A bodycam video of a Seattle police Department union leader has gone viral on social media. He was heard joking about the death of an Indian student by a police cruiser as she was crossing a street. 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula was killed in the accident on 23rd January 2023. Kevin Dave was the officer whose speeding car had hit Kandula, resulting in her death. Kandula was from Andhra Pradesh.
As per the reports, Dave was driving his car at 119 KMPH (74 MPH) while responding to an overdose call. On his way to the scene, he hit Kandula, who was crossing the road. Daniel Auderer, a drug recognition expert, was assigned to the case to evaluate if Dave was impaired. Following the accident, Auderer called the guild President, Mike Solan, to inform him what happened.
Initially, Auderer reported the officer was driving his car at 50 MPH and was not “out of control”. However, later, the police investigation found that the car was at 74 MPH when it hit Jaahnvi. She was thrown over 100 feet away.
The recording of the bodycam was released on Monday by the Seattle police department. In the video, Auderer could be heard laughing and suggesting that Kandula was 26, and her life had “limited value” and that the city should just “write a cheque” worth USD 11,000.
In a statement, the police department said that the video was identified “in the routine course of business by a department employee, who, concerned about the nature of statements heard on that video, appropriately escalated their concerns through their chain of command to the Chief’s Office which, following a review of the video, referred the matter to OPA for investigation into the context in which those statements were made and any policy violation that might be implicated.”
Assistant Director of Operations at the Office of Police Accountability Katie Maier said in a statement that the office received a complaint on 2nd August from an employee with the Seattle Police Department, and an investigation was initiated into the matter.
In the video, Auderer said, “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway… She had limited value.” Notably, Kandula was 23 at the time of the accident. Solan’s remarks were not recorded in the video. In a written statement provided by Auderer to Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability, he said Solan had lamented the death. He further claimed that his comments were “intended to mimic” how the city’s attorneys might try to minimize the liability for Kandula’s death.
According to KTTH-AM host Jason Rantz, who obtained a copy of the written statement, Auderer wrote, “I intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers. I laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and how I watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy.”
The station further reported that Auderer acknowledged anyone listening to his statement without context to the conversation would “rightfully believe I was being insensitive to the loss of human life.” Auderer claimed to have reported himself to the accountability office after “realizing his statement was recorded”.
Kandula was supposed to get her master’s degree in information systems from the Seattle campus of Northeastern University in December 2023. Her body was transferred to India for the last rites by her uncle Ashok Mandula, who lives in Houston. Speaking to Seattle Times, Mandula said, “The family has nothing to say except I wonder if these men’s daughters or granddaughters have value. A life is a life.”
In July, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office released bodycam footage of Kevin Dave on the public records request of Fox 13. In the video released by Fox 13, Dave could be seen performing CPR as the first responders started showing up at the scene. Dave could be seen passing red lights at high speeds slowing down periodically when he hit Kandula.
In a bodycam video of another officer, Dave was heard saying, “Lights were on. I was chirping the sirens.… she was in the crosswalk. She saw me, she started running through the crosswalk. Slammed on my breaks. Started staying back where she should before crossing. I can have a hundred minutes. I could have… there’s nothing for me to do right now but sit. And that is the f–king worst thing that…you just have to sit here. So many questions that are unanswered, so many questions.”
The Seattle Police Department said they are in touch with Kandula’s family as part of the investigation.
On Tuesday (12 September), the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Harsh Sanghavi granted permanent citizenship to 108 Hindus who had migrated to India from neighbouring nations—Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—after facing religious persecution in those Islamic countries.
In a special program organized by the Ahmedabad district administration, Sanghavi awarded a “Certificate of Indian Citizenship” to the 108 Hindus who migrated to India and are currently residing in Ahmedabad.
? In a program held in Ahmedabad, 108 applicants from the Ahmedabad district, who migrated from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to India, were presented with the "Certificate of Indian Citizenship."
