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Is it a World Cup of cricket or World Cup of rains?

Ritesh
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Is it a World Cup of cricket or World Cup of rains?

Two, yes first time in the history of World Cup, two straight games called off due to rain. Never before more than two matches were washed out in all World Cups combined, but this time, already three games have been called off either due to rain or wet outfield.

There had previously only been two complete abandonments (without a toss) in the history of the tournament – in 1992 and 2003.

The current World Cup edition is just 14 days old, and there are still 32 days of cricket left. It is a bit strange of ICC to not have reserve days for World Cup matches despite knowing that the English summers are mostly wet. The ICC takes into account statistical rainfall when creating its schedule.

The world cup is held every four years, and the ICC has been very unprofessional in terms of scheduling it without reserve days.

ICC CEO Dave Richardson (also former wicket-keeper from South Africa) said in a press release that the reserve days would have increased the length of the World Cup and there is no guarantee of rain-free reserve days.

“Factoring in a reserve day for every match at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup would significantly increase the length of the tournament and practically would be extremely complex to deliver. It would impact pitch preparation, team recovery and travel days, accommodation and venue availability, tournament staffing, volunteer and match officials availability, broadcast logistics and very importantly the spectators who in some instances have travelled hours to be at the game. There is also no guarantee that the reserve day would be free from rain either.” said Dave Richardson

The last world cup with reserve days was held in 2007 in the Carribean islands. Last time England hosted the World Cup was in 1999, and it too had reserved days keeping the rain in mind.

Richardson further said, “Up to 1200 people are on site to deliver a match and everything associated with it including getting it broadcast and a proportion of them are moving around the country so reserve days in the group stage would require a significant uplift in the number of staff. We have reserve days factored in for the knockout stages, knowing that throughout 45 group games we should play the large majority.”

More than a billion people watching this mega event, and ICC is more worried about 1200 extra men working for some 45 days. The reputation of cricket is already at stake as the World Cup is reduced from 14 teams to 10 teams this year.

Instead of focusing on the standard of umpiring and organizing a World Cup in the best possible way, it seems ICC seems more concerned about useless things.

It is also interesting to know that in World Cup 1999, a total number of 39 matches (Group and Super 6) were completed in 31 days with a reserve day for each game. The current World Cup edition has 45 group stage matches which will be completed in 38 days without reserve days for any of the game. The only relief is for the semi-finals and final, which got reserve days.

All previous 4 World Cups held in England got over by the end of June, this will be the first time a world cup match to be played in July. Last year was the driest English summer since 1976. With an increase in global warming, the weather is getting warmer and wetter compared to previous years. On average, there is a minimum of 3 days of rain in June, July, and August every year.

Sri Lanka is the only team that seems to be benefited from the rain. They lost the first match against New Zealand and were on the verge of losing against Afghanistan. However, they gained 1 point each from their washout games against Pakistan and Bangladesh. Both the teams had upper hand against Sri Lanka, on paper and current form and it is amusing to see Sri Lanka placed in a better position in the points table.

South Africa has a long history of their world cup campaign being affected by the rain. They had been knocked out of World Cup in 1992, 2003 and 2015 but are sitting at number 9 in the points table with 1 point, thanks to the rain. However, this will not help their cause to reach the top 4 in the points table as they have to win more matches than sharing points due to weather conditions.

The top four teams, New Zealand, India, Australia, and England, have not faced the weather issue. However, the weather forecast for the next few days doesn’t look promising at all. Rain is expected to play a significant role in Taunton, Nottingham, and Southampton where these 4 top teams are going to play their next games.

The next World Cup is set to be played in India (Feb-Mar 2023) in the rain-free season. England will get a chance to host another World Cup (most probably) in the year 2039 and who knows by then ICC will show some common sense and move the World Cup out of England.

