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PM Modi visits Dehradun and assesses damage caused by floods in Uttarakhand, announces financial assistance of ₹1,200 crore for the state

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi visits Dehradun and assesses damage caused by floods in Uttarakhand, announces financial assistance of ₹1,200 crore for the state

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Dehradun on 11th September 2025 and reviewed the flood situation and damage caused due to cloudbursts, rains and landslides in affected areas of Uttarakhand. He reached Dehradun from Varanasi where he hosted visiting Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

The Prime Minister had an official meeting in Dehradun to review the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken as well as to assess the damage that has occurred in Uttarakhand. He announced financial assistance of ₹1,200 crore for Uttarakhand.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need for a multi-dimensional approach to help the entire region and its people recover. This would include measures such as rebuilding homes under the PM Awas Yojana, restoring national highways, reconstructing schools, providing relief through the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, and distributing mini kits for livestock.

It was announced that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin, financial assistance will be extended under “Special Project’’ submitted by Government of Uttarakhand for reconstruction of houses in rural areas to eligible households whose houses have been damaged due to floods.

The Union Government has already sent Inter-Ministerial Central teams to visit Uttarakhand to assess the extent of damage, and further assistance will be considered based on their detailed report.

The Prime Minister expressed his condolences to the family members of those who have lost their lives in the natural calamity. He stated that the Union Government will work closely with the State Governments at this difficult time and extend all possible assistance.

PM Modi also met families from Uttarakhand who had been affected by the recent natural calamities, including landslides and floods. He conveyed his solidarity with all those who had suffered and offered heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. He also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those seriously injured in the floods and related disasters.

The Prime Minister declared that children orphaned by the recent floods and landslides will receive assistance through the PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund for Children scheme, ensuring their long-term care and welfare.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stated that the assistance under the purview of the Disaster Management Act and Rules including advance disbursements to the States being announced at this stage are for the interim period. The Central government will further review the assessment based on the memorandum of the State as well as the report of the Central teams.

He appreciated the efforts of the personnel of NDRF, SDRF, Army, State administration and other service-oriented organisations for making efforts in immediate relief and response. The Prime Minister acknowledged the gravity of the situation and assured that the Central Government will make all efforts to address the situation.

‘Nepo Kids’ of Nepal: Read how mass anger against luxury life of children of politicians Vs the abject poverty for common people drove Gen Z protests

Shriti Sagar
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‘Nepo Kids’ of Nepal: Read how mass anger against luxury life of children of politicians Vs the abject poverty for common people drove Gen Z protests

Nepal remained under tight restrictions and curfew on Thursday (11th September) after days of violent protests shook the small Himalayan nation.

The protests, led largely by Gen Z, have left 31 people dead and more than 600 injured so far. In Kathmandu, the Army asked people to stay indoors after troops came out in large numbers overnight to control the situation.

Protesters had set government buildings on fire earlier in the week, which eventually pushed the government to collapse.

Authorities also confirmed that around 13,000 prisoners were released from jails across all 77 districts of Nepal during the chaos.

On Wednesday (10th September), representatives of the protesters sat down with military officials at the Army headquarters in Kathmandu to discuss who could lead a transitional government. Some voices within the movement backed Sushila Karki, a respected former Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, as the interim Prime Minister.

Kathmandu’s young mayor, Balen Shah, who is only 35 and was once a rapper before becoming an engineer and politician, has urged protesters to remain calm and wait for an interim administration to take shape.

From social media ban to street protests

The demonstrations first broke out on Monday, 8th September, after the government briefly banned social media platforms. Police fired into crowds, fueling further fury.

By Tuesday, 9th September, the demonstrations had gained pace, and government offices were being attacked by thousands of youths, with buildings were set on fire. The ban itself followed after 26 platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, and X, failed to register under a new controversial law within a deadline.

