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Ram Rajya Rath Yatra to be flagged off from Ayodhya today

OpIndia Staff
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Ram Rajya Rath Yatra to be flagged off from Ayodhya today

28 years after Shri Lal Krishna Advani led the famous Rath Yatra from Gujarat to Ayodhya that culminated with the demolition of Babri Masjid, the Ram Rajya Rath Yatra for Lord Rama is set to take the streets of India today; this time from Ayodhya. Some reports state that the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, will flag off the Yatra from Karsevakpuram in Lord Rama’s own city while others state that the Yatra will be flagged off by VHP Mahamantri Champat Rai and no government representative will participate in the Yatra. The Rath Yatra is organized by Sree Rama Dasa Mission Universal Society (SRDMUS) with support from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The flagging off ceremony is expected to be preceded by a meeting of Saints in Ayodhya.

The 41 day Rath Yatra covering around 6000 km will end at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu after moving through six states. The Rath Yatra will move through Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra poll-bound Karnataka and Kerala before ending at Rameshwaram.

“After a night’s stay, the yatra will leave from Varanasi and from there to Prayag, Chitrakoot, Ujjain, Nasik, Badlapur, Bengaluru and end formally at Rameshwaram. The Rath will then be secured at Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) at the organisations national headquarter to be brought back to Ayodhya in 2019,” said Bheemsingh, general secretary of the SRDMUS’s Uttar Pradesh unit.

The agenda of the Yatra will be similar to that of its predecessor, a Bhavya Ram Mandir at Ram Janambhoomi and Ram Rajya and the inclusion of the Ramayana in school syllabus. The Ram Mandir case is currently ongoing at the Supreme Court with judgment expected to be delivered soon.

Who are Jeff Immelt, Jeff Zucker and why is Prannoy Roy trying to shield them from being questioned

Sanghamitra
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Who are Jeff Immelt, Jeff Zucker and why is Prannoy Roy trying to shield them from being questioned

Prannoy Roy, co-founder and co-chairperson of NDTV had yesterday written a letter to the PM. In his letter, he has alleged that he is being falsely framed by Dr Subramanian Swamy and his associates. While Prannoy Roy asserts that any attempt to question NDTV is a warning to all free and independent media in India, he makes another interesting claim.

Prannoy Roy writes that India’s Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department, under influence of Dr Swamy is making “outrageous accusations” against leading global corporates GE and NBC and the charges are so serious that the persons heading the corporations at that time might go to jail.

 

Roy’s letter names Jeff Immelt who was the CEO of GE at the time of the accusations and Jeff Zucker, the former CEO of NBC who now heads the CNN. NDTV has long been in financial and legal troubles under charges of money laundering and tax evasion.

In 2008, the US television network NBC had invested 150 million US dollars in NDTV Networks. The I-T department had alleged that the NDTV channel had routed the money through NBC, which was then a subsidiary of GE, via Bermuda and NDTV had received the money through its shell company in the Netherlands. At the time of the investment, NBC was a 100% subsidiary of GE. NDTV has long since alleged that the I-T department’s charges are serious and they would mean Jail time for Jeff Immelt and Jeff Zucker in the US.

Jeffery R Immelt was the CEO of GE from 2000 to 2017. Under his tenure, GE was being reported in the American media about how the company’s innovative tax strategies make it possible for them to pay almost no tax in the US. They had an aggressive strategy that pushed for tax breaks by fierce lobbying and widespread measures that enabled them to concentrate their profits offshore. A report by Institute of policy studies states that if there was an Olympic competition for tax dodging, GE would grab the gold. It is also noteworthy that three of GE’s subsidiary companies are in tax haven Bermuda. US Senator Bernie Sanders in his website lists GE at no 1 of the US’s top 10 corporate tax evaders.

Jeff Zucker was the president and CEO of NBC since 2000. He left NBC in 2010. It was reported that Comcast, the company which acquired NBC, had fired Zucker. In 2013 he became the president of CNN Worldwide. Under his leadership, CNN has been under several allegations of reporting fake news and misrepresentations of events. Jeff Zucker is widely criticised in the US media. The US President has repeatedly called CNN as “fake news channel. CNN was criticised for the wrong portrayal of the Trayvon Martin shooting incident where it was accused that CNN had deliberately tried to paint it as a black vs white story. They had also been criticised for publicly revealing the personal details of George Zimmerman. The man who had shot Trayvon.