Delhi govt didn’t give legal, financial assistance, no compensation. I am broken: Ankit Saxena’s father

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi govt didn’t give legal, financial assistance, no compensation. I am broken: Ankit Saxena’s father

Father of Ankit Saxena, a Delhi-based photographer who was brutally murdered in February last year by his Muslim girlfriend’s family who did not approve of the inter-religious love affair, has expressed his disappointment at Delhi government for not keeping up the promises.


Speaking to news agency ANI, Ankit’s father said that they have not received any of the promised compensation from Delhi government. Adding how the Delhi CM has let him down, he wondered if the rift between the two communities would have helped him get early compensation. He adds that they were told they would get legal and financial aid, but that didn’t happen. At first, the Delhi government had promised a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. Later, the Delhi CM had promised to increase the compensation but Arvind Kejriwal hasn’t reverted yet. “I am broken,” he said.

Yashpal Saxena added that despite sending several reminders to the Delhi government, Kejriwal government has not fulfilled its promise.

“Am I not being compensated because I did not allow the incident to become communal? I wanted love and harmony to prevail between the two communities. Am I being punished for it? Would the rift between the two communities have resulted in early compensation?” he asks.

Ankit Saxena, a Delhi based photographer was brutally murdered by the family of his Muslim girlfriend as they disapproved their inter-religious love affair. Subsequently, the girl’s mother, maternal uncle and minor brother have been arrested for the brutal crime.

The Delhi police, in the charge sheet filed in the case, also stated that the murder was premeditated. As reported, it was revealed that the girl’s family was vehemently against their daughter being in love with a Hindu boy and proceeded to kill him in a pre-planned manner by engineering a road rage incident. Ground reports too have highlighted the religious bigotry of the girl’s family with the mother being a staunch Muslim who had huge objections about inter-faith marriages.

A case was registered under sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Akbar Ali, the father of Ankit’s girlfriend, mother Shahnaaz, a juvenile younger brother and uncle Mohammad Salim.

The incident predictably shocked the nation, with tributes and condolences flooding for Ankit and his family. The condolence ceremony also involved a prayer meeting which was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. However, when the family demanded compensation for the loss of the sole breadwinner of their house, Kejriwal reportedly left the prayer meet mid-way.


Incidentally as pointed out by Mishra in his video, Kejriwal in the past had announced compensation worth Rs 1 crore each to the family members of deceased NIA officer Tanzil Ahmed and NDMC legal adviser MM Khan, hence it is not a new thing for him. This raises the question as to why is the Delhi CM not willing to keep his promise to Ankit Saxena’s family.

Ankit Saxena’s father, Yashpal Saxena had become the face of communal harmony after he appealed to everyone not to communalise his son’s murder by the hands of his Muslim girlfriend’s family who disapproved of their inter-religious relationship. He had even organised an inter-faith iftar party last year during Ramzan which was attended by various ‘social activists’. However, a year and a half later, he still awaits justice.

BJP leader Mukul Roy says attacks on BJP workers in WB done by TMC members on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee

OpIndia Staff
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BJP leader Mukul Roy says attacks on BJP workers in WB done by TMC members on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee

BJP leader Mukul Roy has written to Home Minister Amit Shah in response to All India Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) letter sent to him a day earlier. TMC had written to Shah objecting the advisory sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the recent incidents of post-poll violence in the state of West Bengal.

Roy in his letter dismissed the contents of TMC’s letter as misleading and a bundle of lies.


Roy alleged that all the incidents of violence in the state are being carried out at the behest of TMC Supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with the support of the administration. He claimed that TMC workers are following Banerjee’s instructions wherein she had threatened to take revenge from BJP workers ‘inch by inch’.

Referring to the recent clashes between BJP and TMC workers at Sandeshkheli in, which some BJP workers lost their lives, Roy informed Shah about the complete constitutional breakdown in the state.

He alleged that violence at Sandeshkheli was executed as per instructions of TMC leader SK Shahjahan and that police participated like a mock spectator. He urged the Home Minister to take immediate and appropriate action to establish the rule of law in West Bengal.

