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A lesson for Rahul Gandhi: Here is how BJD leader Sasmit Patra spoke about India on foreign soil

OpIndia Staff
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A lesson for Rahul Gandhi: Here is how BJD leader Sasmit Patra spoke about India on foreign soil

A controversy and political war of words erupted after Congress scion Rahul Gandhi ranted against India and its democracy during his visit to Cambridge. From insinuating that the Indian democracy is ‘under attack’ to claiming that he along with several politicians opposed to the ruling BJP is under surveillance, Rahul Gandhi invited severe backlash at home for his ‘India-bashing’ on foreign soil.

The Congress leader, however, can take a lesson from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Member of Parliament Sasmit Patra who represented the Indian Parliament at the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly to be held at Manama, Bahrain from 11th to 15th March 2023.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra’s speech at the IPU in Bahrain

On Wednesday, March 15, the Rajya Sabha MP in his speech highlighted India’s role in providing Covid vaccines to 99 countries and to UN entities by pursuing the principle of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka ka Prayas.’

“India believes in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which means ‘The World Is One Family.’ With this belief in inclusive societies and peaceful coexistence, India has provided more than 291 million doses of ‘Made-in-India’ COVID vaccines to 99 nations and UN entities, including more than 14 million doses as grants to 50 nations and UN peacekeepers providing assistance to a total of 150 nations,” Sasmit Patra said.

Patra continued by saying that the mantra of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka ka Prayas,” which means ‘companionship for all, progress for all, trust of all, efforts of all,’ the all-inclusive, peaceful coexistence mantra,” is being pursued by India today.

Despite being politically opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJD MP did not attack the Indian government or democracy on foreign soil rather the leader took the opportunity to highlight India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam and humanitarian assistance to over 99 countries at the time when the world was hit by the Covid pandemic.

The BJD is the ruling party in Odisha and the BJP is the main opposition party, which means the leaders of BJD and BJP are often in a political rivalry and do not miss chances to take potshots at each other.

Representing India at the IPU, Patra also asserted that India has been recognized globally for “promoting peaceful, quintessential and inclusive societies.”

Rahul Gandhi spoke blatant lies and tried to defame his country

It is notable that Rahul Gandhi While delivering a presentation at Cambridge University on March 3, claimed that the intelligence officers had forewarned him that his phone conversations were being taped. He made a series of false claims and tried to present himself as a political fugitive seeking foreign intervention to get to power in India.

“I myself had Pegasus on my phone. A large number of politicians had Pegasus on their phones. I have been called by intelligence officers who told me, ‘Please be careful about what you are saying on the phone because we are sort of recording the stuff’. So this is the constant pressure that we feel. Cases are registered on the Opposition. I have got a number of criminal liable cases for things that should under no circumstances be criminal liable cases. That’s what we are trying to defend,” the Congress leader said in his address.

Rahul Gandhi also claimed that there were ‘restrictions’ on the courts, press, and Parliament in India. “Everybody knows and it’s been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy — Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilization, moving around — all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy,” the Congress MP claimed.

Rahul Gandhi even urged the US and Europe to intervene to “restore” democracy in India. Rahul claimed that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.

PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi 

On March 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress leader for his remarks in the UK and asserted that “no force in the world can harm the democratic traditions of India.

Addressing a public meeting at Dharwad in Karnataka, PM Modi said, “I am fortunate to have inaugurated the statue of Bhagwan Basaveshwar in London. That Bhagwan Basaveshwar whose Anubhav Mandapam is the unique experience of democracy. I am blessed to have inaugurated his statue on the soil of London. But it is unfortunate that in the same London, questions were raised about India’s democracy. The roots of the Indian democracy are nourished by the centuries-old history we have. No force in the world can harm the democratic traditions of India. Despite this fact, there are some people who are continuously questioning Indian democracy. They are insulting Bhagwan Basaveshwar. They are insulting the people of Karnataka, the democratic traditions of India, and the 130 crore aware people of India. The people of Karnataka should be alert to these people.”

‘India already a Hindu nation, state and nation are two different things’; RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale asserts

OpIndia Staff
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‘India already a Hindu nation, state and nation are two different things’; RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale asserts

On 14th March 2023, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh’s General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale addressed a press conference in Samalkha near Panipat, Haryana after the three-day meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha – the most important body of the RSS – concluded. In this press conference, while answering a question regarding Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) Dattatreya Hosabale said that India is already a Hindu nation. He also asserted that ‘state’ and ‘nation’ are two different things.

RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale was asked by a journalist that as there is a debate about ‘Hindu Rashtra’ all over the country, so what is the view of RSS on it? Questions about population control and Rahul Gandhi’s recent anti-India remarks in London were also asked in this press conference. Dattatreya Hosabale answered these questions.

