The holy city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh has achieved the distinction of becoming a ‘wireless city’ after the implementation of a project to lay down underground power lines, in an area of 16 sq km. This has resulted in the removal existing overhead power cables, potentially making the narrow alleyways of the city de-congested to a certain extent. This is a snapshot of a Varanasi alley before and after the project’s completion:
Before and after underground power cables were laid in Varanasi. Via @TOI
This project was spearheaded by state-owned power company named “Powergrid”, which laid the cables for about 50,000 consumers over a period of two years. As per Sudhakar Gupta, the project manager of the company’s integrated power development scheme (IPDS), Varanasi was the most complicated city to lay the infrastructure for underground cables.
The project began in September 2015 and was marked complete in December last year. All this while it was monitored by former power minister Piyush Goyal and has roughly cost Rs 432 crores. Goyal had earlier claimed that the project would be completed in a year, but it stretched longer owning to actual requirement and proposal.
The challenges encountered during the project included having to use small pedestal boxes as switch boxes. The troubles were also caused due to no map existing for the city’s existing underground network like sewage, water supply lines and BSNL’s telephonic network. The state-run telecom operator even continually demanded compensation for their network getting damaged during the implementation.
Apart from underground cables, eleven substations have been modernised and two new ones are being constructed. As per the Managing Director of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, the electricity wastage has come down from 42.7% to 9.9% and consumer complaint too has seen a reduction.
Since PM Modi becoming an MP from Varanasi, the city has seen at least 17 new projects getting inaugurated. Some of the projects include a trauma centre, two ghat bridges, a microfinance bank and the Mahamana express.
On a day when the nation grieved for the 39 Indians whose lives were lost, we all had to witness shameful insensitivity in the Lok Sabha so that your party could fulfil its quota of political opportunism. Our external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj had finally received authentic confirmation on the 39 Indians who went missing four years ago, had been killed by the ISIS. When the devastating matter was being nationally declared, your party members could not maintain some dignity? Was it too difficult to quit your cheap methods of disruption, by sloganeering and shouting when the house was mourning a tragedy?
Is a bit of decency and decorum, too much to ask for?
On 20th March, Sushma Swaraj was able to convey the traumatic series of events to the Rajya Sabha, and the house had maintained sensitivity, which allowed the people of this nation a chance to hear the government’s views on the loss. Perhaps that justified your attempt to block a national issue from being heard once again in the Lok Sabha?
As a result, your party members found one more golden opportunity to display their duplicity on the loss of lives, when they had disallowed a tragic series of events to be disclosed through chaos; all of which were charged by your ‘young face’, Jyotiradita Scindia.
Source: Republic TV
You didn’t apologise for such repulsive behaviour when dealing with a distressing incident like the gruesome murder of your fellow Indians. Even the Honourable Speaker kept saying, “Don’t be so insensitive. Don’t indulge in such politics” to the sloganeering led by your members of parliament.
And it was upsetting to see how insincere, the justification for your actions were. Randeep Singh Surjewala from your party had said:
“Modi government is playing politics. They made family members wait for 4 years. They told an old mother, an old father and little children, that their loved ones are alive. Can there be a greater crime?”
Firstly, you and your party cannot claim to worry about the “family members”. Because if you did have the slightest regard for them, you would not anchor perverse actions that disrespect their loved ones’ death. Think about what message you sent across to their family. You and your party came across as disingenuous hypocrites, trying to play on the emotions of people. So, do not hide the cover of “worried about families”, because your actions speak volumes about your respect towards the lost lives, and thus the regard for their families.
Secondly, the government had sound reasons to keep the family members waiting. I do understand that it can be traumatising to live in the doubt of whether or not a loved one is alive. I also realise how agony-filled the family members would be to live through the negative thoughts sometimes overriding the slight hope that they have. Yet, the duty of a responsible government is to do its best to realise the situation its citizens are in, both in and out of India. And I ask you, which responsible government declares its citizens dead based on unconfirmed sources? Therefore, yes there can be a “greater crime”. And that greater crime is to declare a person dead without having enough to show for it. Imagine a situation where a person the government declared someone dead without enough confirmation. Wouldn’t your party be first to call the government irresponsible for not double checking? Or did you expect this government to take that path because your government had done it earlier?
