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United World Wrestling suspends Wrestling Federation of India after WFI fails to hold elections within the deadline

OpIndia Staff
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United World Wrestling suspends Wrestling Federation of India after WFI fails to hold elections within the deadline

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has been suspended by United World Wrestling (UWW), the organisation that oversees wrestling, for failing to hold its elections on time. As a result, Indian wrestlers will not be able to play under the Indian flag at the coming World Championships.

The ad-hoc body, headed by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, did not adhere to the 45-day deadline for holding elections, and thus the Indian wrestlers will have to compete at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships beginning September 16 as “neutral athletes.”

The ad hoc panel was appointed by the IOA on April 27 and elections were to be held by the committee within 45 days. Earlier, the United World Wrestling warned the WFI that if the elections were pushed back, they would be suspended.

On August 12, there were to be elections for the 15 posts on the WFI’s governing board. Four candidates submitted their nominations for the position of president at the Olympic Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday, including Sanjay Singh from Uttar Pradesh, a close aide of outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Meanwhile, Darshan Lal of the Chandigarh wrestling body was nominated as general secretary, and SP Deswal of Uttarakhand as treasurer.

Following a plea filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA), the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 11, the day before the scheduled WFI elections, stayed the highly anticipated elections until further orders.

Notably, the WFI was suspended twice—first in January, then again in May—after India’s top wrestlers challenged its operation and claimed that Brij Bhushan, the organisation’s then-president, had harassed female wrestlers. As reported earlier, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was granted bail by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on July 20th in a case pertaining to the alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers. Currently, the WFI’s daily operations are supervised by the  Indian Olympic Association-constituted ad-hoc committee led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa.

Nuh violence: Police arrest accused Osama after a shootout, was involved in the arson at Nalhar

OpIndia Staff
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Nuh violence: Police arrest accused Osama after a shootout, was involved in the arson at Nalhar

On Thursday, August 24, the cyber crime team of Nuh Police said that a person named Osama alias Pehelwan, who was allegedly involved in the violence in Nuh, was arrested. The arrest came after a shootout with the police near the Ujjina Canal drain. The accused was shot in his leg by the police during the exchange of fire. Osama, a Ferozepur Namak village resident, is currently undergoing treatment at Nalhar Medical Hospital.

According to reports, the shootout took place when the accused Osama was travelling from the Ferozepur Namak area in Nuh to Aali Meo. The police were searching for the accused for his involvement in the arson incident in Nalhar.

Police have seized a country-made gun (desi katta), a live cartridge and a motorcycle from Osama’s possession.

This comes after Aamir, another accused in the July 31 anti-Hindu riots in Nuh, was apprehended following a shootout. The accused had opened fire at the police team and was met with counter-firing. Aamir, a native of Dhidara in Taoru village in Nuh, was treated at the Nalhar Medical Hospital for a gunshot injury to his right leg.

Prior to this, two accused were arrested following similar shootouts. The Haryana police arrested Munsaid and Saikul following an exchange of fire. The duo was hiding in the Aravalli Hills in Haryana’s Nuh, which was converted into a tactical cover to evade arrests after violence was unleashed on thousands of Hindu devotees attending the Jalabhishek Yatra on Shravan Somvar on 31st July.

Five more accused were arrested in the case from Singar village after some locals handed over the accused to the cops, the police said on Monday, 21st August. On 12th August, the Haryana Police team and Special Task Force arrested a person identified as Afzal from Firozpur Jhirka for circulating provocative videos and audio on social media and messaging services.

In connection with the Nuh violence, which later expanded to Gurgaon and resulted in six deaths in the state, as many as 61 FIRs have been lodged and 285 people have been arrested.

Nuh Shobha Yatra attack

On July 31st, an Islamist mob attacked the Jalabhishek Yatra procession organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. The violence claimed six lives. Vehicles were burnt and stones pelted at the VHP’s Jalabhishek Yatra as Islamists unleashed violence against the Hindus in the Muslim-dominated region of Nuh, Mewat in Haryana.

