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PM Modi proves yet again that he will change the narrative on his own terms, in his own time

Nupur J Sharma
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PM Modi proves yet again that he will change the narrative on his own terms, in his own time

For anyone who has followed the politics of Narendra Modi knows one thing for a fact, at least the ones who bother to be honest about it – nobody can ever predict what Modi is going to do or say next. Perhaps it is the element of surprise that makes the Prime Minister a master strategist. But what helps him beat the motivated narrative against him since the early 2000s, is that he refuses to play the game by the rules set by others, something he proved yet again with his latest interview to ANI.

Since PM Modi has been elected unequivocally, in 2014, the cacophony surrounding the leader reminds one of the narratives when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The shrillness only amplified and the lies, only compounded.

One recalls Congress’ malicious propaganda against the Modi-Shah due during his Gujarat days. Whether it was about the 2002 riots, or about the encounters of gangsters Sohrabuddin and Prajapati. A carefully crafted web to implicate the two was cast. There is a famous story that is whispered in hushed corridors. It is said that when Amit Shah was jailed, his blood sugar shot up. When a leader from Congress who has been close to Sonia Gandhi and now, is close to Rahul Gandhi and one being named in AgustaWestland scam was approached for mercy by some other BJP leaders. His response was interesting. It is alleged that this Congress leader said that Amit Shah can be released from jail if he names Modi, if not, he will die in jail. Shah had then responded with the quintessential ‘you better hope I die in jail, else, the consequences won’t be pleasant if I get out alive’. Of course, these stories are in the realm of gossip and none of this can ever be confirmed.

But the sheer focus on hounding the duo has been evident ever since. Even then, Modi and Shah spoke when they had to. When the iron was hot. When the time was nigh.

Now too, with the riveting interview to ANI, PM Modi has done the same. Smita Prakash asked the toughest questions, from Rafale to AgustaWestland, Demonetisation, GST, to the recent Assembly Election loss. Most issues were a rallying point for Congress for the longest times. Rahul Gandhi constantly accused the PM of personal corruption. From ‘chowkidaar chor hai’ to ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’. Barring the few public speeches, these issues were largely unaddressed in the sparse interviews that Modi granted.

In this interview, the Prime Minister has decisively changed the narrative when he made the 2019 battle between the people of the country and the mahagathbandhan with his ‘Janta vs Mahagathbandhan’ comment. While he started the interview with a glimpse into what India was pre-2014 and what India is now, talking on a range of subjects from the electrification of 18,000 villages to India going from an environmental pariah to the leader of the earth, with each passing comment, he connected with the people who wanted to hear him speak on various issues.

The core BJP voter had a running grouse with the Prime Minister. That he didn’t speak on core issues that ring true with his support base. Whether that was the Ram temple issue or the Sabarimala issue. Today, he assuaged those feelings by clearly saying that Sabarimala was an issue of faith while Triple Talaq was that of law. He made his intent on the Ram Mandir clear by saying that he would think about an ordinance after the process of the law is complete. The timeline aside, his intent was solidified.

While the opposition would have wanted him to respond to their narrative, the Prime Minister refused to indulge. Whether the questions were about Rafale or ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’, Prime Minister chose to set the narrative. When he said that Congress is weakening the country’s defence capability with their narrative on Rafale even after the Supreme Court had given the deal a clean chit, he took the power of narrative away from Congress and placed it squarely with the understanding of the people. A simple equation would be created in the mind of the listener: Casting aspersions on Rafale = playing with India’s security. A narrative which would be very difficult for Congress to counter and a perception that would be impossible to fight. Especially, when coupled with Modi saying he was hurt when ‘some politicians’ doubted the Surgical Strike while he sat worried about our soldiers. None of this is untrue. All of this is what people expected him to say long back. But, the Prime Minister had his own timeline.

One wonders then, why did the Prime Minister not say anything for so long? When the barbs flew and Rahul Gandhi rolled up his sleeves to insult him over and over again, why did he not open up about issues like he did today?

