In a horrific incident of targeted killing by left-wing terrorists in Chhattisgarh, a Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Neelkanth Kakkem was brutally hacked to death in the state’s Bijapur district on Sunday, February 5. According to reports, three Maoists, who came armed, dragged the BJP Mandal president of Usoor Block out of his house and beheaded him in front of his family members.
The leader had reportedly gone to his ancestral house in the Awapalli village in Usoor Tehsil in the Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh to attend the wedding of his sister-in-law when he was attacked with axes and knives by left-wing terrorists.
On receiving the information, the police reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. A case has been registered under relevant sections and a probe into the murder was initiated.
“It has been learned that the armed cadres of the proscribed CPI (M) attacked Neelkanth with axes and other sharp weapons till he collapsed and died on the spot,” Chandrakant Gavarna, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ACP) said.
The ACP further said, “We received news that Maoists have killed a civilian in Paikram village under Awapalli police station limits, following which a police team immediately rushed to the spot and seized the video.”
The ACP further added that according to information received, over 150 armed Maoists had arrived in the village to carry out the attack, but only three reached the BJP leader’s house and attacked him. The Maoists were in plain clothes.
Meanwhile, Lalita Kakkem, Neelkanth Kakkem’s wife, stated that three individuals forcibly pulled Neelkanth outside the home and brutally hacked him in front of family members and other locals before fleeing the scene.
According to authorities, the Maoists had already issued an ultimatum to the deceased BJP leader.
Notably, there is a long and endless list of security personnel and civilians killed in the attacks carried out by left-wing terrorists in Chhattisgarh. These attacks have been a grim reminder of the menace of Maoist terrorism afflicting the state.
On Sunday (February 5, 2023) RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat delivered a speech in Marathi at an event organized to mark the birth anniversary of Saint Ravidas. After this, the media, without understanding his point, ran reports saying that he had said something against the Brahmins. ANI and Aaj Tak were the first among those who made such mistakes. Mohan Bhagwat used the word ‘Pandit’, which means ‘scholar’ in Marathi.
Mohan Bhagwat did not name the Brahmin caste, rather, he meant ‘scholars’
Pandit is a word that has now gone into the English dictionary and is extensively used by people across the world. For example, those who understand politics are also called ‘political pandits’ in the western world.
ANI first quoted Mohan Bhagwat as saying this statement – “We also have a responsibility towards society. When everything is for society, how did one become higher, one lower, or different? God has always said that for me everyone is equal, there is no difference based on their caste or creed. But, the classification that the Pandits created – was wrong.”
Later ANI itself admitted its mistake and said that the tweet was deleted due to an error in translation. Then ANI re-translated and published this statement of Mohan Bhagwat – “Truth’s God, says he’s omnipresent. Whatever the name, ability & honour the same; no differences. What some Pandits say on basis of Shaastras is a lie. We’re misled by the caste superiority illusion. Illusion has to be set aside.”
CORRECTION|Truth’s God,says he’s omnipresent.Whatever the name,ability&honor same;no differences.What some Pandits say on basis of Shaastras is lie.We’re misled by caste superiority illusion.Illusion has to be set aside: M Bhagwat
It is clear enough that Mohan Bhagwat was talking about uniting Hindus here and giving a message to see and respect everyone equally. He did not name the Brahmin caste. RSS’s all-India publicity head Sunil Ambekar shared a video and told what Mohan Bhagwat actually said. According to this, Mohan Bhagwat said, “The truth is that He resides in all beings. Therefore, whatever His name, the merit being addressed is the same and the respect is also the same. There is a sense of belongingness about everyone. No one is high or low. On the basis of scriptures, scholars talk about caste-based highs and lows – they are lies.”
This is how the media published RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement.
What did the RSS chief say?
While talking about Saint Ravidas, Mohan Bhagwat said, “Seeing all the neglect, it came to Saint Ravidas’ mind that ‘I should find the truth’. He asked what is the path of eternal happiness? Saint Ravidas was wondering if the path really was like that. He decided not to go by what he had earlier heard and take first-hand experience. Sant Ravidas attained the closeness of Swami Ramananda. Then he realized that the truth is God.”