Kapil Sibal, who went against Ram Mandir and was called corrupt by Subramanian Swamy, to represent him against BJP leader Tajinder Bagga

OpIndia Staff
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Kapil Sibal, who went against Ram Mandir and was called corrupt by Subramanian Swamy, to represent him against BJP leader Tajinder Bagga


Subramanian Swamy and Kapil Sibal, who have historically found themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum, have now forged an unexpected alliance. Notably, Kapil Sibal, a former Congress leader, has previously represented clients against Subramanian Swamy in various legal battles, including cases involving Rahul Gandhi and the 2G controversy. However, the tables have turned, as Sibal is set to defend Swamy in a defamation lawsuit brought forth by Tajinderpal Singh Bagga.

In the ongoing National Herald case, Subramanian Swamy finds himself pitted against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Interestingly, Kapil Sibal has been on the opposing side, representing Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in court. However, a twist has occurred, as Sibal is now set to advocate for Subramanian Swamy’s perspective in court, addressing the allegations raised by BJP leader Tajinderpal Singh Bagga.

In a significant development, Kapil Sibal has submitted a formal request to the Delhi High Court, expressing his intention to represent Subramanian Swamy’s viewpoint within the courtroom. Sibal informed the court that he is presently engaged in presenting arguments in the hearing of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court. As a result, he sought an extension to accommodate his appearance before the High Court on this matter. Following this submission, the court has scheduled the next hearing for October 4th in relation to this case.

On the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Subramanian Swamy made allegations asserting that Tajinder Bagga had a history of undergoing multiple jail terms before joining the BJP and despite this background of Bagga, the BJP appointed him to a prominent position. In response, Bagga hinted at taking legal recourse and subsequently initiated a criminal defamation lawsuit against Swamy.

Following the issuance of a summons by the trial court, Subramanian Swamy contested this decision by appealing to the Delhi High Court. On April 4, 2023, the High Court took action by suspending the summons. Presently, the case is under the jurisdiction of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma in the judicial proceedings. However, a significant development is anticipated on October 4, 2023, when Kapil Sibal is set to advocate for his client in this particular case.

It is notable that Subramanian Swamy’s opposition to Kapil Sibal is not a new phenomenon. Kapil Sibal was a minister in the Congress-led UPA’s government headed by Dr Manmohan Singh. He was also considered a loyalist of Rahul Gandhi who claimed to be a Shiv Bhakt during his temple run before the Gujarat Assembly Elections of 2017. At that time, Subramanian Swamy had tweeted, “Kapil Sibal will be defending the claim of Sunni Wakf Board against Ram Mandir for fat fee. Some Shiva Bakhts!!”

This tweet by Swamy came when the Ram Mandir case came to the Supreme Court for a hearing. In an interview given to The Sunday Guardian, in December 2017, Swamy had alleged that Kapil Sibal lied in the courtroom. Swamy said, “They (the Muslim side) are trying to delay the case by raising false issues. Sibal lied in court that the hearing of the case should be deferred as they did not receive the required documents from our side. But we had submitted those documents and we showed him the signatures of his junior lawyers receiving those documents. Upon this, he simply said that somehow those documents had not reached him.”

On 12th April 2014, right in the middle of the run-up for the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, Swamy accused Kapil Sibal of hiding information about the companies held by his wife. Kapil Sibal was contesting the election from the Chandni Chowk constituency. In a formal complaint addressed to Election Commissioner HS Brahma, Subramanian Swamy made an allegation against Sibal. Swamy claimed that Sibal had deliberately omitted the disclosure of assets and liabilities pertaining to a minimum of three companies owned by his spouse in his affidavit.

Swamy said in his petition, “The failure to disclose these companies especially since they are of substantial assets, is serious perjury under criminal law…please forward this complaint with the Election Commission’s recommendation to the magistrate concerned to take cognisance and issue due process.” Sibal dismissed the accusation by stating that if Swamy identified any undisclosed assets belonging to his wife, he was prepared to give them away to Swamy without any cost.

