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Vested interests tried to lobby for foreign Pharma companies during Covid-19: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

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Vested interests tried to lobby for foreign Pharma companies during Covid-19: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

During the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (9th February 2023), Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed the Opposition for working against science and technology, and India’s progress in the sector.

PM Modi lambasted vested interests that tried to sell foreign vaccinations for Covid-19 in India, adding that India shocked the world by successfully developing its own vaccine.

“India had a big market for vaccinations, foreign makers tried to impose pressure using various strategies. Several articles were written, interviews were given to various media outlets, and seminars were held. Not only that, but even until yesterday, attempts were made to discredit Indian scientists who developed indigenous vaccines during the Cold pandemic. Yet, my country’s scientists developed vaccines that were not only approved but also benefited 150 countries around the world”, said the proud PM.

PM Modi went on to say that because of the expertise of our scientists and inventors, India is fast becoming a worldwide pharma hub.

“Unfortunately, some people attempted to bring down India’s scientists, innovators, and vaccine makers. However, due to the expertise of our scientists and innovators, India is rapidly becoming a global pharma center,” the PM added.

Modi called out opposition for spreading vaccine hesitancy

It may be recalled that last year, PM Modi slammed the Congress and Opposition parties for fuelling vaccine hesitancy in India. He made the remarks during his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha last year.

PM Modi said, “A few leaders of some political parties have shown immaturity in the last 2 years which has disappointed the nation. We have seen how games have been played due to political selfishness. Campaigns were done against Indian vaccines.”

Congress and Opposition parties fuelled ‘vaccine hesitancy’ in India

At a time when Covid-19 cases were on the rise, the country saw attempts by the Opposition parties and their related ecosystem to derail the ongoing vaccination drive. While some opposed vaccination program to turn around their political fortunes, others targeted the vaccine manufacturers in a bid to demoralize them. One of the strategies employed was to discredit the indigenous Covaxin vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech. The government approved its emergency use in the month of January 2021.

Using this as the primary tool for propaganda, Congress leaders such as Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, and Chhattisgarh health Minister TS Singh Deo trivialised the vaccination drive altogether. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav had gone even a step further to claim that he could not trust ‘BJP’s vaccine’. He claimed that he would only get vaccinated when his government is formed after the next election.

UP: Violent clashes in Baghpat wedding because the groom’s ‘naaraaz fufa’ was not served paneer dish

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UP: Violent clashes in Baghpat wedding because the groom’s ‘naaraaz fufa’ was not served paneer dish

Paneer is surely a favourite of many Indians. However, some people love it so much that the lack of it causes major fights among wedding parties. In Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, the bridegroom’s side or Baratis became furious as there was no cheese (paneer) served at the wedding feast for the groom’s uncle.

Consequently, the bride’s side (gharatis) and the baraatis got into a clash.  The police had to do a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. The incident took place on  Wednesday when the wedding procession (baraat) travelled from Gurana village in the Barot Kotwali area to Baghpat city. 

Reportedly, the groom’s uncle (fufa) and some other Baratis got into an argument with the people serving the food because there was no paneer available. The baraatis also lamblasted the DJ for not playing songs of their choice. Even after the members of the bride’s side gave an explanation, the groom’s side remained agitated. As a result, the two parties got into a fight. People from the bride’s and the groom’s sides beat one another up with sticks and belts. A crowd soon gathered there following that. The video of the incident is going viral on social media.

As seen in the video, several men are seen dragging and hitting each other in rage. A person is also seen hitting a person appearing to be a waiter with belts and kicks. 

Three to four youths involved in the fight were apprehended by the police and were taken to the police station. However, after requests from people on both sides, the police released them. The Police station in-charge Sanjay Kumar said that there was a small argument during the wedding ceremony. A settlement has been reached between both the parties. Someone recorded the incident on their mobile device and shared it online. 

It is notable here that in 2020, a violent fight between 2 groups of chaat vendors in Baghpat had gone viral on social media and ‘BaghpatChaatFight’ had become a trend. Many people had shared videos of the now legendary fight with special effects and music added.