Earlier, TMC in its letter addressed to Shah had termed the MHA advisory as an evil ploy to grab the power in states not ruled by the BJP by maligning the state government.

The full text of Mukul Roy’s letter to home minister Amit Shah is given below:

 

To,

Shri Amit Ji Shah Hon’ble
Minister-In-Charge,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
North Block
New Delhi -110001

Ref : Letter vide reference no. 2019/J6/9 dated 09/06/2019 issued by West Bengal Trinamool Congress Committee to Hon’ble Home Minister.

Sub: Reply of Letter vide reference no. 2019/J6/9 dated 09/06/2019 issued by West Bengal Trinamool Congress Committee.

I, Mukul Roy, Ex Minister In-charge. Ministry of Railways. National Executive Member Bharatiya Janata Party with reference to the above letter dated 09.06.2019 issued by West Bengal Trinamool Congress Committee, the contents of which are highly disputed is nothing but a bundle of lies and on purpose put in public domain to mislead the common people at large, before dealing with the allegation made in the above referred letter dated 09.06.2019 I strongly deny and dispute all the allegations made therein.

At the very outset I would like to draw the attention of respected Home Minster to the facts that there is complete anarchy and chaos throughout the State of West Bengal, there has been unprecedented poll violence especially post poll violence claiming life of numerous innocent people and damage and loss of property of our party workers. All the incidents of violence throughout the State is carried out by cadres of Trinamool Congress with active help and support of administration at the direct instance of AITC supremo the Hon’ble Chief Minister of the State Smt. Mamta Banejee.

Now dealing with the contents of above referred letter dated 09.06.2019 paragraph wise the allegation made in the first paragraph of the above referred letter is nothing but a blatant lie to hide the facts as if, the same is unknown to everybody, the facts remains there has been complete breakdown of Constitutional Machinery in the State and the ministry of MHA has rightly issued advisory regarding Law and order situation, the fact remains till date hundreds of our party workers have sustained serious injuries and lost their life, only in post poll violence 9 of our party workers were brutally murdered and property worth millions were damaged in State sponsored violence.

It is the ruling party of the State who has at the instance of their party supremo the Honble Chief Minister of the State Smt. Mamta Banerjee who openly threatened us on public platform that she will took revenge inch by inch from our party workers, her words and her wish has been put into action by the goons /antisocial controlled by her. The arbitrariness and negligent act the State administration has led to complete lawlessness and incidents of violence have become regular phenomena in the State.

With reference to paragraph 2, all the allegations and contentions are false, baseless and imaginary for the reason that MCC was not in force as being claimed in above referred letter since last 6 months and it is evident on the face of record that all the violence carried out in the State is done by cadres, goons of AITC. Whatever has been done by MHA is very much in accordance with the law and if the same is not implemented there will be more loss of life and damage of property and the reign of terror will continue in the State. It is also surprising that respected Home Minister who has assumed his office recently is also not spared clearly depicts the malafide intention behind the above referred letter dated 09.06.2019. The fact is well established in the State that the State administration is working as political cadre to satisfy tne arbitrariness of their master.

Now dealing paragraph 3 and 4, the incident of Sandeskhali which claimed life of two of our party workers and also numbers of party workers are missing from the said village having no trace till date, it is nothing but a baseless allegation merely to cover the fact that there has been complete Constitutional breakdown of our administration and State machinery and there is no Law and order in the State. I highly doubt any partial inquiry or investigation from the State agencies and situation is still tense and alarming in the area. As being informed from the media reports and information gathered from the locale it is well establish beyond any doubt that the violence that occurred in Sandeskhali was carried out at the instance of Sk. Shahjahan, the Trinamool party leader and while the violence was going on the police was acting as a mock spectator, homes of our party workers vandalized, our party workers were chased, tortured and brutally murdered by the AITC goons.