It is notable that Kapil Sibal resigned from the Congress party in May last year, and was a vocal member of the G-23 group in the party before that, the group of 23 senior dissenting leaders demanding internal reforms. He subsequently contested for Rajya Sabha as an independent candidate supported by Samajwadi Party, and was elected to the upper house.

USA: Mass shooting at California’s Orange County biker bar leaves 4 dead, several injured, over 25,000 gun violence deaths in 2023 so far

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Mass shooting at California’s Orange County biker bar leaves 4 dead, several injured, over 25,000 gun violence deaths in 2023 so far

Four people were killed and at least six people sustained injuries in a mass shooting after a retired law enforcement officer opened fire at a popular biker bar in California on the night of 23 August.

The deputies who responded to the tragic event at Cook’s Corner, a Lake Forest restaurant on Santiago Canyon Road in Trabuco Canyon, shot the assailant, who was among the deceased. As per initial reports, the assailant had a grudge against his estranged wife.

Sergeant Frank Gonzalez, the public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department informed, “Sheriff’s officials received a 911 call at 7:04 p.m. about the shooting at the Cook’s Corner bar on Santiago Canyon Road. The first deputies arrived within two minutes. At 7:08 p.m., deputies found a man with a gun inside the bar, and at least one deputy opened fire.” He added, “Our condolences go out to all the families that were affected.”

The victims of gunshot wounds were rushed to a neighboring hospital for treatment. Two of them were listed in critical condition at a Mission Viejo hospital. 11 persons in total, including the accused were subjected to gunfire, but no police officers incurred any injuries. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the occurrence.

The identities of the perpetrators and the survivors were not disclosed by the authorities. According to two people who requested anonymity, the retired Ventura Police Department officer who sprayed bullets was aiming for his estranged wife. They mentioned that it was unclear if he followed her to the scene before committing the crime.

California State Senator Dave Min took to X to express his sentiment on the horrifying episode. He posted, “I’m devastated by the news of yet another mass shooting tonight, this time at Cook’s Corner, a historic bar in the heart of Orange County. My team and I are monitoring the incident and will do everything we can to support law enforcement.”

The five-piece rock group M Street from Orange County was due to play at the venue on the fateful day at 6:30 pm per the establishment’s web calendar. The group earlier that evening uploaded a video to its Instagram page that showed the instruments they had set up on a tiny stage inside the tavern, which appeared to be still empty. Local authorities and citizens expressed worry after hearing about the attack.

Cook’s Corner, a well-known motorbike hangout is located close to O’Neill Regional Park at the intersection of El Toro, Santiago Canyon, and Live Oak Canyon roads. It is approximately 50 miles to the south of Los Angeles.

As per reports, more than 25,000 people have been killed in the USA in gun violence cases in just 7 months of 2023.

Delhi Vigilance Department asks PWD to cancel ‘illegal’ allocation of Type-VI bungalow to Delhi CM’s aide: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Vigilance Department asks PWD to cancel ‘illegal’ allocation of Type-VI bungalow to Delhi CM’s aide: Details

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has time and again diligently portrayed himself to be adoring a common man’s lifestyle recently spent around Rs 45 crores to renovate his official bungalow located at Civil Lines in New Delhi. Amid this, a new controversy over the ‘illegal’ residence of one of his associates has come to the fore.

After cancelling the Type VI bungalow that was previously “illegally” allocated to Bibhav Kumar, the private secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Directorate of Vigilance has ordered the PWD to abide by the housing allotment regulations and only assign Type IV quarters to him, according to the reports.

The agency found that Kumar was unlawfully given a Type VI house in violation of the Delhi Allotment of Government Residences (General Housing Pool) Rules even though he was eligible for Type IV housing. On Wednesday, August 23 the department also wrote the PWD secretary a letter regarding the issue.

The said letter also noted that Kumar was initially allotted Type-V residence.

“It is noticed that the Type-V accommodation to Bibhav Kumar is not as per Rule (20) D of Allotment Rules. It is observed by the PWD that as per Allotment Rules…He is entitled only to Type-IV accommodation since it is out of turn allotment. Since he was allotted a bigger quarter i.e. Type-V, a proposal was moved by the Secretary, PWD on 18.08.2016 for taking ex-post facto approval of L-G for regularising the allotment of one type above to Kumar,” read the letter.

