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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram mocks report of Tata Group setting up semiconductor plant in Assam, gets befitting replies from BJP leaders and others

OpIndia Staff
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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram mocks report of Tata Group setting up semiconductor plant in Assam, gets befitting replies from BJP leaders and others

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came together to slam Congress leader and Sivaganga Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram for mocking the Tata Group’s plans to set up a semiconductor plant in Assam. Refering to a report saying that Tata Electronics is planning to invest ₹40,000 crore to set up a semiconductor plant in Assam, he wrote on 8th December, “Call me when the facility is actually operational.”

It is notable that on 8th December, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Tata group has sought approval for a semiconductor plant in the state. He shared, “Tata Group has submitted an application to set up a semiconductor processing plant in Assam with an investment of Rs 40,000 crore. This will be a game-changer. My gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuous guidance in transforming our state,” on social media and the Congress leader picked it as an opportunity to target the state government.

By the comment, Karti Chidambaram wanted to imply that it is just a hollow promise and that the plant will not come up in Assam.

However, the BJP leaders as well as netizens responded strongly to the attack. The Assam chief minister promised to call him as soon as the plant is established in the state. He tweeted, “Yes. I will. Promise”

BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh called out the “arrogance” of the Congress politician and asserted, “This arrogance has cost you Tamil Nadu outside Shivagangai. Has cost Assam too. You will face the brunt across Bharath too. Hope your Assam leaders read your tweet.’

Dr SG Suryah, state secretary of BJP Tamil Nadu reminded the Congress leader of his father’s anti-digitalization argument. “Dare to challenge even after your father’s historical nose cut on Digital Transactions in India,” he asked.

Minister in Assam government Pijush Hazarika asked if Karti Chidambaram meant that “Assamese people aren’t capable of building a semiconductor facility?”

Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai posted a hard-hitting tweet, saying, “Dynast Thiru @KartiPC & his father Thiru @PChidambaram_IN do not often step out of their palace to witness the reality & transformation the country is witnessing today.” He quoted how P Chidambaram had in 2017 said that vegetable sellers will never accept online payments, and mentioned how UPI has proved him wrong.

Annamalai added, “Today, Thiru @KartiPC mocks a Northern Eastern State Assam & its CM Thiru @himantabiswa avl for their capability to attract an ₹40,000 Cr semiconductor processing plant. So, another failed challenge to the long list of failed challenges for the Father-Son duo in the making.”

The official spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Telangana unit referred to the recent electoral defeat of former state chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and charged, “We had a son of the chief minister just like you. Now, he is in a farmhouse without power. To question is something legitimate, but arrogance and shamelessness will be answered with the ballot. By the way, your party is nonexistent in the Northeast due to the same arrogance.”

Meanwhile, social media users also raised questions about his statement and denounced him for the same. A popular handle named BefittingFacts commented, “To work as a labour? Dont think you are qualified enough to work as a labourer. You can open an Idli Dosa stall outside the factory.”

Neha S taunted the Congress MP about the charges of corruption levelled against him. “Why don’t you disclose the trick of making hundreds of crores from growing cabbage in pots? My kitchen garden has lots of space and I have around 20-30 pots with good soil that are ready to use. I think this facility is operational.”

“Remove Chidambaram from your surname, no one will even recognise you,” remarked one individual drawing attention to the Congressman’s nepotistic roots.

Another recalled the comments passed by the Congress leader and pointed out, “Even your papa once mocked about digital India. You didn’t learn from it.”

One person told the Lok Sabha MP to email his curriculum vitae (CV) to the Assam chief minister for the job. “Do mention your skill, I mean, other than being a gardener during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) era,” he added.

Notably, Karti Chidambaram is the son of former Union Finance Minister in the Congress government and current Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram who took a jab at the present government’s ‘Digital India’ campaign in 2017.

Interestingly, the senior Chidambaram vehemently criticised the Modi government’s ‘Digital India’ program earlier in 2017 in a speech in Rajya Sabha by claiming that it was impossible to discuss a cashless economy in a rural area. “You go there and the people ask ‘What digital?’ It is very difficult to get away with a lie. The best way to do so is to utter the biggest lie.”

He further charged, “You speak about digitisation. First, teach that to the RBI. Every rupee has come back, except in Bhutan, Nepal and NRIs, whose money can’t come now, because you breached your promise to them,” arguing that the ambitious initiative of the central administration was bound for a massive failure.

Meanwhile, his predictions didn’t come to fruition and with 1,124 crore United Payments Interface (UPI) transactions in November this year, the nation’s digital payments through UPI surpassed the 11 Billion threshold for the second consecutive month. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) released data showing that these transactions were up 54% from the 730.95 crore transactions that the payments network registered in November 2022. Chidambaram had argued that small traders like vegetable sellers will never be able to accept cashless payments, but now every single roadside stall has small boards displaying their QR codes enabling them to receive payments via UPI.