Prannoy Roy, in his letter, had asserted that both Jeff Immelt and Jeff Zucker lead respectable corporate organisations and the questioning them in the matter of the tax evasion and money laundering charges by the I-T department might mean prison time for them. While Prannoy Roy’s letter has raised several questions on why NDTV is suddenly in ‘hail mary’ mode, it also raises doubt on why does Roy thinks Immelt and Zucker are above the Law? He states in the letter that as both of them are ‘industry leaders full of integrity and vision’ the Indian tax officials should not level allegations against them. He also states that the charges have already begun to be noted by the international business community further asserts that this might damage India’s FDI and its reputation at international level.

Many social media users have started calling out Roy’s claims by questioning Zucker’s credibility and reputation instead.


While it is highly questionable why Prannoy Roy would try to dodge the Indian legal system and instead attempt to get the PM involved in a legal matter, it has also brought to light some other questions. Why is Prannoy Roy so opposed to Immelt and Zucker being questioned by Indian officials? Is he afraid that some hidden facts may come to light? Or he is trying to hide behind these corporate ‘stalwarts’ and hoping that for the sake of keeping good ties with their respective companies, the Indian government will show leniency in the tax evasion scandal? Prannoy Roy has a lot to answer.

ADR report indicates that 9 out of top 10 richest CMs belong to non-BJP parties, 5 belong to Congress

Nithesh S
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ADR report indicates that 9 out of top 10 richest CMs belong to non-BJP parties, 5 belong to Congress

Association of democratic reforms (ADR), a non-partisan NGO working in the area of political and democratic reforms released a report titled – ‘Analysis of Chief Ministers from 29 State Assemblies and 2 Union Territories of India‘ yesterday. The report [pdf] analysed wealth, criminal cases, education, and gender details of chief ministers of India. The report was based on the latest sworn affidavits given by the chief ministers to the election commission. A glance at wealth statistics of top ten chief ministers should startle citizens of India.

9 out of top ten CMs in terms of total wealth belong to non-BJP parties 

According to the ADR report, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu is the richest CM in India. In terms of wealth, only one BJP chief ministers, i.e. Pema Khandu (number 2)  figures in the top 10 list. It must be noted that Pema Khandu was originally a Congress CM who changed affiliation to People’s Party of Arunachal and then later to BJP. Interestingly, the report still considers him to be an INC chief minister. There is no long-term BJP CM figuring in the top 10 richest CMs.

5 out of the 10 richest Chief Ministers belong to the Indian National Congress. They are Amarinder Singh (number 3), Mukul Sangma (number 5), Siddaramaiah (number 6), V Narayana Swamy (number 9) and Lal Thanhawla (number 10). It must be noted that chief ministers of tiny states and union territories are able to make it to the top 10. Also, the chief minister of Karnataka has still not finished a single term in office.

With the revelations of this report, the general perception of BJP (a party holding office in 19 states and the central government) running a ‘suit boot sarkar’ stands disproved.

Siddaramaiah claims credit for increase in Karnataka’s forest cover, forest officials say Ujjwala scheme helped

OpIndia Staff
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Siddaramaiah claims credit for increase in Karnataka’s forest cover, forest officials say Ujjwala scheme helped

The ‘India State of Forests 2017’ report released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) showed that the forest cover in the country had improved overall. The good news is, India is among top 10 nations in the world in terms of forest cover. It is a phenomenal achievement as none of the other 9 countries in top 10 have a population density higher than 150 persons per sq kilometre (India’s population density is 328 persons per sq kilometre).

The report suggested that forest cover had risen by 8,021 sq km compared to the previous assessment in 2015. The survey relied on satellite images and analysis for finding the extent of forest cover.