The L-G instructed in his response that the case should be handled appropriately in accordance with “extant laws, rules, & precedents.” Reports further mention that Kumar occupied a Type-VI accommodation (bungalow) allotted by the Delhi Jal Board whereas he is not on the body’s payroll.

“The allotment of Type-V accommodation at Rajpur Road is void ab initio as per the extant rules. The proposal of regularising the Type-V accommodation was also not regularised by LG. Therefore, the competent authority has directed that PWD may stick to the rules of allotment and allot only the entitled category of quarter i.e. Type-IV to Kumar after canceling the Type-VI bungalow allotted to him, ” the vigilance department added in the letter.

It is worth noting that the Aam Aadmi Party has long fashioned itself as the common man’s party, publicly championing the cause of austerity and attacking its political opponents over their purported extravagance. In 2013, Arvind Kejriwal stated that he and his AAP ministers would not occupy the government-provided bungalows and instead opt for smaller government flats.

Ten years on, the lofty promises and claims made by them appear nothing but political grandstanding. It was reported how Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent Rs 45 crores to renovate his official bungalow located at Civil Lines in New Delhi in April this year.

According to a report earlier, the taxpayer’s money that Kejriwal used for renovation and not really ‘construction’ of the Chief Minister’s residence, could have been better utilized for the benefit of Delhites during Covid. Notably, Rs 45 crores could have been utilized to build 224 Mohalla clinics. Considering how badly Delhi struggled during the pandemic, the amount could have been utilized to purchase 12,459 oxygen concentrators. As many as 2,25,000 PPE kits and 2,710 ventilators could have been purchased during the Covid. But, Kejriwal seemingly had to ‘renovate’ his house on priority.

389 foreign satellites launched in last 9 years, Rs 3300 crores earned: Details of the report card of Indian space program

OpIndia Staff
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389 foreign satellites launched in last 9 years, Rs 3300 crores earned: Details of the report card of Indian space program

On 23rd August 2023, the government of India (GoI) published data regarding the performance of India in the space sector over the past nine years. According to the data shared by the government, India launched 389 foreign satellites in the past nine years, earning Rs 3300 crores.

On the same day, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved one of the most important milestones in Indian Space history as Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully on the moon’s surface. At 18:04 hours, the spacecraft landed successfully on the moon, and the success was celebrated with cheers and applause at the ground station. Hours before this feat was achieved, the government of India – in a series of posts on social media platform X – presented a report card of India’s space program in the last nine years.

The GoI said that these have been the nine years of “India’s Unforgettable Space Achievements”. It added that the excitement of the launch of Chandrayaan 3’s mission is “adding a new dimension to the journey”.

As far as satellite launching is concerned, India has established itself as a prime space carrier in the past few years. To date, India has successfully launched a total of 424 foreign satellites in space. Out of these 424, 389 satellites were launched into space during the past nine years.

This space freight service has earned Rs 3300 crores for India during this time period. It is worth mentioning that these 389 satellites, launched in the last nine years, include the launch of the record-breaking launch of 104 satellites in a single attempt using PSLV-C3. Out of these 104, 101 satellites were from foreign countries.

As space research and expedition programs are a costly affair, they need appropriate and sufficiently high budget allocations to get the desired results. From the exceptionally admirable success ISRO achieved in the last nine years, it is clear that the government has raised the budget sanctioned for various space projects. In the decade from 2013 to 2023, India’s space budget increased by 123%. In 2013, it was Rs 5615 crores while in 2023, it has soared to Rs 12543 crores.

This surge in performance has also raised the launch rate of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Before 2014, it was 1.2 launch missions per year. Since 2014, ISRO has been launching an average of 5.7 missions per year.

The GoI also said that these efforts by ISRO are “igniting young minds and propelling them towards the cosmos.”

