On Saturday (12 August) the Mumbai Police arrested a 43-year-old man for making a hoax call alarming that there is a “100-kg” bomb in Mumbai. According to the crime branch of Mumbai Police, a tailor named Rukhsar Ahmed called the Mumbai Police control room number late on Saturday night informing them that a 100-kg bomb was placed somewhere in Mumbai.
Later, the Police officials arrested him from his home in the Melvani area of Mumbai. He has been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including section 506-II (pertaining to criminal intimidation).
A crime branch official said that during the interrogation, police also discovered that Ahmed had made 79 calls to the control room of the Mumbai Police in the last five months extending grievances about several issues.
The official added that the accused seems to be mentally unstable and a further probe in the case is underway.
Meanwhile, in the past seven months, numerous helplines and control rooms of the Mumbai Police have received around 31 bomb-scare-related calls. But each one of these threat or warning calls was either found to be a hoax or unfounded.
During the same time period, the authorities also received a few hoax suicide calls.
The police have arrested around seventeen people in connection with these hoax calls.
As per police officials, mental illness and drunkenness are the root causes of the hoaxes. The main control room receives bomb or other security threat-related calls around five to six times a month on an average basis.
A senior police officer said, “The Mumbai Police’s helpline numbers receive a lot of phone calls and we try to solve citizen’s issues. Whenever we get a call, within 5-6 minutes, our team reaches the spot. Threat calls are taken seriously. I urge people to refrain from making hoax calls.”
Earlier, on August 6, the Police arrested a 25-year-old man from Juhu for allegedly making a hoax call to the Mumbai police. On the call, he claimed that serial bomb blasts would take place in local trains across the city.
Earlier, in June, a 19-year-old man from Puducherry was arrested by the Mumbai Police. The arrest came days after he had allegedly made a call to the Haryana police warning about bomb blasts at the international airports in Mumbai and Delhi, which later turned out to be a hoax.
Later, in a statement, Mumbai Police said that the accused identified as Jatin Prajapati was arrested from Puducherry. He was traced by the cops with the help of his mobile phone location.
Aminul Islam, an MLA from the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF in Assam, has claimed that the Congress party will kill at least 5000 Muslims if comes back to power in the state. The legislator representing Dhing assembly constituency claimed that the party will kill Muslims to bring back the Hindu vote bank.
Addressing a public rally in Barpeta district, the MLA said, ‘The Congress party is out of power for 2 terms. If they come back to power, they will kill at least 5,000 Muslims to bring back the Hindu vote bank.’ He further claimed that when the Congress party came back to power earlier after being out of power for 5 years, they had killed 1000 Muslims.
He claimed that Congress kills Muslims to present itself as an anti-Muslim party so that the nationalist camps embrace it. He then listed several massacres in the country in the past, claiming that all of them were done by the Congress party.
‘1979, 1983, 1993, 2002, 2008, 2014, in every term they were in power, they killed hundreds of Muslims in massacres,’ Aminul Islam claimed in the meeting attended by party chief Badruddin Ajmal and other leaders in the Muslim-dominated area of Kayakuchi. He said that the history of the last 40 years clearly shows that Congress keeps killing Muslims to establish itself as an anti-Muslim, pro-Nationalist party.
The AIUDF then said that Muslims are not safe in Congress rule. He made the comments at a workshop of party workers from the Barpeta and Dhubri parliamentary constituencies held at Kayakuchi in the Barpeta district. Apart from Dhing MLA Aminl Islam, party chief Badruddin Ajmal, Mankachar MLA Aminul Islam (junior), Jania MLA Hafiz Rafiqul Islam, Dhubri MLA Najrul Haque, Gauripur MLA Nijanur Rahman, Senga MLA Ashraful Husain, Dalgaon MLA Majibur Rahman, Bilasiara (east) MLA Samsul Huda and other senior leaders of the party attended the event.
Congress party has sharply reacted to the comments, saying that Aminul Islam is an agent of BJP-RSS, and is an enemy of Muslims. Responding to the allegations, Congress leader Debabrata Saikia gave a clarification saying that during the 1983 Nelie massacre, there was president’s rule in Assam and Congress was not in power in the state. He alleged that BJP is responsible for massacres of Muslims, not Congress.