Now dealing with paragraph 5 and 6, all the contentions and allegations has been made up to cover the fact that the State Machinery has miserably failed to perform the duties and as the national executive of Bharatiya Janata Party and I took responsibility and has no hesitation to say that Bharatiya Janata Party had any goons or had any antisocial/goons under its fold rather the incident in Bhatpara, Naihati, Kankinara, Kanchrapara has led to forced migration of our party workers from the said areas under direct threat from State administration led by influential ministers of the State who themselves took charge to create reign of terror on our party workers in affected areas. That while making false & baseless allegations I do not hesitate to state that for political gain the WBTCC has even not spared a child. I specifically say and emphasize that the child’s death in Village Kestopur, Ashok Nagar, Habra, North 24 Parganas, that was reported in the above referred letter was due to complication developed due breast feeding as has been revealed by the post mortem report. This kind of allegations is not only baseless rather shameless and I condemn such allegation without any base only to malafidely malign our party’s name. As far as the incident of Uttar Pradesh is concern, to the best of my knowledge no such incident has been reported so far, this has been written merely to malign the image or nationalist party like ours.

I would like to state in fear of losing the recently held elections there has been a wind of change throughout the State of West Bengal and having sensed that the cadres, ministers at the instance of Chief Minister of State are creating reign of terror and unleashed an unprecedented violence / terror on our party workers, the list of the same is enclosed herewith for your kind perusal and reference. I take full responsibility that there has been a complete breakdown of State machinery as if we are in a state of emergency and if steps are not taken urgently to contain the situation the same will go out of hands.

I request Hon’ble Minister to kindly take immediate and appropriate action to safe guard the life of people of the state and further to establish the rule of law and oblige.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully.

(Mukul Roy)

 

Telangana: Congress leaders stage protest against arrest of Congress legislature party leader on hunger strike

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Congress leaders stage protest against arrest of Congress legislature party leader on hunger strike

The Congress leaders in Telangana staged a ‘rasta roko’ protest at the BN Reddy circle Tuesday. They were protesting against the arrest and subsequent hospitalization of Telangana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

The Telanaga police had on Monday taken Vikramarka into preventive detention and shifted him to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in view of his deteriorating health condition.

Vikramarka, Congress Leader of Opposition in Telangana Assembly was on a “satyagraha fast” over what he alleged the “undemocratic” merger of 12 out of 18 Congress MLAs with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

On Saturday, he started a 36-hour fast but later decided to sit indefinitely in a bid to exert pressure on Assembly Speaker P Srinivas Reddy to disqualify the 12 MLAs who defected to the TRS.

Even on June 6, as news about 12 MLAs meeting the speaker surfaced, Vikramarka had expressed his resentment over the defection by wrapping up his mouth with a black ribbon. He was then accompanied by TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress MLA Sreedhar Babu.

Meanwhile, the MLA on Monday had to call off the protest after he was forcibly shifted to a hospital by the Hyderabad police. The Telangana National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged the ‘rasta roko’ in protest after police forcibly removed Vikramarka from hunger strike camp at Indira Park in Hyderabad as his condition started to deteriorate.

After visiting Vikramarka at the hospital, Reddy divulged that he wanted to know why the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was trying to lure Congress legislators into his party though he has an unassailable majority in the Assembly.

“It appears he is doing all this to ensure there is no one to question the government’s actions in the Assembly,” Reddy said.

Reddy further accused speaker P Srinivas Reddy of inaction with respect to Congress’ complaints against the defection of its MLAs. “When our MLAs had joined TRS, separately, we complained to the speaker. However, later it was announced the MLAs had been merged into the TRSLP. It was made to sound as if the MLAs had joined TRS en masse. This is not true,” he said.

Reddy said that Congress had already filed a petition in the High Court and if necessary, the party will knock on the doors of the Supreme Court for justice.

The TPCC chief said he had even sought an appointment with the President of India to explain to him how the anti-defection law had been circumvented to admit the Congress legislators into the TRS.

On June 6 as many as 12 out of 18 MLAs of the Congress party had met Telangana assembly speaker to join Chief Minister’s party, TRS.