India is Hindu Rashtra

About the Hindu Rashtra issue, Dattatreya Hosabale said, “The RSS has said long before about the Hindu Rashtra issue, that India is a Hindu nation. This is a cultural concept. This is not a theocratic concept. We are saying for the last 100 years that this is a Hindu nation. We don’t need to make it a Hindu nation. It is one.”

Dattatreya Hosabale further asserted, “‘State’ and ‘Nation’ are two different things. ‘State’ is established by the constitution. ‘State’ is a certain power. ‘Nation’ is a cultural concept. Therefore, India’s ‘Nation’ is a Hindu Nation. This means that the cultural concepts of this land whether you call it Hindu, Indic or Sanatan – there are a hundred names – but it is a Hindu Rashtra. The ‘State’ is not theocratic.”

It is notable that on 11th March 2023, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, national president of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, claimed that if the rhetoric of those who desire ‘Hindu Rahstra’ is acceptable, then so is the call for Khalistan or a separate Muslim country. “What if our Muslim youth start to demand a separate Muslim state tomorrow,” he asked. An FIR was also lodged in Moradabad regarding his statements.

Demographic imbalance is dangerous for a country’s development

On the issue of population control, Dattatreya Hosabale remarked that the RSS has been talking about demographic imbalance rather than population control. He said, “We have not remarked about population control but we have said a lot about the demographic imbalance. We passed resolutions about it even in the past meetings. We stand by that. Many issues arise due to demographic imbalance. Supreme Court has also said this. When TN Sheshan was the election commissioner, he also remarked on it. Mahatma Gandhi also talked about it. Hundreds of such people in India who are not from RSS have said about the issue of a demographic imbalance.”

Dattatreya Hosabale added, “Experts on demographic studies and economists have also put their opinions on this issue. And people should see all these things. Sangh is not raising some new issues about demographic imbalance. This has been said by many people. Former governor Rajeshwar Ji also talked about this. Demographic imbalance is dangerous for the country’s development. There is a lot more to say on this.”

Rahul Gandhi should express responsibly

When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s recent anti-India remarks in London, Dattatreya Hosabale said, “He acts as per his political agenda. We are not in any kind of political competition with him. All I have to say is that his predecessors from Congress have also said many things about RSS in the past. People in the country and around the world are looking at Sangh as per their experience with Sangh and they are learning from it. All of them know the reality. Maybe he also knows it. All I want to tell is that being a prime leader of a major political party, he should express responsibly and see the reality.”

On 2nd March 2023, Rahul Gandhi launched one of his usual attacks on the Modi government and said that it was undermining the democracy of India. While delivering a presentation at Cambridge University, Rahul Gandhi said that the Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to monitor his phone.

Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha

The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) is the highest decision-making body of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The ABPS is composed of more than 1400 representatives from various state units of the RSS, and it meets annually to discuss and decide the organization’s policies, programs, and strategies. The ABPS is responsible for electing the RSS’s highest executive body, the Sarkaryavah (General Secretary), as well as other key office bearers. The ABPS also reviews the organization’s activities and provides guidance to its various affiliated organizations. Its annual meeting was organized in Haryana from 12th March to 14th March 2023. BJP President J P Nadda and General Secretary (Organization) B L Santhosh also participated in the meeting.

‘Sundar Das Park’ to ‘Zaman Park’: A look into glorious history of Hindus who once lived in the area where Imran Khan supporters are clashing with police

OpIndia Staff
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‘Sundar Das Park’ to ‘Zaman Park’: A look into glorious history of Hindus who once lived in the area where Imran Khan supporters are clashing with police

Zaman Park in Lahore, where Imran Khan lives, has been in the news for a while, due to the standoff between the former prime minister of Pakistan and the country’s law enforcement attempting to arrest him. Imran Khan has alleged that Pakistan rangers are trying to kidnap and kill him after the cops fired on his supporters after using tear gas shells and water cannons. However, contrary to the current unrest in the area, the suburb is one of Lahore’s most affluent, tranquil, and pleasant residential neighbourhoods.

For the past many decades, Zaman Park has housed a significant number of Pathans who migrated from Jalandhar (Punjab, India) during the partition. It has also served as a nursery for breeding Cricket and Hockey stars for the country.

Zaman Park is named after Khan Bahadur Muhammad Zaman Khan. He held the position of Post Master General of Punjab in British India from 1933 to 1943 and afterwards moved on to construct a seven-bedroom mansion there in 1940.

The history of the region, however, paints a very different picture. According to archival research, the term ‘Zaman Park’ was not featured on the Lahore map from 1935. Zaman Park was not constructed on any of the area depicted on the first map of Lahore following the events of 1857 (the first war of Indian independence).

In fact, the land behind the prestigious Aitchison College and to the south of Mayo Gardens, currently known as Zaman Park, was identified as the Punjab Light Horse (PLH) Parade Field, which was a component of the Cavalry Reserve in the British Indian Army.

