In Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district, the minority officer Nidhi Goswami has said that 94 unrecognised madarsas in the district will be closed. She said that the students studying in these madarsas will be shifted to council schools.
“Currently, 94 unrecognized madarsas will be closed. The children studying in these madrasas will be shifted to other schools. Aligarh DM has ordered the formation of a committee comprising the district minority officer and all SDMs, BSAs, all police circle officers and district minority welfare officers. After the committee is formed, the administration’s order will be implemented. The list of madarsas marked for closing is yet to come from Lucknow,” Goswami said.
Aligarh: "Currently, 94 unrecognized madrasas will be closed. The children studying in these madrasas will be shifted to other schools…," says district minority officer, Nidhi Goswami pic.twitter.com/uSZfTbcUPu
The Aligarh minority officer informed that the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh had sent a letter to the DM on 26th June and directed to get the students studying in unrecognized madarsas admitted to council schools. After this, the action is being taken.
Around 2000 students studying in these madrasas will be admitted to council and secondary schools.
Officer Nidhi Goswami stated that the committee will conduct physical verifications of these madarsas. Teachers from assisted madrasas will also be deployed for this task, assisting in the preparation of the list of students. Following this, the report will be given to the government.
On Wednesday (31st July), Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on the Kerala government for politicising and indulging in blame game over the tragic landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad. He lambasted the Pinarayi Vijayan government and stated that the Union government gave them early warnings, several days in advance of the major calamity. He also charged the Communist government with ignoring early warning alerts issued by the Union government.
Notably, Home Minister Shah briefly addressed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and shared details about the centre’s response and effectiveness of India’s ‘early warning system’ in the wake of landslides in Wayanad. He assured the House and the country that the Modi government is standing like a rock with the Kerala government and the people to deal with the tragedy.
#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "My condolences to the bereaved families… I want to clarify something for the country… They kept on talking about early warning. I want to clarify that on July 23, the government of India gave an early warning to the… pic.twitter.com/pyi8WCFPq2
In Rajya Sabha, he listed out the dates on which the Kerala government could have acted to avert the high casualty figures.
Home Minister Shah said, “My condolences to the bereaved families… I want to clarify something for the country… They kept on talking about early warning. I want to clarify that on July 23, the government of India gave an early warning to the government of Kerala, which was 7 days before the incident, and then on July 24 and 25 too early warning was given.”
He added, “On July 26, a warning was given that there was a chance of heavy rainfall of more than 20 cm, and there were chances of landslides, there could be mudflow and people could lose lives in this. Questions are being raised about the early warning system of the government… “
– We gave a warning to Kerala Govt on 23rd July – Reminder on 24th – Another reminder on 25th – On 26th, we even warned them about landslide – Pinarayi Vijayan’s Kerala Govt didn't listen
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tears into the Left cabal, who questioned GoI’s early warning… pic.twitter.com/yrOSmtdreT
He slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government and emphasised that the number of deaths could have been minimised had the Kerala government been alert and acted on the Centre’s warning or after the arrival of NDRF teams.
He also adviced the opposition parties to read the early warning alerts issued by the Union government saying, “Please, read it” instead of shouting, “Please listen us” and repeat old and worn out slogans.
Shah told Rajya Sabha that the Centre had dispatched nine NDRF teams on 23rd July to Kerala after heavy rainfall was predicted for the southern state.
He added, “… Under this early warning system, on July 23, at my direction, 9 NDRF teams were sent to Kerala considering that there could be landslides… What did the Kerala government do? Were the people shifted? And if they were shifted then how did they die?… The project of early warning started in 2016 and by 2023, India had the most modern early warning system… There are only 4 countries to predict 7 days in advance and India is one amongst them.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "… Under this early warning system, on July 23, at my direction, 9 NDRF teams were sent to Kerala considering that there could be landslides… What did the Kerala government do? Were the people shifted? And if they were… pic.twitter.com/P29bTb2buk
We have early warning system for rainfall, heatwave, cyclone, thunderstorm and even for lighting which informs respective DM directly, 10 minutes in advance. The government has spent Rs. 2000 crores after 2014 for the early warning system, the Home Minister told Rajya Sabha.
While Kerala government ignored warning alerts, other state governments ensured ‘Zero-casualty’ disaster management: Amit Shah told Parliament
Home Minister Shah noted that while the Kerala government ignored the early warning alerts, other state governments including the then BJD-led Odisha government ensured zero-casaulty disaster management because of these alerts.
He added that there are governments that took cognisance of the alerts sent by the early warning system and ensured “zero-casualty disaster management”. He lauded the then Odisha government which was headed by Naveen Patnaik.
He noted that the Union government alerted the then Odisha government 7 days in advance about cyclones and it prevented major loss of lives. Incidentally, only person lost his life because of some mistakes.
The Home Minister added that they sent a cyclone alert to the Gujarat government three days in advance, and the latter ensured zero-casaulty.