Mohan Bhagwat further said, “The truth tells us that He resides in all beings. Therefore, whatever His name, the merit being addressed is the same and the respect is also the same. There is a sense of belongingness about everyone. No one is high or low. On the basis of scriptures, scholars talk about caste-based highs and lows – they are lies. We have been confused by being trapped in the idea of caste. This confusion should be removed. Society must be told that our knowledge and tradition do not tell us anything like this. Our tradition states that truth, religion, and karma should never be abandoned. Even if I die, I will not leave give up my Dharma. One such incident happened in his (Saint Ravidas) life.”
The RSS chief explained how Sikandar Lodi first fraudulently called Saint Ravidas and asked him ‘explain to us what is your religion?’ Mohan Bhagwat said, “Saint Ravidas ji told him about his Dharma. To this, Lodi replied saying ‘your religion is useless, our Islam is better than this, you become a Muslim.’ No one had any grudge against Muslims. Saint Ravidas also didn’t even have hatred.”
Mohan Bhagwat added, “Saint Ravidas also told Lodi that whether it be Hindus or Muslims truth is one and all are children of God. The truth is the same, but that doesn’t mean that one has to change his belief. Stay firm on your own faith. All the paths are going to go to the same place. Choose yours according to your own nature, whether the path is good or bad is not a matter. What matters is what is your nature.”
Mohan Bhagwat was quoting Saint Ravidas here. The saint told Sikandar Lodi and said that he will not give up his Dharma. According to Mohan Bhagwat, Sant Ravidas told Sikandar Lodi that the religion of the Vedas is the best, even better than Islam.
मीडिया ने #MohanBhagwat के बयान का अर्थ का अनर्थ कर दिया। RSS प्रमुख मराठी में बोल रहे थे। गलत अनुवाद किया गया। उन्होंने कहीं ब्राह्मण जाति का नाम नहीं लिया।
“शास्त्रों का आधार लेकर पंडित (विद्वान) लोग जो (जाति आधारित ऊँच-नीच की बात) कहते हैं – वह झूठ हैं।” – ये है असली बयान। pic.twitter.com/8RGtpV0gSK
Mohan Bhagwat further said, “The debate was going on, so he had to give such an argument. Sikandar Lodi locked him in jail. But what happened in prison? He had a Darshan of Saguna Krishna. On the other hand, the people of Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, and Sikandar Lodi started seeing Ravidas ji everywhere. They panicked and surrendered to the Saint. Sikandar Lodi’s plan was to crush him under the elephant’s foot and kill him. Even if life is in danger, he told society with his example ‘do not give up your Dharma’. That Dharma is eternal Dharma.”
On Sunday, 5th February 2023, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev was booked on charges of inciting hatred and upsetting religious sentiments. This action was taken against him due to his alleged ‘controversial’ comments before a gathering of seers in Rajasthan’s Barmer region.
According to the Rajasthan police, Pathai Khan, a 42-year-old local, submitted a complaint on Sunday at the Chohtan police station in Barmer over the Yoga Guru’s remarks during a meeting of seers.
Baba Ramdev compared Hinduism with Islam and Christianity, asserting that the other two religions were conversion-obsessed whereas Hinduism encouraged its adherents to do good. In his complaint, Khan said that Baba Ramdev had made his remarks “deliberately… so that a spirit of animosity and hatred is formed against Islam” and that they had “hurt the feelings of crores of Muslims.”
Baba Ramdev is booked under sections 153 (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 298 (uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) of the IPC.
On 2nd February 2023, Baba Ramdev lambasted Islamists and Christian evangelists for forcibly converting people to Islam and Christianity.
During his recent visit to the Barmer district in Rajasthan, the Hindu spiritual leader addressed a religious gathering and remarked, “Ask any Muslim what does his religion say? He will tell you that you offer Namaz 5 times and then do whatever you like – be it abducting a Hindu woman or committing any evil.”
