On Friday (8th March), the former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed conceded that the tourism industry in the archipelago had been hit following the despicable comments of sitting Ministers of the Muizzu government against PM Modi and the Indian community.
While speaking to ANI during his recent trip to India, Nasheed remarked, “It has impacted us a lot. I am actually here in India, I am very worried about this. I want to say the people of the Maldives are sorry. We are sorry that this has happened.”
He added, “We want Indian people to come on their holidays to the Maldives and there will not be any effect or any change in our hospitality.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On the drop in Indian tourists and how much it has impacted the Maldives, former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed says, "It has impacted a lot. I am here in India, very worried about this. I want to say the people of the Maldives are 'sorry.' We are 'sorry'… pic.twitter.com/RoHwu9TgqQ
He further stated, “So it’s very unfortunate that our more activist-minded government officials, low-level government officials, decided to articulate in this manner. Then I am also encouraged that the President has now removed them from government.”
Mohamed Nasheed, who served as the President of Maldives between 2008 and 2018, urged, “So, I think that this matter must be ironed out. We must go back to our usual relation.”
The Background of the Controversy
On January 4 this year, PM Narendra Modi shared some pictures of his recent visit to Lakshadweep as he exhorted people to explore the scenic island in what could be seen as a push to his ‘vocal for local’ slogan, and an effort to give a boost to tourism in the island.
Following PM Modi’s tweet posting stunning vistas from the Lakshadweep Islands, several social media users in India called for Indians to visit the place over foreign destinations, including the Maldives, which shares similar geographical characteristics as the Lakshadweep Islands.
That touched off bitter reactions from Maldivian counterparts, including governmental functionaries and prominent citizens, many of whom resorted to making churlish remarks against India, Indians, and the Indian PM.
Screengrab of the tweet by Mariyam Shiuna
Mariyam Shiuna, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, recently made insulting remarks against PM Modi, referring to him as a ‘clown’ and a ‘puppet of Israel’ after he posted pictures from his visit to Lakshadweep Islands.
“What a clown. The puppet of Israel Mr Narendra diver with a life jacket #VisitMaldives,” Shiuna tweeted. The post was deleted after backlash on X, formerly known as Twitter, where Indian social media users slammed the Maldives government officials, including Shiuna, for their crass remarks against the Indian Prime Minister.
It is worth noting that PM Modi did not mention the Maldives anywhere in his tweets. Similarly, other officials and prominent personalities too have taken to social media, making obnoxious remarks against India and Indians.
Here is Maldives govt official says "permanent smell in the rooms" after PM Modi's Lakshadweep trip triggered a meltdown and a possible reduction in number of Indian tourists visiting Maldives. Indians, stop spending money on those who don't deserve it. Make them bend! pic.twitter.com/SdLZgEAkeq
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) January 5, 2024
On 5th January, Zahid Rameez, a Council member of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) also took to the microblogging site X to mock Indians.
In response to Maldivian users’ and politicians’ uncalled-for and racial commentary, trends like #BoycottMaldives, and cancellation of trips to Maldives began picking steam in India.
From prominent Cricketers to Actors, all have in unison slammed Maldives for their hateful remarks against Indians and promoted tourism in Lakshadweep and other Indian Islands snubbing Maldives.
Since then, the Maldivian President has been in the dock on the domestic front by his opposition who have initiated a slew of measures against his government and facing criticism from the tour operating body and the public at large.
On Friday (8th March), a video of several Muslims offering namaz on the road in the Indralok area of Delhi surfaced online. In the video, an officer arrives and kicks a man offering namaz and angrily asks him to move. However, a longer version of this video has now surfaced in which it is seen that the Muslims offering namaz on the road were warned multiple times by the Delhi police before this incident took place. Netizens extended their support to the officer who tried to prevent Namaz from being offered on the road.
The video that went viral on 8th March was a 34-second snippet. The video that has emerged now is a 1 minute 44 seconds clip which shows that the Delhi police were warning the people not to offer namaz on the road. However, the Muslims seen in the video continued to prepare themselves to offer namaz on the road disregarding the police warning. After this, the police officer is first seen pushing them away and then kicking two of those who offered namaz despite repeated warnings.
Thank God there’s this video showing how the @DelhiPolice cop tried very hard to prevent Namaz to be offered on road.
I request @HMOIndia to not surrender to the mob & cancel his suspension order. Otherwise we will end up demotivating every other cop to not act. pic.twitter.com/pNa6kvexFX
As seen in the viral video, after the cop hit the man, a Muslim mob got agitated and surrounded the policeman. Following this, the officer and the mob had a heated argument. Some voices in the background can heard saying “Maaro saale ko… (beat the scoundrel)”. Notably, the police officer was suspended by the Delhi police under a so-called disciplinary action.
दिल्ली के इंद्रलोक में सड़क पर नमाज पढ़ रहे लोगों को पुलिस ने लात मारी.
— Shivam Pratap Singh (@journalistspsc) March 8, 2024
However, as this new video appeared and it became clear that the Muslim mob was being disobedient to the police in the first place, netizens have now come in support of the Delhi police and the officer who was trying to prevent the namaz from being offered on the road.
An X user @seriousfunnuguy posted, “Thank God there’s this video showing how the Delhi police cop tried very hard to prevent Namaz from being offered on the road. I request the Home Minister of India to not surrender to the mob & cancel his suspension order. Otherwise, we will end up demotivating every other cop to not act.”
Another X handle Cyber Huntss posted, “When there were fewer people, they were told to move but they came in groups and then threatened to attack the police and instigated people by posting the edited videos on social media to prove the police wrong. Watch the full video.”
