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Modi 3.0 is inevitable and with that, here is a 19-item wishlist of policies: From ending CSR to healthcare overhaul, history book revision and more

Ganesh R
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Modi 3.0 is inevitable and with that, here is a 19-item wishlist of policies: From ending CSR to healthcare overhaul, history book revision and more

Recently, a famous journalist, known for his fearless, independent journalism, about as much as I am known for singing like Mohammad Rafi, presented a wish list for Modi’s next term. He said if everyone assumes Modi will return, so can he or words to that effect. I will follow in his footsteps but present my wish list!

The overarching theme of this wish list is simplification and returning power to people. We need to set up the runway for the next stage of growth to take off, in our lifetimes. Yet another generation can’t be condemned to living in the depravity of the “Idea of India’ days, the India “we grew up in”. In doing so we must clean up the Augean stables – with fresh water, NOT the same waste water of babudom and Nehruvian socialism.

Without much further ado, let us just jump into it!

1. Reform the Income Tax Act and tax rates – We simply can’t have taxes like cradle-to-grave welfare states. Personal IT must be maxed out at 30% including ALL surcharges. A super simplified IT Act and forms that’s the world’s envy and our pride (Remember the ONIDA ads?) must be done. Earned overseas income up to, say, $50,000 must be exempt. This will promote remote gig work and take on countries like Malaysia, Indonesia & dozens of others encouraging “digital nomads” without too much cost.

2. Total revamp of corporate compliance regime including forms and cost. GST inclusive. MCI must be headed by industry experts not babus with 60’s thinking. Small companies must be exempt from 99% of the filing work currently eating up lots of bandwidth. I am not suggesting something unique – just copy from any decent ASEAN or Asian economy. It takes less than 10 minutes to finish up the annual filing for a small private company in Singapore. No auditor, no company secretary, no DIN, DSC nonsense. And that doesn’t mean they encourage fraud. Punishment is severe for violations.

3. End CSR – FM Sitharaman has taken some of the crazier provisions out of this law such as heavy punishments but the entire concept is a clear abdication of its responsibilities to the citizens. Delivering public goods is the job of the state. Taxes must be paid for it. Not babudom-enforced charity. It only ends up creating, funding, and sustaining the sort of woke elite charlatans like DEI has done in the USA. Leftist malcontents are good at gaming the system and will use this to extort funds and destroy value.

4. Recent news of appointing private experts to Jt-Secy level jobs is most welcome. But this must be the FIRST step to the total abolition of IAS, as we know it. Babus that have not done a single day of productive value-added work in their entire lifetime, not manufactured even one widget or earned one rupee of real money, cannot be sitting in judgment of policies. We don’t need “District Magistrates” or “Collectors” and their retinue of clerks, peons, constables and hangers-on – that’s colonial! Other Asian countries have gotten rid of them. We need civil SERVANTS. IAS MUST GO. Promote juniors from within on merit and hire experts on short-term contracts. A good government LDC clerk, if talented, must have a chance to retire as Cabinet secretary. Not overtaken by some elitist kid who answers questions in one exam on Tipu Sultan and Jawaharlal Nehru. That’s the system we need.

5. A massive, war-like effort to build up national healthcare infrastructure – this will return to the economy better than buying Apple, Tesla or Google stock when it was at its lowest. We could have done this during the COVID episode, but that is lost. Divert money from anything else other than education to get this done. Hospitals, Medical colleges, Nursing, equipment, training, testing labs, preventive healthcare, the works. Think big and act even bigger. No half measures. Public hospitals must be far better than any private one and cheap or free. NDA ruled states must take the lead in this as it is also a state subject. Be an example to dynasty-ruled states.

6. A similar effort to ramp up primary and secondary education, especially in remote areas and smaller towns. This is not absent of course, but there are significant gaps, shortages and bad quality infra. Plug them. This must get the #1 allotment in all budgets. Again, public facilities must be as good or even better than private ones. In this and the earlier point, if dynastic looter-run states don’t cooperate, just get it done in NDA-ruled states and friendly ones like Odisha. That’s more than enough.

7. Think BIG in small cities and NEW cities. Enormous amounts are spent on megapolis like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Overbridges, roads, railways, metro etc., simply address issues that we created – overcrowding and lopsided development. They don’t add value to the economy other than restoring what was destroyed. I am not saying this is wasted, but every rupee goes much further in smaller cities. In the long run, we must decongest bigger cities by moving people to smaller towns. Not by diktat but by gentle nudging and economic opportunities. This promotes equitable growth, better living standards and so much else. Adequate social infrastructure, and the right policies and push investments into these places, away from megacities. Governments must show the way. Can someone explain why Kaveri Nigam and Coffee Board are in HQ in Bangalore and not in Madikeri? Only to suit the interest of babus. Not the ones they are supposed to serve. They want to sit close to their bosses and enjoy life. That’s just one small example, I am sure thousands are out there.

8. Repeal ALL black laws written into statute by fascist looter dynasties and their Stalinist mass murderer patrons that now lecture us on democracy, dissent, freedom etc. No dilution, no committees, no study. Just one stroke and take them all out. These are causing arrests at whim, long periods of incarceration without trial and other horrendous human rights abuses. Things unheard of in other democracies or even dictatorships – presumption of guilt – exist in our laws. Other than obvious cases of violence and overseas terrorists, our laws must equal or better any democracy. Right now they are a disgrace. Right to bail must be sacrosanct other than for a small list of heinous crimes and a genuine flight risk. Charge within reasonable time or release. This is why opposition-ruled states can arrest or jail practically anyone using vague laws and compliant media. NDA is also a culprit but the problem started with the laws. This will usher in true democracy and shame the overseas woke handlers of these frauds that shout from rooftops about dissent etc. 

