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Rohit Sharma becomes the first batsman to hit 50 sixes in ODI World Cup history

OpIndia Staff
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Rohit Sharma becomes the first batsman to hit 50 sixes in ODI World Cup history

On 15th November, Rohit Sharma displayed exceptional skills and became the first batsman to hit 50 sixes in ODI World Cup history. During the high-stakes semi-final match between India and New Zealand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Sharma scored 47 off 29 balls. The previous record was held by Chris Gayle, who had 49 sixes in the World Cup. Sharma has already hit 27 sixes in the 2023 edition of the World Cup.

In his 29-ball innings, Rohit dominated the Kiwi bowlers, especially Trent Boult and Tim Southee, during the initial overs. He played aggressively and used his powerful strokes to significant effect. Sharma hit 4 sixes and 4 boundaries in his score of 47, giving India a blistering start and becoming the first batsman to hit 50 sixes in ODI World Cup history.

Rohit hit boundaries over covers and fine leg, giving India a strong start. Despite the Kiwis being recognized as one of the most consistent teams globally, Rohit expressed confidence in India’s unchanged playing XI. India chose to bat first on what Sharma described as a good but slower pitch, emphasising the importance of “controlling the controllable” in this crucial fixture. He recalled the significance of turning up on such decisive occasions.

Having accumulated 60 sixes this year before this match, Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, has also secured the record for the highest number of sixes in a calendar year. This achievement surpasses AB de Villiers, who previously held the record with 58 sixes in 2015. With 4 sixes in the match against New Zealand, Sharma has taken that tally to 64, with a month and a half still to go till the end of the year.

In the last few months, Sharma has markedly shifted the way he approached his batting, notably in ODIs, going hard at the start and scoring at an intimidating 140+ strike rate, which has, in turn, provided a cushion to the incoming batters to have eyes in and yet not significantly impact the team’s overall run-rate.

India is playing New Zealand in the first semi-final of the 2023 World Cup at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. In the previous World Cup league match against New Zealand, India defeated New Zealand by four wickets. While chasing 273 runs scored by New Zealand in 50 overs, India won the match with 12 balls left.

Jammu and Kashmir: 36 dead, 19 injured after bus falls into gorge in Doda

ANI
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Jammu and Kashmir: 36 dead, 19 injured after bus falls into gorge in Doda

 Thirty-six people died and 19 others were injured after a bus fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda on Wednesday.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed in a post on X about the 36 deaths and said that out those injured six people were said to be in a critical condition.

Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences and in a statement on ‘X’ said that the local administration is actively engaged in the rescue operation at the site of the accident.

The mishap took place as the bus carrying 55 passengers and on its way from Kishtwar to Jammu veered off the road and rolled down the steep slope near Trungal in the Assar area on the highway.

“Saddened to share the update from DC Doda Harvinder Singh from the spot of the accident. Unfortunately, 36 persons have died and 19 injured, out of whom 6 injured are serious,” Minister Singh posted on X. The Union Minister said that he had spoken to the Doda District Commissioner, Harvinder Singh and that the injured are being shifted to Government Medical College Doda.

Singh said, “Helicopter service to be arranged for shifting the more injured ones. All possible help, as required being provided. I am in constant touch”.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.

“Extremely pained by the loss of lives in a tragic bus accident in Assar, Doda. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families & wishing for a speedy recovery of those injured in the accident. Directed Div Com & Dist Admin to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons,” Sinha tweeted.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condoled the loss of lives in a post on X.

“Deeply shocked & saddened about the tragic road accident at Assar in Doda. Deepest condolences to the families of those feared dead & hope the administration expedites rescue operations,” Muft posted on X. 

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

PM Modi launches ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ by flagging of IEC vans in Jharkhand, guarantees time-bound saturation of flagship schemes

ANI
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PM Modi launches ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ by flagging of IEC vans in Jharkhand, guarantees time-bound saturation of flagship schemes

With an eye on attaining saturation of flagship schemes of the government and taking to beneficiaries in a time-bound manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Janajatiya Gaurav Divas on Wednesday launched a special initiative.

Through the initiative called ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’, the focus would be to reach out to people and create awareness and provide benefits of welfare schemes like sanitation facilities, essential financial services, electricity connections, access to LPG cylinders, housing for the poor, food security, proper nutrition, reliable healthcare, clean drinking water.

Enrolment of potential beneficiaries will be done through details ascertained during the Yatra.

Prime Minister flagged off IEC (Information, Education and Communication) vans in Khunti, Jharkhand, marking the launch of ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’. The Yatra will start from districts with significant tribal populations initially and by January 26, 2024, will cover all districts across the country.

PM Modi said that his guarantee means a guarantee of fulfilment of every guarantee. “Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra is in a way Modi’s guarantee to the poor, mothers and sisters, youth and farmers of the country.”

“Developed India Sankalp Yatra is starting from today. This yatra will start today on 15th November, the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda and will continue till 26th January next year. In this journey, the government will go to every village of the country in a mission mode, every poor and every deprived person will be made the beneficiary of government schemes,” PM Modi said.

“There are 4 pillars of developed India – First – Women of India, our women power Second – Indian farmers, our cattle rearers, fish farmers, our food providers. Third – Youth of India, our youth power Fourth – India’s middle class, India’s poor. The stronger we strengthen these 4 pillars, the higher the pillars of developed India will rise,” he said.

