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‘No such proposal under consideration’: Nitin Gadkari refutes media reports claiming govt planning to propose 10% additional GST on diesel vehicles

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‘No such proposal under consideration’: Nitin Gadkari refutes media reports claiming govt planning to propose 10% additional GST on diesel vehicles

On Tuesday, September 12, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways dismissed media reports claiming that he is planning to propose a 10 per cent additional GST on diesel vehicle purchases.

“There is an urgent need to clarify media reports suggesting an additional 10 per cent GST on the sale of diesel vehicles. It is essential to clarify that there is no such proposal currently under active consideration by the government,” Gadkari wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

“In line with our commitments to achieve Carbon Net Zero by 2070 and to reduce air pollution levels caused by hazardous fuels like diesel, as well as the rapid growth in automobile sales, it is imperative to actively embrace cleaner and greener alternative fuels. These fuels should be import substitutes, cost-effective, indigenous, and pollution-free,” he added.

Several media reports like the Times of India, Times Now, CNBC, Money Control, etc. reported that the minister was ready to propose an additional 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the purchase of diesel cars in India. They also claimed that the Minister cautioned automakers about the possibility of further increased levies if they continue to sell highly polluting vehicles.

screenshot of reports by The Economic Times and The Times of India

“Say bye to diesel soon, otherwise we will increase so much tax that it will become difficult for you to sell these vehicles … we have to leave petrol and diesel soon and walk on the new path of being pollution free,” Gadkari was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Report by Money Control

The report by Times Now meanwhile claimed that the aim of the Minister behind proposing additional GST was to discourage the automobile industries from manufacturing vehicles running on the ‘most polluting’ fuel.

Screenshot of report by Times Now

Further, a report by CNBC claimed that shares of automakers like the Ashok Leyland, and Tata Motors had slipped by 2.5 percent after Gadkari’s decision, which he later stated that he never made.

Screenshot of report by CNBC TV18

According to reports, Gadkari made these so-called remarks during a meeting in New Delhi attended by executives from Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and foreign automakers such as Mercedes and Volkswagen.

Gadkari, according to these reports stated that he would approach Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for an “additional 10 per cent” GST goods and services tax on diesel automobiles due to growing pollution.

Currently, the government levies a 28 per cent tax on diesel vehicles, with an additional cess assessed based on engine capacity.

Media baron BJD VP removed from post after criticism of CM Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary acting as ‘proxy CM’: How a storm is brewing in Odisha

OpIndia Staff
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Media baron BJD VP removed from post after criticism of CM Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary acting as ‘proxy CM’: How a storm is brewing in Odisha

As the 2024 election draws closer, a cyclonic storm is developing in the otherwise ‘calm’ and non-controversial political environment of Odisha politics. On 12th September, Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Pattnaik was removed from the post of vice president of the ruling BJD.

Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who is a former MP and the owner of the media conglomerate Sambada Group, has recently been very vocal against the 5T Secretary VK Pandian and his role as the alleged ‘proxy CM’ in Odisha.

VK Pandian, a serving IAS officer, has long been regarded as CM Naveen Patnaik’s Man Friday. He has been CM Patnaik’s private secretary for over 12 years. Though his role in state politics has been mostly ‘behind the scenes’ all these years, in recent months, the IAS officer has been very visible. He even travels in helicopters and supervises numerous development and governance projects, openly declaring that he is doing it on the orders of the CM.

In June this year, several political leaders wrote a letter to the Union government’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) regarding the ‘controversial’ role of Pandian. The DoPT had issued a notice to the state government in this regard.

Of late, it has been seen that many elected MPs and MLAs, even powerful ministers of the ruling BJD have been ‘following orders’ from VK Pandian, and extending the same amount of reverence to him as they would to the CM himself. Pandian is being increasingly presented as a proxy CM before the people of the state, where he is greeted with flowers, rituals, and garlands, and his ‘tours’ are promoted by the state machinery through government channels.

Souma Patnaik’s media conglomerate is Odisha’s largest media company. With the newspaper Sambada, news channel Kanak TV, and numerous other entertainment and news platforms, the media house has a reach to almost every household in Odisha.

On 11th September, Soumya Patnaik stated that just because he was critical of the BJD government’s work, the BJD government stopped giving advertisements to his channels and newspapers.

Soumy Patnaik himself is the editor-in-chief of Sambada newspaper and recently, he penned a strong editorial against the Navin Patnaik government, especially raising questions on the issue of a serving IAS officer playing the role of a proxy CM in the state.

