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USA-India bilateral trade has crossed $200 billion, informs USISPF chief Mukesh Aghi

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USA-India bilateral trade has crossed $200 billion, informs USISPF chief Mukesh Aghi

 Highlighting the robust nature of the India-US relationship, Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), underscored that trade between the two nations has exceeded USD 200 billion.

Aghi emphasized collaborative efforts in areas such as engines, quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and space partnerships.

“The relationship between India and the US is very strong. From a trade perspective, we already crossed USD 200 billion in trade,” he said.

“We are seeing a lot of effort happening, engines, on quantum computing, AI, cyber security, partnerships in space…,” he added.

“We’re seeing a substantial amount of collaboration and cooperation taking place between the two countries,” he said.

Discussing the India-United States Trade Policy Forum, Aghi noted a shift in its character and posture, moving away from contentious issues.

He said that discussions are now focused on improving trade, removing impediments, and exploring possibilities for lowering tariffs, rather than getting bogged down by specific trade disputes.

“The character and posture of trade policy forum has changed. It is no more contentious… We had six cases between the two countries in WTO, and they went away. You have political limitations on the US side because it can’t do a FTA. So there were discussions exploring how do you improve trade, remove impediments between the two countries, how do you explore lowering the tariffs. The discussion was what are the possibilities? Rather than getting stuck on raspberries and strawberries between the two countries,” he added.

Further, he was asked about any potential prospects for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, to which, Aghi pointed out US administration’s lack of FTAs with any country and political limitations in the US.

“I think it’s difficult because the Biden administration has not done any Free trade agreement with any country. I know India can move very fast in that direction but political limitations in the US do not allow them to have that discussion,” he said.

Moreover, USISPF President Aghi discussed India-US Supply chain momentum and emphasised that companies are moving production to India, adding that 100 million people are affluent Indians and their purchasing power also creates a market opportunity for these companies.

He further highlighted that India becomes pivotal for their strategy as they have been seeing increased harassment of US companies in China and they want to be able to supply efficient goods, hence, companies are moving production to India.

“It is in the interest of the US companies to protect its assets and supply chain. What we are seeing is increased harassment of US companies in China. They want to be able to supply goods which are efficient and effective, so India becomes pivotal for their strategy… Gradually, companies are moving production into India. It’s not just about the supply chain, it’s also about trying to leverage the growing Indian market… 100 million people are affluent Indians… Their purchasing power also creates a market opportunity for these companies. So it is also supply chain and market opportunity which attracts these companies,” he said.

Furthermore, underscoring the Vibrant Gujarat Summit that happened recently, Aghi emphasised that it should be called Vibrant India and not Vibrant Gujarat anymore.

Noting that the US companies are excited about India, the market opportunity and also the de-risking supply chain from China, he said, “so for us, Vibrant Gujarat was very important…You don’t have to call it vibrant Gujarat anymore. You have to call it Vibrant India because you have over 100,000 people participating and 18 political leaderships coming down to the event.” 

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

Viral video shows passenger slapping Indigo pilot after flight delay: Know what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Viral video shows passenger slapping Indigo pilot after flight delay: Know what happened

On 14th January, Russian Indian actress Evgenia Belskaia shared a video on her Instagram stories of a passenger slapping a pilot at an Indigo who was announcing the flight delay. In her story, she wrote, “Today, my team was waiting for 13 hours on their flight, and one guy got fed up.”

X user Capt_Ck also shared a video grab of the story and pointed out that the announcement was being made by the new captain of the flight, who replaced the previous crew who crossed Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). For the unaware, FDTL are regulations set by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that the crew, including the pilot, get enough rest to avoid fatigue-related safety issues. The team on any plane has to change after an 8-hour shift. As the flight was delayed for over 13 hours, the previous crew had to step down, and a new crew was managing the floor.

In the video, a passenger wearing a yellow hoodie ran from the aisle in the middle of the announcement that the pilot was making and slapped him. The agitated passenger said, “Either fly the plane or open the gates,” hinting that the passengers were made to sit in the plane for a long time. While a co-passenger apologised profusely for the behaviour of the person in the yellow hoodie, one of the air hostesses broke down and said, “You cannot do this”, repeatedly.