You used the citizen’s death all over again when YOU were caught in a political scandal over data theft. You wanted their blood to wash your political sins, Mr Gandhi. What is this if not playing the politics of blood?
Problem: 39 Indians dead; Govt on the mat, caught lying.
Solution: Invent story on Congress & Data Theft.
Result: Media networks bite bait; 39 Indians vanish from radar.
On March 13th, our CRPF jawans lost their lives in a deadly Maoist attack in Sukma. The nation mourned. We mourned. We mourned and cursed the terrorists. You jumped to play petty politics while their bodies were still warm. You blamed “policies”, not the Maoists.
The Maoist attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh in which 9 CRPF jawans lost their lives is tragic. It reflects a deteriorating internal security situation due to flawed policies.
My condolences to the families of those killed. To those who have been injured, I wish a speedy recovery.
On the very same day, you proceeded to smile and make merry. While our soldiers lay martyred. Of course, this ‘fabulous dinner hosted by Sonia Gandhi’ must have been planned before tragedy struck. But why didn’t you cancel the event? Isn’t that the least you could do? Or are the Jawans important only when you can use their dead body’s to play petty politics? You not only proceeded to have a party, but you even had the temerity to upload pictures!
But that is who you are, aren’t you? You did something similar right after 26/11, didn’t you? This IndiaToday report states :
“Even before the tears of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s mother could dry up, Congress general secretary and heir apparent Rahul Gandhi went partying with his pals at a farmhouse on Delhi’s outskirts”.
And, you did it again, this time, after blaming ‘policies’ in the face of a Maoist attack.
Fabulous dinner tonight, hosted by UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi Ji. An opportunity for leaders from different political parties to meet and bond, informally.
Much political talk but much more important – tremendous positive energy, warmth and genuine affection. pic.twitter.com/IxaAm7UPoI
This was not the first time you resorted to such abhorrent means of trying to appeal to people over the death of this country’s citizens. It isn’t hard to forget the way you brought up the death of a young Hyderabadi researcher, Rohith Vemula’s suicide to fit into your political gains. Despite a proper judicial probe being ordered to understand the death, you rushed to Hyderabad and indulged in attempts to anger youngsters through caste politics and a form of vengeance on university campuses. You and your party dealt with the utmost insensitivity of a matter as serious as this: a factor that is becoming a normality for your party.
Besides, if your intentions were so genuine, why would you refrain from making one statement about the suicide of three Dalit students in Tamil Nadu? Simply because you saw no political opportunity there? They reportedly committed suicide because of not being able to bear the alleged harassment by the college management, which has uncanny similarities with Vemula’s suicide. No genuine response from your party.
Let us also not forget that your politics extended to our brave-hearts. You once again, showed no hesitation while talking about “Khoon ki dalali”. Here it means, ‘trading in the blood of our soldiers’. You made this remark, accusing the Prime Minister of selling the blood of soldiers (as though it is some commodity that could be traded in). You evidently hold absolutely no regard for the sacrifices our soldiers make, day in and day out, so that you can make asinine remarks insulting that very sacrifice, by objectifying their bravery into a commodity used by people in power.
Doesn’t that remark also mean that our brave-hearts volunteer to offer their lives, not to this nation, but to a party in power? Wasn’t it members of your parties and your allies who asked for proof of surgical strike? I ask again, Mr Gandhi, who plays politics on the blood of our countrymen?
I am ashamed to see the lows you have your party have stooped to, just to find ways to gain votes. You have politicised deaths of every sort, by either attributing it to religion, caste, political parties and other such meaningless associations. Not once has your party maintained solidarity on tragic events that demand concurrence. Perhaps you aim to win votes by evoking a false sense of anger amongst certain people. But what you fail to realise is that people can see very easily through it. More importantly, your politicising of death contradicts the interest of the nation and can thus, only be detrimental to its people.