The answer lies in Modi’s political methods. The Prime Minister had managed to bypass the media narrative completely, time and again, solely because his politics is not that of perception created through the ever whining Lutyens, but that of connecting with the voters directly. In that endeavour, he uses media as a tool to communicate with the people and not to keep the narrative-pushers happy. This is exactly what he did today. In a calm interview that asked the toughest questions about every conceivable issue, Modi changed the narrative when he deemed fit.

Congress and Rahul Gandhi were allowed to rabble-rouse because 2019 is a game that has just begun. They were allowed to peak in their narrative. Rahul said too much, too soon. Rahul said too much that didn’t stick. Now, a mere 4 or 5 months before the general elections, one has to wonder what other cards would Rahul and his motley Congress coterie pulls up? They have accused the Prime Minister of being corrupt, they have trashed every scheme of his, the lies have permeated every issue – from national security to his personal barbs against his estranged wife. They have tried playing the Hindu card, the Muslim card, the caste card, the violence card, the intolerance card, the corruption card, the farmer card, the middle-class card and the suit boot ki sarkar card. One wonders what else is left for the Congress to say in the crucial months that lead up to 2019.

To my mind, the answer is none. After peaking too soon, Congress and their clown prince would repeat the same lies over and over again, while BJP and Prime Minister Modi have a treasure trove of issues to rake up.

Elections, much like the local trains of Mumbai, is a matter of timing. With this interview to ANI, Prime Minister Modi has proven yet again that he will set the narrative in his own time and his own terms.

The Modi-Shah duo stopped playing the game by the rules set by his detractors a long time ago. It is time, now, to wait and see what their game is. If history bears testament, the gloves have just come off.

Triple Talaq is about gender equality, Sabarimala is about tradition: PM Modi in his interview to ANI

OpIndia Staff
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Triple Talaq is about gender equality, Sabarimala is about tradition: PM Modi in his interview to ANI

Prime Minister Modi in his interview to the news agency ANI clarifying BJP’s separate stands Triple Talaq and Sabarimala issues said that the two are different issues.

Clearing the air on BJP’s contradictory stand on the controversial Triple Talaq ordinance and the ban of women’s entry between the age group of 10-50 years of age, PM Modi said, “Many Islamic countries of the world have banned the Triple Talaq, hence it is not a matter of faith for the religion. Had it been a matter of faith, Triple Talaq would have been practised in these countries. Even Pakistan has banned Triple Talaq. This shows it is a matter of gender equality. It is a matter of social justice.”

“Secondly, India believes everyone should get equal rights. Some temples in India have their own customs and traditions. Some temples have banned the entry of men and men do not visit them. In this, Sabarimala, a woman judge in the Supreme Court has made certain observations. It needs to be read minutely. There is no need to attribute those to any political party. As a woman, she has made some suggestions. There should be a debate on that as well sometimes,” PM Modi said.

Election time ‘lollipop’ of loan waiver promises never benefit farmers, we are working towards their empowerment: PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Election time ‘lollipop’ of loan waiver promises never benefit farmers, we are working towards their empowerment: PM Modi

In an exclusive interview to ANI today, PM Modi spoke about farmer issues and his government’s stand on loan waivers.

ANI editor asked the PM that Rahul Gandhi and his party has often alleged that the NDA government has allowed economic offenders to flee the country while farmers in the country are suffering, PM stated that Congress often resorts to slandering while ignoring its own failure to provide relief to farmers.

PM Modi asserted that as he has stated before, Congress’ promise of farm loan waivers is just a lollipop to cheat people. He explained that time and again, Congress has used loan waivers as an election time trick while actually doing nothing for farmers.


Over the allegations by the opposition that billionaire economic offenders like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi had fled while farmers in the country are suffering, the PM stated that waiving off farmers’ loan is never the solution, had it been the solution, why are there still farmers in distress while multiple governments have promised loan waivers over the years.

PM Modi asserted that the solution to tackle agrarian distress is to empower the farmers. Highlighting his slogan of ‘Beej se le kar bazar tak’ PM stated that his government is attempting to offer farmers long-term solutions via Irrigation projects, value addition, minimalising wastage, logistical solutions to stop distribution issues and providing facilities like storage, marketing and technological assistance. He also added that his government has spent thousands of crores in irrigation projects that will directly benefit countless farmers, but irrigation projects are not an election gimmick, so media never focuses on it.