During the British era, the PLH, which was founded in Lahore in 1867, responded to emergencies in Lahore, Amritsar, and other cities of the then-undivided Punjab. The colony’s original name was changed to ‘Sunder Das Park’ in 1936.

The 1934 plans included the circular cricket field that is located in the middle of this colony. Six residences, which belonged to the same Hindu family and were all related to one another, came up by 1942. The head of the illustrious ‘Suri’ family was Rai Bahadur Sunder Das Suri. He served as the Chief Inspector of Schools for Punjab and was instrumental in determining the educational requirements for pupils of Punjabi descent.

He played a major role in the development of Aitchison College, which had taken up the space that was the original and first PLH Parade Ground. He also delivered a number of academic papers at conferences for educators. His main accomplishment was to establish the Lyallpur school and college, which later developed into an agricultural university, as well as the Central Model School of Lahore. He took the initiative in securing grants for these educational institutes.

Later, he would collaborate with Lala Lajpat Rai and Ruchi Ram Sahni, a renowned professor at Government College in Lahore.

As per the 1935 map, the entire tract of land between Jail Road, Lahore Canal, Ferozepur Road, and its intersection at Mozang Chungi was home to a large collection of government-owned hospitals, prisons, and offices. The Lahore Central Prison, the Women’s Hospital, the Women’s Jail, the Borstal Institution and the Meteorological Observatory were all located on this vast land area. The Baba Shah Jamal shrine was also situated within the complex.

‘Zaman Park’ was also a significant cantonment under Sikh rule for Soba Singh’s army, one of the three Sikhs that ruled Lahore before Maharajah Ranjit Singh’s accession to power in 1799. There were several brick kilns constructed in this area to produce bricks for this enormous complex.

By the time of the 1947 Partition, the wealthy Hindu families of Lahore had constructed 15 magnificent palace homes throughout Zaman Park. Lt. General Wajid Ali Burki relocated the elite Jalandhar Pathans to this exclusive park after 1947. These families, who were originally from Waziristan, moved to Jalandhar in the later Mughal era, and settled in Lahore to reside in the renamed ‘Zaman Park’. The name Zaman was that of a senior member of this Jalandhar Pathan family.

Iqbal Bano, Naima Khanum, and Shaukat Khanum, the mothers of Javed Burki, Majid Khan, and Imran Khan, respectively, were sisters of Khan Bahadur Zaman Khan. They were all the offsprings of Ahmad Hassan Khan, whose another child Lieutenant-General Ahmed Raza Khan, played first-class cricket.

Zaman Khan’s sons, Humayun Zaman, Javed Zaman and Fawad Zaman also played first-class cricket, along with cousins Ijaz Khan and Sajid Khan. 

In the years that followed, Javed Burki, Majid, and Imran led the Pakistan cricket team. Lt. General Wajid Ali Burki, an Army surgeon, served as General Ayub Khan’s military government’s health minister as well. He is the father of Javed Burki. The Pathan families of this area have produced numerous cricketers, army officers, and physicians for Pakistan.

Despite all the developments since 1947, it is indisputable that the true history of ‘Zaman Park’ is intertwined with its Hindu and Sikh roots.

Jiang Yanyong: Doctor who exposed China’s SARS cover-up dies at 91

OpIndia Staff
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Jiang Yanyong: Doctor who exposed China’s SARS cover-up dies at 91

Dr Jiang Yanyong, the doctor who exposed China’s cover-up of SARS in 2003 has died of pneumonia. Dr Jiang was a military surgeon and he was one of the first to sound an alarm on the 2003 SARS outbreak.

Unlike Li Wenliang, the doctor who was punished for circulating an early warning about the spread of Covid-19 before his death from the disease in 2020, Dr Jiang wasn’t punished for drawing attention to the effect of SARS in 2003.

In the case of Li Wenliang, instead of being commended for his vigilance, Dr Li was reprimanded by the Chinese authorities for “spreading rumours” and “disrupting public order.” He was forced to sign a statement admitting to “making false comments” and was warned that he could face severe punishment if he continued to speak out.

Dr Li’s warnings were tragically prescient, as Covid-19 quickly spread throughout Wuhan and eventually the world. Dr Li became a symbol of the dangers of government censorship and the importance of free speech in the face of a public health crisis.

Both doctors were finally hailed as heroes in state media.

However, Dr Jiang’s funeral has been censored on the internet in China. If you try searching for his name on WeChat or Weibo, the search yielded no results, saying the topic violated “relevant laws, regulations and policies.”

Dr Jiang was also a longtime advocate for families of victims of the violent 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on democratic protesters.

Amidst the 2003 SARS outbreak, Dr Jiang wrote an email to State Television claiming that the total number of SARS cases in China was many times that of the reported numbers.

