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Ramcharitmanas row: Hindu Mahasabha sends a letter written in blood seeking action against SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

OpIndia Staff
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Ramcharitmanas row: Hindu Mahasabha sends a letter written in blood seeking action against SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

The controversy around the burning of Ramcharitmanas has heated up again as All India Hindu Mahasabha has reportedly sent a letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. In a letter not written with ink but blood, the Hindu rights group demanded action against Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya who recently courted controversy over his derogatory remarks against Ramcharitmanas. 

Vice President of the Madhya Pradesh unit of Hindu Mahasabha, Rambabu Sen issued a warning to intensify the campaign if prompt action is not taken against the controversial Samajwadi Party leader. Reportedly, the letter was written using blood. 

This is days after Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya and nine others were booked for instigating people to burn the pages of the Ramcharitmanas written by poet and saint Tulsidas in the Vrindavan Yojana of the PGI Kotwali area of Lucknow. The FIR was filed against Maurya and nine others by BJP leader Satnam Singh Lavi under various IPC sections, including 142 (unlawful assembly), 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion), 153-A (promoting enmity), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 506 (criminal intimidation) among others.

The nine other accused in the case have been identified as Devendra Pratap Yadav, Yashpal Singh Lodhi, Satyendra Kushwaha, Mahendra Pratap Yadav, Sujit Yadav, Naresh Singh, SS Yadav, Santosh Verma, and Saleem. According to the reports, the Police on Monday arrested five of the 10 accused people in the case.

It was earlier reported that on January 29, Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha burnt the copies of Ramcharitmanas written by poet and saint Tulsidas in the Vrindavan Yojana of the PGI Kotwali area of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The OBC Mahasabha members announced their support to Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya who stirred controversy by saying that the Ramcharitmanas should be banned.

Maurya, while speaking to a news channel on January 22 claimed that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas “insult” a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be “banned”. He said that the book was written by Tulsidas for his own pleasure and that it promotes social discrimination and spread hatred.

Later on January 27, he also called Hindu seers ‘Aatanki’, ‘Mahashaitan’, and ‘Jallad’. In a tweet posted on January 27 in Hindi, the SP leader wrote, “Recently, some religious contractors have declared a reward for those who cut my tongue and head; if someone else had said the same thing, the same contractor would have called him a terrorist, but now these saints, mahants, religious leaders, and caste-specific leaders have declared a reward for those who cut my tongue and head. What do you call such people aatanki, maha shaitan or jallads.”

On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party leader Lalji Patel extended support to Maurya and stated that copies of Ramcharitmanas should be burnt as it fosters discrimination in society. “Ramcharitmanas is not a religious book. It is a book that creates a divide in society and insults backward caste people and Dalits. It should be burnt,” he said.

He also appealed to people belonging to the backward class and instigated them to burn copies of Ramcharitmanas on the Hindu festival of Holi. “This book is like any other novel and it is being wrongly used to propagate the Hindu religion. Tulsidas ji has just stated his opinion. He had written the book for his own pleasure. It is not a religious book. The copies of the said book should be burnt on the day of Holika. Only then will the backward-class people and Dalits get their rights,” Patel said.

Notably, it is not only Maurya or Lalji Patel who have demanded that the copies of Ramcharitmanas be burnt. Recently, on January 11, Bihar’s Education Minister Chandrashekhar said that the Hindu scripture Ramcharitmanas should be burnt like Manusmruti because it spreads hatred in society. He also said that the thoughts of the former chief of RSS, Golwalkar Guruji are spreading hatred, creating discrimination in the society. 

Bihar: HS examination candidate hospitalised after he fainted because he was the only boy among over 500 girls in the centre

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: HS examination candidate hospitalised after he fainted because he was the only boy among over 500 girls in the centre

The higher secondary certification board examination started in Bihar on February 1. On the first day of the examination, a strange case emerged from an examination centre in Nalanda. When a student went to the examination centre, he suddenly fainted. The reason why fainted was that he was the only boy among hundreds of girls in the centre. As the male student was made to sit among ver 500 girls, he became so nervous that instead of taking the exam, he fell unconscious. After this, he was admitted to the hospital for treatment. This incident took place at the Brilliant Convent Private School in Nalanda.

