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BJP releases manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ with tagline “Modi Ki Guarantee”, promises UCC, one nation one poll, focus on women empowerment, upliftment of youth & poor

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BJP releases manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ with tagline “Modi Ki Guarantee”, promises UCC, one nation one poll, focus on women empowerment, upliftment of youth & poor

The voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha Election is scheduled to commence on 19th April and the result will be announced on 4th June. Ahead of the polls, the Bharatiya Janta Party presented its manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ titled “Modi’s Guarantee 2024” on 14th April in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who listed new goals for his government’s third term during the event. The party has prioritized “One Nation One Election,” “Population Control” and “Uniform Citizenship Code” and women’s empowerment and the upliftment of youth as well as the poor have received particular emphasis.

GYAN, or schemes for the “Gareeb” (poor), “Yuva” (youth), “Annadaata” (farmers), and “Nari” (women) are the focus of the manifesto. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the contents of the manifesto highlighting its commitment to dignity, quality of life as well as quantity and quality of opportunities. He stated that the manifesto supports the four pillars of Viksit Bharat (developed India) which include farmers, youth, poor and women.

The party has promised to introduce the Uniform Civil Code, one nation one election and a common electoral roll if it won the general election. All governmental sectors will adhere to the motto of perform, reform and transform. The government’s anti-corruption drive would also be carried out more strictly, based on the manifesto.

PM Modi outlined the accomplishments of his administration as well as his goals. According to him, the BJP has guaranteed every aspect of its manifesto. ‘Dignity of life, quality of life and employment through investments’ is the BJP’s aim, he remarked. He reiterated his goal of making India the centre of all developing economies worldwide. He assured that India will be an epicentre for innovation, legal insurance, contracts, business, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, semiconductors and green energy.

India’s prosperity, bolstering its foreign ties and encouraging the preservation of the nation’s legacy are among its other main objectives. According to the manifesto, India’s economy ranked 11th in the world between 2004 and 2014. However, India has risen from 11th to 5th place in the last ten years and the party vowed to bring the country to the third spot.

The Prime Minister promised that if his government is elected, it will expand the number of Jan Aushadi Kendras where people can obtain their medications at an 80 per cent discount. He further assured that individuals would continue to receive free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh through the Ayushman Bharat programme. Furthermore, the Ayushman Bharat programme would encompass all older individuals above the age of 75. He revealed that the BJP has decided to include the transgender community in the purview of the initiative.

The prime minister declared that the BJP has decided to enhance the loan limit under the ‘Mudra’ plan to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh, adding that PM Modi reveres the individuals who are disregarded by everyone else. He added that the PM Swanidhi Yojana’s limit will also be increased to Rs 50,000, adding that it will be applicable to tier two and tier three cities as well.

Training would be provided in IT, education, health, retail, and tourism to over 10 crore women-led Self Help Groups (SHG), per PM Modi. He mentioned that there is currently 1 crore “lakhpati didis” and that the BJP has now chosen to raise that figure to 3 crores. He mentioned that female athletes will receive special incentives in the realm of sports. The party will also start a cervical cancer program for their health. India will also bid for the Olympic Games in 2036.

He pointed out that the party will concentrate on “Shree Anna” which benefits the 2 crore people who are involved in farming and he expressed confidence that India will soon become a “Global Nutrition Hub.”

He ensured that work was proceeding at full speed to complete the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project and that a survey would be conducted shortly about the construction of a bullet train in the south, north and east. In addition to the BJP government’s efforts on Industry 4.0 and 6G, he conveyed that charging stations would be installed all around the nation. The BJP plans to extend Vande Bharat trains in India. Three Vande Bharat models, Vande Bharat Sleeper, Vande Bharat Chaircar and Vande Bharat Metro will be operated nationwide.

The BJP has pledged to further develop airports and railroads. There will be a total elimination of the waiting list system. New airports, highways and water metros will continue to be built. The party also promised to turn India into a global hub and provide jobs to the youth.

The PM Housing Scheme will now prioritize housing for persons with disabilities and extra efforts will be taken to make sure they receive accommodation that meets their unique needs. Furthermore, the BJP manifesto guarantees to construct 3 crore residences, to work expeditiously to supply piped gas to houses at a cheap price and to cut down electricity bills to zero. The free ration scheme will be continued for the next five years.