‘Jamiat gave you wrong information’: Congress leader Debabrata Saikia demands apology from Kapil Sibal for claiming that Assam was part of Myanmar

OpIndia Staff
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‘Jamiat gave you wrong information’: Congress leader Debabrata Saikia demands apology from Kapil Sibal for claiming that Assam was part of Myanmar

Days after Senior Supreme Court advocate Kapil Sibal sparked a controversy by claiming that Assam was originally a part of Myanmar, Congress leader Debabrata Saikia demanded an apology for distorting history. The leader of the opposition in Assam has written a letter to former Congress leader Kapil Sibal in this regard.

Debabrata Saikia wrote that this incorrect representation of Assam history by Sibal is very unfortunate and it has hurt the pride and prestige of Assam. “It seems the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and AAMSU might have provided you with incorrect information about Assam history and your team has failed to cross check the data before presentation,” he wrote. AAMSU stands for All Assam Minority Students’ Union.

Debabrata Saikia is MLA from Nazira constituency and the son of former Assam chief minister late Hiteshwar Sarikia.

Explaining the contention that Assam was part of Myanmar is wrong, the Congress leader wrote, “The history of Assam is the history of a confluence of the Austroasiatic, Tibeto- Burman (Sino-Tibetan), Tai and Indo-Aryan cultures. The Ahom kingdom ruled Assam for six centuries and unified Assam. Although invaded over centuries, it was never a vassal or a colony to an external power until the third Burmese invasion in 1821, and subsequently the British ingress into Assam in 1824 during the First Anglo-Burmese War. The colonial era began with the establishment of British control after the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826.”

The Congress leader added, “Therefore, Assam was never a part of Myanmar and this comment from a senior statesman like you have hurt the pride and emotion of indigenous people of Assam.” Asking Kapil Sibal to withdraw the comments made in the Supreme Court, Debabrata Saikia also asked him to issue an apology to the people of Assam for distorting the history of Assam. “In view of this, I request you to kindly withdraw the statement and render a public apology before the public of Assam for mis-representation of Assam’s glorious history,” he wrote.

Kapil Sibal made the controversial comments on 7th September in Supreme Court while opposing petitions challenging Section 6A of the Citizenship Act. A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

The Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 provides a different cut-off date for immigrants to be considered illegal immigrants. As per this, all foreigners who entered Assam on or before 25th March 1971 will be granted Indian citizenship, against the cut-off date of 19th July 1949 for the rest of the country.

While arguing against the petitions, Kapil Sibal said that history of Assam is complicated as it was part of Myanmar which was later handed over to the British. Sibal also claimed that migration to Assam can’t be mapped, as ‘no migration can ever be mapped’.

Kapil Sibal said in the apex court, “If you look at the history of Assam, it is impossible to figure out who came when. Assam originally was a part of Myanmar, and it was way back in 1824 after the British conquered a part of it. A treaty was entered into and that is how Assam was handed over to the British.”

What Sibal said was incorrect, because while the Burmese army occupied Assam for a very brief period of time, that led to the first Anglo-Burma war that ended in 1826, Assam was never a part of Assam. The Treaty of Yandabo was signed between Myanmar and British India after Myanmar lost the war, under which Myanmar ceded control of Assam and Manipur to British government.

Before Burma occupied Assam in 1821-1822 that lasted till 1826 during the war, it was never a part of any other country in recorded history. Assam, previously known as Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup, is being ruled by local rulers for thousands of years, and the state, along with neighbouring states, are part of the greater Indian culture from pre-historic times.

Earlier Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Kapil Sibal for the comment, saying that those who do not know history should not make such statements.

15 ISIS terrorists arrested: Accused had declared a village in Thane ‘Al-Sham’, ‘Liberated Zone’ like Syria; were administering an ‘oath of allegiance’ to recruits

OpIndia Staff
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15 ISIS terrorists arrested: Accused had declared a village in Thane ‘Al-Sham’, ‘Liberated Zone’ like Syria; were administering an ‘oath of allegiance’ to recruits

On 9th December, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced that it raided 44 locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka in which they arrested 15 ISIS terrorists of the ISIS Maharashtra module. As per the initial investigation of NIA, the arrested accused had self-declared the village of Padgha in rural Thane as a ‘liberated zone‘ and as ‘Al-Sham’. Seemingly areas in Syria are referred to with such notations. They were motivating impressionable Muslim youth to relocate to Padgha from their place of residence to strengthen the Padgha base, NIA revealed in its official press release.

Taking to X, the security agency shared a press release that revealed shocking details about the terror module. According to the press release, the arrested accused include the leader and head of the ISIS module. As per NIA, he was administering ‘Bayath’ – an oath of allegiance to Khalifa of ISIS to the recruits. 

NIA investigations have further revealed that the accused, all members of the ISIS Maharashtra module, were operating from Padgha-Borivali. From there, they had hatched the conspiracy to spread terror and carry out acts of violence across India, the agency noted. 