9. State police must have ZERO powers to arrest anyone outside their states. If they need extradition, they can appeal to the respective state government and if not happy, its courts. There must be federal crimes like in the USA but that list must be small. NOT posting something against Mamata Banerjee on Facebook etc. It is now becoming a joke. Charlatans like Kejriwal use Punjab police to pursue political rivals all over the country and everyone races to the bottom. Again, no party is clean in this but the enabling laws must change.

10. Ensure independence of ED, CBI etc. It must be beyond reproach. Bulletproof. Dramatic arrests must end. They invariably result in release and ZERO chance of successful prosecution. Gather evidence, painstakingly prosecute, and let courts decide about arrest, not babus. Right now we are at serious risk of arrest by ED or summons becoming a badge of honour. Like in colonial days. This is a national disgrace. Because it allows the corrupt to get away with – literally – murder.

11. For every rupee spent on top-down development, spend equal or more on bottom-up improvements. To give a simple example, Vande Bharat trains are great – no one with any sense can oppose them. But spend equal amounts, visibly and immediately, on the ugliest trains that run in smaller routes. The other day I saw a local train in Mysore that looked too bad even for the scrapyard. Yes, money is scarce, but starting from the last, ugliest train and working way up – as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya said, is the key. 

12. MASSIVE improvements in public transport – in cities, towns, villages. This is a state subject but Center + NDA states must invest heavily, and appoint non-corrupt leaders, not politicians to key posts. As I mentioned in the case of trains, start at the bottom – not useless things like digital signboards. Fares can be kept low if only managed well. And targeted subsidies not freebies thrown recklessly like the Karnataka government does. A system of private companies running buses with their crew but fares and standards set by the government must be universal. Whoever bids the lowest gets it. This will solve the issue of poorly managed, corrupt state transport undertakings running smoke-belching buses that look like retrieved out of Somalia’s badlands.  

13. A national mobility card usable on ALL public buses and trains across the country will do wonders. This can be linked to Aadhar and used for targeting subsidies as well. It will take a few years to get there but it is worth the effort. That way subsidies are not hidden. Transport corporations will pay diesel at commercial rates, pay road tax as normal etc. Then seek a subsidy that is direct and targeted.

14. I wrote a separate piece on this, but I repeat it here – TOTAL BAN on ALL donations by non-Indians to any private entity, NGO etc. They must all be routed to a central fund distributed purely on a population basis, not on religion, caste, region, political alliances etc. If these do-gooders say that they are working for our good, let us tell them to shut up and put up.

15. JNU must be split into genuine science and pseudo-science (sociology, African studies etc) – indeed ALL technical institutes like IIT must be stopped from conducting pseudo-science courses. A separate university, perhaps named after Rahul Gandhi, funded by Ford or Soros or Beijing can be asked to conduct such courses since anyway, they rear battalions of fringe loony leftists and tukde’s. The earlier step I mentioned will dry the tap for fraud NGOs and this step will ensure the flow of unproductive malcontents will stop or reduce. This country, at this stage of development, needs science, maths, engineering, finance, agriculture etc. I am sort of ambivalent about economics ;-). But NOT political “science” degrees that are useless for anything other than sucking up to fascist dacoit families and Politburo butchers or George Soros. Maybe, when we cross $25,000 in per capita income, we can restore this and go woke like the USA.

16. Revise history books! Don’t spend the 1st four years denying we will never do it and then adding a paragraph or two in year 5. The outrage by the Polpotist left ecosystem and the anti-Hindu gang will be the same in volume anyway. Do it on Day 1 or Month 1 – and do it well. Own up to it bravely and say manufactured lies of a leftist ecosystem designed to destroy the mind, cultivate self-hate, scorch the earth for facilitating the promotion of Stalinist mass rapist butcher ideologies and anti-Hindu hate is being replaced with truth. Put it on the manifesto if necessary so there’s no ambiguity. 

17. Reduce dependence on woke fascist deep state Gestapo-controlled US tech giants. The nonsensical politically biased replies given by GeminiAI or chatGPT and the rabid bias against anything non-left or non-Islamic must open eyes. Rid the government and PSUs of Microsoft Windows and related software. Incentivise the private sector to do the same. Bravely subsidise or adopt homegrown solutions like Zoho. Go with open source. Fund or encourage development of an open source mobile operating system so we are rid of Google’s Android and Apple’s dominance. At the right time, make it mandatory. Not too soon. One day these technologies will be denied to us if we don’t obey the wokes or elect someone the NYT Editorial board doesn’t approve of. Better plan ahead. No other country can do it – only India. China will never be trusted under commies and the rest don’t have the scale. Once we do, rest like Indonesia etc., will stampede to get it from us.

18. Respect for leaders has to be mutual especially if they are long gone. In other words, Pandit Nehru gets only as much respect as the CONLEFT ecosystem is ready to give to Savarkar. If they want to focus only on his letters, fine, it is fair for us to focus only on Naba jail or Edwina. Leaders are complicated, people of extraordinary minds that can sometimes work in odd ways and they are human and most importantly, they are products of their times. We must take what is good, and leave out what is bad. As simple as that. 