When will you, Mr Rahul Gandhi and your party stop this petty politicking? When will this Country’s blood mean more to you than a means to win votes?
BJP President Amit Shah today met Shivakumara Swami of the Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur, Karnataka, in an attempt to win back the Lingayat community support in the poll-bound state.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recommended separate religion tag for the Lingayat community taking Congress closer to their ‘Bharat ke tukde‘ dream. However, many are not in favour of the Lingayat being declared a separate religion.
As per reports, Shah is expected to meet all top Lingayat mutts in central Karnataka that have come out in favour of government’s decision to award their community the status of a minority religion. The BJP hopes that Shah’s visit will convince the mutt heads in favour of BJP instead of Congress.
On Tuesday, Shah will visit the Madara Chennaiah mutt, which has been traditionally associated with Dalits. He will also visit the Bekkinkal, Sirgere and Muruga mutts among others during his visit to the state’s central region. He will end his tour with a rally aimed at the ST community in Challakere in Chitradurga. Shah is also expected to reach out to the Dalit Madiga community which is upset with the Siddaramaiah government for failure to fulfil their demand of implementing Justice AJ Sadashiava Commission report which recommended internal reservations for Madigas within SC quota. He also intends to reach out to Vokkaliga and other backward caste communities.
Earlier, Congress President Rahul Gandhi Congress had been on a whirlwind tour of temples in Malnad, coastal and south Karnataka.
35 members of the Sirupanmai Makkal Nala Katchi were detained by Pondy Bazaar Police for attempting to stage a protest outside the house of legendary musician Ilaiyaraaja for his comments on Jesus Christ.
Music Maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s comments during his recent visit to Google headquarters at Silicon Valley in the USA has sparked controversy. While speaking to the staff there, he disputed Jesus Christ’s resurrection and asserted that true resurrection only happened to one person, Ramana Maharishi. He said, “I regularly watch documentaries on Youtube. It is said that Jesus was not resurrected. True resurrection has happened to only one person, Bhagvan Ramana Maharishi at the age of 16.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhCC-LsdmbI]
The members of the Sirupanmai Makkal Nala Katchi have alleged that the purpose of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s words was to offend Christian belief and hurt Christian sentiments. The protestors were stopped on North Usman Road and arrested. The police said, “They did not take permission for the protests. Besides, they did not organise the demonstration in places that have been allotted. Instead, they chose a commercial location.”
Ram Navami was celebrated with huge pomp and show by millions of Hindus this Sunday, but a section of them was unfortunately at the receiving end of serious violence while expressing their devotion to Lord Ram.
As per reports, the Shoba yatras that were taken out to mark the occasion in Bihar’s Aurangabad and Kaimur districts resulted in communal tensions between “two groups”. The report claims that stones were pelted on a bike rally at Nawadih area of Aurangabad, which caused tensions in the area.
The resultant violence saw about a dozen shops getting set ablaze and the attackers even pelted stones on a police van. After getting the news, District Magistrate Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal and Superintendent of Police Satyaprakash Ramesh reached the spot along with a police force and disbursed the attackers. In total, about 50 people have been arrested. Section 144 has also been imposed in the region which now has been put under a heavy police and CRPF presence.
Another report which has covered the violence in Aurangabad claims that the arson was prompted by the stone pelting on the bike rally when it reached Navadih. Here the heavy stone pelting resulted in injuries to six youths who are now been treated in a hospital.
One Jagran report claims that communal tension was also reported from the Malikasray village in Kaimur district of the state. As per the report, a bike rally was taken out on Saturday during which property belonging to “another group” was accidentally damaged. Hence when Ram Navami’s Shoba yatra started in the village on Sunday, the “other group” stopped it by alleging that they had taken a wrong route.