Ramayana will be celebrated all over the world and Ayodhya will witness even greater growth. BJP election manifesto, ‘Sankalp Patra: 2025’ to be dubbed as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Year.’ He also announced that Birsa Munda’s 125th birthday will be commemorated with celebrations throughout India.

BJP national president J P Nadda and other senior leaders including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar, and Ashwini Vaishnaw also marked their presence at the event in New Delhi. The theme of the manifesto is “Modi’s Guarantee: Developed India 2047,” with a focus on cultural nationalism.

We not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect American and Israeli forces: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

ANI
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We not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect American and Israeli forces: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has stressed that the US does not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect their forces and support Israel’s defence.

US Defense Secretary further highlighted that the US forces, at the direction of President Joe Biden, intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel.

“At the direction of President Biden, U.S. forces in the Middle East on April 13 intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Our forces remain postured to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide further support for Israel’s defense, and enhance regional stability,” Austin said.

US Defense Secretary further condemned the “reckless and unprecedented attacks” by Iran and its proxies on Israel.

“We condemn these reckless and unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies, and we call on Iran to immediately halt any further attacks, including from its proxy forces, and to deescalate tensions,” he said.

US Defense Secretary Austin added, “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel.”

Moreover, Austin commended the bravery of US troops who stood guard to prevent further conflict or escalation.

“I am grateful for the professionalism and the skill of the brave U.S. troops who took part in today’s actions and who continue to stand guard to prevent further conflict or escalation. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and to consult with our allies and partners,” he said.

Earlier today, US President Joe Biden condemned Iran’s attack on Israeli soil, adding that he will convene G7 leaders on Monday to coordinate a united diplomatic response.

“Earlier today, Iran–and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq–launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms,” Biden said, according to the White House statement.

US President Biden also held talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security.

“I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” he said.

Moreover, Biden reaffirmed that the US will be in close touch with Israeli leaders.

This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Telangana phone-tapping case: Former SIB officials confess to unauthorised surveillance and cash transports in govt vehicles on instructions of BRS leaders

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana phone-tapping case: Former SIB officials confess to unauthorised surveillance and cash transports in govt vehicles on instructions of BRS leaders

On 29th March, the Hyderabad police submitted before the Nampally criminal court the remand report of the investigation by Telangana police into the alleged snooping on some political leaders by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government. More details of the report were revealed on Friday (12th April). According to this, the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) had also seized cash from other political parties and illegally transported money belonging to the BRS in police vehicles. The report contains statements by three police officers arrested in this case.

Three police officers, formerly employed in the SIB, have provided statements to the Hyderabad police regarding the telephone tapping case. According to reports, they confessed during interrogation to conducting unauthorized surveillance on political figures, confiscating cash related to various political parties, and transporting cash using government vehicles before the assembly elections held on 30th November 2023.

The trio, comprising Inspector Gundu Venkat Rao, who formerly served in the SIB, Inspector of Task Force Kanumarla Srikanth, and Sub-Inspector of Task Force Sara Sai Kiran, reportedly confessed individually during their statements. They claimed to have acted under the instructions of former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao, who is currently evading authorities, along with retired Deputy Commissioner of Police and Officer on Special Duty for the Task Force, P Radha Kishan Rao, and former Deputy Superintendent of Police in SIB, D Praneeth Kumar.

The names of these officers were disclosed by Radha Kishan Rao

The statement given by Radha Kishan Rao revealed information about the alleged involvement of three ministers, three BRS MLAs and three party MLCs in the phone-tapping case. In his recorded statement, Radha Kishan Rao, accompanied by his counsel, purportedly became emotional and revealed that he and former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao had played a significant role in facilitating coordination among political leaders, law enforcement personnel, and intermediaries.

He provided detailed insights into their modus operandi, including the involvement of various political figures, intermediaries, and fellow police officials, before being remanded to judicial custody. As per Radha Kishan Rao’s confession, the police have identified government officers as key witnesses, and their names have allegedly been included in Radha Kishan Rao’s remand report.