As per reports, the Delhi Airport saw multiple flights getting delayed by hours due to harsh weather conditions. A total of 10 flights were diverted, and 100 were delayed. Some of the flights were reportedly canceled as well.

After the video went viral on social media, several X users condemned the actions of the agitated passenger and said this was not how things should have been handled. An X user, Suraj Balakrishnan, said, “There are a lot of things wrong with how Indigo is conducting their business currently, but there is ZERO justification for physical assault on an employee by a passenger.” He also demanded that the passenger should be blacklisted for life for attacking the pilot.

Following a delay on multiple flights, IndiGo issued a statement and said that the delays were because of the low visibility and dense fog conditions across northern states in India. The statement read, “This had a cascading effect on our operations throughout the day. Our staff kept passengers apprised of all delays and cancellations across airports and made every possible effort to facilitate the passengers. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers.”

Controversial Urdu poet Munawwar Rana dies at 71 after prolonged illness

OpIndia Staff
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Controversial Urdu poet Munawwar Rana dies at 71 after prolonged illness

Urdu poet Munawwar Rana on Sunday breathed his last at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow following a cardiac arrest. He was 71 and had been battling with a prolonged illness for the past several months. Rana was undergoing treatment at the PGI hospital in Lucknow.

Born on November 26, 1952, in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, Munawwar Rana is known for his Urdu literature and ghazals.

In 2014, he was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poem, ‘Shahdaba’. However, he had returned the award, alleging ‘intolerance’ in the country.

He also received other awards, including the Ameer Khusro Award, the Mir Taqi Mir Award, the Ghalib Award, the Dr Zakir Hussain Award, and the Saraswati Samaj Award, throughout his career.

It was alleged a few years ago that one of Rana’s most highly-acclaimed poems was stolen from Hindi poet Alok Srivastava.

Rana last made headlines in 2021 when he likened Maharshi Valmiki to Taliban. The UP Police booked him for his derogatory comments against Hindus by drawing false equivalence with radical Islamic organisation Taliban that has captured Afghanistan.

Rana went ahead to make a dastardly metaphorical statement to defend the Taliban. Rana had also threatened to leave Uttar Pradesh if Yogi was reelected as CM.

In January 2021, he took to social media to poetically incite a mob to violence. In the tweet which was deleted later, Rana gave a call to demolish the Parliament building and set the godowns for grains storage on fire.

In October 2020, Rana made a condemnable remark on the brutal beheading of French History teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamist terrorist. He supported the terrorist attack saying that he would have done the same.

A year after the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, Rana made repugnant remarks against the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi saying “Even a prostitute in India charges more for selling herself than Ranjan Gogoi did.”

In May 2020, an old letter penned by poet Alok Srivastava addressed to Munawwar Rana went viral on social media in which he alleges the Urdu poet of stealing his couplet and brazenly garnering accolades for it.

This came after he called 100 crore Hindus as ‘animals’ and 35 crore ‘humans’ in India.

(With inputs from agencies)

BJP will emerge as the single-largest party, we have to give it a try to reduce its numbers so that its allies leave NDA: Shashi Tharoor

OpIndia Staff
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BJP will emerge as the single-largest party, we have to give it a try to reduce its numbers so that its allies leave NDA: Shashi Tharoor

On 13th January (Saturday), just a few months before the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections, senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor admitted that PM Modi is currently ahead in the race. He added that the opposition parties can try to bring down the seat tally of the Bhartiya Janata Party. The Congress leader argued that if the numbers can be brought down, BJP’s allies in the NDA might come into their camp. 

The Congress leader said, “I still expect that the BJP will emerge as the single-largest party. But I do believe their numbers can be brought down to a level where their potential allies required to form a government may no longer be willing to ally with them and may be willing to ally with us. So we have to give it a try.” 

He made these remarks during the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) session, ‘India: The Future is Now,’ on Saturday. 

Regarding the seat-sharing conundrum in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, he said India is a diverse country and he is perfectly prepared to live with the situation where they don’t have a “100 percent agreement in 100 percent of the states”.

Tharoor added that he only hopes to have “sufficient agreements” in as many states as possible so that “preventable defeats” can be avoided.

He argued that the opposition parties can come to an agreement that in one state they have one unified candidate against the BJP while another state might have two or three candidates. In which case, he said, “the voter has to choose the person they consider would best represent them”. 