He added that while senior Aminul Islam is saying this, junior Aminul Islam, another MLA of AIUDF with the same, is advocating for an alliance with Congress. He was referring to a viral audio claiming to be of a phone call by Mankachar MLA Aminul Islam, where he was heard telling an AIUDF worker to send emails to Rahul Gandhi from various places in various languages explaining how not having a Congress-AIUDF alliance will benefit BJP. However, the AIUDF MLA has denied that he made the phone call, claiming the audio was made by someone mimicking his voice.
It is notable that although AIUDF has been trying to enter the opposition alliance, it was not included in the recently announced I.N.D.I.A. group. Reportedly, while the Congress high command had raised the possibility of an alliance with the party in Assam, Pradesh Congress leaders rejected any such move. When both parties had understandings in the past, it was seen that while Congress votes get transferred to AIUDF, AIUDF votes do not shift to Congress.
However, AIUDF maintains that it still supports the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, and has kept the hope of formal inclusion in the alliance in future.
An educator named Karan Sangwan at the e-learning platform Unacademy has courted a controversy by asking students to vote for ‘educated politicians’. He also lauded the British colonisers for doing an excellent job by crafting the perfect statute and criticised the recently announced three new laws replacing IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act.
He was discussing the latest bills tabled in Lok Sabha by the Narendra Modi government, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and The Bharatiya Sakshya, which replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act respectively.
“It is a complete lie that the law formulated by the British has been repealed. The government claimed that they have changed the law. It is not possible. You cannot do it. The law is beautifully drafted by the British,” he stated in a video uploaded on his Youtube channel called, Legal Pathshala.
On the other hand, he lamented that all the notes he had prepared on the existing criminal laws have become useless now. A segment of his rant is not available on the channel where he further complained, “Even I don’t know whether to laugh or cry because I also have a lot of bare acts, caseloads, and notes that I had prepared. It is hard work for everyone. You also got a job at your hand.”
“But keep in mind one thing. Next time vote for someone who is well-educated so you don’t have to go through this ordeal again, okay,” he asked and added “Elect someone who is educated and understands things. Don’t elect someone who only knows how to change names. Make your decision properly.” The video of his rants was posted on Twitter after which it went viral.
He joined Unacademy in 2020 and has completed a masters in Criminal Law and another Provincial Civil Service (Judiciary), according to the official Unacademy site. He has more than 7 years of experience and studied at Himachal Pradesh National Law University in Shimla. He is an expert in bare acts.
Social media reaction
Netizens did not take kindly to his remarks after a portion of the clip went viral on social media. They accused him of pushing political propaganda in the name of education. Journalist Abhay Pratap Singh posted, “Unacademy’s anti-Modi agenda. Hatred of Modi being served in the name of education. The teacher of Unacademy is Karan Sangwan who indirectly called PM Modi an illiterate and is appealing not to vote for the latter. If you do not like PM Modi then oppose him but cannot implement your agenda under the guise of education.”
“Do you support this agenda against the elected government of India,” he questioned and tagged the official account of the learning platform.
Unacademy का मोदी विरोधी एजेंडा… शिक्षा के नाम पर परोसी जा रही मोदी से नफरत
ये #Unacademy का शिक्षक करन सांगवान है जो अपरोक्ष रूप से
– PM मोदी को अनपढ़ कह रहा है – PM मोदी को वोट न देने की अपील कर रहा है
Another popular Twitter user named Bala commented, “This teacher from Unacademy is frustrated because he has to do the job he is getting paid for. Therefore, he is asking people not to vote for a government that brings new changes i.e. BJP. Your entire paycheck depends on teaching and you have a problem with making notes. Missing the good old days when a teacher’s job was to teach their students facts, not propaganda.”
This teacher from @unacademy is frustrated because he has to do the job he is getting paid for. Therefore, he is asking people not to vote for the government that brings new changes i.e. BJP
Your entite paycheck depends on teaching and you have a problem with making notes? ?… pic.twitter.com/WMQT6EaOXD
“Teaching or propaganda,” asked another netizen and wrote, “Unacademy Law Teacher ‘Karan Sangwan’ is urging his students to never vote for the current government (BJP) again. Instead of welcoming reforms in laws, such teachers never leave a chance to peddle their personal ideology in the garb of education.” He also asked Unacademy to clarify the matter.
