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Sahara depositors will get their refunds within 45 days, Amit Shah launches CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal: Read how it will work

OpIndia Staff
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Sahara depositors will get their refunds within 45 days, Amit Shah launches CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal: Read how it will work

On the 18th of July, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah launched the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS)-Sahara Refund Portal in New Delhi. It has been developed by a subsidiary of IFCI Ltd. and it will help over 10 crore depositors of Sahara Group in claiming their refund in a timely and transparent manner.

Former SC Judge and Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation Justice R. Subhash Reddy, several prominent dignitaries, and depositors of these four cooperatives of Sahara group were also present at the launch event. 

Speaking at the launch, Shah said, “The process of returning the money of depositors, which was stuck in four cooperative societies of Sahara Group, has started with the launch of Sahara Refund Portal.” He assured that crores of people are going to receive their hard-earned money, which was stuck due to scams, within 45 days of submitting an application for the refunds. 

Hailing it as a great achievement, Shah highlighted that around 1.78 crore small investors, whose deposits of up to Rs. 30,000 were stuck in these four cooperatives will get a refund in the first phase. 

Shah added, “All the (central probing) agencies together filed a petition in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court gave a historic decision to form a committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to start the payment process in a transparent manner.” 

Further, Shah highlighted that depositors would initially get up to a Rs 10,000 refund. Subsequently, the refund amount would be increased for those who had invested higher amounts.

He mentioned that the first phase has begun with a corpus of Rs 5,000 crores with the launch of this portal. After the completion of the Rs 5,000 crore payment, another appeal will be made in the Supreme Court to return the amount to the remaining investors, the Minister said.

Earlier, on the 29th of March, the Union government had assured the depositors that the money will be refunded to 10 crore investors of the four cooperative societies within nine months. This was followed by the Supreme Court order that directed the release of a corpus of Rs 5000 crore from the “Sahara-SEBI Refund Account” to the CRCS so that refund could be disbursed to legitimate depositors of Sahara Group. 

Refund process

The CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal can be directly accessed online through the official website of the Ministry of Cooperation (https://cooperation.gov.in). The depositors will have to fill in all the necessary details to claim their refunds. 

In the initial phase, around 1.7 crore investors will be able to register themselves with the refund portal.

How will the portal work?

The CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal will work by linking your Aadhaar number to your mobile phone number. Second, the Aadhaar card must be linked to their bank account. Additionally, you will have to provide receipt details. Following this, you will be able to download a form, complete it, and re-upload it to the portal. Then the refunding procedure will start.

Notably, there is no charge for submitting the online form. 

How to apply on CRCS Sahara Refund Portal?

  1. Open CRCS Sahara Refund Portal: Search https://mocrefund.crcs.gov.in/ 
  2. To register as a depositor, enter your 12-digit Membership Number, the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar Number, your 10-digit Aadhaar-linked Mobile Number, and the Captcha. Then click “Get OTP.”
  3. Enter the OTP received on your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and complete the registration process.
SS of CRCS Sahara Refund Portal
  1. On the depositor login screen, enter the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar Number, your 10-digit Aadhaar-linked Mobile Number, and the Captcha. Click “Get OTP.”
  2. Enter the OTP.
  3. Once logged in, give your consent as prompted by Aadhaar. On the next page, accept the terms and conditions by clicking “I agree.”
  1. On the Personal Details screen, enter your 12-digit Aadhaar Number and click “Get OTP.” You will receive the OTP on your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
  2. Enter the OTP and click “Verify OTP.”
  3. After verifying the OTP, you will see your Aadhaar user details displayed, including First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, and Father/Husband Name.
  4. Optionally, you can enter your email address and click “Save Email,” then press the “Next” button.
  5. Enter the details displayed on the Certificate of Deposit.
  6. Click “Submit Claim” to view all the details in the grid below. Here, you can add multiple claim requests.
  7. Once all the claim details are entered, the pre-filled claim request form will be prepared. Please ensure all claims are entered before preparing the form, as it cannot be changed or added later.
  8. Affix your latest photograph and sign the claim form along with the photograph.
  9. Upload the claim form and a copy of your PAN card on the “Upload Document” screen. Note that your PAN card is mandatory if the claim amount is ₹50,000 or more. The size limit for the claim request form, signed with the photograph and PAN card, is 12MB and 50KB.
  10. A thank you page will appear with a claim request number. Make sure to note down the claim request number for future reference.

What documents would one need to apply for the refund?

  • Membership number
  • Deposit account number
  • Mobile Number linked with Aadhaar (mandatory)
  • Certificate of Deposit/Passbook
  • PAN Card (if the claim amount is Rs.50,000/- and above it is mandatory)

How long will the process take?

Next, the Co-operative Societies of the Sahara Group will verify the claim within 30 days of submission. Afterwards, the applicants will be notified about their claim status. This will be done either through a text message or on the portal within 15 days after the verification process. 

The entire refund claim cycle is expected to take around 45 days.