Baba Ramdev said, “Some say they will convert the whole world into Islam, some say they will convert the whole world into Christianity, but they have no agenda regarding what to do after that. This is not the case in Sanatan Dharma. It has been said in Sanatan Dharma that wake up in Brahma Muhurat. Remember God. Do yoga, meditation, and service. This is Sanatan Dharma. Stay aware of your Dharma and always be ready for the call of Dharma Gurus. Stand up wherever the Dharma Gurus say.”
The Meghalaya High Court recently dismissed a writ petition filed by TMC national spokesperson Saket Gokhale demanding action against the National People’s Party (NPP) for failing to file their expenditure report within 75 days of the 2018 Assembly elections.
The court ruled that the dispute sought to be raised by the writ petitioner, Saket Gokhale, will not be entertainable under Article 226 of the Constitution, more particularly since the election process is already underway.
“This Court having come to a finding on the maintainability of the writ petition to be barred by Article 329(b), the other questions and the authorities placed are not gone into or discussed, and this writ petition accordingly stands dismissed, as not maintainable,” the court ruled.
Notably, TMC leader Saket Gokhale, who is currently in jail for misusing money he had collected through crowdfunding, had moved the Meghalaya High Court in December 2022, alleging that the state’s ruling party violated Rule 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 by not filing its election expenditure report within 75 days of the completion of the State Assembly Elections 2018.
The counsel for the NPP contested Gokhale’s claim, arguing that the writ petition was not maintainable in view of the bar under Article 329(b) of the Constitution of India. He claimed, citing Article 329(b) of the Constitution, that there is a constitutional prohibition against Courts interfering in electoral processes.
He further argued that the prohibition on intervention extends to all matters directly or indirectly related to the electoral process, which is currently underway in the state of Meghalaya, where elections to the Legislative Assembly have been notified for January 18, 2023.
Furthermore, he questioned the “excessive delay” purportedly used to hit the preset plea. “The filing of the election expenditure report relates to 2018, whereas, the writ petitioner has instituted the present writ petition only in 2022, without providing any explanation for the delay in preferring the same,” NPP counsel submitted.
The counsel asserted that Saket Gokhale had filed the current petition with a political motive, just before the 2023 elections, at the behest of the political party to which he belongs.
On the contrary, Gokhale’s senior counsel told the court that when he learned that the NPP had not filed election expense statements for multiple elections, including the Meghalaya Assembly Elections in 2018, he filed the current petition.
The court, meanwhile, after hearing the arguments of both sides, stated that the election process had already been set in motion “therefore, apart from a proceeding under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, no other forum can adjudicate in such matters.” As a result, the court ruled that the complaint raised by Gokhale will not be entertained under Article 226 of the Constitution because the electoral process is already underway.
Meghalaya Govt files criminal defamation suit against TMC’s Saket Gokhale
It may be noted that the TMC leader had last year also claimed that the Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development Project had anomalies of Rs 632 crore. According to Saket Gokhale, “These irregularities have happened under the company Meghalayan Age which is spearheaded by CM Conrad Sangma’s top aide IAS officer D Vijay Kumar.”
On December 10 2022, the Meghalaya government filed a criminal defamation suit against Trinamool Congress (TMC) national spokesperson Saket Gokhale for maligning the reputation of the state government by making “deliberate, derogatory and malicious” claims against a state-owned tourism firm.
Refuting all of the accusations levelled against the government, the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya- Prestone Tynsong termed Gokhale a ‘psycho’ and warned him of legal action.
TMC leader accused of misappropriating ₹1.07 crore collected through crowdfunding
Ironically, TMC leader Saket Gokhale, who has accused the Meghalaya government of misappropriating funds, is himself in jail for misusing funds raised through crowdfunding. In fact, on December 29, Gokhale was arrested in Delhi by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch. Gokhale is accused of misappropriating ₹1.07 crore collected from the public through crowd-funding. Saket Gokhale was charged under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 467 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code.
On January 25, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Gokhale under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Ahmedabad and sent him to custody till January 31 by a city court.