जब कम थे तब बोला गया की हटो लेकिन झुंड मे आना और फिर पुलिस को ही मारने की धमकी देना और सोशल मिडिया पर आधी विडिओ डालकर लोगो को उकसाना और पुलिस को गलत साबित करना।
Dr Rajesh Patil wrote, “The entire Delhi kicking incident looks like a carefully scripted plan to take heat away from Rameshwar cafe blast where involvement of Islamist terror group has been unravelled. First, a communal jihadi politician immediately jumped to visit a branch of the same cafe well before investigations had unravelled the culprits. Then entire Congressi ecosystem in concert was peddling a Cylinder blast angle. Now to gain sympathy this incident has been created? Just check who shared it.”
The entire Delhi kicking incident looks like carefully scripted plan to take heat away from Rameshwar cafe blast where involvement of Islamist terror group has been unravelled. First a communal jihadi politician immediately jumped to visit a branch of same cafe well before…
He further wrote, “A man in Burkha in that entire incident is also suspicious. We won’t be shown the provocation that led to that as it’s well edited shooting. Rameshwar cafe blast and Pakistan Zindabad by an RS MP-elect supporters are really worrisome things. Focus on that. The culprit going to a religious place post-incident means something. Always remember terrorists have many white washers of their crime and supporters who work as OGW.”
Govindam posted, “The cop was doing his job. I only wish other cops were as diligent. Why are Muslims praying on the streets when there is perfectly good masjid nearby?”
The cop was doing his job. I only wish other cops are as diligent. Why are Muslims praying on the streets when there is perfectly good masjid nearby?
Another X account @vasutatha posted, “The police tried everything. Terrible messages are being sent to others in the same situation. Worse, the tiny show of strength will multiply geometrically. That is the Cambridge effect. Farm sit-in fails. Start next divisive public action.”
The police tried everything. Terrible message being sent to others in the same situation. Worse, the tiny show of strength will multiply geometrically. That is the cambridge effect. Farm sit in fails. Start next divisive public action.
Meanwhile, the cop has been suspended. Delhi Police officials said, “In the incident at Inderlok today, the Police Post Incharge, who was seen in the video has been suspended with immediate effect. Necessary disciplinary action is also taken.”
A 22-year-old Pakistani student has been sentenced to death on charges of committing blasphemy via WhatsApp. This week, a court in Punjab province has given this decision. The student was sentenced to death for sharing videos and photographs that included alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad, the court said. Another 17-year-old student was sentenced to life imprisonment in the same case.
The cybercrime unit of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore filed a complaint against the student in 2022. The complainant said he had received videos and photographs from three mobile numbers. The FIA said they saw the incriminating material after examining the complainant’s mobile phone.
The court of Pakistan’s most populous province of Punjab announced this decision. The court found these young students guilty of making and sharing blasphemous pictures and videos to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.
The counsel for both the students said they were being implicated in a fake case. “The father of the student who has been sentenced to death will file an appeal in the Lahore High Court,” the lawyer said. Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan.
There is a history of mob violence against blasphemy accused in Pakistan. In August 2023, two Christian brothers were accused of desecrating the Quran. Angry people had vandalised the houses of 80 Christians and 19 churches at that time. In one of Pakistan’s most high-profile cases, the blasphemy case against Christian woman Asia Bibi spanned nearly a decade. Her death sentence was overturned. However, she had to flee the country after this.
In February 2023, a mob dragged the blasphemy accused out of the police station and killed him. When the mob attacked the police station, the policemen fled from there. However, the police later returned with extra force and saved the body of Mohammad Waris, accused of blasphemy, from burning. Mohammad Waris was accused of insulting the Quran.
The purported video footage of the killing of India designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has surfaced, showing Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described a ‘contract killing’, Canada-based CBC News reported.
Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by the National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023.
The video has been obtained by The Fifth Estate and has been independently verified by more than one source said CBC news. The attack that is described as being ‘highly coordinated’ involved six men and two vehicles.
The apparent targeted killing of the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara ultimately led to accusations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the government of India had a hand in the killing — a claim that denied by India and led to the deterioration of diplomatic ties between Canada and India.
The video shows Nijjar leaving the parking lot of the Gurdwara in his grey Dodge Ram pickup truck.
As he approaches the exit, a white sedan pulls in front of him, blocking his truck. Two men then run up and shoot Nijjar before escaping in a silver Toyota Camry, CBC News reported.
The two witnesses, who were playing soccer in a field nearby when the incident happened, revealed that they ran towards the place from where the gunshots were heard and also tried to chase the assailants.
“We saw those two guys running,” Bhupinderjit Singh Sidhu, a witness told The Fifth Estate. “We started running towards…where the sound was coming from.”
Sidhu told his friend, Malkit Singh, to chase the two men on foot while he tried to help Nijjar.
“I tried to press his chest and tried to shake him to see if he was breathing. But he was totally unconscious. He was not breathing,” he said.
Malkit Singh said he chased the two men until they got into the Toyota Camry.
“A car came from around the alley and they got into it. There were three others sitting in that car,” Singh said. “We could smell the smoke from the guns, the smell of the guns was everywhere.”
Meanwhile, almost nine months later, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is yet to name suspects or make arrests in a relation to Nijjar’s killing.
Nijjar’s death also sparked a massive diplomatic row between India and Canada.
In September last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing on Canadian soil. India had however, rejected the allegations, calling them “absurd and motivated.”