Uttar Pradesh: 4 women elope with their lovers after receiving PM Awas Yojana money, shocked husbands receive warnings for not starting construction

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Uttar Pradesh: 4 women elope with their lovers after receiving PM Awas Yojana money, shocked husbands receive warnings for not starting construction

Four married women from Barabanki district were alleged to have abandoned their spouses and escaped from their homes with their lovers in Uttar Pradesh, after receiving payments from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), according to reports in the media.

Beneficiaries receive financial aid from the government to build their homes. According to the program, the female head of the household must be the sole or joint owner of the property. After payment of Rs 50,000 was credited to the women’s accounts, they left with their beaus, leaving their husbands in disbelief.

This incident came to light after Saurabh Tripathi, the project officer for the District Urban Development Agency (DUDA), issued a notice and directed that the house’s construction work start, but there was no progress. 

The women left their husbands in trouble as they were warned by the DUDA because the construction hasn’t started. Due to the fact that they haven’t received any money from the payment, the men are also anxious that they would get notices of recovery.

However, the husbands made it to the government office and requested that the second PMAY instalment not be credited and notified the authorities that their wives had fled with their lovers. Officials from the district are currently perplexed as to how to get the money back from these recipients.

“Under the PMAY scheme, in Barabanki district, 1604 houses were approved for construction. The department has distributed the first instalment to all allottees. After the investigation, it was found that 40 people hadn’t started the construction work yet. Following this, the officials issued a notice and ordered that the construction of the house begin immediately. However, it was discovered that there are a few houses where money was transferred to women’s accounts, and the women took out the money and ran away with someone else,” said DUDA Project Officer Saurabh Tripathi.

“The husbands have been instructed to persuade and bring their wives home. Because this is government money, it should not be misused, and if it is, the department will take appropriate action,” Mr. Tripathi added.

These four women were beneficiaries of the Nagar Panchayats of Belhara, Banki, Zaidpur, and Siddhaur in the district, and the first instalment was delivered to their accounts. However, they escaped with the money and their boyfriends.

Pakistan: Kamran throws acid on Sunita after she refused to convert and marry him

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Pakistan: Kamran throws acid on Sunita after she refused to convert and marry him

Another shocking incident highlighting the persecution minorities face in Pakistan has come to light from the city of Karachi. A Muslim youth named Kamran Allah Baksh is accused of throwing acid on a Christian girl named Sunita, who refused to convert and marry him. Victim Sunita is badly injured in this attack after the accused threw acid on her face, and is undergoing treatment in a hospital.

This incident took place on 1st February 2023 and a case has also been registered in this regard. The police have arrested the accused. During preliminary investigations, the accused told the police that he was in one-sided love with the victim and it is the sole reason for this attack.

According to media reports, The incident took place in the Frere police station area in Karachi. The victim, Sunita Masih, is a 19-year-old who lives with her family in Masoom Shah Colony. The accused Kamran is said to be a neighbor of the victim. According to Sunita’s uncle John Masih, on February 1, the day of the incident, Sunita had left her home for some work in Karachi’s Kala Pul area. She was about to catch a bus from the cantonment area when Kamran threw acid on her face.

Kamran fled from the spot after the attack. Sunita’s body has suffered 20% burns due to the acid attack and she is currently undergoing treatment. Sunita said that after Kamran’s attack, she had severe burns on her face, legs, and eyes and she fell on the road and started screaming. Reportedly, Kamran was also pressurizing Sunita to leave Christianity and accept Islam.

Sunita’s family members said they had complained to Kamran’s family several times about his actions, but their complaints were ignored. Meanwhile, when Kamran Bakhsh repeatedly pressurized the victim, Sunita clearly told him that she would neither leave Christianity nor marry him. Meanwhile, Sunita Masih had also complained to the police about Kamran’s actions but the police did not take any action.

Kamran has been taken into custody by the police after the acid attack. According to Assistant Sub-Inspector Sagir Ahmed of Karachi Police, Kamran has been booked under Section 336-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The police have also taken 2-day custody remand of Kamran.

Tokenism vs actual development: PM Modi highlights how benefits are reaching people now, while Congress governments engaged in tokenism

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Tokenism vs actual development: PM Modi highlights how benefits are reaching people now, while Congress governments engaged in tokenism

After a fierce speech in the Lok Sabha replying to the motion of thanks on the President’s address yesterday, PM Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha today (February 9) wherein he took a dig at the Congress for following a tokenism culture during their six-decade regime.