After his death, tributes have poured in from around the world, with many people expressing their gratitude for Dr Jiang’s bravery and sacrifice, with many taking to social media to express their condolences and to call for greater transparency and accountability from the government.

The death of Dr Jiang is a reminder of the toll that pandemics can take on the world and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. Dr Jiang’s legacy will live on, inspiring others to fight for truth and justice in the face of public health crises.

Surat-based businessman ready to do household work for Congress spokesperson if she shares degrees of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, will challenge be accepted?

Jinit Jain
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Surat-based businessman ready to do household work for Congress spokesperson if she shares degrees of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, will challenge be accepted?

Congress leaders, spokespersons, and supporters often resort to discrediting their political opponents not by criticising their work but by calling into question the authenticity of their educational qualifications and academic credentials.

Congress party’s current bete noire, PM Modi, has also been subjected to similar attacks, with the party leaders and supportive trolls routinely raising aspersions on the genuineness of his educational degrees.

Therefore, when a popular Twitter user Rishi Bagree shared an article establishing the authenticity of PM Modi’s BA and MA degrees and challenged the Congress party to furnish Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi’s educational degrees, several people echoed the demand and tagged Congress loyalists to take up the gauntlet.

Surat-based businessman Raushan Sinha, popularly known as Mr Sinha on Twitter, also took to the microblogging website to challenge Ms Supriya Shrinate, a Congress spokesperson known for exhibiting boorish demeanour and peevish disposition on news debates, to reproduce Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi’s degrees.

Mr Sinha, who owns a plastic manufacturing company, a courier service & a gym in Surat, along with running a social media consultancy company, dared Ms Shrinate that if she posts the educational degrees of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, he will leave Twitter for good and start working as a househelp just like she does at 10 Janpath, the residence of the Gandhi family.

“Hello @SupriyaShrinate, if you post Sonia Gandhi’s degrees, I’ll leave Twitter & will start doing household works at your home same like you do at 10JP…” tweeted Mr Sinha, quoting Bagree’s tweet.

Although Mr Sinha suggested in his tweet that Ms Shrinate does household work at 10, Janpath, which is the official residence of Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi, OpIndia doesn’t vouch for the authenticity of the claim.

In all probability, Mr Sinha was making a rhetorical point while throwing the challenge and did not literally mean that Shrinate worked as a house-help for Sonia Gandhi. She was earlier a TV journalist and is known to have much higher skills than undertaking a low-skilled job as a house-help.

The many discrepancies in Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s educational details

Nevertheless, Mr Sinha’s challenge has underscored the hazy ambiguity over Gandhi’s educational credentials and the Congress party’s reticence in coming clean on it. Moreover, it has also spotlighted the many discrepancies in the academic details of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi filed in their election affidavits.

Studying the various nominations submitted by Rahul Gandhi in various elections, a notable difference in his educational qualification can be observed. In his affidavit, Rahul Gandhi mentioned that he cleared the senior secondary exam in 1989, earned his bachelor’s degree in 1994 and after that did M.Phil in development studies from Trinity College, Cambridge University in 1995. He had mentioned these educational qualifications in his election affidavits of 2009 and 2014 too.

Rahul Gandhi’s 2019 affidavit
Rahul Gandhi’s 2014 affidavit

But his affidavit for the 2004 Lok Sabha election tells a different story, as it only mentions his senior secondary exam from CBSE and MPhil Trinity, and has no mention of any bachelor’s degree. If we go by the 2004 affidavit of Rahul Gandhi, he did his MPhil after completing secondary school.

Rahul Gandhi’s 2009 affidavit
Rahul Gandhi’s 2004 affidavit

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi’s election affidavits also came under scrutiny for discrepancies in education details. In her 2004 affidavit, she mentioned that she had obtained a certificate in English from Lemox Cook School under Cambridge University. But later it was found that Cambridge has no such school under its affiliation. Subsequently, Sonia Gandhi mentioned it as Lemox Cook School, Cambridge in her 2009 affidavit, which means that it’s a school located in Cambridge city and not a school under the well-known university.

How Congress leaders and supporters continue to attack PM Modi over his authentic educational degrees

Devoid of any legitimate reason to corner the Centre, the Congress party keeps attacking PM Modi and his ministers by raising doubts over their academic qualifications and educational proficiency. Congress has for long attacked PM Modi and continuously demanded degree certificates from him, even though his academic documents are already in the public domain.

Tarun Das, the Delhi University Registrar, had in 2015 declared that PM Modi’s degrees shared by the BJP are authentic and that the university has all the records related to his graduation.

Congress and its sympathetic trolls have often mocked the BJP and questioned the authenticity of PM Modi’s educational degree based on the name of the course he completed: Entire Political Science. However, Gujarat University provided an explanation to the query, saying that ‘Entire Political Science’ means that the candidate has completed the whole course of M.A. (2 years) with 8 papers of Political Science subject only and not with any other allied or related subjects. 