Who all are eligible to get the refund and what are the cut-off dates to apply for claims

Genuine depositors of four Cooperative Societies of the Sahara Group will be able to submit their claims through this portal. These four cooperative societies of the Sahara Group include:

  • Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited
  • Saharayan Universal Multipurpose Society Limited
  • Hamara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited
  • Stars Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited

Notably, the depositors of Cooperative Societies of Sahara Group who have deposited their money before the following dates and have outstanding receipts are eligible:

Depositors of the three following societies who have deposited before March 22, 2022

  • Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited
  • Saharayan Universal Multipurpose Society Limited
  • Hamara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited

Depositors of the following society who have deposited before March 29, 2023

Stars Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.

Deposits of around 10 crore individuals had been stuck in the four cooperative societies of the Sahara group. But this initiative of the Modi government will help these depositors in getting their refunds back in a timely and secure manner.

‘Unstable PM Contender’: Posters mocking Bihar CM Nitish Kumar comes up in Bengaluru amid opposition ‘unity’ meeting

OpIndia Staff
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‘Unstable PM Contender’: Posters mocking Bihar CM Nitish Kumar comes up in Bengaluru amid opposition ‘unity’ meeting

On Tuesday, July 18, posters mocking Bihar CM Nitish Kumar emerged in various places in Bengaluru, including major areas like Windsor Manor Bridge and Airport Road. The posters in which he was referred to as the “unstable Prime Ministerial contender” appeared at a time when Opposition parties are holding a two-day mega ‘unity’ meeting in the city in a show of strength ahead of the crucial 2024 General Elections.

One of the posters highlighted Nitish Kumar’s shortcomings, particularly the collapse of the Sultanganj bridge in Bihar in April 2022 and again in June 2023.

The poster read, “The unstable Prime Ministerial contender. Bangalore rolls out the Red Carpet for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. First date of Sultanganj bridge collapse – April 2022. Second date of Sultanganj bridge collapse – June 2023.”

Another poster poked fun at Nitish Kumar’s attempts to rally the opposition against the BJP-led government in the next Lok Sabha election, despite the fact that bridges in Bihar were unable to withstand his governance.

“Welcome to Shri Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Government of Bihar. Sultanganj Bridge, Nitish Kumar’s gift to Bihar, that keeps collapsing. While bridges in Bihar cannot withstand his reign, count on him to lead the ‘Opposition Party’ campaign,” it reads.

After becoming aware of the posters placed at “Chalukya Circle,” a short distance from the location of the conference that Nitish Kumar is attending, the police acted swiftly and removed the posters.

Notably, last month, the state of Bihar had also witnessed a poster war just a day before 17 opposition parties are scheduled to meet to discuss the timeline and the roadmap for the approaching 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The controversy arose after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chapter in Delhi displayed a poster calling for unity among the opposition while the chapter in Bihar referred to Nitish Kumar as the BJP’s ‘B team.’

After severing relations with the BJP, Nitish Kumar joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress to form the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). He has since been actively trying to bring together opposition groups to oppose the saffron party.

The Bihar Chief Minister chaired the first Opposition meeting in Patna on June 23.

The Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, meanwhile, is being attended by 26 opposition groups, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Samajwadi Party (SP).

Unemployed B.Com pass girl has 14 prospective grooms to choose from, viral post triggers myriad reactions

OpIndia Staff
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Unemployed B.Com pass girl has 14 prospective grooms to choose from, viral post triggers myriad reactions

A post by an unknown girl asking help to choose one from 14 prospective grooms on a matrimonial site has been going viral, for different reasons.

“Confession”, the post read, “29, Female, B.Com. Not working as of now. I am speaking to 14 guys through matrimony and confused. Which one should I choose. Please help”.

The unknown woman, apparently a 29-year-old B.Com graduate had diligently listed all 14 prospective grooms along with details of their age, salary, company name, and job location.

The companies include some of India’s most sought-after employers, including Flipkart, Deloitte, ICICI Bank, TCS, and Unacademy. Even a doctor in Delhi seems to be interested.

Two prospective grooms even had additional details after their listing. A 34-year-old guy working for ICICI bank in Kolkata has “Bald” mentioned specifically, adding a shortcoming that might cause him to be rejected by Miss BCom pass.

Another guy, a 32-year-old man working with BCG in Mumbai, is earning a whooping 45 lakhs per annum, but as Miss BCom noted down, he is “just 5 feet 5 inches” tall.

Miss B.Com’s post has caught social media in a whirlwind of shock and outrage and indignant reactions over the blatant objectification of these 14 men, all apparently interested to marry Miss B.Com pass.

CA Shubham Agrawal announced that the only goal in his life now is to fall in love with someone, so “he doesn’t get judged by a 29-year-old BCom girl.”

A person named Aryan Trivedi shared his anger, asking how can a 29-year-old “aunty” judging such highly qualified guys.

“Imagine dedicating your whole life for education, building a good career, and then getting judged on your salary by a 29 y/o B.Com aunty who’s not even working as of now What is this bs system?” Aryan lamented.

Well, Aryan, this system is called the great Indian arranged marriage market.

Popular handle Squint Neon, however, had an entirely different take on the issue. He blamed Miss B.Com for disrupting the marriage market by talking with 14 guys at once and causing most other girls to remain single.

Not all people are mean on social media though. Some people had genuine advice for the woman.

The corporate world has also noticed the careful mention of salary details. “Matrimony websites have the most accurate salary data. With Grapevine, we are trying to be second best”, tweeted corporate chat platform Grapevine.