19. Further, I would suggest BJP must make it clear in their manifesto that excessive importance given to the Nehru dynasty in naming various central government assets such as Airports, roads, tunnels, colleges etc will be reviewed and made more balanced if they return to power. This can be statistically established – just make a list of such assets and see how the naming has been done. The reason I say manifesto is clear – it gets transparently approved by the public if NDA/BJP is re-elected.

I have a lot more to say but even if 5 or so of these are done, I will be very very happy! Because I know my children and grandchildren, if any, won’t grow up in a country where third-world depravity is the norm.

Ankit Saxena murder: Delhi court awards life imprisonment to Akbar, Shehnaz and Salim for gruesome murder of Hindu man

OpIndia Staff
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Ankit Saxena murder: Delhi court awards life imprisonment to Akbar, Shehnaz and Salim for gruesome murder of Hindu man

On 7th March, three convicts in Ankit Saxena murder case were sentenced to life imprisonment. 23-year-old Ankit was murdered in February 2018 in west Delhi’s Raghubir Nagar by family members of his girlfriend who belonged to the Muslim community.

Additional sessions judge Sunil Kumar Sharma said to the accused, “Taking into consideration your age, background, antecedents and the work that you did before the incident, I am sentencing you to life imprisonment.”

The court further imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the three convicts identified as Akbar Ali (father of the girl), Shehnaz Begum (mother of the girl) and Mohammad Salim (uncle of the girl). They were convicted by the court in the murder case on 23rd December 2023, almost six years after the incident took place.

In the December verdict, the court convicted them for the charges under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Furthermore, Shahnaz Begum was also convicted under Section 323 for assaulting Ankit’s mother Kamlesh Saxena when she was trying to save her son from the girl’s family.

Speaking on the verdict, Ankit’s mother said, “They killed my son with a butchering knife. They should get the death penalty.”

Ankit’s father has passed away since.

The details of the grisly murder case

A 23-year-old Hindu youth named Ankit Saxena was brutally murdered in Delhi, in February 2018, for being in a relationship with a girl named Shehzadi from the Muslim community. The murderers were family members, including parents of the girl. Ankit had been under pressure to break his relationship with the girl. Since he did not comply, he was murdered and his throat was slit.

It was revealed that the girl’s family was vehemently against their daughter being in love with a Hindu boy and proceeded to kill him in a pre-planned manner after engineering a road rage incident. 

According to eyewitness accounts, Shehzadi’s mother wore a helmet and rode her scooter to the traffic intersection where they knew Ankit was present. She then rammed her scooter into Ankit’s vehicle so that Ankit would be forced to step out to help. As she was wearing a helmet, Ankit could not identify her and stepped out to help.

The woman then confronted Ankit and soon she was joined by her other family members. They all began to heckle and abuse Ankit blaming him that he had influenced Shehzadi to leave the house. A shop owner in the area had stated that when confronted by Shehzadi’s family, Ankit denied being in a relationship with her so that he was left alone. Another resident of the area had stated that Ankit even requested to call the police or be taken to the police station, but the girl’s family just kept beating him.

Neighbours alerted Ankit’s parents of the incident and they had rushed to the spot. But Shehzadi’s mother began attacking Ankit’s mother too who fell down. When Ankit bent down to help his mother get up, the girl’s uncle and brother then caught him by his hair and pulled him up. At that moment, while the two of them held Ankit’s arms from behind, the girl’s father slit his throat using his butchering knife.

However, media reports water downed the brutal murder case and it failed to inspire any outrage as Hindi and English mainstream media reports on the incident carefully tried to hide the religion of the accused, and the angle of religious hatred involved behind the crime.

Meanwhile, Ankit Saxena’s father, Yashpal Saxena was hailed by the ‘secular’ media and politicians as the face of communal harmony after he appealed to everyone not to communalise his son’s murder at the hands of his Muslim girlfriend’s family who disapproved of their inter-religious relationship. He had even organised an inter-faith iftar party in 2018 during Ramzan which was attended by various ‘social activists’. 

Delhi Development Authority issues notice to Hindu refugees from Pakistan living in Yamuna floodplain area to vacate the place, action after NGT order

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Development Authority issues notice to Hindu refugees from Pakistan living in Yamuna floodplain area to vacate the place, action after NGT order

A matter of removal of unlawful encroachment close to Majnu Ka Tilla in the national capital has surfaced recently. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has asked that residents of the slums around the Yamuna River relocate under the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directive. Notably, several of these families comprise Pakistani Hindus who have come to India to protect their lives. They received the official notification on 4th March.

The notice says that the families can relocate to alternate places as per the suggestions of the Delhi High Court. DDA cited a National Green Tribunal order in 2015 saying that the Yamuna Flood Plain area under the DDA must be made free from all encroachment.

The notice stated, “In compliance with the order, it is proposed to organise a demolition drive against the encroachment in the Yamuna floodplain area near south of Gurudwara Majnu Ka Tilla (western bank) on March 7 and 8.” As per the decision of the National Green Tribunal, a Delhi Development Authority official verified the schedule for a demolition effort intended to eradicate the intrusion on the 7th and 8th of March. Sources claimed that the postponement was brought on by the unavailability of police forces.