Kanak News has reported that the letter notifying Soumya Patnaik of his removal from the party VP post has been sudden and there was no ‘show cause’ notice served to him.

BJD letter removing Soumya Patnaik from the post of BJD VP

Speaking through his media channels, Soumya Patnaik had stated recently that ‘BJD is nobody’s paternal property’. He added that the party belongs to the people of Odisha and all party leaders and workers would decide how it should be run. “The government has stopped giving us advertisements because some people are upset with the valid criticisms I raised. But they should remember that a media house does not run on anyone’s government’s mercy. It is run by love and support from the readers”, he said.

In a strong editorial published in Sambada newspaper weeks ago, Soumya Patnaik had raised questions on the BJD government’s work in the state and had specifically targeted the issue that IAS officer VK Pandian has been ‘touring’ the state in a helicopter and spending hundreds of crores of tax payer’s money. He had also objected to the ‘unconstitutional’ practice of a serving IAS officer ‘ruling’ over elected public representatives.

After the said editorial, on numerous occasions, Soumya Patnaik has used various platforms to criticize the functioning of the Odisha government. He has also raised the issue of corrupt bureaucrats, lack of employment opportunities in the state, and government policies.

Soumya Patnaik was a Congress leader, and an elected MP for several years before joining the BJD in 2018. He was then nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In the 2019 assembly elections, he won as an MLA from Khandapada seat on a BJD ticket. He is married to Sudatta Patnaik, the daughter of deceased Congress leader and former Odisha CM Janaki Ballabh Patnaik. Soumya Patnaik’s brother Niranjan Patnaik was the Odisha Congress chief for several years till his removal in 2022.

US soldiers in Kabul airport were ordered to clean the excreta of thousands of Afghans just after bomb blast killed 13 of their colleagues

OpIndia Staff
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US soldiers in Kabul airport were ordered to clean the excreta of thousands of Afghans just after bomb blast killed 13 of their colleagues

On Sunday, Septemer 10, reports surfaced detailing the humiliation the US soldiers had to endure before they were allowed to leave Kabul in August 2021 when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. According to the reports, before being permitted to depart Kabul, US Marines were told to clean up human feces and other repulsive trash at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in order to leave it spotless for the Taliban.

The story of the humiliation faced by US soldiers has been chronicled in a newly published book titled, “Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden’s Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End.”

New book, Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden’s Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End , details the humiliation faced by the US soldiers (Source: dailymail.co.uk)

According to media reports, the incident occurred after two blasts caused by ISIS suicide bombers between the Abbey gate of the Kabul airport and the Barron Hotel on August 26, 2021, cost the USA the lives of 13 soldiers.

On August 28, two days after the 13 American service members were killed during Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, more than 120,000 Afghans had camped at the Kabul airport for a week, “defecating and leaving trash, bags, clothes, and other unspeakable things.” The US Marines were then ordered to clean the human excreta of these thousands of Afghans before they could go back to the USA.

“The Marines of 2/1 were certain that the order had come from higher headquarters because their battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Brad Whited, joined them in the cleanup effort and was as visibly displeased as they were,” the book read.

The authors Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson quoted a junion Marine as telling them that the order to clean “came with a threat that we would not leave at all if it was not completed,” one junior Marine told authors Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson.

“It was degrading and ridiculous. We took a lot of casualties and put a lot of effort into that mission and to close it out that way was wrong. Morale was really down at that point, and it was an extremely pointless effort,” the US soldier added.

The remaining Marines finally left the country on August 29, a few minutes after midnight, after clearing away heaps of garbage, dung, and partially consumed food in order to make way for the Taliban.

Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan

In August 2021, Taliban’s tookover of Afghanistan, two decades after being removed from power by a US-led military coalition. The Taliban offensive in Afghanistan had resulted in a massive humanitarian disaster with many Afghans fleeing the country to escape the Taliban’s rule.

During the 2021 Taliban offensive, the United States of America had come under severe criticism with several blaming the US troop pullout for the instability that was caused in Afghanistan.

The US military withdrawal and evacuation of US and allied officials, citizens and Afghans at risk of Taliban retribution saw crowds of desperate Afghans trying to enter Kabul airport and men clinging to aircraft as they taxied down runways. An ISIS suicide bomber killed 13 US service members and more than 150 Afghans outside an airport gate.