Karnataka is number 2 in state wise rise in forest cover, Siddaramiah claims credit

The top three states in rise of forest cover were Andhra Pradesh (2141 sq km), Karnataka (1101 sq km) and Kerala (1043 sq km). The Karnataka CM claimed credit for this achievement and praised his forest officials of the state on Twitter.


Karnataka’s principal conservator of forests says LPG scheme helped in rising forest cover

However, the forest officials had a different story to tell. They said that LPG schemes of the government (i.e. Ujjwala scheme) had played a key role in the increase of forest cover in the periphery of forest areas.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Punati Sridhar told The Hindu: “We have seen that schemes of giving LPG connections to those living close to the forests has lead to the rejuvenation of tree cover in nearby hills…In areas such as Bengaluru, more than 8 lakh seedlings of melia dubia have been distributed. Perhaps, these schemes are yielding efforts outside forest areas.”

Thus it appears that the Ujjwala scheme of Modi government is having many tertiary benefits for rural poor and environmental conservation. Karnataka CM is also trying to cut into Modi’s popularity by launching a LPG scheme of his own called ‘Anila Bhagya‘ without concurrence from central government. The Chief Minister of Karnataka seems to be eager to claim credit for the work done by Narendra Modi government.

Muslim Cleric asks BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to seek repentance for praying to Lord Shiva

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim Cleric asks BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to seek repentance for praying to Lord Shiva

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, some might say in keeping with the “composite culture” of India, offered prayers at the historic Rathaunda Temple in Rampur Uttar Pradesh:

Here on the eve of Mahashivratri, Naqvi offered milk and did an Aarti of Lord Shiva:

Before taking Darshan, Naqvi had inaugurated the 15 day Rathaunda fair, where he was also honoured with a ceremonial sword.

Such a gesture by Naqvi though has irked a senior Muslim cleric from Deoband who has asked him to repent his actions. As reported, the Mohtamim Saalim Ashraf Kasmi of Darul Uloom Ashrafia has dismissed this exercise by Naqvi as a political gimmick.

The cleric has stated that its extremely wrong to deviate from one’s religious teachings to adopt the practices of a different faith. He also claimed that its illegitimate to pray to anyone except Allah, and he as a result asked Naqvi to seek repentance for his actions.

Ironically, this historic temple was constructed about 200 years ago on the directions of then Nawab – Hamid Ali Khan, when an idol of Lord Shiva was uncovered in a village field.

Over the years, this temple has increased in popularity with lakhs of devotees attending the annual Rathaunda fair and the Jalabhishek of Lord Shiva, which is carried out in the Hindi month of Phagun. 

It might not come as a surprise to many that the diktat asking Naqvi to repent has come out of Deoband.

As reported just yesterday, a Deoband cleric had issued a fatwa against Muslim women seeking the help of male shopkeepers to try out bangles, as it involves touching the woman’s hands.

It was also reported that Deoband clerics had issued a fatwa against life insurance, as they claimed that Life and death are in the hands of Allah and no insurance company can guarantee a man’s longevity.

Besides this a cleric associated with the Darul Uloom Deoband university issued a fatwa against women watching football games, as watching men playing with bare knees is forbidden for women.

Shekhar Gupta and Tunku Varadarajan are hilariously off the mark and tragically ill-informed

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Shekhar Gupta and Tunku Varadarajan are hilariously off the mark and tragically ill-informed

Shekhar Gupta printed an extremely motivated and ill-argued article by Tunku Varadarajan. He then took to Twitter to summarize the article in one tweet :


The first thing one notices is the irony of Tunku Varadarajan talking about being “gracious” and a “team sport”. He had recently used abusive language against the World Cup-winning India cricket team of the blind. So there goes his own “graciousness” for a toss. He has blocked several people on social media, merely for disagreeing with him. There goes, yet again, his “gracious to rivals” advise for a toss.

Nevertheless, many points immediately came to my mind regarding these “5 things Modi must learn”. So let’s go over them one by one.

1. Do not just talk.

I don’t need to delve into details yet again because this article in OpIndia summarizes well the 9 things that NDA did much better than the UPA. I’d doubt if either Shekhar Gupta or Tunku Varadarajan will even bother to do some serious research, so let’s leave it at that.

