Former US President Donald Trump congratulated Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy on his performance in the latest Republican Primary survey conducted by CBS YouGov. Vivek Ramaswamy has declared his candidature for president as a Republican candidate for 2024.
Trump added in a statement that he likes Ramaswamy and has only positive things to say about him and his performance.
Trump said in a statement, “I am pleased to see that Vivek Ramaswamy is doing so well in the most recent Republican Primary Poll, CBS YouGov. He is tied with Mike Pence and seems to be on his way to catching Ron DeSanctimonious. The thing I like about Vivek is that he only has good things to say about “President Trump,” and all that the Trump Administration has so successfully done—This is the reason he is doing so well. In any event, good luck to all of them, they will need it!”
Statement by former US President Donald Trump (Image via donaldjtrump.com)
Notably, Vivek Ramaswamy announced his presidential bid in February this year. Ramaswamy had also posted a tweet declaring his intent to run for the upcoming US presidential elections and wrote, “We’ve celebrated our “diversity” so much that we forgot all the ways we’re really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I’m running for President to revive them.”
We’ve celebrated our “diversity” so much that we forgot all the ways we’re really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I’m running for President to revive them. pic.twitter.com/bz5Qtt4tmm
He emphasized that this was a ‘cultural movement’, not merely a political campaign. “Faith, patriotism, and hard work have all vanished. Wokeism, climatism, and gender ideology have taken their place. We yearn for meaning yet are unable to define what it means to be an American. We long for that answer,” he added.
We’re in the midst of a national identity crisis. Faith, patriotism & family are disappearing. We embrace one secular religion after another – from wokeism to climatism – to satisfy our deeper need for meaning. Yet we cannot even answer what it means to be an American.
Interestingly, Vivek Ramaswamy was slightly ahead of Nikki Hailey, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations, in the CBS/YouGov polls.
5% said that they would vote for Vivek Ramaswamy while 4% of people chose Nikki Hailey, with Donald Trump being the favorite choice with 58% votes.
Image via CBS YouGov website
Notably, Vivek Ramaswamy, 37, is originally from southwest Ohio. His mother was a geriatric psychiatrist, while his father was a General Electric engineer. According to his website, Vivek Ramaswamy is married to a throat surgeon and Assistant Professor at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre. Vivek and Apoorva have two sons.
On Friday (May 15), the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) issued notice to the Aam Aadmi Party-led-Punjab government regarding allegations of sexual misconduct against Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
It asked the government to submit a report on the matter and the Director General of Police (Punjab) to provide security to the victim. “The Commission has decided to investigate/ inquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India, ” NCSC said.
“Please take notice that in case the Commission does not receive a reply from you within the stipulated time, the Commission may exercise the powers of Civil courts conferred on it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India and issue summons for your appearance in person or by a representative before the Commission,” it cautioned.
Screengrab of the NCSC notice
Meanwhile, the victim (identified as one Keshav Kumar) has come forward to share his ordeal before the public. He has accused Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak of grooming and soliciting sexual favours in return for offering a job.
He said that Kataruchak had called him to Gurdaspur and took him to his office for his “sexual excesses.” He said that he met Kataruchak during Diwali in 2021 when he was promised a govt job. He said, “he then promised me a government job stating that he would become an MLA soon. After that he did not meet me and asked me not to approach him,” the victims said.
In a tweet, Shiromani Akali Dal hit out at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and demanded a probe into the incident. “This is a serious case of abuse, grooming and sexual exploitation of (then) a vulnerable minor lured for job and needs probing. How can this person be a lawmaker?” it asked.
“Rather than suspending and placing under investigation why are Bhagwant Mann and AAPshielding the alleged perpetrator of the gross & vile crimes that have no place in any society? This remote-controlled government like their tainted Food and Supplies minister needs to be kicked out,” the party emphasised.
So disgusting and gross are the alleged acts of Lal Chand Kataruchak in alleged victim Keshav’s words that they had to be trimmed out of video.