Some 125,000 people, including nearly 6,000 Americans, were flown out of Kabul before the last US soldiers departed on 30 August 2021, as the Taliban consolidated their grip on Kabul after the US-backed government fled.

The colossal failure: US Troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021

It is important to note that a recent US State Department report held both Trump and Biden administrations responsible for the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, back in 2021. 

The report criticised the handling of the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan by both the Biden and Trump administrations. It noted that the troop withdrawal had “serious consequences for the viability” and security of the former U.S.-backed Ashraf Ghani government in Afghanistan.

Without explicitly mentioning his name, the report also reflected adversely on the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. 

The report read, “Naming a 7th-floor principal … would have improved coordination across different lines of effort.” 

It is important to note here that the seven floor has offices of the State Department including that of Blinken and other senior diplomats have offices.

‘I.N.D.I.A. bloc is formed to fight the Sanatan Dharma’: DMK Minister K Ponmudy

OpIndia Staff
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‘I.N.D.I.A. bloc is formed to fight the Sanatan Dharma’: DMK Minister K Ponmudy

Following Udhayanidhi Stalin’s hate speech, another DMK Minister has reportedly made controversial remarks against Sanatan Dharma. As per media reports, DMK Minister K Ponmudy has claimed that there is no disagreement in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc 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. 

Evidently, a purported video clip of the Higher Education Minister in the DMK government is doing rounds on the internet, which is said to be from the same conference where Udhayanidhi Stalin made vitriolic statements against Sanatan Dharma – ‘Eradicate Sanatan Conference’.

In the viral video, the DMK Minister can be heard saying, “I.N.D.I.A. has been formed to fight against the principles of Santan Dharma, we may have differences but the 26 parties in the alliance are united in the fight against Sanatan Dharma.”

Ponmudy added, “We all agree on one point when it comes to abolishing the Sanatan Dharma. We all want the same thing, equality, social justice, protection for minorities, and gender equality. You and I can only speak on this, but only when we win in politics, we can make sure we can make changes.” 

Following the controversy, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai lambasted the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and claimed that the Minister’s remark against Sanatan Dharma exposed the true face of the opposition alliance. 

Prior to this, several leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc had made disparaging remarks against Sanatan Dharma and threw their weight behind Udhayanidhi Stalin over his vow to eradicate Sanatan Dharma’, a faith which has over 100 crore believers the world over. 

Taking a cue from Udhayanidhi Stalin, who compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like Malaria and Corona and called for its eradication, DMK Minister A Raja claimed that his colleague’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma were soft. A Raja, who was accused in the 2G scam, argued that Sanatan Dharma should have been compared with stigmatising ailments such as HIV or leprosy.

During the current round of smear campaigns and attacks against Sanatan Dharma, several senior functionaries of Tamil Nadu Congress and its party leaders like Karti Chidambaram, son of Former Home Minister P Chidambaram and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge who is the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too added fuel to the fire.

Conspicuously, leaders from Congress, DMK, VCK, RJD, CPI(M), and Samajwadi Party among others have made controversial and hateful remarks against Sanatan Dharma, giving an impression that they all are on the same page as far as their opinions on Hinduism are concerned.

Generally, following any controversy, the first line of defence for any political party or alliance is to distance itself from hate speech or inflammatory remarks and brush it as an off-the-cuff personal remark of the controversial leader. However, things are getting murkier in the brazen Sanatan Eradication call by the leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. 

The repeated attacks against Sanatan Dharma seemingly indicate that it could be a deliberate political ploy of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance parties to cultivate a minority vote bank by lashing out at Hinduism. But more worryingly, it points to the rampant dehumanisation and desensitisation of Hindus underway by the I.N.D.I. bloc leaders.

US: Biden administration to release $6 BN frozen Iranian funds in prisoner-swap deal

OpIndia Staff
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US: Biden administration to release $6 BN frozen Iranian funds in prisoner-swap deal

The Biden administration is receiving flak at home for signing a prisoner-swap deal with Iran and releasing $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds. According to the deal, Iran will release five United States citizens detained in Iran and the US in turn will release the frozen funds.

Interestingly, the deal, which was signed last week by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was announced when the US was marking the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The prisoners will be swapped anytime in the next two weeks after the $6 billion is wired to banks in Qatar, which has reportedly brokered the deal. The money will reportedly not be wired to Iran directly thereby ensuring that the US sanctions imposed on the Islamic country are not violated.

