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Congress manifesto is for elections in Pakistan, not India: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma hits out at Congress over appeasement politics

OpIndia Staff
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Congress manifesto is for elections in Pakistan, not India: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma hits out at Congress over appeasement politics

On Saturday, 6th April, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, hit out at Congress and said that the party’s manifesto is for elections in Pakistan, not in India. Speaking to reporters, Sarma accused Congress of doing appeasement politics and condemned it.

CM Sarma said, “Congress manifesto is about politics of appeasement. No one wants to bring back Triple Talaq. No one wants to resume child marriage. No one wants to allow anyone to marry 2-3 times. Neither Hindus nor Muslims want it. It is the mindset of Congress. They want to divide the society and form government again. I condemn Congress’ appeasement politics. Congress manifesto gives a feeling that it was created for elections in Pakistan and not in India.”

Congress reacted to Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comment

Reacting to Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comment, Congress spokesperson Bedabrata Bora said, “Sarma had been in the Congress for several years but he could not understand the main ethos of the party. That is why he went to the BJP. Even after being in the BJP for some time now, he still tries to defame Congress to prove his loyalty to the saffron party.”

PM Modi lambasted Congress for its ‘Muslim League manifesto’

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted Congress and said that its manifesto was similar to that of the Muslim League in pre-partition India. PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and the I.N.D.I. Alliance, stressing that they prioritise and stand for “Commission”. He took a dig at the Congress party’s election manifesto released a day earlier, and asserted that the party that was once led by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi is now cut off from the public. PM Modi added that Congress election manifesto reveals that it now has the same mindset that the Muslim league had during the time of partition. He emphasised that the rest of the Congress is dominated by the leftists.

PM Modi said, “The Congress which fought for independence ended decades ago. The Congress that is left now neither has policies in the interest of the country nor a vision for nation-building. The kind of manifesto released by Congress yesterday proves that today’s Congress is completely cut off from the hopes and aspirations of today’s India. The same thinking is reflected in the Congress manifesto which was there in the Muslim League during the freedom movement. The Congress manifesto completely bears the imprint of the Muslim League and whatever part of it is left is completely dominated by the leftists. Congress is nowhere to be seen in this.”

PM Modi added that the I.N.D.I. Alliance is desperate and rattled, adding that its leaders can’t even say that they are coming to power. They are fighting this election just to stop the BJP from achieving the coveted 370 figure, he noted.  

Congress released manifesto for Lok Sabha elections

The Congress unveiled its manifesto, titled ‘Nyay Patra,’ for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. Leading figures of the Congress, such as party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, presented the election blueprint, just days ahead of the general elections.

Underneath the web of jargon that Congress weaved in its manifesto, there is a sinister agenda underway that seeks to legitimise love jihad, beef-eating, control of investigating agencies, and freeing of criminals, among other things. OpIndia’s analysis of the manifesto can be checked here.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The polling for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will begin on 16th April 2024. The polling will take place in seven phases with the last phase scheduled for 1st June 2024. The results will be announced on 4th June 2024. State-wise phase-wise schedule of the polling can be checked here.

Pakistan: 13-year-old boy raped inside a mosque while learning Quran during Ramadan in Muzaffargarh, accused arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: 13-year-old boy raped inside a mosque while learning Quran during Ramadan in Muzaffargarh, accused arrested

A case of crime against a minor in a mosque recently came to light from Pakistan’s Muzaffargarh where a 13-year-old boy was raped inside a mosque located in Kot Addus City’s Sanawan Bukhi Chowk. The incident came to light when the cleric caught the accused (28 years old) raping the minor victim. However, the accused man fled the mosque. He threatened the cleric to face dire consequences if he told anyone about the crime. Following a massive outrage, the police arrested the accused and Pakistan’s National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) confirmed his arrest on Thursday (4th April 2024). 

As per reports, the victim was learning the Quran inside the mosque when the crime took place. Both the accused man and the victim boy were observing Aitkaf when the former raped the minor boy. Notably, ‘Itikaf’ is a ritual that Muslims observe during the month of Ramadan. In this ritual, they isolate themselves from the world for a certain period inside a mosque to dedicate their time to the worship of Allah.

Following the incident, the boy was shifted to hospital for medical examination.

On Thursday (4th April), Muzaffargarh police spokesperson Waseem Gopang confirmed the arrest. The spokesperson said the suspect had initially fled but was later arrested by a police team “with the help of modern technology”. 