He added, “That’s the best thing they can do, and if it so happens, and there is enough divergence of views, maybe the BJP candidate will win. But that’s democracy in our first-past-the-post system.” 

Citing examples of neighbouring states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he explained how the seat-sharing pattern of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will vary from state to state.

He said, “In Kerala, it is almost impossible to imagine the two major opponents here of the INDIA alliance, namely the CPI(M) and the Congress, ever agreeing on seat-sharing, but right next door in Tamil Nadu, the CPI, CPI(M), Congress and DMK are all allied together and there is no debate, no dispute. They already fought the last election together. They are likely to fight this one too.” 

According to the Congress leader, the people of the country should vote for the best person in their constituency as only the people of Varanasi can vote for PM Modi. Notably, PM Modi is currently the Lok Sabha MP from the Varanasi constituency. 

He further added, “Everybody else has to vote for the best candidate in their places they think represent them well. And if they want to vote only to send Mr Modi that’s their choice, if they want to vote for somebody who will be an effective legislature and who has views that are congenial to them, that’s also their choice and I think we can do that.”

The 400 personalities including Controversial Historian William Dalrymple, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, American physician-author Abraham Verghese, author Perumal Murugan, and comedian Kanan Gill attended the Kerala Literature Festival, which concluded today on Sunday (14th January).

‘Branding Business houses as anti-national, fostering caste divisions and creating North-South divide’: Milind Deora lambasts Congress in letter explaining reasons for quitting party

OpIndia Staff
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‘Branding Business houses as anti-national, fostering caste divisions and creating North-South divide’: Milind Deora lambasts Congress in letter explaining reasons for quitting party

Taking to his official X account, Milind Deora on 14th January shared the reasons why he ended his 55-year-long association and resigned from the Congress party to join Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena earlier in the day. 

In his letter, the Former Congress leader stressed that the current Congress party doesn’t resonate with what the party stood for in the past when he and his father joined the grand old party in 1968 and 2004, respectively. 

In a scathing criticism of the current leadership of the Congress party, in his letter, Deora pointed out that the party is creating a division on caste and an artificial North-South divide. 

The letter states, “The party that once initiated India’s economic liberalization now targets business houses as ‘anti-national.’ It has strayed from celebrating India’s diverse culture and religions, fostering division based on caste, and creating a North-South divide.”

Earlier in the day, Milind Deora asserted that opposing Modi is the only agenda Congress has. He said that if Modi says that Congress is a very good party, the Congress would oppose it.

Former UPA Minister Deora added that Congress has deviated from its ideological and organisational roots and now it lacks appreciation for honesty and constructive criticism. He added that the Congress party has not only failed to attain power but also it has failed to effectively serve as a constructive opposition at the center.

In the letter, he recalled the party’s losses in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections adding that he took responsibility for the failure in 2019 and resigned as party’s Mumbai President despite assuming the role just a month before the announcement of the dates. 

In his letter, he states, “I readily resigned as President of the Mumbai Congress, taking accountability for the party’s 2019 election defeat, even though I was appointed barely one month before the polling date. I felt that if I could accept accountability, I had every right to seek it.” 

During the establishment of the MVA in Maharashtra in 2019, I opposed the alliance with UBT, foreseeing its detrimental impact on the Congress. Despite personal gains taking precedence over ideology for both UBT and Congress, I consistently advocated for caution over four years.

Despite being sidelined, my commitment remained steadfast in upholding the enduring relationship my family shares with the Gandhi family and the party. For a decade, I tirelessly worked for the party in various roles without seeking personal position or power.

He stated that after 20 years in politics, he will strive to work for the benefit of Mumbai, Maharashtra, and India adding that Mumbai is his karmabhoomi, and India is his matrubhoomi. 

(In his post-resignation letter, Milind Deora comes down heavily on current leadership of Congress)

The letter adds, “The welfare of Mumbai’s citizens transcends political affiliations for me, leading to a significant political decision. I aim to utilize my productive years, administrative expertise, and political experience to serve all individuals, regardless of religion, caste, or economic status, as I have throughout my political career.”

Citing the humble backgrounds of PM Modi and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Milind Deora emphasised that such transformation enriches India’s political landscape and affirms our egalitarian values.