Another user had some serious advice. A guy under 30 with less than 20 lakhs per annum salary was suggested as an ideal candidate for her.

We don’t know who Miss B.Com is, but we wish her the best of luck in finding a suitable candidate to marry.

Ghaziabad: Driver drives a car in reverse for 2 KMs on National Highway, kills an engineering student on his way

OpIndia Staff
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Ghaziabad: Driver drives a car in reverse for 2 KMs on National Highway, kills an engineering student on his way

On 16th July, a driver killed a B-Tech student on National Highway 9 (NH9) in Ghaziabad. The deceased has been identified as 21-year-old Krishnanshu Choudhary, who lived in Asotech Society in the Crossing Republic. As per reports, the driver drove the car in reverse for 2 KMs before hitting Krishnanshu.

As per the police, the car was travelling to Meerut and was supposed to enter the Meerut Expressway. The driver accidentally entered National Highway 9, and by the time he realised, he had travelled around 2 KM. The driver decided to drive the car in reverse on the National Highway to make up for it and hit Krishnanshu, who was riding a scooty. The driver escaped from the scene after the accident.

The victim was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was declared dead. Notably, two-wheelers are not allowed on the Meerut Expressway but can travel on NH9. Furthermore, reversing vehicles is not allowed on special carriage, they must only travel in one direction.

The police are trying to identify the driver who caused the accident using CCTV cameras installed at houses and shops on NH9. There are no such cameras available on the National Highway that can provide some leads. An FIR has been registered against the unknown driver under Sections 279 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code.

Reports suggest that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was requested in December 2022 to install cameras on the National Highway to curb incidents of rash driving. Three months after the police sent the request, NHAI announced to install 232 CCTV cameras on National Highway and underpass. However, NHAI manager Puneet Khanna said in a statement there is no provision for installing CCTV on the highway.

Constable died in a road accident on NH9

In another incident, constable Sushil Kumar died in a road accident on NH9. He was travelling on a scooter for duty change when a car hit him near Crossing Republic Police Station.

Six died in a road accident on Meerut Expressway because of wrong-side driving

The latest accident comes on the heels of another terrible accident when 6 people died thanks to the wrong side driving on the Meerut-Delhi expressway by a school bus driver. According to the police, the school bus was empty and was reportedly coming from the wrong direction. “A school bus and a TUV met with an accident on the Delhi Meerut Expressway at 6.00 am today. The bus driver was coming from the wrong direction after filling CNG from Delhi near Ghazipur. The people in the car were coming from Meerut and had to go to Gurgaon. There was a head-on collision. 6 persons died, and 2 were seriously injured. The driver of the bus has been caught. The entire fault was of the bus driver who was coming from the wrong direction”, Ramanand Kushwaha, ADCP Traffic Police, said in a statement.

“The dead include 2 children. Women and men are also included. 2 people are injured and are being treated in the hospital. There were 8 people in the car. The bus belongs to Bal Bharti School Bus, which is in Noida”, ADCP Kushwaha added.

The marriage of Imran Khan with Bushra Bibi was illegal under Islamic law? Islamabad court summons them both

ANI
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The marriage of Imran Khan with Bushra Bibi was illegal under Islamic law? Islamabad court summons them both


The district and sessions court in Islamabad has termed the case against the “illegal” marriage of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi as admissible in court and summoned both of them on July 20, Geo TV reported.

Civil Judge Qudratullah announced the verdict and issued notices to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and his wife. Petitioner Muhammad Hanif had claimed that Bushra Bibi was divorced by her former husband in November 2017 and married Khan in January 2018, despite her ‘iddat’ period not having ended and stated that it “is against Sharia and Muslim norms.”

As per the Geo TV report, Iddat is a 130-day waiting period after the dissolution of a woman’s marriage through divorce, death, or any other form of separation from her husband, during which the woman remains unmarried.

Cleric Mufti Muhammad Saeed who conducted the marriage between Imran and Bushra submitted in his statements to court that Khan had married Bushra Bibi during the latter’s iddat, despite knowing everything.

He quoted Khan as saying that Bushra Bibi had been divorced on November 2017 and that there was a “prediction” that the PTI chairman would become the prime minister of Pakistan if he married Bushra Bibi.

Last week, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Islamabad Muhammad Azam Khan remanded the case to a civil judge and dismissed another civil court’s verdict declaring a petition challenging the legality of the marriage objectionable, according to Geo TV.

Saeed in his statement to a lower court, said that he had solemnized Khan’s nikah with Bushra Bibi over the assurance of a woman claiming to be the former first lady’s sister.

“Then the former premier contacted me again on February 2018 and requested me to solemnize his Nikah with Bushra Bibi again as the first time it was against the Shariah,” Saeed added in his statement before the court.

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

UK: McDonald’s employees speak out over sexual abuse, racism, and bullying at the workplace

OpIndia Staff
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UK: McDonald’s employees speak out over sexual abuse, racism, and bullying at the workplace

More than 100 current and former staffers at McDonald’s outlets in the UK have alleged that a toxic culture of sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying has been prevalent in the fast-food joint in the country.  

Speaking with BBC, several McDonald’s staffers, some as young as 17 years old, have claimed that they have been groped and harassed almost routinely.