Recently, the Gujarat HC had dismissed the bail application filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale observing that prima facie it appears that Gokhale had utilised the funds raised for his personal expenses. Noting that the case is of the nature of fraud and cheating and that the investigation is still going on and that the necessary evidence is to be recovered, the court denied bail to the TMC leader.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that India would not be able to cast an evil eye on his nuclear-armed country, which has the “power to pullout the enemy’s evil eye and crush it under its feet.”
In an address in PoK on Sunday, as streamed by various YouTube channels the Pakistan Prime Minister said, “Pakistan is a nuclear power and India cannot look at us with an evil eye. We have the power to take it out and crush it under the feet.” The Pakistan PM also raked up the Kashmir issue again by underlining the need of gaining economic and political stability “to get freedom for the Kashmiris.”
He said, “Pakistan will continue to lend moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmir cause, until its freedom from Indian oppression.”
This is not the first time that Pakistan has been flexing its nuclear muscle in front of India. Time and again, Islamabad has escalated the cross-border issues and has also stated how the country’s nuclear assets “meet each and every international standard in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
At Sunday’s rally, Sharif is heard saying, “Yeh jo badi badi riyasatein hain jinhone jabhooriyat k libase odh rakhein hai…. toh jiski laathi uski bhais (All these big big nations who have cloaked themselves under democracy seems like they are doing whatever they wish to, unchallenged.)”
However, in an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV early this January, the Pakistan Prime Minister stated that after three wars with India it has learnt its lesson and now wants peace with its neighbour. “We have learnt our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems,” Sharif said.
Sharif also called for “serious and sincere talks” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on “burning points like Kashmir.” “My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Modi is that let’s sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir. It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources,” Sharif said.
With reference to Sharif’s interview, a spokesperson of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office raked up the issue of Kashmir and called for the restoration of Article 370.
“Prime Minister has repeatedly stated on record that talks can only take place after India had reversed its illegal action of August 5, 2019; without India’s revocation of this step, negotiations are not possible. The settlement of the Kashmir dispute must be in accordance with the UN resolutions & the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” read a statement by the Pakistan PMO.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan PM at Sunday’s rally in PoK touched on the financial crisis faced by his country. “We are faced with huge financial challenges. While I talk to you here, an IMF delegation in Islamabad combing every book and subsidy of every single penny.”
“We have to live, but like the living nations do and not with a begging bowl. This continued to happen over the past 75 years, but someone somewhere has to stop it. And this will stop when the whole nation will unite to challenge poverty, hunger and dearness and generate the country’s internal resources.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On February 5, one self proclaimed journalist named Mohammad Tanvir referred to Hindus singing bhajans on a train as Mujra. Others also chipped in and drew false equivalence to namaz in public places. In his tweet, Tanvir shared a video of Hindus travelling to Ayodhya in a train and tagged Rail Ministry while complaining about it.
He said, “Hello Ministry of Railways, why Bhajan Kirtan is happening on this train travelling to Ayodhya from Indore? If a Muslim has offered Namaz for five minutes, he would have been arrested by now. If offering namaz on the train is wrong, how is Bhajan Kirtan acceptable? Hello Ashini Vaishnaw, will any action happen against this?”
Mohammad Tanvir’s tweet
In a follow-up tweet, he used derogatory language and said, “The person in Khadi who is participating in Bhajan Kirtan is a prominent Congress leader from Indore. He is taking people to Ayodhya for free and getting Mujra done in the train.” Mujra is a dance form performed by courtesans during Mughal era for the Mughal rulers, nawabs.
Tanvir writes for Report Look. His tweet was amplified by journalist Rohini Singh.
Mohammad Tanvir’s tweet
Another journalist Ahmed Khabeer of The Jamia Times questioned, “If offering Namaz in train is a crime then what is this?”
Ahmed Khabeer’s tweet
A so called social media activist Shahnawaz Ansari said, “This is a video of Shri Ram Bhakts travelling from Indore to Ayodhya. Everything is allowed for them on the train. If a Muslim offers namaz for ten minutes on the train, his videos go viral and FIR gets registered against him and he gets arrested. People suffering from Islamophobia then debate on it.”
