Nat Geo promoting tweets of terror sympathiser Umar Khalid.

Umar Khalid, son of a former SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India, a banned terror organisation) member, is accused of shouting pro-Pakistan slogans inside the JNU campus.

On 24th January, Khalid had tweeted, “Amit Shah – I challenge Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamta Banerjee for an open debate on CAA.

Meanwhile, Shaheen Bagh Dadis be like – Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe!”

It is important to note that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had invited leaders of opposition parties to discuss the historic legislation of Citizenship Amendment Act once again even after debating it on the floor of the parliament. The opposition parties which had indulged in a rampant disinformation campaign against the CAA, however, failed to respond to the Home Minister.

It is pertinent to note that the anti-CAA protests which started as a ‘peaceful’ protests at Shaheen bagh, later not only turned communal as manifested with the Hinduphobic “Jinnah wali Azaadi” slogans but also turned anti-India as Sharjeel Imam – the chief co-ordinator of the protest openly called Muslims to cut North-east from the rest of the country.

Earlier, Zee News had retweeted tweets in support of Shaheen Bagh from its official handle before undoing them. In December, the official handle of Government of India’s Press Information Bureau, the nodal agency for communicating with media on behalf of the government of India, was seen sharing a tweet in support of the Jamia rioters with hashtags like #SOSJamia, #RejectCAB and #StopViolenceAgainstStudents. After the tweets created a buzz on the social media amidst the news of Delhi Police’s crackdown on the Jamia rioters, PIB soon shared a tweet saying that the tweet in support of the Jamia rioters was ‘inadvertently’ done by one of the members of their social media team. They stated that the person had shared ‘her’ personal comments on the Jamia matter and they ‘deeply regret’ the error.