The BBC launched an investigation to understand the working conditions at the fast-food chain after it had signed a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). In this agreement, McDonald’s pledged that it will protect its staff from sexual harassment.

Back then, McDonald’s asserted that it already had a strong track record in this area. However, the staffers, while speaking to BBC, revealed otherwise.

The media corporation claimed that during its five-month-long investigation, it reached out to McDonald’s staffers asking about their working experiences at the fast-food joint. 

The BBC report claimed, that the staffers shared their ordeal and more than 100 allegations were levelled against senior members including Managers of McDonald’s various outlets in the UK. Out of these 100 allegations, 31 were related to sexual assault, and 78 were about sexual harassment. Additionally, 18 staffers made allegations of racism and six others alleged homophobia.

Allegations staffers raised against McDonald’s

  • A current staffer (17-year-old) employed at McDonald’s Cheshire outlet alleged that a colleague who was 20 years older than her, hurled racial slurs at her. Reportedly, he said that he wanted to make a “black and white” baby with her and asked to show her private body part.
  • A former staffer claimed that she was 17 years old when a senior manager at a Plymouth restaurant choked her and grabbed her bottom. She also added that a shift manager sent her sexually explicit images.
  • A manager in McDonald’s Hampshire outlet asked a 16-year-old male worker to perform sexual acts in exchange for vapes (e-cigarettes).
  • In Cheshire restaurant, 16-year-old new female starters were pressurised for having sex with a manager
  • A current worker in Essex claimed that she faced antisemitic abuses
  • A woman staffer alleged that she was called a slur word and subjected to racist jokes at an Aberdeen branch
  • An Indian-origin worker in Oxfordshire claimed that her crew members spoke in “gibberish” to imitate her. They also called a Pakistani colleague a terrorist. 
  • In the Wales branch, Male managers and crew members were betting cash on which of them could sleep with a new recruit first

These are some of the allegations that current and former McDonald’s staffers raised against the crew and senior members of the multinational fast food chain. 

Responding to these allegations, McDonald’s said it had “fallen short” and it “deeply apologised”. It also stated that all employees deserve to work in a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace.

UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was “concerned” by the BBC’s findings. They announced that they are launching a new email hotline for this matter. 

BBC report added that several staffers claimed that McDonald’s managers at various outlets across the UK were responsible for the harassment and assaults. In many cases, these staffers shared their ordeal with their colleagues and senior managers but they failed to act on their complaints. Afterwards, many of them were compelled to quit their job. 

Furthermore, staffers alleged that managers had sexual relationships with junior members of staff, which is against company policy.

Few staffers shared their ordeal

One current worker stated that her male colleagues saw her as “fresh meat” when she started working at the Nottingham branch. Some female staffers told BBC that they were forced by managers to wear tight uniforms. 

A 22-year-old staffer in Norwich, Lucy said, “There is a saying at McDonald’s, “tits on tills” – boys in the kitchen, girls on the counter. The idea is to put attractive people at the front.”

One 20-year-old Emily said, “It’s the expectation that if you work at McDonald’s, you will be harassed.” She left the McDonald’s Brighton branch last year, reportedly after a male colleague in his 60s kept stroking her hair in a sexually suggestive way which made her uncomfortable.

Last year, Shelby started working at a McDonald’s restaurant in Berkshire, back then, she was just 16 years of age. She highlighted that older male colleagues used the cramped layout in the kitchen as an excuse to touch junior female staff inappropriately.

Speaking to BBC, she said, “They’d grope stomach, waists, bums. Every shift I worked, there would be at least a comment being made, or I’d be brushed, a hand brushed across me, or it would be a more severe thing, like having my bum grabbed, hips grabbed.”

She added that last summer, she was standing at the front counter when a 50-year-old staffer came from behind. He grabbed her onto him and pulled her onto his groin.

She said, “I just froze. I felt disgusted.” She told her senior management about these incidents of sexual abuse, but they did nothing. She cited a “toxic work environment” as the reason for her quitting the job in her resignation. 

Another staffer in Birmingham alleged that she was smacked on the bottom by a male colleague when she was 19. She reported it to her manager but no action was taken. Reportedly, the act was caught on camera and she had a visible bruise, despite all of it, she was forced to continue working with him forcing her to quit. 

While in some cases, McDonald’s did take some actions. But staffers claim that several of the accused were just shifted within the franchise, rather than being fired.

Seemingly, some staffers didn’t raise complaints about this because they didn’t want to risk their job. Apparently, young staff at McDonald’s are often on zero-hours contracts. This means their hours are flexible, but they are at the mercy of shift managers who decide their rotational shifts.

While signing the agreement in February with UK’s equality watchdog, McDonald’s pledged “zero tolerance” on sexual harassment. It also claimed that it will undertake training programmes for its employees. However, staffers highlighted that the senior managers don’t take these training sessions seriously. 

Troubles continue for McDonald’s

The working culture at McDonald’s has been facing scrutiny globally. In the United States, the fast-food joint is facing multimillion-dollar lawsuits filed by its employees over sexual harassment allegations.

Earlier, in 2019, McDonald’s chief executive, Steve Easterbrook, was fired when it was revealed that he had inappropriate consensual relationships with McDonald’s employees.