Shahnawaz Ansari’s tweet
Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla had organised pilgrimage
The video was initially shared by Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla. Every year, he arranges a religious trip to Ayodhya for devotees. This year, 600 devotees accompanied him from Indore. From ticket, lodging, and travel to darshan at Ayodhya, everything was arranged by Shukla.
Speaking to OpIndia, Shukla, who expressed his dismay over the comment, said, “This is their mentality. I do not want to comment on this. I am fulfilling my duties. They can do whatever they want to do. I am doing whatever I feel is right. It is for Dharma. I am doing it for Dharma and I will continue to do it.”
राम भजन में मन लगा,,, ? प्रभु श्री राम के दर्शन हेतु इंदौर रेलवे स्टेशन से अयोध्या के लिए प्रस्थान से पहले सभी श्रद्धालु जय जय सियाराम के जयकारों के साथ ढोल नगाड़ों की ताल पर झूम उठे।
As 600 devotees were travelling together, it is highly unlikely any other passenger was there in the bogey at the time the video was shot.
राम धुन पर थिरकते हुए श्रद्धालु निरंतर अयोध्या नगरी की ओर बढ़ते जा रहे हैं। माताओं बहनों ने अपने मधुर भजनों और नृत्य से इस यात्रा को यादगार बना दिया। जय जय सियाराम ? pic.twitter.com/pYlHnXMDiV
Hindu pilgrims were singing bhajans and dancing to religious music as part of worship in a train privately booked but Islamists used the opportunity to mock the faith of Hindus.
Legal action demanded against Mohammad Tanvir
Lawyer Vikas Pareek commented on Tanvir’s post and said he would file an FIR against the journalist for using derogatory language. In a tweet, Pareek tagged UP Cyber Crime unit and said, “Use of such derogatory words like Mujra for ‘Bhajan Kirtan’ not only hurts the religious sentiments of Hindu communities but also digress into the dignity of women. Please take cognisance of the offence and appropriate legal action to be taken against the offender.”
@CybercrimeSp Use of such derogatory words like Mujra for ‘Bhajan Kirtan’ not only hurts the religious sentiments of Hindu communities but also digress into dignity of women. Please take cognisance of the offence and appropriate legal action be taken against the offender.
In a follow-up tweet, he said, “Those who feel appropriate legal action be taken against @TanveerPost, please write a complaint tagging respective police. You may even file an FIR at your respective Police Station. Make sure that no other criminal dares to offend any other religion. Give him a befitting reply.”
Those who feel appropriate legal action be taken against @TanveerPost , please write a complaint tagging respective police. You may even file an FIR at your respective Police Station. Make sure that no other criminal dares to offend any other religion. Give him a befitting reply
Lawyer and journalist Vivek Verma said, “They are neither disturbing Muslims nor others as coach booked by Hindus only as a barati. In the namaz video, one Muslim guy stopped a Hindu from a seat on berth which is a crime.”
The Lucknow police on Sunday invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against Mohammad Salim and Satyendra Kushwaha for burning the copy of the holy Hindu scripture Ramcharitmanas in the Vrindavan area of Lucknow on January 29. The NSA permits the police to detain the accused for one year without any charge.
“In connection with case no. 75/23 in relation to burning copies of Shri Ramcharitmanas on January 29, 2023, the Lucknow Police has ordered the detention of two accused namely, Salim and Satyendra Kushwaha at Lucknow district jail, under section 3, sub-section 2 of the National Security Act (NSA) against for preventing them from taking part in such actions which are contrary to the maintenance of public order,” the Lucknow Police said.
Mohammad Saleem and Satyendra Kushwaha are currently lodged in Lucknow district jail since their arrest on January 30. Notably, the duo were among the five accused who were arrested by the Lucknow police under IPC sections 120-B, 142, 143, 153-A, 295, 295-A, 298, 504, 505(2) and 506 in connection with the case.