Taking a jibe seemingly at TMC MP Mahua Moitra who was expelled from the Last Lok Sabha over ‘cash-for-query’ scam, Home Minister said that some MPs open ‘foreign sites’ rather than visiting official website. He explained that apart from sending early warning alerts to the state governments, 7 days in advance, the information is available on site for all to see but for that people would have to see Indian site, he added.
Wayanand Landslides
Two massive landslides struck the state’s hilly areas in Meppadi panchayat early on July 30 morning with villages Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala and Noolpuzha among the severely affected. The area which has been witnessing incessant rainfall over the past two weeks faced devastation after the landslide struck, with rivers and their tributaries swelling and changing course, flowing through the villages and wreaking destruction. As per reports, over 150 people have died in these landslides in Wayanad district.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday cancelled the provisional candidature of Puja Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022 and permanently debarred her from all future exams and selections.
Earlier, on July 18, a show cause notice (SCN) was issued by the UPSC to Puja Khedkar for fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the Examination Rules by faking her identity. She was to submit her response to the SCN by July 25. However, she requested further time till August 4 so that she could gather the necessary documents for her response.
The UPSC said it carefully considered the and she was granted time till July 30 to enable her to submit the response to the SCN. It was also categorically made clear to her that this was the final opportunity for her and no further extension in time would be allowed. It was also conveyed to her in unequivocal terms that if no response was received by the aforesaid date/time, the UPSC would take further action without entertaining any further reference from her. Despite an extension in time allowed to her, she failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time.
The UPSC says it examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules. Her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been cancelled and she has also been debarred permanently from all future Examinations of the UPSC.
In the backdrop of this case, the UPSC has thoroughly examined the available data of more than 15,000 finally recommended candidates of the CSEs from the year 2009 to 2023 concerning the number of attempts availed by them.
The UPSC says that barring the case of Puja Khedkar, no other candidate has been found to have availed more number of attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules. The UPSC says that in the case of Puja Khedkar, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the UPSC could not detect her number of attempts primarily because she changed not only her name but also her parents’ name.
The UPSC says it is in the process of further strengthening the SOP to ensure that such a case does not recur in the future.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Wednesday reserved the order on an anticipatory bail plea moved by Puja Khedkar after an FIR was filed against her for allegedly “faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond the permissible limit” in the civil services examination.
Khedkar through her anticipatory bail claimed her innocence and stated that she had been wrongly accused in the FIR and asserted that no prima facie offence can be identified against her upon reviewing the FIR.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On the 30th of July 2024, OpIndia published an investigative report about the Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda and his dubious NGO, Global Knowledge Initiative, which gets funds from the US State Department, USAID, and the Rockefeller Foundation. The NGO was co-founded by Sam Pitroda, a current VP of the Rockefeller Foundation and a former advisor to the US government. Detailing these links, the OpIndia report had questioned whether the Congress is in cahoots with the USA Deep State – since their IOC Chairman, who organizes the foreign trips where Rahul Gandhi demands foreign intervention into India, was running an NGO funded by entities widely accepted as regime change operators.
A day after the report was published, Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty took to Twitter (now X) to threaten OpIndia.
This is totally false & an utter lie. There were no “secret” White House meetings.
I was with Mr.Gandhi on every day of this trip
This fake news about the Leader of the Opposition can impact bilateral relationship, is against India’s national interests & a prosecutable offence. https://t.co/uEfDW33Oje
Praveen Chakravarty claimed that the news about the “secret” White House meeting was a total lie. Somehow, Chakravarty imagined that such news would hurt the “bilateral relationship” and is against India’s national interest. He further claimed that such news is a “prosecutable offense”.
Chakravarty, of course, did not tell us what section he would like to prosecute us under. Neither did he tell us how a news report based on publicly available information is a hazard to national security and could potentially hurt the bilateral relationship between India and the US.
What did become very apparent right at the outset was that he had not denied any of the other links mentioned in the report. He had not taken umbrage with questions of Sam Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi’s ties to the US Deep State, neither had he denied Pitroda’s NGO being hands in glove with the US State Department, USAID, or the Rockefeller Foundation.
Further, he contested that a “secret” meeting had taken place. One has to wonder if he means that since he was accompanying Rahul Gandhi and since it was widely reported in the media, it no longer remained a “secret”.
Either way, it becomes important to get into some facts and how, it was Praveen Chakravarty himself who had provided evidence of Congress being on cahoots with the US Deep State.
What was the source of the news about Rahul Gandhi’s secret meeting with White House officials?
The source of the news that Rahul Gandhi had clandestine meetings during his Washington trip in 2023 was an Economic Times report written by journalist Seema Sirohi. Sirohi is enchanted by Rahul Gandhi and had rained effusive praise on the Congress leader, while as a side story, reporting that Rahul Gandhi had these White House meetings which both parties involved – the Biden administration and Congress – had chosen to keep under wraps.
The news at the time was source-based. In her report, Sirohi did not reveal how she got this information. This was actually peddled as a net positive for Rahul Gandhi – that he was being taken seriously by the Biden Administration.