Nepal’s government has said social media users create fake IDs and use them to spread hate speech and fake news, commit fraud and other crimes on these platforms. A government notice directed the regulator, Nepal Telecommunications Authority, to deactivate unregistered social media but gave no details of which platforms faced action. The services will be restored once the platforms comply with its order.

Officials claimed it was meant to stop fake accounts and cybercrimes, but for the youth, it felt like an attack on their voice.

The rising trend of #NepoKids

But the roots of this protest go deeper than just the ban. Even it started online a weeks ago. Over last few days, a series of videos and tweets erupted on Instagram and other social media under the banner #NepoKids. They featured the kids of senior politicians flaunting their Gucci handbags, private aircraft, and overseas university degrees. Their glamorous lives contrasted starkly with the struggle of poor Nepali families.

“Nepobabies live lavishly on the vast sums their corrupt parents steal from taxpayers-hard-earned money sent home through the sweat of migrant labor,” read a post.

For some, this tag was more than a trend. It revealed the lifestyle of Nepal’s political class children while living in comfort, compared to the ordinary youth who suffer unemployment and uncertain futures. The anger that built up online soon spilt onto the streets, turning into one of the biggest movements the country has seen in decades.

Two worlds, one country

On the one hand, the children of influential leaders reside overseas, travelling business class, living in high-rise apartments, and leading lives paid for by the money which belongs to the people of Nepal. 

On the other hand, millions of Nepalis are struggling daily for the fundamentals: affordable education, good healthcare, and secure employment. Young people are leaving the country to work overseas just to be able to sustain their families at home.

Screengrab of Instagram post

People started sharing videos under hashtags such as #NepoKid #NepoBabies #PoliticiansNepoBabyNepal, questioning whether privilege or personal effort drives politicians’ children’s success. Some are calling for street protests.

The divide became impossible to ignore. For the youth, it was not a matter of jealousy; it was about fairness and survival. How long, they asked, could they watch politicians’ children live in luxury while they fought for the bare minimum?

A generation that refuses to stay silent

This anger did not appear overnight. For years, Nepal’s youth have felt ignored by their leaders. Even past governments, including that of former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, failed to communicate with the public or deliver on promises. People’s concerns were brushed aside, and promises of reform never turned into reality.

This time, when the government tried to silence them with a social media ban, it backfired. Gen Z, already angry over years of corruption and nepotism, decided enough was enough. They did not just protest against the ban; they made it a voice to end corruption, nepotism, and privilege of the elite.

A protest that transformed Nepal overnight

The hashtag #NepoKids is now the face of this national rebellion. What began as a online debate has become a political earthquake. The demonstrations compelled the Prime Minister and some ministers to resign, showing just how strong people’s rage has become.

With the death count rising and thousands injured, the presence of the Army in Kathmandu demonstrates how grim the situation is. But the movement has already changed Nepal’s political landscape. It has been shown that in today’s digital age, a hashtag can bring down a government, and that a generation once dismissed as “too young” is now leading the fight for a fairer country.

When we look deeply into these protests, there is a simple truth. Nepali youths were not responding to a social media ban. They were responding to decades of discontent, never-ending corruption, politicians who use people’s money like their own, and a political elite whose children parade luxury in foreign lands while ordinary Nepalis fight for the basics back home.This profound rift was finally lashed out at in anger. Tired of being unheard, Gen Z hit the streets, not just over a social media ban, but to demand an end to corruption, nepotism, and elite privilege.

Nepal under curfew after violent Gen Z protests, no decision yet on interim chief, now Kulman Ghising emerges as frontrunner after Sushila Karki

OpIndia Staff
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Nepal under curfew after violent Gen Z protests, no decision yet on interim chief, now Kulman Ghising emerges as frontrunner after Sushila Karki

Nepal stayed under tight restrictions and curfew on Thursday, 11th September, as the country tried to recover from days of violent Gen Z-led protests. The protests, led largely by youths calling themselves Gen Z, have left 31 people dead and more than 600 injured so far. In Kathmandu, the Army requested citizens to remain indoors while soldiers continued to patrol streets following protesters burning down government buildings earlier this week.