"Teaching Or Propaganda" ?
Unacademy Law Teacher 'Karan Sangwan' is urging his students to never vote for the current government (BJP) again.
Instead of welcoming reforms in laws, such teachers never leave a chance to peddle their personal ideology in the garb of education.… pic.twitter.com/879EBjsSkq
Ankur Singh attached screenshots of the tutor’s political leanings towards the opposition particularly Congress and asked, “Is Unacademy running a coaching platform or Congress IT Cell? Its teacher Karan Sangwan is a Congress worker running propaganda during classes Worst thing is that they have a problem that the course of law will change due to the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Government should take decisions based on Unacedemy?”
Is @unacademy running coaching platform or Congress IT Cell?
Its teacher @kRnSangwan is Congress worker running propaganda during classes
Notably, this is not the first time any Unacademy educator disseminated such propaganda. Numerous controversial footage of their teachers publicly criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party and even spewing hatred against Hinduism as well as peddling partisan propaganda under the guise of imparting education became popular on social media.
A leader from Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party has issued a stern warning to Pakistani national Seema Haider on her entry into Bollywood. Taking to X, Ameya Khopkar, General Secretary of MNS, called upon director and producers of the film, ‘Karachi to Noida’, “to stop the drama” or be prepared to face tough actions by his party, MNS. The film is currently in the pre-production phase and is said to be based on the so-called love story of Seema Haider and Sachin.
In his tweet, MNS leader Khopkar categorically reiterated the party’s stance and stated that there is no place for Pakistani nationals in Bollywood. He enquired whether these filmmakers do not feel ashamed for taking such decisions. But, if the filmmakers ignore party’s public warning, Khopkar added, they will have to face dire consequences for their actions.
The translated version of the tweet reads, “We are firm on our stand that a Pakistani citizen should not have any place in the Indian film industry. Seema Haider is a Pakistani woman currently in India. There were also reports that she was an ISI agent. Some of these people in our industry are making her an actress for fame. Why are these traitorous producers not ashamed? It is a public warning to stop such things immediately, otherwise be ready for action from MNS action. If you don’t listen, resolute action will be taken.”
पाकिस्तानी नागरिकाला भारतीय चित्रपटसृष्टीत कोणतंही स्थान असता कामा नये, या आमच्या भूमिकेवर आम्ही ठाम आहोत. सीमा हैदर ही पाकिस्तानी महिला सध्या भारतात आहे. ती ISI एजंट आहे अशा बातम्याही पसरल्या होत्या. आमच्या इंडस्ट्रीमधील काही उपटसुंभ प्रसिद्धीसाठी त्याच सीमा हैदरला अभिनेत्री…
For those unversed, Seema Haider is a Pakistani citizen who illegally crossed borders and entered India via Nepal to marry a man named Sachin who she allegedly met on the online gaming platform PUB-G. Click here, to know more about several incriminating documents that the security agencies had recovered from her.
Amit Jani, a Noida-based filmmaker, has announced a movie titled ‘Karachi to Noida’ based on the couple’s story. Earlier this week, Jani Firefox Production House posted a video on X where people can be seen auditioning for the film. In this video, Seema Haider can be seen in an audition video for the movie. Following this, it has been claimed in media reports that she will act in the movie and the shooting has started.
However, some reports also claim that audions are going on to find an actress to play the role of Seema.
सीमा हैदर और सचिन की प्रेम कथा पे बनने जा रही "कराची टू नोएडा" के लिए आज जानी फ़ायर फॉक्स प्रोडक्शन ने ऑडिशन का वीडियो जारी किया। सीमा हैदर के रोल के लिए देश भर से ऑडिशन शुरू हुआ। pic.twitter.com/6BnmwBj6Eu
Therefore, it is not sure whether Seema Haider will act in the movie, or whether the video has been as a guide video for auditions, for the prospective actresses to observe her.