The letter further states, “Today, we witness a humble chaiwala rising to become the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy and an autorickshaw driver serving as the Chief Minister of India’s second-largest state. This transformation enriches India’s political landscape, affirming our egalitarian values. Eknath Shinde Ji stands out as one of the most diligent and accessible Chief Ministers in the country. His understanding of Maharashtra’s underprivileged sections and tireless efforts to improve governance and infrastructure are commendable.”

Lauding CM Shinde’s leadership, he cited the progress and transformation in the state and Mumbai including swift execution and effective governance of crucial infrastructure projects like MTHL, Coastal Road, Mumbai Metro, and NMIA, fostering sustained growth and development. 

“His (Maharashtra CM) vision for a prosperous future for Mumbai and Maharashtra resonates with me, and I aim to support his endeavors. Similarly, the visionary outlook of Narendra Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji for India inspires me to contribute to their national vision,” the letter added. 

He further stated, “Inspired by the legacy of Babasaheb Thackeray and through Eknath Shinde Ji’s Shiv Sena, I commit to representing Mumbaikars and all Indians, advocating for inclusive and development-oriented politics.” 

While some Congress leaders admitted that his departure was a setback for the party, many leaders mocked him claiming that they will raise lakhs of Milind Deoras.

PM Modi’s ‘dwarf cows’ – Read about Punganur cattle, an indigenous breed dating back to sage Vishwamitra, rescued from extinction

Paurush Gupta
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PM Modi’s ‘dwarf cows’ – Read about Punganur cattle, an indigenous breed dating back to sage Vishwamitra, rescued from extinction

On 14th January (Sunday), Prime Minister Narendra Modi fed and cared for some cows at his official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. In the viral pictures, PM Modi can be seen surrounded by many cows and showing affection to Gaumata. Notably, all the cows seen with PM Modi are from a specific breed, a breed of dwarf cows.

The cows seen at the Prime Minister’s residence are of the Punganur breed, an indigenous breed of India, found in Andhra Pradesh.

The Punganur breed of cows was once on the brink of extinction, and conservation efforts ongoing

The breed originated in Punganur town in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. This Punganur cattle breed derived its name from the village Punganur in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh where the breed is mainly bred. Punganur is one of the world’s smallest Bos indicus cattle. The average height of a Punganur is 70-90cm (2.3-3 feet) and it weighs 115-200kg.

The milk of the Punganur cow has a rich medical benefit and higher fat content which may range from 5 to as high as 8 percent while that of other breeds it ranges between 3 to 3.5%, therefore it is ideal for producing ghee. The average milk yield of the breed is 546 Kg per lactation.

The body colour ranges from white, grey, or light brown to dark brown or red. Additionally, there are instances where animals display a combination of white color with patches of red, brown, or black. 

The Punganur breed of cows has a broad forehead and short horns. The horns are crescent-shaped and often lose curving backwards and forward in males and lateral and forward in females. It is a highly draught-resistant breed and can survive on dry fodder feeding. The Punganur cow is quite sturdy and resistant to diseases in the South Indian environment. It also has high adaptability to low-quality feed and can survive in adverse conditions and environments. 

The breed is quite docile, and the bullocks are used for agricultural operations in light soil as well as for driving carts for transportation and special races. Punganur cattle’s dung and urine are rich sources of fertiliser and pest controllers for organic farming.

The Punganur cow is also eco-friendly in nature, since the requirement for water and feed along with space and the shed is quite less as compared to other larger breeds of cattle. Therefore, it produces lesser amounts of methane gas.

Verge of extinction and revival attempts

However, the Punganur breed which is often claimed to be a poor man’s cow was on the verge of extinction due to extensive indiscriminate crossbreeding for years in its breeding tract. Due to popularity of hybrid breeds which can be milked multiple times a day, dairy farmers had started to abandon this breed of cows. The situation had deteriorated to such an extent that at one point the known number of Punganur cattle had dropped below 50.

But thanks to some conservation efforts they are slowly making a comeback. Through Mission Punganur launched in 2020, attempts are made to rescue and revive the breed at Livestock Research Station, Palamaner, under Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University. Several sheds in Andhra Pradesh are now dedicated to propagating the cow breed.