The unrest has also resulted in over 13,000 prisoners being released from prisons in Nepal‘s 77 districts. With the government having collapsed, attention has now shifted to forming an interim administration. Protest leaders and the Nepal Army, which has temporarily taken control, are holding talks on who will take charge next.

No decision yet on interim chief

With no government at place, the army has taken the responsibility of maintaining law and order. At the same, initiatives have started to form an interim government led by a interim chief who will oversee the conduct of a national election. Several names have emerged for the post of interim chief.

As discussions continue, three names are now being considered for the interim chief: former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, Kathmandu’s 35-year-old mayor Balen Shah, and Kulman Ghising, the former head of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The final choice will be made after protest leaders and Army officials sit together to reach an agreement. If things move smoothly, the country could soon see a new interim government taking charge.

At first, the strongest name that came up was that of Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, Sushila Karki. Reports suggested that Karki had even agreed over a phone call with the Army to take charge as interim Prime Minister after GenZ members elected her in an online poll. However, no final decision has been made so far. Now, another figure has emerged as a frontrunner, Kulman Ghising, the man credited with ending Nepal’s long and painful electricity load-shedding.

Background of Kulman Ghising

Kulman Ghising has become a name familiar to every household in Nepal due to his contribution to ending one of the nation’s largest issues, decades of debilitating power outages. 

A trained electrical engineer, Ghising started his professional journey with the Nepal Electricity Authority way back in 1994. In 2016, he was made managing director of NEA, a position in which he was instrumental in ending up to 18 hours a day of load-shedding that had exasperated the whole country.

Ghising graduated from India

Ghising was born in eastern Nepal, but he graduated in electrical engineering from the Regional Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur district of Jharkhand, India. He further took a master’s degree in power systems engineering from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. His success earned him universal public admiration, but his career was also marred by political obstacles. 

In March 2025, the then-Premier K.P. Sharma Oli axed Ghising as NEA chief a few months shy of the end of his term. The action drew immense criticism from opposition leaders and civil society, who felt his removal was political, not based on performance.

Ghising, however, remains immensely popular as an effective technocrat who has produced results for the common people. His image as a problem-solver has now catapulted him to centre stage again, this time as one of the front-runners to steer Nepal through one of its largest political crises in years.

Delhi police bust ISIS module running Pakistan sponsored ‘Khilafat model’, arrested terrorist Ashhar Danish had a postgraduate degree in English

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi police bust ISIS module running Pakistan sponsored ‘Khilafat model’, arrested terrorist Ashhar Danish had a postgraduate degree in English

Delhi Police’s special cell has busted a ISIS terror module which was hatching a Pakistan handler-sponsored “Khilafat model” in the country. The police nabbed five people from four different states identified as Ashhar Danish, Sufiyan Abubakar Khan, Aaftab Ansari, Huzaifa Yaman and Kamran Qureshi.

Additional commissioner (special cell) Pramod Kushwaha said that the accused had hatched a “two-fold plan,” first forming a Khilafat-style group and then executing Ghazwa-e-Hind style jihad.

“Their plan was two-fold. First, they had to form a Khilafat-style group. They have their own team, which is called Lashkar, and after that, they had to do jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind type, on the basis of their distorted concept of understanding of Islam. Plus, some targeted killings were to be tasked to them,” Kushwaha said.

The police recovered large quantities of objectionable material from them, like Sulphur powder, sulphuric acid, nitric acid, sodium bicarbonate, pH weighing checker, ball bearings and equipment which can be used for making an IED, wires, motherboards, laptops and mobile phones, plus weapons and cartridges.

A total of 11 people were picked up in the case, out of which five have been arrested. As per police, Ashhar Danish from Ranchi is the leader of the group who was pretending to be running a professional company. Therefore, he used to code CEO, and in his inner group, his code was Ghazwa leader. They were also trying to acquire land using the name of an NGO.