Earlier the UP police had booked 10 known and several unidentified people in the case. The people who were booked were members of Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha and Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya. The police have said that a case was registered against these individuals for “promoting enmity” after they allegedly burnt photocopies of the pages of Ramcharitmanas in the Vrindavan area of the city on January 29.
It may be recalled that the OBC Mahasabha members had burnt a copy of the Hindu holy scripture to show their support to Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya who recently stirred controversy by saying that the Ramcharitmanas should be banned.
PM Modi has stated that India will extend all possible help to Turkey in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake that struck the Southern parts of the country on the early hours of February 6.
Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the Earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy. https://t.co/vYYJWiEjDQ
The PM’s office has announced in a press release that 2 NDRF teams with 50 personnel each with trained dog squads for rescue operations, relief materials and necessary equipment will be immediately despatched to Turkey. In addition, medical teams with trained doctors, paramedics and essential medicines will be sent too.
Image via PIB
In accordance with the government of Turkey, medicines, and relief materials will also be sent to the tragedy struck area.
Earlier today, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter Scale hit Southern Turkey’s Nurdagi region. Parts of Northern Syria have been hit heavily too. The earthquake was so strong that the shockwaves were felt in Lebanon, Israel, and Iraq too.
Videos emerging on social media show extensive damage to buildings and human lives. Though the official death toll so far is in the hundreds, several thousand people are expected to have fallen victim to the tragedy.
On February 1, 2023, Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman presented the annual budget of India in Parliament. This was the last full budget of this government before the general elections in 2024 but even then, the government resisted the temptation to go for populist measures.
Balanced Budget with a focus on Grassroots level Infrastructure Development
This is the first budget of “Amrit Kaal” which completely sets the vision of the Prime Minister, at a time when the world is facing a difficult time in terms of economy, this budget can be termed as a balanced budget.
FM emphasised on seven focus areas during her speech, which she termed “Saptarishi”
These Saptarishi priority areas are:
1. Inclusive development
2. Reaching the last mile
3. Infrastructure and investment
4. Unleashing the potential
5. Green growth
6. Youth power
7. Financial sector
Further, the budget estimates economic growth of 7% for India, which is the highest among all major economies.
The budget also cut the fiscal deficit from 6.4% to 5.9% of GDP and project a further fall of 0.7% per year for the next two years.
The FM also states how efficient implementation of many schemes resulted in inclusive development such as:-
i. 11.7 crore household toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission,
ii. 9.6 crore LPG connections under Ujjawala,
iii. 220 crore Covid vaccination of 102 crore persons,
iv. 47.8 crore PM Jan Dhan bank accounts,
v. Insurance cover for 44.6 crore persons under PM Suraksha Bima and PM Jeevan Jyoti Yojana
vi. Cash transfer of ₹ 2.2 lakh crore to over 11.4 crore farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
FM also proposed launching of new scheme PM Matsya Sampada Yojana with a targeted investment of ₹ 6,000 crore to further enable activities of fishermen, fish vendors, and micro & small enterprises,
The outlay for PM Awas Yojana is being enhanced by 66 percent to over ₹ 79,000 cr.
The increase of capital expenditure by 33 % to 10 Lakhs Crore, which is 3.3 % of GDP, is a move that will surely create a huge number of job opportunities.
Further capital outlay of 2.4 Lakh Crore has been provided for the railway, which will enhance the railway network and facility in the country.
Now being a Chartered Accountant, I come to my favourite segment, which is Direct Tax.
For the Personal Income Tax at present, there are two schemes, first is the Old Income Tax regime and the second is New Income Tax regime.
In the old Income Tax regime, there are benefits of all the deductions, such as a Standard Deduction of ₹ 50000, home loan interest, HRA, insurance premium, specified investment, PF deduction etc.
In Old Scheme at present, income up to Rupees 5 Lakh is exempt from tax. If income is more than 5 lakhs, then the exemption limit is 2.50 Lakhs.