The NIA also pointed out that the accused were also aiming to wage a war against the Indian government. The press release reads, “Pursuing the path of violent Jihad, Khilafat, ISIS, etc., the accused had aimed to disturb the peace and communal harmony of the country and to wage a war against the Government of India.”

Notably, earlier this morning, the NIA team raided 44 locations that were spread across Padgha-Borivali, Thane, Mira Road, and Pune in Maharashtra, as well as Bengaluru in Karnataka. During these raids, they arrested 15 accused for promoting terror and terror-related acts and activities of the proscribed organisation.

These raids are a part of NIA’s ongoing efforts to disrupt and demolish the attempts of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to carry out violent acts of terror and take innocent lives. The agency also seized huge amounts of unaccounted cash, firearms, sharp-edged weapons, incriminating documents, smartphones, and other digital devices during these raids. 

As per NIA investigations, the accused, operating on the direction of their foreign handlers, had been actively involved in various terrorist activities, including the fabrication of lEDs, for furthering the violent and destructive agenda of ISIS.

According to NIA, Saqib Nachan is the main accused and the leader and head of the ISIS module. He was also administering the ‘Bayath’ (oath of allegiance to the Khalifa of ISIS) to the persons joining the proscribed organisation, as per NIA investigations.

The press release added that ISIS is a Global Terror Organisation (GTG), also known as Islamic State (IS) / Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) / Daish / Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) / ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham Khorasan (ISIS-K)). The outfit has been spreading its terror network in India by putting in place localised ISIS modules and cells in various States of the country.

In recent months, NIA has conducted large-scale raids and busted different ISIS modules along with arresting several terror terrorists in the ISIS terror conspiracy case. This is part of the agency’s bid to scuttle the organisation’s heinous and violent anti-India agenda. 

As part of NIA’s crackdown, the agency registered a case against the ISIS Maharashtra module earlier this year. Since then, the NIA has undertaken strong and concerted actions to destroy the various ISIS modules and networks operating across the country.

Urdu portal ‘Rekhta’ promotes a book glorifying Islamist Ilmuddin, who killed Mahashay Rajpal in 1929 over ‘blasphemy’

Gopal Tiwari
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Urdu portal ‘Rekhta’ promotes a book glorifying Islamist Ilmuddin, who killed Mahashay Rajpal in 1929 over ‘blasphemy’

Urdu literary web portal Rekhta operated by Sanjiv Saraf’s non-profit organisation Rekhta Foundation is promoting the biography of an Islamist killer who had killed a Hindu man for ‘blasphemy’ against the Prophet Muhammad. Rekhta portal displays a book in its list titled ‘Sawaneh Umri Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed’, which means ‘a biography of martyr Ilmuddin’. This book is written by Mohammad Afzal Hashmi. The 102-page Urdu book was originally published in 1930 by Munshi Azizuddin Tajiran-E-Kutub, Lahore.

The current edition of this book with Rekhta is made available by Jamia Hamdard in Delhi. The information surfaced as the annual three-day festival of the Urdu-promoting organisation – Jashn-E-Rekhta – is going on from 8th December to 10th December at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Besides Mushaira and other talks in the Jashn-E-Rekhta program, the Rekhta Foundation also has various counters for selling books and other merchandise where many Urdu books are for sale. As the biography of Ilmuddin is listed on Rekhta’s website, it becomes necessary to understand what kind of Urdu literature it is promoting, who was Ilmuddin and what he had done.

Who was this Ilmuddin?

Ilmuddin killed author and publisher Mahashay Rajpal on 6th April 1929 in Lahore. Ilmuddin – a carpenter – was 19 years old at that time. stabbed Mahashay Rajpal in his chest eight times while he was seated on the outer verandah of his shop. Mahashay Rajpal did not survive the attack. The reason for this murder was alleged blasphemy. It was no different than what we see as death threats and beheading threats like ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ for alleged blasphemy or alleged insult of the Islamic prophet in contemporary times.

Who was Mahashay Rajpal and why was he killed?

Mahashay Rajpal published a book named Rangeela Rasool. He was killed for publishing this so-called satire on Prophet Muhammad. Mahashay Rajpal’s book came in response to two provoking books by Muslims.

In fact, in 1923, Muslims published two books. One was named ‘Krishna, your Gita will have to be burnt’. In this, Muslims made indecent and obscene comments about Lord Krishna. The other book was ‘The Maharshi of the Nineteenth Century’. The book contained derogatory remarks on Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj.

In response to these books written by Islamic fundamentalists, Pandit Chamupati Lal, who was a good friend of Mahashay Rajpal, wrote a satire on Prophet Muhammad and asked Rajpal never to reveal the author of this book i.e. his name to anyone. Maybe he knew the consequences. The book was published without any name.

Mahashay Rajpal. Image Source: Bharat Kosh

Muslims were enraged by this book. MK Gandhi also wrote in his ‘Young India’ that this is a divisive book ignoring how Muslims first provoked Hindus. In 1924, the British banned the book. Several cases were registered against the book under Section 153 A of the IPC. In 1927, Mahashay Rajpal was let off by evidence that what was written in the book was based on facts, so it cannot be said that it increased hatred between the two groups.