2. Be gracious to rivals.

Prime Minister Modi, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, has acknowledged the work of all past Prime Ministers of the country. All of them. He has also acknowledged the work of all state governments. Needless to say, there are multiple political parties that have ruled in various states of India. Would that count as graciousness, Mr Shekhar Gupta?

Prime Minister Modi, has invited former Prime Ministers Deve Gowda and Dr Manmohan Singh, to join him on the dias when GST was being inaugurated. GST is the single biggest tax reform our country ever saw, and it involved the work of many political parties. When Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, GST was not even under consideration. Yet, Prime Minister Modi invited him. Guess who chose to boycott the event? Your favourite poster boy, Dr Manmohan Singh. Who is being gracious and who is not being gracious, Mr Shekhar Gupta?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has ensured there is always a representation from the Central government for every single swearing-in ceremony of every new state government that took over. After acrimonious election campaigns, he ensured that the maryada of politics still remains. Senior central cabinet ministers were present in the searing in ceremonies of Arvind Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar, Mamta Banerjee etc. Would that count as graciousness, Mr Shekhar Gupta?

A graphic was doing the rounds in the year 2016. I did a version of it while writing for another website Myind makers. Am pasting it below for your reference, Mr Shekhar Gupta.

Am also posting here, what I wrote in that article – “Please notice the active presence of several high profile Union Ministers on the stage in 2016. Despite the Congress party ruling in Karnataka, the central government didn’t see that as an impediment to go and actively participate in the 2016 summit!” And note the absence of similar leaders in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit of 2013

Now, who is gracious and who is not Mr Shekhar Gupta?

3. Talk to Media.

Unless you don’t consider The Tribune, PTI, Network 18, Indian Express, India Today network, Zee News, Times Now, CNN, Hindustan Times, Dainik Jagran, Nai Duniya, Hindusthan Samachar, UNI, ANI, Time Magazine, CNN – as media, then I give it to you Mr Shekhar Gupta, the Prime Minister is indeed not talking to the media.

Perhaps you should come clean on who you think constitute ‘the media’, and who you think don’t. Because ordinary mortals like me still think the above-mentioned organizations are media. And ordinary mortals like me are keen to know why do you want to go about spreading this lie, Mr Shekhar Gupta, that the PM doesn’t talk to the media? Is it because he doesn’t talk to your friends and instead talks to some real journalists?

 4. Remember politics is a team sport

Oh, if you didn’t tell this to the PM, he would have never known! Remember the concept of Team India? Remember this picture, Mr Shekhar Gupta?

You are an experienced journalist, Mr Shekhar Gupta, so I don’t need to tell you the names and party affiliations of the various Chief Ministers in this picture. Do you know when this picture was taken, Mr Shekhar Gupta? Immediately after this meeting. In the year 2014 – much before you and your ilk’s imagination could conjure up a suggestion of a team sport!

Would you also want to know who played spoilsport to this idea of Team India? Your favourite party, the Congress party!


We are now eagerly awaiting an article from you on the graciousness and team spirit of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Hopefully, in this lifetime, we will get to see one article!

5. Have some fun

Guess what – he does. So perhaps time for you to stop writing and have only fun!

Image is a collage prepared for an article written for MyInd Makers here

Naveen Patnaik seems to be turning uncharacteristically vindictive

Sambit Nayak
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Naveen Patnaik seems to be turning uncharacteristically vindictive

Odisha politics is on a roller coaster these days. The tussle between ruling BJD and a resurgent BJP is taking epic proportions with every passing day. It was only last month when BJD party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik suspended Baijayant Panda for “anti-party activities”. Now the BJD has lodged an official complaint with Election Commission against an Odia media channel OTV, owned by Panda’s family, of showing paid news in favour of BJP to help them in the upcoming Bijepur assembly by poll and demanded this expense to be added to BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi’s poll expenditure.