PM Modi added social justice can be assured only when everyone gets the benefits of government schemes equally, and in the same spirit.

“For decades, there was a lot of talk in our country about social justice and secularism. But true secularism comes only when all possibilities of discrimination against any citizen of the country are eliminated,” PM Modi said.

During the Khunti event, PM Modi also launched the first of its kind initiative – ‘Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Development Mission’.

There are 75 PVTGs in 18 States and UTs living in 22,544 villages (220 districts) having a population of around 28 lakhs.

These tribes stay in scattered, remote and inaccessible habitations, often in forest areas. The mission with a budget of about Rs 24,000 crore, is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

In addition, separately, saturation will be ensured for PMJAY, Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100% immunisation, PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, PM Poshan, PM Jan Dhan Yojana.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi on paid floral tributes to Indian tribal activist and folk hero Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary at his native village Ulihatu in the Khunti district of Jharkhand. The Prime Minister garlanded the statue of Birsa Munda and paid obeisance to the late tribal hero.

He too visited the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park and Freedom Fighter Museum in Ranchi and paid tributes to the late tribal leader this morning.

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

‘Indians are warriors at heart; for centuries, we fought off invaders to protect our homeland’: What Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal said about fighting

OpIndia Staff
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‘Indians are warriors at heart; for centuries, we fought off invaders to protect our homeland’: What Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal said about fighting

Some fight for fame, for money and recognition but there is one warrior who fights because it is in his blood. One such warrior is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Varun Sanyal, who is set to represent India at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation World Championship 2023. The IAMMF World Championship is scheduled to be held from November 20 to November 25 in Tirana, Albania.

In a video shared on his X profile on Tuesday (November 14), MMA fighter Varun Sanyal said, “I fight because it’s in my blood. Typically you see Indians as lawyers, doctors, engineers and stereotypical jobs. What people forget is that we are actually warriors at heart. For centuries we had to fight out invaders and protect our homeland. That’s why I fight to feel like going back to my roots and doing what I was born to do,” Varun said.

“Navigating cultural and societal expectations about your life is a complex task, but I’ve chosen to stray from the common path and devote myself to the violent art of fighting. Some of us fight for fame, recognition, and money. I fight because it’s in my blood,” Varun wrote in his X post.

The 2023 IMMAF World Championships will be held at the Tirana Olympic Park beginning on November 20th, with ten weight classes for male fighters ranging from Strawweight to Super Heavyweight and six for female fighters ranging from Atomweight to Lightweight.

The 24-year-old MMA fighter’s mother, Smita Barooah, took to X to share a post on her son’s coming endeavour at the 2023 IMMAF World Championships. Smita Barooah expressed her complete support for her son, even though she is not quite fond of the MMA fights. 

Indeed it is in Varun Sanyal’s blood to fight coming from a family of freedom fighters like his great granduncle Sachindranath Sanyal who devoted his life to freeing India from British colonialism and was sentenced to the infamous Port Blair Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands twice. A pioneer of armed resistance against British hegemony, Sachindranath Sanyal co-founded a branch of Anushilan Samiti in Patna in 1913.

Sachindranath Sanyal was a key figure in the Gadar party conspiracy. The conspiracy began to take mould at the commencement of World War I, between the Ghadar Party in the United States, the Berlin Committee in Germany, and the Indian revolutionaries in British India. Large quantities of weaponry and ammunition were expected to be smuggled into India to spark a pan-India anti-British revolt. However, because of organised intelligence input and a spy network, the British learned of the movement and repressed it in February 1915. Key figures were arrested, revolts in smaller units and agitated armed groups within India were also crushed.

Sanyal went underground to avoid British action and to continue the revolution. However, he was caught and sentenced to Cellular Jail, where he wrote the popular book “Bandi Jeevan” documenting his life and times as a prisoner in 1922. Following his release for a brief timeframe, Sanyal along with other revolutionaries founded the Hindustan Republican Association in October 1924. Sanyal was once again incarcerated in 1925 and sent to the Cellular prison in the Andamans for being allegedly involved in a Kakori conspiracy involving train robbery on August 9, 1925, to gain funds and support from Indians for the HRA. Following his incarceration, Sanyal’s ancestral home in Varanasi was seized by the British authorities.

Other than Sachindranath Sanyal many of his family members continued to struggle for Bharat’s freedom and even went to jail while doing so. As mentioned on the memorial to martyred freedom fighters from Bengali Tola Inter-College in Varanasi, Sachindrnath Sanyal, Jitendra Nath Sanyal and Rabindranath Sanyal were sentenced to jail for involvement in various armed conspiracies against the British oppressors. Nalinaksha Sanyal and his elder brother Anadi Kant Sanyal had also devoted their life to the freedom struggle.

Notably, MMA fighter Varun Sanyal is the son of economist and author Sanjeev Sanyal. Sanjeev Sanyal has authored many best-selling books and also served as the Principal Economic Advisor to the Indian government. Several noted works of Sanjeev Sanyal include Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom and Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History.