During the event, the Minister congratulated all those who received Indian citizenship and stated, “How are you all? Smile, as now you are Indian citizens.” He added that we all must work together to realise the dream of a new India.
He said, “I expect you all to be determined to participate in the development journey of the country.”
He also assured everyone that they would feel safe in Gujarat and would enjoy all the rights of a citizen, including the ability to access government benefits and schemes.
Minister Sanghavi also mentioned that a Diwali-like festive atmosphere will prevail in the 108 households in Ahmedabad who have been awarded Indian citizenship certificates today. He likened the joy of receiving Indian citizenship to that experienced when a child is born into a family.
Additionally, he emphasised that today, the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning “the world is one family,” has truly come to life.
Referring to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, he stated that both leaders have made repeated efforts to grant Indian citizenship to those who have been religiously persecuted minorities and their dependents in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
He added that it is a result of those efforts that today 108 Hindus have been able to receive citizenship. He further asserted that the Central and State Governments have always been committed to integrating the displaced citizens into the mainstream of society and the Government is also determined to resolve the issues of their daily lives.
During the event, the Minister of State for Home Affairs also informed that so far more than 1149 Hindu expatriates have been granted Indian citizenship in Ahmedabad.
Afterward, he congratulated the Collector of Ahmedabad and the entire administrative team for materialising the same.
It is pertinent to note that earlier gazettes published in 2016 and 2018 empowered the Collectors of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Kutch-TRS districts in Gujarat to grant Indian citizenship to minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians) from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, following the procedures outlined in the Citizenship Act.
Following the arrest of Gaurakshak Monu Manesar earlier in the day, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has released an official response accusing the Rajasthan government of playing vote bank politics. Working President of VHP, Alok Kumar has claimed that some time ago Rajasthan Police had considered him innocent and added that the arrest of Monu Manesar was carried out to appease the Muslim vote bank.
“Arresting an innocent Gau Rakshak for vote bank politics would cost the Rajasthan government dearly. He also assured that VHP will help Gaurakshak Monu Manesar in every way including staging a protest against his arrest.
Taking to X, he said, “Innocent cow devotee Monu Manesar has been arrested by Rajasthan Police, whereas some time ago Rajasthan Police had considered him innocent, cow devotee Monu has been arrested for the Muslim vote bank in the elections, which will cost them a lot. Vishwa Hindu Parishad will help cow devotee Monu Manesar in every way and if necessary will also protest.”
निर्दोष गौभक्त मोनू मानेसर को राजस्थान पुलिस ने गिरफ्तार किया है,जबकि कुछ समय पहले ही राजस्थान पुलिस ने निर्दोष माना था,चुनावों में मुस्लिम वोट बैंक लिए गौभक्त मोनू की गिरफ्तारी हुई है, जो उन्हें बहुत भारी पड़ेगा। विश्व हिंदू परिषद गौभक्त मोनू मानेसर को हर प्रकार से सहायता करेगी…
Earlier in the day, on 12 September, Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar was arrested by Haryana Police and was subsequently handed over to Rajasthan Police.
Manesar, a prominent Bajrang Dal leader, and a member of Haryana’s Gurugram administration’s special cow protection task force, was named in cases involving the deaths of some cow smugglers in Rajasthan.
However, earlier on 14 August, Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra made a major revelation in the alleged murder case of two cow smugglers, Naseer and Junaid by denying the direct involvement of Monu Manesar in the case.
While addressing a press conference, the Rajasthan DGP categorically stated that no direct involvement of Gaurakshak Mohit Yadav, known as Monu Manesar, was found in this alleged double murder case.
Responding to a question regarding Monu Manesar, DGP Mishra said, “..Let me also tell you that he (Monu Manesar) is not among those who were directly involved or were present on the spot or had direct involvement in the incident. However, police are investigating whether he played any indirect role in this case or not.” Manesar has a pending FIR in Alwar against him.