Radha Kishan Rao purportedly admitted that initially, he complied with instructions from Prabhakar Rao but later followed directives from four prominent party leaders. He confessed to assisting an MLC, his childhood friend, by transporting substantial sums of money, including some obtained through extortion, during the Assembly elections.

What is the case?

During the second week of October, Srikanth and his team confiscated ₹3.35 crore from two individuals—Hanumanth Reddy and Prabhakar, associates of realtor Mahesh Reddy of AMR Infra at Banjara Hills—following instructions from Prabhakar Rao and Kumar, who had obtained specific information through phone tapping.

Likewise, Srikanth and his team seized ₹22 lakh from G Raj Kumar of Tarnaka, ₹15 lakh from Gadapa Naresh, ₹49 lakh from Kazil Maliq at Himayatnagar, and ₹1 crore from Mustafa Khan at Bhavani Nagar based on information provided by Prabhakar Rao and Kumar. These operations were overseen by Radha Kishan Rao, who was serving as OSD of the task force at the time.

What else was revealed in the remand report submitted to the court?

According to the remand report, Radha Kishan Rao directed his teams to use vehicles assigned to the task force to transport cash, aiding the BRS during election campaigns. Sub-Inspector Sai Kiran, who was then part of the Hyderabad Central Zone Task Force, acknowledged escorting ₹2 crore in cash using a government-owned Mahindra Bolero from various locations. He handed the cash over to Divya Charan Rao, a retired police officer working at Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad, on two occasions—one from Ranigunj and another from Afzalgunj.

Additionally, Sai Kiran confessed to escorting cash belonging to former Indian Administrative Service officer and current BRS legislative council member P Venkat Ram Reddy, who is running for the Lok Sabha elections from the Medak parliamentary constituency. Reddy and his brothers are promoters of Rajapushpa Constructions, a real estate firm based in Hyderabad.

Attempt to destroy the evidence

Sai Kiran revealed that he transported ₹3 crores on three separate occasions and delivered the funds to Shiva Charan Reddy, also known as Charan, a neighbour of the BRS MLC. He did so under the instruction of Radha Kishan Rao, who provided him with a new iPhone for managing the covert cash transactions.

The day after the BRS lost the elections on December 3, Radha Kishan Rao tendered his resignation. As part of the alleged conspiracy, he reformatted his two mobile phones to erase evidence related to the clandestine operations, according to the remand report. On March 29, police arrested Radha Kishan Rao and confiscated his two cell phones.

BRS leader refutes the allegations

On Saturday (13th April), BRS leader Venkat Ram Reddy rejected all the charges levelled against him. He said, “The state government is leaking the remand reports to the media only to malign my image, as the Congress cannot take on me politically. The ruling Congress is deliberately seeking to tarnish my image as I am contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Medak and going to win the seat.”

More details of snooping from the sources

A police officer familiar with the investigation told the media more about the case history. He said that under the leadership of Prabhakar Rao, the former team of officials in the SIB established numerous war rooms across various locations in Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, and Hyderabad. These rooms were utilized to conduct telephone tapping of numerous opposition leaders during the BRS regime.

Speculating more arrests in this case, he said, “These tapping centres were used to track the movement of the opposition leaders and snoop on their telephone conversations during the election time.”

The opposition seeks a serious probe

Bharatiya Janata Party state president G Kishan Reddy said that the state government should seek a high-level inquiry, if required by the Central Bureau of Investigation, into the alleged phone tapping by the previous BRS government. He said, “There are allegations that the SIB authorities during the BRS regime had tapped phones of big industrialists, traders and even celebrities and extorted big money from some of them.” He also expressed that Governor C P Radhakrishnan should intervene in the matter and get an inquiry done into the case.

In October 2022, the BRS government in the state had alleged that the BJP is poaching 4 BRS MLAs. Now, after the details revealed in the remand report, the BJP has said that the BRS could level these allegations only because its government in the state was involved in tapping the phones of the opposition leaders. BJP leader K Laxman said, “There are suspicions that the BRS government had tapped the phones of even top BJP leaders like B L Santosh. It requires a comprehensive probe by the CBI.”

Demands for an ED probe

Hyderabad-based lawyer U V Suresh Kumar has lodged a petition with the Enforcement Directorate, requesting an investigation into the telephone tapping case, citing alleged large-scale money laundering activities. He said, “The SIB authorities during the previous BRS regime indulged in extortion of money from various real estate firms, infrastructure companies and individuals by tapping their phones. The ED should probe into that angle.”