“We have checked our records and it has been authenticated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree is authentic. He cleared the examination in 1978 and was awarded the degree in 1979,” Mr Das had said. 

AAP leaders attend meeting with Congress president a day after Arvind Kejriwal said that Congress and BJP are partners

OpIndia Staff
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AAP leaders attend meeting with Congress president a day after Arvind Kejriwal said that Congress and BJP are partners

On 13th March 2023, Aam Aadmi Party’s convenor and Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed in Jaipur that Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are the same. However, on 14th March 2023, Aam Aadmi Party’s MPs Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh attended a meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. This meeting was called to unite the opposition to raise the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate the Adani Group’s issue.

On 13th March 2023, Arvind Kejriwal attended Tiranga Yatra in Jaipur. Punjab’s chief minister Bhagwant Mann also participated in this program. While speaking at this program, Arvind Kejriwal claimed, “I have heard that Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot share a strong bond of friendship. When Gehlot faces a crisis, Vasundhara makes the entire party stand by him. Similarly, when the BJP was taking action against Raje, Gehlot made Congress stand by her. So, these two are not two different parties anymore. They are one and the same.”

Arvind Kejriwal added, “There is a mutual setting between the Congress and the BJP. They accuse each other of scams during elections. After the elections, no action is taken against a single person. Our setting is for the public. We will expose the scams of both.” It is notable that Arvind Kejriwal made these remarks about scams days after Delhi’s former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was first arrested by CBI and then remanded to Enforcement Directorate in Delhi’s Liquor Policy Scam case.

A day after Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Congress and BJP are the same, AAP MPs attended a meeting in Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber to raise the opposition’s demand of forming a JPC to probe the Adani Group issue. On 14th March 2023, the Congress party tweeted from its official Twitter handle, “A meeting of opposition parties was held today in the chamber of Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji on Adani mega scam. The joint opposition demands that a JPC be formed to investigate the Adani mega scam.”

AAP MPs Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh were seen in this meeting as the Congress party’s Twitter handle also shared a video in its tweet. It is notable that the opposition is making a demand to probe the alleged scam in the Adani Group. In the ongoing budget session of parliament, members of the opposition parties stormed into the Well of the House, raising placards and slogans, demanding a JPC probe into the Adani matter on 15th March 2023. The parliament was adjourned due to the ruckus created by the members of opposition parties.

After this, leaders of 18 opposition parties including Congress took a march to Enforcement Directorate’s office demanding a probe in the Adani-Hindenburg row. But the MPs were stopped by Delhi police after which they returned to the parliament. The Adani Group came in the middle of a controversy when US-based Hindenburg Research published a report which claimed that the Adani group was engaged in brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud.

Go woke, go broke: Silicon Valley Bank donated more than $73 million to BLM-related groups, its risk assessment head was busy with LGBTQ+ campaigns

OpIndia Staff
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Go woke, go broke: Silicon Valley Bank donated more than $73 million to BLM-related groups, its risk assessment head was busy with LGBTQ+ campaigns

The saying Go Woke, Go Broke found a real-life example in the form of SVB’s collapse. The conservative Claremont Institute which tracks the funding that goes into the BLM (Black Lives Matter) Movement and maintains a database of the same reveals that collapsed Silicon Valley Bank donated more than 73 million dollars to the BLM Movement and other allied causes in recent years.

In 2020, the bank had pledged to increase its commitment to “diversity, equipment, and inclusion (DEI)” in the workplace, following the outrage over the death of George Floyd.

Will Hild, the executive director of Consumers’ Research, while talking to The Federalist, a right-wing media, said that SVB’s failure on the heels of its left-wing activism “is yet another indication that SVB was focused on woke virtue signalling instead of protecting their customers’ deposits.”

“Time after time we see the same pattern: companies that are the most concerned with ESG scores and woke politics do the worst jobs serving their customers,” Hild explained. “The rest of corporate America should learn from SVB’s failure now before they are the next company to make headlines for comically poor management.”

In August of 2020, SVB published a report that said “Innovation is global and is touching every aspect of our lives, which is creating even more need for inclusiveness of ideas and approaches, we are on a journey committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in our workplace, with our partners and across the innovation economy.”

The report further goes on to say “In recent months, we’ve expanded our philanthropic giving through corporate donations and employee matching programs. These programs focus on pandemic response, social justice, sustainability and supporting women, Black and Latinx emerging talent and other underrepresented groups.”

Moreover, it also has been reported that the head of financial risk management at Silicon Valley Bank in UK was busy with LGBTQ campaigns in recent times. Jay Ersapah, the head of financial risk management, had organised a month-long pride campaign when the bank was collapsing. Jay Ersapah identifies as a queer working-class person, and co-chaired the European LGBTQ Employee Resource Group. She was included on SVB’s “Outstanding LGBT+ Role Models List 2022.”