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Canada has not been able to present any evidence to back its claims over the killing.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Friday (8th March), a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Big Boss OTT winner Elvish Yadav for assaulting a YouTuber named Sagar Thakur (popularly known as ‘Maxtern’) in Gurgaon.
Besides Yadav, 10 others were booked by the Sector 53 police in Gurgaon under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The development was confirmed by police Inspector Rajender Singh. While speaking about the matter, he informed that Elvish Yadav called Sagar Thakur to a shop in Southpoint Mall on Golf Course Road.
Case registered against YouTuber and Bigg Boss winner Elvish Yadav for assault and threatening to kill, at Gurugram Sector 53 PS. A video has gone viral on social media in which he was allegedly seen beating up a person.
“It was at a shop owned by Yadav’s acquaintance…the moment he came in, he started beating Thakur up…They have been vying with each other on YouTube and their followers would pick on each other on social media. We have collected the footage and an investigation is underway,” informed Inspector Rajender Singh.
Sagar Thakur aka Maxtern had sustained four minor injuries during the incident. Elvish Yadav had conceded that he assaulted the YouTuber in the ‘heat of the moment’ after the latter ‘threatened’ to kill his family.
In his police complaint, Thakur said, “I am a well known content creator specialising in gaming entertainment, actively producing content on YouTube since 2017…I have garnered recognition and accolades in the gaming community for my entertainment-based content. Elvish Yadav is also a content creator and I know him since 2021.”
Full-Kalesh b/w You tuber Elvish Yadav and Real Maxtern yesterday night (With Audio) pic.twitter.com/s8DMjB1qOV
He emphasised,”Over the last few months, Elvish fan pages spread hate… leaving me distressed. I was asked by Yadav to meet but I thought it would be a verbal discussion.”
“When he came to the store, he and his 8-10 goons, who were drunk, started beating me and using abusive language. Elvish Yadav tried to break my spine so that I would become physically disabled…Elvish Yadav before leaving threatened to kill me and I was almost unconscious,” the YouTuber further added.
In the meantime, a purported video of the assault by Elvish Yadav against Sagar Thakur went viral on social media.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) clarified on Friday that no dates have been announced yet for Lok Sabha elections.
ECI said that a fake message was being shared on WhatsApp regarding the election schedule adding that dates will be announced by the commission through a press conference.
“A fake message is being shared on WhatsApp regarding the schedule for #LokSabhaElections2024 #FactCheck: The message is #Fake. No dates have been announced so far by #ECI. The Election Schedule is announced by the Commission through a press conference. #VerifyBeforeYouAmplify,” ECI said in a post on X.
A fake message is being shared on Whats app regarding schedule for #LokSabhaElections2024#FactCheck: The message is #Fake. No dates have been announced so far by #ECI.
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) March 8, 2024
Taking note of the various trends and cases of plummeting levels of political campaign discourse in recently-held elections, the Election Commission earlier in February this year issued an advisory to all political parties to maintain decorum and utmost restraint in public campaigning and raise the level of election campaigning to “issue-based” debate.
The Election Commission will assess any indirect MCC violations as per advisory as a fair basis to rework the notices to be given in terms of time and content in the forthcoming elections, according to sources.
For the general election to the Lok Sabha and four state Legislative assemblies, all phases and geographical areas of the elections shall be the basis for determining “repeat” offences.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recently emphasised that political parties should foster ethical and respectful political discourse that inspires rather than divides and promotes ideas instead of personal attacks. The poll body has also put ‘star campaigners’ and candidates on ‘notice’ in case of violations that followed the previously known methodologies during elections to avoid breach of the Model Code of Conduct.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In 2012, a case was filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). This case demanded the removal of encroachments from the area known as ‘Majnu ka Teela’ in Delhi. After about 3 years of proceedings, the NGT issued its decision on January 13, 2015. The decision ordered the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to remove all illegal encroachments from the Yamuna floodplains.
In compliance with this order, on March 7 and 8, 2024, the DDA announced the removal of only the shanties from the western bank of the Majnu Ka Teela area. These shanties are inhabited by Hindus who, troubled by religious persecution in Pakistan, came to India leaving everything behind except their faith.
On Thursday (March 7, 2024), the OpIndia team went to gather ground information at Majnu ka Teela. We saw that at least 250 Hindu families, affected by the order to remove only “shanties,” do not have arrangements for evening meals after having breakfast in the morning. They earn their living by selling vegetables, fruits, mobile accessories, and so on.
However, we were told that administrative obstacles often hinder these activities. Among the residents are elderly people lying on makeshift beds, and young girls and boys who are about to get married. Most of these refugee families have settled here from the Sindh region of Pakistan.
Notice Stuck for 2 Days
The refugees living in Majnu ka Teela told us that instead of informing them, the DDA officials simply stuck a notice in one place. This notice remained stuck for 2 days. Many illiterate refugees said they had the notice read by literate people, and that’s when they realized preparations were being made to evict them.
The notice orders all these Hindu refugees from Pakistan to shift to Geeta Colony and three different rain baseras (shelters) in Dwarka. However, these helpless refugees find these rain baseras inadequate, considering their family situations. Once again, fear has gripped these Hindu refugees about their uncertain future due to the administration’s decision.
Big Game in the Word ‘Etc.’ in the Notice
The NGT’s order clearly states to remove ‘all encroachments’ from the Yamuna floodplains. However, in its implementation, the DDA has only mentioned ‘shanties’ as a token gesture. However, they have also given full attention to their paper security in the future by adding ‘etc.’ after ‘shanties’. OpIndia’s team at Majnu ka Teela searched for this ‘etc.’
