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ED to question CPI(M) leaders over NewsClick-Chinese funding case, email exchanges revealed Neville Singham had links with CPI(M)’s Prakash Karat

OpIndia Staff
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ED to question CPI(M) leaders over NewsClick-Chinese funding case, email exchanges revealed Neville Singham had links with CPI(M)’s Prakash Karat

In the latest development in the NewsClick Chinese funding case, the Enforcement Directorate has attached a South Delhi flat worth Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Prabir Purkayastha, the editor-in-chief and promoter of the propaganda portal NewsClick. The ED has also attached Prabir Purkayastha’s fixed deposits worth Rs 41 lakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, in addition to the flat. 

According to reports, the probe agency plans to question several Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders, including a senior leader, about emails exchanged with Shanghai-based American tech entrepreneur Neville Roy Singham, who according to The New York Times report is associated with “China’s media machine” and funding its propaganda globally. 

In the purported email exchanges dated 1 January 2021, Singham lavishes praises on China for allegedly regulating internet monopolies, de-coupling fintech firms, and openly affirming that Capital cannot challenge socialism and they cannot be allowed political space to subvert society. Singham also pushes for greater cooperation with Prakash Karat in order to provide better coverage of communism-related events in nations including India, Brazil, and South Africa for a larger Chinese audience.

According to the ED probe, Bappaditya Sinha of the CPM’s IT cell and Gautam Navlakha, an urban naxal accused in the Bhima Koregaon case are shareholders of NewsClick. Other people who owned shares in the portal included the US-based Worldwide Media Holding LLC, which was 100% owned by a corporation managed by Singham’s activist wife Jodie Evans. In its investigation, the New York Times noted Evan’s involvement in influencing public opinion on China.

The email exchanges dated March 30, 2020, on China’s handling of COVID-19 between Prabir and Singham were shared by Zee News journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, days after New York Times investigation said that Singham was using its network of nonprofits and media organisations spread across the world to propagate Chinese propaganda. As reported earlier, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat also had close ties with ThoughtWorks founder Neville Roy Singham, a purported email correspondence between the two revealed. 

An open letter from an Indian to the I.N.D.I.A. alliance members

Rudra Prasanna Banerjee
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An open letter from an Indian to the I.N.D.I.A. alliance members

For the last two weeks, I am amused by the progress of the alliance I.N.D.I.A., the union of political parties to fight against the democratically elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though I have minimal interest in this alliance, I cannot abstain from seeing the following. Especially as an NRI, I found it quite distasteful to see such low-level politics that is creating a negative perspective about my country.

The horrific incident in Manipur is beyond any sort of condemnable words. I would prefer to see nothing short of exemplary capital punishment for the perpetrators. While demanding such extreme punishment, I am unbiased to the religion of the victims or the suspect or convict. This is the least expectation from our politicians as well.

However, on many occasions, this was not the case. I recall the Asifa rape case when I was in Canada. A protest was organised by creating a social event through Facebook. They aimed at defaming India in the guise of fighting for justice. I openly opposed their claim to defame my country based on a heinous incident. As a result, I got death threats in personal messages. Unfortunately, at that time, another similar case happened with a little Hindu girl, Twinkle Khanna. We never saw any outrage by any politician at that time as the suspects were not from a minority group.

In the case of Manipur, again, we are seeing a similar type of selective outrage from our opposition leaders. The Home Minister clearly asked for a discussion in parliament, the Defense Minister also did the same. Still, our opposition works relentlessly to try and disrupt parliament and protest against the Prime Minister.

Well, as political players, they can continue to do so if that suits their political ambition, but what about the moral standings? While the opposition today selectively picked up topics to protest portraying themselves as the advocate for minorities, I am wondering if they will protest if an incident happens today similar to Prof. Joseph’s incident in 2010. A group of Muslim students chopped the right hand of Prof Joseph in 2010 under the UPA 2 government.

Can you imagine a young boy hanging on an electric pole with a message on his back that whoever will support BJP will face the same fate? It happened during the 2021 Vidhan Sabha election in West Bengal. After the 2021 state election victory, ruthless violence highlighted the peaceful nature of CM Mamata Banerjee.