Gopang stated, “The suspect is accused of raping a minor boy who was observing Aitkaf.” 

Taking to X, the Punjab Police of Pakistani province, also confirmed the arrest adding that the accused will be punished according to his crime.” 

Pakistan’s NCRC also shared a report on the case in a post on Facebook stating, “Taking cognisance of the case, NCRC followed up with the district police office Muzaffargarh and it has been informed that the culprit has been arrested.” 

According to Pakistani outlet Dawn, the FIR was registered on the complaint of the victim’s father under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). According to the FIR, the imam called the father on his phone at around 2:30 pm. After great insistence, the child told him that when he went to the washroom, the suspect also came there and sexually assaulted him, the FIR noted. 

It further stated that the suspect “threatened to kill” the boy if he told anyone about the incident. According to the victim’s father, when they contacted the suspect, he started threatening him and the witnesses as well. 

Furthermore, the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab Province, Maryam Nawaz also took notice of the incident. She said that the accused involved in the crime should be given exemplary punishment.

‘Shameful’, ‘Italian culture’: Amit Shah rebukes Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his “Rajasthan ka Kashmir se kya waasta” remark

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shameful’, ‘Italian culture’: Amit Shah rebukes Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his “Rajasthan ka Kashmir se kya waasta” remark

Hours after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked, ‘Yaha (Rajasthan) ka Kashmir se kya waasta’, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack against the Congress party. Retorting to Kharge’s remark, Home Minister Shah said that it is ‘shameful’ for Congress to ask this. He added that Kharge’s remarks have hurt the sentiments of every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation.

Taking to X, the Home Minister reminded the Congress party that J&K is an integral part of India and every state, as well as citizen, has a right over J&K and vice-versa. The tweet was later edited to embed an excerpt of the Congress President where he made the contentious remark.  

Home Minister Shah wrote, “It is shameful to hear that the Congress party is asking, ‘Kashmir se kya waasta hai?’ I would like to remind the Congress party that J&K is an integral part of India, and every state and citizen has the right over J&K, just as the people of J&K have the right over the rest of India.” 

He also highlighted the utmost sacrifice of the ‘sons of Rajasthan’ for upholding peace and security in Kashmir. Home Minister Shah took a dig at the Congress leadership with the Gandhi family at the helm. He asserted that it is the Italian culture that is to blame for Congress not able to understand the ‘Idea of India’. 

The post read, “The Congress doesn’t know that many brave sons of Rajasthan have sacrificed their lives for peace and security in Kashmir. But it is not merely the fault of the Congress leaders. It is mostly the Italian culture of the Congress party that is to blame for not understanding the very idea of India.” 

He also lambasted the Congress President for a factual blunder by citing Article 370 as Article 371.

“Such statements hurt every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation. People will certainly answer Congress. And for the kind information of the Congress, it was not Article 371, but Article 370, that was abrogated by the Modi government. However, it is only expected of Congress to make such horrendous mistakes. Such blunders made by it have haunted our nation for decades now”, the Home Minister further stated. 

Notably, earlier in the day, while addressing a rally, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had objected to BJP leaders including PM Modi raking the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in their rallies in Rajasthan. 

With his post, Shah rejected the contentious remarks by the Congress President who argued that issues of Kashmir only relate to Kashmiris, at max with Jammu residents, furthering regional chauvinism and a sense of alienation between states. 

Incidentally, in the past, Congress and its supportive ecosystem have been repeatedly called out for fear-mongering about Article 371 which grants special status to parts of several states particularly hilly and North-Eastern states. They have alleged that the Modi government would abrogate Article 371 as they abrogated Article 370 provoking that it would snatch their rights.

It is notable that while Article 370 gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, which included a separate constitution and separate laws on a large number of subjects, Article 371 only grants some temporary, transition and special provisions to some states in the country. Ranging from Article 371-A to Article 371-J, this Article of the constitution gives special provisions for the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Karnataka. 

Karnataka Police registers FIR against Hindu shopkeeper Mukesh who was assaulted for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka Police registers FIR against Hindu shopkeeper Mukesh who was assaulted for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’

In a major development in the Karnataka assault case where a shopowner Mukesh was physically assaulted for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in his shop, the Karnataka Police has filed an FIR against him. The FIR was filed on March 27 at the Halasuru Gate police station based on the counter-complaint of Mah Jabeen, mother of Suleman, an accused in this case. 