PM stated that his government is trying to create an environment in the country that farmers do not even need to take loans. He also highlighted the fact that the Swaminathan report had come in 2007, yet, the UPA government never implemented it. He added that had the UPA government had implemented the recommendations of the report instead of the false promise of waiving off the farm loans to win the 2009 elections, the agrarian scenario in the country now would have been drastically different.

He then stated that by raising the MSP of 22 chief crops, his government has ensured that farmers earn more. PM Modi also asserted that instead of falling for the bait of Congress over the loan waiver gimmick, media in the country should behave more responsibly and attempt to find out how many farmers have actually benefitted from the loan waiver schemes that have been announced before every election.

PM Modi also added that state governments are free to implement farm loan waivers and his government has never objected to it. He insisted that farmers of the country will actually benefit when governments start offering holistic, practical solutions and not election time ‘lollipops’.

PM Modi had expressed his criticism over the election time gimmick of farm loan waivers at a rally in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh recently. The PM had stated that loan waivers are not a solution to agrarian issues and they do not solve the problems the farmers are facing,

Hinting at a comprehensive plan by the central government, the PM had stated that the Congress had cheated the farmers in several states by promising the ‘lollipop’ of big promises and then have failed the farmers in every state.

In Karnataka, despite announcements by the government that they have allocated funds of Rs 44,000 crores, only 800 farmers have reportedly benefitted from the loan waiver scheme. In recent weeks, many farmers have received recovery notices from banks, facing arrest and many have also committed suicide.

in Madhya Pradesh too, the Congress had created hype over signing loan waivers within a day of Kamal Nath assuming office but the waiver scheme came with a number of terms and conditions which made very few farmers eligible for the waiver scheme.

PM Modi has always maintained that his government is committed to double the farmers’ income by 2022. The NDA government has taken a number of steps including raising the MSP, digitalising benefit transfer schemes, minimising wastage and direct marketing to consumers through eNAM to achieve this goal. The year 2017-18 saw India’s highest production of foodgrains so far.

‘Come back before sunrise’, PM Narendra Modi was anxious about safety of soldiers during Surgical Strikes

OpIndia Staff
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‘Come back before sunrise’, PM Narendra Modi was anxious about safety of soldiers during Surgical Strikes

In an interview to ANI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened up about the Surgical Strikes in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir perhaps for the first time. Modi revealed that the date of the strikes on terror camps was changed twice due to safety and security issues.

The Surgical Strike was planned in response to the terror attack at Uri which resulted in the deaths of 20 soldiers. Modi said that there was a “rage” building within him, similar sentiments also prevailed in the Army as there were soldiers who were burnt alive in the attack at Uri. Hence, the strikes were planned.

The Prime Minister said, “That incident made me restless and there was rage within me. I had gone to Kerala and made a mention of this. Because I could not stop myself.”

The Prime Minister also revealed that he issued clear instructions that the operation should be over by sunrise. He also mentioned that he was up all night receiving live information as he was extremely worried about the safety of the soldiers. He said, “I gave clear orders that whether you get success or failure, don’t think about that but come back before sunrise. Don’t fall for the lure and prolong it.”

Modi said that he didn’t want any harm to befall the commandos as they were “willing to sacrifice their lives on our word.” He also revealed a moment in time when he became “anxious”. It was when the flow of information stopped for about an hour in the morning.

“In the morning, information flow stopped, for an hour. My anxiety increased. Even one hour after sunrise. That time was extremely difficult for me… then came the information that they have not reached back yet but two-three units have reached the safe-zone, so don’t worry. But I said I won’t be safe till the last man returns.”

Answering a question on the politicization of the Surgical Strikes, Prime Minister Modi said that it was started by the Opposition who started peddling the Pakistani narrative. Modi said, “It was necessary for Pakistan to speak like this (denial), to keep their morale intact. But what Pakistan was saying, was being said here too. To lend weight to their views, they were citing the Pakistani version. Politicization started from that point.”