Present Slab of Old Income Tax Regime
Net Income Range
Rate of Income tax
0-Rs 2.50 lakh:
Nil
Rs 2.50 -5 lakh:
5% of Income Tax
Rs 5 -10 lakh:
20% of Income Tax
Above 10 lakh
30% of Income Tax
Present Slab Rate of New income tax regime
Net Income Range
Rate of Income Tax
0-Rs 2.50 lakh:
Nil
Rs 2.50 -5 lakh:
5% of income tax
Rs 5-7.50 lakh:
10% of income tax
Rs 7.50 -10 lakh:
15% of income tax
Rs 10-12.50 lakh:
20% of income tax
Rs 12.50-15 lakh:
25% of income tax
Above 15 lakh
30% of income tax
Proposed changes in the budget (From 1 April 2023)
Old Income Tax Regime
There is no change in the old income tax regime.
In the New Income Tax regime now Standard Deduction of 50,000 will be allowed for a salaried person which was earlier in the old income tax regime only.
No tax for income upto ₹ 7 Lakhs per annum.
Net Income Range
Rate of Income Tax
0-Rs 3 lakh:
Nil
Rs 3-6 lakh:
5% Income tax
Rs 6-9 lakh:
10% Income tax
Rs 9-12 lakh:
15% Income tax
Rs 12-15 lakh:
20% Income tax
Above Rs 15 lakh:
30%
As per FM, now the new income tax regime is the default income tax regime, however, a person can opt for the old tax regime.
So now we can say that the government’s intention is very clear they want individuals to opt for the new income tax regime, and also discourage investment in tax-saving schemes.
The major impact will be on those claiming higher tax deductions such as HRA or Home Loan Interest, as they will not find any benefit in the new tax regime.
I am presenting a few examples of the impact of taxes in both the old and new regimes.
₹ 7 Lakh
Old Regime
New Regime
Taxable Income
₹ 7,00,000
₹ 7,00,000
Standard Deduction
₹ 50,000
₹ 50,000
Deduction Claimed
₹ 1,50,000
0
Net taxable Income
₹ 5,00,000
Tax
–
–
At the income of ₹ 7 Lakh, considering a deduction of ₹ 1,50,000, both schemes have nil tax.
₹ 9 Lakh
Old Regime
New Regime
Taxable Income
₹ 9,00,000
₹ 9,00,000
Standard Deduction
₹ 50,000
₹ 50,000
Deduction Claimed
₹ 2,50,000
0
Net taxable Income
₹ 6,00,000
₹ 8,50,000
Tax
34,600.00
32,100.00
At an income of ₹ 9 Lakh, considering a deduction of ₹ 2, 50,000, the new scheme is beneficial.
₹ 15 Lakh
Old Regime
New Regime
Taxable Income
₹ 15,00,000
₹ 15,00,000
Standard Deduction
₹ 50,000
₹ 50,000
Deduction Claimed
₹ 4,50,000
0
Net taxable Income
₹ 10,00,000
₹ 14,50,000
Tax
₹ 1,17,000.00
₹ 1,45,600.00
At an income of ₹ 15 Lakh, considering a deduction of ₹ 4,50,000, old scheme is beneficial.
₹30 Lakh
Old Regime
New Regime
Taxable Income
₹ 30,00,000
₹ 30,00,000
Standard Deduction
₹ 50,000
₹ 50,000
Deduction Claimed
₹ 5,50,000
0
Net taxable Income
₹ 24,00,000
₹ 29,50,000
Tax
₹ 5,29,000.00
₹ 6,08,400.00
At an income of ₹ 30 Lakh, considering a deduction of ₹ 5,50,000, the old scheme is beneficial.
The old scheme is more beneficial for the person who claims deductions such as HRA, home loan etc.
One more change in direct taxes is that the threshold limit of the presumption scheme of taxation for specified professionals used to be ₹ 50 lakhs, but has been increased to ₹ 75 Lakhs.
Further, the reduction in basic customs duty on the import of components of mobile phones, and TV Sets, will make these items cheaper.
Conclusion of the budget
My conclusion is that overall it is a balanced budget, keeping in mind the current scenario of world economy.
The budget is focused on rural development and grassroots-level development.