He reportedly had a postgraduate degree in English. Ashhar Danish came from an educated background. His father is a lawyer while his mother is a teacher. He is an expert in making bombs

“They had an internal group, these are highly radicalised boys,” added Kushwaha.

Ashhar Danish was nabbed from Ranchi, Sufiyan Abubakar Khan and Aaftab Ansari were arrested from Delhi, while Huzaifa Yaman was arrested from Nizamabad, Telangana, and Kamran Qureshi was arrested from Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh.

Delhi Police said that the accused were trained in making IEDs and even cartridges. Police also recovered “incriminating drawings” from the accused. According to the police, the suspects revealed that their handler was teaching them to assemble IEDs online and told them to buy various of items including chemicals to make a bomb.

Kushwaha said, “This was a homegrown operation. So, acquiring weapons, including making IEDs, even cartridges, they were told to prepare on their own. Some incriminating drawings have also been found from them.”

Delhi Police have filed an FIR against the accused under offences of promoting propaganda to create enmity between communities, disturbing religious harmony, and possessing illegal weapons.

The central agencies are analysing the digital devices seized from the suspects to track their contacts and possible international links. The police added that the arrests have averted a possible terror strike in the country.

Rajasthan High Court upholds order cancelling the license of meat shops near Hindu temple, dismisses claim that the place of worship was ‘private’

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan High Court upholds order cancelling the license of meat shops near Hindu temple, dismisses claim that the place of worship was ‘private’

The Rajasthan High Court recently dismissed petitions challenging the order cancelling the license of meat shops situated within a 50-metre radius of a place of worship.

The petitions were filed against the order of the District Collector, Jaipur, passed on February 17, 2025, which cancelled the license of meat shops lying in the vicinity of a temple. The said order invoked Clause 4 of a Standard of Procedure (SoP), which was issued under Section 269 read with Section 340 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009.

Every temple is a public property unless proved otherwise: HC

The petitioners contended that the cancellation of the license was unwarranted as the temple in question was merely a private temple and not a public temple registered with the Devasthan Department.

Refusing to accept the argument presented by the petitioners, a single bench of Justice Anoop Kumnar Dhand said that every temple is a public property unless proved otherwise. The judge noted that the temple was located in an open area and was accessible to all.

“If a temple is situated in an open area and is accessible to the public, it will be construed as a public temple. Public temples are considered to be dedicated to the public at large or a section thereof for worship,” Justice Dhand said.

“This Court finds no substance in the arguments of the counsel for the petitioner that the temple situated within a 50-meter radius of the petitioners’ meat shops is not a public temple,” the Judge noted in its order dated September 1, 2025.

Describing a temple, the judge said, “A temple is a place of worship dedicated to a specific deity or deities, where individuals or groups perform their religious activities, prayers or ceremonies. Temple means a place, by whatever designation known, used for public religious worship where anyone can worship, and the same is accessible to the public at large.”

“These petitions do not contain any merit or substance which warrants any interference of this Court. These writ petitions are found to be devoid of merit and the same are hereby rejected. Stay applications and all pending application(s), if any, also stand dismissed,” the court said in the dismissal order.

Under Yogi govt, 60 lakh youth have got jobs, UP has received investment proposals of over 45 lakh crores in the private sector in 8 years

OpIndia Staff
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Under Yogi govt, 60 lakh youth have got jobs, UP has received investment proposals of over 45 lakh crores in the private sector in 8 years

The state of Uttar Pradesh has experienced a boost in investments marked by a remarkable increase in employment opportunities under the Yogi government. As per data shared by the Mission Rozgar initiative of the UP government, ₹45 lakh crore in investment proposals have been received over the last eight years.

Of the ₹45 lakh crore in investment proposals, over ₹15 lakh crore worth of projects have already been implemented on the ground, creating a massive increase in employment. In UP, more than 60 lakh youth have got jobs in the last 8 years, driven by the growth in investments.