The news had expectedly invited the attention of those politically opposed to Rahul Gandhi and even the BJP. Several reports and columns were written about the ramifications of Rahul Gandhi meeting the Biden administration. There was, of course, no official denial from Congress either.
Sirohi had appeared on the Barkha Dutt YouTube show and confirmed her story. She said the visit had gone very well.
Once the opinion pieces, news reports, and comments started flowing in, Congress trolls started abusing Seema Sirohi, despite her effusive praise for Rahul Gandhi.
After the trolling and abuse, Sirohi decided to reveal her source.
Taking to Twitter, Seema had confirmed that it was indeed Praveen Chakravarty himself who was the source of this information. Keep in mind, that while threatening OpIndia, Praveen had admitted that he was with Rahul Gandhi throughout the trip.
After a couple of days of abuse from Congress supporters, I thought I would reveal my "source." Here he is on the record to PTI. Data chief Praveen Chakrabarti told PTI… "we met some people in the White House…" Story published June 3,2023 https://t.co/TGNRu5lAS0https://t.co/ZbbXHikLpg
Sirohi had taken to Twitter on the 10th of June, an entire week after Praveen Chakravarty had made these comments.
On the 3rd of June 2023, Praveen Chakravarty spoke to PTI and confirmed that Rahul Gandhi had indeed met officials from the White House, and the Biden administration.
“…There were some meetings with people from the administration. Those were very cordial meetings. And really the larger purpose is to highlight the importance of the India-US relationship, the need to broad base the relationship. And there have been questions about Ukraine and India’s stand in Ukraine, and Gandhi has made it very categorically clear, both in private and in public, that he fully supports the Government of India’s stand on Ukraine’s war situation,” Praveen Chakrabarty, chairman of the Data Analytics department of the Congress Party told PTI.
Chakrabarty, who is accompanying Gandhi during his US visit, refrained from giving any further details of those meetings.
“Without getting into the details of what transpired in those meetings… We met students at universities, we met faculty at these universities. We met technology executives in Silicon Valley. We met the media leadership of America. We met think tanks, academics and scholars. We met some people from the White House. We met some people from the (Biden) administration,” he said.
In fact, in his interaction with the PTI, he even hinted that Indian democracy was a talking point during his US trip.
The TOI report said:
“The second big message is, in his words, Indian democracy is a global public good, which means making sure Indian democracy is robust and strong, helps the world at large, and certainly the United States. And the importance of Indian democracy is the second message,” he said.
When Rahul Gandhi, in the US, during his ‘secret meeting’ with Biden Administration officials says that “Making sure Indian Democracy is robust and strong helps the world at large”, one can extrapolate what that conversation was.
Praveen Chakravarty could perhaps lie to defend this and claim that the conversation around “Indian Democracy” only took place with other individuals that Rahul Gandhi met and not with the White House officials, however, that would be unbelievable, given that Rahul Gandhi has demanded US intervention every time.
In 2021, Rahul Gandhi asked for US interference during an online interaction with Ambassador Nicholas Burns of the Harvard Kennedy School. The Gandhi scion was invited by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics to talk about challenges and opportunities in India and reflections on politics and public service. Nicholas Burns is a former American ambassador to Greece, and currently a Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Rahul Gandhi had said, “I don’t hear anything from the US establishment about what is happening in India. If you are saying partnership in democracy is, I mean, what’s your view on what is happening here?” Rahul Gandhi also added, “I fundamentally believe, that America is a profound idea. The idea of freedom, the way it is encapsulated in your constitution is a very powerful idea. But you got to defend that idea. And that’s the real question.” However, Nicholas Burns didn’t respond to this specifically, only saying that when they will hold the next session in two weeks with another guest from India, they will discuss these matters.
It is not really speculation that when Praveen Chakravarty says Rahul Gandhi spoke about “making sure Indian democracy is robust and strong” and “how that helps the world at large”, what the conversation with the Biden administration officials possibly was. If Rahul Gandhi had not, in fact, asked for foreign interference in India when he met with White House officials, then it is on Congress and also Praveen Chakravarty to reveal what the conversation between Rahul Gandhi and the Biden Administration officials was.
In fact, after the US trip, Praveen Chakravarty confirmed that Rahul had discussed Indian democracy, however, before the trip, he had lied and claimed that Indian democracy was not on the agenda for Rahul Gandhi.
After the expected questions and backlash against Congress, Seema Sirohi tweeted that Praveen Chakravarty had changed his mind – a whole 1 week after he gave the statements to PTI – and said that there was no White House meeting.
Chakrabarty changed his mind a couple of days later and told The News Minute editor, oh no, there was no White House meeting. Listen from 14 minutes on where he forgets what he told PTI earlier. So what is the truth? Will the party data chief explain. https://t.co/Az6tkcV3fQ
However, even while denying the White House meeting, Praveen in the interaction with The News Minute admits that Rahul Gandhi met Senators and Government officials during his USA trip.
Therefore, it would appear that the only information that Praveen is contesting is that Rahul Gandhi visited the White House – not the fact that he met with govt officials from the Biden administration and also, spoke about “preserving democracy” in India – which we know the meaning of – given that Rahul Gandhi has made similar statements multiple times in the past.