As we had reported earlier, Arvind Kejriwal’s demand for providing video proof of surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army had found backers across the border when Pakistanis had come out in support of Kejriwal.

Pakistan had been vehemently denying the occurrence of surgical strikes on its soil by Indian armed forces in 2016, in which approximately 40 Terrorists were killed when Indian Army personnel ambushed 4 terror launchpads and subsequently destroyed them. Indian Armed forces have already put out videos corroborating their claim of conducting a successful Surgical Strike deep inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

The Prime Minister also asserted that it would be “big mistake” to think that Pakistan will mend its ways after a single surgical strike. It would take a long time for them to start behaving themselves, he said. He also said that the Army was given a “free hand” to plan and execute the surgical strikes and all necessary equipment was provided.

The Surgical Strikes have also provided the inspiration for a Bollywood movie set to release on the 11th of January: Uri.

‘Congress should not create obstacles,’ PM Modi on Ram Temple issue in an interview to ANI

OpIndia Staff
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‘Congress should not create obstacles,’ PM Modi on Ram Temple issue in an interview to ANI

Prime Minister Modi in an interview to the news agency ANI said that the decision on an ordinance on the Ram temple will only be brought after the judicial procedure is concluded. He added that the judicial procedure for the temple is being stalled in the Supreme Court since Congress lawyers are ‘slowing down the process’.

He asserted that the BJP in its manifesto had also mentioned that the solution to the Ram temple issue would be brought under the ambit of the Constitution. The BJP in its manifesto had promised a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. Recently, in December 2018, the RSS and VHP had pitched for the Ram Temple in the ‘Dharam Sansad’ rally held in Delhi.

The sister organisations have expressed displeasure over the delay in the matter and there have been demands to bring in an ordinance, similar to Triple Talaq, to facilitate the construction of the temple. When asked whether the government is considering bringing in an ordinance on the Ram temple, Modi pointed out that the matter is before the Supreme Court and possibly in the final stages as it is slated to be heard before the Apex Court on 4th January. He said that once the judicial process is over, the government will make all necessary efforts in this matter.

When questioned why the government has not brought in an ordinance in Ram Temple issue like it did in Triple Talaq case, PM Modi said that that the Triple Talaq ordinance was brought in after the Supreme Court verdict in 2017 which banned instant triple talaq among the Muslims.

Blaming the Congress for delaying the construction of Ram Temple, PM Modi said, “Nobody can deny that those sitting in the governments in the last 70 years have tried their best to stall a solution to this Ayodhya issue.” He further added that the Congress should “not create obstacles” and let the judicial process take its own course. “For the sake of national peace and amity, they (Congress) should stop its lawyers from stalling this (Ayodhya issue) in the court,” PM Modi added.

This is how ‘secular’ media covered two similar crimes during BJP rule and Congress regime

Jhankar Mohta
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This is how ‘secular’ media covered two similar crimes during BJP rule and Congress regime

Illegal cow smuggling and cattle mafia have become an epidemic are an India but it is only now that, because it has started being reported so aggressively, it has suddenly started drawing attention. Several lives are reported to be lost because of mob lynching on the suspicion of cattle smuggling.

Every life lost is a collective weight on the conscience of the society, however, the media, which has long been in bed with Congress twists and uses death according to which government rules the state in which the death occurred.

When an unfortunate death occurs in a BJP ruled state, the headlines often scream about how a Muslim man was lynched by ‘cow vigilantes’. The subliminal messaging being that the “Hindutvavadi” BJP is encouraging mobs to lynch Muslim men. However, when the same crime happens in a state that is ruled by Congress, the headlines mellow down drastically.

Twitter user Ankur Singh, took to Twitter to promptly point out few such headlines that furthered the ‘secular’ narrative of shielding Congress.

Ankur in his Twitter thread mentioned how various media houses reported two similar crimes, one which took place when BJP ruled Rajasthan and another which took place recently after Congress took over.

He highlights how differently these reports were approached by the media, giving the crime a communal colour during BJP rule while maintaining a softer tone for the similar crime transpiring during the Congress regime.