This resulted in a clash between the two groups causing injuries to eight people. This report also claims that a similar violence was reported from the Siwan district of the state, where too a Shobha yatra was stopped.
In Jharkhand’s Khunti region, villagers of Sonpur imprisoned Bajrangi Dal workers for about three hours on Sunday evening. Reports claimed that the villagers were irate about the Ram Navami procession entering their village. This resulted in clashes between the groups where the villagers allegedly even attacked the Ram Navami participants using arrows. Later about 30 people were imprisoned by the villagers, who were only released after the BDO got involved in the matter. In total, about 10-12 people have been injured in the clashes.
As per reports, the villagers have alleged that the procession participants behaved inappropriately with the village women, while the latter has alleged that the villagers tried to stop them from playing music and chanting Jai Sri Ram.
These violent incidents from Bihar and Jharkhand come after another such instance was reported from West Bengal.
As per reports, a Ram Navami stage erected by the BJP was attacked and set on fire in the town of Burdwan on Saturday by alleged TMC goons. Union Minister Babul Supriyo, pinned the entire blame for the Burdwan incident on Trinamool Congress and alleged that Mamata Banerjee was deliberately “antagonising” Hindu sentiments for votes. Besides Burdwan, violence was also reported from the state’s Birbhum district.
The central government is set to relax the Protected Area Permit (PAP) norms to boost tourism in many North Eastern states. Indian citizens from other states as well as foreign tourists will now find it easier to visit the border states.
The PAP norms are being relaxed after several requests from the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttarakhand. According to reports, all areas falling between the ‘inner line’ and the international border of the states have been declared as ‘Protected Area’ under the foreigner’s (Protected Areas) Order, 1958. It is applicable to all areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and certain parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Every foreign national, except a citizen of Bhutan, has to obtain the PAP to visit these areas. Citizens of Pakistan, China and Afganistan have not issued the PAP without the Home mInistry’s special approval. Indian citizens of other states need Inner Line Permits to visit the specified areas.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday tweeted some pictures of the beautiful Shungetser lake at Tawang.
Replying to the CM’s tweet, MoS Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced that the central government will soon relax the PAP norms to enable a greater number of tourists to visit the border areas. He stated that people must see the amazing places which will also create job opportunities and revenue for the state. He added that he had taken a review meeting with the Home Ministry and decided to relax the PAP rules for this paradise on earth.
And also MHA will coordinate with other agencies and State Govts to identify which are the locations which would require relaxations in PAP to facilitate more foreign tourists. https://t.co/7nDDSxOEA8
According to reports, the Protected Area Permit, which was earlier issued for only two years will now be issued for five years. This was decided after a meeting of the inter-ministerial coordination committee on tourism. While Arunachal Pradesh will be the first state receive the benefits of the relaxed norms, Sikkim and Ladakh in J&K will follow up.
The government is hoping to increase tourist flow at the serene locations of Tawang Valley, Ziro and Bomdila. More areas will be gradually opened up. Kiren Rijiju who is a Lok Sabha MP from the Arunachal West constituency frequently posts pictures of the beautiful locations of Arunachal Pradesh on the social media and encourages people to visit.
While most of the country is aware of Ram Navami and the secular drama being played by Mamata government in West Bengal, the MSM is conspicuously silent about what is going on in Odisha. Given national media’s reluctance to cover Odisha, it becomes imperative to tell the story from here, that reaches out to a larger audience.
Last year, we told you how a simple unprovoked celebration of Ram Navami by Hindu organisations in Bhadrak, Odisha had led to riots and promulgation of CrPC 144 for days to follow. This year, in anticipation of such violence recurring, the district administration imposed 144 in advance from 17th of March and prohibited Kalash Shobhajatra, Sankirtan and procession to “thwart possible breach of peace and harmony”.