It added, “Hence, the residence of the area is hereby requested to vacant the area by Wednesday. Otherwise, they will be self-responsible for any loss held due to any demolition drive against the encroachment on Thursday or later.”  

As per the notice, the people living in the area can relocate to three night shelters on temporary basis in Delhi, at Geeta Colony, Dwarka Sector 1 and Dwarka Sector 3.

This place has served as a home to these people for a long time. However, the recent development has raised questions about their future survival. There is also a Gurdwara in the area. There have been claims made during the court proceedings that Gurdwara’s southern region is being illegally occupied.

According to the information, the whole matter was raised before the National Green Tribunal by a person named Jagdev. His legal heir Vinayak Khatri is currently battling the lawsuit following his passing. The report revealed that there are three main reasons behind the complaint including incursion on the Yamuna bank in the southern vicinity of the Gurdwara near Majnu Ka Tilla.

Another reason is deforestation on a large scale which is altering the region’s environment, flooding plains and destroying the integrity of the Yamuna River system. Furthermore, the slum inhabitants have placed their makeshift stalls around the outer ring road which leads to traffic bottlenecks and whatever dirt or trash is left behind is thrown into the Yamuna River which is a component of the green belt.

Source: OpIndia Hindi

National Green Tribunal’s order

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has provided information regarding the National Green Tribunal’s instructions on the issue. The Delhi Development Authority presented a case report to the National Green Tribunal in 2019 according to the orders it received and the findings acknowledged the existence of illicit possession. It was reported that Pakistani Hindus are residing in these locations and they continue to remain in the country after their visas have expired. Additionally, it was also informed that the central government was considering to extend their stay.

Source: OpIndia Hindi

The National Green Tribunal, however, alleged that the matter is for consideration before the tribunal but the concern is about the preservation of the Yamuna River plains, forest trees and other environmental elements. Invasion of river flood plains cannot be allowed as such occupation may cause damage. According to the body’s regulations, trees, forests and the environment should be protected and encroachment should be eliminated from the flood plain close to the river.

It designated the Delhi Development Authority as the nodal agency for this entire case in a decision that was released on 30th July 2019. It has since written notices to everyone who is doing construction on the land, including the Hindu families from Pakistan.

Families are faced with the problem of livelihood

According to media reports, plans are in motion and arrangements have been made to shift them to shelters. However, the 160 families who have been living in India for so many years are still not permanent citizens of the country. This country is different for them where they arrived in need of assistance and began working as soon as they found a spot.

Therefore, their livelihood and other things will be impacted when they move. These people presently work around Majnu Ka Tilla or set up stalls to make a living. They would encounter the same challenges they endured after travelling to India to cater for their family if they resettled. Preparations are underway to bring them from Majnu ka Tilla and grant them shelter in Block 10, Gurdwara Geeta Colony, Dwarka Sector-3, Phase-1, Dwarka Sector-1.

The Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority were directed by the National Green Tribunal to settle the issue of unlawful occupation on the Yamuna floodplain near Majnu Ka Tilla Gurudwara in a previous order from November 2019. The Delhi Development Authority was ordered by the National Green Tribunal on 29th January of this year to pay Rs 25,000 and to submit an action taken report detailing the encroachment that was removed within four weeks. It further stated that if the report is not turned in by the deadline, the vice-chairman of the authority must appear in person before the tribunal on 3rd April.

The plight of Pakistani Hindus

The occupants stated that they had been living there for more than ten years and would not move even to the three DUSIB shelters that were recommended in the eviction notice. Due to religious persecution in their home country, over 180 families who had travelled to India from Hyderabad, Pakistan in 2011 on tourist visas for the Kumbh in Haridwar decided not to return. At present, Majnu Ka Tilla is listed as their permanent address on a few of their Aadhaar cards. Some people struggle to obtain employment because they lack citizenship or residency paperwork. They work odd jobs to make ends meet or own tiny sidewalk stores.

“My husband and I are uneducated but we still managed to get our children admitted in schools here. My daughter is studying law. If we are shifted, my children’s studies will be affected and their chances of a better future will be hit,” expressed a Pakistani Hindu woman named Laxmi. The community’s residents complained that not many services were provided. The only water supply is a standard tap.

“Some mobile toilets were placed here but most of them were in any case not cleaned or not functional. We had to make our own arrangements for toilets,” pointed out Sita who arrived from Tando Allahyar in Pakistan in 2013 and her husband is employed in a nearby temple.

Sona Das, a Hindu immigrant from Pakistan responded to the notice by expressing worry over the brief notice period given for evacuation. She complained about the absence of substitute lodging provided by the administration, acknowledging their struggle in Pakistan. Affected families were advised to seek temporary shelter at Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) facilities.

“We have been given time to vacate this area as soon as possible. The whole camp has been informed and notices have been served to all of us. We just recovered from the losses we faced during the Delhi floods and now they are about to run a bulldozer here. How are people supposed to vacate on such short notice and where are they supposed to go,” she asked. “We haven’t been offered any alternate place, although some of them have been offered to move them to shelter homes. If they want us to vacate, they should give us an alternate option and ample time to move. My family and I moved from Pakistan to India in 2011 for some relief and now, we are facing similar problems here too,” she mentioned.