Monu Manesar blamed for Islamist violence against Hindu devotees of Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh
Manesar was recently in the headlines after some Islamist social media users accused him of provocation. While Manesar did not attend the rally, Islamists in Nuh ran riot, attacking the Hindu devotees, which led to the death of at least 7 people. Later, Haryana DGP Mamata Singh had stated that no evidence of hate speech was found against Monu Manesar. An old video of Monu Manesar was deliberately used by Islamist social media handles to fan unrest and spread panic among people.
A detailed report by OpIndia showed how a video from an unrelated event in October 2022 was used by certain elements to spread misinformation and hatred just before the VHP Jalabhishek Yatra on July 31.
The preliminary investigation into the Nuh violence revealed that Islamists had used the pretext of Manesar attending the rally to mobilize support for disrupting the Shobha Yatra. WhatsApp groups were created in advance that directed members to stock up on stones and bottles to attack the rally.
On Tuesday (12 September), Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai lashed out at those who claimed that Hinduism is different from Sanatan Dharma in common discourse in Southern states to defend Udhayanidhi Stalin’s hate speech against Sanatan Dharma.
Ramping up his attack against DMK for hatred against Sanatan Dharma, Annamalai shared a picture of a Class 12 textbook on Ethics and Indian Culture, released by the Tamil Nadu government. After exposing the feeble excuse that Hinduism and Sanatan Dharma are different in Tamil Nadu discourse, Annamalai advised DMK leaders including Udhayanidhi Stalin to enroll in Class 12 to get some enlightenment.
He said, “Udhayanidhi Stalin and Sekar Babu claimed that Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma are different after receiving condemnation from all quarters for their call to eradicate Sanatana Dharma. The Class 12 textbook released by TN Govt says that Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism are the same. It also mentions that Sanatana Dharma is the Eternal Dharma.”
Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin & Thiru Sekar Babu claimed that Hinduism & Sanatana Dharma are different after receiving condemnation from all quarters for their call to eradicate Sanatana Dharma.
The Class 12 textbook released by TN Govt says that Sanatana Dharma & Hinduism are the… pic.twitter.com/cbVGDixJMg
He added, “We advise PK Sekar Babu and Udhayanidhi Stalin to enroll in this class (12th) to get enlightened.”
Notably, P.K. Sekarbabu is the Minister for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE).
The picture attached in the post highlights an excerpt from the book where the meaning of the word ‘Hindu’ has been explained. Explaining who Hindus are and what is ‘Hinduism’ it says, “If a living being is suffering due to any reason, it is the Hindu who considers the suffering as its own suffering and comes forward to remove it. Hinduism is a religion with virtuous people. It is called by various names like Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma, and the Religion of Vedas among others.”
Annamalai’s post comes in the wake of claims by Tamil Nadu Congress leader Karti Chidambaram and ilks who argued that Sanatan Dharma is different from Hinduism in Southern discourse. Stating that he himself is a practising Hindu and finds nothing wrong in Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Sanatan Dharma remark, Karti claimed that Sanatan Dharma in southern parlance means Caste discrimination and Caste hierarchy only.
In another post, in a 4-page long response, K Annamalai highlighted the country’s rich civilisational history and noted that DMK wants to attack this by eradicating Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism). Afterward, he asserted that Shekhar Babu, the HR&CE Minister has lost his moral right to hold the post of minister by participating in a meeting where he said, “Let’s abolish Hinduism.”
திமுகவின் கபட நாடகம் இறுதிக் கட்டத்தை எட்டியுள்ளது.
In the note, Annamalai further highlighted that Dravidar Kazhagam President Mr. Veeramani was also present at the ‘Eradicate Sanatan Conference’ where Minister Udayanidhi Stalin said that we would abolish Sanatana Dharma. In the same meeting, Veeramani had said that Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism are one and the same.
Annamalai emphasised, “Sanatana dharma means that all living beings are equal in Sanatana dharma, the philosophy of Hinduism. This is what all devotional literatures including Thirukkural says.”
DMK MP A Raja calls Hindu Religion a menace to India & the world.