Tahreek Muslim Shabban, which believes ‘Sharia is above life’, supports Congress in Telangana to defeat T Raja: Demands, protest against Nupur Sharma and more

Anurag
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Tahreek Muslim Shabban, which believes ‘Sharia is above life’, supports Congress in Telangana to defeat T Raja: Demands, protest against Nupur Sharma and more

On 14th November, Hyderabad-based Muslim organisation Tahreek Muslim Shabban (TMS) officially announced its support for Congress in the upcoming 2023 Telangana Assembly Elections. The organisation’s president, Mushtaq Mallik, extended support to the Congress party at a press conference and tabled a 13-point “Charter of Demands of Muslims of Telangana” to the state’s political parties. The organisation first released the charter in August 2023.

Source: X

Reports suggest that Telangana Congress in-charge Manikarao Thakre, Secretary Mansoor Ali Khan and others met the organisation’s leaders to discuss the charter. The organisation said it would not support Congress in six constituencies: Bodhan, Bahadurpura, Yakutpura, Chandrangutta, Goshamahal and Charminar.

Furthermore, the organisation desired to “defeat the hatred” and “blasphemous” candidate of the BJP from Goshamahal. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) firebrand MLA T Raja Singh is from Goshamahal. He will contest the elections from the same seat in the 2023 elections. In 2022, he was suspended from the party pending inquiry after an alleged speech against Prophet Mohammed. However, his suspension was revoked before announcing candidates for the assembly elections in Telangana. T Raja Singh is one of the most famous leaders of BJP in the poll-bound southern state and the most vocal against Islamist violence.

The Charter of demands

As per media reports, the list of demands includes various requests such as the restoration of the reimbursement scheme, implementation of overseas scholarships for Muslims, a budget of Rs 500 for the economic development of Muslims by Minority Finance Corporation, the establishment of Waqf Commissionerate and its Judicial powers, economic empowerment of Muslim women, development of slums in Old City, 8% reservation for Muslims in education and employment, protection of mosques and graveyards, monthly honorarium to imams and muezzins, appointment of Muslims in government jobs including police, judiciary, revenue, health and universities, promotion and development of Urdu language, and development of the Urdu academy. Furthermore, the organisation has also demanded the preservation of the heritage building of Osmania General Hospital Nizamia Medical College and the implementing of the Muslim Bandhu scheme.

The controversial history of Tahreek Muslim Shabban

TMS has a controversial history. The organisation has organised several pro-Hamas protests since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. Furthermore, it has opposed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), CAA and NRC.

In October 2023, Mallik was put under house arrest after calling for a rally against Israel’s attack on Hamas. The rally was scheduled from Yakutpura Bada Bazaar to Darulshufa Ground on 27th October. However, Mallik was put under house arrest on the morning of the rally. TMS later called off the rally.

A few days before the call for a protest march, TMS said in a post on Facebook that Israel was killing innocent Palestinians and in future if someone picked up weapons against Israel, he would be called a terrorist. Interestingly, there was not even a single post by TMS condemning the terrorist attack of Hamas on Israel on 7th October in which at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed.

In July 2023, TMS organised an all-party roundtable meeting in Hyderabad against UCC. They called Muslim organisations and other civil society groups to join hands against the UCC. In a statement, Mallik claimed that the central government was stereotyping Muslims and called for intensive movement against UCC. He also gave the slogan “Jaan Se Badh Kar Shariat”, which literally translates to “Shariah above life”. He claimed that UCC was against all communities except certain sections with vested interests.

In June 2022, Mallik was booked by Chaderghat Police for promoting enmity and hatred. The suo moto case was filed against him over a social media post where he had appealed to Muslims to join a protest at Dharna Chowk. The FIR against Mallik was registered under Sections 153A, 295A and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Mallik had called for a protest against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed. Following the case registered against him, Mallik converted the protest into a public meeting at Chanchalguda Junior College.

TMS ran a campaign against Nupur Sharma and organised several rallies and protests. The organisation called for her arrest and deemed the statement as “Gustakhi Na Khabil-e-Bardash” that translates to “Mistake that cannot be forgiven”.

In January 2020, TMS called for protests against CAA-NPR-NRC. During a press conference following an all-party meeting in Hyderabad, Mallik announced that Muslims would never submit documents to prove their origin or domicile. He said, “We are Indians. The Constitution and law have bestowed liberty, for its strength, we will strive constantly. We will never file NPR and NRC forms at any cost. We are citizens of this country, and a communal government cannot seek evidence of our citizenship. We announce that we will not file the forms. May Almighty help us and protect us.”

Provoking Muslims against NRC, Mallik said, “If someone thinks that if he files a ‘form’ or provides family lineage information, he will be secure, he should analyse the NRC exercise. He will be astonished to see that a father’s name appeared in the register while his son could not find his name. Wives of many people could not prove their domicile. In many cases, fathers are in detention centres, and their children are freed or vice versa.”

TMS, just like other Muslim organisations and left-liberals, provoked Muslims against CAA, NPR and NRC. Interestingly, CAA has nothing to do with Indian Muslims. It was passed by the Central Government to fast-track citizenship of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists who took shelter in India before 2014 to save themselves from religious prosecution in neighbouring Islamic countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Government of India did not issue drafts for NPR and NRC during that period. Without the draft, Muslim organisations like TMS provoked Muslims based on their imaginations. The unnecessary provocation against CAA-NRC led to anti-Hindu riots in Delhi in February 2020.