Prior to the Lok Sabha elections, 8 Congress MLAs had defected to TRS after meeting the chief minister.

In fact, not only the MLAs but many other party leaders who seem to be disenchanted with their party leaders are joining the ruling TRS.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath asks police officials to revive anti-Romeo squads after multiple assaults on minor girls in the state

OpIndia Staff
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UP CM Yogi Adityanath asks police officials to revive anti-Romeo squads after multiple assaults on minor girls in the state

Amidst a spate of incidents of criminal assaults against women especially minor girls in Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi Adityanath has asked the state police to re-activate the anti-Romeo squad. The CM was visibly miffed with the police for failing to ‘instil fear’ among criminals in the state. In the last week, at least five cases of crime against young girls have come to fore across different parts of the state.

In a high-level meeting with senior police and home department officials, CM directed the functionaries to augment policing, revive anti-Romeo squads and ordered the police to prepare a list of accused previously involved in crimes against women. Asking them to increase the vigil over these criminals, he also ordered to enhance the foot patrolling in vulnerable regions.

According to the sources, CM Yogi was annoyed as his order to re-activate the anti-Romeo squads was postponed due to the Lok Sabha polls. He had asked the district administration to re-activate this force in February.

“He was visibly annoyed over the non-deployment of the anti-Romeo squads. He also enquired the home department why the women police personnel were not effectively utilized and expressed his disapproval over police’s failure to make arrests even a day after the complaints were lodged,” an official said.

Following the meeting, DGP OP Singh said, “Discussion about the current situation in Uttar Pradesh took place. Police action in the incidents reported last week has been apprised to the CM and ways to address the problems were deliberated. The police have reacted fast in the incidents and relevant arrests have been made. Statements of minor victims have been recorded under section 164. We are moving towards not only solving the cases but towards ensuring swift and severe judgment for the convicts involved through fast track courts.”

Senior police officials like ADG, IG, and DIG have been asked to make frequent field trips and spur on patrolling to reduce crime. CM Yogi has asked police officials to identify 10 horrific cases of crime against minor girls and solve them immediately. He has also asked the police to increase the random checking of vehicles and nab youngsters engaging in stunts and breaking road-safety laws.

Once the schools start, the Uttar Pradesh police along with women welfare department is planning to carry out an awareness drive about women safety. Citing domestic violence a part of the crime against women, the CM has stressed on strengthening and advertising the helpline number ‘181’. Along with this ‘1090’ helpline for women is also proposed to be made more robust.

Recently, we had reported how the barbarity exhibited in the brutal killing of a three-year-old Tina (name changed) by Zahid and Aslam in Aligarh has shaken the conscience of the country.

GDP calculation system revised in line with international standards: govt clarifies Arvind Subramanian’s allegations of overstating growth numbers

OpIndia Staff
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GDP calculation system revised in line with international standards: govt clarifies Arvind Subramanian’s allegations of overstating growth numbers

Reacting to the comments made by former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian that India’s GDP has been overestimated by the previous governments, the government of India has issued a clarification.

Earlier today, media had quoted Subramanian’s latest research paper saying that instead of reported growth rate of 6.9% from 2011 to 2016, the actual growth rate was more likely between 3.5% and 5.5%. “A variety of evidence—within India and across countries—suggests that India’s GDP growth has been over-stated by about 2.5 percentage points per year in the post-2011 period, with a 95 per cent confidence band of 1 percentage point,” the research paper said. Arvind Subramanian wrote that “Indian policy automobile has been navigated with a faulty, possibly broken, speedometer.”

The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has issued a clarification to the comments made by the former CEA. The government says that the latest version of the international statistical standard for the national accounts was used to arrive at the growth numbers for the country. The System of National Accounts 2008 (2008 SNA) was adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) in 2009, which is an update of the 1993 version.

The statement also adds that with changes taking place in the economy, it is necessary to revise the base year of macroeconomic indicators like GDP time to time to ensure that they remain relevant and reflect the true state of the economy.