“We were informed just yesterday that demolition will take place here. Some officials came here on Tuesday and pasted notices outside our houses. Almost all of them in this area received notice on Tuesday night. Nobody vacated their houses yet,” voiced another Pakistani Hindu Kanhaiya Lal who resides at Majnu Ka Tilla. More than 800 members of the community members have petitioned the government to provide them with an alternate home site with the necessary amenities.

Sonadas, who informed that he was the pradhan (chief) stated that the locals had approached the area representatives following the Delhi Development Authority’s notices. “We went to the MP and other political leaders for help. The only reason we kept on extending our tourist visa and staying here was because we felt we were part of this nation. When the current govt is doing so much for Hindus, they should also think about us, Hindu refugees, too. We have big families and shifting to homeless shelters isn’t at all feasible.”

‘Modiji will remain India’s PM for the next 10 years’: Home Minister Amit Shah at Republic Summit 2024

ANI
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‘Modiji will remain India’s PM for the next 10 years’: Home Minister Amit Shah at Republic Summit 2024

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah while speaking at the Republic TV Summit 2024 on Thursday emphasised the good work put in by the government in the last 10 years and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to govern for the next ten years.

Asked about the political outlook for the next ten years Home Minister Amit said, “There is a dynamic democracy in our country which evaluates performances and gives its mandate depending on that. The mood and mandate in the past used to be based on caste, creed and religion and on the basis of appeasement. Now PM Modi has established politics of performance. Performance will determine who stays in power, the country will give an opportunity to those who perform. If we perform well, we will stay in power, if we do not control our drawbacks then we will not win. Because you have asked about the next 10 years, I can tell you that for the next 10 years it will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi only.”

The Home Minister also hit out at RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for raising question on the absence of the Prime Minister’s family

“People who are trying to lower the level of country’s politics by talking nonsense, the public is giving them a befitting reply each time. I have seen Modi ji very closely, have worked with him for a long time. In a sense, Lalu ji has rightly said that Modi ji has no family. Because those who have families, try to make their sons and daughters Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers” Amit Shah said

“Modi ji has worked only and only for the people of the country for 40 years. Even after being Chief Minister and Prime Minister for 23 years, I have not seen him taking leave. I have seen PM Modi working diligently from 5 am in the morning to 1 am in the night. And it is a result of that there is such a large cadre with him” the Home Minister added.

Amit Shah further said there has never been any allegations of corruption against PM Modi.

“In a democracy, the people of the country answer every question raised against the government. Leaders who scammed the citizens are now absconding. In 23 years of Modi ji’s tenure, first as the Chief Minister and then as the Prime Minister, there has not been a single allegation against him. Even the opposition cannot blame Modi ji for anything, such is the transparency with which he works” Amit Shah said

“We have had our government at the centre for 10 years. But even our opponents cannot blame Modi ji for even 4 annas worth of corruption. We have governed with transparency,” Amit Shah added.

The Home Minister stressed that the Prime Minister and the BJP were working to realise the dreams of all Indians.

“Ever since the formation of our party, since independence, the dreams of Indians have remained our political agenda. People did not sacrifice their lives for an India which is poor, unsafe or does not have a standing in the world. People were martyred for the dream of a strong and prosperous India. That dream was, is, and will remain our mission and vision for India” he said.

The Home Minister emphasised that in 2047, India would transform into a developed nation.

He also reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 was passed by the Parliament in December 2019.

The Union Home Minister said, “This will be implemented before the elections…this is the law of the country, no one can stop it, this is set in stone, this is the reality.”

Shah also batted for the Uniform Civil Code saying that this is not only the agenda of the BJP, but also the vision of constitutional assembly and included in Article 44 of the constitution.

“Unfortunately, UCC has been associated with religion. Today I want to tell the people of the country that UCC is not just the agenda of BJP, but since 1950 we have been saying that when we come to power, we will bring UCC to this country. Since 1950, ‘Uniform Civil Code’ has been a part of our manifesto. If you expect the State to be secular, then the laws of the State must also be secular. Personal laws based on religious domination can never give us a secular State,” Home Minister Amit Shah said.

Amit Shah also hit out at the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal alleging that the state government was corrupt and indulging in rampant appeasement.

The Union Home Minister said “The governance in Bengal is corrupt, with appeasement based on unjust religion. It is very important for the security of the country that there should be change, and the BJP is fighting for that change. I also request the people of Bengal to support us. People should elect a strong representation from Bengal under the leadership of Modi ji. We want to make Bengal Sonar Bangla again.”

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 young, brilliant classical dancer – Amarnath Ghosh – was brutally murdered in USA: A tale of shoddy investigation and unanswered questions

Meenakshi Sharan
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A young, brilliant classical dancer – Amarnath Ghosh – was brutally murdered in USA: A tale of shoddy investigation and unanswered questions

A young, brilliant classical dancer from India goes to the USA on a full fellowship to graduate with an MFA degree from Washington University in St. Louis, believing to be in a ‘greater’ nation, closer to his dreams. 

From a brilliant first performance on 15th, 2023 at the Battery Dance Festival in New York City, the 34-year-old Amarnath Ghosh tragically disappeared from a street corner in St. Louis on the 27th of February. Him disappearing without a trace prompted his friends to report to the police who later informed that Amarnath had been shot multiple times as he walked across the 5100 block of Delmar near Clarendon. Amarnath succumbed to his injuries on the scene, about a mile away from his apartment. American gun violence had claimed yet another Indian’s life. 