UP’s significant employment rise is a hallmark of robust policies, coordination of the state government with the central government to implement various schemes and the state government’s consistent efforts to drive industrial growth in India’s most populous state. On Thursday, CM Yogi Adityanath shared that 60 lakh youth have got private sector jobs, while addressing the public in the Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) area.

CM Yogi laid foundation stone and inaugurated projects worth Rs 2,251 crore in GIDA area.

Initiatives undertaken by the UP government to boost economic growth have displayed a strategic and significant shift under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who, since 2017, has prioritised infrastructure and investment, evidenced by Uttar Pradesh’s rise from 7th to 2nd in India’s ease of doing business rankings by 2024, challenging the narrative that northern states lag in economic development.

PM Modi hosts Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi callng it spiritual union of a family, several MoUs and a Special Economic Package announced

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi hosts Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi callng it spiritual union of a family, several MoUs and a Special Economic Package announced

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 September 2024 hosted Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi for bilateral discussions that underscored the deep cultural and strategic bonds between the two nations. The talks, part of Ramgoolam’s week-long state visit to India from September 9 to 16, resulted in several key agreements, a special economic package, and commitments to expand cooperation across sectors from energy to space exploration.

This marks Ramgoolam’s first overseas bilateral visit since assuming office in November 2024, reciprocating Modi’s trip to Mauritius in March 2025. The visit began with arrival in Mumbai on September 9, where Ramgoolam, accompanied by his wife Veena, six cabinet ministers, senior officials, and a business delegation, engaged with prominent Indian industry leaders and presided over a business forum.

The delegation arrived in Varanasi yesterday evening, setting the stage for Thursday’s high-level talks. Modi welcomed Ramgoolam to his parliamentary constituency, describing the meeting as a “spiritual union” rather than mere diplomacy, highlighting centuries-old cultural ties that have flowed from India to Mauritius like the eternal Ganga River.

In his press statement during the joint session, PM Modi emphasized Mauritius’s role in India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and the “MAHASAGAR” vision for maritime security and growth in the Indian Ocean region. He noted that the two countries elevated their relationship to an “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” during his March visit and reviewed progress across bilateral, regional, and global issues. Modi congratulated Ramgoolam on the recent Chagos Agreement, calling it a “historic milestone” for Mauritius’s sovereignty and reaffirming India’s support for decolonization efforts.

Prime Minister Ramgoolam echoed the sentiment of familial bonds, stating in his remarks that he and Modi had “held deep exchanges on pressing global challenges” and would continue collaborating. “This visit has reaffirmed that the ties between Mauritius and India are not defined merely…” he said, trailing into praise for the enduring partnership. The Mauritian leader’s comments aligned with the broader theme of shared dreams and destiny, particularly as both nations commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Mauritius’s founding father and architect of Indo-Mauritian relations.

A centrepiece of the discussions was India’s announcement of a Special Economic Package worth $25 million, aimed at bolstering Mauritius’s infrastructure, job creation, and healthcare. Modi described the package not as aid but as “an investment in our shared future,” with specific initiatives including the establishment of the first Jan Aushadhi Kendra (affordable medicine center) outside India in Mauritius, an AYUSH Centre of Excellence, a 500-bed Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital, and a Veterinary School and Animal Hospital.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri elaborated in a special MEA briefing that this includes a grant of approximately ₹96 crore for Phase II of high-impact community development projects.

Infrastructure projects under the package encompass the Chagos Marine Protected Area, an Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower at SSR International Airport, and expansions of highways and ring roads. On the economic front, building on last year’s launch of UPI and RuPay cards in Mauritius, the leaders agreed to advance trade settlements in local currencies to reduce dependency on foreign exchange.

Energy cooperation emerged as a key area, with India supporting Mauritius’s transition to sustainable sources. This includes supplying 100 electric buses (10 already delivered), a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement in the energy sector, and assistance for a 17.5 MW floating solar power plant at Tamarind Falls, with an NTPC team set to visit Mauritius soon to finalize details with the Central Electricity Board (CEB).