However, the first allegations of sexual harassment at McDonald’s came to light in the UK around five years ago. At that time, the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) claimed that it received 1,000 complaints. It was claimed that it was quickly brushed under the carpet as many cases were settled using confidentiality clauses.

It is important to note that McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest private-sector employers. It has more than 170,000 people working in 1,450 restaurants. Around 75% of its workforce are aged between 16 and 25. For many staffers, it is their first job. However, these revelations have marred and put the working culture at McDonald’s in the dock. 

Assam police ask parents to shield their children from the perils of ‘Sharenting’: All you need to know about the phenomenon

OpIndia Staff
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Assam police ask parents to shield their children from the perils of ‘Sharenting’: All you need to know about the phenomenon

On Saturday, July 15, the Assam police took to Twitter to warn parents against a phenomenon called ‘Sharenting’ which is becoming increasingly common in today’s day and age of social media. Cautioning parents of the potential risks associated with this practice, the Assam police tweeted, “Likes fade, but the digital scars remain. Shield your child from the perils of Sharenting. Be mindful of what you share about your child on Social Media. #DontBeASharent.”

Along with the tweet, it posted AI-generated pictures of four kids, each carrying a separate message and urged parents to protect their children from sharenting.

The first picture showed a child holding a trophy and was accompanied by the text “Children are not social media trophies.”

Another picture featured a young girl holding a smartphone with the chilling caption, “Snapshot of innocence, stolen by the internet.”

One more image depicted a girl child standing with the same mobile phone, with the caption reminding viewers, “Do not trade their privacy for social media attention.”

Last but not least, a picture of a little boy clutching a smartphone was included, along with the statement “Your children’s story, their choice to tell.”

Basically through this post, the Assam police wanted to warn parents that sharing too much personal information about their kids online could expose them to predators and fraudsters.

Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives, and their prevalence has exposed children to various risks, including sharenting. It is essential for parents to be aware of these risks and exercise caution when sharing information about their children on social media. Understanding the potential consequences and taking steps to protect a child’s privacy and well-being can help mitigate the risks associated with sharenting.

But before we proceed further let us understand what exactly is ‘Sharenting’ which the Assam Police are cautioning parents about. Sharenting is a term that was coined in 2010. It refers to the overuse or excessive sharing of information about one’s children on social media platforms by their parents or guardians. It involves sharing photos, videos, personal anecdotes, and other details about a child’s life online. While sharing moments and milestones can be a way for parents to connect with others and celebrate their children, sharenting raises certain risks and concerns.

Here are some of the risks associated with sharenting

  1. Privacy concerns: By sharing information about their children online, parents may unintentionally expose them to privacy risks. Personal details, such as full names, birthdates, schools, and locations, can be easily accessed by strangers, potentially leading to identity theft or other malicious activities.
  2. Digital footprint: The information shared online creates a digital footprint for children, which can have long-term consequences. As they grow older, their online history may affect their reputation, educational opportunities, and future employment prospects.
  3. Online exploitation: Shared photos and videos can be misused or exploited by others. They may be downloaded, altered, or even used for inappropriate purposes. Children may feel embarrassed, violated, or humiliated by the content shared without their consent.
  4. Cyberbullying: Children who are exposed to sharenting may become targets of cyberbullying. Their pictures or stories can be misused by others to ridicule, mock, or harass them, causing emotional distress.
  5. Overexposure and parental oversharing: Constant online sharing can potentially affect a child’s sense of identity and self-esteem. They may feel pressured to meet certain expectations or be uncomfortable with their personal moments being shared without their control.
  6. Digital kidnapping: Sharenting can potentially lead to a phenomenon known as “digital kidnapping.” Digital kidnapping occurs when someone takes photos or information about a child shared online and creates a false identity or misrepresents the child as their own. This deceptive act can have various motivations, including obtaining attention, sympathy, or even engaging in fraudulent activities.
  7. Stalking: Stalking is another potential risk associated with sharenting. When parents share information, photos, or videos of their children online, they inadvertently provide a window into their family’s life, including their daily activities, routines, and locations. This information can be exploited by individuals with malicious intent, including stalkers. Stalkers can use the information shared by parents to track and monitor a family’s movements, potentially leading to dangerous situations. They may be able to determine the child’s school, extracurricular activities, or even their regular hangout spots, making it easier for them to approach or follow the child.

To help protect against digital kidnapping, it is important for parents to be cautious about the information they share online about their children.

How social media contributes to the risks associated with sharenting

  1. Easy and widespread sharing: Social media platforms provide a convenient and widespread way to share information and media instantly. Parents can easily upload and share photos, videos, and personal anecdotes about their children with a large audience, often without fully considering the potential consequences.
  2. Lack of control over shared content: Once something is posted on social media, it can quickly spread and be shared by others, potentially reaching a much larger audience than initially intended. This lack of control over shared content increases the risk of children’s personal information being accessed by strangers or used inappropriately.
  3. Persistent online presence: Information shared on social media platforms can have a long-lasting impact. Even if the content is deleted or privacy settings are adjusted later on, it may have already been saved or reshared by others. This persistent online presence can contribute to privacy concerns and affect a child’s digital footprint.
  4. Public versus private sharing: Social media blurs the line between public and private sharing. Parents may inadvertently share personal moments or intimate details about their children without realizing the potential consequences. This oversharing can lead to privacy breaches and discomfort for the children involved.
  5. Targeted advertising and data collection: Social media platforms often collect user data for targeted advertising purposes. When parents share information about their children, this data can be used to create detailed profiles and potentially expose them to privacy risks or manipulative marketing practices.
  6. Online social dynamics: Children may face social pressure or bullying related to sharenting. Their peers might discover embarrassing or sensitive information shared by their parents, which can lead to teasing, bullying, or exclusion.
  7. Online predators and exploitation: The accessibility of personal information on social media can attract the attention of online predators. They may use the information shared by parents to groom or exploit children, posing significant risks to their safety.