Interestingly, Mallik calls AIMIM’s chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, a BJP agent. It is evident that the reason behind such categorisation is because of his leaning towards Congress. During the Hijab controversy in Karnataka, Mallik attacked AIMIM for campaigning in the UP while the controversy was at its peak in Karnataka. He claimed that is was because of Owaisi that BJP won in UP as he divided votes in the voters-wise largest state of the country.

Not a pin was manufactured? Indians remind Congress leader how Nehru destroyed Indian industries in his socialism zeal after Independence

Siddhi Somani
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Not a pin was manufactured? Indians remind Congress leader how Nehru destroyed Indian industries in his socialism zeal after Independence

On the occasion of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru‘s birth anniversary on Tuesday (14th November), Congress MP KC Venugopal sang praises of the leader saying that he was the one who built a ‘modern India’. He said that before Nehru took over the regime, India was struggling with industrial growth and that Nehru was the one who boosted the industrial and manufacturing sector in India post-independence.

“Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is the architect of modern India. When he took over the reins of India’s destiny, not a pin was manufactured in India. But instead of blaming the past, cursing his predecessors, and making excuses, he rolled up his sleeves and built our modern republic,” KC Venugopal said on Twitter.

The leader was so engrossed in praising Nehru on his birth anniversary that he falsely credited the latter for executing several developmental strides be it through PSUs, the Green Revolution, or modern educational institutions. “In a neighborhood where ethnic conflict and authoritarian rule is commonplace when many in the West doubted whether we would survive as a democratic and secular republic, it was Nehru ji’s efforts of building a democratic ethos that stood the test of time. Today, as India is in a difficult place with a fascist regime in power in New Delhi, it is Nehru’s path that we must always walk on,” the MP added.

The post written by Congress MP KC Venugopal was, however, criticized by several netizens who said that crediting Nehru for the things he has not done was inappropriate. One of the users mentioned that Nehru was never the architect of India, instead, he was the architect of the license-quota Raj that stifled entrepreneurship and encouraged crony capitalism.

“Nehru was the architect of license-quota Raj that stifled entrepreneurship & encouraged crony capitalism India was the richest country in Asia in 1947 after the War By 1964, India was left behind by others in Asia & by 1980 poorer than others, all due to Nehru’s PanchBhool policies (5-year plans),” the user added.

Meanwhile, another user listed several leading industries in India that had been established in the 19th century, like Birla, Tata, Dabur, Britania, Godrej, Bajaj and Dalmia, years before Nehru became the Prime Minister of India for the first time in the year 1947. He said that the industries were leading the economy and that Nehru had hardly done anything to boost industrial growth.

Another user pointed out that the Congress MP was giving unnecessary credit to Nehru for bringing the Green Revolution to India. She said that the Green Revolution started and gained momentum in India years after Nehru had died and that the Congress’s 41 years of rule in India had led the country to become almost bankrupt in the 20th century. “His socialist policies screwed our industry and after 41 years of his and his family’s rule India was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1991,” the user was quoted as saying.

Green Revolution started in India in 1965-66, during the tenure of Lal Bahadur Shastri as the Prime Minister, after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru. The modernisation of agriculture was continued during the term of PM Indira Gandhi after Shashtri.

Some users also wished that Nehru should never have become the first, unelected Prime Minister of the country. They said that Nehru has been the root cause of all the problems that are faced by India even today.

How Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India

Notably, 134 years since his birth, Nehru remains a pertinent, contentious, and frequently mentioned figure in contemporary Indian politics. He was the first, unelected Prime Minister of India and that happened only because of the interference of MK Gandhi. After India gained independence, the Congress party was set to dissolve as its only purpose back then was to liberate India from British rule. Once that goal was accomplished, the organization had no existential purpose. 

The dissolution of the party was suggested by Gandhi but his advice was ignored by Nehru. He believed that the Congress party had a brand value and that it could be used for the ‘betterment’ of the country. In the year after the independence, Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Acharya Kripalani were candidates for the internal elections held by the Congress to elect India’s Prime Minister. While Sardar Patel was about to be elected as India’s first Prime Minister, Gandhi interfered and asked him to withdraw from the election, extending support to Nehru. Later Kripalini also withdrew and this is how Nehru became the first, unelected Prime Minister of the independent India.

Later, several Congress leaders including Maulana Azad, C. Rajagopalachari, etc publicly mentioned that it would have been better if Nehru had been asked to be the Foreign Minister and Patel was made the Prime Minister. The following are some of Nehru’s failures as Prime Minister, the consequences of which India suffers to this very day.

Creation of the Kashmir issue

After India’s partition, Pakistan established a tribal militia attack to annex Kashmir. While the Indian army was on track to force the Pakistani intruders out of Kashmir, Nehru walked towards the United Nations, disregarding all the local advice. He thus snatched defeat from the jaws of success. Pakistan continues to claim that the very fact that Nehru had referred to the UN indicates that Kashmir is a disputed territory. The issue is still unresolved and has resulted in significant bloodshed to this day. 