Responding to the collapse of the bank, Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus has suggested that “woke” policies like the ones launched by Ersapah could have led to SVB’s dramatic failure. “I feel bad for all of these people that lost all their money in this woke bank. You know, it was more distressing to hear that the bank officials sold off their stock before this happened. It’s depressing to me. Who knows whether the Justice Department would go after them? They’re a woke company, so I guess not. And they’ll probably get away with it,” he said on Fox News while appearing on “Cavuto Live” hosted by Neil Cavuto.

Notably, the BLM has received huge donations from hundreds of companies such as Apple, Amazon, American Express, Blackrock, Boeing etc. The total funds that the BLM movement has received till now stand at a whopping $82,889,408,433.

Opindia published a report on how BLM leaders bought a house worth $6 Million. The house secretly purchased by three leaders associated with BLM was more than 6,500 square feet and had half a dozen bedrooms and bathrooms, several fireplaces, a soundstage, a pool, and a bungalow. The real estate listings also mentioned that the property has parking for more than 20 cars.

Silicon Valley Bank’s obsession was not limited to BLM, they also donated heavily to other ‘woke’ causes. Last year, the SVB Financial Group pledged $5 billion in loans to support anti-emissions efforts by 2027. The project aimed “to support companies that were working to decarbonize the energy and infrastructure industries and hasten the transition to a sustainable, net zero emissions economy”

It is believed that the Silicon Valley Bank has collapsed due to its lending practices being based on activist causes rather than financial metrics. The bank’s leadership failed to recognize the potential risks associated with lending based on non-financial metrics. The bank had disregarded traditional banking principles such as creditworthiness and profitability in favour of social impact and environmental sustainability.

The failure of the bank has raised questions about the role of activism in banking and whether banks should prioritize social causes over financial metrics. Experts have pointed out that while there is a growing demand for ethical banking, banks must not forget their primary goal of ensuring profitability and risk management.

This bank’s failure serves as a cautionary tale for other banks that may be considering a similar approach to lending. While it is essential to support social and environmental causes, banks must do so within the framework of sound banking practices and risk management principles.

Credit Suisse shares sink after Saudi National Bank rules out further assistance, the Swiss bank had rejected Adani bonds over Hindenburg row

OpIndia Staff
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Credit Suisse shares sink after Saudi National Bank rules out further assistance, the Swiss bank had rejected Adani bonds over Hindenburg row

The largest shareholder of Credit Suisse Group AG, Saudi National Bank, whose holdings have lost more than one-third of their value in the past three months, decided against adding to the total stake since a heavier investment would result in greater regulatory restrictions.

On Wednesday, Saudi National Bank Chairman Ammar Al Khudairy was asked by Bloomberg TV whether the bank would inject more money if there was another call for additional liquidity. Responding to this, he said, “The answer is absolutely not, for many reasons outside the simplest reason, which is regulatory and statutory.” The Saudi bank’s stake in Credit Suisse is just under 10%, and if it crosses 10%, it will be subject to more regulations, which the bank does not want.

On March 14, Credit Suisse said that it had found “material weaknesses” in internal controls over financial reporting and had not yet stopped client exodus. “As of December 31, 2022, the Group’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective, and for the same reasons, management has reassessed and has reached the same conclusion regarding December 31, 2021,” it said.

The reporting flaws come as Credit Suisse works to rebuild its reputation after a spate of scandals that have damaged its standing with clients and investors. According to the reports, client withdrawals increased to well over 110 billion Swiss francs ($120 billion) in the fourth quarter.

In Zurich, Credit Suisse also dropped as much as 24% to a new record low, and the cost to insure the bonds against default in the short future appeared getting close to a level that is generally an indication of very significant investor concerns.

The situation of Credit Suisse so much vulnerable that a Wall Street expert has said that it will be the next bank to collapse after the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the US. Robert Kiyosaki, who accurately predicted the 2008 Lehman Brothers’ collapse, has warned that Credit Suisse could be at risk as the volatile bond market crashes, with rising interest causing bonds to fall in price. Kiyosaki said, “The problem is the bond market, and my prediction, I called Lehman Brothers years ago, and I think the next bank to go is Credit Suisse, because the bond market is crashing.”

He further said, “The US dollar is losing its hegemony in the world right now. So they’re going to print more and more and more of this … trying to keep this thing from sinking.”

Interestingly, Robert Kiyosaki made this prediction even before Credit Suisse admitted that it has “material weaknesses”.

It is notable that a private banking arm of Credit Suisse AG in February stopped accepting bonds of some of the group entities of Adani Group, Adani Ports & SEZ, Adani Green Energy, and Adani Electricity Mumbai as collateral for margin loans amid Hindenburg row.