As per reports, Mah Jabeen filed a counter-complaint against victim Mukesh on 18th March. Incidentally, in her complaint, she alleged that Mukesh assaulted her son and his friends when they questioned him for playing loud “music” during Namaz in a nearby mosque.

Based on her complaint, the police filed a non-cognizable report and approached the jurisdictional court. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against Mukesh on 27th March based on the court’s direction.

According to a report in the Deccan Herald, the FIR states that Suleman and his friends questioned the shopkeeper about the loud sound as it was affecting 3,000 people offering prayers for Ramzan. The shopkeeper, Mukesh, assaulted Suleman and his friends and abused them.

However, the Halasuru gate police said that Mukesh is yet to be summoned for an inquiry. 

The FIR has been lodged against Mukesh under various sections of IPC including Section 323 (causing hurt), Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and IPC 506 (criminal intimidation).

Sharing an update about the case, a police officer said that Suleman, Shanavaz, Rohith, Danish, Taruna, and other accused were released on bail a few days ago.

The incident came to light when the video of the incident went viral on social media in which a group of miscreants were seen assaulting a shopowner in Siddannagalli. The victim, Mukesh later revealed that the accused assaulted him for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, however, Police had maintained that there was no communal angle involved in this case. On 17th March, he filed an FIR in this matter. 

Following the incident, BJP leaders staged a massive protest demanding strict action in this case. Regarding the miscreant’s claim that it was time for Azaan, Mukesh added that he attempted to persuade them that there was still time for Azaan, but they refused to hear him and grabbed him by the neck. When Mukesh stepped out of his shop to confront them, the accused started beating him up and threatened to stab him with a knife, he said.

Slamming the Congress government in the state, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya asserted that under the Congress government, FIRs are deliberately filed in such a manner that the main issue is removed. He added that had people not intervened in this case, the Hanuman Chalisa angle would not have been included in the FIR making it a dummy FIR.

Later, on 19th March, many BJP leaders and members of Hindu organisations staged a massive protest in Central Bengaluru’s Nagarthpete area to express solidarity with the victim, Mukesh. 

Following these developments, the mother of one of the accused Suleman, filed a counter-complaint accusing Mukesh of assaulting the group.

Uttar Pradesh: Married Dalit woman drugged, held captive and raped for five days by auto driver Sajjad, she had helped him multiple times in the past

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Married Dalit woman drugged, held captive and raped for five days by auto driver Sajjad, she had helped him multiple times in the past

A shocking case of rape has surfaced in the Jaunpur region of Uttar Pradesh where a married Dalit woman was drugged and sexually violated by autorickshaw driver Sajjad, also known as Sabir. He also held her hostage for five days. The incident transpired on 19th March. The police registered a case against the accused and arrested him on 3rd April.

The matter pertained to the Rampur police station area of Jaunpur in Sureri where the woman filed a police complaint. Her husband stays in Mumbai for work. Her brother-in-law and his wife who live in Pune visited the village for a few days and were scheduled to return on 19th March. The couple had to reach Varanasi Junction to board the train. The victim contacted Sajjad who has an autorickshaw to take her family members to the railway station, which is around sixty kilometres away, and he agreed.

The two families already knew each other. The woman’s family had even helped the culprit many times in the past. She also sat in the vehicle to drop them off at Varanasi. After dropping the woman’s relatives at the railway station, when Sajjad was returning along with the woman, he reportedly stopped the auto in the Babatpur region under the pretence of having tea. However, he served her tea which was drugged and she felt dizzy and then fainted after a while. The victim regained consciousness and discovered that Sajjad was standing in front of her in a room.

She started to shout at him loudly but he threatened to kill her child and sexually assaulted her. The victim charged that she was his captive for five long days during which she was raped multiple times. Meanwhile, her son informed his father about the disappearance after she didn’t reach home. The husband also told his brother about the same. On 23rd March, the family came to their hamlet.

Her family members suspected that something awful had happened and submitted a missing person report at the Jaunpur police station. Sajjad had an inkling about the development and let the woman go out of fear on 24th March. She rushed to her place and narrated the entire ordeal to her family. They demanded strict action against the offender. The police were in a situation of uncertainty for some time about the crime and the jurisdiction of the police station.

About 15 days after the occurrence, the Sureri police station eventually filed a First Information Report and apprehended Sajjad. He has been charged under the Indian Penal Code’s sections 376, 323, 328, 343 and 506. The medical examination of the woman is underway and further action will be taken according to the legal process.