Bijepur, an assembly constituency in Bargarh district of Western Odisha is going to polls on 24th February after its incumbent MLA Late Shri Subal Sahu of the Congress party passed away battling cancer in August last year. This by poll is being seen as a curtain raiser for 2019 assembly poll, hence both the parties have taken it as a prestige battle. While BJD has fielded Ritarani Sahu, wife of late Subal Sahu as its candidate, BJP has fielded ex BJD MLA from Bijepur itself, Shri Ashok Panigrahi. Both parties are going all gun blazing to secure this lone seat. BJP is trying to prove its resurgence after the favourable panchayat polls last year, at the same time BJD is desperate to convince that after 20 years of rule, it is still a force to be reckoned with.

Though the one-upmanship game is not new in politics, yesterday it took an ugly turn when BJD went to Election Commission with an official complaint against OTV, a news channel owned by Panda’s family and accused it of showing paid news to favour BJP in the by poll.

While the complaint looks amateurish and amusing to many, what is particularly surprising in this case is the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik himself taking to Social Media to express his discontent for the way OTV has been running their show. It is not very usual for Naveen Patnaik to vent his ire publicly.

Though he is known to be a strict taskmaster and doesn’t take indiscipline lightly, one could rarely find his public outburst. As we reported earlier, suspensions are not new to BJD. It’s rather a routine affair. But rarely Naveen himself, publicly, has gone after an ex-party member or disgruntled leader. It shows there is more than that meets the eye regarding Panda’s suspension. Naveen was never known, publicly, to be so personally vindictive.

One theory could be, most senior party leaders had bid goodbye to their political careers after being suspended from BJD. Though their individual leadership capabilities are unquestioned, it seemed they drew their power from the party symbol. Once detached, their political career saw a sunset. However, Panda doesn’t seem to be a spent force post-suspension from BJD. And this may be making Naveen nervous. The reason why this tug-of-war is still going on weeks after his suspension from the party. Another theory could be, more than Naveen Patnaik himself, this may be his personal secretary VK Pandian’s doing after his political role is now the talk of the town.

There are other theories doing the rounds in Odisha political and media circles as well. Some are saying BJD is nervous about the by-poll as a resurgent BJP can sound the death knell for its 2019 ambitions. At the same time, OTV’s coverage of the recent Kunduli gang-rape case where a minor rape victim committed suicide, could be the tipping point as well. While the state government officials maintained that she was never raped, OTV broke the exclusive story where Odisha State Forensic Science Laboratory clearly pointed to the rape of the girl. Another laughable theory doing the rounds is, last week attack on CM’s private secretary VK Pandian by BJP activists was orchestrated by OTV itself. As per the charge, a reporter from OTV did a recce on Pandian’s house before the attack and gave a Green signal to BJP hoodlums when it was all clear. Senior media persons from the state are surprised at this complaint as the BJD leaders themselves use to give OTV a lot of importance. As a senior journalist, Sandip Sahu describes, “BJD leaders and ministers refused to start a presser without the OTV boom in attendance”.

Leaders from other parties have condemned this attempt by ruling party to muzzle media. “Surya Narayan Patra and Pratap Keshari Deb have no authority nor decision making powers to file such a complaint. It is being done with instruction from VK Pandian”, quipped senior Congress party member and MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati. Former party colleague and cabinet minister Dama Rout said that in a democracy, media is the 4th pillar and should never be muzzled.

Baijayant Panda on his part has termed these allegations as “Cheap politics” and advised BJD to use OTV’s neutral platform to communicate their view to the public.

Speaking to Opindia, he also termed BJD’s allegation in the complaint to EC, where the party has stated that Panda has been suspended for anti-party activities and false affidavit, as “totally wrong”. He mentioned that he has challenged the party to go to EC against the false affidavit case and BJD so far has not approached EC. He has declared all his incomes and remunerations as required by EC in his election affidavit. This is particularly interesting since CM Naveen Patnaik himself is facing a case of a false affidavit filed by state BJP leaders in the EC.

OTV has been topping the BARC ratings among all Odia media channels. Whether they have been partisan in last few days is for the viewers to decide. However, this set of allegations by BJD if not amusing, it’s certainly is amateurish and reeks of vindictiveness. It remains to be seen how the tussle turns out in the coming days as the polling day approaches.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar hails Pakistan, says upset with India’s policy

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar hails Pakistan, says upset with India’s policy

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, while speaking at a function in Pakistan, has courted another controversy by claiming he is happy with Pakistan’s policy and sad with India’s approach on the India-Pakistan issue.