It is pretty evident, therefore, that Praveen Chakravarty is either a pathological liar or Congress has a lot to hide and Praveen Chakravarty is failing to keep his story straight.
Several questions emerge from this information. Firstly, why did Praveen Chakravarty tell Seema Sirohi that Rahul Gandhi went to the White House for a secret meeting and then backtrack, a full week after these statements were made? Secondly, in the PTI interaction, Praveen confirms these clandestine meetings and also refuses to divulge the subject of these meetings – why would Praveen or the Congress party, not reveal the subject of the discussions with the Biden administration? Further, even if one were to accept the retraction, Praveen continues to confirm that Rahul Gandhi met Government Officials during his trip to the US in 2023 and spoke about “preserving democracy” – should Congress not come clean about what the discussions actually were?
One would imagine that Congress would never provide answers to these questions – because they would then have to confront the uncomfortable questions about the ever-mounting evidence of their suspected links with the US deep state and regime change operators.
The Wayanad district in Kerala experienced a massive disaster on Tuesday, 30th July as three back-to-back severe landslides washed away four villages- Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha. Around 150 to 200 homes got demolished and washed away and more than 1000s of people got carried away as the landslides hit the district between 2 am to 4 am on Tuesday.
The rescue operations are underway and so far around 160 people are officially feared dead. The NDRF, SDRF, and the Indian Coast Guard teams, Army teams reached the spot immediately and began the rescue operations. The teams rescued more than 3069 people and sent them to 45 relief camps set up by the government. Kerala CM Pinaray Vijayan confirmed yesterday that more than 93 dead bodies were recovered. However, the Army this morning confirmed that the death toll had crossed the mark of 150-160 individuals.
The rescue team members while talking to the media also confirmed that the dead bodies were recovered in gruesome conditions. According to them, the team members have recovered individual body parts like arms, legs, and heads of some people while the rest of their body is still missing. The disaster has spread fear in the minds of people who are demanding rehabilitation by the government.
Several reports and experts have emerged after the disastrous landslide to claim that the Wayanad is ecologically disturbed and is prone to landslides as it is surrounded by hills and small mountains. The area experienced more than 140 mm to 220 mm of rain in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday mornings, more than the forecast estimates, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Several places in the Wayanad district experienced more than 300 mm of rainfall during this time period.
It is also believed that the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kalpetta had shared a landslide warning for the region. What exactly led to the incident, why Wayanad, how is the Centre helping, what are Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi doing for its constituency; here’s all you need to know-
13% area of Kerala prone to landslides
Wayanad is a rural district in Kerala, southwest India. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the east, is a lush, forested region with high altitudes that is home to Asiatic elephants, tigers, leopards, and egrets. Edakkal Caves, located in the southern Ambukuthi Hills, features ancient petroglyphs, some of which date back to the Neolithic period.
As per the media reports, the first landslide occurred at around 2 am on Tuesday, 30th July affecting around 200-250 homes. The other one occurred immediately after an hour or so washing away more than 100 other properties. The last landslide happened around 4 am on Tuesday. The last landslide reportedly brought with it massive mud and heavy stones which completely destroyed 4 villages of the district- Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha.
Constant rainfall continues to affect Wayanad and nearby areas. However, the state is said to have set up 118 relief camps across the state to temporarily rehabilitate more than 5000 affected people. 20,000 liters of drinking water have also been sent to the spot for affected persons. Meanwhile, it is believed that Wayand is prone to landslides due to its geographical location and unstable ecological conditions.
The district is surrounded by mountains consisting of loose mud which eventually flows in the residential areas affecting the surviving habitats. According to a recent AI-aided study, approximately 13% of Kerala is particularly prone to landslides, with Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Pathanamthitta, and Wayanad classified as highly vulnerable districts. And 51% of the Wayanad region is covered with mountainous terrain increasing the probability of landslides.
The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (Kufos) observed a 3.46 percent rise in the extreme landslide susceptibility zone in the southern state during the 2018 “extreme rainfall event” that killed around 500 people.
In 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Experts Panel (WGEEP), chaired by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, categorized the majority of the Idukki and Wayanad districts as category 1 eco-sensitive zones, indicating that they were extremely vulnerable and that forest land in these areas ought to not be utilized for agriculture or non-forest activities.
Experts also believe that the construction activities in the vulnerable area have increased to settle the rising population, which ultimately disturbs the ecology inviting such natural disasters.
Notably, bold reasons highlighted resulting in the current landslide are climate change, deforestation, mining activities, and unstable ecological conditions. The changing rainfall pattern in Kerala over the last few years has exacerbated the situation. The state has experienced a delay in monsoon rainfall in recent years. The current situation in Wayanad seems scary, even though the rescue teams and the Army are non-stop working to save humans trapped in the mud.
One column of Territorial Army has reached the mishap site at 12:30 PM#IndianArmy’s two relief columns with a strength of approx 200 individuals are underway to #Waynad.