Allegations of tapping the phones of non-political persons

Senior Congress legislator and government whip Adi Srinivas asserted that during the previous BRS government, the SIB authorities had not only tapped the telephones of opposition leaders but also those of private individuals and businessmen. He said, “They even tapped my phone and I gave a complaint to this effect much before the assembly elections. We are ready for any lie-detector test. Are the BRS leaders ready?”

Iran-Israel war: Israel launches counter-strike on Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to attack on the Jewish country

OpIndia Staff
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Iran-Israel war: Israel launches counter-strike on Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to attack on the Jewish country

On 14th April, Israel launched a counterstrike in southern Lebanon targeting Iran-proxy Hezbollah’s hideouts following Iran’s attack on Israel.

As per Israel Defense Forces’ statement on their official channel on Telegram, IDF fighter jets struck a number of military structures linked to Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces in Jbaa.

Source: IDF

The statement read, “IDF: A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck a number of military structures in a complex belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces in the area of Jbaa in southern Lebanon. Earlier during the night, IDF fighter jets struck Hezbollah military structures in Khiam and Kfarkela.”

The retaliation came after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. Iran claimed the attack was in retaliation to an attack on its consulate in Syria that killed seven Iranian personnel. Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel, most of them were intercepted outside the Israeli border by Israel and its allies.

India’s MEA has issued a statement calling for de-escalation in the region.

US President Biden issued a statement

In a statement, President of United States, Joe Biden, condemned the attack on Israel in the “strongest possible terms”. The President has directed the US military to support defense of Israel. Furthermore, Biden talked to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and reaffirmed America’s commitment to the security of Israel.

The statement read, “Earlier today, Iran—and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq—launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week. Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”

President Biden further said, “I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel. Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack. My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders. And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.”

Punjab: Two bike-born assailants murder VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, probe initiated

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Two bike-born assailants murder VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, probe initiated

On Saturday (13th April) evening, a Hindu activist named Vikas Bagga (also known as Vikas Prabhakar) was murdered by two unidentified men at his confectionary shop in Patiala city of Punjab.

As per reports, Bagga was the President of the Nangal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). According to CCTV footage, two men (one wearing a helmet and the other covering his face with a cloth) reached the shop of the victim at about 4:47 pm.

The man, who was wearing a helmet, was seen entering the shop and then returning within a span of 1 minute. Bagga was later found in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The assailants were driving a scooter without a number plate. It remains unclear what kind of weapon was used in the murder.

Following the incident, BJP politician Dr Parminder SIngh condemned the killing of the VHP leader and stated that the AAP government in Punjab has failed to maintain law and order.

While speaking about the matter, Ropar SSPP Gulneet Singh Khurana informed that a probe has been launched into the matter. He added that the nature of the murder weapon would only become clear after the postmortem was conducted.

He further stated that empty cartridges were recovered from the murder scene. In the meantime, SHO Nangal Rajneesh Chaudhary told The Times of India, “The assailants wearing helmets and masks, fled the scene after fatally shooting Vikas Prabhakar.”

The cops are now analysing the CCTV footage to ascertain the identity of the assailants. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered for murder and common intention in connection to the case.

Iran launches drone and missile attack on Israel – India calls for immediate de-escalation

OpIndia Staff
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Iran launches drone and missile attack on Israel – India calls for immediate de-escalation

On Saturday, 13th April, Iran launched a full-fledged drone and missile attack on Israel. Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the attack was launched at specific targets in Israel. The attack was intercepted by Israel and other countries including Jordan and Saudi Arabia. A war cabinet meeting was called by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Notably, face-to-face Israel-Iran war has never happened before. Earlier, Iran used to attack Israel using its proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza..

The Iranian attack on Israel is claimed to be a retaliation of a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria by Israel on 1st April. Seven IRGC officials, including a top commander, died in that attack. Notably, Israel did not confirm or deny involvement in the attack.

In a statement on the Telegram channel, Israel Defense Forces said, “Iran has launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from its territory toward the State of Israel… Continue to act responsibly and calmly, as you have done so far, and follow the guidelines.” The IDF is prepared and ready across all its defensive and offensive systems; we have prepared for a variety of scenarios in advance.”