After allegations of stock manipulation and inappropriate use of tax havens made by a US short seller, Hindenburg Research, and concerns raised about debt levels, seven listed Adani Group firms together lost more than $100 billion in market value. Adani however rubbished the claims of fraud stating that they were based on stale, baseless, and discredited allegations.

Indian Twitter users meanwhile reviewed the financial situation of Credit Suisse and targeted the bank for facing trouble. “CreditSuisse gave long sermons on #Adani & #IndiaEconomy Risks. Today, Credit Suisse Default Swaps Hit Record. Lesson – Never bet against India,” said a Twitter user. 

“A bank which downgraded the bonds of #adani is in the verge of collapse. Irony is that they identified material weakness in their reporting for the past two years..#CreditSuisse Suisse should learn to clean their house before poking nose at us…#nifty50 #banknifty,” said another Twitter user. 

“Did #CreditSuisse just detonate. They should have concentrated more on themselves than finding fault with Adani bonds,” noted another Twitter user.

The Saudi National Bank, which is 37% controlled by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, became Credit Suisse’s biggest shareholder late last year after acquiring a 9.9% holding in the Swiss institution for 1.4 billion francs. In a couple of months, the investment has lost more than 500 million francs.

Al Khudairy frequently states that his bank does not wish to increase its stake over the present level. He stated in October that while he “likes” the new leadership of Credit Suisse and their commitment to carrying out its turnaround plan, further stock is now “out of the question.” He stated on Wednesday that increasing the shareholding would result in further regulatory obstacles.

“If we go above 10%, all new rules kick in whether it be by our regulator or the Swiss regulator or the European regulator. We’re not inclined to get into a new regulatory regime. I can cite five or six other reasons, but one reason is there is a glass ceiling and we’re not going to entertain going beyond it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Koerner stated on Tuesday that the financial position of the bank was sound. In spite of the market upheaval, he said that the company got inflows on Monday and is progressing ahead of schedule with its recovery strategy. “Nobody is pleased by the share price development, but we manage what we can manage, and this is the execution of our plan,” he was quoted as saying.

Pakistani national residing illegally in Pune arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistani national residing illegally in Pune arrested

A 22-year-old Pakistani national with an Indian mother was arrested by Pune Police for using forged documents to stay in the city illegally. The Pakistani national was staying in India since 2015 after his maternal relatives brought him to Pune post the separation of his Pakistani father and Indian mother.

On Wednesday, March 15, an official said that Mohammad Amaan Ansari, whose father is a citizen of Pakistan, was arrested by the Khadak police on charges of cheating and forgery under the Passports Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

This comes after an FIR was lodged by Police constable Kedar Jadhav of the Pakistani Residents Verification Cell, Special Branch of Pune City Police.

According to the FIR, Pune City Police’s Foreigner Registration Office (FRO) monitors the criminal actions of foreign nationals in Pune. On March 8, 2023, a group of FRO investigators led by assistant police inspector Pankaj Pawar discovered that the accused Ansari was a Pakistani national who had been living illegally in the Bhavani Peth area of Pune since 2015.

According to the police, Ansari was born in Pakistan. His mother was an Indian living in Pune, and his father is a Pakistani citizen. She got married and shifted to Pakistan. Ansari is one of three children she is known to have had. Afterward, she and her husband divorced, and she moved to Dubai.

Reportedly, Ansari who currently worked at a company in Pune had forged documents and managed to get an Indian passport issued which he used to travel to Dubai as well. 

Speaking about the case, Sandip Singh, DCP (Zone I) said “Ansari was born in Karachi. His father is Pakistani and his mother is Indian. In 2015, the mother-son duo relocated to India and began living in Pune with their relatives after leaving Karachi, where he attended school. Before that, they had lived in Dubai. He possessed a valid visa at the time.” DCP Singh added that Ansari went to a school and later a junior college in Pune but his visa expired in the meantime.

DCP Singh added that Amaan Ansari should have followed the correct procedure or submitted an application for a visa renewal. Instead, he fraudulently obtained an Aadhaar card and then used that to apply for an Indian passport.

City of Newark says it was scammed into becoming a sister city with Kailasa: Here’s what we know about Swami Nityananda and his “nonexistent country”

Gopal Tiwari
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City of Newark says it was scammed into becoming a sister city with Kailasa: Here’s what we know about Swami Nityananda and his “nonexistent country”

In a bizarre development, the City of Newark in New Jersey has admitted that it got scammed when it signed an agreement to become the sister city of the Hindu nation Kailasa because now it has found out that the nation does not exist. It is notable that Indian fugitive rape-accused Swami Nithyananda claims that Kailasa is a Hindu country established by him.

A delegation of this so-called country visited Newark earlier this year on the invitation of Mayor Ras Baraka for a cultural trade agreement. The deal was annulled by City Council a few days after the papers were signed.