A seventeen-year-old minor girl from the SC community moved to the Supreme Court to seek justice as she was gang raped during the post-poll violence in West Bengal. The

grandmother of a six-year-old girl moved the Supreme Court to seek justice for the rape of her granddaughter as per media reports. Abhijit, a youth was beaten to death and also his puppies were also killed because he was a BJP supporter.

Even in this Panchayet election, 60 people were killed in the state! Are these deaths not painful? Are these deaths not shameful in a democratic country? TMC members who believe only the Manipur incident is shocking but West Bengal is ignorable, must be labelled as psychopaths in dire need of treatment.

In addition, how did members of TMC forget their leader Mamata Banerjee’s statement as a chief minister after rape cases? Here are some of her unbelievable statements. First, park street rape was a pre-planned incident; second, need to investigate whether it was an extramarital affair. Third, like we have fever or coughs sometimes, rape can happen sometimes as well. I am not at all trying to defend anyone in Manipur, but those statements of Mamata Banerjee being the CM were no less than the crime itself. MPs of her party who have been shouting about the PM’s statement, do they have the courage to ask Mamata Banerjee to apologise to the people for such statements?

Considering the bigger impact on society, it is important to clarify something to Rahul Gandhi who recently made a statement that his father, and grandmother suffered to save this land. I am empathetic to his pain. However, will he apologise to the people of India for the statement, “Jab bada ped girta hai to dharti hilti hai” made by his father to justify horrific anti-Sikh riots?

A minister in Rajasthan was sacked by the Congress government as he questioned the women’s safety in that state. Does Rahul Gandhi have the courage to have a press conference to apologise to him for the autocratic behaviour of the CM of his party in Rajasthan? Does Rahul Gandhi have the courage to publicly state that he is ready to cooperate with the Government of India to visit all states to understand the depth of the existing problems in women’s safety?

In 2024, we are not interested to elect someone who relies on his grandmother or father. Instead, we will be glad to have an alternative face who can set up some exemplary leadership. Like Vajpayee Ji did being an opposition leader by representing India in Geneva.

Similar things can be cited easily for every single party in I.N.D.I.A. For example, the hanging of the 2012 Delhi rape case was delayed due to the AAP government’s irresponsibility. It is not needed to remind people how Lalu Yadav made Bihar the heaven of anti-socials. Last but not least, in response to a question by a journalist about a woman who was raped inside the party office of CPIM in Bengal, the former chief minister, the infamous Jyoti Basu replied that he did not have time to look at such small issue due to the May day preparation. It was also a part of the left legacy to force a mother to eat the rice mixed with her son’s blood (Sain Bari Killing). The killing of innocent Hindu refugees in Marichjhapi was also under Jyoti Basu’s regime.

Concurrently, the Parole for a rape convict Ram Rahim may be legally right but it is devastating from a moral point of view. Why doesn’t our opposition work together with the government to bring changes in the law to abolish this parole for rape convicts? Having said that, it is also a bit frustrating to see how Prime Minister allowed a rape accused to continue his position in a ministry? Though it is quite common that many politicians in India are accused in many similar cases, Narendra Modi has set exemplary leadership in the last ten years. Hence, the expectation from him is also very high.

The blame game can continue as long as our politicians want to do so, but, at the end of the day, it was PM Modi who brought changes in the law to punish juvenile rapists or to establish fast track court to speed up the judicial process in rape cases. Whenever it comes down to considering women’s rights, I think no Prime Minister other than PM Modi did a better job. Be it making toilets in all houses or abolishing triple talaq to save Muslim women.

The aspirants for the Prime Minister post from the alliance I.N.D.I.A. may dream of denigrating Modi based on the Manipur rape case, but in reality, they prove themselves as insensitive and shameless human beings in the end. I think it will be more appropriate to call this alliance as “Insignificantly Nationalist and Democratically Irrelevant Alliance”, the abbreviation remains the same as I.N.D.I.A.