Mission Punganur aims three to four-fold increase in the reproductive efficiency of the cows. The project envisages the production of at least 8.5 off-springs from each cow in five years compared to 2.5 off-springs during the same period from each cow under normal circumstances. Rapid multiplication of the superior females through Embryo Transfer Technology (ETF) are being done.

The state govt is using the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) method to increase the reproduction of the Punganur cows. Govt is also introducing genome technology and vaccination of the cows at AP Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock (APCARL) located at Pulivendula in Kadapa.

The breeding region is limited to the taluks of Punganur and neighbouring areas like Vayalpad, Madnapalli, and Palamaner in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. It is primarily managed at the Livestock Research Station in Palamaner, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, affiliated with Shri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati. Additionally, certain animals are cared for by private breeders.

It is said that the original Punganur breed of cows was born in the Vedic period during the time of Vishisht and Vishwamitra sage. With climate change and change of place, the height of the Pungnur cow increased. Earlier the height of Punganur was 2.5 to 3 feet which was called the Brahma breed.  

Reportedly, there were 302 breeds of cows in ancient times which has come down to around 32 breeds of cows across the country. 

Pongal depicts the emotion of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’: PM Modi

Additionally, on 14th January, PM Modi attended the Pongal celebrations at the residence of Union Minister of State (MoS) L Murugan in the national capital. He participated in the offerings and the cultural programs organised there. He also gifted his shawl to a young girl who performed during the Pongal celebrations.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Telangana Governor Tamilsai Soundarajan were also present at the event. At the event, PM Modi started his address in Tamil and quoted saint Tiruvallur on Pongal. “The festival of Pongal depicts the emotion of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’…This emotion of unity will give strength to the ‘Viksit Bharat’ of 2047,” the PM said.

This is just a trailer, film is yet to come in: Eknath Shinde after Milind Deora left Congress to join his party

ANI
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This is just a trailer, film is yet to come in: Eknath Shinde after Milind Deora left Congress to join his party

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that the induction of former Union Minister and Congress leader Milind Deora in his party was just a trailer and the full picture was yet to come, hinting at more influx from the opposition ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking after Deora joined his party in the presence of several leaders of Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Shinde said that he performed an “operation” one and half years before and didn’t even have to make stitches and the operation was done.

“I am not a doctor. Despite not being a doctor, I performed an operation one and half year before…didn’t even have to make stitches and the operation was done. I won’t say anything more than this…This is just a trailer, film is yet to come in,” he said.

Shinde drew parallels between the sentiments expressed by Milind Deora on the current occasion and the emotions he himself experienced 1.5 years ago when he severed ties with then Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.

“The feelings that you (Milind Deora) have in your mind today are the same that I had 1.5 years back. Such situations arise when a decision has to be made,” Shinde said.

Deora on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after quitting the Congress earlier in the day.

The former South Mumbai Lok Sabha MP joined the ruling party in a function in Varsha, the official residence of the chief minister, in the afternoon. During the ceremony, Deora affirmed his commitment to strengthen Shinde’s leadership further and praised his vision for Mumbai and the state.

“I am joining him to strengthen his hands further. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also have a vision for the country. I want to strengthen their hands as well through the Shiv Sena,” Deora said.

The Maharashtra leader ended his 55-year-old association with the party which went back to his father Murli Deora.

The Maharashtra leader ended his 55-year-old association with the party which went back to his father Murli Deora.

While emphasizing his commitment to Congress, Milind Deora said that he remained loyal to the party during its most challenging decade.

“I have been receiving a lot of phone calls since morning that why did I sever 55-year-old ties of my family with Congress party…I was loyal to the party during its most challenging decade. Unfortunately, today’s Congress is very different from the Congress of 1968 as well as that of 2004. Had Congress and UBT given importance to constructive and positive suggestions and merit and capability,

Eknath Shinde and I wouldn’t have been here. Eknath Shinde had to make a major decision, I had to make a major decision,” he said. 

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

Bihar: Mohammad Tayyub, Nazir Khan arrested for slitting throat of 15-year-old girl before hanging her body on a tree

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Mohammad Tayyub, Nazir Khan arrested for slitting throat of 15-year-old girl before hanging her body on a tree

The authorities in Bihar’s Purnia district have solved the murder case of a 15-year-old girl who apparently ‘committed suicide’ and arrested Mohammad Tayyub and Nazir Khan for killing her. Tayyub had brought his friend Nazir Khan from Delhi and went to Purnia along with him where he called her girlfriend, proceeded to slit her throat and suspended the dead body on a tree.