What steps should the parents consider to reduce the risks of sharenting

  1. Exercise caution: Before sharing anything about their children, parents should consider the potential risks and ensure they are comfortable with the information being publicly available.
  2. Adjust privacy settings: Utilize privacy settings on social media platforms to limit the audience for shared content, ensuring that only trusted friends and family can access it.
  3. Be mindful of content: Avoid sharing intimate or embarrassing details that could potentially harm the child’s dignity or reputation.
  4. Educate children: Teach children about online privacy, the potential risks associated with sharing personal information, and the importance of managing their own digital footprint.

By being mindful of the risks and adopting responsible online sharing practices, parents can strike a balance between sharing special moments and protecting their children’s privacy and well-being.

London’s iconic Trocadero set to have a three-storey mosque, property owner Asif Aziz claims only part of the building will serve as prayer space

OpIndia Staff
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London’s iconic Trocadero set to have a three-storey mosque, property owner Asif Aziz claims only part of the building will serve as prayer space

One of London’s famous landmarks, the Trocadero building, is all set to have a three-story house of prayer (mosque) and Islamic centre. The building is located between Piccadilly Circus and Soho. 56-year-old Asif Aziz alias’ Mr. West End’, a billionaire property tycoon, got permission to build the ‘mosque’ inside the iconic Trocadero building in May 2023.

Aziz bought the building in 2005 for GBP 220 million. The mosque will be built by his charitable venture names the Aziz Foundation.

As per Daily Mail’s report, the prayer centre will be able to host 390 people, filling the vacant space after the Metro cinema was shut in 2006.

In 2020, a proposal to build a 1,000-capacity mosque on the site received a severe backlash from the city’s residents and far-right groups. Owing to the criticism, the plan was withdrawn. Later, Aziz submitted a proposal to build a smaller prayer house inside the building that Westminster Council approved. Speaking to The Mail, a council spokesperson said, “A planning application by the Aziz Foundation to convert a part of the London Trocadero was approved by the council’s planning committee in May 2023.”

The mosque will be called ‘Piccadilly Prayer Space’ and may open soon. Questions are being raised by the critics as the proposed prayer center site has establishments that serve alcohol. Furthermore, there are nightclubs and Soho’s gay venues and strip joints at the site, which are generally considered against Islam.

Aziz Foundation refuted reports of converting the building to a mosque

In an official statement issued on 17th July (local time), Aziz Foundation has refuted the claims that permission was granted to convert the Trocadero building into a mosque. Deeming it Islamophobia, the foundation said only a part of the building in the vacant basement would serve as a prayer centre.

As a Foundation, we are proud to support the Piccadilly Community Centre, its prayer space, local community initiatives and interfaith work. British Muslims are part of the fabric of our society and contribute in the most essential and remarkable ways. Still, unsurprisingly, we do not find this accurately reported in mainstream media,” the statement read. It added, “The Centre will provide an indispensable place for the Muslims who work, visit and live in the area and for whom prayer forms a cornerstone of their life.”

The foundation said it will “provide an area for prayer; it is also anticipated that this development will nurture much-needed interfaith dialogue and, in turn, bring faith communities and community groups together utilizing available space.”

Accusing media of spreading misinformation and Islamophobia, the foundation added, “Clearly some in the media feel that being critical of the Muslim community or knowingly creating headlines that will provoke anti-Muslim hatred is far more productive than reporting on the many positive initiatives.”

The ‘meanest landlord’

Aziz was named the ‘meanest landlord’ amidst Covid lockdowns after he threatened the tenants of West End, including chains like Caffe Concerto, with wind-up petitions. He asked tenants to vacate the establishment if they cannot pay the rent.

The criticism on social media

Britishers are not pleased with having an Islamic prayer centre at the Trocadero. Britain’s leader Paud Golding said, “As a teenager, I used to visit the Trocadero regularly. The news that it will shortly become a huge mosque has really angered me. Muslim millionaire Asif Aziz plans to build a three-storey Islamic centre at the Trocadero. London has fallen. London is an occupied city.”

Twitter user Farmer_Boycie said, “So The London Trocadero could soon be a Mosque. For years I have heard that the Muslim faith would take over as the country’s most fully focused religion. Khan is doing everything in his power to make this happen. It’s not racist to know when a radical is at work.”

Twitter user Mitsyarty said, “Opened as a restaurant 1896 the Trocadero later became an exhibition and entertainment space In 1984…now this lovely, historic building central to London is to become a Mosque. What are we doing? What are our politicians doing!??! Our cultural history is being eroded daily.”