DMK is the principal reason for creating caste divide & hatred in TN, and the DMK MP has the audacity to blame Sanatana Dharma for the mess they made. pic.twitter.com/fqWO9FiQqY
Earlier in the day, Annamalai also lambasted DMK MP A Raja for calling Hindu religion a menace to India and the world. He asserted that DMK is the principal reason for creating caste divide and hatred in Tamil Nadu, yet DMK MP has the audacity to blame Sanatana Dharma for the mess they made.
Following Udhayanidhi Stalin’s hate speech, Annamalai has been taking on DMK head-on over the repeated attacks against Sanatan Dharma. Earlier, he challenged DMK to contest the coming election on the issue of Sanatan Dharma.
On September 10, in an exclusive interview with the British weekly The Economist, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that the country would never compromise with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the war will continue for as long as Russia remains on Ukrainian territory.
“A negotiated deal would not be permanent. The Russian president has a habit of creating frozen conflicts on Russia’s borders (in Georgia, for example), not as ends in themselves but because his goal is to restore the Soviet Union. The mistake is not diplomacy. The mistake is diplomacy with Putin. He negotiates only with himself,” the Ukrainian President was quoted as saying.
He added that cutting help to Ukraine would only prolong the conflict and it would put the West in danger in its own backyard. He also added that it is impossible to foresee how millions of Ukrainian refugees in European countries will respond if their country is abandoned.
“Ukrainians have generally behaved well and are very grateful to those who sheltered them. They will not forget that generosity. But it would not be a good story for Europe if it were to drive these people into a corner,” Zelenskyy stated.
The president of Ukraine has consistently outperformed Western politicians in his ability to win over the Western public. He continues to feel that “the greatest method to persuade governments is to push them through the media.”
“People read, people discuss, people make up their minds and people push. It was public opinion that drove politicians to increase arms supplies to Ukraine in the early days of the war. Scaling down that help may anger not just Ukrainians but also Western voters. They will start asking what the whole effort was for. People will not forgive if they lose Ukraine,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.
Recently, As Russian missiles killed a police officer in the Ukrainian president’s hometown, Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged foreign leaders to ‘resume’ their sanctions drive against Moscow. He said allies had relaxed sanctions against Moscow and urged for more pressure on the Kremlin’s finances.
“Currently, we see a prolonged sanctions pause from our partners, and Russia’s overly active attempts to circumvent the sanctions. This world’s sanctions offensive must resume,” Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on September 12 that 1,000 to 1,500 Russians were signing voluntary contracts to join the military every day. “Over the past six or seven months, 270,000 people have signed voluntary contracts,” Putin said.
On Tuesday (12 September), the much-awaited trailer of Vivek Agnihotri’s directed upcoming film ‘The Vaccine War’ was released on the official YouTube channel of Pen Movies and ‘I Am Buddha’. The film features Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Sapthami Gowda, Raima Sen, and Pallavi Joshi as the lead characters. Touted as ‘India’s first bio-science film, it will be released on 28 September.
PRESENTING:
The trailer of your film #TheVaccineWar. Film releases on 28th Sept 2023.
Helmed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film is produced by Pallavi Joshi at I Am Buddha and it will be released in multiple languages. ‘The Vaccine War’ will be based on the inspirational story of Indian scientists and how they developed India’s first indigenous vaccine in record time defying all odds that were stacked against it.
The film will focus on the development of the BBV152 vaccine, which was named Covaxin. It was developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)- National Institute of Virology, Pune.
With dialogues like – “India can’t do it” and emphatically highlighting reports like “Foreign vaccines: The Need of a modern India”, the film promises to tackle the negative media campaigns and propaganda that the Indian scientific communities had to face during the trials and tribulations of making the vaccine.
In the trailer, Nana Patekar shines as the head of the scientistic team developing the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine while Anupam Kher portrays the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As per the trailer, Raima Sen is playing the antagonistic role of a journalist seemingly representing the group that ran smear campaign against the Indian vaccine while parallelly routing for foreign vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna. The trailer focuses on the immense contribution of Women scientists in the face of hardships.