Additional efforts based on the request of State government also being mobilised.… pic.twitter.com/P6QY5INHUh
— Southern Command INDIAN ARMY (@IaSouthern) July 30, 2024
A landslide warning was issued for the region
Amid the disaster, it has also come to the fore that the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kalpetta had issued a landslide warning for Mundakkai in Wayanad’s Meppadi 15 hours before the huge landslide occurred that destroyed entire villages and killed over 160 people.
The warning was based on an analysis of the rainfall data that they diligently collect every day using rainfall sensors located throughout Wayanad. As per the reports, the Hume Centre, an effort led by ecologists, environmentalists, and climate educators, has shared such warnings and rainfall data with the state’s disaster management agency for many years now.
The Puthumala gauge recorded an alarming quantity of rainfall—572 mm in 48 hours. It exceeded the amount of rainfall that caused landslides in Puthumala and Kavalappara in August 2019. On July 29, around 9.30 a.m., the Hume Centre issued a landslide alert to district and state disaster management authorities.
CK Vishnudas, Director, Hume Centre however, states that he has no clue whether the warning or the alert was received by the state authorities.
The IMD had also predicted the possibility of these landslides a couple of days ahead of the incident.
Home Minister Amit Shah today revealed in the parliament that warnings about a possible major landslide and mudslide event was issued to Kerala 7 days before the incident, that is, on 23 July, and repeated warnings have been issued since. He stated that the Kerala govt has failed to take adequate steps and evacuation measures necessary to minimalist casualty. He drew a contrast with the state governments of Odisha and Gujarat, who have take adequate steps after the centres early warning and minimalised casualties in similar incidents.
Rescue operations by Centre, help by other states
Following severe landslides in Wayanad, the Indian Army has increased its rescue operations and successfully evacuated more than 1,000 people to safety. As of Wednesday morning, dead bodies of approximately 70 people had been recovered in addition to 93 recovered on Tuesday.
According to an official release, four columns from Kannur’s DSC Centre and the 122 TA Battalion are working along with the NDRF and state rescue personnel to undertake rescue operations. An advance crew from MEG & Centre, consisting of one officer, one JCO, and three ORs, arrived on the spot to perform reconnaissance on the Meppadi-Chooralmala Road and evaluate the demand for bridge resources in affected regions.
— PRO Defence Trivandrum (@DefencePROTvm) July 30, 2024
Two Humanitarian Support and Disaster Relief (HADR) columns, including medical teams, were transported from Trivandrum to Kozhikode by AN32 and C-130 aircraft (six officers, seven JCOs, and 121 ORs) yesterday. Fuel and other supplies were moved by road, with columns scheduled to proceed to their allotted sites for rescue operations.
The Engineering Task Force (ETF) of the Madras Engineering Group (MEG) and Centre (one officer, two JCOs, and 120 ORs) came on Wednesday at 03:00 a.m. with a JCB, TATRA, and a 110-foot T/S Bailey Bridge. These resources were deployed based on the advance party’s reconnaissance. Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indian Army is also actively engaged in rescue and relief operations.
In all, four columns with Medical Aid Posts have reached the site. Areas affected are – Vellarimela, Muppidi, Mundekkai, Chooralmala, Attamala and Noolpuzha. More than 150 persons have been evacuted to safety. Rescue efforts in other locations underway
— Southern Command INDIAN ARMY (@IaSouthern) July 30, 2024
“The Indian Army remains committed to providing all necessary support to the people of Kerala during this challenging time,” the Army stated in the statement. This is amid the decision of the state of Kerala to observe and mourn for two days to honor the lives of those carried away by the landslide. The national flag was flown at half mast at the state assembly.
The Prime Minister’s Office has issued a compensation package of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for those injured. The Sikkim government has announced Rs 2 crore of monetary assistance while Tamil Nadu has extended Rs 5 crore of help.
What are Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi doing for their electoral constituency?
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who represented Wayanad in 2019 and contested again from the seat in 2024 along with Rae Bareli raised the issue of landslide in the Parliament on 30th July and demanded enhanced assistance for the area.
Speaking in the parliament, the opposition leader stated that he had spoken with the Union Defence Minister and the Chief Minister of Kerala to assess the situation in Wayanad. “I request the Union Government to extend all possible support for rescue and medical care and the immediate release of compensation and to consider increasing the compensation if possible,” Gandhi said.
He also emphasized the importance of restoring key transportation and communication in damaged areas and establishing aid as soon as possible, as well as developing a plan for the rehabilitation of affected families. “The country has witnessed an alarming rise in landslides in the last few years. There is an urgent need to map landslide-prone areas, take up mitigation measures, and develop an action plan to address the growing frequency of natural calamities in the ecologically fragile region,” he added.
However, late in the night, he issued a statement saying he wasn’t allowed in Wayanad due to heavy rains. “Priyanka and I were scheduled to visit Wayanad tomorrow to meet with families affected by the landslide and take stock of the situation. However, due to incessant rains and adverse weather conditions, we have been informed by authorities that we will not be able to land,” he posted on X.
Priyanka and I were scheduled to visit Wayanad tomorrow to meet with families affected by the landslide and take stock of the situation.