Human resource development remains a cornerstone, with over 5,000 Mauritians trained in India to date. PM Modi highlighted the ongoing training of the first batch of 500 Mauritian civil servants in Mussoorie, as agreed during his March visit. New commitments include establishing a Directorate of Science and Technology in Mauritius and launching Mission Karmayogi training modules there, focusing on civil service capacity building.

Education and innovation ties were further strengthened through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the University of Mauritius, as well as between the Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) Bengaluru and the University of Mauritius. These aim to boost research, education, and innovation collaboration.

Maritime security featured prominently, with India reaffirming its role as a “first responder and net security provider” in the Indian Ocean. Ongoing efforts include refitting a Mauritius Coast Guard ship in India and training 120 officers. A renewed MoU on hydrography will facilitate joint surveys, navigation charts, and data sharing for Mauritius’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over the next five years.

The visit culminated in the signing of seven MoUs and agreements, as mentioned below:

  1. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Science and Technology between the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Republic of Mauritius
  2. Memorandum of Understanding between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Institute of Oceanography, and Mauritius Oceanography Institute
  3. Memorandum of Understanding between Karmayogi Bharat under the Department of Personnel and Training and the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Government of Mauritius
  4. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Power Sector
  5. Memorandum of Understanding regarding Indian grant assistance for Implementation of Phase II of Small Development Projects
  6. Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Hydrography
  7. Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Mauritius on Cooperation for the Establishment of Telemetry, Tracking, and Telecommunications Station for Satellites and Launch Vehicles and for Cooperation in the fields of Space Research, Science and Application

The talks also touched on broader regional priorities, such as a free, open, and prosperous Indian Ocean, with India committing to enhance Mauritius’s maritime capabilities. The two leaders exchanged views on global matters, including climate change and economic recovery.

During his stay, Prime Minister Ramgoolam is expected to attend the Ganga Aarti on Thursday evening and visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple on Friday morning before departing. He will reportedly visit Ayodhya also. PM Modi left Varanasi after hosting Ramgoolam for lunch, and travelled to Dehradun for an aerial survey of the flood affected places in Uttarakhand.

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ document was made out of India? Congress tries to defend itself as tech details hint at foreign collaboration

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ document was made out of India? Congress tries to defend itself as tech details hint at foreign collaboration

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, known for peddling the ‘vote chori’ conspiracy theory to defame the Election Commission of India (ECI), has now come under the scanner.

On Wednesday (10th September), it came to light that the document, which Gandhi presented during his infamous press conference on 7th August this year, was prepared in the country of Myanmar.

The revelations were first made by a prominent X (formerly Twitter) handle ‘khurpenchh’. In a 7-tweet thread, the account shared compelling evidence that the ‘vote chori’ document of Rahul Gandhi was created outside India.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had shared the document on his website, which was hyperlinked to the text ‘Vote Chori Proof.’

A total of 3 PDF files could be found in a Google Drive folder named ‘Rahul Gandhi’s Presentation.’ The files contain the English, Hindi and Kannada versions of the document presented the Congress leader in his 7th August presentation.

The X (formerly Twitter) handle ‘khurpenchh’ analysed the metadata of the files. For the unversed, metadata is information about a file which is different from the content of the file.

Information such as author, creation date, time and size is furnished by the metadata of a file. It makes it easy to use, search and organise data.

In its analysis, the X user ‘khurpenchh’ found that all three versions of Rahul Gandhi’s presentation have been created in the Myanmar Standard Time (MMT).

MMT refers to the timezone of Myanmar, which is 6 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For context, Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of UTC.

PDF files created in India will have the exact UTC + 5:30 and not 6:30, as evident from metadata analysis of the Congress leader’s vote chori document.

The X user ‘khurpenchh’ further pointed out that the use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and file sharing through Google Drive does not alter the embedded metadata of PDFs.