When the court pronounced the verdict regarding this book, the Muslims were even more enraged and shaken. They started rioting and there was a demand to behead Mahashay Rajpal. The slogans described how the killing of Mahashay Rajpal is allowed in Islamic Sharia. After receiving death threats for years and surviving two attacks, Mahashay Rajpal was killed by Ilmuddin in 1929.

Jinnah appeared in court as an advocate for Ilmuddin

Mahashay Rajpal’s killer was represented in court by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who argued for his innocence. Ilmuddin was executed by hanging in Central Jail Mianwali on 31st October 1929. At his funeral, the poet Mohammad Iqbal, a favourite of Indian liberals today, eulogized the killer. Today his grave is a religious site in Pakistan and Pakistani textbooks eulogize him with the title of “Ghazi”. Many books are written on his ‘life’ and his ‘work’. His two biopics were made in Pakistan – one in 1978 and the other in 2002.

After the partition, Mahashay Rajpal’s family moved to Delhi from where “Rajpal and Sons” continues to operate today. Almost 70 years after his death, he was awarded the first “International Freedom to Publish Award” by then deputy PM LK Advani.

Rekhta Foundation is promoting the biography of Ilmuddin

As Ilmuddin has become a ‘Ghazi’ for Islamists, many people have written his biographies. One such biography is reproduced in the form of an eBook with contributions from Jamia Hamdard. It is promoted by the Rekhta Foundation of Sanjiv Saraf. There are many sponsors to the event the Jashn-E-Rekhta. Questions are also asked on social media about what exactly they are supporting.

X user ‘The Skin Doctor’ posted, “Rekhta is a non-profit org promoting Urdu literature & culture. Its flagship event ‘Jashn-e-Rekhta’ is a huge commercial success as evidenced by its list of sponsors. But in the guise of promoting Urdu, Rekhta is promoting extremist literature as well. “Umri Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed”. Ilmuddin was an extremist who killed Mahashe Rajpal in 1929 for alleged blasphemy after years of STSJ calls on the victim. I hope these sponsors know what they are supporting.”

Shockingly, the book hailing a murderer is being promoted and marketed at a time when killings in the name of ‘blasphemy’ against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad have dramatically increased. In 2019, two Islamists dressed as Hindus entered the Lucknow residence of Hindu Samaj leader Kamlesh Tiwari and murdered him in broad daylight for his remarks on Prophet Muhammad made in 2015. In 2022, a young man named Kishan Bharwad was at the receiving end of Islamist wrath when fundamentalists shot him dead for simply sharing a video on Prophet Muhammad that Muslims found offensive. Later in the same year, former BJP functionary Nupur Sharma faced death threats and Sar Tan Se Juda threats issued against her after Alt News cofounder Mohammed Zubair dog-whistled Islamists with a cropped video of Sharma responding to insults hurled at Hindu Gods. Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur, was beheaded by two Islamists for extending solidarity with beleaguered former BJP leader Nupur Sharma as Islamists across the country bayed for her blood.

Ram Mandir Trust shares stunning photos of the sanctum-sanctorum where the idol of Ram Lalla would be installed

OpIndia Staff
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Ram Mandir Trust shares stunning photos of the sanctum-sanctorum where the idol of Ram Lalla would be installed

The construction of the Ram temple has been moving along steadily under the direction of the Ayodhya Trust. The general secretary of the Sri Ram Janmbhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai released splendid images of the temple’s sanctuary sanctorum on 9th December ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on 22nd January 2023 between noon and 12:45 pm.

He stated, “The sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shri Ramlala is almost ready. Recently the lighting-fitting work has also been completed. Sharing some photographs with you.”

This provided a preview of the exquisite sanctum sanctorum of the temple where the deity would be placed to excitedly awaiting devotees of the much-anticipated temple. The trust earlier on 8th December released photographs of the under-construction Ram Janmabhoomi temple’s current status.

Notably, three different artists are making three different idols of Ram Lalla, and the best among them will be selected before the consecration on 22 January. The three idols are currently getting finishing touches discreetly away from public view. One is being meticulously sculpted from the white marble of Makrana, Rajasthan, while the other two are taking form from stones sourced in Karnataka. Earlier, a stone was brought from Nepal, and later stones were also brought from Odisha and Maharashtra to carve the idol, but those were found not suitable to make the idol.

Champat Rai previously stated that the idols are receiving final touches and are currently 90% completed. “At Ram Janambhoomi temple, a 4 feet 3-inch idol depicting the 5-year-old child form of Lord Ram is being constructed at three locations in Ayodhya. Three artisans are building the idol on three different pieces of stone, and one of the idols will be accepted by the Lord. These idols are 90 per cent ready, and the finishing work will take about a week to be done. The idol will be installed in the ‘Grabhgriha’ (sanctum-sanctorum) on the ground floor. The ground floor of the temple is almost ready. So, there will be no problem with ‘Praan-Pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony).”