In the ‘etc.’, we saw big buildings, spa centres, shopping complexes, luxury cars, a river view from a gurdwara, and other various things like pan shops. We believe that if DDA had prioritized its ‘etc.’ during the anti-encroachment campaign, it would not have faced allegations of one-sided action and harassment of the poor.
Ignoring the multi-storey houses and shops of the Tibetan Market
During conversations with Hindu refugees, it was discovered that their shanties are right next to the Tibetan Market. They claimed that a significant part of the Tibetan Market is in the floodplain area of the Yamuna River. To investigate these claims, we reached the Tibetan Market. We observed that amidst tightly packed solid structures, various businesses were operating in the narrow alleys. Among these were spa centres, restaurants, and clothing stores, among others.
These buildings are constructed on the slopes of the river, which do not adhere to safety standards. As we descended, we found that a boundary wall separates the human settlement of the Tibetan Market from the river and its flood-prone area. Parked next to this boundary wall were luxurious cars and other vehicles. Music from restaurants with river views could be heard. Every day, millions of rupees worth of business is conducted here.
A person farming in the dry areas by the river told us that about 35 years ago, this place was barren, but now it has been turned into a complete settlement. We were also informed that even now, during floods, water enters many houses in the Tibetan Market. Along with Tibetans, many people from Nepal also reside in these settlements. In the middle of the Tibetan Market, there is also a Buddhist temple. There is no mention of the Tibetan Market in the DDA’s notice.
A significant part of the gurdwara is also in the Yamuna floodplain
Where the Hindu refugee shanties are located in Majnu ka Teela, there is a gurdwara right next to it. The boundary of this gurdwara runs parallel to the shanties. Both are separated by a drain. We saw that a large platform of the gurdwara is built next to the Yamuna River. Some locals told us that the gurdwara has also been expanded in between, with some residential buildings constructed. We still saw construction machines inside.
So far, no information has emerged showing encroachments around the gurdwara for the DDA. The condition of the houses built within the boundary of the gurdwara was entirely normal. During our ground report, we even saw people strolling on the large platform built at the mouth of the river.
Preparation to bulldoze educational centres, temples, and cow shelters
The place identified as mere shanties in the DDA’s notice is like a world in itself. Though the Hindu refugees themselves may be living in makeshift houses, they have managed to build a solid temple right in the middle of the settlement through hard work. Here, the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga have been consecrated, and most of the residents of the shanty perform their prayers here.
Additionally, a cow shelter has also been built there. In this cow shelter, there were some indigenous breed cows along with calves. It is not yet clear what arrangements are being made for the cows once these people are asked to move to the designated shelters. The refugees told us that they are worried about the future of the cows they have raised with them.
On the day of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, the entire settlement celebrated like Diwali. During that time, everyone had put up flags of “Jai Shree Ram” in their houses, which are still flying. In this settlement, we also came across an education centre. Here, we found several benches and books. This education centre is run by an NGO called HAI.
Students from Classes 1 to 12 are taught here. When we arrived, the students were absent. When we asked a child playing nearby about the reason for not being in class, he told us that their families were worried about what would happen today and tomorrow. The mother of a child standing in front of their house greeted us with a “Ram-Ram.”
What was endured in Pakistan has now started here
Speaking to various refugees off the camera, we reached the head of the refugee settlement, Sukhnandan. Sukhnandan informed us that he has filed a plea in the Delhi High Court for relief, which is scheduled for hearing this week. Having been previously harassed by DDA officials, Sukhnandan said that the people of the settlement, who endured hardships in Pakistan, are now facing similar issues here.
Sukhnandan also claimed that a part of the Tibetan Market and Gurudwara falls within the flood-prone area. Additionally, Rohingya Muslims who have illegally entered India from Myanmar have also encroached upon considerable land there. Despite this, no action is being taken against them. Alleging harassment, everyone appealed in unison to the government for mercy.
On 8th March, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) released the names of multiple members of the banned terror outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) from different states of South India who are involved in several cases, seeking information about them. They posted their details on social media, saying that people providing information about them leading to their arrest will be suitably rewarded. The culprits are mentioned along with important details including their names, pictures, house addresses and the names of their fathers, however, two anonymous males are also displayed on the notification.
The agency has requested people to share any information regarding these accused individuals and has assured that the identity of the informants will not be revealed and they would also be provided with a reward. A WhatsApp number is also mentioned for the same purpose.
The press release read, “If you have any information on their present whereabouts or information that can lead to their arrest, please share via WhatsApp @ +91-9497715294. Persons sharing credible inputs leading to the arrest of absconders will be suitably rewarded. The identity of the informant shall be kept secret.”
The perpetrators wanted from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are Shaik Iliyas Ahmed of Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district, Abdul Saleem of Telangana’s Jagtial and Md Abdul Ahad also known as M A Ahad of Nizamabad in Telangana.
The next on the list are Abdul Vahab V A from Ernakulam district, Abdul Rasheed K from Palakkad district and Ayyoob T A who is also from Ernakulam district, all three from Kerala along with a picture of an unidentified man.
Muhammed Manzoor, Shahul Hameed and Muhammedali K P, all belonging to the Palakkad district of Kerala along with Muhammed Yazer Arafath alias Yasir of Ernakulam district and Shafeekh P from Malappuram district of Kerala are the PFI terrorists featured on the notice.