The full statement issued by the ministry is given below:

Reports have appeared in a section of media citing Dr Arvind Subramanian as regards overestimation of India’s GDP growth, primarily based on an analysis of indicators, like electricity consumption, two-wheeler sales, commercial vehicle sales etc using an econometric model and associated assumptions. 

The  Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation has released details from time to time to explain the complexities involved in GDP compilation. The estimation of GDP in any economy is a complex exercise where several measures and metrics are evolved to better measure the performance of the economy. For the purpose of global standardization and comparability, countries follow the System of National Accounts evolved in the UN after elaborate consultation. The System of National Accounts 2008 (2008 SNA) is the latest version of the international statistical standard for the national accounts, adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) in 2009 and is an update of the earlier 1993 SNA. The Inter-Secretariat Working Group on National Accounts (ISWGNA) was mandated to develop the 2008 SNA through intense discussions and consultation with member countries. India also participated in the deliberations of the Advisory Expert Group. In its adoption of the 2008 SNA the UNSC encouraged Member States, regional and sub-regional organizations to implement its recommendations and use it for the national and international reporting of national accounts statistics based on the available data sources.  

As with any international standard, the data requirements are immense and diverse economies like India take time to evolve the relevant data sources before they can be fully aligned with the SNA requirements. In absence of data, alternate proxy sources or statistical surveys are used to estimate the contribution of various sectors to the GDP/GVA. The SNA also prescribes that the base year of the estimates may be revised at periodic intervals so that changes in the economic environment, advances in methodological research and the needs of users are appropriately captured. 

With structural changes taking place in the economy, it is necessary to revise the base year of macroeconomic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Index of Industrial Production (IIP), Consumer Price Index (CPI) etc, periodically to ensure that indicators remain relevant and reflect the structural changes more realistically. Such revisions not only use latest data from censuses and surveys, they also incorporate information from administrative data that have become more robust over time.  In India, the Base Year of the GDP Series was revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and released on 30 January, 2015 after adaptation of the sources and methods in line with the SNA 2008. The methodology of compilation of macro aggregates has been discussed in detail by the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) comprising experts from academia, National Statistical Commission, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs, Agriculture, NITI Aayog and selected State Governments. It may be noted that decisions taken by these Committees are unanimous and collective after taking into consideration the data availability and methodological aspects before recommending the most appropriate approach. 

In addition, India has subscribed to the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an Advance Release Calendar is decided for release of estimates. The IMF had raised certain issues on the usage of double deflation in the Indian GDP series and India had informed IMF that the existing data availability does not permit its application in India at present.  In fact, some media reports, while citing the changes in GDP growth likely to result from adopting the double deflation, acknowledges the varying outcomes obtained by different authors under their own distinct assumptions. In view of these divergent views, the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) had not agreed to adoption of double deflation at this stage. Moreover, double deflation is used in only a few countries that have a Producers Price Index (PPI) to deflate the inputs. 

According to the World Bank, the accuracy of national accounts estimates and their comparability across countries depend on timely revisions to data on GDP and its components. The frequency of revisions to GDP data across countries varies between monthly, quarterly, annually or even less frequently. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), through its technical missions also reviews the implementation of recommendations of SNA and provides necessary technical support. Further, under Article IV of IMF, a Mission, interacts annually with officials of Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, Reserve Bank of India and Ministry of Finance on issues relating to economic development and policies. The detailed methodology for compilation of the GDP, including the Back Series is available on the website of the Ministry. It may also be noted that the National Accounts Division, which compiles these macro aggregates and other National Accounts Statistics is also ISO (International Organisation for Standards) 9001:2015 certified for its quality management of procedures and processes.

With any Base Revision, as new and more regular data sources become available, it is important to note that a comparison of the old and new series are not amenable to simplistic macro-econometric modelling. It may also be seen that the GDP growth projections brought out by various national and international agencies are broadly in line with the estimates released by MOSPI. The GDP estimates released by the Ministry are based on accepted procedures, methodologies and available data and objectively measure the contribution of various sectors in the economy.