In its meeting slated for this month, the Trust will choose the most captivating and resilient among the three idols to be installed in the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Mandir. The remaining two idols will also find their places within the temple, albeit in different locations. The idol depicts the diety’s child form. As per Champat Rai, the general secretary of the temple trust, the decision to choose a 51-inch idol from the three was made by all 15 members of the trust during a meeting chaired by trust chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on October 7-8.

An 86-year-old Laxmikant Mathuranath Dixit Vedic scholar is scheduled to take the helm over the consecration ritual of the Ram Lalla idol at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He is descended from the renowned Kashi scholar Gaga Bhatt of the 17th century who oversaw the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj approximately 350 years ago in 1674.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to be present at the opening of the Ram temple. Furthermore, notable individuals like industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata, cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli and Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan among other actors are invited to the consecration ceremony. 

Invites for over 7,000 people comprising 3,000 VIPs have been sent out by the Ram Mandir Trust. The relatives of the Karsevaks who lost their lives in the temple movement also received an invitation. Four thousand more are requested to attend the sacred event including writers, journalists, scientists, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, yoga guru Ramdev and well-known people from around the country.

According to the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, arrangements are made for 10,000 to 15,000 people. Local officials are putting more security in place, coordinating logistics for every guest and preparing for the expected spike in traffic around the holy occasion.

BSP suspends Danish Ali from the party over “anti-party” activities

OpIndia Staff
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BSP suspends Danish Ali from the party over “anti-party” activities

On Saturday, December 9, the Bahujan Samaj Party suspended its MP Danish Ali for indulging in “anti-party” activities. The BSP claimed in a statement that Danish Ali had previously been warned about engaging in “anti-party” activities.

In a letter signed by Bahujan Samaj Party’s National General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra to Danish Ali, the party said, “It was made clear to you earlier itself to not indulge in anti-party activities… It is also mandatory to make it clear to you… you were working with the Janata Dal (Secular) under Deve Gowda in Karnataka in 2018… at that time the BSP and Deve Gowda’s Janata Party were contesting the polls together and you were given a ticket from Amroha under the conditions that you would work for the party. Deve Gowda had even said that you would be contesting from the Amroha Lok Sabha seat on the grounds that you will be working for the BSP. However, despite winning from Amroha, you have forgotten all the promises and assurances you made and engaged in anti-party activities. Thus, the party has decided to suspend you with immediate effect.”

Apparently, Danish Ali was suspended from the BSP as he was supporting the Congress in Parliament. The Congress had also backed Ali on the challenges he was facing, prompting repeated threats from Mayawati’s party.

In the 2017 Karnataka Assembly elections, Ali played a significant role in the formation of a post-poll coalition between the JD(S) and Congress. Back then, was designated convenor of the five-member Coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee set up by the two parties while they formed a short-lived JD(S)-Congress government.

Danish Ali ran for Lok Sabha in 2019 on a BSP ticket from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, not far from his hometown of Hapur. Despite his maiden political contest and the BJP’s overwhelming victory in the state owing to a Muslim-dominated constituency with a sizable Dalit population. He received around 51% of the vote, defeating sitting BJP MP Kunwar Singh Tanwar by a margin of over 63,000 votes.

Danish Ali gained support from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi during the issue over BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s use of disparaging comments towards Ali in parliament. The now-suspended BSP leader had even expressed gratitude to Gandhi for his assistance.

Name of wrong minister mentioned: Clarifies MEA after MoS Meenakashi Lekhi said she didn’t sign an answer that appeared with her name on Sansad website

ANI
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Name of wrong minister mentioned: Clarifies MEA after MoS Meenakashi Lekhi said she didn’t sign an answer that appeared with her name on Sansad website

The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Saturday that a question on the Sansad website being shown under the name of Union Minister of State, Meenakashi Lekhi needs ‘technical correction’ and instead be attributed to MoS V Muraleedharan.

The matter pertains to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 980 from Friday regarding the declaration of Hamas as a ‘terrorist organization’.

“We have noted that Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 980 answered on 8 December 2023 needs a technical correction in terms of reflecting Shri V. Muraleedharan as the Minister of State replying to the Parliament Question. This is being suitably undertaken,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in an official statement.

This comes after MoS Lekhi denied signing any paper with the question regarding the declaration of Hamas as a terrorist organization.

“You have been misinformed as I have not signed any paper with this question and this answer,” Lekhi stated on X (formerly Twitter) in reply to a post citing the report.

Later, in a press conference on Saturday, Lekhi also clarified about not signing any such paper and said that she has asked for an inquiry into the matter.

“I would like to clarify that I have not signed any paper regarding that question. I have tagged PMO and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding the breach. I have also called the Foreign Secretary and asked for an investigation and action should be taken against those responsible,” the MoS stated.