The trailer has neatly blended historical references to Mahabharata to talk about the struggle and how the scientists had a steadfast focus on developing efficient vaccines to safeguard humanity.
Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri who received a great response for his film ‘The Kashmir Files’ has been actively promoting his upcoming film as ‘India’s first bio-science film’. This involves screening abroad and launching the first song of the film – ‘Shristhi se pehele’, at Times Square which finds a good portion in the film’s trailer.
On Tuesday (12 September), Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha spoke about DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s hate speech against Sanatan Dharma. In an interview with PTI, the AAP leader claimed that Stalin’s remark can’t be considered the official stand of the I.N.D.I. Alliance. While distancing from the remark, Chadha referred to Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also the son of Tamil Nadu Chief and DMK Supremo MK Stalin, as a “small leader”.
Remarks by some 'small' leader of any party can't be seen as official stand of INDIA: AAP's Raghav Chadha tells PTI on Sanatan Dharma row
Chadha said, “I am from Sanatan Dharma. I condemn and oppose such statements. Such kind of statements should not be made. One should stay away from making such remarks on any religion. We should respect all religions.”
He further argued, “Some leader from some party makes such remarks… it doesn’t mean it is the statement of the alliance. The alliance has been formed to raise bigger issues like price rise, and unemployment facing the country. The statement made by some small leader, while standing in a district in a state, is not the official stand of the alliance.”
Meanwhile, on the issue of names for the prime ministerial probables from the opposition alliance, Raghav Chadha ruled out Arvind Kejriwal from the equation saying, the first thing is that the AAP is not in the race.
He said, “We are a loyal soldier in this alliance. We are not in the race to become PM. We have many able administrators in our alliance. We have many competent people.”
Earlier in the day, a video of DMK’s Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy was doing rounds on social media in which the DMK Minister, an ally of AAP in the I.N.D.I. Alliance, asserted that the bloc was formed to fight the Sanatan Dharma.
In the viral video, DMK Minister K Ponmudy emphasised that there is no disagreement in the I.N.D.I. Alliance with respect to eradicating Sanatan Dharma. The Minister further claimed that all 26 parties in the opposition alliance are united to fight Sanatan Dharma and the opposition bloc was formed solely for this purpose.
The G20 Summit in New Delhi was an exhibition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 9-year-long foreign policy of strengthening relations with global powers and utilising the same to generate global consensus on matters concerning not only India, but the world. The two-day summit put the seal on India’s decisive rise to prominence. Here’s a look at the top 10 highlights from the G20 Summit that made India’s Presidency a rousing success:
1. PM Modi addresses G20 Summit with ‘Bharat’ nameplate
India became renowned for its ancient Sanskrit name ‘Bharat’ at the G20 Summit when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s seat displayed a nameplate by the same name.
Narendra Modi at G20 with Bharat Nameplate. Image Source: OpIndia File Photos
President Droupadi Murmi’s dinner invitation to the G20 heads of state also mentioned Bharat instead of India. The Bharat nameplate at PM Modi’s seat at the Summit reflects the ascent of New India.
2. The G20 Delhi Declaration
The idiom “Don’t count your eggs before they are hatched” is lost upon the Western media. Headlines were published to project India’s Presidency in a bad light as no joint declaration was released until the Summit. A narrative was being run implying that the New Delhi Summit was unproductive owing to no joint communique.
And then, on 9th September, the first day of the Summit, PM Modi announced that all members of the G20 had arrived at a consensus to release a joint communique.
Speaking at the Session-2 on 'One Family' during the G20 Summit in Delhi. https://t.co/tj1jrzelBA
Defying speculations that the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Delhi under India’s presidency would end without a joint statement due to differences over a range of issues, the group adopted the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration.
Not only was India’s Presidency a roaring success with the release of the declaration but it received heaps of praise from Russia and Europe alike for the same, even as both sides were earlier sparring for their respective agendas to be mentioned prominently in the declaration.