However, due to incessant rains and adverse weather conditions we have been informed by authorities that we will not be able to land.
“I want to assure the people of Wayanad that we will visit as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide all necessary assistance. Our thoughts are with the people of Wayanad at this difficult time,” he added.
Netizens however mocked Gandhi saying he was giving lame excuses and could manage to reach Wayanad anyhow if he actually wished to.
Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers, who have always been a target for Rahul Gandhi, have reached the affected area and are helping the rescued individuals. Several photos and videos of the persons associated with the RSS are going viral on social media in which they can be seen helping the affected families with food and other basic things.
RSS' swift action includes conducting cremations and providing overnight meals. Volunteers from Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri district have also joined in the relief efforts. #WayanadLandslidepic.twitter.com/NE0Gs80e1Y
Kerala witnessed disastrous floods in 2018, the worst in the state’s history, killing 483 people. In only three days in August of that year, the southern state got one-third of its usual annual rainfall. Landslides in Kerala killed up to 295 people between 1961 and 2016. Similar disasters were reported during the monsoons of 2019 and 2020, claiming over 100 lives.
In 2021, scores of people died as a result of landslides and floods in Kerala’s Kottayam and Idukki districts. In 2022, several people drowned in the state as a result of rain-related catastrophes such as landslides and flash floods. According to the Climate Report of India, published by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in January, extreme weather events killed 32 lives in Kerala in 2022.
In July 2022, the Ministry of Earth Sciences informed the Lok Sabha that Kerala had the most number of major landslides in the country in the previous seven years. Between 2015 and 2022, God’s Own Country reported approximately 59.2 percent, or 2,239, of the 3,782 landslides that occurred.
Climate change, deforestation, mining activities, and unstable ecological conditions have all been identified as major factors contributing to the current disaster. The changing rainfall patterns in Kerala over the last few years have aggravated the problem. The state has seen a delay in monsoon rains in recent years. The current scenario in Wayanad appears dreadful, even though rescue personnel and the Army are working tirelessly to help people tucked in the debris.
All India Professionals’ Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty threatened OpIndia and its Editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma over an exclusive report that talked about an alleged unofficial trip to the White House by Rahul Gandhi during his 10-day trip to the USA in 2023 and Congress Overseas chairman Sam Pitroda’s alleged involvement in activities that raise concerns about potential foreign influence and conflicts of interest.
“This is totally false & an utter lie. There were no “secret” White House meetings,” claimed Chakravarty in a tweet alleging that OpIndia’s report on Sam Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi’s alleged attempt at seeking foreign interference amounted to “prosecutable offence”.
This is totally false & an utter lie. There were no “secret” White House meetings.
I was with Mr.Gandhi on every day of this trip
This fake news about the Leader of the Opposition can impact bilateral relationship, is against India’s national interests & a prosecutable offence. https://t.co/uEfDW33Oje
Curiously, Chakravarty threatened legal action against OpIndia right after insinuating that the frontrunner Presidential nominee for the Democrats, Kamala Harris, was linked to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Chakravarty tweeted that Harris’s ad campaign “Fearless” was inspired by Rahul Gandhi’s “Daro Mat”.
Source: X
The report published on 30 July 2024 spoke about Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of Congress Overseas and a close aide to the Gandhi family, and his alleged involvement in activities that raise concerns about potential foreign influence and conflicts of interest.
As a former naturalised American citizen, Pitroda is the founder of the Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI), a US-based NGO. Two of GKI’s co-founders, Nina V. Fedoroff and Sara Farley, have notable connections to the US government and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Fedoroff, a former Science and Technology Adviser to the US Secretary of State, is a strong proponent of genetically modified crops and has lobbied for US agribusiness interests in India. Farley, the Vice President of the Food Initiative at the Rockefeller Foundation, has secured funding for GKI and has collaborated with USAID and other US government agencies.
GKI’s supporters include USAID, the Rockefeller Foundation, the US Department of State, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, raising questions about their potential influence on the NGO’s activities.
Pitroda’s ties to the US government and the Rockefeller Foundation, along with his advisory role to the Indian Prime Minister and his involvement in arranging speaking engagements for Rahul Gandhi, have led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs. The report put in the spotlight Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the United States in 2023, about a year before the General Elections of 2024. During his trip, On the 1st of June 2023, Rahul Gandhi was in conversation at the National Press Club in Washington. During that conversation, he lied about pretty much everything. From the CAA to Delhi anti-Hindu riots that followed the violence.
It was during the same trip that Rahul Gandhi had called IUML – a Muslim party responsible for genocides and carnage against Hindus – a ‘secular’ party. On the very same trip, he had also participated in a meeting at the Hudson Institute. The meeting was of ‘Think Tanks’ discussing the future of USA-India relations. Sunita Vishwanath, who was seated next to Rahul Gandhi, is the co-founder of a US-based organization called “Hindus for Human Rights” which has spread lies and propaganda mainly against Hindus, allied with Islamists, and has ties to George Soros. OpIndia has done a detailed investigation, which can be read here.