Over the last year and a half, Amarnath had been training young dance students in various American cities, including Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. He was selected by Washington University in 2023, as its representative at the American College Dance Festival, where he made his mark professionally. He was popular among his peers and professors because of his warmth and gregariousness.

From his captivating performances on prestigious stages to his dedicated work as a choreographer and art educator, Amarnath Ghosh’s impact was profound and far-reaching. A proud alumnus of the esteemed Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts and Kuchupudi Art Academy, his mastery of multiple dance styles, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, and Kathak, showcased his versatility and depth as an artist. His training in vocal music further enriched his artistic expression. This shining star had worked his way up tirelessly and passionately.

Yet, what was the worth of his life in the USA?

Day two, missing reports do rounds, day 3, friends are told he’s shot, day 4, no updates, Day 5, he’s still in the morgue, his friends awaiting his remains to give him his due, the honourable last rights. 

No news of the assailant, no CCTV footage, no investigation details, no official news on American portals, no official police statements from Missouri!

Back home in India, due to the social media outpourings of grief, information picked up by mainstream press made some stark juxtaposition. American media had no to very scant reportage. Amarnath’s story did not even make it to national news, let alone international.

It leaves one wondering whether the lethal assault on an immigrant is perceived as lacking in newsworthiness, additionally perplexing is the thought of what might have motivated an unidentified gunman to repeatedly open fire, tragically extinguishing a life that held life brimming with immense potential!

On day six, we are informed that Amarnath’s mortal body is still in the morgue and the Police investigation is still underway, that the Indian Consulate Chicago is in touch with the police pressing for a speedy investigation.

Amarnath, whose parents resided in the Subhas Pally, Suri, Birbhum, West Bengal, had passed away, mother in 2020 and father in 2021. His paternal uncle Shyamlal Ghosh whom Amarnath’s parents had strained relations with, as informed by his childhood friends of over fifteen years, has suddenly emerged claiming ownership of his body and his house. This may explain why Amarnath designated two of his friends, who are not legally related by blood, as his next of kin on all official documents in the US: one residing in India and the other in Canada. Fearing it to become a case of unclaimed bodies, the devastated friends had been trying to claim Amarnath’s mortal remains for cremation. 

Amarnath’s life was marred by injustice, even in death he faces unkindness. His uncle, Shyamlal Ghosh has approached the District Magistrate of Birbhum, demanding his body. We have been informed that authorities are collaborating with an NGO to explore the possibility of repatriating the body to India, a process that entails additional paperwork and further delays. Death resulting from a crime can significantly prolong the repatriation of human remains, and mortuaries too are equipped only for short-term storage of a limited number of bodies.

The mystery surrounding his killing remains unresolved. 

Where will his remains be cremated?

Will it be among his loved ones in America, or among those who who may not have cared for him and may not welcome his fellow artists and friends?

Many questions remain unanswered, including one that has been echoed on social media: “Why did Amarnath Ghosh feel the need to pursue a degree in performing arts in America?”

Bengaluru bomb blast case: Suspected terrorist stopped near mosque, changed attire and used BMTC buses, NIA recovers baseball cap

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru bomb blast case: Suspected terrorist stopped near mosque, changed attire and used BMTC buses, NIA recovers baseball cap

More details are coming out about the accused in the blast inside Rameshwaram café in Bengaluru, Karnataka that took place on 1st March. The investigation of this blast is now with NIA. The NIA has announced a reward by releasing a photo of the suspected terrorist who carried out the blast.

CCTV videos of the suspected terrorist have surfaced from a bus. It is learned that he came on a public bus to the cafe. The details of his face have also become clear, as the footage shows his face without a cap. The investigating agency has also found his cap from near a mosque.

The suspect who carried out the blast at the Rameswaram café got down from a public bus at 10:45 am. This bus stop is just 100 meters away from the café. He then roamed around and entered the café at 11:34 and left after 8 minutes. Meanwhile, he placed a bomb in the cafe.

After leaving the Rameswaram café, he went to a bus stop located one kilometre away and boarded the bus from there. According to a report by The Indian Express, the suspect also stopped near a Muslim religious centre on his way. Here he changed his clothes and also left his cap. The NIA has recovered this cap. This is believed to be a big clue in this case.

During his eight-minute stay, he placed a bag containing an explosive device near the hand-washing area of this café. It was an IED, with a timer attached. The explosion occurred about 1 hour after the suspect left (at 12:56 pm). 9 people were injured in this blast. The bomb comprised explosives and iron nut bolts designed to cause harm upon detonation. However, a mistake by this terrorist in its placement limited its impact, resulting in no casualties.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has issued a poster featuring a suspected terrorist. In the image, the individual is depicted wearing a cap and carrying a bag over his shoulder. He is dressed in black pants and a grey shirt, with black shoes and a cream-coloured cap.

Additionally, the individual was wearing glasses. In the photo captured from inside the bus, he is seen without a cap, possibly wearing a t-shirt, although the image is blurred. The NIA has offered a reward of ₹10 lakh for any information leading to the identification of this individual.

An explosion occurred on Friday (1st March) in the afternoon at Rameswaram Cafe situated in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, resulting in nine injuries. Subsequently, details regarding the cause of the blast emerged, prompting the NIA to launch an investigation into the incident. Since then, diligent efforts have been undertaken to ascertain the identity of the suspect involved.