Notably, when PM Modi began responding to the Motion of Thanks in Rajya Sabha, the opposition parties resorted to sloganeering, violating the House’s basic decorum. PM Modi responded to the opposition parties’ sloganeering in the House with a smart rejoinder, saying, “Kichad uske pass gulal, mere pass tha. Usne uchaal tha, jo bhi jiske pass tha. Jitna keechad uchaloge, kamal utna hi khilega” (More you throw mud on us, more the lotus will blossom).”

“I want to tell these MPs (Oppostion MPs)…the more you throw ‘keechad’, the better the lotus will bloom,” he added. 

PM Modi then moved on to respond to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks. “When I became the Prime Minister in 2014, I saw that the Congress had created problems and issues everywhere, even though they claimed they wanted to create a strong foundation for India’s overall development.”

He added that Congress during its regime, never found a solution for the myriad problems the nation was facing. Instead, it dug several potholes and squandered six decades. Several smaller countries advanced over this time period, but India stayed stagnant.

“Congress only engaged in ‘tokenism’, never tried to find permanent solutions to problems confronting country,” PM Modi said highlighting how BJP after coming to power in 2014 worked towards the development of the country.

“Merely expressing intent doesn’t work, what matters is speed, direction and result of developments ushered in,” said Modi in RS, adding how the BJP government found ways to solve the basic problems of the people of the country like water.

“We paid attention to every aspect like Water conservation and Water irrigation. We connected people with the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign,'” said Modi, adding that BJP has extended potable water supply to 11 crore houses in the last 3-4 years against only 3 crores pre-2014.

JAM Trinity has been truly transformative: PM Modi in the Rajya Sabha

Modi further spoke about how BJP has worked towards the empowerment of common people. “More than half of the people of the country didn’t have banking facilities. BJP found a permanent solution and introduced the Jan Dhan programme. We motivated banks and onboarded them. In the last 9 years, 48 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts have been opened,” said Modi.

Modi further stated that during the last five years, Rs 27 lakh crore has been sent to beneficiaries via DBT using the ‘Jan Dhan Aadhar Mobile (JAM)’ trinity. He noted how the transparency enabled through the JAM Trinity had saved Rs 2 lakh crore of the nation from slipping into the ‘wrong ecosystem’.

Taking a jibe at Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge, Modi added, “Yesterday Kharge ji was complaining that Modi ji comes to my constituency Kalaburagi. He should see the work that has been done there. 1.70 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts have opened in Karnataka, including over 8 lakh accounts in Kalaburagi. So many people are getting empowered, while someone’s account getting closed, I can understand the pain.”

Modi went on to say that Congress has frequently used the slogan “Gareebi Hatao,” but has done nothing for over four decades. The BJP, on the other hand, has worked hard to fulfil the country’s expectations and aspirations.

Modi talks about schemes introduced by BJP

Speaking on the measures undertaken by the Modi government during their eight years in power, PM Modi stated that they implemented the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme, which resulted in an improved gender ratio. The BJP government implemented the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana to ensure that females continue their education and do not drop out due to a lack of toilets in their schools.

Finally, when she is old enough and wants to start her own business, Mudra Yojana provides her with loans, PM Modi added, giving details of the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) launched by him on April 8, 2015, which provides loans upto 10 lahks to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.

Speaking about the BJP government’s contribution to the field of science and technology, Modi added, “to develop scientific temperament in the child, we introduced Atal Tinkering Labs. Further, we brought Atal Incubation Centres. We opened avenues for the private industry in the space sector. Our youth, today, has the power of launching private satellites.”

Real secularism is saturation: PM Modi

Modi stated that his administration has vowed to attain 100 per cent saturation in all initiatives and to cease all forms of appeasement. “During ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal,’ we have chosen to achieve saturation levels in initiatives to benefit everyone; this is true secularism,” he remarked.

Further elaborating on what he means by this, Modi said that true secularism is making sure that the benefits of different government schemes reach all eligible beneficiaries. “We practice ‘sachcha’ (true) secularism. Our aim is to remove all kinds of discrimination. Govt’s motto remains ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. This is real secularism. The country is with us. They have rejected Congress many times,” he said. 