This is a serious case of abuse, grooming and sexual exploitation of (then) a vulnerable minor lured for job and needs probing. How… pic.twitter.com/5o9eUISLau
— Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (@SAD_Amritsar) May 5, 2023
On May 1, Congress MLA from Bholath and chairman of the All India Kisan Congress Sukhpal Singh Khaira met the Punjab Governor, Banwarilal Purohit and accused one of the Punjab Cabinet Ministers of sexual misconduct.
Although he did not name ‘names,’ Khaira handed over alleged objectionable video clips of the misconduct and demanded the expulsion of the said AAP Minister.
Highly obscene video of AAP Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has been submitted to Governor Punjab. The minister has tendered his resignation & CM Bhagwant Mann would do a Press Conf of the same in morning.
Taking cognisance of the incident, BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa also tweeted saying that “a highly obscene video of AAP Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has been submitted to Governor Punjab.”
A man has been booked by the Amritsar rural police for allegedly causing offence to religious sentiments, following a “raid” on his house by members of the Satkar Committee, who discovered significant breaches of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct).
According to Balbir Singh, who resides in Muchhal village and leads the Satkar Committee, several pages (Angs) of the Guru Granth Sahib Saroop were discovered torn and patched with tape, and the Gutka (book of Sikh hymns) was soaked with liquid. Upon discovering these items, the Satkar Committee members removed the Saroop and other holy Sikh texts from the house and relocated them to the Baba Naudh Singh Samadh Gurdwara in Chabba.
Baaz Singh, who had been renting the house, has been charged under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code by the police. He is originally from Guruwali village. According to Ajaypal Singh, the Station House Officer of Chatiwind police station, efforts are being made to apprehend the accused and investigations into the matter are ongoing.
According to Balbir Singh, Jaspal Singh from Bodh village had filed a complaint with the committee stating that around eight years ago, he had rented his house in Guruwali village to Baaz Singh from Cheema village for a limited period. However, when Jaspal Singh later requested that Baaz Singh vacate the property, he refused. Approximately two and a half years ago, Baaz Singh brought a Saroop (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib into the house with the intention of securing the property and preventing anyone from evicting him.
Balbir Singh stated that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had already issued instructions to the community regarding the proper use and handling of the Saroop. During a visit to the house in question, Balbir Singh and other members of the Satkar Committee discovered significant violations of the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Consequently, they filed a complaint with the Chatiwind police in order to take appropriate action.
A stunning disclosure has emerged regarding Shaista Parveen, the wife of mafia Atiq Ahmed. It has been revealed that Shaista Parveen secretly came to attend Atiq’s funeral. However, she didn’t attend the funeral and fled from the place learning about the heavy police presence.
According to the information that surfaced during the police investigation, Shaista Parveen arrived in Khuldabad a day after Atiq Ahmed’s murder and stayed at the residence of a close relative, Zafarullah. Sabir, who is wanted and carries a reward of five lakh rupees on his head, was also there with Shaista. This was revealed by Zafarullah’s son Atin Zafar during police interrogation.
Shaista Parveen is an absconding accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. Shaista Parveen wanted to secretly attend the funeral of her husband Atiq Ahmed and brother-in-law Ashraf on 16 April, the day after their murder. While the funeral was going on in the Kasari-Masari cemetery, there were rumours that she has also reached to attend the funeral. It was also speculated that she may surrender to the police at the time of Atiq Ahmed’s funeral. However, it later became clear that she did not attend the funeral.
It has now come to the fore that on April 16, Shaista Parveen stayed in the house of Atiq Ahmed’s close aid Zafarullah in Khuldabad where she was accompanied by Sabir, another accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. She was planning to secretly attend the funeral as she stayed at the house of Zafarullah but dropped the plan considering the heavy police force deployed in the cemetery. Both of them stayed there overnight and left the house early the next morning before the police got a clue.