The funds will be transferred from South Korea to restricted accounts held by financial institutions in Qatar. Doha has reportedly brokered at least eight rounds of talks between Iranian and US negotiators sitting in separate hotels via shuttle diplomacy on the nuclear issue and on prisoner releases.

Earlier, Iran wanted direct access to the money but later agreed to receive it via Qatar. The United States classifies Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Former US President Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to target Joe Biden over the deal. He said that the money being wired to Iran “will be used for terrorism all over the Middle East and the World.”

“Can you believe that Crooked Joe Biden is giving $6 billion to the terrorist regime in Iran? That money be used for terrorism all over the Middle East, and, indeed, the World. This incompetent FOOL is absolutely destroying America. He had the audacity to announce this terrible deal today, September 11th. To pay for hostages will lead to kidnapping, ransom, and blackmail against Americans across the globe. I freed many dozens of our people from various unfriendly countries and never paid a dime”, Trump lambasted Biden on Truth Social.

US Senator (Republican) for the state of Arkansas Tom Cotton hit out at Biden saying that “first Joe Biden used 9/11 as an excuse to flee Afghanistan. Now he desecrates this day by paying ransom to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism. Shameful.”

Former advisor to the State Department on Iran, Gabriel Noronha took to X to call out the Biden administration for announcing the deal when the country was marking 9/11 remembrance. “9/11 is one hell of a day to notify Congress you’re transferring $6 billion to the regime harbouring Saif al-Adel and the rest of Al-Qaeda’s leadership.”

Americans all over social media have slammed Joe Biden and his administration for making a mockery out of the 22nd 9/11 anniversary. Not only was the deal announced but Biden was also heard joking while addressing the media and lying about his whereabouts a day after the deadly attack.

US President Joe Biden, during his speech in Alaska, claimed that he was at ground zero in New York City a day after 9/11, but records reportedly show that he was in Washington, D.C.

Biden said, “Ground Zero in New York — I remember standing there the next day and looking at the building. I felt like I was looking through the gates of Hell, it looked so devastating because the way you could — from where you could stand.”

However, he was reportedly in Washington, D.C. giving a speech on the floor of the Senate. Biden has come under heavy firing for giving the 9/11 ceremony in New York City a miss and heading to Alaska instead.

Biden also began his remarks with a joke. Taking to the stage for his address on account of the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Biden said, “Governor Dunleavy, it’s good to see you. The governor and I have something in common: we’re both from Scranton, Pennsylvania. I wish I had him playing on my high school ball club when I was playing. I could’ve been an All-American having you in front of me.”

Sayema lies about endorsing derogatory Hinduphobic tweet, propaganda outlet ‘Team Saath’ comes to her rescue with bizarre excuse

OpIndia Staff
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Sayema lies about endorsing derogatory Hinduphobic tweet, propaganda outlet ‘Team Saath’ comes to her rescue with bizarre excuse

On Tuesday (September 12), ‘radio jockey’ Sayema courted controversy for brazenly lying about not encouraging a Hinduphobic tweet, posted by Youtuber Shyam Meera Singh.

The propaganda artist was seen virtue signalling on social media about the need to ‘repair’ hate and prejudice, which has somehow gripped the lives of normal citizens. At that point, an X (formerly Twitter) user named Sarvin pointed out how Sayema was at the helm of endorsing Hinduphobia.

“Sit down hatemonger,” he wrote while attaching a tweet by the ‘radio jockey’ responding to a Hinduphobic tweet with a laughing emoji. The original tweet, in question, was posted by controversial YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh.

He had attacked the Faith of a Republic TV journalist named Shweta Singh by claiming that Lord Krishna had 16 wives and that Draupadi had 5 husbands. The Youtuber mocked her and asked, “Which type of Hindu are you?”

He insinuated that Shweta must have been in a polygamous relationship by virtue of her Hindu Faith. Sayema was seen endorsing the uncouth remarks of Shyam Meera Singh (archive) with a laughing emoji. Despite this, she had the gall to lecture others about ‘repairing’ hate and prejudice.

When X user Sarvin pointed out her hypocrisy, the radio jockey brazenly claimed that the tweet was ‘morphed’ and ‘fake’ (although the archive of the tweet clearly reflects otherwise).