She added, “It has to be found out who committed this from the MEA without the signature of the concerned minister. I hope that there will be a prompt inquiry into the matter”.

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

“It was to tell the audience that an animal is coming”: Actress Mansi Taxak justifies marital rape scene in film Animal

OpIndia Staff
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“It was to tell the audience that an animal is coming”: Actress Mansi Taxak justifies marital rape scene in film Animal

The film ‘Animal’ starring Ranbir Kapoor, Boby Deol, and Anil Kapoor in lead roles has created a storm at the box office. The film has received appreciation for the performances of the lead actors and is breaking all box office records. However, the Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial has also received criticism over the ‘glorification’ of violence, toxicity and misogyny. In a recent interview with Zoom Entertainment, actress Mansi Taxak, who plays one of the wives of actor Bobby Deol’s character Abrar, defended the marital rape scene saying that it was to depict the character’s animal instincts.

During the interview, Mansi was asked specifically about the wedding scene in Animal, in which Abrar learns of his brother’s death. He begins by killing the messenger before viciously assaulting Mansi’s character, the youngest of his three wives. Following that, he gestures for his other two wives to join them in the bedroom and continues to abuse them also.

“It is shocking, of course. Nobody expects their wedding to end that way. When the wedding sequence starts, if you see the lights and the way the art was done, it was beautiful. You hear the music, that has gone so viral on Instagram. It was heading towards a beautiful end, and suddenly, you see something like this happening,” Mansi said.

“It was to tell the audience that an animal is coming, if you thought Ranbir was this way, you can expect the villain to be (worse). It was an apt way to establish Bobby Sir’s character and to show the audience what real animal we’re talking about. I would not wish that to happen at my wedding ever”, the actress continued.

Mansi Taxak further lauded Bobby Deol’s performance saying that he was ‘commendable’ in the scene. When asked about the backlash over the film’s portrayal of women, Mansi said that her character was in love with Abrar. The actress denied that any assault transpired in the scene.

“If you see the scene before that, the wedding scene, if you see the sort of chemistry that we have, the eye contact that we have… It tells you the back story, that besides their differences, their age, and their careers, they do love each other, and that’s why they’re getting married. I completely get where people are coming from, but that was not the intent. It was not the intent to show that any sort of assault was happening. It was just that Bobby sir did not expect his brother’s death news to come at the wedding, which puts the character into a zone where he couldn’t think straight. And that’s what we’re talking about, right? Animal instincts are unpredictable instincts. So he goes into that zone, and to vent out his emotions, he comes to his wives. I don’t think it was intended to be any sort of assault. I didn’t feel it on the set, or in the script. That was not the case. It was just a relationship between two people that has panned out the way it did,” Mansi Taxak said.

Interestingly, right after defending the marital rape scene and denying any assault, Mansi Taxak asserted that cinema is a reflection of society. “You know… cinema is a reflection of society, so when you see these kinds of scenes onscreen, it is actually happening in the society and there are people who are doing these things to their spouses…their wives….”

Film ‘Animal’, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and Triptii Dimri, among others, was released on December 1.

Mahua Moitra was Vice President at JP Morgan, but that post doesn’t mean what one may imagine. Here is the truth about fancy designations in the banking world

Paurush Gupta
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Mahua Moitra was Vice President at JP Morgan, but that post doesn’t mean what one may imagine. Here is the truth about fancy designations in the banking world

On 8th December (Friday), the Lok Sabha voted in favour of expelling the Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on the recommendation of the Ethics Committee against the TMC leader in connection with the cash-for-query scam case. Since her ouster, several netizens have flaunted her past credentials as the Vice President at the Investment Banking giant JP Morgan and Chase. Notably, it is touted among the big five in the Investment banking sector. 

Supporting the accused TMC leader, some social media users claimed that she is innocent of the cash-for-query scam case and alleged that it is an attempt to silence her. They argued that Moitra left her lucrative and ‘distinguished’ position at one of the biggest investment banks (I-bank) to enter politics and serve the people of her constituency.

Additionally, they asserted that her lavish lifestyle is a result of her previous role as the VP at JP Morgan, a high-paying and consequential post. Furthermore, they claimed that her ‘senior’ position in the top Investment Bank underscores her leadership qualities, which have rattled her naysayers insinuating that she has a brain of her own and didn’t need to take cues from others to shape her decisions countering the allegations that she accepted bribery to ask pliable questions. 

However, several netizens have pointed out that the senior-most designation in the I-banks is not a rarity linked with high calibre and exemplary growth. Instead, it is a general trend in Investment Banks to dole out fancy designations to scores of employees, sometimes even in the hundreds to thousands. This is done for various reasons, including massaging the egos of their employees, non-cash retention tools to assuage lower paychecks, or creating an impression on clients/customers, among other considerations.