Uttar Pradesh: Maulana assaults, rapes 14-year-old girl for 5 hours in a madrasa in Shamli, booked

Siddhi Somani
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Uttar Pradesh: Maulana assaults, rapes 14-year-old girl for 5 hours in a madrasa in Shamli, booked

In a horrific case reported from the Karnal region of Uttar Pradesh, a 14-year-old minor girl from Karnal was brutally raped and harassed by a Maulana who has now been booked in an FIR. The girl was raped for around 5 hours by the accused in a Madarsa in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh where the girl had been admitted as a student.

According to the initial reports by Daini Bhasker, the incident is said to have happened on June 20. The girl was observed for 10 days by the accused who later began calling her after the Madarsa hours. He later abused her and began touching her inappropriately. On refusal, the girl would be assaulted and forced to respond.

On the day of the incident, the girl was called by the Maulana to his room where he forced himself upon her and brutally raped her for around 5 hours. The girl kept on refusing but the assault didn’t stop.

The video statement of the girl was obtained by Dainik Bhasker in which the girl is heard crying and narrating the whole incident. She says that Maulana often used to force himself upon her and that he used to touch her inappropriately. “That day he called me at around 9 am and raped me. I was released after 1 pm. I can’t even explain what all has been done to me,” the girl said crying.

The state child commission is said to have taken cognizance of the event after the video of the incident appeared on the internet. After this, the girl was approached for a statement and later an FIR was filed in the case.

‘Corruption quit India, appeasement quit India’: PM Modi invokes Gandhi to remind how Opposition politics has harmed the country

OpIndia Staff
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‘Corruption quit India, appeasement quit India’: PM Modi invokes Gandhi to remind how Opposition politics has harmed the country

On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an apparent jab at the opposition, claiming that India is now speaking with one voice against corruption, dynasticism, and appeasement.

Recalling the Quit India movement, PM Modi on Twitter said, “Tributes to the greats who took part in the Quit India Movement. Under the leadership of Gandhi Ji, this Movement played a major role in freeing India from colonial rule. Today, India is saying in one voice: Corruption Quit India. Dynasty Quit India. Appeasement Quit India.”

Meanwhile, BJP MP and former cabinet minister Ravi Shankar Prasad repeated PM Modi’s Twitter post on ‘Quit India,’ adding that family power and corruption must leave India to protect democracy. “Rampant family rule in politics quit India, stinking corruption quit India, appeasement politics quit India. If the democratic fabric of the country is to be safeguarded these ills- family rule, and corruption have to quit India,” he said.

“The meaning of a family dynasty is that a son or daughter of a leader will become the leader of the party. Not just a leader but he will either become a PM/CM or a candidate for the PM/CM post irrespective of their capability. Packaging & re-packaging of Rahul Gandhi keep going on. But does Congress ever think of Rahul Gandhi as capable of becoming a leader of a country like India?” Prasad added.

PM Modi earlier pressed his voice against Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A. alliance, calling it a directionless party

PM Modi has often accused opposition parties of pursuing a politics of corruption, dynasty, and appeasement, and has urged people to avoid them.

Earlier on Tuesday (August 8), Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the opposition, saying they launched the no-confidence motion against his government to test the trust of its own alliance members in one other since the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is plagued by distrust among its followers.

Also, on July 27 this year, PM Modi slammed the opposition coalition of 26 parties that have named themselves as the ‘I.N.D.I.A.’ alliance and said that the opposition parties were attempting to cover up their old deeds by coming together and forming a new alliance. He added that the parties have never cared about India.

He also specifically said that Congress had now become a directionless party and that its allies had changed their names just like the earlier fraud companies did. The PM also stated that the opposition only knew to cry in front of the international media and defame the country.

“They go and meet the foreign delegates and appease the voters here. They care about the vote bank more than they do about the nation as a whole. These are all liars and people with massive egos. We need to give the slogan which was once given by Mahatma Gandhi- Quit I.N.D.I.A. Today’s mantra should be ‘Bhrashtachar (corruption) Quit India’, ‘Parivarvaad (dynasty) Quit India’, ‘Tushtikaran (appeasement) Quit India,” the PM had said pressing his voice against corruption, dynasticism, and appeasement.

Essentially, the PM pointed out that given the history and tendencies of the Opposition parties, just by naming themselves as I.N.D.I.A., they cannot fool the people of India to associate them with the country and its people.