3. Highest number of outcomes and presidency documents released under the India Presidency
Compared to previous presidencies, the G20 event in Delhi witnessed one of the most inclusive and delivery-oriented events. The G20 under India’s presidency has achieved 73 outcomes or lines of effort and 39 annexed presidency documents. This is the highest number of outcomes and presidency documents in the G20 history and is substantially more than previous presidencies.
The G20 event in India was a vast exercise, which included over 220 meetings in over 60 cities, where over 25,000 delegates from more than 115 countries in the world. While the summit meeting was taking place in Delhi, other meetings were held all over India, including North East and Ladakh. The 220 meetings included 17 ministerial meetings and 3 Sherpa meetings.
4. African Union inducted as a permanent member to make G21
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the Group of 20 countries. In his opening remarks at the 18th G20 Leaders’ Summit, PM Modi invited the African Union, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accosted the President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani as he took his seat among world leaders.
This was a major milestone achieved by the Indian Presidency under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership who, in June 2023, had written to G20 counterparts to provide the African Union with full membership at this G20 Summit. PM Modi has given special focus to India’s ties with the African Union using their shared history and values against anti-colonialism.
5. Global Biofuel Alliance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the leaders of Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius, and UAE, launched the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) on 9 September 2023, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
The GBA, an initiative by India, intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels through facilitating technology advancements, intensifying utilization of sustainable biofuels, and shaping robust standard setting and certification through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
The alliance will also act as a central repository of knowledge and an expert hub. GBA aims to serve as a catalytic platform, fostering global collaboration for the advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels.
It was affirmed that this alliance will accelerate global efforts to meet net zero emissions targets by facilitating trade in biofuels derived from various sources, including plant and animal waste.
6. India’s ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ initiative envisioned by global leaders
On the first day of the two-day G20 Summit in Delhi hosted by India, several major achievements were recorded, including the adoption of the joint statement Delhi Declaration by G20 leaders.
The first session on ‘One Earth’ included discussions on the International Year of Millets, Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid, Natural Farming, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Taking to X, PM Modi tweeted about the same.
“Highlighted the need to further human-centric development, which is also something Indian culture has always emphasised on,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Spoke at Session 1 of the G20 Summit on the subject of One Earth. Highlighted the need to further human centric development, which is also something Indian culture has always emphasised on.
It is with a spirit of One Earth that India has worked on initiatives such as LiFE… pic.twitter.com/lVB2OoBioI
At second session titled “One Family”, the Prime Minister announced the Delhi Declaration. The Prime Minister quoted from the Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures, “एको अहम् बहुस्याम्!” (Eko Aham Bahusyaam) meaning “I am one; let me become many.”
Basing India’s vision for the world on this Vedic premise, PM Modi said that the essence of “One Family” is to connect every class, every country, every society, and every region of the world and to think of the whole from the self.
At the One Family Session of the G20 Summit, elaborated on how to collectively think about empowering fellow humans and making our planet more inclusive as well as sustainable.
Gave the example of how technology has been leveraged to bring a positive difference in the lives of… pic.twitter.com/SqT9OjStps
At the third session on day 2 of the Summit, PM spoke about realising the economic aspirations of what he called the “Global Village”. He wrote on X, “Simply having a GDP centric approach is outdated. Time has come to adopt a human centric vision of progress. India has been making several efforts in this regard, particularly in areas relating to data and technology. We must do whatever we can to use AI for socio-economic development.”
Shared my thoughts during Session 3 of the G20 Summit. This Session focussed on the theme of ‘One Future.’ Emphasised on the need of the hour being to look beyond the idea of a Global Village and make the vision of Global Family a reality. pic.twitter.com/KcypGXdLsP
7. Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)
PM Modi and US President Joe Biden co-chaired a special event on Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) on the sidelines of G20 Summit. PGII is a developmental initiative aimed at narrowing the infrastructure gap in developing countries as well as help towards accelerating progress on SDGs globally.