Even the partial successes of the ISRO missions have been a source of inspiration to the young researchers. Chandrayaan-2, which was launched in 2019 could not achieve a successful landing of Vikram Lander on the moon’s surface. However, the orbiter sent with the Chandrayaan -2 has been sending important data regarding the natural satellite of the earth since then.

ISRO has also undertaken a program to shape young scientists and nurture the talent hidden in the upcoming generations. This program is called Yuva Vigyani Karyakram – abbreviated as YUVIKA. In the last three years, 603 students attended this training program and the course has recorded a 100% placement rate. These workshops were held at Trivandrum, Jammu, and Agartala institutes.

In the next post, the government of India informed, “On November 25th, 2022, history was made with the establishment of the first private launchpad & mission control centre. Pioneering a new era of space exploration!”

Another remarkable feature of ISRO’s activities has been the participation of women scientists in its various missions. Taking this legacy ahead, ISRO inspired female students to make their own satellites and launch them into space. The collaborative brilliance of 750 female students, guided by Space Kidz, led to the historic SSLV-D2 launching three satellites. These three satellites are named – EOS-07, AzaadiSAT-2, and Janus-1.

Besides these achievements, in the last nine years, India became a signatory to the NASA-led accord – Artemis Accord. The objective of this accord is peaceful moon exploration. The data received by Chandrayaan-3 can be of great help for humans landing on the moon under this Artemis Accord. ISRO and NASA have also joined hands together to execute a Rs 470 crore project called NISAR satellites. This is the first joint hardware development project between the two agencies for earth observation missions.

ISRO’s success in the past nine years has been an inspiration to many space enthusiasts in the country to launch their start-ups related to space technology. The GoI said, “140 Start-ups Illuminate India’s Space Horizon since 2020. IN-SPACe creates an ecosystem of industry, academia & innovation, rewriting the narrative of space exploration.”

The journey of India’s space program in the last nine years has thus been a major game-changer in order to establish India as a leading player in the sector. The way ahead will be yet more interesting as India aims to take a closer look at Venus and Sun and ISRO prepares to send a ‘Gagan’naut into space in its next missions.

PV Narasimha Rao was communal, was BJP’s first Prime Minister: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar goes on a rant against the former PM

OpIndia Staff
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PV Narasimha Rao was communal, was BJP’s first Prime Minister: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar goes on a rant against the former PM

Mani Shankar Aiyar, the motormouth Congress leader notorious for his controversial statements is back with yet another controversial statement. On Wednesday, August 23, the Congress leader alleged that former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao was “communal”. Aiyar also described the former Congress leader as the “first BJP PM” of the country.

Aiyar made these remarks during the official launch of his book titled Memoirs Of A Maverick: The First Fifty Years (1941-1991) on Monday, August 21. During the event, Aiyar claimed that he got to know about how ‘communal’ former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao was when he met him during his 44-day-long Ram Rahim Yatra from Rameshwaram to Ayodhya in 1992.

Aiyar claimed that PM Rao had summoned him from Bhubaneshwar to Delhi in 1992. He said that Narasimha Rao had told him that he did not have any objection to his Ram Rahim Yatra, however, he (Aiyar) had gone wrong in his definition of secularism. Aiyar asserted that he was shocked by Rao’s comments and questioned about what was wrong with his definition of secularism. To this, PM Rao said that Aiyar needs to understand that this is a Hindu nation. Aiyar added that he got back to his chair muttering. He told PM Rao that this exactly is what the BJP says, adding that Rao did not answer him and allowed him to return to the yatra.

Speaking to an ABP reporter, Aiyar reiterated his rant against the former Prime Minister saying that he did not face the question of Babri Masjid in accordance with the principles of Congress. “He was only listening to Lal Krishna Advani ji, called in thousands of saints seeking their advice, and then after it all happened, Rao told a Congress Parliamentary Party meeting in Delhi that even kings in ancient India used to consult sages and sadhus and so did I. But saints in ancient times would listen to the Maharaj (King) but in these times they don’t listen”.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Mani Shankar Aiyar has expressed his disdain for former PM Narasimha Rao. Aiyar over the years has on several occasions blamed the former PM for the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

Back in 2011, Aiyar made similar assertions saying that Narasimha Rao was responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid as the demolition took place when he was in office.