The exposé evidently rattled the Congress ecosystem, which unleashed its IT cell trolls and attack dogs on X (formerly Twitter) to counter the grave charges against Rahul Gandhi.

On Thursday (11th September), Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate sought the help of ChatGPT to save face, but it was largely in vain.

She alleged that the discrepancy in the timezone was due to a software configuration issue/ Adobe bug.

“This one-hour discrepancy is not evidence of relocation; it’s a common artifact. Adobe products often exhibit timestamp “oddness” where offsets mismatch, especially in metadata fields,” she claimed.

X (formerly Twitter) handle ‘khurpenchh’ highlighted how Adobe addresses bugs immediately and fixes them right away. It pointed out the exact software versions and asked to specify which bug changed IST to MMT.

It further stated that the PDF was created using Adobe Illustrator and it did not make sense to compare it with other Adobe products such as Lightroom and Bridge.

When some Congress sponsored trolls presented the case of a ‘timezone related bug’ in Lightroom, the X handle pointed out that the said bug was fixed 14 years ago and that there was no such bug in Adobe Illustrator (which was used to create Rahul gandhi’s vote chori document).

Supriya Shrinate and Rahul Gandhi are yet to respond to these serious charges.

It is important to note that Rahul Gandhi’s political career has been mired in controversies surrounding involvement of foreign powers.

Be it the Congress signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Communist Party or Rahul Gandhi’s mysterious foreign trips, his political manoeuvres continue to remain under the nation’s spotlight.

His secret meetings with foreign officials, social media influence campaigns managed by bots from Kazakhstan, Russia and Indonesia bring more public scepticism for the grand-old party.

Congress’ plans to open its office in hostile nation like Turkey, dubious social media activity and coordinated effort to repeatedly cast aspersions on the Indian electoral system without any shred of evidence is thus alarming.

Malayali actress Navya Nair fined ₹1.14 lakh by Australian authorities for wearing jasmine flowers in her hair: Read what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Malayali actress Navya Nair fined ₹1.14 lakh by Australian authorities for wearing jasmine flowers in her hair: Read what happened

Malayali actress Navya Nair inadvertently landed herself in the soup while travelling to Australia to attend Onam celebrations. The actress was fined AUD 1,980 (₹1.14 lakh) at Melbourne Airport in Australia for carrying jasmine flowers without informing the Australian customs department.

Nair was going to attend the Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria. She posted pictures of herself on the flight on Saturday (6th September), in which she could be seen dressed up in a saree and wearing jasmine flowers in her hair.

As per reports, the actress opened up about the incident during a recent interview. Nair said that she was shocked by the hefty amount of the penalty and even requested the Australian agricultural department to waive it. “I was kind of shocked. It’s a significant penalty. The thing is that I was not carrying flowers in my bag. The flowers were in my hair, so it was nothing hidden, but I didn’t declare it because I missed it. They mentioned that parts of plants and flowers are included. The sniffer dogs sniffed it because I had kept the flowers in my bag at the beginning of my travel,” Nair said in a conversation with HT City.

She reportedly sent an email to the authorities requesting waiver of the fine before the deadline for payment of the fine. “I have 28 days’ time for payment. They also told me that I can send an email telling all these details to the agriculture department. So, I sent them an email that night itself. I am just waiting for a reply. I have asked them to waive off the amount, and if they don’t waive off, then I have read in many articles that they charge 300 dollars, and they charged AUD 1980, and it is written 6 units, so I don’t know what it is. As a foreigner, I had no idea,” Nair added.

Nair explained that the fine was imposed as per the law of the country, but she tried to explain to the authorities that she did not do it intentionally. “It’s the law of a country, and I have to abide by it. I have no other option. I requested them and tried to tell them that it was not intentional. On a humanitarian aspect, they can simply take the flowers and keep them there. They could have let me go because I didn’t have any intention, but I think it depends on the officers, so I cannot comment on that,” she said.