California: Former Google engineer Linwei Ding charged with stealing AI trade secrets for Chinese companies

OpIndia Staff
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California: Former Google engineer Linwei Ding charged with stealing AI trade secrets for Chinese companies

On 6th March (local time), a former Google engineer was reportedly charged with stealing AI trade secrets for Chinese companies. 38-year-old Linwei Ding was arrested and charged with theft of trade secrets in California. Linwei Ding alias Leon Ding is facing serious allegations of fraudulently acquiring confidential information pertinent to Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects. Reports suggest that he was engaging with two Chinese companies.

As per the indictment against Ding, who is a Chinese national, he misappropriated over 500 confidential documents from Google related to its supercomputing data centres that are essential for hosting and training the expensive AI models. Ding’s actions might lead to a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to USD 25,000 for each of the four counts he has been charged with.

In 2019, Ding was serving as an engineer at Google. During that period, he also became Chief Technology Officer at Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology and founded Shanghai Zhisuan Technology focusing on AI and machine learning. As per the indictment documents, Ding failed to disclose his external engagements with Google and thus breached the trust and legal obligations.

His unauthorised activities at Google were discovered when the company detected suspicious attempts to transfer files to a personal computer when Ding was in China. Initially, he claimed that it was evidence of his employment at Google. However, an investigation was initiated by the company after he abruptly resigned from Google on 26th December last year. During the investigation, Google found that there were several instances of infringements.

In a statement, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “The justice department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could put our national security at risk.” He added, “We will fiercely protect sensitive technologies developed in America from falling into the hands of those who should not have them”.

FBI director Christopher Wray said that Ding’s arrest illustrates, “the lengths affiliates of companies based in the People’s Republic of China are willing to go to steal American innovation.” He added, “The theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies can cost jobs and have devastating economic and national security consequences.”

Responding to the unfolding events, Google highlighted that they have robust measures in place to safeguard commercial information. The company further added that they reported the suspected misconduct to the authorities immediately. Google’s spokesperson Jose Castaneda said that the company is committed to protecting its intellectual property.

Google’s AI image generation put on hold after criticism

Charges against Ding came at a time when Google was already facing criticism over the image generation capabilities of its AI model Gemini. In February this year, Google apologised as its chatbot Gemini (formerly known as Bard) failed to generate images portraying racially and ethnically accurate historical figures. Interestingly, the chatbot could also not create pictures of Caucasian or ‘White’ people, while it conveniently developed images when asked for other ethnicities.

In a statement, the head of product for Google’s AI division acknowledged the problem where Gemini created images of several White historical figures as black, Native American, or Asian. The list included the pictures of the American Founding Fathers and the Pope. Users who accused the search engine’s AI model of going “Woke” shared the inaccuracies on social media.

Rahul Gandhi supporter Shyam Meera Singh peddles casteist division after politician Dhananjay Singh convicted in criminal case

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi supporter Shyam Meera Singh peddles casteist division after politician Dhananjay Singh convicted in criminal case

On Thursday (7th March), YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh shared a post on his X handle to peddle casteist division over the conviction of criminal politician Dhananjay Singh. The special MP/MLA court in UP’s Jaunpur sentenced former Jaunpur MP Dhananjay Singh to a seven-year jail term. Shyam Meera Singh said in his post that the top leadership pair is systematically finishing Rajut leadership in various states.

Shyam Meera Singh wrote in his post, “Rajnath was eliminated by this criminal duo. Vasundhara Raje is put to rest. Manish Sisodia was put in jail. Sanjay Singh was put in jail. Dhananjay Singh was also put in jail so that he would not contest the elections. Which other Rajput leader is still left to be finished?”

By writing ‘criminal duo’, he essentially implied towards Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. However, he was called out for this casteist approach in the comments on his post. Baba Ka Bhakt wrote, “It is the old family business of Congress and its puppets like you to spread the poison of the caste differences in the society. After all, you get alms from all of them.” A photo of Shyam Meera Singh with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was also attached in this reply. Shyam Meera Singh had participated in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Advocate Puneet Shukla wrote in his reply to Shyam Meera Singh, “Today he has forgotten the poem ‘Kuaan Thakur Ka’. Since when did you become a friend of Rajputs? As soon as something fits into the agenda, he immediately starts setting fire. Even that fact-checker would not be a bootlicker of your calibre, or maybe both of you are the same.”

Another X user Jabar Singh wrote, “Since when did you start sympathizing with Rajputs?”

Jyoti Yadav wrote, “The way of setting fights amongst each other is a bit casual. This Mithelal is extreme here too and crying. Doesn’t even trust the constitutional law.”

Another X user Prajapat wrote, “Did you forget Yogi Ji? You always recognise him as a Thakur. Won’t you do so today? He is next PM of India, what else do they need?”

Mohit Sharma wrote, “Stop it. For how long will you provoke people by mentioning castes? our boss Rahul also does the same.”

Anil Tiwari wrote, “The matter was something else, where are you guys taking the topic? Not Vague, find real things.”

Khemchand Saraswat wrote, “Only the frog thinks that this well is the ocean. This so-called journalist thinks that there are only these four Rajputs in the whole of India and Dhananjay Singh, who has been named in forty cases, is the leader of the Rajputs. Even the punishment of a criminal seems to be a crime to these lazy journalists. And he is fighting to save the Constitution.”