Screenshot from Ankur Singh’s Twitter thread

In the above screenshot, in both cases, a Muslim youth was assaulted, but while reporting when BJP was in power Times of India (TOI) mentions “Muslim Youth’ in the headline (right report) but cleverly avoids the same when reporting the incident during the Congress regime (left report).

Another channel Mirror Now a news channel owned by The Times Now group, used similar tactics.

The picture on the left: BJP rule: “Muslim Youth”

The picture on the right: Congress rule: “Youth beaten”

Though the accused, in the incident that transpired during Congress rule is also a Muslim youth named Sagir Khan, Mirror Now, craftily chooses not to include it in the headlines.

Similar techniques were used by media houses like India Today and The Quint.

Screenshot of India Today’s articles

 

Screenshot of the reports by The Quint

Congress has always had a penchant to woo voters by indulging in caste-based politics and by pretending to be the messiahs of minorities. The media often shy away from asking Congress important questions like why they would oppose the Triple Talaq bill when they are viewed to be pro-minorities.

Since the BJP has taken reigns, the media has tried to project the party as anti-minority and Congress as the Messiah. They have repeatedly asserted that BJP is actively trying to sabotage Muslims of the country. This subliminal messaging as far as crimes against Muslims are concerned and the tunes changed when the government in power in Congress points to a greater malaise in the Media and the Congress ecosystem.

The ecosystem’s sympathy towards the minorities starts and ends with political considerations. The moment a crime against a Muslim doesn’t benefit the Congress ecosystem politically, they are cast aside and the headline is mellowed to benefit the Congress.

Tuticorin: US journalist ‘interviewing’ people about Sterlite plant detained and interrogated by police

OpIndia Staff
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Tuticorin: US journalist ‘interviewing’ people about Sterlite plant detained and interrogated by police

A US-based freelance journalist Mark Scialla was detained by the district police on Sunday and questioned about his whereabouts and intentions behind interviewing people in relation to Tuticorin’s Sterlite Plant. He was let off on the same day but officials have said that they are planning to deport him back.

According to reports, Scilla came to India on Tourist Visa and stayed in a hotel, before he started meeting anti-Sterlite protestors. He also interviewed people who claimed to be victims of the police firing on Anti-Sterlite agitations that happened in May last year. Prince Cardoza, one of the leaders of the Anti-Sterlite movement, who was also detained on Saturday, acted as an interpreter for the journalists.

The Twitter profile of Journalist, reveals that he has previously served for The Guardian and the Al Jazeera. However, he has denied dispersing any information collected so far to any journal related to the interviews he did. Reports say that he posed questions to the so-called ‘victims’ about the health issues they faced by the plant and if the closure of the plant provided some respite. According to The Hindu, the journalist was asked questions about why and who he was interviewing and for what purpose. He was asked whether he was inciting locals and trying to harm the peace in the area. Tuticorin People Welfare Lawyers Federation has expressed scepticism over the journalist’s whereabouts and has alleged that he has come to incite people against the plant.

During detention, police confiscated all the gadgets and asked for access, but the journalist reportedly refused. Police informed that he had arrived on the Tourist visa, and cannot go about interviewing people in relation to the plant. Police have said that they are planning to file a case, and deport him back for contravening norms of the tourist visa.

The case was quickly escalated to US Embassy in India by Mark, which has so far refused to divulge any information related to the case. But, reports say that the embassy has asked the police to protect him. The journalist has also, raised concerns of safety to police. He said that he can be a target of local pro-Sterlite group members. Police have assigned personnel to accompany the journalist everywhere.

“As a tourist, Mark is free to go anywhere, but he cannot interview people and he has agreed to follow the rules,” an official was quoted by reports.

The Sterlite plant has again hit headlines recently after The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered ‘status quo’ in Sterlite Copper plant case, staying the National Green Tribunal’s permission of reopening it.

The protesting NGOs and pressure groups had accused the Sterlite plant of contaminating the local environment by discharging various harmful waste, an allegation that the company claimed was baseless. In May 2018, police shot dead 12 protestors, who were taking part in the agitation against the copper producing plant.

This had promoted Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK government to permanently ban the copper plant. However, the order was revered by NGT’s order, which said that the Vedanta group was denied proper time to defend the case.