The next names are from Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district which include Md Mustafa, Masood Agnady also known as Masud K A, Mohammed Shereif Kodaje, Ummar R alias Umar Farooq and Abubakkar Siddik alias Aboobakkar Siddique
Md Ali Jinna from Thirubuvanam, Abdul Majith from Kumbakonam, Bhurkanudeen from Vadakkumangudi along with Shahul Hameed and Nafeel Hasan who are both from Thiruvidaimaruthur are on the list. All five are residents of Tamil Nadu.
Three photographs of a person involved in the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party leader were also released along with an appeal that read, “The unknown person shown in the pictures below was involved in the murder of Srinivasan, a resident of Palakkad, Kerala, on 16.4.2022. He is wanted in NIA RC-02/2022/NIA/KOC (PFI Kerala case). If you have any information about him, please share it via WhatsApp @9497 715 294 or send it through email at [email protected].”
On 19th December 2021, Ranjith Sreenivas was murdered at his residence by Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) workers. SDPI is the political arm of Islamist outfit Popular Front of India. The incident took place in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. The unidentified perpetrators broke into his house in the wee hours of Sunday and hacked him to death. He was a member of the BJP Kerala committee and OBC Morcha (State) Secretary. Furthermore, he had contested as a BJP candidate from the Alappuzha constituency in 2016. The BJP leader was an advocate by occupation.
Following the incident, Section 144 (prohibiting the gathering of four or more people in an area) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed in the Alappuzha district to prevent any untoward incident. The incident happened hours after a state-level leader of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leader was killed in the same district.
VG Sridevi judge at Kerala’s Mavelikkara Additional District Sessions Court, Alappuzha pronounced the verdict on the case. She issued death sentences to the fifteen convicts of the aforementioned Islamist groups on 30th January. Naeem, Mohammed Aslam, Anoop, Ajmal, Abdul Kalam alias Salam, Abdul Kalam, Safaruddin, Manshad, Jaseeb Raja, Nawas, Sameer, Nazir, Zakir Hussain, Shaji and Shernus Ashraf were found guilty of the crime by the court.
Congress on Friday released its first list of candidates for 39 Lok Sabha constituencies.
The names have been announced for Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshwadeep, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Telangana and Tripura.
Of the total 39 candidates announced, 16 are from Kerala, seven from Karnataka and six from Chhattisgarh, four from Telangana. Two from Meghalaya and one each from Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and Lakshwadeep.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal informed that senior party leader Rahul Gandhi will again contest from the Wayanad constituency, the seat won by him in 2019.
The list of 39 candidates was released after the party held its Central Election Committee meeting on Thursday.
A total of six seats were announced from Chhattisgarh, Shivkumar Dahariya has been fielded from Jangir-Champa, Jyotsana Mahant will contest from Korba, Bhupesh Baghel has been fielded from Rajnandgaon, Rajendra Sahu from Durg, Vikas Upadhay from Raipur, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Mahasamund.
Also, Congress announced names for seven seats in Karnataka, including DK Suresh contesting from Bengaluru Rural.
In Karnataka, Anandaswamy Gaddadevara Mat will contest from Haveri, Geetha Shivarajkumar has been fielded from Shimoga, Shreyal Patel from Hassan, SP Muddahanumegowda from Tumkur and Vekanataramegowda (Star Chandru) from Mandya.
A total of 16 candidates have been announced from Kerala, including Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram.
Addressing the press conference, KC Venugopal said,” Out of these 39 candidates, 15 are from General category and 24 are from SC, ST, OBC, and minorities.”
Congress party’s second Election Committee meeting will be held on March 11 in Delhi to discuss the candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the BJP has already released its first list of 195 candidates.
The Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held in April-May this year.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the inaugural ‘National Creators Award’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday. The National Creators Award is an effort to recognize excellence and impact across domains, including storytelling, social change advocacy, environmental sustainability, education, gaming, among others.
The awards were awarded in twenty categories, which are Best Storyteller Award, The Disruptor of the Year, Celebrity Creator of the Year, Green Champion Award, Best Creator For Social Change, Most Impactful Agri creator, Cultural Ambassador of The Year, International Creator award, Best Travel Creator Award, Swachhta Ambassador Award, The New India Champion Award, Tech Creator Award, Heritage Fashion Icon Award, Most Creative Creator (Male & Female), Best Creator in Food Category, Best Creator in Education Category, Best Creator in Gaming Category, Best Micro Creator, Best Nano Creator, Best Health and Fitness Creator.
The awards saw the nomination of over 1.5 creators across the 20 categories, and it received over 10 lakh votes for the digital categories. From this, 23 winners were decided and they were presented the awards at a grand ceremony at Bharat Mandapam by PM Modi.
While presenting the awards, PM Modi talked to the awardees on their respective fields, gave suggestions on topics to cover, and shared light hearted moments. The prime minister displayed his awareness of the work done by the winners of the awards, and encouraged them to address the audience.
Here is a brief introduction of the winners, and their interaction with PM Modi during the ceremony:
New India Champion award – Abhi and Niyu
The ‘New India Champion’ award was given to Abhi and Niyu, the husband-wife duo who are focused on bringing out positive stories about India, India’s changemakers, the country’s history, culture etc. They are known for decoding and simplifying issues for the youth with a belief that small steps can lead to big outcomes in the future.
They had travelled across India to find 100 heartwarming stories of change, positivity and inspiration as part of their #100ReasonsToLoveIndia campaign. Abhi and Niyu were the only Indian content creators to represent India at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt in 2022.
At the award ceremony, the Prime Minister asked them about how they keep the interest of their audience while presenting dry facts. The said that like the Prime Minister’s way of presentation, if the facts are presented with energy, the audience accepts that. PM Modi complimented them for taking up the challenging but extremely important field.