Atin Zafar – son of Zafarullah – is a friend of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and lived with him in Lucknow. After the Umesh Pal murder, he went to his home in Khuldabad as he feared the police. Shaista Parveen reached his house in Khuldabad a day after Atiq-Ashraf was murdered on April 15. She was accompanied by Sabir. Sabir was involved in the Umesh Pal murder case.
According to sources, Sabir revisited Atiq Ahmed’s close aide Zafarullah’s house in Khuldabad on May 2. He was reportedly sent there by Shaista Parveen for accomplishing some task. At around 9 pm, on May 2, the Dhoomanganj police raided Zafarullah’s house. However, Sabir managed to escape from there. This was his second escape within sixteen days.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed by three attackers in the government hospital of Prayagraj on April 15 at around 10:40 in the night while both of them were being taken for a medical checkup.
With just four days to go before the Karnataka Assembly polls, PM Modi embarked on a mega roadshow in Bengaluru on Saturday (May 6) morning. Modi’s ‘Namma Karnataka’ roadshow will be held in two parts on Saturday and Sunday as part of the BJP’s campaigning for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka. PM Modi’s convoy will pass through parts of south and central Bengaluru touching 13 Assembly segments and is estimated to last for eight hours across a 26 km-long journey.
Notably, the roadshow was earlier scheduled to be held for eight hours on Saturday alone but was split into two parts to avoid inconvenience to the public.
It is notable that the Karnakata High Court yesterday declined to stop the roadshow by PM Modi, rejecting a petition seeking to ban all kinds of roadshows. The PIL was filed by an advocate saying that people have to face traffic jams, roadblocks, congestion and other inconveniences due to such road shows. However, the court rejected the plea after then administration ensured that there will not disturbances for the public due to the event. The court also noted that the road show was permitted by The Election Commission.
PM Modi’s convoy which started today at around 10.20 am from Someshwara Sabha Bhavan, Konanakunte in Bommanahalli Assembly constituency will culminate at Kadu Malleshwara temple, in Malleswaram. The PM was accompanied by Bengaluru South MP, Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP, P C Mohan.
Several videos and pictures of the grand roadshow have emerged on social media. In those shared on BJP Karnataka’s official Twitter handle, PM Modi can be seen wearing the traditional Mysuru Peta outfit. He is seen being greeted by a sea of supporters who have congregated to catch a glimpse of the PM during his road show. As the convoy passed, supporters showered flowers and chanted slogans such as “Modi, Modi,” “Bajrangbali ki Jai,” “Vande Mataram,” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
BJP leaders estimate that nearly 10 lakh people had gathered to catch a glimpse of Modi.
The entire atmosphere looked nothing less than a mela (fair). The entire distance was decked up with saffron hues as BJP flags were seen on either side of the road, and thousands of party workers and supporters too wearing saffron shawls and caps. Several folk artists were seen performing at various points.
ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಸೇವಕ @narendramodi ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಮೆಚ್ಚುವ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ ಹಿರಿಯರು ಹರಸುವ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ ದೇಶದ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯೇ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ!
The roadshow also witnessed many children as well as adults dressed like Lord Ram and Hanuman while some were seen donning saffron attires. Several were seen carrying paintings and posters of PM Modi.
Source: The Hindu
Source: Hindustan Times
In what they asserted was a show of defiance against the vow made by Congress in its election manifesto to ban the Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal, several BJP supporters and workers also arrived dressed as or sporting masks of Lord Hanuman. They also distributed Hanuman masks to the crowd that assembled there to catch a glimpse of PM Modi.
It may be recalled that on Tuesday, hours after Congress released the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka Elections, PM Narendra Modi, came down hard on the Congress party for pledging to ban the Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal in its poll manifesto.
Addressing a rally in Vijayanagara in the poll-bound state of Karnataka, PM Modi said the grand old party has earlier had a problem with those who chanted the name of Lord Ram and now with those who revere Lord Hanuman. He said that it’s unfortunate that the grand old party, has decided to lock those who chant ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’, in an obvious reference to members of the Bajrang Dal.
ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸದಾ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮನ ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜಕಾರಣ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದಿತ್ತು. ಈಗ ಜೈ ಭಜರಂಗಬಲಿ ಎನ್ನುವ ಹನುಮಾನ್ ಸೇವಕರನ್ನು ಬಂಧಿಸುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದು ಈ ಪುಣ್ಯಭೂಮಿಗೆ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಅವಮಾನ.
Meanwhile, after today’s roadshow, PM Modi will address two public meetings, one in Badami at 3 pm and another in Haveri at 5 pm. On Sunday, the Prime Minister will also offer prayers at Nanjanagudu Shri Srikanteshwara Swami Temple in Karnataka at around 6 pm.
Before the election campaigning ends on May 8, PM Modi would have held 22 rallies throughout the state.
On 29th March, the election commission of India announced the schedule for the Karnataka elections. The polls for the 224-seat assembly are slated to take place on 10 May and the counting will take place on 13th May.
The literal meaning of ‘Manipur’ is the land of ornaments. Manipur was a princely state during the British rule. It was merged in September 1949 when the king of Manipur, Bodhchandra Singh, signed the letter of the merger. The merger became effective on October 15, 1949. After the establishment of the Indian constitution on January 26, 1950, Manipur was included in Indian Federation as a section ‘C’ state under a Chief Commissioner. In time, a regional council of thirty selected and two nominated members was established. Later In 1962, a constituency of thirty selected and three nominated members was established under Union Territory Act.
Since December 19, 1969, the status of administrator was upgraded from Chief Commissioner to Lieutenant Governor. Manipur was granted the status of a complete state on January 21, 1972, when a constituency of 60 elected members was established. At present, it has 2 Lok Sabha and 1 Rajya Sabha seat. It has a unique geographical location as its border touches Nagaland in the North, Mizoram in the South, Assam in the West and Myanmar in the East. It has an area of a total of 22,347sq. km (8,628sq mi).
The original inhabitant of Manipur belongs to the Meitei community and live in the valleys. Their language is Maiyitilon which is also known as the Manipuri language. This language was added to the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution in 1992 and thus became one of the official languages. According to Indian Express, Manipur has 65% population belonging to the Meitei community while they have only 10% of the land. These people mainly live in the valley in and around Imphal. Thus, they feel pressure for the land.
Meitei community is a prominent community of Manipur and it has a history of prosperous heritage. This community has ruled Manipur for about 2000 years, from 33AD to 1949. This dynasty is the one with the longest duration of rule in the whole world. Meitei community worships Krishna. The philosophical tradition of Chaitanya Gaudiya encompasses the Meitei perception. They breathe the Sanatana continuity. On the other hand, about 35% of the Manipuri population belongs to around 34 tribes of the Kuki-Naga community. About 90% of the total land is reserved for the Kuki-Naga tribe, according to land allocation records it is evident that 10% of the land is for 65% population (Meitei community) and the rest 90% land is for 35% of the population (Kuki-Naga tribes). Kuki-Naga people live in mountainous regions.
With time, the Kuki-Naga community have adopted the cultivation and trade of Opium as their main source of livelihood. It leads to illegal consumption that has spread as a system from Manipur to Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Currently, the present government adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for the cultivation of opium and other similar substances. It has taken several steps to prevent the misuse of Opium. Opium fields are being destroyed and the smugglers are being captured with strict monitoring. This translates into unfortunate pain.
Security forces destroying poppy cultivation in Manipur
Another factor that is causing an issue is Clause 371 (C) of the Indian Constitution, under which the mountainous regions of Manipur have been conserved. Private property is strictly prohibited in these conserved forest areas. But in time, the Christian Kuki-Naga people established their huts one by one in these protected areas and developed the villages. In no time there appear bamboo-roofed churches and hundreds of acres of conserved land were occupied. These churches be the go-to favourites for those involved in the system of consumption. They started to convert, occupy the land for opium production and suddenly become millionaires. The current government has desolated several such manufactured villages. This response of the government troubles the Kuki-Naga criminals who rob the natural resources of the conserved forest areas.