Srinagar Mayor denies sexual harassment allegations levelled by Congress corporator, claims she sought ‘undue and illegal’ favours

OpIndia Staff
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Srinagar Mayor denies sexual harassment allegations levelled by Congress corporator, claims she sought ‘undue and illegal’ favours

Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu has denied sexual harassment levelled against him by Congress corporator associated with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). As per reports, the lady corporator has accused Mattu of “assault” and lodged a police complaint against him and his personal assistant.

Mattu has claimed that the lady corporator demanded “undue and illegal” favours for her family members. Alleging that the charges against him are politically motivated since the corporator belongs to the Congress, Mattu said he had not attended the office on Monday and chaired a few review meetings at his official residence. He says that the facts can be verified by gazetted officers present in the meeting. “At the end of the meeting, I got a call from my private secretary (an SMC employee) who said that the corporator barged into my office and physically assaulted the private secretary,” he said.

Mattu even accused her of breaking computers and fixtures in the office demanding that a shop in Srinagar be allotted to her husband and a job to someone she claimed to be her son.  He has also lodged a police complaint against the woman and is in talks with his lawyers to file a defamation case against her.

The lady corporator had accused Mattu of asking her to ‘come along for enjoyment’. She even accused the mayor and his assistant of manhandling and abusing her in front of others.

Mattu is a former National Conference leader who was elected as the Srinagar mayor in November last year with BJP’s support.

Indian Express begins 2019 with Mrinal Pande’s bigotry against Yogi Adityanath

Ashish Shukla
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Indian Express begins 2019 with Mrinal Pande’s bigotry against Yogi Adityanath

I grew up in Lucknow, aware of a Hindi literary icon Shivani who lived in Gulistan Colony, a pristine part of the city which housed bureaucrats and judges among others. Her daughter Mrinal Pande had already begun to make a mark in literary circles. The mother-daughter duo held a mirror to everyday life, showing men and matter as they were, without any colour.

The Mrinal Pande of today bears little resemblance to this neutrality. She takes a Congress line which is understandable given the Gandhis afforded her Padma Shri (2006), chair of Prasar Bharati head (2010) and her present position of group editorial advisor, the National Herald Group (Never mind, many of us haven’t seen a copy of its print edition in our lives. The only time we are reminded of its existence is when it’s hauled up in courts for Rs 5000-crore defamation suit by Reliance Group on Rafale lies).

The problem occurs when she resorts to lies as in an edit piece today and Indian Express is too happy to lap up to her vomits. That’s how the newspaper and its edit author have chosen to begin the year 2019 with.

Pande is on a bigotry-binge on Yogi Adityanath. She asserts that Yogi is “planning a large statue of Lord Ram as a sort of precursor to building a temple on what is currently disputed land.” If you are not a legal hawk, it would appear that the statue is being planned on the disputed land. That Yogi couldn’t care less about Supreme Court is the sole arbiter of law in this land.

The fact is no land in Ayodhya is decided yet on Rama’s statue. In the fantasy world of Pande, the Yogi government would disregard the all-important scientific and technical matter of soil-testing and wind-tunnel testing as long as it could tamper with the disputed land and Supreme Court’s authority.

Pande then rams the lie down the throat of her readers by claiming that Yogi has forbidden “the use of loudspeakers for azaan, citing the disturbance to public peace.” The fact is that it’s Allahabad High Court, and not Yogi acting arbitrarily which has ordered the removal of loudspeakers from religious places in an attempt to curb the noise pollution. In December 2017, state government and UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) were hauled up by a High Court bench for its action on alleged misuse of loudspeakers in religious places. (So madam, it’s not just for Azaan. The court intervention is also against the temples, gurudwara and churches. And if you must blame, blame the HC and not the Yogi government.)

Pande is unstoppable now. She says that Yogi has “banned namaz being performed in any public park in the state.” She ought to be told that no less than Supreme Court in a 2009 order has banned the unauthorized use of public places for religious activities by all religions (and not just for Muslims). And why Namaz, the police has also stopped a Bhagwat Katha being planned by Hindus in Greater Noida this week. (Rest assured Madam unlike you on Namaz, Hindus wouldn’t make much noise and spread ill-will among communities on the matter.)