“Through PGII, we can make a significant contribution in reducing the infrastructure gap in the countries of the Global South,” the Prime Minister said.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Saudi Arabia, EU, India, UAE, France, Germany, Italy, and the US to work together to establish the India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The IMEC is expected to stimulate economic development through enhanced connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe.
Sharing my remarks at the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment & India-Middle East-Europe Economics Corridor event during G20 Summit. https://t.co/Ez9sbdY49W
The ambitious project aims to establish India as a significant global hub for international business and commerce by linking India, the Middle East, and the EU. This project is expected to be a big rival to China’s Belt and Road project, which has left a host of developing countries in deep debt such as Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos, and Mongolia.
The countries involved in the new rail and shipping corridor will experience an increased flow of energy, trade and digital communications. The corridor will tackle the infrastructure deficit that hampers growth in lower- and middle-income nations, and will help in reducing tensions and instability in the Middle East, thereby improving overall regional security.
9. UK commits $2 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
One of the most talked about leaders amongst the G20 heads of state was UK PM Rishi Sunak. His popularity was amplified with the country pledging a whopping $2 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). He said the fund was to help developing countries cope with climate change.
According to the UK government’s press release, this is the biggest single funding commitment by the UK to the world to help fight climate change.
10. G20 unanimously condemns terrorism and terror funding
The Group of 20 “condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”. The declaration read, “We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including those on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief, recognizing the commitment of all religions to peace. It constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”
Furthermore, all nations gave a call for counterterrorism measures including putting a stop to terror funding. Members committed to support increasing the resource needs of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the same.
On September 11, in a Super 4 match of the Asia Cup in Colombo, India defeated Pakistan by 228 runs. In terms of runs against Pakistan, this was India’s largest victory ever. Nationwide, Indian cricket fans celebrated Team India’s historic victory against Pakistan. However, one fan in Surat, Gujarat, paid a high price for expressing his exuberance over India’s victory.
According to reports, a Hindu youth, who was bursting crackers to celebrate India’s win, was brutally assaulted by a Muslim mob in the Saiyedpura market area in Surat, Gujarat. The frenzied crowd not only thrashed the victim with wooden bats and stumps but also barged into his house and vandalised it. The incident reportedly took place at around 11 p.m. on September 11.
Local media reported that after India won the match that happened over Sunday and Monday, several fans from the locality descended on the street at around 11 pm to celebrate the victory. The victim, who belonged to the Dalit community, started bursting firecrackers to rejoice the victory. Soon, some Muslim youths rushed to the area and began hurling casteist slurs and beating up the victim. The victim somehow managed to escape the clutches of the frenzied mob and ran to his house to save himself, but the mob followed him, barged into his home and assaulted him further.
When the Saiyedpura Lalgate Police Station learned of the occurrence, they rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control. The police registered a case under sections including the atrocity act against all those who beat up and hurled caste-related slurs at the victim.
The police said that they were examining the CCTV footage and assured that the culprits would be identified and apprehended soon.
Local Muslims have attacked the victim thrice before
The victim stated that because he and his father worked for social causes, the local Muslims harboured hostility toward him and frequently attacked him. Three attacks had been made on him in the preceding 15 years, he claimed, adding that the Surat police had filed a case in 2021 as a result of court pressure.
Muslims, in turn, have filed a complaint against the Hindu youth. In the complaint, Shahrukh Aftab Mirza of Saiyedpura Mirza Manjil said that he had urged the Hindu youth not to burst firecrackers as children were playing cricket in the street. The Hindu youth and his two friends assaulted him at the time.
On Sunday (September 10), a concert by Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman turned into a nightmare after the organisers reportedly oversold the tickets, leading to overcrowding and mass molestation. The event titled ‘Marakkuma Nenjam’ (Will the heart forget) was held at Adityaram Palace in Chennai.
There have been allegations that the event planners, ‘ACTC Events’ oversold the tickets, despite being aware of the limited capacity of the open-air venue. Several fans, who were in possession of valid tickets, were denied entry.