Opposing this, SriRam Maha Yagnya Samiti went to High Court as this violates their fundamental right of professing, practice and manage religious affairs under article 25 and 26 of the Indian constitution. On a notice from HC, the state administration filed its reply, where they reportedly falsely claimed about deaths and injuries in last year violence while showing 1991 records, when there was widespread violence in Bhadrak, again during Ram Navami. Owning to this submission from state administration, the single bench judge upheld the decision of imposing 144.
Challenging this submission, the Samiti moved to a larger bench which sought the response again and upon realising that these were allegedly 1991 figures, the court allowed the Samiti to carry our Kalash Sobha Jatra and Sankirtan. They also ordered Bhadrak district administration to take all preventive measures to avoid any untoward incident.
While the prohibitory orders have been lifted in pursuance of the court order, internet services have been brought down in the city. However, that is not the crux of the matter. There is a bigger thought-provoking question from this entire series of events. In this secular country, why does a Hindu have to go to court to celebrate his festival in a peaceful way? While law and order is a state subject, it is also the responsibility of the state to uphold the fundamental rights of citizens which gives us the right to profess, practice our religion and manage our religious affairs. To maintain law and order, the state can’t deny the fundamental rights of its citizen especially when there is no provocation from the citizens who are celebrating the festival. More specifically, what exactly is a threat to law and order? Hindus celebrating Ram Navami or certain other people objecting and taking offence? If the answer is former, they need some soul searching. And if the answer is latter, prevent the latter. Denying the former, only emboldens the lumpen and religious fanatics, also sets a wrong precedent.
The police chalk out a path through which Kalash Sobha Jatra can proceed to avoid “sensitive areas” so as not to hurt religious sentiments. Why are the religious sentiments of certain people so fragile and intolerant that they can’t bear a religious procession from another religion? And if it is fragile, instead of giving it legitimacy by avoiding those routes, the administration should be firm and let the citizens chose their path of Jatra. Is the state so servile that it is willing to give in to few religious hoodlums who create trouble unprovoked? Is this the precedence they want to set? Are they willingly admitting that they are weak? Or is it a case of politics of religious appeasement to keep certain people happy? Today you put prohibitory orders because it makes certain people unhappy. What if tomorrow the same set of people are unhappy with Durga Puja, Diwali and Holi? Are you going to prohibit all of them? The day after, they may be unhappy because we exist. Is the state going to tell us to vanish because we existing hurts religious sentiments? Do we have to go to court to uphold our right to life?
While we beat our trumpet of secularism, it is unfortunate that a Hindu has to beg in courts to even celebrate his festival. It is sad that in a Hindu majority country, a Hindu has to take out a Kalash Sobha Jatra among Armed Police personnel marching around both sides of the Jatra. If this is what secularism in this country has come down to, we need a serious re-look at our priorities and policies. Secularism can’t be a one-way street.
Chiefly “March for our lives” is a movement to implement stricter gun control measures in the United States of America following a mass shooting in a Florida school back in February. The main march under this banner took place in Washington DC which was attended by about 2 lakh demonstrators.
Considering that the matter was chiefly US-centric, the fact that some Mumbai residents were marching for it when India itself doesn’t lack for issues, amused quite a few people:
wow I will never stop making fun of the apathy and indifference of rich townie kids. india (for all its problems) has one of the strictest gun control policies IN THE WORLD. more kids die from midday meals and general infrastructure problems than from guns. you privileged idiots! https://t.co/O1a7kOvqkA
When you watch too much Netflix, drink too much Starbucks and start hallucinating that you are now in the United States you get this ? https://t.co/NMgJPmhm2e
In order to possibly explain their position regarding this march, one of the conveners of the Mumbai march called it an effort to show people in the US that they aren’t alone. He also claimed that the Mumbai marchers stood with the American people in their mission to end gun violence. Calling the march as an awareness movement, he asserted that, as “citizens of the world”, they should make sure gun violence against children should not happen.