Intriguingly, a report claimed that Rahul Gandhi had made an unofficial trip to the White House during his 10-day trip to the USA. An article in the Economic Times written by one Seema Sirohi claimed that Rahul Gandhi during his visit made a trip to the White House, which both parties involved – the Biden administration and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) – chose to keep under the wraps. For an opposition leader to visit the White House in ‘secret’, without disclosing it to the government of India and the MEA, is a serious breach of protocol and could potentially undermine India’s interests.
On the 31st of July, the Delhi High Court slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government’s “freebie culture”, following the recent basement flooding in the city’s Rajindra Nagar district, resulting in the death of three civil service aspirants on the 27th of July.
The Delhi High Court ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and the investigating officer to appear in court on 2nd August.
Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stated the Delhi government has little money to upgrade the infrastructure, especially the city’s drainage system, in light of Delhi’s increasing population, due to the “freebie culture”.
“You are permitting multi-storey buildings but there is no proper drain. Your civic authorities are bankrupt. If you don’t have money to pay salaries, how will you upgrade infrastructure? You want freebie culture. You’re not collecting any money, so you’re not spending any money,” ACJ Manmohan said.
The ACJ further criticised the AAP government and AAP-controlled MCD saying the MCD’s Standing Committee would approve any project above Rs 5 crore, however, there is no such committee.
“Yesterday, one plan they said has to go to Cabinet. What’s the next date of the cabinet meeting, nobody knows! You have to decide on this freebie culture. There is a population of 3.3 crore people in this city whereas it was planned for 6-7 lakh people. How do you plan to accommodate so many people without upgrading infra?” the ACJ remarked.
The Court additionally pointed out that the quality of the investigation thus far had been inadequate, and that no culpability had been assigned to any Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officer as of yet.
“Who is the investigating officer? Some sort of strange investigation going on. Unauthorized construction happens in collusion with the Police,” the court said.
The Court then named Delhi Police as a respondent in the PIL, demanding an action taken report on the investigation thus far. The HC bench emphasised the importance of assigning responsibility and stated that if this were not done, a central agency would be tasked.
Notably, the High Court bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an organisation named Kutumb seeking the formation of a High-Level Committee to investigate The three aspirants who died in a flooded basement at Rau’s IAS coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar. PIL requests the formation of a district-level committee in each district of the national capital to examine and identify illegal commercial construction in their respective districts.
Furthermore, the PIL seeks that the authorities submit an action-taken report in accordance with the directives issued by the coordinate bench concerning the fire incident at a coaching centre in Mukherjee Nagar. The petition also demands the formation of a commission to investigate and prepare reports on coaching institutes that operate illegally and do not adhere to standard operating procedures.
On 27th July 2024, three aspiring civil servants— Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala—lost their lives after heavy rain in Delhi caused the basement of a building that housed a tutoring centre to flood. The tragic incident transpired at the library basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajinder Nagar area.
After more than two decades, the Ministry of Home Affairs has revised the financial powers of Director Generals of paramilitary forces and other intelligence agencies for rewards to informers in operational areas.
The financial power of the Director Generals of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Assam Riffles, the National Security Guards (NSG), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Police Academy (NPA), has been enhanced under various categories.
In an order that was issued in June, accessed by ANI, the order states that Director Generals have a financial power of Rs. 50 at a time, subject to an overall limit of Rs. 500 per year to reward guides, interpreters, and informers in operational areas.
This limit has been increased to Rs. 3,000 at a time per person, subject to an overall limit of Rs. 30, 000 per annum per person.
As per the order copy, it was last revised in 2002.
In the order, expenditure on maintenance of Pakistan and Bangladesh nationals has also been revised from Rs. 15 per head per day to expenditure not exceeding Rs, 51.43 per head per day (breakfast, lunch & dinner).
For the entertainment of distinguished visitors, foreign or Indian, with whom contacts have to be established for discussions on important matters, the financial cap has been increased from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 50,000 per annum, subject to restrictions imposed by the government from time to time.
Similarly, for printing and binding, the financial cap has been increased to Rs. 2 lakh from Rs. 50,000.
On July 24, the Governor of Punjab, Banwari Lal Purohit, visited BSF’s Border Outpost (BOP) in the Amritsar sector.
He interacted with senior BSF officers and commended the BSF’s efforts in curbing all types of cross-border crimes.
Purohit praised the BSF’s endeavours to empower and strengthen Village Development Committees (VDCs), encouraging its members to actively participate in the BSF’s initiatives to combat smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
In the year 2021, the Union government amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure, and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A case of sexual assault of a minor Hindu girl has come to light from Uttarakhand’s Haldwani. The accused identified as auto-driver Mohammad Nadeem has been arrested for raping the minor victim. According to the Police, the 16-year-old victim is mentally weak. After committing the heinous crime, Nadeem also threatened the victim that he would kill her if she told anyone about it. Outraged by the heinous crime, Hindu organisations have demanded strict action against the accused auto-driver Mohammad Nadeem.