Inflated designation conundrum: VP in I-Banks may not be the second-most or even a very high-ranking official

It is generally assumed that an official with senior-most designations like Vice-President, Director, or Managing Director would be among the highest-ranking decision-makers in any company or country, possibly holding the 2nd or 3rd authority in the entity. However, things are different in I-Banks, and according to reports, as high as 30-40% or even higher of officials enjoy these fancy titles of VP, Director, or MD without their designations granting them as much power, privilege, or reflection of experience as their contemporary designation holders in non-I-Banks get.

In March 2012, Goldman Sachs, in a court case, noted that the plaintiff Greg Smith, an estranged VP of the firm, was one of 12,000 VPs in their organisation. Back then, US media also estimated that 40% of Goldman staff were VPs as it was estimated to have 2,400 managing directors!

While it was a decade-old case, things have not changed much, and recent estimates also highlight that there are between 10,000 and 12,000 Vice Presidents employed at Goldman Sachs, FourWeekMBA reported in October this year.

Reuters in November this year reported that Goldman Sachs would promote 608 executives to managing directors next year. These would be fewer than the 643 senior bankers it elevated two years ago, according to a company memo. Notably, the Wall Street firm announces managing director promotions every two years. The number of promotions this year is the lowest since Goldman promoted 465 in 2019, before the pandemic, the report added.

Similarly, on 4the July 2022, the global accounting and consulting firm EY became the latest firm to promote thousands of its employees to “partner” without offering them a share of profits, the Financial Times reported. However, outside the non-I-banking terminology, a ‘partner’ is often assumed a co-founder or large shareholder which is not the case in I-banks.   

However, this phenomenon isn’t confined to I-banks alone. According to a report from the Small Investor Protection Association, there are approximately 121,000 registered financial professionals in Canada. The majority of them, classified as dealing representatives, are essentially salespeople licensed to sell financial investments. Only about 4,000 among these registered financial professionals bear a fiduciary duty, a legal obligation to act in the best interests of their clients. 

Meanwhile, the exact figures and percentages of individuals bearing these inflated corporate titles may vary, the prevalence of fancy designations, as exemplified by Goldman Sachs, is a common practice in the sphere of investment banking. This broad trend is observed in I-banks worldwide, including those in India. This means that I-banks are plentiful of Vice-presidents, directors, and managing directors.

A consultant from a financial services company, Jerome Tillier, conducted a test and discovered a significant number of hits when searching for the keyword ‘bank vice-president’ in LinkedIn’s search box. He pointed out that this number is larger than the population of Malta. 

Similarly, when searching for the keyword ‘Vice President JP Morgan Chase’ in India, the results yield thousands of hits, featuring dozens of Vice Presidents, Managing Directors, and other senior positions available regularly.

Furthermore, in a wrongful termination lawsuit between Bank of America and an Indian-American, Padmanabhan Ramanathan, at the California Court of Appeals in 2007, the bank’s legal representation made an unusual assertion. As detailed by the California Business Litigation Blog, the counsel contended that the bank has the authority to label any employee, “including janitors, maintenance workers, everyone,” as “vice-presidents” if it so chooses. 

The assertion that a bank can make even a janitor as VP aptly explains why an Investment bank VP or MD doesn’t immediately translate to authority, experience, and command in that domain or career growth viz-a-viz equivalent title holder employed in non-I-banks. 

It is important to note that the abundance of such posts has diminished the perceived authority associated with these positions. Evidently, a vice president is the most junior of the senior bankers and, as far as clients and higher-ups are concerned, the post carries the first legitimate title. The general Hierarchical structure in an Investment bank could include Analysts followed by Associates, then VP, Senior VP, and Managing Directors. 

This begs the question: What accounts for the abundance of these fancy titles in certain fields like Investment banking?

Experts claim fancy and inflated titles are “non-cash feel good” factors and more

Foremost, Indian and India-based banks adopted a well-established practice observed in American banks, particularly investment banks (I-banks). Evidently, post-liberalisation, American banks introduced their HR norms to India, and the influence of peer pressure compelled Indian private banks and I-banks to conform to these practices.

A major reason for these inflated Corporate titles is to stoke egos. A bank executive said, “Fancy designations address a human need for validation by employers.”

The head of one of the largest MNC I-banks in India noted, “The MD designation gives social status…being an MD symbolises seniority outside.”

Another reason for so many VPs, MDs, and Directors is to make an impression on customers.

K Sudarshan is a managing partner, Asia at EMA Partners International which is a global executive search firm.

Explaining the rationale and power wielded by such fancy titles, Sudarshan said, “Designations like MD, VP are not jobs, but grades that reflect seniority. VPs are just fancy titles on visiting cards for market-facing executives… VPs are ubiquitous and the title does not mean anything and has nothing to do with the job one is doing…even the person managing in-house tech support can be called MD, technology.”

VP & Head – HR, India Factoring and Finance Solutions, Gauri Das explains that companies try to go innovative with designation, wherever required, and use it as a “retention tool”.

According to Das, another reason for fancy designation is to compensate for low payouts by giving a very high social status through designations. This is because a
fancy and inflated title does not cost money and is not necessarily linked with the paycheck, making it an easy tool for employee happiness.