26 parties in the I.N.D.I.A. alliance

26 opposition parties, including two national and 24 regional parties, have managed to form a coalition to compete against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the general elections of 2024 after high-stakes negotiations that began in April and two crucial meetings in Patna and Bengaluru. The coalition, known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), has 142 Lok Sabha MPs including the parties of the chief ministers of seven different States.

The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress (INC) and includes parties like Trinamool Congress (TMC), which governs the state of West Bengal, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which rules the Tamil Nadu state; and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which has power in the states of Delhi and Punjab.

Also Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which together govern the state of Bihar in the east and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which rules over the state of Jharkhand are part of the coalition.

Further, the National Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar), the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Samajwadi Party (SP), the National Conference (NC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), the Communist Party of India- Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML Liberation), the Forward Bloc, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the Kerala Congress (Joseph), the Kerala Congress (Mani), the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) are the other members of the 26-party alliance.

Quit India Movement led by MK Gandhi

On August 8, 1942, MK Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement (also known as the “Bharat Chodo Andolan”). It was an important movement initiated at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), where Gandhi issued the demand ‘Do or Die’ to remove British colonial authority in India.

The movement was the catalyst for massive civil disobedience, deviance, and non-cooperation against the British. Protesters demolished government structures in a number of locations. Many notable individuals were arrested, including MK Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

By the end of 1942, nearly 60,000 individuals had been imprisoned.

6 Miss Indonesia Universe contestants lodge sexual harassment complaint against organisers, allege they were subjected to topless “body checks”

OpIndia Staff
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6 Miss Indonesia Universe contestants lodge sexual harassment complaint against organisers, allege they were subjected to topless “body checks”

Six contestants of the Miss Universe Indonesia pageant have filed complaints with the police accusing organisers of sexual harassment. They have charged that they were subjected to topless body checks during the competition. The police confirmed that a report was filed and the matter is under investigation.

The event took place in the country’s capital of Jakarta from 29 July to 3 August. The participants complained that the organisers required five of them to remove everything but their underwear in order to undergo physical assessments in a room with more than 20 people, including men. The latter told them that they had to examine any scars, cellulite or tattoos on the former’s bodies.

They were then photographed without tops, according to attorney, Mellisa Anggraeni, who also added that such procedures weren’t necessary. She mentioned that six candidates had registered complaints. Three of them were represented by her and she anticipated that many more would come forward.

“My rights, in my opinion, have been infringed. My mental state has been impacted. I’ve had difficulties sleeping,” one of the victims voiced in a media interview with fellow grousers earlier this week. The local television disguised their faces during the broadcasts to safeguard their identities.

“I felt like I was being peeked on, I was very confused and uncomfortable,” She stated that was instructed to pose in an indecent way, which involved opening her legs to the news channel Kompas TV.

Jakarta police spokesperson Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko informed that a report from contestants had been received on 7 August and it would be probed. The Miss Universe Indonesia Organisation will conduct an inquiry into the allegations based on a statement from its well-known owner Poppy Capella.

“In response to media coverage about the incidents at the Miss Universe Indonesia pageant, we at Miss Universe Indonesia are closely monitoring the situation. We are actively investigating the allegations that have been reported in the mass media. We will conduct a thorough investigation and review the allegations made against us.” she proclaimed.

Such charges are taken “very seriously” by the international Miss Universe Organisation, which also asserted that it was conducting investigations into the situation. “Miss Universe takes allegations of sexual abuse and impropriety extremely seriously. Providing a safe place for women is the Miss Universe Organization’s utmost priority, and we are looking into this matter,” they announced.

Although body checks are common in the nation, competitors are not generally required to remove their clothing, per Maria Harfanti, a former Miss Indonesia. Their body mass index (BMI) is frequently requested by the organisers in order to assess their body proportions.

One of the complainants unveiled during the press conference on 7 August that while some men used to be present, the body inspections were conducted in a closed room. She continued that because the door was partially open, everyone outside was able to see inside.

Religious organisations in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, have previously protested beauty contests. While the country has traditionally permitted beauty pageants, the organisers take care to avoid upsetting the more traditional elements of the community. Notably, The Miss World pageant had to cancel its bikini round when it was staged in 2013.

Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, a transgender rights activist and celebrity media tycoon from Thailand, purchased the Miss Universe Organisation last year for $20 million. The recent occasion aimed to choose Indonesia’s representative for the upcoming Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador. The Miss Universe Organisation, co-owned by former United States President and businessman Donald Trump from 1996 to 2002, has been organising the pageant since 1952.

Rohingya involvement in Nuh violence: 2 Rohingya Muslims caught with Aadhar card and other documents; police to probe 2,000 others

OpIndia Staff
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Rohingya involvement in Nuh violence: 2 Rohingya Muslims caught with Aadhar card and other documents; police to probe 2,000 others

Two Rohingya Muslims have been apprehended for their alleged role in a violent assault on members of Hindu organisations who were partaking in a religious procession at Khedla Chowk in Nuh on 31st July 2023. According to a report by Jagran, authorities have arrested the two individuals, and in a broader effort, they are set to scrutinise Aadhaar cards and various documents belonging to approximately 2,000 Rohingyas in Nuh and surrounding areas.

In relation to the Nuh violence incident, the police have apprehended two individuals identified as Saifullah and Mehboob, both belonging to the Rohingya Muslim community. During their interrogation, Saifullah and Mehboob, who were implicated in the unrest at Khedla Chowk, admitted to their entry into Assam from Myanmar along with a group of fellow migrants. They acknowledged acquiring Aadhaar cards and additional documentation to establish residency in the region.

Saifullah’s journey took him from Assam to Delhi, where he met a Maulana from Nuh. Subsequently, around a year and a half ago, he relocated to Nuh. Notably, Saifullah resided in close proximity to Nangli village, while Mehboob took shelter near the old bus stand – both of which are recognized as Rohingya camps.

Following the emergence of a Rohingya link to the Nuh violence, the district administration has initiated a comprehensive inquiry. According to a police official, their investigation unveiled the presence of approximately 2000 Rohingya families within the district, whose identification documents will undergo thorough scrutiny. The process of obtaining Aadhaar cards for this populace will also be subjected to investigation. The administration employed a bulldozer to raze around 200 slums in Tavdu, where these Rohingya families resided.

The investigation has brought to light the participation of numerous Rohingya families residing in both Nuh and its neighbouring villages in the recent outbreak of violence. The apprehension of Saifullah and Mehboob has effectively jolted the administration awake from its previous slumber. Notably, the 200 slums situated in Tavdu were constructed on land belonging to the Haryana Urban Development Authority. In the aftermath of the violence, the administration took action by demolishing these slums.

According to reports, there are approximately two thousand Rohingyas currently residing in Nuh, and a large number of them possess UN-issued refugee cards. They have once again attracted attention due to their involvement in the recent violence that occurred in Nuh on July 31. The police have registered more than 20 cases and arrested around 25 Rohingya refugees.

Preliminary investigations revealed that all of them had been given refugee identity cards by the UN. Most of the Rohingyas living in Nuh are from Myanmar’s Rakhine state. After the violence in 2017, they came to Nuh through many routes in India.

Nuh violence: Hindu village bodies decide to boycott Muslim traders after the communal attack on Jalabhishek Yatra claimed 6 lives and injured dozens

OpIndia Staff
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Nuh violence: Hindu village bodies decide to boycott Muslim traders after the communal attack on Jalabhishek Yatra claimed 6 lives and injured dozens

More than 50 panchayats in three districts of Rewari, Mahendragarh and Jhajjar have issued letters to ban the entry of Muslim traders after the communal violence erupted in Nuh, Haryana. After the communal violence that erupted in Nuh, Haryana, the situation slowly started to calm down. Meanwhile, panchayats have issued these letters.

More than 50 panchayats of three districts – Rewari, Mahendragarh and Jhajjar – have issued letters prohibiting the entry of Muslim traders. These letters, signed by sarpanches, also state that Muslims living in villages will have to submit documents related to their identity to the police.

Letter by Pruthvipura Panchayat asking to ban Muslim treaders. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi

According to reports, most of the villages do not have any residents of the minority community. However, there are some families who have been living here for three to four generations. The letters have however mentioned that the panchayats do not intend to harm the religious sentiments of anyone.