Aligarh child murder case: Woman who discovered the body says local Muslim community is threatening and pressurising her

OpIndia Staff
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Aligarh child murder case: Woman who discovered the body says local Muslim community is threatening and pressurising her

A woman who had first discovered the body of the 3-year-old girl who was brutally murdered in Aligarh has said that that the local Muslim community has now started threatening her, according to a ground report by Swarajya Magazine journalist Swati Goel Sharma.

Swarajya Magazine journalist Swati Goel Sharma visited Aligarh and talked to several people in the locality where the incident happened. During such interactions, she came across a woman who works as a sweeper. Narrating how the crime came to light, the woman said that she had discovered the body of the girl first.

When she spotted the body of the girl in a garbage dump, she started screaming. Hearing this, the locals came to the spot, but they accused her of throwing the body. They alleged that she took bribe and threw the body in the garbage dump. Someone said she took a bribe of Rs 50,000 while some others claimed she took Rs 10,000.


She also added that she is living in fear after the incident, as they are putting pressure on her. They have said that she would not be allowed to work in the locality, the women told the journalist.

Talking to the journalist, locals said that they find it difficult to believe that someone will attack the minor girl so brutally only for a few thousand Rupees. They claim that the girl was made a target a sexual assault, and the monetary transaction was not a reason behind the same.


The residents also said that one of the accused Aslam, who is accused of raping his own minor daughter earlier, had no financial dealing with the family, and he is not even related the person who had financial dealings. Therefore, it had to be a pure sexual assault. They also said that Aslam had been boycotted by the society after he had raped his daughter and thrashed his wife.

The locals added that they felt that Aslam, who works as a mason, should not live in the locality due to his criminal nature. The residents had demanded that he should be sent away from the place, but some politicians took Aslam’s side and ensured that he stayed there.

Man who wrote ‘Flight is covered by hijackers, land in PoK, Allah is great’ awarded life term for creating hijack scare in 2017

OpIndia Staff
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Man who wrote ‘Flight is covered by hijackers, land in PoK, Allah is great’ awarded life term for creating hijack scare in 2017

A Mumbai-based businessman was awarded life imprisonment along with a fine Rs 5 crore by special NIA court on Tuesday for creating a fake hijack scare onboard a Jet Airways plane in October 2017.

Birju Salla was accused of writing a threat note in English and Urdu and planting these in the tissue paper box of the aircraft’s toilet on October 30. Upon discovery of the notes, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing at the Ahmedabad airport.

According to reports, NIA confirmed that Salla had jeopardized the safety of passengers and crew on board Mumbai-Delhi Jet Airways flight 9W339 on October 30 by intentionally hiding the “threat notes” in the tissue paper box of the toilet near the business class.

The note, which ended with the words – Allah is Great, demanded the plane be flown into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

The note reportedly read, “Flight is covered by hijackers & aircraft should not be landed & flown straight to PoK. 12 people on board. If you put landing gear you will hear the noise of ppl dying…Cargo area contains explosives & will blast if you land in Delhi. Allah is great”.


As per the verdict by special NIA judge K M Dave, the fine amount paid by Salla would be distributed amongst the crew members and passengers who were present on board on board flight 9W339. The court has awarded compensation to pilot worth Rs 1 lakh, each airhostess Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 for each passenger.

The charge sheet against Salla was filed by NIA in January last year, under sections 3(1), 3(2)(a) and 4(b) of the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016.

After the incident, Salla was put on “national no-fly list,” making him the first person to be featured on this list. He was also the first to be booked under the stringent Anti Hijacking Act, a modified version of the 1982 law.

According to his confession, Salla told investigators that he had created a hoax in the hope to force Jet Airways to close their Delhi operation and make way for his girlfriend, who was employed in the airline’s Delhi office, to return to Mumbai.