Film director Jani had earlier alleged that he has been getting threats for making a film on her. He said that he met Haider and she told him that she would start working in the movie after getting clearance from the UP ATS. Meanwhile, a video had gone viral in which Seema was seen auditioning for the film ‘Karachi to Noida’. Going ahead, the director Amit Jani had called her ex-husband, Ghulam Haider, to India to find out more about her life.
Filmmaker Jani said, “We want to tell the world how this love story unfolded while playing PUBG, how and why she came to India. We want to convey these elements in our film. So, that’s why we are gathering every detail about Seema Haider.”
In keeping with the annual tradition, Ayodhya is once again set to host a splendid and sacred Deepotsav in 2023. This year, the city of Lord Ram will be adorned with an impressive display of over 21 lakh earthen lamps, illuminating the surroundings. Additionally, a virtual connection will enable people to join in and participate remotely in this momentous event, showcasing the initiatives of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.
The city of Ram is bustling with preparations for the upcoming Deepotsav celebration. The seventh edition of this event, under the aegis of the Yogi government, is poised to create historical significance. With remarkable ambition, plans are in place to set a new global record by illuminating an awe-inspiring 21 lakh lamps. Simultaneously, individuals will have the unique opportunity to virtually engage with Deepotsav from the comfort of their homes. This decision has stemmed from a directive by Nripendra Mishra, the chairman of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Construction Committee.
State Principal Tourism Secretary Mukesh Meshram conducted a virtual conference with Ayodhya’s officials, including Ayodhya Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal, DM Nitish Kumar, and Regional Tourism Officer RP Yadav. The interaction took place via video conferencing. During this digital assembly, they deliberated on a letter penned by Nripendra Mishra, the chairman of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Construction Committee, addressed to the Principal Secretary of Tourism. The missive proposed the idea of commemorating the seventh Deepotsav virtually, initiating discussions on this innovative approach.
It was decided in the meeting that Deepotsav will also be celebrated virtually this time. Through this, efforts will be made to connect more and more people with this festival. Regional Tourism Officer RP Yadav said that this time there is a preparation to set a new world record.
Tourism Officer RP Yadav said that an application will be created to connect people easily. Those who join the Deepotsav program through the app will also be given a certificate. After lighting the lamp, the fee for those who want to take the lamp will be kept at Rs 11 and Rs 21. Those who make online payments will also be given prasad along with lamps.
The Yogi Adityanath government has a target of lighting up 21 lakh lamps in the entire Ayodhya, including Ram Ki Paidi. Deepotsav started in 2017, and this will be the seventh Deepotsav. Ayodhya has made a record of lighting lamps in every Deepotsav, and this time also a record will be made.
The number of lamps used to illuminate the ancient city of Ayodhya every year has increased ever since 2017. In 2017, 18,7213 lamps were used. In 2018 and 2019, the number rose to 30,1152 and 40,4026 respectively. In the subsequent years 2020, 2021, and 2022, the number of lamps went up to 60,6569, 94,1551, and 15,76,995 respectively.
On Sunday (13 August), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji’s brother RV Ashok in connection with a money laundering case from Kerala’s Kochi. The Minister’s brother had reportedly skipped several summonses sent by the central probing agency which prompted his arrest.
Balaji’s brother, Ashok has been arrested by the same ED team, which has been probing the minister’s case. This development comes a day after the ED filed a chargesheet against Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji. The central probe agency filed a chargesheet comprising 3000 pages in a money laundering case against the DMK MLA.
However, sources claim that the court is yet to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). As per media reports, in its charge sheet, the ED has included various documents seized, purported cash receipts recovered and Balaji’s statement that was recorded by the agency over the last few days. Currently, the agency has only named Senthil Balaji in its chargesheet.
Meanwhile, on the 10th of August, the ED team froze a 2.49-acre land located in Karur worth more than Rs 30 crores. The property seized by the agency belongs to Ashok’s wife and it was done after several rounds of raids and a detailed inquiry into assets acquired by DMK minister Senthil Balaji and his relatives.
However, the ED is expected to file a supplementary charge sheet as many more individuals including members of Balaji’s family have not deposed before the agency till now. Evidently, the ED recently said in a statement that Balaji’s brother RV Ashok Balaji, his (Ashoks’) wife Nirmala and mother-in-law P Lakshmi were sent multiple summons to join the probe and record their statements but they are “yet to appear in person, demonstrating a lack of cooperation with the ongoing investigation”.