Screengrab of the tweet by Sayema

“If you have my sense of responsibility and conscience, go through all my tweets and don’t go by fake, morphed images of my tweet. Some people have been employed to defame voices that rattle them. Open your eyes. Don’t be blind to sick realities around. Have a good day,” she had claimed in her defence.

When netizens exposed her lies, she was quick to claim that the tweet posted by ‘Sarvin’ was somehow cropped.

Sayema alleged, “Because haters have been employed to present lies their way, I am glad I had clarified soon after. Also, why is the last line of Shyam’s tweet erased from the original one? You won’t be able to hide your vile intentions.”

She also shared the link to another tweet, where the ‘radio jockey’ was seen dubbing the Hinduphobia of Shyam Meera Singh as the ‘truth.’

Propaganda outlet ‘Team Saath’, known for unleashing online Islamist mob after nationalists and pro-India celebrities, came to the defence of Sayema with a bizarre logic.

“Here is a clarification. This post is not fake, but the screenshot is cropped in order to hide the last line. Just received this information from @_sayema.Still it comes under targetted harassment,” it claimed.

‘Team Saath’ conveniently ignored the fact that X user ‘Sravin’ had posted a screenshot. At times, it is difficult to accommodate a complete tweet in one screenshot. This was also pointed out by another X user, Kartikey Pandey.

The presence or absence of the last line of the tweet of Shyam Meera Singh in a screenshot does not negate the Hinduphobic nature of his tweet. It also does not change the fact that ‘radio jockey’ Sayema retweeted it with 3 laughing emojis and thus endorsed the objectionable content of his post.

After being caught off guard, Sayema and her close-knit ecosystem of leftists and Islamists are coming up with bizarre excuses to absolve her of any wrongdoing.

Illegal sand mining scam: ED conducts raids at over 40 locations across Tamil Nadu

OpIndia Staff
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Illegal sand mining scam: ED conducts raids at over 40 locations across Tamil Nadu

The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids at over 40 locations in Tamil Nadu pertaining to the illegal sand mining case. Sand mafia, businessmen, and state officials are also under the ED scanner. The premises of two industrialists namely S Ramachandra and Dindigul Rathinam are reportedly being searched.

The searches are being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The agency is also investigating alleged large-scale tax evasion in selling sand mined from riverbeds. According to local media, raids are also being conducted at Dindigul Rathnam’s relative’s house. Raids are underway reportedly in 10 districts including Chennai, Trichy, Pudukottai, and Dindigul.

The central agency has reportedly said that the businessmen, despite having licenses to carry out sand mining, were conducting operations beyond the provision of law. The mining portfolio in the MK Stalin-led government is held by Durai Murugan, General Secretary of the DMK.

A local media report has claimed that the ED is also searching locations linked to officials working in the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management of the Public Works Department (PWD). In Pudukottai, armed CRPF personnel accompanied ED officials during the raids. The local media has also claimed that evidence of sand being loaded in vehicles with fake receipts, fake QR codes, and fake signatures of Assistant Engineers, PWD Water Resources Department has been seized.

Properties of Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s business associates are also being searched by the ED. The DMK minister is already accused of an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

Moreover, 10 premises of the minister’s unnamed aide are being raided in the state, according to an NDTV report quoting sources. However, a report by News18 citing sources claimed that the cases are not related to Minister Senthil Balaji.

The raids come a day after the Principal Sessions Court heard Senthil Balaji’s bail plea and directed the agency to respond on 15th September.

Meanwhile, Senthil Balaji is lodged in the Puzhal central prison after the ED arrested him on 14th June following raids at his official residence and office.

Haryana: Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar arrested, to be handed over to Rajasthan Police

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar arrested, to be handed over to Rajasthan Police

Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar has been arrested by Haryana Police on Tuesday (September 12) and will be subsequently transferred to Rajasthan Police custody.

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 three Muslim men in Rajasthan, although the police had admitted that they could not find any direct involvement of Manesar in the case.

Addressing the media in August, Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra 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, “Our team visited Nuh to investigate the matter. I would not like to blame Haryana Police. We have a professional approach. We asked them for help. The main issue is actionable intelligence. If there is intelligence, he will be caught. 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.”  

Monu Manesar blamed for Islamist violence against Hindu devotees of Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh

Manesar was recently in the headlines after some social media users accused him of provocation by vowing to attend the Jalabhishek Yatra on July 31. 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. 

Preliminary investigation into the violence revealed that Islamists had used the pretext of Manesar attending the rally to mobilise 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. 