Petty lies: Times of India presents a conversation selectively just to convince its readers that Anurag Kashyap ‘slammed’ a Twitter user

OpIndia Staff
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Petty lies: Times of India presents a conversation selectively just to convince its readers that Anurag Kashyap ‘slammed’ a Twitter user

In a deceptive report published by Times of India, the media organisation cited an incomplete Twitter conversation between filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and a Twitter user to portray how the filmmaker had allegedly ‘slammed’ the Twitter user for accusing him of being a hypocrite.


Responding to this spurious report, the Twitter user who goes by the handle @divya_16_ called out Times of India’s dishonesty with its readers by not showing the entire conversation to them and allowing them to form their own opinion on it. Hinting that TOI is shielding Anurag Kashyap, Divya further insinuated that the Times of India must have started offering PR services to Bollywood on Twitter because of their failed business model.

Earlier today, Film producer Anurag Kashyap, who has often been a severe critic of PM Modi and the BJP had tweeted that fake videos and rumours have created a riot-like situation in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh. Kashyap meant that the general outpouring of emotions of people in Aligarh murder case has devolved the situation into anarchy there. However, outing his hypocrisy Divya reminded him of how he had once tagged PM Modi on Twitter for the threats his daughter received on Instagram but cannot brook the anger of common men on streets.


Anurag retorted back saying that murder is a heinous crime and the perpetrators responsible for this have been arrested. He further added that the rumours of rape, dismembering of body and eyes gouged out didn’t happen and the talks regarding this were inciting riot-like situation in the country.


Divya shot back replying how Anurag has not even bothered to read about the child’s post-mortem report. The report clearly states that the victim’s eyes were gouged out and her arm amputated.


Divya further prodded what Anurag meant when he said ‘riot-like’ situation. These tweets were conveniently left out by Times of India to give a selective picture of the conversation.


So far, no acts of violence or vandalism have been reported from Aligarh, where a 2.5-year-old girl was brutally murdered by Zahid, Aslam and other 2 perpetrators over a dispute on a paltry sum of Rs 10000 with the victim’s family.

However, when responded back with facts and protruding questions to prove his claims, Anurag Kashyap chose to ignore the assertions made by Divya and didn’t bother to respond back. Clearly, the entire Twitter conversation between Anurag Kashyap and Twitter user Divya is axiomatic of who was slammed by whom.

‘Order not an approval of Kanojia’s posts on social media’: Supreme Court verdict on Prashant Kanojia’s release

K Bhattacharjee
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‘Order not an approval of Kanojia’s posts on social media’: Supreme Court verdict on Prashant Kanojia’s release

Freelance journalist Prashant Kanojia, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh government for posting derogatory tweets about Gods, Goddesses and inflammatory posts on UP CM Yogi Adityanath, was ordered to be released by the apex court earlier today.

Hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by Kanojia’s wife, Jagisha Arora, seeking his release, the vacation bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Ajay Rastogi passed the order. The bench observed that the arrest and remand were illegal, violating the principle of ‘Liberty’ enshrined in the constitution.

However, in its verdict, the Supreme Court has mandated that proceedings against Kanojia will continue as per law. It also stated that the order should not be interpreted as approval for his comments on social media.

The Court said, “It is made clear that this Order is not to be construed as an approval of
the posts/tweets in the social media. This order is passed in view of the excessiveness of the action taken.” “Needless to mention that the proceedings will take their own course in accordance with the law,” it added.

The verdict also stated, “We need not comment on the nature of the posts/tweets for which the action has been taken. The question is whether the petitioner’s husband-Prashant Kanojia ought to have been deprived of his liberty for the offence alleged. The answer to that question is prima facie in the negative.”

On Saturday, the UP police officials picked up Prashant Kanojia after a case was registered at Hazratganj police station, Lucknow. The arrest was made after he was accused of spreading rumours on social media. The police officials had confirmed that the accused has confessed to his crime.

A case was registered under IPC section 500 (defamation), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and section 67 of the IT act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form).

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