On Saturday (12 August), the same day when the ED filed chargesheet in the case, the central agency produced Tamil Nadu Minister Balaji before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli’s court. Subsequently, the court sent Balaji into judicial custody till 25 August and the DMK leader has been lodged in Puzhal Central Jail, in Chennai.
The ED earlier claimed that during 2014-15, Balaji “misused” his office for illegal gratification and “engineered” a job racket scam in the state transport undertakings.
The candidates purportedly paid kickbacks through Balaji’s associates including his brother R V Ashok Kumar and his personal assistants B Shanmugam and M Karthikeyan. The ED stated that this led to jobs being awarded at the expense of deserving candidates.
Less than a week ago, on 7 August, the Supreme Court dismissed two pleas filed before the apex court challenging the ED custody of Senthil Balaji and seeking the court to release him, however, the court dismissed the pleas.
On Sunday, August 13, Shri Rajput Karni Sena leader Bhanwar Singh Saladiya was shot at with a country-made gun during a meeting in Udaipur. Singh reportedly sustained bullet injuries in his spinal cord and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Media reports suggest that the Shri Rajput Karni Sena’s Rajasthan chief is in a critical state. Meanwhile, accused Digvijay Singh was nabbed by the locals who brutally thrashed him before turning him over to the police, who arrested him.
Breaking News: जहां Shree Rajput Karni Sena के Bhanwar Singh को मारी गोली, वहां Rajasthan Tak pic.twitter.com/QJGGzM0CwH
According to reports, the incident transpired on Sunday afternoon when Bhanwar Singh Saladiya was going to have a meal after attending an organisation-related meeting at Bhupal Noble’s University. The accused requested Singh to come along for a conversation, and after taking him to the side he opened fire leaving the Karni Sena leader wounded.
The accused, who has been identified as a former member of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena and district chief in Udaipur had differences with victim Bhanwar Singh. Reportedly, Bhanwar Singh had removed the accused Digvijay Singh from his post four months ago. Although accused Digvijay was miffed over his removal from the position in the group, he never openly expressed his resentment earlier, however, today decided to take revenge on victim Bhanwar Singh Saladiya.
Meanwhile, Udaipur SP Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav stated that police are investigating whether or not the conflicts between Singh and Kheroda resident accused Digvijay was the motivation for his action or if there is more to it. Both the accused and the victim are getting medical treatment. The accused sustained multiple injuries including those in the head after the locals assaulted him for attacking the Shri Rajput Karni Sena leader.
Reacting to the incident, Shri Rajput Karni Sena’s national president Mahipal Makrana has alleged that the attack was politically motivated. Makrana added Singh was attacked to harm the outfit’s political prospects ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
The priests at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple being constructed will receive a comprehensive range of facilities. Their salary will be enhanced, in addition to providing them with access to government medical services. Moreover, suitable housing arrangements will be made available, and they will be granted trust-sanctioned leaves as well.
Promising times are on the horizon for the priests of Ram Janmabhoomi. Preparations are currently underway to extend best-in-class amenities to both the priests and staff members. Acharya Satyendra Das, the leading figure behind the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi project, revealed that the Shri Ram Mandir Trust is poised to furnish government-grade provisions to those dedicated to serving Lord Ram.
Champat Rai, the trust’s general secretary, has offered reassurances that dedicated provisions for priests and staff are in the pipeline and under active discussion. Satyendra Das emphasised that priests will soon receive a residential allowance in addition to accommodation and medical benefits.
In addition, priests will also be granted leave on government holidays. Presently, there are a total of eight personnel, including four priests, who are engaged in Ramlalla’s service. Furthermore, there are plans to enhance the priests’ salaries.
Ram Temple consecration ceremony to be held in January 2024
Meanwhile, arrangements for the Pran Pratishtha or the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya are ongoing. Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust, said that the consecration ceremony will take place on January 21, 22, and 23 of the coming year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be invited to attend this historic event. The event will also witness the presence of prominent saints and other noted figures.