In 2016, Mani Shankar Aiyar repeated the same old story during the launch of Vinay Sitapati’s biography of Narasimha Rao, titled Half Lion: How Narasimha Rao Transformed India. Aiyar asserted back then that Rao, the then prime minister should have invoked the president’s rule against the Kalyan Singh government in Uttar Pradesh as Karsevaks were gathering at Ayodhya even when governor Satyanarayan Reddy informed the prime minister five days prior to the demolition of the Babri structure that the law and order situation in the state was satisfactory.

It is interesting to note that, for Mani Shankar Aiyar the former prime minister became ‘communal’ merely because he called India a Hindu country. According to Mani Shankar Aiyar India is a secular country and thus Babri Masjid should have stood at its place irrespective of the fact that the Mosque was constructed after the demolition of a Hindu temple, that too at the birthplace of Lord Rama. No wonder, Aiyar gets more ‘love‘ in Pakistan than in India.

It is also a known fact that despite being a tall leader of the Congress party and former prime minister, the party insulted Rao even in his death. Loathed by Sonia Gandhi, Rao was not even given a state funeral. Sanjay Gandhi, who led dreadful initiatives like forced sterilization during the Emergency, was honoured in Delhi with a state funeral and a samadhi.

PV Narasimha Rao, however, was not deemed deserving enough to have a state funeral and a samadhi in Delhi by the Congress leadership, led by Sonia Gandhi. His body was not even allowed into the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Top Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi didn’t attend the cremation in Hyderabad, which was attended by LK Advani. Sonia Gandhi, it is believed, was ‘upset‘ about the way the investigation of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination had proceeded.

Mani Shankar Aiyar bats for resumption of India-Pakistan bilateral talks

Aiyar during the launch of his book also talked about Pakistan and advocated for the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan. He asserted that an integral part of India’s diplomatic approach should be leveraging the ‘goodwill’ of Pakistani people. He added that every prime minister before Narendra Modi attempted some sort of dialogue with Pakistan.

“But now we are in a freeze and the victims of this freeze are not the army of Pakistan which is still swigging its scotch, it is the people of Pakistan whose relatives in large numbers live in India and many of whom have a desire to visit our country,” Aiyar said.

Aiyar further asserted that the people of Pakistan do not see India as an enemy nation. He went on to say that Pakistani people are India’s ‘biggest asset’. While Aiyar asserts that the Pakistani people do not see India as an enemy nation, history tells otherwise.

It is interesting to note that Aiyar has over the years expressed his love for Pakistan. Back in 2018, Aiyar during his Pakistan visit said that he is happy with Pakistan’s diplomatic approach towards India and upset with India’s policies with regard to Pakistan. He had also blamed India for stopping bilateral dialogue between the two countries. It is worth noting that the Modi government has taken a strict stand against Pakistan’s state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. In 2016, PM Modi in the context of the Indus Water Treaty had said that “blood and water cannot flow together.”

As Congress rushes to take credit for Chandrayaan, here is how ISRO’s requests for funding were ignored during UPA rule

OpIndia Staff
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As Congress rushes to take credit for Chandrayaan, here is how ISRO’s requests for funding were ignored during UPA rule

On Wednesday, August 23, hours after the Chandrayaan 3 landed on the lunar surface, the Congress party congratulated the ISRO scientists but made a hysterical attempt to take credit for the mission.

Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a long post on Twitter (X) first congratulating the country for the success of Chandrayaan 3 and then silently rushing to credit Nehru for the mission.

“We are deeply indebted to the remarkable hard work, unparalleled ingenuity, and unflinching dedication of our scientists, space engineers, researchers, and everyone involved in making this mission a triumph for India,” Kharge said congratulating the scientists.

Further lauding former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he added, “These accomplishments are a testament to the vision of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru who emphasized and sincerely believed that a critical commitment to science could drive the spirit of development of our newly independent nation by igniting the spirit and minds of the people. This was later followed by successive Prime Ministers.”