Best Storyteller Award – Keerthika Govindhasamy
Keerthika Govindhasamy known for her YouTube Channel Keerthi History was awarded the Best Storyteller Award. She tells the stories from Indian history which are not covered in school textbooks. Apart from historical facts, the woman from Tamil Nadu also provides life lessons for the new generation.
After receiving the award from PM Modi, Keerthika Govindhasamy appreciated the Prime Minister for acknowledging and promoting the great Tamil Language. She told PM Modi about the interconnected nature of history and politics and resulting occasional backlash in social media. She said today’s teenage audience prefers to learn about the greatness of India, when PM Modi asked about the most popular history content among the teenagers.
Disruptor of the Year – Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps)
Ranveer Allahbadia, known for his YouTube channel BeerBiceps, was chosen as the winner of the Disruptor of the Year Award. He started his digital content as a fitness channel, and moved onto lifestyle and fashion. Allahbadia now runs one of India’s top podcasts called ‘The Ranveer Show’ where he invites guests from various industries to discuss interesting topics. Not just health and fitness, he also picks up topics like spirituality and religion, aliens and supernatural, science and tech etc. Ranveer Allahbadia also runs several other YouTube channels, including his Hindi channel titled Ranveer Allahbadia and others like TRS Clips, TRS Clips Hindi, RAAAZ by BigBrainco, RAAAZ Clips, BeerBiceps Tamil etc.
Ranveer Allahbadia is also the co-founder of influencer management agency Monk Entertainment. He is also the co-founder of Level Supermind, a meditation and wellness app. During the award distribution show, there was fun banter between Allahbadia and PM Modi on stage and they talked about yoga, meditation, aliens and yetis. PM Modi suggested Ranveer to create awareness about sleep deprivation and mentioned sleeping only for a few hours for the past several years. He also touched upon the benefits of Yog Nidra.
Green Champion Award – Pankti Pandey
Ex-Scientist from ISRO, Pankti Pandey from Ahmedabad received the Green Champion Award for amplifying the message of Mission LiFE. A believer in minimalism, Pankti Pandey is a practitioner of zero-waste living and an advocate for slow fashion and slow food. She creates content providing simple do-it-yourself techniques and hacks through which people can make sustainable choices in their daily life.
After presenting her the award, PM Modi delivered an anecdote popularly known to the people of Ahmedabad drawing huge applause from the crowd. Pankti recommended the people to analyse their waste and perform a waste audit of the trash being discarded from home in an effort to make zero waste. The Prime Minister asked her to conduct a detailed study about Mission LiFE and recalled his clarion call to make ones’ lives environment friendly.
Best Creative for Social Change – Jaya Kishori
The Award for Best Creative for Social Change went to Jaya Kishori known as Meera of modern times. Jaya Kishori is a spiritual motivational speaker, who delivers lessons of values and virtues that she believes is essential in shaping a beautiful life. She shares stories from Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana insightfully.
PM Modi complimented for talking about spirituality in modern ways. She explained her journey as ‘Kathakaar’ and how she is creating an interest among the youth by presenting the great insights of the epics of our culture. She also talked about the possibility of living a meaningful life while fulfilling one’s materialistic responsibilities.
Most Impactful Agri Creator – Lakshya Dabas
Lakshya Dabas received the Most Impactful Agri Creator for his work on improving agricultural practices with the use of innovation and technology. Lakshya Dabas along with brother Mrinal Dabas are farmers known for their organic farming. Mrinal is an engineer and Lakshya holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Development. They sell their organic produce under their brand ‘Organic Acre’, and products are delivered to customer’s doorstep within 12 hours of harvesting.
Mrinal Dabas received the award on his behalf and highlighted the need for natural farming in the country. He informed about training more than 30,000 farmers about ways of natural farming and protecting the crops from insects and pests. The Prime Minister lauded his thought process in the present day and age and urged him to meet the Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat to discuss his vision on natural farming where he has persuaded more than 3 lakh farmers to adopt natural farming. He also urged Lakshya to listen to Devvrat’s YouTube videos. PM Modi also asked for his assistance in debunking the myths surrounding natural farming and organic farming.
Cultural Ambassador of the Year – Maithili Thakur
Cultural Ambassador of the Year Award went to Maithili Thakur who performs original songs, covers and traditional folk music in multiple Indian languages. Trained in Indian classical music and folk music, she has sung songs, especially devotional songs, in Hindi, Bengali, Maithili, Urdu, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Tamil, English and other languages. Maithili Thakur’s videos on YouTube and other platforms have become hugely popular, and now is invited to perform at national and international events.
On the Prime Minister’s request at the award deremony, she performed a devotional song for Bhagwan Shiv on the occasion of Mahashivratri. She requested to take a selfie with the PM, to which he said, ‘selfie ke bina nehi chalta,’ and happily posed for the photo.
Best International Creator Award- Kili Paul, Drew Hicks and Cassandra Mae Spittmann
The Best International Creator Award was awarded to three creators, Kili Paul from Tanzania, Drew Hicks from America, Cassandra Mae Spittmann from Germany.
Drew Hicks received the Award from PM. Drew Hicks, with his fluent Hindi and Bihari accent has amassed social media popularity and fame for linguistic talent in India. Expressing his happiness for the Award, Drew said that he wishes to make people happy and raise the name of India. He informed that his interest in Indian culture rose due to his father’s connection with BHU and Patna. Prime Minister Modi wished him luck and said that his every sentence will inspire the youth of the country.