The City Hall said in a statement, “Although this was a regrettable incident, the city of Newark remains committed to partnering with people from diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, support, and mutual respect.”

‘United States of Kailasa’ recently attended a UNO meeting

On 22nd February 2023, a delegate of self-styled Indian fugitive godman Swami Nithyananda’s so-called country United States of Kailasa (USK) attended the United Nations Organization’s summit on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in Geneva. At the session, Vijayapriya Nithyananda, who identifies herself to be the permanent representative of the USK to the UN, claimed that Nithyananda was being persecuted by India, where he was born.

However, on Wednesday, 1st March 2023, the UNO said that the inputs provided by the organization of the ‘self-proclaimed’ figure would not be considered. It is notable that in India, Swami Nithyananda is wanted on several accusations of rape and sexual assault, which he vehemently rejects.

On 2nd March 2023, Vijayapriya Nithyananda gave a video explanation regarding the issue raised by this so-called country in the UNO. She said that Kailasa holds high regard for India and only certain anti-Hindu elements in India are persecuting Swami Nithyananda. She said, “I would like to clarify that I stated that the SPH Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam is persecuted in his birthplace by certain anti-Hindu elements. The United States of KAILASA holds India in high regard and respects India as its Gurupeedam.”

She added, “We request the Indian government to take swift and decisive action against the anti-Hindu elements who persistently incite violence against Swami Nithyananda and KAILASA.”

Who is Swami Nithyananda?

Swami Nithyananda is a controversial Indian godman and spiritual figure. His real name is Arunachalam Rajasekaran, and he was born in Tamil Nadu, India, on January 1, 1978. He claims that he was given the name Nithyananda by Mahavtar Babaji during one of his spiritual interactions with the mystic.

Swami Nithyananda started his public appearance as a spiritual figure in 2002. The Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam Ashram was established in Bengaluru, Karnataka in the year 2003. Nithyananda has gathered a sizable follower base from all over the world due to his assertion that he is an enlightened master. He claims to have written multiple books on spirituality and has led numerous meditation sessions and courses.

Superpowers and controversies

Swami Nithyananda has often claimed in his public addresses that he possesses many superhuman abilities and that he has imparted those powers to many of his disciples as well. Besides, his career has been embroiled in many controversies for at least the past 14 years. In 2010, a video emerged showing him in a compromising position with a female devotee, which led to widespread outrage and protests. Tamil actress Ranjitha was allegedly the woman seen in this video. Both Swami Nithyananda and Ranjitha denied being part of the video and accused it was a morphed video.

Ranjitha had called a press conference and announced, “The video is fabricated. I am not the person in it. In fact, at that time, I was in a room that I was sharing with another female devotee in the Dhyanapeetham ashram. I blame myself for this. It has affected my career though some people still have faith in me.”

In 2010, Nithyananda filed a criminal case against Sun TV’s Chief Operating Officer Hansraj Saxena and eight other people for airing what he called “morphed visuals” that showed him in a sexually explicit posture with the actress. In 2017, The Forensic Sciences Laboratory Bengaluru confirmed that Nithyananda and Ranjitha indeed were the two people seen in that video.

Swami Nithyananda was also accused of financial irregularities and other unethical practices. In 2018, Swami Nithyananda was charged with rape and sexual abuse by two women who had been his devotees. The Third Additional District and Session Court in Ramanagara in Karnataka framed charges against him. He fled India in November 2019 and was declared a fugitive by the Indian government.

Swami Nithyananda claims to have established a country called Kailasa

Nithyananda purportedly bought an island off the coast of Ecuador and gave it the name “Kailasa” in honor of the Hindu holy mountain Mount Kailash in Tibet. This alleged country founded by the self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda is also called Shrikailasa or the United States of Kailasa by his followers.

USK recently called for applications for an e-visa for an e-citizenship. Its website mentions, ‘it offers a safe haven to all the world’s practicing, aspiring or persecuted Hindus, irrespective of race, gender, sect, caste, or creed, where they can peacefully live and express their spirituality, arts, and culture free from denigration, interference and violence.’

The website of this so-called nation also mentions that it has various departments like treasury, commerce, sovereign, housing, human services, and more, and claims to have a flag, a constitution, an economic system, a passport, and an emblem. However, United Nations Organization does not recognize Kailasa as a country.

According to the Montevideo Convention of 1933, which is part of customary international law, a territory must have a permanent population, a government, and the capacity for interaction with other nations in order to be called a country. The UNO has therefore denied identifying Kailasa as a country. Though United Nations is not recognizing Kailasa or USK as a country, the social media handle of this so-called sovereign nation is engaged in posting photos, videos, and other updates of its ‘ambassadors’ visiting their counterparts of different countries and fugitive Swami Nithyananda continues to call his country to be the only Hindu nation.

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