About Trocadero

The building was raised in 1896 and has served as one of central London’s most famous entertainment complexes. It also has an 11-storey, 490-room hotel named Zedwell. In 1965, the building was closed after serving for seven decades. In 1984, it was reopened as an exhibition space. Later in 1996, a famous baroque façade was added before arcade-style attractions. In the later 1990s, Pepsi and Sega sponsorships helped the center to grow. In 1997, it became the first building to host 3D IMAX cinema. In 1999, Sega backed away from sponsorship.

In 2000, Pepsi also stepped back from the Trocadero. In the year 2005, Aziz bought the company and shared a plan to redevelop it. In 2020, his company submitted a plan to turn the basement into a mosque, but it was withdrawn.

Disney’s hypersexualisation of children, woke politics, and overindulgence in gender identity of kids: Here’s why the House of Mouse has been caught in its own trap

Pragya Bakshi Sharma
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Disney’s hypersexualisation of children, woke politics, and overindulgence in gender identity of kids: Here’s why the House of Mouse has been caught in its own trap

Disney is going downhill financially and also in the quality of its content. For one, it has none to very few takers online for its streaming platform Disney+, the same goes for its amusement parks and related experiences section. Disney’s TV business is reeling under intense competition to the extent that CEO Bob Iger has announced that it “may sell some of its networks.” In a recent interview, Iger said, “They (TV channels) may not be core to Disney.”

“After coming back, I realised the company is facing a lot of challenges, some of them self-inflicted,” Iger added. The company is also mulling a partial pullout from its India digital and TV business or taking up partners to salvage the same. In India, local rivals, mainly Reliance, are overpowering the brand which is finding it difficult to maintain the relevance of its content.

The footfall at Orlando Disneyland and Disney Adventure Park in California declined sharply this summer. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has blamed Disney’s “wokeism” for the same. This happened at a time when Disney is embroiled in a lawsuit and the case surrounding this lawsuit reflects everything that is wrong with The Walt Disney Company.

In 2022, Disney criticised the Florida Education Board’s “Parental Rights in Education Act” which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The criticism was against the law restricting teachers from indulging the students in issues pertaining to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”. The bill read, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

The then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek is reportedly said to have called Florida Governor DeSantis “to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary, and transgender kids and families.” Disney reportedly vowed that “its goal was to get the law repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts.”

A window in the 1977 movie The Rescuers shows a woman exposing her breasts as the two mice pass by. (Source: Cosmopolitan)

This statement by the entertainment giant exposes its overindulgence in policy matters in the United States. The reason it should trouble Disney consumers across the world is the content it seems to promote in the name of gender identity in kids. To think that generations have grown up watching Disney content and still are, raises serious concerns about the impact of such content on children’s psychology and the acceptance it gives to borderline perversion and vulgarity.

The more recent developments reveal why Disney is, and deserves to be a decaying brand. Sexual innuendos, sexualisation of children’s content, stereotyping of women, obscene and vulgar content, and glorifying tyrants are only some of the nature of heaps of content being produced by the brand.

The Indian government recently pulled up Netflix and Disney for obscene and vulgar content running on their platforms. Officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 20th June met with streaming giants Netflix, Disney, and others to convey the message that content on the platforms must adhere to a code of ethics.

This goes for not only streaming platforms but also Disney’s content for kids including movies and series. A recently-released movie titled “Elemental” shows a “non-binary” character with “they/them” pronouns, and lesbians flirting around. Disney too seems to have become breeding grounds for everything that has to do with sexual exploration in the name of gender identity. Such content, when a child should be taught values, healthy humor, arts, and culture, sports, adventures, and creativity, is almost manipulative.

Disney’s re-imagined “Snow White” is due to be released next year but has already been in the soup for being overtly politically correct with its all-gender representation.

Another Disney movie titled “Strange World”, which made losses amounting to about $147 million, features the first openly LGBTQ+ teenaged Disney character, who discusses his crush in the movie. There is nothing wrong with the representation, but a basic question that arises is why use kids’ entertainment as a means to an end? The debate around LGBTQ+ rights is prevalent in both India and the US social life quite prominently. Can we leave the kids out of it and let them discover such matters in their own time?

Yet, brand Disney and the like seem too desperate and this is leading to an imposition on parents and society. Last year, some employees of Disney had reportedly written a letter to their colleagues at Pixar and other partners alleging that the corporate layer of the company censors same-sex affection in their movies. That a bunch of adults want to sexualise any kind and amount of kids’ content is disturbing, to say the least.

A report by the American Psychological Association on “Sexualisation of Girls” states, “Others have noted that Disney’s female characters today (e.g.,The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas) have more cleavage, fewer clothes, and are depicted as “sexier” than those of yesteryear (e.g., Snow White, Cinderella) (Lacroix, 2004). And the currently popular and sexily clad Bratz dolls (discussed in the Products section of this report, pp. 13–15) are the subject of an animated cartoon. This product tie-in could reinforce the appeal of the cartoon Bratz dolls and their potential power to influence girls.”

The report further adds, “Studies do show that, with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Dora the Explorer), cartoons primarily portray girls as domestic, interested in boys, and concerned with their appearance (Thompson & Zerbinos, 1997), suggesting an overemphasis on the self as a romantic object, if not necessarily a sexual one.” Notably, Disney has a long history of stereotyping women characters in its movies and series alike.