Kili Paul and Neema Paul are known for their videos in which they sing Hindi and other Indian language songs. The siblings came to the limelight after several videos posted by the duo went viral on TikTok and Instagram reels. They have perfected the art of lip-syncing to Hindi songs from the Bollywood film, along with other Indian language songs.
Cassandra Mae Spittmann is a visually challenged German national, who has sung songs in Indian languages. Her Tamil and devotional songs last year had gone viral. She was mentioned by PM Modi in an episode of Mann Ki Baat. During her visit to India, she met PM Modi in last week of February 2024, and she recited ‘Achyutam Keshavam’ and a Tamil song in front of the PM.
She also made headlines with her rendition of Ram Ayenge ahead of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya. She sings in Kannada, Sanskrit, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Urdu, Assamese and Bengali. Although she was not present to receive the award, PM Modi mentioned about her while talking to Maithili Thakur.
Best Travel Creator – Kamiya Jani
Kamiya Jani of Curly Tales was given the best travel creator award. She focuses on food, travel & Lifestyle and showcases beauty and variety of India in her videos. Mumbai based Kamiya Jani started her career as a freelance journalist in 2006, and later started to cover various topics like corporate lifestyle, personal finance, corporate travel, health, fitness, style, and grooming. She started her YouTube channel Curly Tales in 2016, creating video content on food, travel and related topics.
Recently she was subject of a controversy after some BJP members in Odisha opposed her entry into the Jagannath temple in Puri, because her content on food contains some beef items. They accused her of being a ‘beef promoter’. She then clarified that her job is to go to different parts of the country and tell viewers about the food, culture, people, and lifestyle in those places. Kamiya Jani said that she does not consume beef, and only covered some popular eateries that serve beef items.
Accepting the award, she talked about the beauty of India and said that the objective is that India should be number 1 on the global map. When she said that she is confused about visiting Lakshadweep or Dwarka, the Prime Minister said that for Dwarka she will have to go very deep, to the laughter among the audience.
PM Modi recalled the bliss that he felt on having darshan of the submerged city of Dwarka. Narrating his experience of going to Aadi Kailash, the Prime Minister said that he experienced the places of height and depth both. He also asked the creators to inspire devotees to experience the holy places in their entirety other than the darshan part. He also reiterated that 5-10 percent of the total travel budget should be spent on local products. Apart from supporting the local economy, this helps in emphasizing the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat spirit also, he said. Kamiya thanked the Prime Minister for rejuvenating the places of faith in the country.
Tech Creator Award – ‘Technical Guruji’ Gaurav Chaudhary
Popular YouTuber ‘Technical Guruji’ Gaurav Chaudhary won the Tech Creator Award. He is well known for his Hindi videos on technology and electronic devices. He primarily posts videos of advices and product reviews. By presenting technology in Hindi without the use of jargons, Technical Guruji has been able to attract a large audience base.
He credited Digital India for contributing to his channel in a significant way. PM Modi said “for a bright future we need to democratize technology. UPI is a big symbol of that as it belongs to everyone. World will progress only when such democratization takes place”. Gaurav narrated his experience of using UPI in Paris and said that Indian solutions can help the world.
Swachhata Ambassador Award – Malhar Kalambe
Malhar Kalambe received Swachhata Ambassador Award for leading clean up drives since 2017. He also raises awareness on plastic pollution and climate change. He is the founder of ‘Beach Please’, who has been conducting clean-up of beaches in Mumbai. He uses social media to raise awareness about cleanliness, and also to gather volunteers for clean-up campaigns. He has been able to assemble general public, authorities, celebrities and corporates in his mission.
The Prime Minister took a jibe at the opposition while presenting the award, saying “Har prakaar ki safai mein kaam aa sakta hai, iss chunaav mein bhi safai hone wali hai” (In this polls too there is going to be a clean sweep).
PM Modi also joked with Malhar and asked to him eat properly as he looks very thin, and told him that there are many creators who talk about food and nutrition.
Malhar Kalambe elaborated on his journey and campaigns and said that attitudes towards removing garbage will need to change. The Prime Minister praised the consistency of his efforts and complimented him for creating an environment for cleanliness.
Heritage Fashion Icon Award – Jahnvi Singh
Heritage Fashion Icon Award was given to Jahnvi Singh, a 20-year-old content creator for Instagram who talks about Indian Fashion and promotes Indian Sarees. Jahnvi Singh from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh mainly makes content focused on spirituality and Indian culture. On her YouTube channel Gita Se Gyaan, she talks about teachings of Gita and how problems in daily lives can be solved through teachings of the holy books. She also shares stories behind the Vedas, Purans, Upanishads, Mahabharat & Ramayana.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the textile market goes with fashion and praised the creator for her efforts in promoting Indian textiles. She reiterated her motto of taking Indian themes forward with Sanskriti, Shastra and Saree. The Prime Minister, pointing towards the trend of readymade turbans, dhoti and such apparels that need tying, asked her views on promoting such things. She also emphasized the beauty of Indian textiles. He added that India has always been a leader in fashion.
Best Creative Creator- female – Shraddha Jain
Best Creative Creator- female award went to Shraddha famous for her multilingual comedy sets and creates engaging and relatable content across generations. Known as Aiyyo Shraddha, she is actress, comedian, RJ and Television Host who. Shraddha Jain started her career as a Radio Jockey in a Fever 104 FM and became famous as RJ Shraddha.
However, she went viral as Aiyyo Shradha after she started to create comedy videos talking about various issues. As a digital content creator, she makes videos in 5 Languages including Tulu, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi and English.