Notably, her family members had registered a complaint with the authorities suspecting murder after the corpse was discovered. According to the investigation, she had a romantic relationship with Mohammad Tayyub. Interestingly, he was supposed to be in Delhi but electronic evidence showed his location in Purnia. Everyone was stunned when the police connected the dots and made the case public after 17 days of intense probe.

The incident transpired in the Amour police station area. The body of the girl was found hanging from a tree on the morning of 28th December in Haripur ward number 5 here. Her family believed that she was killed per the First Information Report (FIR) accessed by OpIndia. Now, the perpetrators have been taken into police custody as the cops have exposed the entire criminal conspiracy.

As per the media accounts, the two travelled to Purnia on 27th December and Mohammad Tayyub told the victim to meet them in a field at night. He carried out the horrible deed and returned to Delhi the next day. People were not even aware of his presence there.

Meanwhile, the girl’s family denied the allegations of suicide and lodged a police complaint against Mohammad Tayyub who is also from the village. It was uncovered that he was in Purnia when his device location was investigated based on the accusations. The police nabbed the two culprits and interrogated them after which the entire incident was revealed.

Girl was putting pressure on him for marriage

Mohammad Tayyub claimed that his girlfriend was forcing him to marry her. He then devised a thorough plot to remove her from his life. He sliced her neck due to which no one believed that she ended her own life. The police are now inquiring whether she was sexually assaulted or not.

Boycott Maldives: Superstar Nagarjuna cancels trip to the archipelagic nation, to visit Lakshadweep instead

OpIndia Staff
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Boycott Maldives: Superstar Nagarjuna cancels trip to the archipelagic nation, to visit Lakshadweep instead

Amidst diplomatic tensions between India and Maldives over racial commentary by three now-suspended Maldivian ministers on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India, south superstar Nagarjuna has reportedly cancelled his family holiday trip to Maldives.

“I was supposed to leave on January 17th for Maldives for a holiday since I couldn’t spare much time for my family. I worked nonstop for Big Boss and Naa Saami Ranga for 75 days. Now, I’ve cancelled my tickets and plan to visit Lakshadweep next week,” the actor says in a video alongside composer M M Keeravani, as he extended support to the ‘boycott Maldives’ campaign.

Nagarjuna further asserted that the derogatory comments made by the three Maldivian ministers were in bad taste adding that PM Modi represents 1.5 billion Indians and is respected globally.

“I had gone to Maldives quite a few times, but this time I chose not to go there. But their ministers’ comments against our Prime Minister Narendra Modi were in bad taste and they are going to pay a price. PM Modi is the leader of 1.5 billion people and much respected across the world,” the Telugu superstar said.

It all started after the now-suspended Maldivian ministers, namely Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid, recently called Prime Minister Modi a “clown” and a “puppet of Israel” in response to his posts about Lakshadweep islands.

This soon escalated into a heated debate on social media followed by a “Boycott Maldives” campaign and the cancellation of trips to Maldives is picking steam in India. Moreover, the Indian online travel company, Ease My Trip, also suspended all flight bookings to Maldives amidst the controversy. Consequently, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) wrote to Ease My Trip CEO Nishant Pitti seeking his assistance in fostering positive relations between the two countries.

As reported earlier, the tensions between India and Maldives resulted in a significant drop in queries for holidays in Maldives.

Recently, many Bollywood actors including Akshay Kumar, sportspersons and noted personalities came together for a campaign to encourage Indians to “Explore Indian Islands” instead.

Notably, according to the Maldives Ministry of Tourism, India was the main source of tourist influx in 2023. Between January 1 and December 31, 2023, 209,198 Indians visited Maldives. According to the Indian government, India is the 2nd leading source market for Maldives with an 11.1% market share. However, with the recent developments and the Maldivian government’s pro-China stance, the Maldivian tourism industry which the archipelago’s main source of revenue will suffer significantly.