In a statement, the Commanding Officer of the Home Front Command, MG Rafi Milo, announced that education activities would be stopped across the country. Furthermore, gatherings exceeding 1,000 people are prohibited.

The statement read, “We have been at war on several fronts for over six months. Throughout the war, we have faced and confronted a large number of challenges in a wide variety of threats. We have learned and improved – we are prepared and strong in both defence and offence. In light of the situational assessment, we have decided to change the defensive guidelines. Starting tomorrow, throughout the country, there will be no educational activity. Also, gatherings of over 1,000 people are prohibited. You are required to continue to vigilantly adhere to the guidelines, they may change based on the situational assessment. So far, your conduct and adherence to the guidelines have been exceptional. Keep it up – it saves lives. The Home Front Command is deployed and prepared throughout the country. The alert system is prepared and ready, together with the heads of the authorities and emergency response organisations – we will overcome this challenge.”

Notably, the vast majority of Iranian missiles were intercepted outside Israeli borders. In a statement, the IDF pointed out that dozens of surface-to-surface missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel. Most of them were intercepted by the IDF’s Aerial Defense Array. Israel’s strategic allies helped them to intercept the attack. IDF added, “Over the past few hours, many dozens of hostile aircraft, as well as dozens of cruise missiles, from Iran, were identified approaching Israeli territory and intercepted. Dozens of IAF fighter jets are currently operating to intercept all aerial threats approaching Israeli territory.”

Source: IDF

India called for de-escalation

The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, issued a statement over the escalation. The statement read, “We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region. We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy.”

“We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region,” the statement added.

Israel-Hamas war

Israel has been facing attacks from multiple sides especially since Hamas launched a terrorist attack on its territory on 7th October 2023. Hamas terrorists launched an all-out attack on Israel from sea, land, and air. At least 5,000 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza, and tunnels were used to breach the Israeli territory and butcher Israeli civilians, particularly in the border villages. A music festival hosting more than 200 people was turned into a slaughter ground with many women raped, mutilated and abducted to Gaza. At least 1,300 people, including some foreign nationals, babies, women and senior citizens, died in the attacks. More than 200 were abducted and taken to Gaza. Following the attack, Israel launched a counterattack to eliminate Hamas. Notably, on IDF withdrew all ground troops, except one brigade, from Southern Gaza hours before peace talks. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 190th day on 14th April 2024.

Gunmen open fire outside Salman Khan’s house in the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, shooters yet to be identified

OpIndia Staff
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Gunmen open fire outside Salman Khan’s house in the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, shooters yet to be identified

On Sunday (14th April) unidentified gunmen opened fire outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s house. The incident reportedly took place around 5 AM outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments residence in the Bandra (West) area of Mumbai. Salman Khan had received threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang last year. A probe in this firing case has been initiated.

According to preliminary information, four rounds were fired by two strangers outside Salman Khan’s apartment in Bandra. In the wee hours, two men came on a bike and opened fire. Various teams of Bandra police and crime branch are currently investigating the spot.

Police have seized a CCTV DVR after the firing outside Salman Khan’s house. Various police teams are investigating the incident at the spot. Using the CCTV DVR, the police are trying to establish the identity of the unknown assailants.

Along with the police team, a forensic team has also reached the spot. Police and forensic teams are inspecting and investigating the scene. Today’s firing outside the actor’s house is believed to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Salman Khan has received multiple threats from the Bishnoi gang in the past.

Earlier, Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan was threatened by a note in 2022 while he was on a morning walk outside his house in the morning. In the threat note, it was written that he would meet the fate of Sidhu Moosewala. Salman Khan’s security was also increased after this incident. Later, a pistol licence was also issued to him for security reasons. There was also an increase in the number of private security guards of the actor. Salman Khan had also received threatening emails in November 2023.

Congress leaders and supporters spread fake ‘Nielsen-Dainik Bhaskar survey’ predicting INDI Alliance win in elections, the newspaper promises legal action

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leaders and supporters spread fake ‘Nielsen-Dainik Bhaskar survey’ predicting INDI Alliance win in elections, the newspaper promises legal action

On Saturday (13th April), several I.N.D.I. alliance leaders and their supporters shared a purported survey claiming that it was conducted by Nielsen along with Hindi news daily Dainik Bhaskar. They claimed that the “Nielsen-Dainik Bhaskar” survey predicts a major victory for the I.N.D.I. alliance giving it 326 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.  