The Congress leader further added that the party has always believed in the advancement of world peace and fellowship, and the descent of Vikram Lander on the surface of the moon, is a solemn affirmation of its commitment to use science for peaceful and welfare purposes.

Meanwhile, the official Twitter handle of the Congress party shared a graphic and specifically noted that the credit for the success of Chandrayaan 3 goes to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

“It was independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, whose scientific outlook and vision laid the foundation of Indian space research,” the tweet read. The Congress party also said that Chandrayaan 1 and the Mangalyaan Mission were a great success led by the Congress party.

ISRO was made to struggle for funds during Chandrayaan 2 and Mars Mission

But it is important to note that while the Congress is praising itself for the success of the ISRO’s third lunar mission, it was the Congress government itself who made the ISRO struggle for funds during the Chandrayaan 2 mission.

According to a TOI report published in the year 2013, the ISRO was awaiting the Congress government’s approval for additional funds to develop a lander and rover for Chandrayaan 2. “We are seeking funds from the government. There is a marginal enhancement in the budget. We are awaiting the approval for the lander for Chandrayaan 2,” Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan was quoted as saying.

Also, during the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) the ISRO had sought Rs 892.69 crore to launch the GSAT-15 communication satellite but the Centre released only Rs 830.88 crore. Similarly, it had sought Rs 897.94 crore for GSAT-16 but got only Rs 865 crore and the space agency went on to complete the project with Rs 864.12 crore. Notably, Isro’s expenditure on the Mars Mission wasn’t even Rs 450 crore. The organization managed to reach the Mars orbit at Rs 447.39 crores, making it the world’s cheapest mission to the Red Planet.

This is not the first time that the Congress party has rushed to take credit for India’s moon mission. Earlier, after the launch of Chandrayaan 2 on July 22, 2019, Congress had showered praises on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who sanctioned the Chandrayaan 2 project in 2008.

The Congress party had also lauded Pt Jawaharlal Nehru for funding space research through INCOSPAR in 1962 which later became Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Congress lauded Nehru and Manmohan Singh during Chandrayaan 3 launch

Reportedly, the Congress also attempted to take the credit for Chandrayaan 3 after it was successfully launched on July 14 this year. KC Venugopal, who serves as the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), made no mention of the scientists for the successful launch of the lunar exploration mission.

“The ISRO dreamt of by Pandit Nehru, nurtured by Indira Gandhi ji, and taken to great heights by Rajiv Gandhi ji and Dr. Manmohan Singh ji achieves a new milestone! A proud moment for all, as we excitedly watch the #Chandrayan3 take off to conquer the moon! Jai Hind,” he wrote.

He also shrewdly omitted the names of Lal Bahadur Shashtri and PV Narasimha Rao from his Twitter post.

In fact, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was established in 1961, months before INCOSPAR came into existence.

Indian institutions always struggled for funds, while the Nehru Gandhi family enjoyed lavish luxuries on taxpayer money

While the Congress party rushes to credit Nehru and his descendants for everything India achieves, it is to be remembered here that almost all Indian institutions, even the armed forces, struggled for funds while the ‘family’ enjoyed their Prime Minister posts with lavish luxuries at the taxpayers’ expense.

Rajiv Gandhi and his family, along with his Italian in-laws, had spent a lavish vacation on an uninhabited Island in Lakshadweep, which was specially prepared for their stay. The family had traveled there by INS Viraat, India’s sole aircraft carrier in 1987. The naval carrier, along with all its support ships, was deployed as a personal taxi to ferry Rajiv Gandhi and his relatives to the Island.

Nehru, known for his expensive tastes and lavish lifestyle, used to have his clothes dry-cleaned and flown in from foreign countries. Special planes were sent to ferry his favorite pack of cigarettes and when his beloved Edwina Mountbatten died in 1960, aged 59, and was buried at sea by Lord Mountbatten in accordance with her wishes, Nehru sent the Indian Navy frigate INS Trishul as an escort and had a wreath cast in her memory. Nehru’s time was also the time when Indian Army soldiers did not even have winter clothes and proper shoes to protect them in the frozen altitudes of the Himalayas.