As per experts, one of the reasons can also be to create a buzz on social media. Das added, “Fancy designations help you get many eyeballs.” Job titles like Customer Service Evangelist, Marketing Dynamo, Head of First Impressions (Receptionist), Opportunity Creator (Business Development), and Master of Disaster (the one who helps federal agencies with information to manage calamities) among others are an example of it.

In a sector where customer perception is crucial, a headhunter said, “A customer meeting a vice-president is going to be a bit impressed…and a company looking for an acquisition likes the idea of liaising with an MD.”

He added, “These designations are visiting card tools for banks to present a grand face to people and companies.”

Meanwhile, after her education, Mahua Moitra worked as an investment banker for Investment banking giant JP Morgan Chase in New York and London. In 2009, she quit her position as one of the vice presidents of JPMorgan Chase in London to join politics, where there were thousands of VPs in the bank.

Return of Jungle Raj in Bihar: Three people including a minor murdered in Banka, Namami Gange engineer injured in indiscriminate firing in Munger

OpIndia Staff
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Return of Jungle Raj in Bihar: Three people including a minor murdered in Banka, Namami Gange engineer injured in indiscriminate firing in Munger

The ruling coalition of Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal claimed to be the champions of good governance, however, the reality belies their lofty rhetoric as rising crime rates in the state are making people nostalgic for the era of the Jungle Raj and instilling dread that those dark days could soon return. Several such criminal cases have occurred in the state recently.

In the first incident, a 14-year-old student in 9th grade named Arun Yadav son of Bhupendra Yadav was shot dead in Jhalar village of Bandhua Kurawa police station area located in Bounsi Block on the evening of 8 December. Meanwhile, 45-year-old Kuldeep Rai who was also wounded in the firing died on the next day morning at Mayaganj Hospital during treatment. Kuldeep Rai’s 7-year-old daughter Shraddha Kumari, Arun Yadav’s 40-year-old mother Tara Devi and their 30-year-old neighbour Indu Devi are receiving care at the referral hospital.

The former head of Chilkara Panchayat Pappu Yadav and his associates reportedly committed the crime due to personal enmity. Harku Rai who is the father of Kuldeep Rai has also passed away. Arun Yadav’s uncle (father’s brother) Karthik Yadav informed the police that on the morning of 8th December Pappu Yadav had a dispute with the deceased teenager’s brother and his nephew Pankaj Yadav over parking a vehicle on the road.

The accused then arrived in the evening accompanied by his brothers Himanshu and Amar, uncles (father’s brothers) Samudra Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav and driver Doma Yadav. They began to fire in retaliation after which Arun Yadav was shot in the chest and died on the spot and injured others.

According to the relatives, six or seven rounds were fired. Police reached the village in large numbers after they received information about the occurrence. However, all the perpetrators escaped from the village till then but cops eventually apprehended one person.

There is also a rifle and pistol license in the name of Pappu Yadav. His father Prayag Yadav was also killed a decade ago in a battle for supremacy. He then obtained a weapon license. Superintendent of Police Dr Satya Prakash stated that the rivalry between the two sides was the reason behind the crime and one individual is in their custody.

Bandhua Kurawa police station in-charge Mantu Kumar revealed that the police are interrogating the arrested person. The boy’s dead body has been sent for post-mortem and the family members have not registered a case yet. However, the cops are conducting raids to nab the other offenders.

A team under the jurisdiction of Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Vipin Bihari, Bounsi police station Inspector America Ram, Bounsi police station in-charge Arvind Kumar Rai and Bandhua Kurawa police station in-charge Mantu Kumar has been created and is currently executing searches regularly.

In another instance, around 3 am on 9th December, two youths arrived in a car and asked engineer Vipin Kumar who is from Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur to halt the excavation of the road which resulted in an argument between the two parties when one of the two people took out a pistol and opened fire at the the latter. He was urgently admitted to an emergency hospital in Safiabad for treatment. It is alleged that he was shot in the knee.

According to the information, construction work is going on under Namami Gange Yojana in the Munger Municipal Corporation area. A sewage treatment plant is under construction in the city in which the road is being excavated. The victim has been transported to a private nursing home for medical care.

The Qasim Bazar police station in-charge Mintu Singh went to the hospital as soon as he heard about the occurrence and obtained information about the same. Afterwards, the authorities raided many places to arrest the accused and succeeded in capturing one of them. The police official assured that the inquiry is underway and the captured offender is being questioned.

The Nawada district of Bihar witnessed a young man mercilessly stabbed to death by criminals in broad daylight. They repeatedly attacked him with a knife thirty times after throwing chilli powder in his eyes. Rahul Kumar, a 19-year-old who lives in the Nagar police station area on Postmortem Road Shivnagar Mohalla has been confirmed as the victim. He was the only son of Vasudev Prasad and Savitri Devi who is employed at Mandal Kara jail as a Home Guard jawan.

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