According to reports, the incident took place on Sunday (28 July 2024). The 16-year-old victim is a resident of the Kotwali area. She is an 11th-class student at a reputed school. The accused Nadeem is a resident of the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani.
On the day of the incident, the minor victim was standing at Mangal Parao, waiting for an auto to attend music classes, live every other day. Later auto driver Nadeem came there and promised to drop her off at the music classes. However, it is alleged that he took the girl to a secluded place near MB Inter College in the city where he raped the victim inside his auto. When the minor protested, Nadeem threatened her that if she narrated the incident to anyone, he would kill her.
BREAKING: Massive outrage erupts in Haldwani, Uttarakhand after Bangladeshi infiltrator auto-driver Nadeem Ansari abducted and raped a 16-year-old mentally challenged Hindu girl.
Nadeem took the girl to a secluded place on the pretext of dropping her off at her class and… pic.twitter.com/5BprDmUg2u
After committing the heinous act, he dropped the girl near Mangal Parao and fled. After reaching her, the victim narrated her ordeal to her family. Her family then reached the police station and lodged a complaint. Based on the CCTV footage in the area and other evidence, Police found that the tempo belonged to a man named Nadeem.
On Monday (29 July 2024), Police raided and arrested Mohammad Nadeem. An FIR has been registered in this case under Section 351 (2) (3), 64(2)k, 65(1) of the Indian Penal Code along with Section 3/4 of the POCSO Act.
According to the police, the victim used to take auto to attend music classes in the evenings. Police said that the student is also mentally weak. On Sunday, the accused auto-driver Nadeem took advantage of it, and instead of dropping her home, he took her to a secluded place where he raped the minor victim. He also threatened the victim that if she told anything about it to anyone, he would kill her.
The incident has led to a huge outrage among the Hindu organizations of Haldwani who have demanded stringent action against the accused auto-driver.
Speaking to OpIndia, Joginder Singh Rana alias Jogi, who is doing Gauseva in Haldwani, called it audacity. He expressed hope that the administration would take strict action against Mohammad Nadeem. He has also appealed to the administration to verify auto drivers operating in the city.
As Wayanad district in Kerala is grappling with the destruction caused by massive landslides, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the nationalist organisation despised by left-liberals is on the ground helping the affected people. However, Congress party’s ‘JanNayak’ and former Waynad MP Rahul Gandhi and the party’s candidate from the seat Priyanka Gandhi Vadra didn’t go there due to “incessant rains and adverse weather conditions”.
In an X post published on 30th July, Rahul Gandhi said, “Priyanka and I were scheduled to visit Wayanad tomorrow to meet with families affected by the landslide and take stock of the situation. However, due to incessant rains and adverse weather conditions we have been informed by authorities that we will not be able to land. I want to assure the people of Wayanad that we will visit as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide all necessary assistance. Our thoughts are with the people of Wayanad at this difficult time.”
Similarly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote, “My brothers and Sisters in Wayanad, Even though we cannot come to Wayanad tomorrow, our hearts are with you at this tragic hour and we are praying for all of you.
Earlier it was reported that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra will visit the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad, but later they decided not to visit. Notably, Priyanka Vadra is Congress party’s candidate for byelections from Wayanad after Rahul Gandhi chose to retain Rae Bareli after winning both seats in Lok Sabha polls.
While only the ‘thoughts’ and ‘hearts’ of Rahul and Priyanka are with the Waynad people, the RSS volunteers are doing selfless service in the landslide district. Landslides have caused widespread devastation, destroying homes and roads, uprooting trees, and causing water bodies to flood. Despite the wreckage and sorrow, the Indian Army and NDRF are conducting rescue operations. Along with the Army, RSS and Sewa Bharati volunteers are also assisting them.
These RSS and Sewa Bharati volunteers are assisting NDRF teams in locating the deceased, arranging food camps to provide food and shelter to those who have lost everything, and assisting bereaved families in identifying their loved ones Wayanad. They are also organising respectful last rituals for individuals who have died.
In addition, the RSS swayamsevaks are managing the safe transportation of injured people to hospitals, ensuring that they get timely medical care. Besides, they are also cleaning debris from blocked roads, which allows emergency vehicles to reach isolated and affected areas more swiftly. These volunteers are also providing food and essentials for the injured at hospitals.
Source: Organiser
According to an Organiserreport, Sewa Bharti volunteers are operating its mobile mortuary at Ch Chitagni Churalmala to provide dignified disposal of deceased bodies. Several people from the Christian community are also using Sewa Bharti’s mobile mortuary for performing religious rites. Notably, nearly 150 people have died due to the massive landslide in Wayanad.
Sewa Bharti’s mobile mortuary, RSS volunteers in Wayanad (Source: Organiser)
While RSS members are often targeted in the Left-ruled state they are always dedicated to helping the common people when faced with any man-made crisis or natural disaster. It is pertinent to mention that RSS has been helping the people regardless of their religion or caste identity while Rahul Gandhi is ensconced in Delhi peddling a caste-based divisive narrative in the Lok Sabha.