The examinee Manish Shankar studies at Allama Iqbal College. For the ongoing 12th board examination, his exam centre was the Brilliant Convent School in Bihar Sharif. When Manish Shankar reached the exam centre to take the exam, he was shocked to find that all the candidates present there were girls. There were over 500 girls in the examination centre, and this boy was the only male candidate among the girls.

While taking the exam among only girls all around him, Manish felt very nervous and as a result, he fainted in the examination hall. After this, he was admitted to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital. Manish’s family member said, “This happened by making a lone boy sit among 500 girls. My nephew got nervous seeing so many girls at once. Due to this, he fell unconscious instead of taking the exam. He has now been admitted to the hospital for treatment.”

The family of the boy said that it is natural for an exam candidate to become nervous if he is the only boy among hundreds of girls. They are also questioning how the centre was allocated for candidates for this to have happened.

While it is strange that a boy fainted because he was the lone male candidate in an exam hall with over 500 girls, it is also strange how bizarre allotment of examination centres for the board exam could have happened.

The HSC board examination started in Bihar on Wednesday 1st February 2023. 1464 examination centres have been set up for this in the state. A total of 13 lakhs 18 thousand 227 students are appearing in the inter examination this time. These include 6 lakh 36 thousand 432 girls and 6 lakhs 81 thousand 795 boys. Bihar School Examination Committee is organizing the exam.

The committee has issued several rules to conduct a malpractice-free examination. There has also been a huge ruckus at the centres before the commencement of the examination. There was also a minor clash between the administration and the students, but it was pacified by the security forces.

GE jet engines to be made in India in collaboration with DRDO for Tejas Mark II and AMCA fighter planes

OpIndia Staff
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GE jet engines to be made in India in collaboration with DRDO for Tejas Mark II and AMCA fighter planes

India and US are all set to advance their defence cooperation. In collaboration with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and an unnamed private manufacturer of defence equipment, the Joe Biden administration has already given the green light for General Electric (GE), a world leader in military jet engines, to produce 98 kilo-newton thrust GE-F414 engines in India.

Both the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, which is now under construction and will have twin engines, and the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Mark II will be powered by the India-specific GE-414 INS6 engine, which will be introduced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) early next year and enter service by the end of 2024.

According to a Hindustan times (HT) report, the GE-414 engine will be produced under conditions that involve a complete transfer of technology (ToT). A high-level team of the Indian govt, which is now in the US under the leadership of NSA (National Security Advisor) Ajit Doval, is anticipated to finalize the contract during their stay.

DRDO director Samir V Kamat, principal scientific adviser Ajay Sood, secretary (telecom) K Rajaram, and scientific adviser to Raksha Mantri Satheesh Reddy have also joined Doval in the bilateral discussion on “Critical and Emerging Technologies” with US NSA Jake Sullivan.

Senior US officials, including Sullivan, attended a dinner on a Monday night sponsored by the Indian ambassador Taranjit Sandhu, where Doval stressed the importance of turning intentions and ideas into specific deliverables through targeted efforts taken in a timely manner.

Then DRDO chief Satheesh Reddy had travelled to the US in May 2022 on NSA Doval’s orders. He held meetings with Terry Emmert, the principal deputy chief technology officer for mission capabilities, and Heidi Shyu, the US undersecretary of defence for research and engineering, to discuss 100% domestic production of GE-414 engines.

The 4.5 generation Mark II Tejas, which would replace the Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 aircraft and carry roughly 6.5 tonnes of missiles and munitions, will be powered by the GE-414 engine in place of the 4+ generation LCA Tejas Mark I’s GE-404 engine. A replacement for the MiG-21, the LAC Mark I can only carry 3.5 tonnes of missiles and ammunition and has half the operational range and warfighting capability of the Mark II.