The gist of the present controversy can also be understood by the event when while hearing a Meitei Tribe Union petition, the officiating Chief Justice of the High Court, M. Muralidharan, directed the state government to present on April 19, as the recommendation of Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs pending for 10 years. The recommendation tells for a tribal status for the Meitei community. In May 2013, the Honorable High Court referenced a letter from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This letter asks the government of Manipur for an ethnic report as well as for social and economic surveys.
Also, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) had been raising its voice for the tribal status of the Meitei community since 2012. Earlier the petitioners informed the court that the community had a tribal status before Manipur merged into the Indian Federation in 1949. They argued that this status was important for the preservation of the community, its inherited land, tradition, culture and language. STDCM had also argued that a constitutional shield was needed for the security of the community against the illegal encroachment carried out by infiltrators from Myanmar. They also argue that while the Meitei community is being separated from the mountains, those who enjoy the tribal status can buy land in the Imphal Valley.
The Meitei Tribal Union remarked in its petition that, before the merger of Manipur with the Indian Federation on September 21, 1949, the community had the status of “One of the tribes of Manipur”. The petition further states that while Manipur was becoming an Indian state, the Meitei community lost its status as a tribe because it was not included when the list of scheduled tribes was being prepared according to Article 342 of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, “ Meitei should be included as one of the tribes of Manipur so the community can be conserved and inherited land, tradition, culture and language can be preserved”.
In April 2022, Meitei Tribal Union presented its representation demanding the inclusion of the Meitei community as a tribe in the list of scheduled tribes under the Indian Constitution to the Chief Secretary of Manipur, Union Tribal Affairs minister as well as extended one copy each to twelve officials. In May 2022, The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry presented its representation to the Secretary of Manipur Government. In the letter sent from ministry, it was mentioned that ST has been notified under article 342, for which the Government of India has accepted in the mannerisms “to include in the list of ST and to assess the claims for other amendments”.
The High Court says that the defendants, especially the defendant state have not presented anything to show that they have replied to the letter of The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, and dated 29.05.2013. Thus, the issue of including the Meitei community in the scheduled tribe’s list has been pending for about more than 10 years. The defendant state is unable to satisfactorily explain not presenting a recommendation for the last 10 years. Therefore, it would be appropriate to instruct the defendant state to present its recommendation to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in an appropriate duration of time.
This decision of the Honourable High Court has presented an excuse for the church, Kuki-Naga people, Opium smugglers and those who encroach on the conserved forest lands. These people have made the issue into that of tribal rights. They are provoking public sentiment. The houses of the Meitei Hindu People are being burnt. This combination of churches indulged in conversion, foreign currency and narcotic crimes has done great mischief during the last 100 years in North-East India. In 1901 there were 96% of Hindus in the Manipuri population while it has reduced to 49% in 2021.
The third concern is Meitei Pangal who constitute 9% population of Manipur. Pangal is known as Muslim in the Meitei language. Pangals are the descendants of invading Mughal soldiers and Meitei women. They are in alliance with Muslim majority districts of South Assam and Anti-India Islamic radicals of Bangladesh. These are aggravating the above controversy. The issue to ponder over is, on one hand, we have the Indian Judiciary, Sanatana Meitei People, and the Government; and on the other hand, there are churches involved in conversion, Opium smugglers, and Islamic radicals.