Rejected a permanent seat at the UN

To avoid conflict with China, Nehru turned down offers from the United States and the Soviet Union to replace China on the UN Security Council. Having a permanent seat at the UN would have improved India’s global standing. The fact that it was offered without reservations but rejected makes this a disastrous blunder. Notably, Nehru’s goal of cordial relations with China remains unachieved to this day.

43,000 sq km of land captured by China in Aksai Chin

According to classified documents, Nehru’s friendship with China was not reciprocated. China referred to Nehru as a “lackey” of the British and Americans and used derogatory language against India at the United Nations. Nehru misread China’s intentions and did not anticipate Mao’s invasion of India in 1962.

Worse, he allowed his incorrect assumption to have an impact on India’s defense preparedness, breaking a simple life principle of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Over 3,250 Indian soldiers were killed. In Aksai Chin, India lost approximately 43,000 square kilometers to China. China remains a significant issue for India even today. 

Nehru did not implement universal primary education

The first IIT was established by Nehru in the year 1950. Despite the establishment of institutes such as the IIT and IIM during his tenure, Nehru did not prioritize universal literacy and mass education. This is noteworthy given the widespread illiteracy in the country at the time. A lack of education is frequently an impediment to economic and social advancement. According to his biographer Judith Brown, this was his greatest failure.

Notably, till the year 2014, India had only 16 IITs, 9 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and 13 IIMs. However, after the Modi government came into power in the year 2014, 6 new IIT institutes, 16 new IIITs, and 7 new IIMs were established giving a major boost to the promoting and implementation of universal primary education in India.

Favoured socialism

For centuries, India has had a free-market economy based on trade and private enterprise. Nehru, on the other hand, famously stated that “profit is a dirty word.” Nehru followed the Soviet model of economic policies, in which the government ran businesses ranging from industries to hotels. Taxes were high to ensure that ordinary citizens had little wealth and were reliant on the state. The entrepreneurial spirit was also discouraged.

These policies increased income inequality and supported crony capitalism. They were also responsible for poisoning the minds of ordinary Indians, leading them to believe that entrepreneurs were immoral. It also resulted in the demonization of wealth and success.

Rejected Nepal’s and Balochistan’s offer to join India

Nehru rejected Nepal’s King Bikram Shah’s offer of making Nepal a province of India. Nehru’s ground for rejection was that Nepal was an
independent nation and must remain so. He also turned down an offer from Mir Ahmadyar Khan, the “King” or Khan of Kalat, for Balochistan to join India. Once again, Nehru failed to recognize the strategic significance of Balochistan, which continues to suffer from severe human rights violations under Pakistan.

Further, some of the claims made by KC Venugopal regarding giving credit to Nehru for the Green Revolution and the manufacturing sector seem dubious as several leading manufacturing companies were established in India years before Nehru became the unelected, first Prime Minister of India. The Birla, now the Aditya Birla Group, a conglomerate company was founded in the year 1857, the Tata Group was founded as a private trading firm in 1868, Dabur India Ltd. in 1884, Britannia in the year 1892, Godrej in 1897 and Bajaj group in 1926, etc.

These companies were a prominent part of the Indian economy back then and continue to rule over the markets even today. KC Venugopal even mentioned that “we owe much of our developmental strides to Nehru that happened through PSUs, Green revolution and modern education.”

Green revolution spanned after Nehru’s death

It is worth noting that in India, the Green Revolution was led by M. S. Swaminathan who was an Indian agronomist and agricultural scientist. Beginning in the mid-20th century, the introduction of new, high-yielding variety seeds into developing countries resulted in a significant increase in food grain production (particularly wheat and rice). The Green Revolution transformed India from a food-deficient country to one of the world’s leading agricultural nations.

Notably, the revolution spanned from year 1967-68 to 1977-78 which was almost three years after Nehru’s death. Jawaharlal Nehru died in the year 1964 and the Green Revolution is said to have spanned from the year 1967. In such circumstances, KC Venugopal crediting Nehru for the things he was hardly any part of is bound to attract criticism.

Jawaharlal Nehru may be remembered as one of the country’s ‘most capable and ablest’ leaders. But his grave mistakes of creating the Kashmir issue, ignoring corruption, abolishing Hindu personal laws, supporting China, rejecting support to Nepal, and Balochistan, opposing the restoration of Somnath Temple, and leading India to bankruptcy by 1991 can never be forgotten.

Therefore, the current Congress praising and lauding Nehru for furthering India’s economic, social, and industrial growth is factually incorrect. Moreover, the Congress leaders at present pledging to walk on the path of Nehru could prove disastrous for India’s future given the upcoming elections scheduled in the year 2024.

After complaining about Hindus allegedly boycotting Muslims, Al Jazeera glorifies Indian Muslims boycotting American and Israeli products over Gaza war

OpIndia Staff
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After complaining about Hindus allegedly boycotting Muslims, Al Jazeera glorifies Indian Muslims boycotting American and Israeli products over Gaza war

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, a video by Al Jazeera English emerged on Tuesday (14th November) which showed how Muslim shopkeepers in India are boycotting American and Israeli products like Pepsi and Coca-Cola to support the so-called Palestinian cause. Shopkeepers, families, and even a 9-year-old kid were seen ‘supporting’ Palestine through this economic boycott.