While it’s touching to note that the Mumbai residents chose to show solidarity with the Americans, terming the march as a possible gun control “awareness” for Indians, would be a fallacy considering India already has one of the strictest gun control laws in the world. Time is taken to get a gun licence in India usually ranges in years and the rigorous process dates back to the British period when the imperialists actively sought to disarm the Indians.
The Mumbai marchers though aren’t the “odd men out” in this affair considering other cities like London, Sydney and Tokyo too witnessed similar marches.
Journalist Saikat Datta, who is South Asia editor of Asia Times and formerly covered National Security for Hindustan Times, today posted a screenshot of a Facebook profile of a girl ‘Sanjana Singh’. He claimed that the profile was of same NCC cadet interviewed by news agency ANI after Rahul Gandhi claimed ignorance regarding NCC training ‘and that type of stuff’. However, even a cursory look at two pictures, of the Facebook profile shared by Saikat and the picture of the NCC cadet, would reveal that the two women aren’t the same.
Another ‘journalist’, Salil Tripathi, went on to further that lie accusing the NCC cadet of wearing the uniform while trying to score political brownie points.
He also went on the to do some ‘mansplaining’ and justified hounding the NCC Cadet because she was a “woman” and not a “girl”.
Saikat Datta deleted the tweet after multiple people pointed out that the profile is not the same of the girl who was interviewed by ANI. Interestingly, a so-called parody account, ‘Real History Pic’, had also shared the same screenshot of the same girl last night.
Yesterday we had reported how the so-called journalists turn bullies whenever someone asks an uncomfortable question to Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Hence, when a screenshot of a Facebook profile, posted by a propaganda account masquerading as parody and a ‘journalist’ appear very similar (just the image of the girl is cropped), doubts are raised if the image is shared by the same source.
Multiple folks have pointed out that this is not the profile of the NCC cadet who spoke about Rahul Gandhi’s lack of knowledge. Many people apologised for peddling this fake news. Let’s see if this guy does the same https://t.co/NfCdgi4vzM
This is not the first time someone has shared a fake image to score a political brownie point and then deleted it after spreading the misinformation far and wide. Politician and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who was a part of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) before Kejriwal removed him from the party had shared an unverified image with wrong information. Later in September last year, ‘journalists’ and politicians had shared fake images of girls beaten up by police in BHU.
It appears like a shoot and scoot pattern is an easy way to spread lies and fake news without responsibility. At a time when tweets and screenshots of tweets which contain fake news and rumours can easily be shared over social mediums like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, people in influential positions should be all the more mindful of ensuring they don’t reveal personal details and endanger lives of citizens.
According to Alderson, the encryption for the app which collects membership data is encoded through HTTP (unsecured), and not HTTPS (secured). He further said that it is relatively easier to decode the personal data, which is encoded with base 64.
Moreover, the personal data are encoding with base 64. This is not encryption! Decode this data is very easy as shown in the example. pic.twitter.com/yDWawN2YiR
Congress social media head Divya Spandana has claimed that Congress does not conduct membership drives through the app, but it only through the website inc.in. She also claimed that the servers are based in Mumbai.
However, she soon got called out by a Twitter user who claimed that the app did have membership option. However, now the app itself has now been removed from Google Play Store. Though there has been no official confirmation about the deletion of the app from the Congress party.
The web cache of the app, which has now been reportedly removed, also talks about membership drive being carried out through the app.
The privacy policy on their website, inc.in, is also shocking. The website states that the data collected by the website through the membership information you post could be shared with vendors, consultants and other service providers who ‘need access to such information to carry out their work’ for Congress.
Of all the privacy policies you may see on websites or apps, this one of the Congress party, no less, is the most shocking I have ever seen. It essentially says the moment you sign up with Congress, they will sell your data to anyone or everyone who suit their agenda. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/kStntXJB8P
Congress website further washes hands off the responsibility of privacy of your data once the third party gets involved.
This raises serious doubts regarding the collecting the data of citizens and allowing third party access to the same, especially in light of allegations against UK based data analytics company, Cambridge Analytica, which was reportedly helping Congress win elections.