Saidpur was the first panchayat to pass this resolution. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi

The letter addressed to the SDM reads, “Considering the attacks on Hindus which recently took place in Nuh, our village has decided that no Muslim person should do any kind of business in our village. Muslims do their business during the day and commit thefts and other crimes at night. This decision is being taken looking at the incidents like the Nuh violence. This decision is being taken to maintain social harmony and not to insult anyone’s religious sentiments.”

What did the SDM say?

Narnaul (Mahendragarh) Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manoj Kumar said, “Physical copies of the letters have not been found but have seen them on social media and asked the block office to send show cause notices to all panchayats.”

Mahendragarh district leads with 35 panchayats banning Muslim treaders after Nuh violence. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi

He added, “Issuing such letters is against the law. However, we have not received any such letter from the panchayats. I came to know about them through media and social media. The minority community does not constitute even two per cent of the population in these villages. Everyone lives in harmony and such a notice will only hinder it.”

The stand of the Sarpanch issuing letter

The Sarpanch of Saidpur in Mahendragarh said, “The Nuh violence was the latest trigger, but several cases of theft were registered in the village in July – the last month. All the unfortunate incidents started happening only when outsiders started entering our villages. Right after the Nuh clash, we held a panchayat on August 1 and decided not to let them enter our villages to maintain peace.”

Gomla panchayat also issued a letter. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi

He said he withdrew the letter after his legal advisor told him that separating a community on the basis of religion was against the law. He added, “I don’t know how this letter started circulating on social media. We have withdrawn it.”

According to the Sarpanch, Saidpur was the first village to issue the letter and others followed it. He said, “Around 35 letters were issued from the Atali block of Mahendragarh. The rest were issued from Jhajjar and Rewari.”

The Sarpanch of another village Tajpur said, “Everyone has issued the letter and I should do the same. It was a preventive measure and I did not suffer any harm. We had a blueprint of the letter they had issued. We just copied it.”

On July 31, violence broke out in Haryana’s Nuh district during the ‘Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra,’ which was organized by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Vehicles were burnt and stones pelted at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Jalabhishek Yatra as clashes erupted between two communities in the Muslim-majority region of Mewat in Haryana.

Chinese army’s cyber-spies hacked sensitive defence networks of Japan in 2020

ANI
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Chinese army’s cyber-spies hacked sensitive defence networks of Japan in 2020

In the fall of 2020, the Chinese military compromised the classified defence networks of Japan, reported The Washington Post on Wednesday. 

According to the report, cyberspies from the People’s Liberation Army had wormed their way into Japan’s most sensitive computer systems.

As per The Washington Post, three former senior US officials, who were among a dozen current and former US and Japanese officials interviewed, said that the hackers had deep, persistent access and appeared to be after anything they could get their hands on- plans, capabilities and assessments of military shortcomings.

“It was bad — shockingly bad,” recalled one former US military official, who was briefed on the event, which has not been previously reported.

According to the Washington Post, Japan is making efforts to strengthen its networks. But they are still deemed not sufficiently secure from Beijing’s prying eyes, which, officials say, could impede greater intelligence-sharing between the Pentagon and Bejing’s Defence Ministry.

The report by the Washinton Post also cited that the 2020 penetration was so disturbing that Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of the NSA and the US Cyber Command, and Matthew Pottinger, who was White House deputy national security adviser at the time, raced to Tokyo briefed the defence minister, who was so concerned that he arranged for them to alert the prime minister himself.

The Japanese were taken aback but indicated they would look into the matter

When all this happened, Washington was witnessing the victory of President Joe Biden. When the Biden administration had settled in, cybersecurity and defence officials realised the problem had festered. The Chinese were still in Tokyo’s networks.

Since then, under American scrutiny, the Japanese have announced they are ramping up network security, boosting the cybersecurity budget tenfold over the next five years and increasing their military cybersecurity force fourfold to 4,000 people, reported The Washington Post.

Earlier, last year, Chinese hackers reportedly sent emails with malware links to scientists and engineers at several of Russia’s military research and development institutes on March 23 in order to purportedly obtain critical data on the country’s security systems.