Notably, Al Jazeera seems to be glorifying the boycott of Israeli and American products by Indian Muslims, the same media house which had earlier complained about Hindus allegedly boycotting Muslim businesses.

According to the video by Al Jazeera, Muslim shopkeepers in India are no longer selling Israeli and US products to show support for Palestinians in Gaza. A shop Mohammad Nadeem showed in this video said, “Our income will be decreased a bit. We can’t really fight them, but we can boycott their economy.” The fridge in Mohammad Nadeem’s store did not show any cold drinks like Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Additionally, there was a chart on the counter of the shop displaying the brands to be boycotted by Muslims.

The chart has a long list of products boycotted by Muslim shopkeepers, including Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Cadbury, Kitkat, Nestle, Nescafe, Toblerone, Puma, HP, Siemens, Maybelline, Johnsons, Lifebuoy, McDonald, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Subway, KFC, Loreal, Baskin Robbin, Levis, Tide, Ariel, Colgate and many others.

It is interesting to note that some of the products listed are not American or Israeli products, like Nestle, Puma, Siemens, Lifebuoy (Unilever) etc, and many are restaurant chains and not products sold at retail stores.

According to this video, a boycott has been started as a movement in various Muslim-dominated areas in the country and many families are boycotting the products manufactured by the companies mentioned in the boycott list. This video also identifies 9-year-old Asher Imtiyaz as a ‘boycott participant’. He said, “After I heard this, I stopped buying these products. Iconic brands which we used to love as children have become violent. The money they are using is supporting the Israeli government. And I don’t want any more wars, any more violence to happen. We need to stop buying these products to save Gaza.”

Another boycotter Nikhat Rehman said, “This is our small contribution because we the common public here don’t have any other way to show our support. So, I thought if we boycott Israeli and American products in this way, it will be a small contribution from us for the people over there.” However, she did not specifically tell why she wanted to give this small contribution to the people of Gaza and in what way she is related to the Gazans although she lives in India.

The shopkeeper Mohammad Nadeem in this propaganda video also underlined how Muslims in India have become aware of this cause and how the demand for the blacklisted brands is reducing. He said, “The demand that used to exist earlier has also disappeared now. When we boycott this, it will have an impact somewhere, and it has already.” Al Jazeera also falsely accused the Indian government of cracking down on pro-Palestine protests by Muslims in India and supporting pro-Israel demonstrations.

Notorious Islamist hatemonger Sharjeel Usmani is also seen in this video. He said, “First of all, protesting here, in itself is a battle. Clashes with the police, imprisonment, and legal cases. Recently, students at Aligarh Muslim University protested in support of Palestine and as a result, FIRs were filed against four of them.” The report from Al Jazeera also falsely claims that Muslims in India are under attack by what it called far-right supporters of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party BJP.

This movement of Muslims in India boycotting ‘Jewish’ products has come weeks after Pakistanis and Islamists in other Muslim countries across the globe started boycotting various companies and their products either because they are owned by Jews or because they are owned by Americans who in turn support Israel.

The boycott is taken as a way to underline their commitment priority to the Islamic Ummah over anything else. Earlier, a Muslim woman named Amina Shaikh was seen outside the Palestinian embassy in New Delhi. She was demanding a visa for Palestine so that she could go and help her fellow Muslims allegedly under attack in Gaza.

One of the Pakistani X handles wrote, “Turkey removes Coca-Cola and Nestle products from cafeterias and restaurants inside parliament because the companies allegedly ‘support Israel.”

The list of boycotted companies and products is as long as it can be. The noted brands included in this boycott list are Nestle, McDonald’s, Snickers, Tide, Tang, Lays, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Puma, HP, etc.

However, it is notable that the Pakistani cricket team that played the ICC Cricket World Cup in India had a Pepsi logo on their jersey as Pepsi was the main sponsor of the Pakistani cricket team. They did not boycott it during the World Cup matches when the Israel Hamas was going on.

Al Jazeera had complained about the alleged boycott of Muslims in India

While Qatari media house Al Jazeera is now glorifying Indian Muslims for boycotting American and Israeli products, the same media house had earlier talked about the economic hardship faced by Muslims after boycott calls by Hindus. The media house had said that Muslims are being targeted in India after some villages in Haryana issued letters boycotting Muslims following the Nuh violence.

Gun violence in USA claims another Indian life, doctorate student Aaditya Adlakha shot dead in Cincinnati

OpIndia Staff
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Gun violence in USA claims another Indian life, doctorate student Aaditya Adlakha shot dead in Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s colleagues and staff are honouring the memory of an Indian doctorate candidate who was reportedly shot and discovered inside a car on the Western Hills Viaduct on 9 November. The 26-year-old Aaditya R. Adlakha died at UC Medical Center, according to the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.

Aaditya was found shot inside his car at the intersection of the Western Hills Viaduct and Central Parkway early morning before sunrise and declared dead on the morning of 11 November. On the fateful day, he was driving on the Western Hills Viaduct at about 6:20 a.m. when the gunfire erupted and struck his four-wheeler several times. The driver’s side window had at least three bullet holes in it. Shot Spotter recorded 12 bullets fired, per police radio traffic.

He was discovered by Cincinnati Police just before 6:30 a.m. in a white Toyota Prius suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Cincinnati Police Department acknowledged that the shooting victim had passed away, but they withheld any further details.