This led to overcrowding near the gates, creating a stampede-like situation. With no crowd management and negligible security, several women became the subject of sexual harassment.
Independent filmmaker Charulatha Rangarajan informed, “As a woman who was groped twice in the concert,Shame on all of you for making me go through anxiety and adding on to my trauma.”
“Woke up to having such a weight in my heart.The unsafe feeling i have today is haunting me. One of the people who groped me, literally looked into my eyes when I just asked him for the way and move. I’m exhausted,” she narrated her ordeal.
“The number of men who used the crowd as an excuse to violate women today… We were struggling to breathe and were also violated. Fuck all those men and fuck ACTC Eevents. The fan in me died today AR Rahman. Thank you for that,” wrote another X user.
the number of men who used the crowd as an excuse to violate women today.. we were struggling to breathe and were also violated. fuck all those men and fuck @actcevents the fan in me died today @arrahman thank you for that?
A 22-year lawyer from Chennai, who attended the event, toldThe Quint that she was molested by the crowd.
“I lost count of the number of times I got groped yesterday. After a while, I gave up and didn’t try to defend myself. I tried pushing them, punching them, but they kept touching me. So I had no choice but to stand still…Today, I stand here as a mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted victim, who can’t do anything about it,” she recounted.
“Just because I cannot afford VIP tickets by paying 25,000, should I be left to die without any protection? No amount of money they give us will undo my sexual trauma. Even then, the least I deserve is monetary compensation,” the young lawyer added.
A woman, who attended the AR Rahman concert, said, “If I had stood for 2 more min, they would have squeezed & killed my child, we would have died, Are they even human beings.”
Visuals from the event indicate that there was little to no crowd management by the event organisers. “Imagine paying 2000 rupees for gold tickets and this is what you get? What a shit show. Had to return back without even entering,” lamented one X user.
Another X user, Nitin, demanded accountability from AR Rahman and the organisers of his music concert ‘Marakkuma Nenjam’
“We need answers, accountability, refunds and much more. The organizing today was pathetic, and not only from an experience POV but dangers to health&safety. Videos attached, thread follows,” he said.
@actcevents@arrahman and everybody else involved in #marakumanenjam and #ARRahman live. We need answers, accountability, refunds and much more. The organizing today was pathetic, and not only from an experience POV but dangers to health&safety. Videos attached, thread follows. pic.twitter.com/hf7fnyDVHc
Following the controversy, AR Rahman took to X (formerly Twitter) to inform that refunds would be initiated for those who could not attend the event despite purchasing tickets. He, however, did not address the allegations of mass molestation levelled by the victims.
“Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who purchased tickets and weren’t able to enter owing to unfortunate circumstances, please do share a copy of your ticket purchase to [email protected] along with your grievances. Our team will respond asap,” he said in a tweet on Monday (September 11)
Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who purchased tickets and weren’t able to enter owing to unfortunate circumstances, please do share a copy of your ticket purchase to [email protected] along with your grievances. Our team will respond asap?@BToSproductions@actcevents
ACTC Events also did not comment on the issue of lack of safety and security at the music concert.
“Grateful to Chennai and the legendary @arrahman Sir! The incredible response, the overwhelming crowd made our show a massive success. Those who couldn’t attend on overcrowding, Our sincere apologies. We take full responsibility and accountable. We are with you,” it said.
Grateful to Chennai and the legendary @arrahman Sir! The incredible response, the overwhelming crowd made our show a massive success. Those who couldn't attend on overcrowding, Our sincere apologies. We take full responsibility and accountable. We are with you. #MarakkumaNenjam
While speaking to The Hindu, Rahman said, “Right now, we are just terribly disturbed. Safety was the primary issue, especially because there were women and kids. I don’t want to point fingers at anyone, but we have to realise that the city is expanding, and the passion to consume music and art is also expanding.” He however did not directly address the allegations of molestation.