Modi went on to explain how his government’s Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas goal requires that benefits reach all segments of society. “Our priority is the common public, and this is the reason we made LPG connections available to 25 crore families in the country,” Modi said, reminding the House how right from independence till 2014, until BJP rose to power, only 14 crore LPG connections had been provided to the people of the country.

Congress deprived tribals of Vikas: Modi

PM Modi attacked the previous Congress administration for engaging in vote bank politics and denying tribals of progress and prosperity. “The economic, social, and political policies of the Congress party were founded on vote bank politics. If Congress had worked with noble intentions for tribals, I would not have had to work so hard in the third decade of the twenty-first century “PM Modi stated.

“Before 2014, when Congress was in power, the allocation for tribals was around Rs 20,000 crore. But we have allocated Rs 1.20 lakh crore for the welfare of tribals. This year’s Union Budget has five times more funds for tribals,” he said.

“We identified 110 aspiration districts in the country. Education, infra, and health have improved in these districts due to continued focus and performance review. This has benefitted more than 3 crore tribals,” Modi added.

PM Modi also spoke on women empowerment and the development of farmers. “Small farmers are the backbone of India’s agriculture sector. We are working to strengthen their hands,” Modi asserted.

Modi added in the parliament that his government provided insurance benefits through the Ayushman card to the women who endured the medical conditions as they worried about the cost.

The Prime Minister added that a new sector of the digital economy is thriving as a result of the rise of Digital India. There are 90,000 registered startups that have created new job opportunities. More than 1 crore persons will be enrolled in the EPFO payroll by 2020. PM Modi stated that the Atma Bharat Rojgar Yojana benefited over 60,000 employees and that the opposition does not grasp the difference between a job and employment.

Modi went on to criticise the opposition party leader for attempting to bring the country into dishonour by instilling vaccine apprehension and casting aspersions on Indian experts who developed indigenous vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why family shies away from using ‘Nehru’ surname: PM Modi takes a dig at Congress

In an apparent dig at the Gandhis, the Prime Minister asked in Rajya Sabha why the family avoids using the ‘Nehru’ surname.

“Some had problems with names of schemes of government and Sanskrit words in the names. I read in report that 600 government schemes were in the Gandhi-Nehru family’s name. I don’t understand why people from their generation don’t keep Nehru as their surname, what’s the fear & shame?,” Modi asked.

PM accuses Congress of using the president’s rule to topple state govts

He also accused the Congress government of ‘misusing’ Article 356 of the Constitution by dismissing 90 state governments. “Indira Gandhi ‘misused’ Article 356 of Constitution 50 times to dismiss elected state governments. Congress created problems for regional leaders of opposition parties,” he said.

The Prime Minister was responding to the charge that the Central Government was interfering with the functioning of the state.

‘Why are Nehru’s own descendants not using his surname’: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha says the nation is not the property of one family

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‘Why are Nehru’s own descendants not using his surname’: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha says the nation is not the property of one family

On 9th February 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Rajya Sabha in response to the motion of thanks on the President’s address. During this speech. PM Modi asked why nobody from the Nehru-Gandhi family uses Nehru as a surname. He further asked if they are ashamed of it.

PM Modi said, “More than 600 government schemes are named after members of the Gandhi-Nehru family. If Nehru Ji is not mentioned in some programs, some people get annoyed. They become angry. They ask why Nehru Ji’s name is not mentioned.”

PM Narendra Modi added, “But I feel astonished to see one thing. It is possible that we might have forgotten to mention his name in some instances. Even if we forget to name him, we will rectify it because he was the first prime minister of the country. But I don’t understand why everyone from his later generations is afraid to use Nehru’s surname. Are they ashamed or what? Why are they ashamed of using the Nehru surname?”

PM Modi further said. “If Nehru’s own descendants are ashamed to use his surname, how can they question us? This country has been built by the generations of struggles of the common citizens. The country is not the property of one family”.

Earlier, on 8th February 2023, PM spoke in Lok Sabha. In his speech, he explained in detail the benefits to the poor and middle-class people from the various schemes of the Modi government.

A day after the kidnapped infant daughter of Delhi BJYM president found within an hour, police suspect foul play

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A day after the kidnapped infant daughter of Delhi BJYM president found within an hour, police suspect foul play

On Wednesday, the one-month-old daughter of Vasu Rukhar, president of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM), was kidnapped in Delhi, and the infant was found after some time in a nearby temple. Now, police are suspecting foul play in the incident, and are questioning the family and their domestic help as it is being suspected that someone from the family was involved in the kidnapping.