Passing motorists notified about a vehicle with bullet holes in it and a shot person inside to 911, based on authorities. Aaditya Adlakha was transported to the UC Medical Center where his condition remained critical for several days. No arrests have been made till now.

He was employed by Cincinnati Children’s in the Division of Pain Management’s Department of Anesthesiology. He was a fourth-year doctoral student in the molecular and developmental biology graduate program. He came to Cincinnati from north India to continue his education in medicine. He was awarded a grant and stipend last year to assist with a study on ulcerative colitis.

Aaditya Adlakha graduated from Ramjas College of the University of Delhi in New Delhi with a bachelor’s degree in zoology in 2018 after which he passed from All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi with a master’s in physiology in 2020. He enrolled at UC’s doctoral program in the fall of the same year and was scheduled to complete his doctorate in 2025.

Dr. Andrew T. Filak Jr., senior vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine released a statement which read, “Today, you might have seen news reports of his sudden, tragic and senseless death. Those who knew him, along with fellow students and others who may not have had the fortune to have met Aaditya, may experience a wide variety of reactions, which are understandable and expected.”

It further mentioned, “Grief has no timeline. We need to care for ourselves and each other as we mourn the loss of Aaditya and remember him as a friend, student and colleague. He was much-loved, exceedingly kind and humorous, intelligent and sharp, whose research was described as novel and transformative. The focus of his work was to better understand neuroimmune communication and how neuroimmune interactions might contribute to pain and the inflammatory landscape in ulcerative colitis.”

The statement added, “As a college and as Aaditya’s academic home, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and to those who knew him as a friend and colleague.”

Aaditya Adlakha started serving as secretary for the university’s Health Sciences Graduate Association in August 2022. It was through this association that he was able to obtain funding for his summer research project in the Jankowski Lab, “Immunomodulatory Role of Nociceptive Neurons in Ulcerative Colitis,” through the University Research Council Graduate Student Stipend and Research Cost Program for Faculty-Student Collaboration Award.

Anirudh Chhabre, former president of the Indian Student Association who resided in the same building as the deceased voiced, “It also is kind of demotivating, like, OK, do we really want to, like, put our life at risk, you know, to be able to get like quality education? Because I don’t think education should have like, you know, stressors like these come along with it.”

Aaditya Adlakha’s neighbour in his Clifton apartment building pointed out she worked in the lab next door to his at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, but she declined to be interviewed. She called him a really kind and optimistic individual. The distance between his residential building and the crime scene is roughly two miles.

In an email to students of the institution, UC informed that Aaditya Adlakha had passed away and that he would “always be a Bearcat” (football program) while also offering counseling to anyone who might require it. It is uncertain if he was shot on Central Parkway or on the viaduct, but per Cincinnati municipal data, this was the first shooting there since 2016. Moreover, the motive behind the occurrence is unclear. 

According to city figures, there have been 298 gunshots in Cincinnati as of November 3. There were 370 instances in the city at the same time frame in 2022. The police are still looking for information in this case and they have asked anyone with any tips to give Crime Stoppers a call at the number provided. All calls and tips can be made anonymously.

British paper uses ‘WhatsApp forward’ to say India has forced ICC to use a slow pitch for WC semifinal, Sagarika Ghose amplifies this rumour

OpIndia Staff
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British paper uses ‘WhatsApp forward’ to say India has forced ICC to use a slow pitch for WC semifinal, Sagarika Ghose amplifies this rumour

India’s nine wins in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 have given them the greatest winning run in a World Cup edition. Following their victory against the Netherlands on Sunday, November 12, they are now the heavy favourites at evens to win the 2023 Cricket World Cup on home soil.

At such a time, when the men in blue are all geared up to take on New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ongoing World Cup, a report by British news outlet The Daily Mail has stirred up a huge controversy by levelling baseless accusations of ‘pitch-switching’ against BCCI and the Indian cricket team based on a ‘WhatsApp forward’.

The Daily Mail on November 14 published an exclusive report which was based on a ‘WhatsApp forward,’ accusing BCCI of changing the pitch for the upcoming semifinal without the permission of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and individuals like senior ‘journalist’ Sagarika Ghose only went on to amplify the rumour by sharing the unsubstantiated claim without bothering to verify it.

On November 15, a day after The Daily Mail published its report claiming that the India Cricket Team, BCCI had unilaterally changed the pitch for their team’s semi-final against New Zealand on Wednesday in Mumbai, controversial ‘journalist’ Sagarika Ghose turned to X to level the same accusation on India, while giving credit to the British media house.

With a photo of the Indian cricket team, the BBCI logo, and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, Ghose captioned the post, “India accused of “stitch up” in #WorldCup2023 semi-final,” giving credit to The Daily Mail.

SS of Sagarika Ghose’s post on X

BCCI has, however, vehemently denied allegations of defying rules and changing pitches to suit Team India in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. 

Notably, the Cricket World Cup found itself embroiled in controversy on November 14 after the British news outlet The Daily Mail published a report titled, “EXCLUSIVE: Cricket World Cup STORM as India are accused of switching the pitch for semi-final clash with New Zealand in Mumbai against ICC agreement to aid their spinners.” The archive version of the report can be viewed here.