Meta to start labelling AI-generated content and manipulated media on Facebook, Instagram and Threads from May

ANI
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Meta to start labelling AI-generated content and manipulated media on Facebook, Instagram and Threads from May

Meta will begin labelling a wider range of video, audio and image content as “Made with AI” on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram starting in May to counter manipulated media, according to its official statement.

Meta’s new policy is a response to feedback from its independent Oversight Board, which urged an update to the current policy.

“We are making changes to the way we handle manipulated media based on feedback from the Oversight Board and our policy review process with public opinion surveys and expert consultations,” Meta said.

The labels could be generated through self-disclosure when a user posts content, as a result of advice from fact-checkers, or via Meta detecting invisible markers of AI-made content.

“We will begin labelling a wider range of video, audio and image content as “Made with AI” when we detect industry standard AI image indicators or when people disclose that they’re uploading AI-generated content,” it added.

Meta also underscored the usage of realistic AI-generated tools to create content like audio and photos and its evolution at present.

“In the last four years, and particularly in the last year, people have developed other kinds of realistic AI-generated content like audio and photos, and this technology is quickly evolving. As the Board noted, it’s equally important to address manipulation that shows a person doing something they didn’t do,” it said.

New AI video tools increase worries of deepfakes ahead of elections. Experts worry malicious actors could use AI tools to create deepfakes, confusing and misleading voters in an election year. The video that OpenAI released to unveil its new text-to-video tool, Sora, has to be seen to be believed.

Earlier last month, in a candid conversation with Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the challenges posed by AI and underlined the significance of initially using watermarks on AI-generated content to make users aware and prevent misinformation.

“Addressing the challenges AI presents, I have observed that without proper training, there’s a significant risk of misuse when such powerful technology is placed in unskilled hands. I’ve engaged with leading minds of AI, I suggested that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. This isn’t to devalue AI creations but to recognise them for what they are,” PM said.

“Data security remains a paramount concern and while India has a legal framework in place,. For instance, I have initiated storing all university certificates in the cloud to reduce costs and fulfil various needs efficiently. Previously, there was a push for stringent compliance requirements. I advocated for simplification, suggesting that data be uploaded to the cloud with shared IDs, enabling us to access necessary information directly. This approach underscores my commitment to leveraging technology not just to enhance services but to significantly improve the ease of living for our citizens,” he added.

Bill Gates also acknowledged the challenges that AI presents and said that the technology is also a huge opportunity.

“It’s early days in AI and I think everyone uses it. On the same day, you’re surprised at how good it is, and you’re also surprised at how bad it is. It’ll do things you think are hard, and then it’ll fail to do some things you think are easy. I started my trip here in Hyderabad, which was a nice occasion because Microsoft is celebrating 25 years in the country, and that’s been such a fantastic experience,” Bill Gates said.

“So I was definitely challenging the team there. Hey, we have to make the accuracy better. And for now, it’s like a Copilot. It helps suggest things. But the final decision about the medicine or the letter you want to write, the final decision, we still have to review that, even though it may make us a bit more creative and a bit more productive. You know, it seems like AI is a huge opportunity, but there are some challenges that come with that,” Gates added.

Present “manipulated media” rules apply only to “videos that are created or altered by AI to make a person appear to say something they didn’t say.” Starting in February, the company began to add “Imagined with AI” labels to photorealistic images made with the Meta AI feature.

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

Pakistan: Punjab province CM accuses Chinese nationals of resenting to follow security protocols after five Chinese Engineers killed in suicide bombing

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Punjab province CM accuses Chinese nationals of resenting to follow security protocols after five Chinese Engineers killed in suicide bombing

On Friday (5th April), the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Maryam Nawaz, blamed Chinese nationals living in Pakistan for not following security protocols. She made the remarks targeting Chinese nationals days after five Chinese engineers were killed in a suicide bombing in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Apart from not following security protocols, Maryam added that the Chinese nationals also get “resentful” when they are asked to follow security protocols. 

Notably, Maryam Nawaz is the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. After the recently concluded elections in February 2024, she became the first-ever woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan. 

While addressing her maiden Apex Committee meeting, Maryam said, “The Chinese living here do not want to follow security discipline. They are resentful when they are asked to follow security protocols. They don’t want to come under any discipline as they fret over it.” Referring to Chinese nationals, she added that this might be uncomfortable for you (Chinese nationals) but we value you.