No marriage cancelled due to PM Modi’s visit, only time of some changed: Guruvayur Devaswom in Kerala responds to fake claims of ‘48 weddings cancelled’

OpIndia Staff
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No marriage cancelled due to PM Modi’s visit, only time of some changed: Guruvayur Devaswom in Kerala responds to fake claims of ‘48 weddings cancelled’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Guruvayur temple in Kerala’s Thrissur to participate in the wedding ceremony of actor-turned-politician and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suresh Gopi’s daughter Bhagya Suresh which is scheduled to take place there on 17th January. Ahead of the visit, a claim is being on social media that 48 weddings scheduled to be held at Guruvayoor on that day have been cancelled due to this visit.

Author Mini Nair was one among such persons who tried to disseminate misinformation by claiming that “48 weddings that were scheduled at the Guruvayoor were cancelled” because of PM Modi’s visit.

Notably, the Guruvayur Devaswom has clarified that no marriages will be cancelled on 17th January in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the temple, notwithstanding the confusion caused by the propaganda campaign on social media. The marriage ceremonies scheduled on the day have been only rescheduled by the temple authorities. 39 of the 65 marriages planned for that date will be held between 5 am to 6 am whereas 9 ceremonies were set in this period earlier. Now, a total of 48 marriages will occur from 5 am to 6 am and the remaining will be solemnised after 9:30 am.

Attendees will need to obtain a pass from the police by providing a copy of their ID card and a photo. The prime minister will reportedly show up at the temple at 8 am to perform darshan and proceed to the wedding ceremony before leaving at 8.45 am. There will be stringent limitations in place from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. The control measures will be implemented in cooperation with the police and central security agencies.

Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman Dr V K Vijayan proclaimed, “I would like to assure the families who have booked marriage at Guruvayur on January 17 that no marriage will be cancelled. But we will have to reschedule the timings and a decision will be taken regarding this at the meeting with SPG officials scheduled at 10.30 am on Sunday. I urge the families not to get confused over rumours. The marriages would have been fixed months ago and the families arrive after a lot of preparations. There is nothing reprehensible than forcing these families to cancel the marriage. Guruvayur Devaswom will never do that.”

After the temple announced that some weddings would be rescheduled, people were showing apprehension that it could mean the massages being solemnised outside the prescribed auspicious time. However, the temple said that there is no auspicious time or muhurtham at the Guruvayur temple.

Vijayan explained that since marriages in Guruvayur are sanctified in front of Lord Krishna, there is no ‘muhurtham’ or auspicious period for them to take place. “It is a matter of devotion and Guruvayur Devaswom will provide all possible help to realise their desire to get the marriage solemnised in front of Guruvayurappan. As many as 64 marriages were booked till Thursday and now the number has crossed 70.”

Concerning the limitations on the guest count for weddings, he noted that a maximum of 20 individuals can attend a wedding and that these constraints have been in place for years. “There will be more than 100 marriages on some days and if all the devotees throng the temple there will be a huge rush. The restrictions were implemented to avoid stampede.”

According to him, the daughter of Suresh Gopi has been given the same time slot as three other marriages. Families shared a wish that the couples be allowed to receive the prime minister’s blessings. During a meeting with the Special Protection Group (SPG) authorities, a decision regarding these requests will also be reached. However, customs such as ‘choroonu’ (rice feeding ceremony) and ‘thulabharam’ (Hindu practice in which a person is weighed against commodities which are later donated) will be suspended while PM Modi is in the temple.

His presence at the temple would be restricted to the bare minimum of staff and priests required to carry out the rituals. Dr V K Vijayan highlighted, “The families who arrive for ‘choroonu’ may be provided opportunity after the departure of the PM. But I would like to request parents to avoid the function as the heavy rush and restrictions may be unbearable to the children.”

PM Modi will arrive at Kochi Naval Airport at 5 pm on 16th January where he will undertake a roadshow from Maharaja’s College to Ernakulam Government Guest House. He will spend the night there. He is taking a helicopter at 7 am to Guruvayur the next day. He will return to Kochi after the wedding to officially inaugurate the International Ship Repair Facility and Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard at 10 in the morning. He will also address a meeting of party workers of the ‘Shaktikendra,’ the party’s booth-level organisational empowerment committee in the state at Marine Driveat Marine Drive at 11 am and return to Delhi after lunch.


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