In its report, the British media outlet reported that the BCCI has changed the pitch for the upcoming semifinal without the permission of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The report also stated that India would do the same if they qualified for the final.

According to the Daily Mail, the semi-final match, initially slated to be played on an entirely fresh surface (pitch No. 7) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, has reportedly been moved to pitch No. 6, which has already hosted two matches in the group stage.

The report accused that the move had been made in order to assist Indian spinners against the Kiwis.

The report also mentioned that after the opening match between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, the next three matches at the venue were not played on the pre-selected surface, which led to Atkinson writing an email to the ICC. It further alleged that the pitch to be used for the final on November 19 has also been switched to the one that will spin more and that the BCCI and the Gujarat Cricket Association pointed fingers at each other after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) pitch consultant asked who allowed the change.

The foreign media outlet acknowledged in its report that it relied on a “WhatsApp forward” to support its assertion.

It read, “A WhatsApp message circulated on Tuesday to a group of more than 50 BCCI and ICC officials confirmed that the first semi-final had been moved to pitch No 6, which has already staged games between England and South Africa, plus India and Sri Lanka.”

An excerpt from the report published by The Daily Mail on November 14

It is a well-known fact that WhatsApp messages are often forwarded without any fact-checking or verification, making it possible for incorrect or misleading information to proliferate swiftly and readily. Strangely enough, the British media outlet thought that it would be acceptable to use a WhatsApp forward to level such a serious charge against the Indian cricket body. However, what is even more peculiar, is that Sagarika Ghose—who touts herself as an experienced journalist and is the daughter-in-law of seasoned Indian cricket star Dilip Sardesai—did not also think it necessary to independently verify the unsupported claim before sharing it publicly.

‘I’m much more grateful for today’s situation, Kashmir is not Gaza’: Shehla Rashid lauds PM Modi, Amit Shah for ensuring ‘bloodless’ political solution

OpIndia Staff
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‘I’m much more grateful for today’s situation, Kashmir is not Gaza’: Shehla Rashid lauds PM Modi, Amit Shah for ensuring ‘bloodless’ political solution

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) alumna Shehla Rashid has commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for securing a “bloodless” political resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. She lauded the two leaders in a snippet shared by news agency ANI. The whole interview is scheduled to be released later on 15 November.

The former JNU student was questioned if her sympathies were with the stone pelters at that stage to which she replied, “In 2010, yes” and further elaborated, “But today when I see it, I am much more grateful for today’s situation. Kashmir is not Gaza, it has become clear that Kashmir is not Gaza, because Kashmir was just involved in these back-and-forth protests and sporadic incidents of insurgency and infiltrations.”

She also credited PM Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah’s initiatives for the developments that have occurred in Jammu and Kashmir. “All of those things, somebody needed to break the ice, and for that, I would like to credit the present government, especially the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. They have ensured a political solution to it, which I would say is bloodless.”

Shehla Rashid also discussed the changes that occurred at Jawaharlal Nehru University and the damage inflicted on the institution following the anti-India protests on the campus and the arrests of radical Muslim and former research scholar Umar Khalid and then JNU Student Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on charges of criminal conspiracy and sedition related to the anti-Hindu riots in northeast Delhi.

She mentioned, “It was not just a life changer for the three of us, the entire university’s life, the entire university sort of suffered the consequences of that incident because there was so much backlash against anything to do with JNU. So overnight, from being an elite university, the queen of liberal arts and social sciences, etc., JNU became a slur. It was almost like a cuss word. What are the usual slogans in JNU,” she asked and added “Lal Salam. No such slogans as ‘Bharat Tere Tukde Honge’ have ever been raised at JNU.”

Notably, this is not the first time that Shehla Rashid has openly come in support of the actions of the Modi government. She recently praised India’s firm stand on the Israel-Palestine conflict and wrote, “While narratives & counter-narratives muddy the waters, India’s clear and principled stance emphasises the basics. Proud that Dr S Jaishankar an alumnus of our University is leading India’s foreign policy under PM Narendra Modi.”

Shehla Rashid asserted that she was “saying good things about some of the government’s initiatives” because “they are true.” She voiced, “Polarisation demands that we oppose something/someone just for the sake of it. But rationality demands otherwise.”

Shehla Rashid also expressed gratitude for being an Indian and posted, “Looking at the events in the Middle East, today I realise how lucky we are as Indians. The Indian Army and security forces have sacrificed their everything for our safety.” She tagged the Offices of the Prime Minister and Home Minister respectively, Lieutenant Governor of J and K Manoj Sinha and the Indian Army and credited them “for bringing peace in Kashmir.”

Referring to the unrest in the Middle East, Shehla Rashid additionally conveyed her gratitude to the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police for making numerous sacrifices to uphold peace in the Kashmir valley.

Shehla Rashid commended the leadership of the PM Modi government and LG Manoj Sinha administration for improving the human rights record in Kashmir and stated, “By a purely utilitarian calculus, the government’s clear stance has helped save lives overall. That’s my angle.”

It is important to note that Shehla Rashid, who was once vehemently opposed to the Centre, is now frequently seen taking a stand for the country and endorsing the policies of the Modi government, particularly in light of the revocation of Article 370.

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