Notably, on Wednesday (6th March), the special MP/MLA court in UP’s Jaunpur sentenced former Jaunpur MP Dhananjay Singh to a seven-year jail term. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 75 thousand for the extortion and kidnapping of the project manager of Namami Gange Yojana, Abhinav Singhal. 

Karnataka: Students asked to bring answer sheets for class 5, 8 and 9 board exams, BJP hits out at Congress govt

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Students asked to bring answer sheets for class 5, 8 and 9 board exams, BJP hits out at Congress govt

On 6th March National President of Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha and Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya hit out at the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government after it directed all schools in the state to ask students of classes 5, 8 and 9 to bring their own answer sheets for exams. He stated that the state administration is in a “complete mess” and has “lost the dignity to continue in office.” He took to social media to raise an objection and wrote, “Congress government, which has pushed Karnataka into bankruptcy, is now forcing students to bring their own Answer Booklets for board exams. This govt is in a complete mess and has lost the dignity to continue in office.”

The parliamentarian urged the chief minister “to immediately borrow & release funds to the education department, ensure answer booklets get printed.” He added, “Lack of foresight and planning by the govt shouldn’t stress the student community.”

The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) had announced that it would supply only question papers for the board exam of classes 5, 8, and 9, and asked the students to bring their answer sheets. Furthermore, the department decided to assess the response sheets at the block level. The DSEL has held board exams for classes 5 and 8 since the 2022–2023 academic year, and it extended the exam for class 9 until the 2023–2024 academic year. The tests were scheduled to take place from 11 to 18 March with the Karnataka State Examination and KSEAB having the authority to administer them.

The department offered a free answer booklet with questions for the exam in 2022–2023. The agency announced earlier in the year that answer booklets will be available. The KSEAB made the model question papers available as a booklet on its website. The department, however, reversed course and stated that it would only supply the question paper and a sheet on which the student’s information needed to be written. The KSEAB issued all instructions to high school headmasters last week via video conference to remind students to bring the answer sheets.

The board also ordered that the answer sheets brought by the students should be uniform. Teachers, parents, and School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) all criticised the development. They asked how all the students could procure uniform answer sheets.

However, the state government’s notifications designating the Karnataka School Examination & Assessment Board (KSEAB) as the appropriate body to administer the Summative Assessment-2 exams for students in Classes 5, 8, and 9 as well as the annual examination for Class 11 were revoked by the Karnataka High Court on 6th March. Students following the Karnataka State Board Syllabus and enrolled in government-assisted, unaided schools and institutions were subjected to the rule. The examination was to commence on 9th March.

Registered Associations of Private Unaided Schools had challenged the state govt order in court, arguing that centralised board exams can have adverse effects on the learning of the students. The associations highlighted the significance of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in assessing students’ progress at the school level, as opposed to centralised one-time board exams.

“When the government intends to bring changes to the examination system affecting such a large number of students, it would be desirable as well as mandatory to follow the democratic procedure stipulated. And in case of failure, there need be no further justification to set such faulty measures at nought, regardless of merit policy and object behind such measures,” pronounced single judge bench of Justice Ravi V Hosmani.

With the court order, now the board exams for classes 5, 8 and 9 have been cancelled.

Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader Pramod Yadav who contested in 2012 against former BSP MP Dhananjay Singh shot dead in Jaunpur

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader Pramod Yadav who contested in 2012 against former BSP MP Dhananjay Singh shot dead in Jaunpur

On Thursday (7th March), senior BJP leader from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Pramod Yadav was shot dead by miscreants reportedly outside his house. The leader was immediately taken to the hospital where he died during treatment. An investigation has been launched.

The accused have not yet been identified and the reason behind the murder of the BJP leader has not yet been ascertained. The police have obtained the CCTV footage of the incident and are making efforts to identify and nab the accused.

The incident is said to have happened in the Bodhapur region of Junpur district. As per reports, the accused persons arrived on a bike and fired three bullets at the district unit president of BJP Kisan Morcha as a result of which he collapsed outside his residence.

The locals created chaos in the area after which the accused persons fled from the spot and left the bike. The police have recovered the bike from the spot. The victim meanwhile was immediately taken to the hospital where he died during the treatment.

Pramod Yadav contested on the BJP ticket in the 2012 assembly elections from Jaunpur’s Malhani constituency against Jagriti Singh, the ex-wife of former BSP MP and strongman Dhananjay Singh. However, both lost to SP candidate.

Notably, Dhananjay Singh, who is now with the JD(U) was planning to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Jaunpur. He had also shared a post on his X handle announcing the same.

But he along with an aide were sentenced to 7 years’ rigorous imprisonment by the Jaunpur MP/MLA court on Wednesday (6th March) in a 2020 kidnapping case of a senior official of the UP Jal Nigam.

Under the Representation of the People Act, the sentence made Dhananjay Singh ineligible to contest the election. Reports claim that Singh will move High Court against the sentencing. It is being said that if he is unable to contest, he will field his wife Shrikala Reddy, who is the District Panchayat President of Jaunpur.

In 1980, Pramod Yadav’s father, Rajbali Yadav was also murdered in a similar manner. His father was associated with the Jana Sangh and had contested on a Jana Sangh ticket from Rari constituency but had lost.

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