According to Champat Rai, the temple trust aims to invite more than 25,000 Hindu religious leaders from 136 Sanatan traditions for the ceremony. The temple trust is compiling a list of such saints, and an invitation letter with the signature of trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das would be delivered to them soon. The trust intends to host revered saints in Ayodhya’s large monasteries.
The Congress party often relies on ‘moral victory’ after losing elections, now they have started claiming ‘social media victory’. On 13th August, the official Twitter handle of the party posted some numbers claiming that the viewership of Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Lok Sabha during the non-confidence motion was much more than the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They give numbers for 4 different platforms, Sansad TV, YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook. Congress claims that the views of Rahul Gandhi’s speech on the four platforms were 3.5 lakh, 26 lakh, 23 thousand and 73 lakh, while the corresponding numbers for Narendra Modi’s speech are 2.3 lakh, 6.65 lakh, 22 thousand and 11 thousand.
However, these numbers are completely fake, and some of the numbers do not even make any sense. They have mentioned Sansad TV and YouTube separately, but the fact is that Sansad TV uses YouTube only to live stream the proceedings. The website of Sansad TV just embeds YouTube videos from their channel, including live streams.
On Sansad TV’s YouTube channel, Rahul Gandhi’s speech has 3.55 lakh views, while the speech of PM Narendra Modi has 2.66 lakh views. It is notable that Rahul Gandhi addressed the Lok Sabha on 9th August, while the PM’s speech was on 10th evening before the no-confidence motion was defeated by voice vote. As Rahul Gandhi’s speech on YouTube for a longer time, it is natural to have more views.
The videos of speeches are on the respective YouTube channels of both politicians also, and the numbers don’t match the numbers mentioned by Congress. On Rahul Gandhi’s YouTube page, the live-streamed video of his speech has 6.7 lakh views, while the live-streamed video of Narendra Modi’s speech on the PM’s page has over 18 lakh views.
Live stream of Rahul Gandhi’s speech on his YouTube channel
Therefore, comparing the views of the live streams of their speeches on their respective YouTube channels, the views of Narendra Modi’s speech is much more, almost three times the views of Rahul Gandhi’s speech. The Congress party is making a completely fake claim here.
It is notable that apart from the live stream, Rahul Gandhi’s YouTube channel later uploaded the video separately, and it has 21 lakh views. The video was uploaded after making some edits, and it did get much more viewership than the live stream, perhaps because it was heavily promoted. But the fact is, this can’t be compared with views of PM Narendra Modi’s speech on his channel, as that is a live stream, and the PM’s channel has not uploaded the video separately as Rahul Gandhi has done. Comparing the live streams of both, the PM’s speech has more views.
Congress claimed 23,000 views for Rahul Gandhi and 22,000 views for Narendra Modi on Twitter but does not mention from which account these numbers have been taken. If we assume that the numbers are from the Twitter accounts of Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, the claimed numbers do not match at all. The tweet by Rahul Gandhi containing the live stream of his speech has 14 lakh views, along with 13.5 lakh reposts (retweets), 511 quotes, 37.7 lakh likes and 201 bookmarks.
Comparison of Twitter live streams
For the speech of Narendra Modi posted on the X (Twitter) account of the PM, it has 25 lakh views, 16.3 reposts, 853 quotes, 51.7 likes and 363 bookmarks. Clearly, the numbers for Narendra Modi’s speech are more than Rahul Gandhi’s speech on Twitter, even though the PM’s speech was a day after Rahul Gandhi’s speech. The Congress party is using fake numbers to claim more popularity for Rahul Gandhi’s speech on the platform.
For Facebook, the Congress party claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s speech has 73 lakh views, while the views of Narendra Modi’s speech is only 11,000. This is another blatantly false claim because the views of Narendra Modi’s speech on his official Facebook page is 64 lakh. On the other hand, the views for Rahul Gandhi’s speech on his Facebook page is around 80 lakh.
Comparison of Facebook live streams
Congress party’s number for Rahul Gandhi is less probably because they took the number earlier and the video got more views after that. However, the claim that views for Narendra Modi’s speech is 11 thousand on Facebook is completely fake.