While initially it was said that the ‘kidnapped’ child was found at the temple, police now suspect that the kid may have been abandoned. Moreover, the police are also looking at another angle of personal rivalry.

Vasu Rukhar’s daughter was allegedly snatched from her mother’s hands by two bike-borne men on Wednesday when she was visiting a temple near her house in the Jhandewalan area. The mother tried to chase them, but could not. The incident took place in front of the Jhandewalan temple on Rani Jhansi Road.

When informed about the incident, the police launched a search operation. In the meanwhile, they got reports of an abandoned child near Shani Mandir in the Maurice Nagar area. After recovering the abandoned kid outside the Shani temple near Daulat Ram College, around five kilometres from the scene of the kidnapping, police assumed that it is the same child that was kidnapped just an hour ago. Accordingly, the police called Vasu Rukhar’s wife. After seeing the child, she identified the child as her daughter.

“We received two PCR calls on Wednesday about the alleged kidnapping around 5.16 pm-5.21 pm. We sent several police teams to the spot to rescue the child. In the meantime, we received information that an abandoned child was found near Shani Mandir in the Maurice Nagar area. It was the same child. Her mother was called and she identified her. We registered a case of kidnapping and are investigating the matter,” said Deputy Commissioner Of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan.

The BJYM leader, her father, said that his daughter was kidnapped when his wife and their housekeeper left the Jhandewalan temple at around 4:30 p.m. “Two men wearing helmets and riding a motorcycle snatched the child from my wife’s lap and fled. The registration number plate of his motorcycle was bent and was not visible,” he said. “She was back with us in less than an hour,” he added.

DCP Shweta Chauhan said that the important thing was that within half an hour the Delhi Police found the girl and handed her over to the family. She added that CCTV footages are being scanned to search the accused, and they will be nabbed soon.

Police suspects foul play

Although the authorities initially said that the kidnappers abandoned the girl at the temple, they now believe that she was actually abandoned rather than kidnapped. Police are also investigating the possibility of ‘personal enmity.’  They think someone connected to the house was behind the abduction. In this regard, the Delhi Police are interrogating Rukhar’s family and domestic staff.

“Till now, we have not spotted any bike or suspects in the footage. We also spoke to the locals and have got no information about the kidnappers. We think Rukhar’s family, help or some known person from the house planned the kidnapping. We are questioning the family members. It is also possible that a known person abandoned the child to take revenge for something,” a police officer said.

When questioned about the accusations, Rukhar told The Indian Express that the investigative team has been in touch with him and his family. “I was told that someone from the family or neighbourhood could be involved. I don’t know what happened exactly as I was not there. Maybe someone is involved. Police will see that. We are coordinating with the police investigation. Our child is safe now. We are happy,” he said.

782 hectares of railways land under encroachment, 6.84 hectares retrieved: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

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782 hectares of railways land under encroachment, 6.84 hectares retrieved: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that of the up to 4.86 lakh hectares of land that the Railways owns, 782 hectares are encroached upon and that in 2022–23 (up till December 31) around 6.84 hectares of land was retrieved.

As of March 31, 2022, Indian Railways owned 4.86 lakh hectares of land in total. The largest landholding is held by the Northeast Frontier Railway Zone, which is based in Assam and includes certain districts in eastern Bihar and northern West Bengal. Northern Railways (44,005.53 hectares) and Southeastern Railways (42,850.92 hectares) are the next largest landholders.

A Rajya Sabha question asked if the Railways had estimated the revenue loss as a result of the encroachment of its territory and what corrective measures it had taken for the same.

In response, Minister Vaishnaw said that encroachments occasionally reduced both line capacity and throughput since they created bottlenecks, safety risks during train operations, and maintenance challenges. This ultimately had an impact on the Railways’ revenue, which was feasible to estimate.

It is notable that the Railways issued a Master Circular in 2022 that established a framework for the administration of railway land, including the leasing of the same for operations related to railway working, public infrastructure, government offices, hospitals, and Kendriya Vidyalayas.