For the Indian Air Force, India intends to construct more than six squadrons (each squadron has 18 aircraft), and it also intends to export the fighter to other interested nations.

The twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed by ADA, the nodal agency under DRDO for the development of LCAs, will likewise be powered by the GE-414 engine. The aircraft’s carrier-based navy version of the fighter is anticipated to take to the skies by the end of this decade.

The foundation for future cooperative design, research, and production of high-powered engines over 110 KN thrust between two countries will be set by the Biden administration’s approval of GE for 100% manufacturing TOT. Not only will this serve as a demonstration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atamanirbhar Bharat’ mission, but it will also elevate India to a position of prominence among nations that produce both military and commercial aircraft.

The US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies’ specifics, which were made public on Tuesday, support Washington’s overall objective of enhancing military, technological, and supply-chain ties with allies.

Taking to Twitter, The Indian Embassy in the United States posted information about the crucial development.

Along with GE engines, other essential and developing technologies covered by the project include semiconductors, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, armoured infantry vehicles, and marine security. The initiative is also seen as American administration’s move to veer New Delhi away from Russia and oppose China.

In September, President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit India for the summit of the Group of 20 leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will then meet him in Australia for a meeting of the Quad security partners (US, India, Australia and Japan).

Twitter user spreads fake news about Dalit woman being beaten for contaminating the river, AAP leader calls for vengeance

OpIndia Staff
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Twitter user spreads fake news about Dalit woman being beaten for contaminating the river, AAP leader calls for vengeance

On Monday (January 30), a popular Twitter user (@softgrowl) took to the micro-blogging platform to falsely attribute a case of family dispute to caste-based discrimination.

“This Dalit girl is being beaten mercilessly for bathing in the river and contaminating the water,” she claimed while trying to insinuate the role of ‘Brahmins’ in the heinous crime.

While falsely trying to discover a caste angle, the Twitter user added, “75 years of Independent India, where water has more importance than women.” She had also attached a video of a woman, who was being beaten with sticks by a group of men.

Screengrab of the tweet by @softgrowl

Soon after, her followers began responding to her misleading tweet with disparaging comments against the Brahmin community.

“Brahmins, you are destined for worse things than Hell. How did you brainwash people, divide them into sects, and normalise untouchability? Wake up SC, ST, OBC and understand the conspiracy of the upper caste,” wrote one Twitter user (@Qutub_minarwala)

Screengrab of the tweet by @Qutub_minarwala

One Twitter user invoked the ‘Gau mutra’ jibe to slander the Hindu community. “Gau mutra (Cow urine) can cleanse everything. Why did they beat the girl? Did they want to spill the blood of the victim before cleaning the river with gau mutra,” the user claimed.

The ‘gaumutra’ jibe has been used by Islamists and their apologists, to mock Indians, especially Hindus. The Pulwama terrorist Ahmed Dhar had confessed that he killed CRPF soldiers to avenge those who ‘drink cow urine.’

Screengrab of the tweet

The misleading tweet by @softgrowl was further amplified by Congress apologist and fake news peddler, Mona Ambegaonkar. Prominent Islamist handles used the opportunity to create distrust among the Dalit community and dog-whistle against the Hindus.

While assuming that the perpetrators were Brahmins, Aam Aadmi Party leader Preeti Sharma Menon said, “I never wish death on anyone. I pray these men have a very painful death. Soon.”

Screengrab of the tweet

After being called out on social media, the fake news peddler (@softgrowl) deleted her tweet.

The Truth behind the case

The above-mentioned incident is neither recent nor a case of caste discrimination. As per a report by NDTV, it dates back to June 22, 2021, when the family members of two girls assaulted them for talking to their maternal cousins.

Both the victim and the accused are from the tribal community. The incident took place in Pipalwa village in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. After the matter came to light, the local police sprung into action and admitted the two victims to a local hospital.