The emails, which were supposedly sent by Russia’s Ministry of Health and contained seemingly tantalizing information about a “list of persons under U.S. sanctions for invading Ukraine” were actually sent by state-sponsored hackers in China seeking to entice their Russian targets to download and open a document with malware, New York Times reported citing a report by Israeli-American cybersecurity firm Check Point.

Point’s research showed that despite the countries’ deepening ties, China appeared to view Russia as a legitimate target for the theft of sensitive military technological information, the report said.

The report provides new evidence of Chinese efforts to spy on Russia, pointing to the complexity of the relations between the two countries that have drawn closer in solidarity against the US.

It also underscores the sprawling, and increasingly sophisticated, tactics China’s cyber spies have used to collect information on an ever-expanding array of targets, including countries it considers friends, like Russia, the New York Times reported.

The Chinese espionage operation began as early as July 2021, before Russia invaded Ukraine, the Check Point report said. The March emails revealed that China’s hackers had quickly exploited narratives about the war in Ukraine for their purposes.

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

Watch: In Karnataka, MV College students ‘cleanse and purify’ campus with Gau Mutra after Prakash Raj’s visit

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: In Karnataka, MV College students ‘cleanse and purify’ campus with Gau Mutra after Prakash Raj’s visit

On 8th August, students of Sir M Visvesvaraya College of Arts and Commerce in Bhadravathi, Shivamogga, Karnataka ‘purified’ the campus with Gau Mutra after actor Prakash Raj visited for an event. Prakash Raj was invited for a discussion on ‘Dialogue on Theater, Cinema, and Society’ in a program hall on the college campus. Notably, it was a private event, and when students learned about it, they launched a protest against it.

The protesters accused the organisers of conducting the event without including the students. The police were called for security during the event. Barricades were put outside the college to prevent the protesters from entering the premises. Such arrangements for the event led to an altercation between the police and the protesters.

Speaking to the media, Superintendent of Police, Shivamogga said the protesters included both college students and outsiders. It was unclear whether the alleged outsiders belonged to any specific political party. BJP district president Dharmaprasad came out to support the students and questioned what Prakash Raj could teach students.

BJP Yuva Morcha cleaned the Audotoriaum of Raghvendra Muth with cow urine after Prakash Raj’s visit in 2018

This is not the first time Prakash Raj has faced opposition over an event. In January 2018, BJP Yuva Morcha members purified the auditorium of Raghvendra Muth at Sirsi Town in Karnataka after Prakash Raj attended a left-backed event titled “Our Constitution, Our Pride” as a speaker.

Prakash Raj and his run with controversies

Prakash Raj, a popular actor in Hindi, Tamil, and other regional language films, is one of the frontrunners in the left-liberal ecosystem against the Modi government.

He is known for his pro-Left, anti-Hindi and anti-BJP/RSS stand. In April 2023, Prakash Raj expressed dismay after Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep extended his support for BJP for the Karnataka elections. He claimed to be hurt by Sudeep’s support of the saffron party.

In March 2023, clips from his films hating Hindi went viral on social media. Interestingly, Raj has played some prominent roles in Hindi films. Despite his association with Hindi cinema, Raj has shown his anti-Hindi sentiments several times.

Congress ecosystem ‘launches’ Rahul Gandhi again ahead of 2024 elections, for the umpteenth time

Shraddha Pandey
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Congress ecosystem ‘launches’ Rahul Gandhi again ahead of 2024 elections, for the umpteenth time

Emotions have been running high for the liberal media since Congress scion Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the Modi surname defamation case was overturned. While the Congress is portraying this as the “return of the prince,” Congress-friendly “journalists” are unable to deter themselves from launching Rahul Gandhi, again. 

Gulf News article on Rahul Gandhi’s latest political ‘relaunch’ (Image via Gulf News website)

In an opinion piece for Gulf News titled “Gandhi 3.0: Rahul Gandhi’s complete reinvention for 2024 India elections”, Twitter troll and alleged ‘journalist’ Swati Chaturvedi launched Rahul Gandhi as a ‘resilient’ leader a purpose ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Chaturvedi delved into the ‘complete reinvention’ of the Gandhi scion.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi underwent ‘reinvention’. In 2018 Swati Chaturvedi tweeted that “Rahul Gandhi carried a successful reinvention” after Gujarat assembly elections, even when the Congress party could only achieve ‘moral victory’.