It is clear that the Congress party has used false numbers for views of PM Modi’s speech on Twitter and Facebook, as the actual numbers are much more than what they have claimed. They also compared wrong channels to arrive a conclusion for YouTube.
Views vs popularity
By using fake numbers, the Congress party is trying to imply that Rahul Gandhi is more popular than PM Mobi among viewers of online streams. But the fact is, speeches on important occasions like no confidence motion are watched by a large number of people, and it is in no way a reflection of popularity. As Indians including the youths become more politically aware, they have started to watch parliamentary proceedings on TV and the Internet.
The fact that a large number of people watched Rahul Gandhi’s speech does not mean he is more popular. It is also notable that a large section of BJP supporters and right-wing social media users keenly follow Rahul Gandhi’s speeches. They do it to counter or fact-check his claims and allegations, or even to catch his numerous bloopers so that they can mock him.
It was also Rahul Gandhi’s first speech after his reinstatement in the Lok Sabha, therefore his speech had a higher curiosity factor. On the other hand, the left wing believes in living in echo chambers, and it is highly likely that most of them didn’t watch the PM’s speech.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social media reach is much more than Rahul Gandhi’s, which has much more followers on various social media platforms.
Even if Rahul Gandhi’s speech in parliament has more views online than PM Modi’s speech, the fact remains that the Congress party’s no-confidence motion was defeated. The opposition MPs had walked out during the PM’s speech, as they knew that putting the motion to vote will mean an embarrassment for the newly named I.N.D.I.A. alliance, and chose to abandon the motion instead. As a result, the motion was defeated by voice vote, and no actual voting was needed to determine its fate.
But as always, the Congress party is seeing victory in defeat. If not moral victory, social media victory this time, even by using false numbers.
A Hindu group has organised a mahapanchayat after police permission was given to hold it in Palwal. The mahapanchayat has been called to discuss the preparations to resume the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, which was disrupted in Nuh on 31 July after stone-pelting from Islamists led to the violence in different parts of Haryana including Gurugram.
The mega gathering called by Sarv Hindu Samaj was originally scheduled to take place in Nuh’s Kira hamlet, but now is held in a village on the Palwal border after Nuh authorities denied permission for the event in the riot-affected district due to security concerns.
Police stated that a gathering of around 500 people has been allowed for the maha panchayat and strict action would be taken if anyone makes any kind of hate speech. Nuh Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarnia informed, “Permission has been granted on several conditions. Hate speech is prohibited. Our team will keep an eye on each and every person and action will be taken against people for any wrong action.” He added, “The situation in Nuh is peaceful now.”
Arun Jaildar, a prominent Vishva Hindu Parishad leader, arranged the maha panchayat, according to Bajrang Dal member Kulbhushan Bhardwaj. He revealed, “In the maha panchayat, the resumption of the Brajmandal Jalabjishek Yatra which was left unfinished due to the Nuh clashes will be discussed. The maha panchayat is being organised to boost the confidence of the outfit members.”
Vishva Hindu Parishad division head Devender Singh voiced, “All the Hindu groups decided to complete the yatra on August 28 which was attacked on 31 July in Nuh. Hope that the yatra will be completed with admiration and enthusiasm.”
Palwal Superintendent of Police, Lokender Singh announced that the permission has been granted on several conditions and that hate speech is strictly prohibited. He noted, “Weapons and symbolic items have also been banned. There is a heavy police force deployed and we are monitoring the situation carefully. No one will be allowed to undermine law and order.”
Internet ban to continue in Nuh till 13 August
Notably, the state government on 11 August extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in the Nuh district till 13th of the month. The order passed by the home secretary proclaimed that the conditions in the district continue to be fragile.
The statement read, “Whereas it has been brought to my notice by Deputy Commissioner Nuh that the law and order situation has been reviewed and the conditions are still critical and tense in the district.”
It pointed out that after this assessment and the Deputy Commissioner’s recommendation, the office is of the view that there is a solid potential for obstruction of public utilities, disturbance of law and order and damage to public property in the district.
This could be “on account of misuse of the internet services by way of the spread of inflammatory material and false rumours which are being or could be circulated to the public through social media/messaging on mobile internet, SMS and other dongle services.” The internet services were earlier suspended till 8 August, which was further extended to August 11.