“The Railways conduct routine surveys to identify encroachments and take steps for their removal in order to prevent/remove encroachments. Temporary encroachments are cleared away with the help of the Railway Protection Force. According to the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act of 1971, action is taken for old encroachments when the party is not amenable to persuasion,” the reply stated.

Railway land area under encroachment (Image via indianrailways.gov.in)

Process of clearing encroachments on Railway lands

The removal of old or permanent structures frequently leads to disputes. The Ministry of Railways follows a predetermined procedure since maintaining law and order is a state responsibility and no government entity is allowed to willfully demolish human settlements, even if they are on their property.

Railways take action under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 for older encroachments if the settlers are not receptive to persuasion (PPE Act, 1971).

The state authorities and Railways send eviction notices to the settlers when persuasion, negotiation, and all other attempts toward a peaceful resolution are unsuccessful. In many such cases including the recent Haldwani encroachment case the encroachers first get a temporary halt to the demolition or eviction effort while the courts hear both sides. The state government and the police aid in carrying out the actual eviction of unauthorized occupants.

79 acres of railway land encroached in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani

Notably, on February 3, the minister of railways stated that 79 acres of railway land had been encroached upon in Banbhoolpura, Uttarakhand’s Haldwani and that the ministry has certified copies of land records that had been verified by the state’s revenue department to substantiate its claim on the land.

According to a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Indian Railways owns about 79 acres of Railway land at Banbhoolpura, Haldwani in Uttarakhand.”

When asked for evidence of the Railways’ claim to the land, Vaishnaw responded, “Railway has certified copy of land records, i.e. Khasra, Khatauni & land plans officially verified by State Revenue department.”

The State Government and Railway completed a joint survey of the area in 2017, he continued, and a copy of that survey is also accessible.

The minister stated that 29 acres of encroached railway land were initially claimed by Railways. However, he added, “79 acres of railway land were found encroached during the joint survey by State Government and Railways in 2017”.

Vaishnaw added that Railways had submitted two affidavits to the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital about the matter.

He stated, “Railways has filed two affidavits in the matter in 2015 and 2017 respectively at Hon’ble High Court, Nainital. The affidavits are dated 04.11.2015 and 05.01.2017.”

Moreover, the minister added that in these affidavits, the Uttarakhand High Court was asked to issue directions to the District Administration to assist the Railways to identify the encroachers and provide force during the eviction processes.

Following this, protests erupted against the clearance of illegal encroachments on railway lands following the High Court order. The protests started after Uttarakhand High Court, on December 26, 2022, ordered the authorities to immediately evict the illegal occupants to vacate the land owned by the Indian Railways.  

The Supreme Court, however, in January had put a stay on the matter of the removal of encroachment from Indian Railways land in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, saying that a workable arrangement has to be devised. Staying the Uttarakhand High Court order to evict more than 4000 families who are illegally encroaching on railway land, the apex court bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and AS Oka also barred any new construction or development on the land till the matter is resolved.

From sharing beef curry images to insinuating ‘bhakts’ having sex with cows, ‘liberals’ mock cow hug day

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From sharing beef curry images to insinuating ‘bhakts’ having sex with cows, ‘liberals’ mock cow hug day

On February 8, the Animal Welfare Board of India urged people to observe ‘Cow Hug Day’ on February 14 to spread positive energy and happiness while emphasising the importance of cows in our society. Since the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, in partnership with the Animal Welfare Board, launched the public appeal, many so-called liberals have bombarded Twitter with vile and nasty memes and comments mocking the government’s effort.

“Only Hug? Naah. She’s Gonna Kiss You Too. Enjoy This Valentine’s Day… #CowHugging,” tweeted a Twitter user @Aslam_khader. He posted a photoshopped image of a cow wearing lipstick, implying that the cow you embrace on February 14 will kiss you as well.

“Do we need permission from the Cow or will my true love just be waiting for me on the roadside chewing scrap #CowHugging#cowhugday#ValentinesDay#IndiaToday,” tweeted @YasminKidwai sharing a copy of the circular issued by the Animal Welfare Board.

“Me & who #CowHugging,” tweeted a Twitter handle @typicalnawazish. To mock the effort, the user posted an image of a cow with a morphed image of a person, whose face was covered but he was adorning a Muslim skull cap and sporting a beard.