Conspicuously, her remarks aimed against Chinese nationals have been blacked out by the Pakistani media to not ire relationship with Beijing, however, the same can be heard 20-minute into the official video of the meeting uploaded by PMNL’s official X handle.

The apex committee meeting was also attended by Corps Commander Lahore Lt Gen Syed Aamer Raza and other senior military officers. 

During the meeting, Maryam stated that her government would provide foolproof security to the Chinese nationals working on development projects in Punjab. 

The meeting condemned the killing of Chinese engineers in Bisham. Last week, five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide bombing. The incident took place when they were travelling between Islamabad and a hydroelectric dam construction site in Dasu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The bus was attacked in Bisham city of Shangla district.

This was the second suicide attack on those involved in a China-backed project in the region since 2021. After the suicide bombings, the Chinese company overseeing the project halted its civil construction operation and laid off hundreds of employees at a hydropower project in Pakistan.

Notorious as a terrorist-sponsoring nation against its adversaries, Maryam argued that terrorism has taken the shape of difficult warfare while presenting Pakistan as a victim of terror. 

She said, “Terrorists got digitalised and we need to be ahead of them on such platforms. Besides, terrorists have the latest weapons and technology. They have the US weapons that they got in Afghanistan. The weapons coming from Afghanistan are a big challenge for the law enforcement agencies.”  

She admitted that Pakistani youth are also being brainwashed and recruited by terrorists. She further pointed out, “And social media is one of the major tools being used for the purpose.” 

Meanwhile, on Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed all the security agencies to ensure foolproof security arrangements for the Chinese nationals working on various projects in the country.

In a statement, Shehbaz Sharif said he had decided to “personally review the meetings with respect to the overall security of the country, especially the security of the Chinese citizens”. 

He also claimed that Pakistan’s war against the menace of terrorism will continue till its complete eradication from the country.

Repeal of CAA, restoration of Article 370, restrictions on FDI, reservation in private sector and more: CPIM manifesto reveals the party’s dangerous agenda

Dibakar Dutta
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Repeal of CAA, restoration of Article 370, restrictions on FDI, reservation in private sector and more: CPIM manifesto reveals the party’s dangerous agenda

On Thursday (4th April), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has only 3 seats in the lower House of the Parliament, elaborately laid out its nefarious agenda in a 44-page document [pdf].

CPIM has vowed to scrap the visionary National Education Policy 2020, enacted by the Modi government. It has also assured the introduction of caste-based reservation in education and employment in the private sector if the party is elected to power (Page 13 of the manifesto).

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has promised to undo legislations that have been historically used against terrorists and criminals of the highest order. This includes repeal of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and National Security Act (NSA).

Not only that, the CPIM has promised to replace the anti-corruption law, Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and strip central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of its powers.

Moreover, it has assured its supporters to scrap the Citizenship Amendment Act, a humanitarian law aimed at fast-tracking the citizenship of persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have been staying illegally in India before 31st December 2014 (Page 14 of the CPIM manifesto)

Not only that, the party has also promised to remove the provision of the death penalty altogether, which is currently reserved for the rarest of rare cases such as the infamous Nirbhaya case of 2012.

CPIM and its sinister plans to isolate India

To ensure that India does not encourage foreign investors, the CPIM has declared in its manifesto that it will restrict Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows across various sectors such as finance, defence, higher education and the media (Pages 17, 21, 36 and 42 of the manifesto).

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also expressed its intention to globally isolate the nation by exiting from alliances such as QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), the India-US Defence Framework Agreement and the I2U2 Group. While the QUAD is an alliance between the United States, Australia, Japan, and India, the I2U2 Group comprises of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the US.

On the 25th page of its manifesto, the CPIM said that it would eliminate nuclear weapons from India and thus leave the nation vulnerable to attacks from rogue and hostile countries like Pakistan.

Creating a state of social and economic chaos

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also assured to bring back unrest in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir by restoring the controversial constitutional provisions of Article 370 and Article 35A, which were revoked by the Modi government in August 2019.

It has also promised to rid school textbooks and syllabi of higher classes of ‘communal bias and prejudice’, which essentially means that the books will be re-designed to brainwash children with Marxist ideology. (Page 15 of the manifesto).

The CPIM has also announced that it would repeal anti-conversion laws enacted by several States to counter the growing menace of grooming, entrapment and forced conversions. In the absence of such legislation, criminals will become as emboldened as before the enactment of the anti-conversion laws.