He said that dialogue as a solution to the India-Pakistan issue has been accepted as a policy by Pakistan, but not by India and blamed India for stopping the dialogue between two nations.

‘There is only one way of resolving India-Pakistan issues and that is by uninterrupted and un-interruptable dialogue. And I am very proud and half very sad that this sentence of these three words have been accepted as Pakistan policy, but has not been accepted as Indian policy’, he said.

Claiming that he loves Pakistan, because he loves India, too, Aiyar said, India should love the neighbouring country how one loves their neighbours.

This is not the first time Aiyar has hailed Pakistan. In his 2015 interview to a Pakistani news channel, Aiyar had said that to hold a dialogue between two countries, Aiyar had said, to start a dialogue between to nations, Prime Minister Modi needs to be removed from his post. Former Union Minister of External Affairs, Salman Khurshid, too, on his visit to Pakistan, had hailed Pakistan as a democratic country and slammed Modi government.

Kejriwal leaves Ankit Saxena’s prayer ceremony midway after family demands adequate compensation

OpIndia Staff
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Kejriwal leaves Ankit Saxena’s prayer ceremony midway after family demands adequate compensation

At the start of this month, Ankit Saxena a Delhi based photographer was brutally murdered by the family of his Muslim girlfriend as they disapproved their match. Subsequently, the girl’s mother, maternal uncle and minor brother have been arrested for the brutal crime.

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.

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.

This, unfortunately, was marred by controversy as an India Today report has claimed that Kejriwal left the prayer meet midway after Ankit’s family demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore. In the clip, Kejriwal is reportedly seen telling the family that it is unjust to debate the compensation amount.

With Ankit possibly being the sole earning the family, the members pleaded with Kejriwal that it was a matter of their livelihood but he left the venue without answering them. As per regional reports, while Kejriwal was leaving the venue people present called out his name in a possible bid to make him stop, but he left regardless.

The said video in question was shared by rebel AAP leader Kapil Mishra:


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 do the same in Ankit’s regard.

Just to remind, a few days ago, Ankit’s family had met Kejriwal who decided to “dole out” a partly sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation, which was rejected by the family members. Owing to such a behaviour by the Kejriwal government, BJP has alleged that Kejriwal’s politics is influenced by caste and religion.

Mr Prannoy Roy, with your confused letter, are you indirectly asking the PM to intervene and subvert the legal process?

Editorial Desk
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Mr Prannoy Roy, with your confused letter, are you indirectly asking the PM to intervene and subvert the legal process?

Yesterday, NDTV put out a letter written by its founder Prannoy Roy, to the Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi. This letter comes on the back of an interesting few months for NDTV and its founder Roy.

In June 2017, CBI raided the residence of Roy in connection with a case against Roy, his wife Radhika Roy, a private company and others for allegedly defrauding a private bank. The case is about the diversion of funds for private use. Within a few months, the BSE asked a clarification from NDTV with regards the same loan. At that point too, Roy and media houses had made a hullabaloo over the law finally catching up. Even left-leaning media persons had condemned this move as hiding “behind the shield of press freedom ”

Meanwhile, NDTV too was in a soup for tax fraud. In October 2017, in connection with a case where as per the IT Department, Rs 1600 crore of concealed income was involved, the IT Department provisionally attached the entire shareholding of RRPR Holding Private Limited (RRPR), in NDTV. RRPR is one of the promoters of NTDV the media house. RRPR is in turn owned by Prannoy and Radhika Roy. Earlier this month, the IT Department slapped a fine of Rs 436.80 on NDTV.

Roy’s latest letter has to be read in the above context, wherein different enforcement authorities are now encircling both NDTV and its promoters for a string of violations. The important point to be noted here is, all actions are being taken by departments and authorities. But, Roy’s letter trains its guns on Dr Subramanian Swamy.