Some other people shared memes featuring the iconic Titanic pose of Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) standing together on the ship railing, between what appeared as a Hindu man and a cow with saffron colour themes.

Another user @notmuttley shared an image of beef curry to mock the government initiative.

Twitter user @ragu251988 shared an image to insinuate a person was sleeping with a cow.

Meanwhile, announcing the government’s innocuous initiative, the Animal Welfare Board stated yesterday (February 8) stated that it wants to commemorate Cow Hug Day on 14 February to give people a chance to feel warm sentiments and be joyful, highlighting the value of cows in our society.

Referring to cows as the backbone of Indian culture and the rural economy, a press release issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India stated that cows are known as “Kamdhenu” and “Gaumata” because of their nourishing nature.

Signed by Dr Sujit Kumar Dutta, secretary of the board, the statement read that Vedic practices are nearly on the edge of extinction due to the growth of the western culture. Hence, it urged people to observe Cow Hug Day in order to protect and promote the nation’s heritage.

The campaign launched by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy in collaboration with the Animal Welfare Board is entirely voluntary and no one is compelled to participate. However, because cows have long been revered within Hindu religion, many decided to mock the awareness initiative.

Cuddling cows in the West

Cow hugging or as the West calls it, cow cuddling, has become the latest wellness fad to sweep the Western world, which gained enormous popularity in the Netherlands where it is known as “koe knuffelen” (cow embracing in Dutch). The focus of the practice is on the natural healing benefits of human and animal embrace.

Delhi BJP marches against AAP over snooping by Delhi govt’s feedback unit, demands removal of Manish Sisodia

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Delhi BJP marches against AAP over snooping by Delhi govt’s feedback unit, demands removal of Manish Sisodia

On 9th February 2023, the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party took a march from the ITO to the Secretariat to protest against the AAP government in Delhi for the alleged snooping by the Feedback Unit established by the Arvind Kejriwal government. BJP workers flagged posters and placards with slogans against the Delhi government and the alleged snooping near the Delhi secretariat. A large police force was deployed to ensure law and order.

BJP demanded the removal of Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia from his post over the alleged ‘snooping’ on politicians by AAP’s Feedback Unit (FBU).

It has been alleged that the feedback unit formed by Arvind Kejriwal’s government is spying on the opposition leaders from BJP rather than strengthening the vigilance. The BJP asked why the state would need a feedback unit when there is already an anti-corruption unit acting in Delhi. Besides, questions were also raised on the operations and motives of this unit.

Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva claimed that not just opposition leaders, the Feedback Unit was also snooping on journalists, businessmen, and senior officers. Calling it a ‘very serious’ matter, Sachdeva said BJP will continue to fight till both Kejriwal and Sisodia are in jail.

In 2015, Aam Aadmi Party came to power in the Delhi assembly. Soon after that, it formed a feedback unit. The newly formed team was supposed to inform the government about updates on various activities in different departments so that the government functions smoothly. Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation submitted a report to the vigilance department of the Delhi government in which it stated that the feedback unit was involved in the political snooping of the opposition leaders as well as some of the AAP leaders.

The FBU, as it was known in official correspondence, also gathered “political intelligence” linked to “political activities of persons, political entities, and political matters affecting the political interest of AAP,” according to a preliminary investigation by the CBI on a complaint of an officer of the directorate of vigilance of the Delhi government in 2016. It has been alleged that the unit snooped on Union Ministers, MPs, the Lieutenant Governor’s office, media houses, leading businessmen and even judges of courts.

The FBU examined more than 700 instances in the eight months that it was operational, according to CBI’s report, however, it is unclear if it still exists or has been dissolved. According to a preliminary review of the reports it produced, 60% of them were purportedly about political intelligence and other topics unrelated to vigilance concerns, the investigative agency stated in its preliminary inquiry report.

On January 12, 2023, the CBI submitted a report to the vigilance department asking for permission from the appropriate official—in this case, lieutenant governor VK Saxena—to file a case against deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Corruption Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party has denied the allegations, and said that there is no evidence to support the allegations. Calling the allegations politically motivated, AAP said that agencies like CBI and ED should investigate the relationships between PM Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani, instead of probing the snooping charges. The party said that BJP is spreading blatant lies against deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

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