The Chairperson of the Congress party’s South Indian Cell and Maharashtra Congress Committee member, Lakshmi Nair shared the so-called survey to boast about the victory for the opposition bloc. In her long post, she shared the region-wise breakdown from the said survey claiming that the saffron party will be wiped out from Delhi, and will survey major losses in states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, etc. 

As per the image shared, the first page of Dainik Bhaskar’s Bhopal edition on 13 April carried the ‘Nielsen-Dainik Bhaskar survey’ in its lead news, showing a victory for INDI Alliance. It also carried state-wise breakup of the survey results, showing the opposition bloc ahead of NDA in several states.

The Hindi report claimed that INDI Alliance is sweeping the polls in the southern states, and making significant gains in the current BJP-ruled states. The survey predicts that if votes were held today, INDI Alliance would win 326 seats, NDA would win 194 seats and 23 seats would be won by others.

However, the entire newspaper clipping is fake, and Dainik Bhaskar didn’t publish such a survey on 13 April.

When the purported survey with the masthead of Hindi news daily Dainik Bhaskar started doing rounds on social media, the newspaper came out publicly to dispel misinformation and categorically pointed out that it was a Fake Survey. The newspaper also demanded strict action against those who are spreading fake news in its name. 

At around 2 PM on 13th April, Dainik Bhaskar tweeted, “#FakeNews: This survey is fake, which has been prepared by some anti-social elements… Dainik Bhaskar does not claim any such content… Strict action should be taken against such people.” They also tagged the Election Commission of India while sharing the cutout of the Fake survey.

Later in the day, the National Editor of the Hindi Newsdaily, LP Pant announced that the newspaper would be taking action against fake news peddlers. Responding to a tweet by journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta posting the fake survey, he wrote, “Sir, Dainik Bhaskar has not conducted any such survey. A fake survey has been conducted using Bhaskar’s masthead. You should also check its authenticity before sharing it. Dainik Bhaskar will take legal action on your post.” 

Paranjoy Guha Thakurta deleted the tweet after the response by LP Pant, but most other tweets posting the fake survey remain online.

It is pertinent to note that several I.N.D.I. alliance supporters continued to peddle the fake survey even after the newspaper categorically called it out as fake news. 

The official spokesperson of Congress Telangana, Hyderabad, Asma shared the survey at around 8:16 PM, hours after the newspaper had pointed out that the said survey was fake. 

Additionally, the official Twitter Account of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Sevadal shared the fake survey at around 7:23 PM.

Similarly, Congress functionary and Cyber Security Researcher Nilesh Malode also shared the fake survey at around 8:15 PM. 

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the CSDS-Lokniti 2024 pre-poll survey has predicted a third term for the Modi government asserting that there is no contender close to the BJP as it holds a massive 12% lead over the opposition bloc.

An individual being in jail does not affect govt schemes: Delhi LG assures that power, water, bus subsidy schemes will continue despite Kejriwal’s arrest

OpIndia Staff
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An individual being in jail does not affect govt schemes: Delhi LG assures that power, water, bus subsidy schemes will continue despite Kejriwal’s arrest

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that no subsidy scheme will be stopped and people should reject rumours and statements made due to vested political interests.

“Electricity, water and bus ride subsidies will continue in Delhi. An individual being in jail (Arvind Kejriwal) as per due process of law does not affect government schemes,” he said.

He further stated that the schemes part of the budget approved by the centre and L-G does not belong to an individual or a political party.

Taking a dig at Aam Admi Party (AAP), he said, “Members of a particular political party and its Ministers making patently false and deliberately misleading statements to create confusion.”

“Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has taken serious note of false and deliberately misleading statements issued by not only Members of a particular political party but also Ministers sworn to the constitutional oath of office, wherein it is being propagated that the scheme and subsidies about ‘free’ electricity, water and bus rides for women will be stopped, since the Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal is in jail under judicial custody,” stated a press release from L-G.