“Before I came here, it was my father who bought jasmine for me. He cut it into two parts and gave it to me. He asked me to wear one in my hair from Kochi to Singapore, since it would wither by the time I reached. He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore. I put it in my carry bag,” Nair revealed.

Pointing out the silver lining in the case, the actress said that the incident has caught the media’s attention and has alerted other Malayali people, who would now be more careful regarding the customs rules. “My issue has become very popular with all the Malayalis, so they will be more alert in doing things. These rules are quite strict and very rigid. So it’s not very easy. The declaration form is a very small paper, which can be easily missed by travellers,” the actress cautioned.

What are the rules that Nair inadvertently violated

According to the rules of Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, passengers can carry up to 6 small boxes or bouquets of fresh flowers on a flight or cruise ship after first declaring them. This is because plants and flowers are capable of carrying insects, bacteria, viruses and fungi, which are considered biosecurity risks. After such items are declared by passengers, they are verified by biosecurity officers to check if they are free from pests before entering the country.

Charlie Kirk’s brutal assassination in Utah: As Trump orders USA flag to be flown at half mast, Left-Liberals celebrate murder in public

Shraddha Pandey
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Charlie Kirk’s brutal assassination in Utah: As Trump orders USA flag to be flown at half mast, Left-Liberals celebrate murder in public

American conservative activist, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead on Wednesday (10th September, local time) during a talk at the Utah Valley University. A staunch ally of US President Donald Trump, Kirk often travelled to colleges to discuss political issues such as abortion, immigration and transgender issues.  

He advocated free speech, traditional values, and open debate on campuses, hosting events and media like “The Charlie Kirk Show.” Charlie Kirk is survived by his wife and two children.

The 31-year-old political activist’s assassination has shocked and saddened his supporters and the extended American right-wing. The founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck while h was addressing the crowd at Utah Valley University.

US President Donald Trump described the killing of Charlie Kirk as a “dark moment for America” and accused the “radical left” of inciting such political violence across the country. In an address late Wednesday (local time), Trump paid tribute to Kirk, calling him a “patriot” and a “martyr for truth and freedom”, while expressing condolences to Kirk’s wife Erica and their two children.

However, woke-liberals are drawing joy from Kirk’s brutal assassination.

Social media is replete with left-liberals posting videos celebrating Kirk’s assassination. Many are also sharing their “who’s next” lists, which include names of other prominent conservative voices like Ben Shapiro.

Liberals are making TikTok videos wherein they are seen cheering over Kirk’s killing. “Charlie Kirk was just shot in the neck at a Utah event”, wrote a woman, danced and made weird faces expressing her happiness.

A trans activist, Sophie Molly, wrote on X, “Charlie Kirk was a cunt. Good riddance.”

One Bluesky user quoted a post which said “He (Charlie) is f%*ked…”, and wrote, “Fingers crossed! He’s nothing but a cancer on society, and actually proud of it. Getting rich by being a malignant national tumor. Same as Andy Ngo, the late Rush Limbaugh, et al.”

Another one wrote, “He deserved it. Enjoy it.”

One transactivist Mara Rhodus wrote, “Just to be clear, Charlie Kirk has spouted pro-2A shit on the graves of children and violent bullshit about women like me for his entire career, so I’m absolutely going to dance on his fucking grave. Tired of pretending like this isn’t deserved.”

The video which recorded the moment a bullet struck Kirk’s neck is being widely shared across social media platforms with gleeful comments like, “Live by the sword, die by the sword”. Numerous videos have surfaced online featuring individuals mocking Charlie Kirk with their deranged laughter and comments praising the assassin. Many even called for more such acts against conservative activists.

Not only the woke liberal social media users, but liberal media cabal has also been accused of rejoicing over Kirk’s death. It has been alleged that during a TMZ livestream, staff were cheering and clapping in apparent delight just before announcing Kirk’s demise.

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