About Chandrayaan 3 mission

On 23rd August, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved one of the most critical milestones in Indian Space history as Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully on the moon’s surface. At 18:04 hours, the spacecraft landed successfully on the moon, and the success was celebrated with cheers and applause at the ground station.

The official X handle of ISRO posted the success of Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the Moon. “Chandrayaan-3 Mission: ‘India, I reached my destination and you too,” it tweeted.

Chandrayaan 3 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 14 this year. Post-landing the Pragyan rover and the orbiter are expected to investigate the elemental composition of the Earth’s only natural satellite, its surface plasma environment, lunar seismicity, and thermophysical features.

Himachal Pradesh: Several houses collapse as massive landslide hits Kullu district

ANI
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Himachal Pradesh: Several houses collapse as massive landslide hits Kullu district

Several houses collapsed after a massive landslide struck Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district on Thursday. The video clip of the landslide and the mayhem it unleashed went viral on social media. The authenticity of the viral clip was confirmed by the police.

In the clip, several houses are seen collapsing like a deck of cards in the Anni town of Kullu district. According to officials, there were no immediate reports of any casualties or injuries in the incident so far.

“Several houses collapsed due to a landslide in the Anni town of Kullu district,” a police officer told ANI. Further details are awaited.

The Himalayan state has reported widespread destruction and deaths in the rain fury and the landslides and cloudbursts it triggered.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Kullu-Mandi Highway was damaged following heavy rainfall in the district, an official said on Thursday. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the route.

“There is a traffic jam stretching to nearly 5-10 kilometres. We have nothing to eat or drink. People are starving here. The snarl should be cleared soon,” a commuter told ANI.

An official said the Public Works Department was trying to restore the normal flow of traffic at the earliest. “The road connecting Kullu and Mandi has been damaged. An alternative route via Pandoh has also been damaged. Hence, the movement of traffic is suspended for now,” Sakshi Verma, Superintendent of Police, Kullu, said.

Earlier, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert, predicting heavy to very rainfall in Himachal Pradesh over two days starting Thursday. The state has reported 113 landslides this monsoon season.

A total of 224 lives have been lost in the monsoon fury in Himachal while another 117 died in rain-related accidents so far, stated a government bulletin earlier. 

According to the latest data shared by the state government, the total loss to the coffers from the ongoing rain fury has reached Rs 8014.61 crore since June 24, when monsoon arrived in the state.

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

Madhya Pradesh: Arrested ISIS terrorist Kashif was plotting explosion at Rani Kamlapati station in Bhopal, trying to find a new training camp

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Arrested ISIS terrorist Kashif was plotting explosion at Rani Kamlapati station in Bhopal, trying to find a new training camp

A resident of Jabalpur, named Kashif, who has been arrested by the NIA for links with the terrorist organisation ISIS, was preparing to detonate a massive bomb in Bhopal’s Rani Kamlapati station. He was also looking for crowded areas to carry out additional explosions. Kashif had frequently visited Madhya Pradesh’s capital in order to fulfil his evil designs.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him from Jabalpur on August 20 and took him into police custody from the court for interrogation. Earlier, Syed Mamoor Ali, Mohammad Adil Khan and Mohammad Shahid, who operate the ISIS Jabalpur module were captured by the national agency in May of this year.

The police kept a close watch on the accused after questioning these three. Kashif was promoted by the terrorist organisation after their arrest, and he was charged with expanding the outfit in the entire state.

Kashif allegedly radicalised Muslim youth by brainwashing them and running the Dawah (invitation to convert to Islam) program to do it. He distributed ISIS propaganda material directly to the people in addition to the application of Internet media for the same objective.

Kashif had reportedly organised a number of training camps in the Delawadi forest close to Bhopal where instructions on handling weapons were provided. Now, instead of Delawadi forest, he was searching for somewhere along the Bhopal-Vidisha road to establish a new training facility. Furthermore, he was involved in raising funds for the group.

Kashif was being monitored after receiving confidential information. The cops then nabbed him after connecting all the links.

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