The fight is tough. We have already seen such a struggle in Mizoram. Around 50000 ‘Bru-Riyang’ Hindus were driven off in a fortnight by Mizo churches, Christians and criminals. They are still living a migrant life in Tripura. The current Indian Government and the Honourable Home Minister have made several efforts for settlement among Tripura, Mizoram, Indian Government and Bru-Riyang community but the Church is reluctant to agree. My Bru-Riyang friends often say how YMCA, Mizoram keeps insisting their community sometimes convert into Christians and return to Mizoram. The present crisis in Manipur indicates the immense depth of this ailment in North-East India and demands major surgery as mere cosmetic surgery is not enough.
The Punjab police Friday arrested Times Now Navbharat journalist Bhavana Kishore in a rash driving case. The police arrested her and two other crew members Mrityunjay Kumar and Parminder Singh. The police have invoked provisions of the stringent SC/ST Act along with various sections of the IPC against the scribes.
Punjab police arrested Times Now reporter Bhavana Kishore and wrongly implicated her in an SC-ST case. Bhavana was arrested while she was on her way to report the inauguration of Mohalla Clinics by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.@aakaaanksha & @Sabyasachi_13 share the latest updates pic.twitter.com/bJRhr8ciBc
The arrest came after the Punjab police had detained the Times Now Navbharat journalist for over 7 hours yesterday.
According to the police, the arrest was made after a woman was injured on her right hand when the car they were travelling in collided with her. According to the authorities, the trio was also charged with abusing the victim with casteist slurs.
The police registered a case against the scribes under Sections 279, 337 and 427 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the SC and ST Act.
In her complaint, Gagan said she was on her way to attend the inauguration of a Mohalla Clinic when a rashly-driven Innova SUV hit her, causing an injury on her right hand. During the accident, her mobile phone also fell and broke.
After the arrest, BJP workers led by Gurdev Sharma Debi reached the police station in support of the journalist. OpIndia tried to contact Gurdev Sharma Debi to get his statement on the issue but his phone was switched off.
Meanwhile, following the arrest, Times Now alleged that their reporter has been falsely implicated in an SC-ST case by the Ludhiana police. Bhavana was arrested while she was on her way to report the inauguration of Mohalla Clinics by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.
The channel, hinting at an alleged witchhunt launched against them by the Aam Aadmi Party after their recent “Operation Sheesh Mahal” expose against their supremo Arvind Kejriwal, said that Bhavana was taken away in a car by a male cop before a flimsy FIR was filed against her in Ludhiana’s Section 3 Division Police Station. It was also noted that the said cop was not wearing a nameplate displaying his name while taking Bhavana.
The report by Times Now further said that a second Times Network journalist who reached Ludhiana to cover the event was also stopped from entering the venue.
Punjab police detain Times Now journalist Bhavana Kishore; Group Editor Navika Kumar says intimidated for exposing Arvind Kejriwal
Notably only yesterday (May 5, Friday), Times Network Group Editor Navika Kumar tweeted a video of Punjab police detaining Times Now Navbharat journalist Bhavana Kishore. “I demand that @BhagwantMann & @ArvindKejriwal release @TNNavbharat reporter @BhawanaKishore immediately. Detained by @DGPPunjabPolice for the last 7 hours. Accused of an accident when she was not driving a car. This is serious intimidation of the media.#sheeshmahalBadla”, Navika tweeted.
Navika Kumar alleged that the woman journalist Bhavana Kishore had been detained for the past 7 hours. According to her tweet, Punjab police detained her over allegations of an accident when she was not even driving the car.
Navika further alleged that this is “serious intimidation of the media”. Tweeted this with the hashtag #sheeshmahalbadla”, Navika indicated this was vindictive action against Times Now journalist because they recently did a story exposing how Arvind Kejriwal spend Rs 45 crores of the taxpayer’s money in the construction of a palatial house for himself.
Arvind Kejriwal splurged Rs 45 crores on his mansion
A recent investigation by Times Now Navbharat found that the official bungalow of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Civil Lines was renovated at a cost of almost Rs 45 crore.
The report, termed “Operation Sheesh Mahal,” said that Rs 44.78 crore of taxpayer funds were utilised for the renovations, raising questions about the Aam Aadmi Party’s commitment to promoting austerity.