Screenshot via Twitter

In April 2020, Swati Chaturvedi wrote an opinion piece for NDTV, that time it was Rahul 2.0. Chaturvedi heaped praises on Rahul Gandhi back then over how he did not launch political attacks on PM Modi over handling of the Covid pandemic and gave constructive suggestions. Swati wrote a long article back then eulogising Rahul Gandhi and it was yet another ‘reinvention’ of the Gandhi scion during lockdown 2.0. Contrary to Chaturvedi’s assertions of constructive criticism, Gandhi and his party ran vile campaign to malign PM Modi’s image and undermine India’s fight against covid. The Congress party even ran social media campaigns like #Modistrain in a bid to do so.

In the Gulf News article published on Tuesday, August 8, Chaturvedi opened with showering praises on Rahul Gandhi calling the former Congress President a resilient leader. Amusingly, Rahul Gandhi has over the years shown his ‘resilience’ by going on a holiday every time his party is in trouble, be it leaving for a foreign trip when Congress was faced with a crisis in Goa last year, or going on a trip to Italy in December 2021 ahead of the campaigns and rallies for then-upcoming Assembly elections in five states scheduled for 2022. 

The Gulf News article further laments over how Rahul Gandhi has faced ‘political punishment’ as an “industrial scale calumny” was directed at the Congress scion in a social media smear campaign. In line with the Congress narrative that Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the Modi surname case, as well as his automatic disqualification as a Member of the Lok Sabha, was the result of the BJP and the Modi government’s vendetta against Rahul Gandhi, Chaturvedi insinuated that his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP was caused by the BJP, not the law. Chaturvedi also bemoaned how the BJP government forced the ‘prince’ to leave his castle, which he had been staying in for 19 years, with “unusual alacrity.” 

The article continues by recalling how Rahul Gandhi, when first introduced as “the ultimate silver spoon heir,” despised politics and was unwilling to put in the hard work required, often sought refuge in numerous international excursions. Interestingly, even after his initial launch and numerous re-launches as a ‘leader’ and Prime Ministerial contender, Rahul Gandhi’s love for trips abroad has not changed. 

Moving ahead, ‘journalist’ Swati Chaturvedi called Rahul Gandhi’s controversial foot march ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ a game changer for the Gandhi scion. While Rahul Gandhi claims to run a ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan’ his Bharat Jodo Yatra, started in September last year and ended in January, witnessed numerous occasions which raised questions if Rahul Gandhi and his party were walking to unite or divide the nation. From widening the linguistic divide, meeting anti-Hindu pastor George Poonaiah, walking along Congress leader who openly slaughtered cow,  feeling hatred between Maharashtra and Gujarat, meeting controversial ‘activists’ like Yogendra Yadav, Medha Patkar, anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler to raking up ‘outsider’ rhetoric in Jammu and Kashmir when migrant workers and non-locals were being killed by the terrorists.

Rahul Gandhi is the only Indian politician with the most ‘launches‘. The Congress party has frequently ‘launched’ Rahul Gandhi as a credible contender for the PM seat, but with little to demonstrate for it in terms of performance.

Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the Congress party has faced humiliating defeats in back-to-back Lok Sabha elections, has been wiped out in numerous states, and has become a negligible player in a number of others. From leading his party to defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 2019 Lok Sabha elections to losing his ancestral Amethi constituency to BJP’s Smriti Irani, Rahul Gandhi has proven to be a disappointing leader for the party even though the ‘darbaris’ will not admit it openly and continue to take the blame for the defeats and crown him for the victories.

Despite the disappointing electoral results overall, the party has decided to attempt another ‘relaunch’ as the party is set to take out another Bharat Jodo Yatra in the coming times. While the Congress and its media alliance are desperately pushing ‘Rahul 3.0’—yet another launch of the Gandhi prince, it would be interesting to see how the umpteenth ‘launch’ is packaged and sold ahead of the 2024 elections.

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