Disney’s own stars have alleged that they were sexualized while working with the brand. In an incident she shared on a podcast, Bella Thorne recalled her agent and mother receiving a call from a casting director saying that the director felt that a 10-year-old Thorne was “flirting with him and it made him uncomfortable”. At 14, while working in another Disney production, Thorne said she almost got fired for wearing a two-piece at the beach, which is common beachwear across the West.

Streaming platform Disney+ has drawn severe social media outrage for its Marvel content with parents observing that the platform is “no more safe for kids”. Some parents in the US took to Twitter saying that they are unsubscribing to Disney+ as its content is “no more for children under 18”.

The backlash from parents shows that Disney has long lost its image of a family-friendly enterprise and is rather desperately inclined to be politically correct and irresponsibly inclusive. Not to mention that Marvel characters which once upon a time had a huge kids fanbase are now indulging in explicit sexual acts on Disney+. Last year, the Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) in the US wrote an open letter stating, “It seems wildly ‘off-brand’ for Disney+ to add TV-MA and R-rated programming to this platform, ostensibly to increase subscription revenue. So what comes next, adding live striptease performances in Fantasyland at Disney World?”

In April this year, the body had called on Disney’s board of directors to remove “sexually-themed content targeted at children in Disney entertainment and on Disney-owned platforms”. “A young female character performs a sex act on herself. A teacher and her minor student have an illicit, and illegal, sexual relationship that is romanticized. A female teen finds out her dad is the antichrist. All of these are scenes and/or themes from programs that currently air on Disney-owned platforms. All are targeted towards our youth,” said Melissa Henson, vice president of the Parents Television and Media Council.

Moreover, in 2022, four Disney employees were arrested in the human trafficking, prostitution, and child predators racket. One of the accused, Wilakson Fidele, 24, worked at Disney’s Orlando Park. Whether or not Disney does a background check on its staff, which it should as its services are mainly targeted at children, is another topic of research and discussion altogether. The aforementioned arrests, however, do raise serious concerns.

As if this was not enough, Disney has also reportedly glorified Turkish tyrant and dictator Kemal Ataturk. The founder of Turkey, Ataturk is known to have committed a genocide from 1916 to 1923 of at least 350,000 Pontian Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, and Christians; massacres of Greek cities; and forced exodus of Pontian Greeks. Disney is launching the series Ataturk in a tribute to the dictator on the 100th anniversary of Turkey.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has protested the same and called for Disney+ to cancel the series.

According to a report, half of US families with children subscribe to Disney content. In India, 42% of its viewers are in the 18-24 age group followed by the 25-34 age group (32.5%). Naturally, the scope of impact of Disney’s objectionable content is massive.

Disney with colourful characters, some inspired by nature and some by imagination, has gotten lost in a world of forced “inclusivity” and is slowly stripping off children of their innocence. While the US is grappling with intense and even destructive ideas of gender to the extent of perverted sexualisation of kids and teens, as Indians we must move on from the utopian Disney world and fall back on our basic morale-based entertainment resources.

Chhattisgarh: SC/ST youths hold nude protest in Raipur demanding action against employees with fake caste certificates

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: SC/ST youths hold nude protest in Raipur demanding action against employees with fake caste certificates

On Tuesday, July 18, in a stark display of dissent, around 20 youngsters from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community in Chhattisgarh stripped naked as they protested against SC/ST reserved jobs being usurped by ineligible people using fake caste certificates. The protesters held protests near the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the monsoon session of the assembly.

According to the initial reports, the protesting individuals held placards and ran naked toward the state assembly building. The placards demanded action against those who allegedly got jobs using fake caste certificates. The protesters also chanted slogans against the state government. However, they were later detained by the police.

Vinay Kaushal, the spokesperson for the SC/ST category fake caste certificate case Sangharsh Samitee, stated that the nude protest that was held on July 18 in front of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly demanded immediate action against individuals holding fake caste certificates.

Since the state’s formation, quotas intended for SC and ST have been misused in both government jobs and political positions, according to reports from numerous government ministries, Kaushal said. A high-level caste certificate verification committee was established by the state administration in response to the seriousness of this issue.

In their review of 758 cases spanning the years 2000 to 2020, the committee uncovered 267 instances of forged caste certificates. As a result, the government ordered to remove officials and workers with fraudulent diplomas from crucial positions immediately. As some people retired and others contested the committee’s conclusions in court, Kaushal expressed concern about the insufficient execution of these orders.

Additionally, he claimed that many fake certificate holders managed to secure promotions and continue to work in significant positions despite the government’s directive.

The issue of bogus caste certificates being used in Chhattisgarh to obtain government employment has been in the headlines for a while. In 2021, a PWD executive engineer was demoted for using a fictitious Scheduled Tribe (ST) caste certificate.

Those opposed to candidates using false caste certificates to obtain government positions claim that despite repeated requests and the discovery of numerous such cases, the department has not taken any action. Those in protest alleged that employees with false caste certificates take advantage of all benefits and that the state commission does little to stop them.

The monsoon session of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha began today. This session will have four sittings and conclude on July 21.

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