(The author of this article is Rajan Kumar Jha. Mr Jha is a Chartered Accountant by profession and works with DS group)
Former Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad has lashed out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not sending the Indian men’s cricket team to the 2023 Asia Cup. Miandad stated that Pakistan does not require India to survive nor does India govern cricket. He demanded that the ICC take action against India.
“India can go to hell if they don’t want to come to Pakistan to play cricket,” the 65-year-old said at a recent public event. “I’ve always backed Pakistan. And you know that I don’t spare India whenever an issue arises. But the thing is we need to look at our part. And we should fight for it. We don’t care because we are getting to host our cricket. This is ICC’s job. If ICC can’t control this there’s no use of the governing body. They need to implement similar rules for every team. If teams like these don’t come, they should be debarred. India hoga, apne liye hoga. Hmare liye nahi hai,” said the Pakistani ex-cricketer.
Despite the fact that Pakistan has lost 12 of the 13 previous World Cup matches and innumerable other matches against India, the Pakistani cricketer amusingly labelled India as being scared to confront Pakistan due to the fear of defeat.
“Why is India afraid to play against Pakistan? They know if they lose to Pakistan, their public will not spare them. Narendra Modi will disappear, their public won’t leave him.”
“It’s India’s old habit to run away from Pakistan. This isn’t something new, I’ve known them from my playing days.”
“India ran away from Sharjah when we started winning there, they didn’t want to play us. Their public used to set the players’ houses on fire when they lost to us. Their players, including Gavaskar, had some much trouble after losing to us.”
Miandad was reacting to the controversy that has erupted over the venue for the 2023 Asia Cup in recent months.
Controversy over the hosting right of the 2023 Asia Cup previously held by Pakistan
The Asia Cup 2023 was slated to be held in Pakistan, and there were uncertainties over whether the Indian cricket team would travel there to participate. While there were rumours that the Men in Blue were planning to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, Asian Cricket Council President and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had in October last year clarified that India will not be visiting its neighbouring country for the Asia Cup next year. Instead, Jay Shah indicated that the Asia Cup 2023 will most likely take place at a neutral location.
“We will have Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It’s the government which decides over the permission of the team visiting Pakistan so we won’t comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup it’s decided that the tournament will be held at some neutral venue,” Jay Shah told reporters after the 91st Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was held on October 18th, 2022, in Mumbai.
“The venue for the 2025 Championship trophy is still to be decided, we will comment on that when it is decided. We are getting good earnings from our Media rights. Our motive is domestic players should get more benefits as our earnings are increasing,” he added.
In December 2022, ACC chairman Jay Shah released the itinerary of the continental body and the venue of the Asia Cup wasn’t mentioned.
This led to PCB chief Najam Sethi accusing Shah of takinga “unilateral decision”, an allegation that ACC officially refuted stating that repeated emails to PCB seeking recommendations on the itinerary went unanswered.
Lashing out at Jay Shah’s decision, PCB chief Sethi recently threatened BCCI that Pakistan will pull out of the 2023 World Cup if Asia Cup is played at a neutral venue. PCB had asked for an emergency meeting to discuss Asia Cup hosting rights.
To put an end to the tussle, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) held an emergency meeting to discuss Asia Cup hosting right in Bahrain on February 4, 2023, where Shah reiterated that there is no chance of the Asia Cup being held in Pakistan in September. BCCI has said that India can’t participate in the Asia Cup in Pakistan as the government of India has not permitted the Indian team to travel to Pakistan. Instead, UAE and Sri Lanka are two potential alternatives. A final decision on the venue will be taken in March.
Notably, Pakistan was isolated from hosting international tournaments since the attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore in 2009. For the last three years, Pakistan has started hosting international tournaments but India is yet to visit the hostile neighbour. Over the years consistent terrorist activities from the other side of the border have been strictly dealt with by the Indian government by strategically isolating Pakistan on multiple fronts.
Cricket tournaments between the two countries have been limited to ICC and ACC events. Notably, India’s cricket team has not played any match in Pakistan since 2008. Pakistani team visited India for the last time for T20 World Cup 2016.