They also arrested 7 accused of assaulting the two victims in full public glare. It is thus clear that the heinous crime was not motivated by caste and had no involvement of the Brahmin or ‘upper caste community.’ However, this did not stop the usual suspects from vilifying them and making genocidal remarks.

Delhi Riots 2020: Centre calls reports by an extra-judicial commission an attempt to ‘sway public opinion’

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Riots 2020: Centre calls reports by an extra-judicial commission an attempt to ‘sway public opinion’

In a case related to the Delhi Riots of February 2020, the Union Government of India submitted an affidavit in Delhi High Court suggesting that the reports by a private organisation or extra judicial commission have put a biased and selective narrative to set the public mood in favour of a particular community. The Delhi High Court was hearing a petition filed by Advocate Dharmesh Sharma who was also a victim of the communal violence. In his petition, Sharma challenged the fact-finding committee report under Delhi Minority Commission (DMC).

In his petition, Sharma had requested the court to quash the DMC Committee report that was submitted on June 27, 2020. He also challenged several private reports including those of Human Rights Watch, the Citizens and Lawyers Initiative and Amnesty International that were released in connection to the anti-Hindu Delhi riots of February 2020. Sharma urged the court to declare such reports null and void. He also requested the court to pass an order that no judicial process should rely on such reports.

The bench comprising chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma and justice Subramonium Prasad heard the petition. The case has now been transferred to the bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh, which is hearing all matters linked to the Delhi Riots.

In its affidavit, the Centre told the court that the tone and tenor of the report were biased and selective. The Centre said, “It cannot be denied that the conclusions of such reports can impact the just decisions of a case.” The affidavit was submitted to the court in September 2022. At that time, it was not brought on record on the date of the hearing. The court had set the next date of hearing as January 31, 2023.

The Centre said, “The unverified and, biased facts and conclusion mentioned in the said reports by authors who held high offices in the government of India or have been former constitutional authorities, not only pollute the mind of the public but also influence fair administration of justice and impairs the right to justice guaranteed to the victims and the accused.” Furthermore, the Centre told the court that these committees have completely ignored the fact that the Delhi Police filed 750 FIRs and three special teams of the crime branch were formed to ensure an impartial investigation in the matter. The Centre backed Delhi Police and said it acted impartially and fairly.

The Centre also noted that the Committee was formed by DMC to report on the subject in which it had no power under the Act. “The said report is without jurisdiction, null and void,” the Centre added.

The Centre also raised questions about the former chairman of DMC Zafar-ul-Islam. In the affidavit, Centre said Khan had thanked Kuwait for standing with Indian Muslims and warned Hindus of facing an avalanche from the Muslim World. It was a malicious act by Khan as Kuwait had never issued any statement in this regard. The Centre said, “It is submitted that the said person has since been made an accused in an FIR under Section 124 and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code). Thus, it is evident that the very conduct/motive/mindset of the Chairman of the DMC, i.e. Dr Zafarul-Islam Khanwas full of bias at the time when he exercised powers under section 10 of the DMC Act.”

The Centre added that DMC failed to note the Delhi Riots were part of a larger conspiracy. IT added, “It also failed to observe that, efforts were made to disrupt communal harmony in the state and to perpetrate chaos in the society. It appears that a selective and biased approach was adopted by the Committee to mould the public opinion in favour of a particular community”.

“Thus, even if an iota of credence is given out to such 3rd party reports, then the very essence of having a criminal justice system would fail; leading to the failure of democracy and anarchy. As such for this reason also the present petition is liable to be allowed and a declaration ought to be made that no report of any private tribunal/fact-finding body is cited as evidence before any court of law,” the affidavit noted.

Reports by non-judicial committees claimed the state failed to safeguard Muslims

In its “fact-finding” report, DMC’s committee had claimed that the violence was “planned and targeted” insinuating that it was against Muslims. It added that there were repeated cases of violence in Delhi from December 2019 to February 2020 amidst Delhi assembly polls. The report claimed that 592 of the 600 women surveyed said that people from other communities did not discriminate against them. Only 8 said they did. Furthermore, the eight that did say they were discriminated against admitted that only a few people from other communities discriminated against them while they had very cordial relationships with the rest. Reports by other private organisations claimed the state failed to “safeguard Muslims” and did not register complaints against the accused.