On Friday (May 5), ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai courted controversy for fuelling sectarianism and claiming that North Indians have ‘taken over’ his city of Mumbai.
He made the remarks during the ‘Chunav Yatra’ show conducted by Lallantop. Rajdeep Sardesai, who resides in Delhi, claimed, “I like Bengaluru in the sense that it has adopted the North Indian culture but has been able to keep its own culture intact.”
Why Rajdeep hates North Indians so much?
Himself stays in posh Lutyens bungalow in Delhi, but has problems with people shifting for work. pic.twitter.com/wXuTn1nCtC
Following his comment, Lallantop host Saurabh Dwivedi said, “At least Rajdeep has acknowledged that Bengaluru has embraced the North Indian culture.” He further asked Rajdeep Sardesai,” By the way, since when are you fighting this war against North Indians?”
Rajdeep Sardesai then casually accused the North Indians of taking over his ‘Mumbai’ and usurping its culture through migration. “Friend, you North Indians came to Mumbai and took over my city,” he said. At that point, Saurabh Dwivedi interjected and gave him a lesson in federalism.
“What do you mean by ‘we came here’? The last time I checked, I found that Mumbai is still a part of the Indian map. The Constitution allows for such migration,” he reprimanded Sardesai.
“They came here to work and enrich Mumbai by working in your mills and factories,” he emphasised. At that point, an embarrassed Rajdeep Sardesai dishearteningly welcomed ‘all’ to his city.
This is not the first time that the veteran ‘journalist’ has drawn people’s ire through his irresponsible comments. Earlier, he had thanked gangsters Mukhtar Ansari and Atiq Ahmed for hosting a delicious dinner for him.
Popular American boy band Backstreet Boys, consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson, performed a successful concert in Mumbai that marked the beginning of their DNA World Tour and then went on to entertain their fans in Gurugram, Haryana.
However, the Mumbai concert video, which depicts AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys throwing their underwear into the audience, has gained significant online circulation. While Backstreet Boys performed in India after a gap of 13 years, their fans, enthralled by their performance, called it their “chaddi (underwear) throwing session” after they were seen tossing their undergarments at the audience.
They took the stage at Airia Mall on Friday night. A few videos from the concert, have surfaced on social media which show that the entire ground was filled with cheers for the band.
Backstreet Boys sang a number of their famous songs, beginning with “You’re The One For Me,” then moving on to “Don’t Want You Back” and “Shape of My Heart,” among others. The audience cheered the loudest when the band started singing “You’re The One For Me”, according to the footage from the concert that has been shared online.
Backstreet Boys performed in Mumbai’s Jio World Garden on Thursday, marking their second visit to India after a hiatus of 13 years. They kicked off the concert with ‘I Wanna Be With You” and went on to perform hits, including “Backstreet’s Back,” “I Want It That Way,” “The Call,” “Get Down,” “Incomplete,” “As Long As You Love Me,” “Drowning,” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” and “Larger Than Life.”
Bollywood was also in attendance at the concert. Actors Shraddha Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Meezaan Jafri, Ram Pothineni, singers Benny Dayal, Dhvani Bhanushali, Prakriti Kakar, and Sukriti Kakar, as well as the politician Zeeshan Siddique and Varun Dhawan’s wife Natasha Dalal among others, were spotted there.
As per reports, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson threw their underwear into the crowd as a means of retaliation for the knickers that fans had been throwing at them while they were performing.
“It is not the weather that is making it hot, it is because of all of you. We had no idea we had so many BSB fans here, but we now see it and we love it. It’s our second time in India and we were waiting for a very long time to come to Mumbai,” Nick Carter mentioned in the middle of the over two hours spectacle.