Canada PM Justin Trudeau still ‘stranded’ in India as the replacement plane to get him fails to reach Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Canada PM Justin Trudeau still ‘stranded’ in India as the replacement plane to get him fails to reach Delhi

On Tuesday (12 September), the turbulent and disastrous India trip of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got extended further for unforeseen reasons. Reportedly, a backup aircraft that was on its way from Canada to pick up the ‘stranded’ leader was diverted to London adding woes to an already painful New Delhi visit for the Liberal party leader. 

Trudeau, who had arrived in New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit, got stranded after his plane developed a technical snag on Sunday (September 10). His replacement flight, en route to New Delhi via Rome, took an unscheduled diversion toward London. However, no reasons were specified for this abrupt diversion.  

It is expected that the diversion will further delay the departure of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who was supposed to fly out of New Delhi on September 10 after the completion of the G20 Summit. Now, the leader could have to stay in Delhi for the third unscheduled night.

Speaking on the unexpected development, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the earliest the plane would leave London is early Tuesday morning (local time), CBC News reported.

The inauspicious and humiliating drama over his departure has worsened the nightmarish India trip for the Canadian leader. His participation in the G20 summit seemingly turned out in an embarrassment for the Canadian government on the global stage as his trip made headlines for all the wrong reasons. 

During the G20 leaders summit, Trudeau was snubbed by all major world leaders. Notably, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

He was only granted a “pull-aside meeting” with the Indian PM. The release by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the pull-aside meeting read,  “The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats. Prime Minister also mentioned that a relationship based on mutual respect and trust is essential for the progress of the India-Canada relationship.”  

Other than a pull-aside meeting with PM Modi, no other world leader had any bilateral talk with the Canadian PM, except World Bank President Ajay Banga. 

Not only did Trudeau get snubbed by the world leaders who were being hosted and led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he has also been receiving flak on his home turf. Global coverage of the G20 Summit shows Trudeau in a bad light at a time when the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) leader is desperately attempting to keep his minority government in power.

Egypt imposes ban on hijab and niqab in schools, allows hair covers but they must not hide the student’s face

OpIndia Staff
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Egypt imposes ban on hijab and niqab in schools, allows hair covers but they must not hide the student’s face

The Egyptian government has made a decision to restrict the wearing of the niqab (full-face veil) by girls in schools during the new academic year, which begins on September 30 this year.

Reda Hegazy, Egypt’s Minister of Education, publicly announced the decision and described the new guidelines. Hair covers are permissible, according to Minister Hegazy, but they must not obscure the student’s face. Furthermore, unless approved by the Directorate of Education, no models or illustrations promoting the hair cover are permitted, he said.

Minister Hegazy also emphasized the responsibility of the guardian in the student’s decision. “It is crucial that the guardian is aware of and consents to their daughter’s decision to wear a hair cover, and this choice should be entirely voluntary, free from any external pressure or coercion,” the Minister said.

As per the reports, the ministry has adopted a coordinated strategy for school uniforms. The school board will decide on the appropriate uniform colour for both male and female students in conjunction with the board of trustees, parents, and teachers. The decision will be taken in collaboration with the competent Directorate of Education, ensuring that students have a unified and coordinated appearance at the school. 

Minister Hegazy also emphasised that modifications to school uniforms should be considered at the start of each educational stage, with a minimum of three years between alterations. Guardians will decide where to purchase uniforms, but kids must follow the uniform regulations. Any student caught in violation of these rules will be barred from entering or attending school, he added. 

Apart from Egypt, several countries like Austria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Canada, France, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan have imposed bans on the wearing of headscarves at schools and colleges.

Recently, in the year 2022, the Karnataka High Court in India also pronounced its verdict on wearing hijab in schools. The court upheld the ban and ruled that wearing of hijab is not an essential religious practice of the Islamic faith.

The hijab controversy in Karnataka gained traction in the first week of January last year when eight Muslim girls were denied entry to classes at a Udupi college as they wore hijabs. The college authorities had informed that the hijab was not a part of the uniform dress code mandated for the students.

The Muslim girls, who were adamant about wearing hijab, subsequently petitioned the High Court to be allowed to attend classes while wearing hijab. They claimed that donning the Hijab was both an “integral practice of Islam” and their “fundamental right” guaranteed by Articles 14 and 25 of the Indian Constitution.

However, the court ruled that wearing of hijab is not an essential religious practice of the Islamic faith.

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