Roy first claims that Swamy’s “barrage of letters” is a “litany of falsehoods” which are aimed at “muzzling and silencing NDTV”. The second paragraph is the most revealing where Roy loses all semblance of logic:

He starts off by saying that Swamy has ensured that big companies are being accused of fraud. And his second sentence says: “These outrageous accusations are being made by India’s ED and IT Department”. Which is it Mr Roy? Do you have a problem with Swamy’s allegations? Or do you have a problem with legal recourse being taken by ED and IT Department? Legal recourse, which you have foolishly labelled as “accusations”?

In a latter paragraph, Roy claims that officers of ED and the IT Department are under pressure from Swamy. This of course ignores the fact that some of the work these bodies did was in pre-NDA era. He then says that such “false accusations” against big companies from the US will negatively impact the sentiment of investors and thus, FDI in India. Towards the end, the letter says:

At this point, the true purposes of the letter are clear:

1. Roy is completely overwhelmed by all the legal action being taken against him and his company, by legal means. He perhaps has exhausted all legal recourse, hence is using this letter as a hail mary

2. Earlier, Roy hid behind the veil of “freedom of press”, now Roy is using the burqa of “FDI and Investor sentiments”, to somehow reduce the legal stranglehold over his dubious deals

3. The letter, in effect, is an extra-legal, public appeal to a politician to intervene in legal matters and subvert the due course of law.

4. Are we expected to believe this open letter is the first attempt by NDTV? It cannot be ruled that NDTV has privately made several attempts to save its skin and now finally they have gone public.

5. The last paragraph indicates the trigger because of which Roy has written this letter: he probably expects that courts will summon his investors Mr Immelt and Mr Zucker, which will no doubt put Roy in an extremely uncomfortable position.

All the above motives are completely against propriety. If the tables had turned, NDTV would be the first to cry out loud that the judicial process is being subverted. Imagine a person like Adani, writing a letter to the PM, asking him to intervene in some legal matter, which he claims is a figment of imagination of some leftist media portals. Adani can very well claim that his international partners are unhappy with these “outrageous accusations”. Will Roy side with him them? Will Roy extend the same courtesies to Adani, which Roy is expecting now? Is this not purely interference in the legal process?

Secondly, if Roy is so clean, if NDTV is so devoid of fraud, why is he afraid of a few letters by Dr Swamy? Why havent NDTV and Roy sued Dr Swamy for defamation? Why are they running to the PM for aid?

Thirdly, again if Roy truly believes these “accusations” are “outrageous”, why does he not fight out the legal battle in the courts. By his own admission some of the cases are in the higher court, and if NDTV is so clean, then Roy should win the battle here and come out shining like a diamond. Or is he alluding that even the courts are under pressure of Dr Swamy?

Lastly, why is he so afraid of Mr Immelt and Zucker being called to courts in India, a fear which seems apparent from his letter? Does he fear they will reveal something which will further land him in a bigger soup? Or are these two people part of another “shield” he is trying? It is indeed amusing that NDTV has developed this sudden love for FDI and investor’s sentiments. One wonders where this feeling was when NDTV went to the NGT to stall Sagarmala? What grounds did a media house have to act as an NGO to block development work worth thousands of crores, involving FDI? After backlash NDTV had to withdraw this application.

This letter smells rotten at multiple levels. Firstly it baselessly alleges that the ED, CBI and IT Department are all working under pressure of Dr Swamy, thus have acted in an illegal manner. The letter then indirectly urges the PM to step in and subvert legal processes. The letter also makes it clear that Roy is either trying to shield two of his investors or trying to protect himself from trouble arising from their disclosures or is using them as a shield.

If any other corporate house had made such a plea to the Modi Government, NDTV would be all over it like a rash. Jibes of “suit boot ki sarkar” would come up. Debates would be held as to how big buddies of Modi are having it easy. Why then NDTV now want the same preferential, illegal treatment for itself?

The possible answer to this question could be: A storm is coming. If Roy has seen the Iceberg coming to sink him and NDTV, he may have chosen to sink claiming that “press was muzzled” by political pressure rather than the people knowing the truth. Only time will tell, but this letter reveals far too much and it is all rotten.

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