Receiving her with her trademark ‘Aiyyo’, the Prime Minister said that this is the second time he met Shraddha. Shraddha said that the award is recognition for those who are creating content from their homes and she also pointed towards her approach to find light humour in serious themes. Shraddha complemented the Prime Minister for his spontaneity in his interaction with the creators.
Best Creative Creator-male – RJ Raunaq
RJ Raunaq received the Best Creative Creator-male award. He is a well known radio jockey and the voice behind the character ‘Bauaa’.
Raunaq said that with Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister is also an important, record-breaking figure of the radio industry. He thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the radio industry. Raunaq also spoke in his trademark ‘Bauaa’ style.
Best Creator in Food Category – Kabita Singh
Award for Best Creator in Food Category went to Kabita Singh known for her Kabita’s Kitchen. Kabita Singh is a housewife who became a digital entrepreneur with her recipes and tutorials. Known for sharing authentic Indian recipes, Kabita’s Kitchen has been able to carved a niche for herself in the field dominated by celebrity chefs.
Initially started as a hobby in 2014, Kabita’s Kitchen channel quickly gained momentum as Kabita Singh continued to share her recipes of everyday dishes.
Continuing with his concern for Malhar Kalamber’s lean physique, the PM jokingly told Kabita to take care of him. She stressed the importance of cooking as a key life skill. Kavita Singh said that everyone should learn cooking, and during Covid-19 pandemic the importance of cooking at home was realised by everyone. She also said that schools should sensitize the students about agriculture so that they realize the importance of food and avid wastage.
The Prime Minister said that people should try the local cuisine when traveling. PM Modi also asked food related creators to promote millets and also promote the awareness of nutritional values. The Prime Minister remembered his visit to Taiwan where he was recommended a Buddhist restaurant for vegetarian food. When he saw non vegetarian looking dishes there and on enquiry, he was informed that vegetarian dishes were shaped like chicken mutton and similar dishes so that local population get attracted towards such food.
Best Creator in Education – Naman Deshmukh
Naman Deshmukh received the Best Creator in Education Category. He is an Instagram influencer and content creator in tech and gadget space. He covers technology, gadgets, finance, social media marketing and educates audiences on tech related subjects like AI and coding. Deshmukh is known for his ability to break down complex topics into simple, understandable language. He also runs ‘The Growth Plus’, a course to help individuals boost their social media presence.
He informed the Prime Minister about his content on educating people on various online scams and also benefits and ways of availing benefits from the government schemes. The Prime Minister praised him for creating awareness about safe surfing and social media practices. The Prime Minister told the creators to create content on Atal Tinkering Labs set up by the govt in schools across the country. He also said that children should be encouraged to take up science as successes like Chandrayaan have created a new scientific temper among children.
Best Health and Fitness Creator – Ankit Baiyanpuria
Ankit Baiyanpuria was given the Best Health and Fitness Creator Award by the Prime Minister. Ankit is a wrestler turned fitness influencer and is famous for completing his 75 hard challenges. Originally started by US-based author-entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2020, the challenge involves going on a strict carb-free diet, performing two 45-minute workouts, drinking a gallon of water, and steering clear of cheat meals and alcohol.
Ankit Baiyanpuria had collaborated with the PM Modi in October 2021 as part of the ‘Shramdan for Cleanliness’ program, a part of the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign. When PM Modi asked him to address the audience, Ankit asked them to work out regularly and lead a balanced lifestyle.
Gaming Creator – Nischay Malhan
‘Triggered Insaan’ Nischay was given the Gaming Creator Award. He is a Delhi-based YouTuber, Live-streamer and gamer. He is known for commentaries, roasts and reaction videos on his YouTube channel.
Nischay thanked the Prime Minister for recognising the Gaming Category by giving the award. Later talking to ANI he said, “There is a stereotype that Gaming is not a good field, one cannot make their future in gaming, but there is nothing like that. Gaming is a field where we learn a lot of life lessons. It increases analytical and cognitive thinking. Government has recognised this, it is a great thing.”
Best Micro Creator – Aridaman
Aridaman was given Best Micro Creator. He specializes in Vedic astronomy and ancient Indian wisdom. He explores astrology, spirituality and personal growth.
The Prime Minister narrated a light-hearted anecdote pretending to be a palm reader in an unreserved train compartment how he was given a seat every time. Aridaman said that he makes content on Dhram Shastra, and does not make videos on astrology. He said that the trophy has many elements of the Shastras with Dharm Chakra, Vrishabh and Simha. He said that we need to follow the ideals of Dharm Chakra. Aridaman also stressed the need to embrace Indian attire.
Best Nano Creator – Piyush Purohit
Best Nano Creator Award was given to Piyush Purohit from Chamoli Uttarakhand who highlights little known places, people and regional festivals. He is a budding filmmaker and editor who makes videos on Uttarakhand.
He shows cultural programs and other contests from the state, adding VFX to the videos, and the videos are quite popular.
He said that he tries to spread awareness about old traditions of Uttarakhand, and tries to make the videos interesting by using effects. The Prime Minister recalled one of his requests in Mann ki Baat where girls from Kerala sang a song from Chamoli.
Best Celebrity Creator – Aman Gupta
Aman Gupta, Founder and CEO of boAT and famous for his involvement in Shark Tank India, was given Best Celebrity Creator Award. Founded by Aman Gupta in 2016, boAT has become a popular Indian brand of headphones, earphones, speakers and other electronic products.
Aman Gupta told the Prime Minister that he started his company when Start Up and Stand-Up India were launched in 2016. And in a short span of time, they are one of the largest audio brands in the world. He said that boat is the second largest audio company in the world, and credited Make in India for the same.