‘Saptarshis’ for Amrit Kaal: 42 key provision that make Budget 2023 inclusive and more progressive

Siddhi Somani
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‘Saptarshis’ for Amrit Kaal: 42 key provision that make Budget 2023 inclusive and more progressive

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday presented the Union Budget for the financial year 2023-24 in Parliament. This was the final annual budget presented by Sitharaman before the 2024 national elections and key state elections scheduled to happen later this year.

The Budget much like the previous two Budget sessions was presented in paperless form by the Finance Minister who focused on seven goals, which she dubbed the “Saptrishis guiding the country through Amrit Kaal”. The seven priorities highlighted by the government are inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing potential, green growth, youth power, and the financial sector.

The Union Budget this year incorporated every sector’s expectations as it announced a slew of developmental and tax-saving proposals for individual, salaried persons, industries, MSMEs, cooperatives, and even the corporates. Here are key takeaways from the Budget for the financial year 2023-24

A. Inclusive Development

Agriculture and Cooperatives

1. The government has decided to give a boost to the agricultural and rural economies. And so, it has decided to build digital public infrastructure for farmers. It has also planned to set up an agriculture accelerator fund to encourage innovative start-ups in the rural area.

2. The government has also decided to Make India a Global Hub for millets which are ‘Shri Anna’. Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) institute in Hyderabad will be supported and assisted in promoting research in this sector. India is at the forefront of popularizing Millet whose consumption furthers nutrition food security and the welfare of farmers.

3. Also, huge storage capacities will be built and will be made accessible to the farmers. Their remuneration will enhanced by enabling sale of crops at appropriate time.

4. The government has decided to boost production of high value horticulture crops and has decided to target Rs 20 lakh crore of agricultural credit at Animal Husbandary, Dairy and Fisheries Sector.

Health

5. Following the epidemic, the government is looking into developing healthcare research by expanding facilities at select ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) labs. A new initiative for pharmaceutical development and innovation will be implemented through Centres of Excellence. The Centre has allotted Rs 1,250 crores for the development of the pharmaceutical industry.

6. In an effort to boost competent healthcare staff, the Finance Minister has also announced the establishment of 157 new nursing colleges in key regions, in addition to the current 157 medical colleges constructed since 2014.

Education

7. Teacher’s training via District Institutes of Education and Training will be revamped.

8. National Digital Liabrary will be set up for children and adolescents.

9. States will be encouraged to set up physical liabraries at Panchayat and ward levels.

B. Reaching the last mile

10. The government in the Union Budget 2023 has announced that it will launch Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Development mission soon. PVTGs are considered to be the most vulnerable among the tribal communities.

11. The Centre has also decided to provide financial assistance for micro irrigation in drought-prone regions in Karnataka

12. The Centre has pledged to enhance Eklavya Model Residential Schools and more teachers will be recruited for 740 such schools, providing employment opportunities to the educated class of the society.

13. Digitization of ancient sources of information is essential to have an insight into the rich culture of previous civilizations. The Centre has decided to launch Bharat Shared Repository for Inscriptions (Bharat SHRI) in Digital Epigraphy Museum for the digitization of around 1 Lakh Ancient Inscriptions in the first stage.

C. Infrastructure and Investment

14. Finance Minister on Wednesday announced a steep increment in capital investment outlay, for the third year in a row, to Rs 10,00,000 crore. She outlined that India’s digital infrastructure is unmatched in the world.

15. The ’50-year interest-free loans’ to the States will be continued to facilitate infrastructure development.

16. The capital investment outlay for Railways will be increased to ₹2.40 lakh crore in the upcoming financial year, which is about 9 times higher than the outlay announced in the 2013-2014 Budget.