Amidst tensions in Manipur amid protests by Christian tribal groups opposing the demand for ST status by Hindu Meitei people, four people were killed in Churachandpur while security personnel were evacuating Meiteis from the area. The incident happened when people who were opposing the evacuation blocked the road. The security forces were trying to move out the Meiteis living in a shelter to a place outside Churachandpur.
However, the locals stopped them by barricading roads. They also formed a human chain, putting women in the front. But this led to a confrontation and violence between the locals the security forces. When the situation escalated, the security forces opened fire. Four persons were killed and one was injured in the incident.
As per an Indian Express report a local said that the people opposed to the evacuation of Meiteis gathered near Tidim road, and they had put women at the front of the barricade assuming that the security personnel will not fire at them, however, the security personnel opened fire, leaving four people dead.
According to an Assam Rifles official in Imphal, a gathering of “80-200” persons took place, and four people were killed in the firing. “Evacuation of people from different parts of the state is constantly going on,” he added, noting that road blockades remain widespread in several parts of the state.
Meanwhile, the IRS (Indian Revenue Service) Association said that a tax assistant named Letminthang Haokip had been killed in Imphal. Reportedly he was dragged out of his house and then killed by miscreants. The association condemned the killing of the Haokip and said that “no cause or ideology can justify the killing of an innocent public servant on duty.”
“IRS Association strongly condemns the dastardly act of violence resulting in the death of Sh. Letminthang Haokip, Tax Assistant in Imphal. No cause or ideology can justify the killing of an innocent public servant on duty. Our thoughts are with his family in this difficult hour,” the IRS Association tweeted.
According to officials, the death toll in Manipur violence has reached 54. Scores of people have died and over a hundred injured in clashes between the two communities, and the unofficial figure of casualties is much higher.
16 bodies were kept in the morgue of the Churachandpur district hospital while 15 bodies were in Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East district, according to the officials. 23 deaths were reported by The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences at Lamphel in Imphal West district. Several people with bullet injuries are being treated in the hospitals.
Apart from this, five hille-based tribal militants were killed and 2 India Reserve Battalion jawans were injured in two separate encounters in Churachandpur district on Friday night, police said. Militants opened fire at security forces at Torbung in Churachandpur, forcing them to return the fire. In the exchange of fire, one militant was killed and two IRB jawans were injured, the police said.
At the same time, a total of 13,000 people were rescued and shifted to safe shelters, including army camps. Most of them are Meitei people evacuated from Tribal majority areas which saw large-scale violence. The Indian Army has said that it has brought Churachandpur, Moreh, Kakching and Kangpokpi districts under its “firm control”.
“Total of approximately 13,000 civilians have been rescued and are currently staying in various ad-hoc boarding facilities specifically created for the purpose within Company Operating Bases & Military Garrisons,” a defence official said.
Nearly 10,000 soldiers from the Army and the Assam Rifles have been deployed in the state since the violence broke out on Wednesday. Around 1,000 more central paramilitary personnel with anti-riot vehicles reached Manipur on Friday.
The violence started at Torbung in Churachandpur district during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) on Wednesday to protest the demand of Meiteis for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The protest was organised by the Naga and Kuki tribals after Manipur High Court directed the state govt to submit a recommendation to the central govt to include the Meiteis in the ST list.
It is alleged that during the march, an armed mob attacked the Metei people in the area, which led to retaliatory attacks in the Meitei majority Imphal valley districts. Soon the situation escalated and the violence spread to several districts, both in the tribal-dominated hills and the Meitei-dominated valley.
However, Tribals were also protesting against the eviction of people from forest areas and a proposed survey of protected forest land by the state govt. The first instance of violence erupted in the Churachandpur district on April 27 when a crowd organized by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) set a recently built gym/sports complex on fire a day before Chief Minister N Biren Singh was supposed to inaugurate it.
The tribal groups were protesting against the proposed survey of reserved and protected forests and wetlands by the state administration and the demolition of three unauthorized churches. The Meitei groups allege that illegal Kukis from Myanmar are settling in forest land in the state, and the local Kukis are supporting them.