On Page 27 of its manifesto, the party declared that it would scrap the ‘New pension scheme’ and thereby overburden the economy of the nation. To exacerbate the situation further, it has promised to waive off both institutional loans and private debt of all ‘distressed farmers.’

CPIM and appeasement politics

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has left no stone unturned in its manifesto to appease Muslims and divide the Hindu community further along caste lines.

It has vowed to enact a central law to incorporate caste-based reservations in the private sector, conduct a caste census and extend reservations to so-called ‘Dalit Christians and Muslims.’ (Page 32 of the manifesto)

Just like the Congress party, the CPIM also sought to exploit the suicide of a former PhD student named Rohith Vemula. The left-liberal ecosystem had thrown its weight behind this particular case, calling his untimely death a consequence of ‘caste discrimination’.

During the investigation, it came to light that Vemula was not a Dalit and that his suicide had nothing to do with caste. The Andhra Pradesh government had also decided to cancel the ‘SC certificate’, which was fraudulently obtained by Rohith Vemula and his mother.

Despite being well aware of the findings in the case, the CPIM has decided to keep the pot boiling and promised to enact legislation in his name (Page 36 of the manifesto).

The party has also hinted at introducing reservations in the Judiciary (Page 44 of the CPIM manifesto), including so-called ‘OBC Muslims’ in the OBC quota, and enacting the ‘Prevention of Atrocities Against Minorities Act, which is likely to be used to target the Hindu community.

The CPIM even went on to announce that 15% of bank loans would be earmarked for Muslims if it is elected to power, besides providing compensation to Muslims ‘acquitted’ in terror cases. (Page 33 of the manifesto)

To further pacify its Muslim voters, the party has stated that it would strive for the establishment of Palestine (with pre-1967 borders), sanction the State of Israel and sever all ties of India with the Jewish nation. (Page 24 of the manifesto)

CPIM goes ‘woke’

On Page 34 of its manifesto, the CPIM has dedicated a section for the LGBTQ+ community. Promises made by the party include amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and giving legal recognition to same-sex couples at par with marriage.

Not only that, it has also declared that crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals will be treated similarly to crimes against straight people, thereby insinuating that a differential legal treatment exists in India for virtue of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Communist Party has vowed to pass an anti-discriminatory bill that covers LGBTQ+ and grant reservations to them in educational institutions and employment (besides the caste-based reservation that the party has already promised to introduce in the private sector).

Foreign policy

In the foreign policy section on page 24 of the manifesto, CPIM has talked about promoting all-round relations with China. It says, that the party stands for “negotiated settlement of the border dispute with China and promotion of all round relations.” As mentioned above, the party has promised to scrap all security and military ties with Israel, and demand UN-imposed sanctions against Israel. It wants the creation of a Palestine state with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital.

While CPI(M) wants to promote ties with China, it wants to withdraw from all strategic alliances with the US.

Conclusion

Nonetheless, the party has announced to repeal the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act of 2019 (Page 27 of the election manifesto), which introduced heavy fines for flouting traffic rules.

The CPIM has also assured to withdraw the government-funded PMJAY/Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, which drastically improved the access to quality healthcare services for poor people. (Page 37 of the manifesto).

The party has promised to scrap the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) under the pretext that it encourages ‘digital authoritarianism'(Page 41 of the manifesto).

In conclusion, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has been eyeing to plunge India into a state of complete economic and social chaos as evident from its pre-poll promises.

Pro-Congress YouTuber Ajit Anjum runs away after suffering a meltdown over uncomfortable questions by journalists; video goes viral: Watch

OpIndia Staff
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Pro-Congress YouTuber Ajit Anjum runs away after suffering a meltdown over uncomfortable questions by journalists; video goes viral: Watch

Ajit Anjum, a pro-Congress YouTuber known for peddling propaganda under the garb of journalism, was all hot and bothered after receiving a reality check from a group of conscientious journalists who raised questions about his journalistic practices and personal bias.

In a video that has gone viral on the internet, Anjum was seen getting out of a car and yelling at fellow journalists. Anjum says, “You are bhakts of Asaram Bapu,” to which, the other journalists responded by saying, “Why did you defame a girl? How much did you get to defame the girl?”

A flustered Anjum sits back in his car and flees away. The video is undated, though it appears to be recent.

X users had a field day over the meltdown Ajit Anjum had during his interaction with a group of journalists.