“The purported imaginary stoppage of these schemes in future is being attributed to the Central Government and the Lt. Governor. Saxena has assured the people of Delhi that none of the subsidy schemes benefitting the poor will be discontinued and appealed to them to not pay heed to the statements and rumours being spread by political vested interests. The people should reject any attempts at misleading them,” the LG has appealed.

LG VK Saxena has underlined that these schemes are paid from the consolidated fund of NCT of Delhi and not from the account of any individual or political party. These schemes are funded by the people of Delhi themselves, who contribute to NCTD’s consolidated fund by way of taxes.

“The Lt. Governor has emphasised that the aforementioned subsidy schemes are those of the government and not driven by or dependent on any individual holding any position and therefore, because of any individual being in jail, the question of a scheme getting affected does not arise. These schemes have budgetary allocation in the budget document, which is in turn approved by the Govt. of India, as per constitutional and statutory provisions,” he added.

LG Saxena has reiterated the earlier position taken by the Civil Administration in the City, that an individual being in jail under judicial custody, as per due process of law, does not affect any scheme, especially those that have been duly approved by the Govt. of India and the Lt. Governor himself, before being introduced in, and subsequently passed by the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Teesri Baar Modi Sarkar?: CSDS-Lokniti 2024 pre-poll survey suggests no near contender to BJP, holds 12% lead over I.N.D.I. Alliance

OpIndia Staff
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Teesri Baar Modi Sarkar?: CSDS-Lokniti 2024 pre-poll survey suggests no near contender to BJP, holds 12% lead over I.N.D.I. Alliance

The voting for the Lok Sabha election is scheduled to begin on 19th April and the result will be pronounced on 4th June. Meanwhile, multiple surveys have been carried out to gauge the potential direction of public sentiment at the moment. As with all such surveys, the Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) also forecasted a resounding majority for the Bharatiya Janta Party in its study intended to assess the mood of the country.

The BJP is projected to have a commanding 12% point lead over the opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance with almost three weeks to go before voting even started. Out of ten voters, 4 declared they will cast their ballots for the BJP. In terms of vote share, the BJP is also improving over its 2019 result. It is anticipated that Congress would also make small progress, but not sufficient to challenge the current administration. The BJP emerged as a dominant force and even increased its vote share after two terms in power.

The survey noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was selected by over half of the participants as their top candidate for the position while less than three out of ten responders brought up the name of Rahul Gandhi. There were twenty-one points separating the two national leaders. According to one-fourth of the respondents, the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is the Modi government’s most admired achievement. Thirty per cent of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) supporters liked him because he built the Ram Mandir, ten per cent because he offered job possibilities and another ten per cent because he boosted India’s standing globally. It also pointed towards the “consolation of Hindus.”

The main factor for the BJP’s triumph in 2014 was its outstanding performance in the north and west of the country. In 2019, the BJP achieved significant gains in many eastern regions, particularly West Bengal and Assam while maintaining and even slightly exceeding its previous performance. The majority of the south was excluded from this, with the exception of Karnataka, where the party did well in 2019.

However, the national party is expected to pick up ground in the southern stronghold owing to the bipolarity that has plateaued in Kerala, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s defeat in Telangana’s most recent assembly elections and the BJP’s partnership with the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh. According to the pre-poll, the regional gap might still exist, albeit less strongly. The NDA appeared to have substantial support in the north and west.

The Northeast and East showed strong support for the opposition bloc as well. The problem it faces is in the south, where support for the opposition and the NDA appeared to be evenly divided. The intended vote in favour of the BJP was rising in both the south and the east which is likely to reduce regional political variation. The BJP would significantly benefit from this.

However, alongside region, the nature of the electoral contest may also shape the possible configuration of the choices of the voters. When the BJP and Congress engaged in direct combat, the former appeared to be in the lead which fell to half in contests between the NDA and the I.N.D.I. Alliance. Support for each side seems to be divided into three parts in multi-cornered support.

In comparison to Rahul Gandhi’s assurances, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Modi Ki Guarantee” has grown in popularity with people. More than 50% of the participants conveyed contentment with the BJP’s governance over the past ten years, reflecting a positive outlook for extending the Modi administration’s tenure. All of this indicates that the BJP does not have a strong and credible opponent.

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