Pande further alleges that Yogi has banned cattle SALES to butchers, most of them Muslims. She needs to be told that it’s been over a year and a half since the rule on a ban on the sale of animals for slaughter (and not just cattle) has been done away with. If Pande’s sleight of words is meant to point out the ban on cow SLAUGHTER in Uttar Pradesh (and not its sales), she can’t pretend that 19 other states of India have banned cow slaughter. And that it also is not unconstitutional. Article 48 of the Constitution mandates the state to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. The Supreme Court’s ruling in the State of Gujarat vs Moti Qureshi Kassab interpreted the article in consonance with Article 51A (g) of the Constitution, thereby justifying a wholesome ban on bovine slaughter.

And if History interests Ms Pande, it was a Congress chief minister in Uttar Pradesh, decades before BJP even existed, which banned cow slaughter in the state. It was Dr Sarvshri Sampurnanand who banned cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh in 1955 with the UP Cow Slaughter Prohibition Act. (So madam, please don’t single out Yogi Aditynath and betray your hatred towards him while ignoring what leaders of the party you serve have done in the past).

Pande also has a problem about Yogi Aditanath making a “big noise about saving gau mata at all costs.” It would help her to know that a cow indeed is big in the Hindu world. She ought to know of Govardhan Puja (a day before Diwali), and a cow being worshipped on the third day of the Pongal. In neighbouring Nepal, a cow is worshipped as Goddess Laxmi during Diwali; Gaijatra in Nepal is dedicated to cows accompanied by a big procession. Gorakhnath (God Shiva) is the protector of cows. He is called Pashupatinath. God Krishna is called Govinda only because of his affection towards cows.

It is not accidental that Mrinal Pande chooses to address Bhagwan Ram as Lord Ram throughout her piece. She chooses a western manifestation on a man who is a “Maryada-Purushottam” to millions of Hindus. Let her try this trick with other religions and she would know the consequences. In passing, it must be mentioned that Ms Pande in the past had tweeted an image of a donkey to wish PM Narendra Modi on his birthday.

There is another irony which is not lost on readers of Indian Express. The day it chose to make a lead headline of the opposition’s reject of the Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Pande extols Pt Nehru for the good work he has done in “incremental” changes in the society. Is his party Congress stalling or going for “incremental” change in the status of women in the society? Especially for women of a religion for which Ms Pande’s heart so palpably beats.  Was Shah Bano a case of gender justice or gender denial?

So these are you “credible” men and women. The “credible” newspapers. The toxicity which poisons us every day. With blatant lies and manipulations.  Are these so-called men and women of letters worthy of any respect from us?

JNU professor files police complaint against JNUTA President, JNUSU Secretary for trying to disturb communal harmony in Campus

OpIndia Staff
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JNU professor files police complaint against JNUTA President, JNUSU Secretary for trying to disturb communal harmony in Campus

Amita Singh, a professor at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has lodged a complaint with the Police against JNUTA president Atul Sood and JNUSU secretary Aejaz Ahmed Rather for allegedly circulating fake news and trying to disturb communal harmony and incite violence in the campus.

Ahmed had alleged that the professor had told him that he looked like “a terrorist who has triggered 10 bomb blasts” on the 26th of December. The JNUTA had then condemned Singh’s alleged statement and demanded a formal inquiry into the matter. Ahmed also said that he had complained of the matter to the Delhi Minorities Commission and the National Commission For Minorities.

The Professor claimed that Ahmed along with others had protested outside her office on Monday and raised slogans like “Please teach them Lenin, Marx”. She said that she had written to the Vice Chancellor of the University before the protest apprising him of the matter and demanded security for herself. She also asserted that she had written to the VC on the 29th of December and accused the JNUTA President of “maligning her reputation”.

“Reiterating the hollowed allegation that I called them terrorists or blast convicts when I do not know them at all only shows that this is a well-planned conspiracy to create disturbances, obstruct work and arouse communal passions on the campus, especially by using the ‘Islamophobia’ argument, which is a sensitive issue in this pre-election phase of the capital city,” she had written in her letter.

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