X user @Being_humor took a swipe at Ajit Anjum by saying that people chased him out of a ‘chicken-pakoda’ shop.

The pakoda reference stems from a viral image of a tweet that Ajit Anjum claims he never posted. The tweet read, “I (Ajit Anjum) will sell chicken pakoras if Yogi Adityanath returns to power in 2022 Assembly Elections.” The screenshot of the tweet went viral, as did the pakoda memes. The reference, however, stuck, and it has been used since to mock Anjum. Last year, on April 8, 2023, netizens trolled YouTuber Ajit Anjum on the micro-blogging site Twitter on the occasion of his birthday. Hashtags like “PakodakingAjitAnjum” kept on trending throughout the day. 

Several others mocked Anjum over the viral video.

Ankur Singh, a popular X user, enquired what was the matter that Anjum was running away from journalists.

Past antics of Ajit Anjum and the origin of ‘Pakoda King’ sobriquet attached to him

Nevertheless, this is not the first time Ajit Anjum has been the talk of the town because of his viral video. In 2020, a video of a scuffle between farmers and an unknown person at the protest site along the Delhi Border had gone viral. Several social media users had shared the video, claiming that the unknown person was none other than senior journalist Ajit Anjum, who was ‘beaten up’ by the farmers while reporting about the ongoing farmers’ protests.

However, soon after the video went viral with the claim that Ajit Anjum had been at the receiving ends of the blows rained by the protesting farmers, the journalist quickly took to Twitter to refute the allegations that he had had a scuffle with the protesters. Anjum claimed that he was in the middle of the chaos because he was trying to settle the matter between the two sparring parties.

More recently, in November 2023, Anjum almost got manhandled for forcing women to give their reactions during voting for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

In this video, Ajit Anjum is seen forcing the voter women repeatedly to answer his questions like whom they have given their vote, whose government they want in the state, etc. When a woman came out of the polling booth but did not respond to his queries, Ajit Anjum took a brief run to the two other women who left the booth earlier. Ajit Anjum followed the women in a nearby lane and started forcing them to answer to his questions. At this point, a man approached him from behind and angrily asked Ajit Anjum why he was forcing the women to talk when they were not willing to answer him.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Congress for not promising to repeal CAA in manifesto, accuses it of following RSS policies

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Congress for not promising to repeal CAA in manifesto, accuses it of following RSS policies

On Saturday (6th April), Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed its ally in the I.N.D.I. Alliance Congress party. The criticism by the CPI(M) leader was regarding the recently published election manifesto of the grand old party. Vijayan said that the Congress failed to meet the challenges posed by Hindutva politics. He even accused Congress of taking a stand similar to that of the Sangh Pariwar.

Addressing people at Alappuzha in Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan said, “While the CPI(M) manifesto clearly states its intention to cancel the divisive CAA, the Congress manifesto maintains a conspicuous silence on the matter.” The CPI(M) manifesto pledged to eliminate what it criticised as “draconian” statutes, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Vijayan, an outspoken opponent of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) who has previously declared that his administration will not enforce it in the state, stated that a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated group initiated the issuance of eligibility certificates for citizenship under the CAA. He said, “Despite these developments, the Congress does not openly comment on the law. This stance raises questions about the Congress party’s attitude towards the Citizenship Amendment Act. Congress’ stand always aligned with that of the Sangh Parivar.”

He added, “People have understood that there is no point in voting for the Congress party from their experience in the last five years. The Left parties seek votes from the people to uproot the BJP which has been implementing dangerous policies in the country. We don’t change our politics for the sake of a few votes.” Vijayan remarked that the forthcoming elections will determine the trajectory of the nation, emphasising that casting votes for the Congress would be futile.

About the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “We are contesting this election to bring down the BJP from power and that’s why we have actively joined the anti-BJP front at the national level. We would like to make one thing clear. The BJP will not only face defeat in all 20 seats, they will even fail to secure the second position in any constituency this time.” Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha and it is scheduled to vote on 26th April during the second phase of the general elections. Vote counting is slated for 4th June.

CPIM also published its manifesto one day after Congress

On Thursday (4th April), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has only 3 seats in the lower House of the Parliament, laid out its nefarious agenda elaborately in a 44-page document [pdf]. CPIM has vowed to scrap the visionary National Education Policy 2020, enacted by the Modi government. It has also assured the introduction of caste-based reservation in education and employment in the private sector if the party is elected to power.

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