17. More than 100 critical transport infrastructure projects have been identified for implementation. The Minister said, 50 additional airports, helipads, advanced landing grounds, and water aero drones will be revived to improve regional air connectivity.

18. The funding for North East Special Infrastructural Scheme has been increased to Rs 2,491 crores from the current Rs 1,419 crores. Also, infusion for Jal Jeevan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has been increased to Rs 70,000 crores and Rs 79,590 crores respectively.

D. Unleashing the Potential

19. Make AI in India: The government aims at establishing three specialized Artificial Intelligence centers to provide AI-based solutions in agriculture, health, and sustainable cities.

20. National Data Governance Policy: The government intends to introduce National Data Governance Policy to enable access to anonymized data for research by start-ups and academia.

21. Vivad Se Vishwas: The government said it would set up a less stringent contract execution system for MSMEs to provide them relief from the post-COVID-19 pandemic effects. “This will help in the faster settlement of contractual disputes as well”, said FM Sitharaman on February 1.

22. E-Courts: The government has decided to launch the third phase of electronic courts for ensuring the effective administration of justice.

23. Entity Digi Locker: To facilitate secure online storing and sharing of documents within the business ecosystem, Entity Digi Lockers will be set up for use by business enterprises and also charitable trusts.

24. 5G service: The government has also decided to set up around 100 labs for 5G services-based application development. This will help in tapping the employment potential and probable business opportunities.

25. Lab-Grown Diamonds: The Centre has decided to boost domestic production and reduce import dependency in the diamond sector. And so, it has granted funds and support for research and development for the Lab Grown Diamonds. LGDs are diamonds that are produced using specific technology which mimics the geological processes that grow natural diamonds.

E. Green Growth

26. The Minister allocated a budget of Rs. 19,700 crore for the recently created National Green Hydrogen Mission, which she claims would help the country transition to a low-carbon economy and reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports.

27. The Centre has allocated Rs 35,000 crores for priority capital investment in energy transition, net zero goals, and energy security.

28. To encourage sustainable growth, the Finance Minister announced viability gap support for 4,000 MWh battery energy storage installations (megawatt hour).

29. The Minister announced that a Green Credit Program will be notified under the Environment Protection Act of 1986 to stimulate behavioral change. According to her, this will incentivize ecologically sustainable and responsive actions by businesses, people, and local governments, as well as assist mobilize more resources for such initiatives.

30. The Finance Minister emphasized that replacing obsolete polluting automobiles is a critical component of greening our economy. In addition to the Vehicle Scrapping Policy outlined in Budget 2021-22, the Minister authorized cash to scrap outdated vehicles of the central government. 

F. Amrut Peedhi- Youth Power

31. The government has decided to launch Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 to skill lakhs of youth within the next three years. New courses like coding, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D printing, etc will be included in the program, aiding the youth to get better employment opportunities.

32. The Finance Minister said that to skill youth for further international opportunity, 30 Skill India international centers will be set up across various states.

33. The Centre is also planning to boost the tourism sector by selecting at least 50 destinations and developing them as a complete package for domestic and foreign tourists.

G. Financial Sector

34. The Centre has decided to launch a new tax saving scheme for women. The scheme named ‘Mahila Samman Bachat Patra’ will enable women to save upto Rs 2 lakh for a period of 2 years.

35. The Centre in the Union Budget has also enhanced maximum deposit limit for senior citizens saving scheme from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

36. Finance Minister Sitharaman also launched a new credit guarantee scheme of Rs 2 lakh crore for the MSME sector. The scheme would take effect from April 1, 2023.

37. Providing major relief to middle-class income earners, the government on Wednesday introduced new tax slab rates and extended the limit for rebates. Under the revised income tax system, the rebate limit for the new tax regime has been increased to Rs 7 lakh from Rs 5 lakh. This means, no income tax will be payable for those people who have income up to Rs 7 lakh, provided they opt to file their income tax returns under the new income tax regime.

38. Also, the number of tax slabs has been reduced to five, with an extended increase in tax exemption limit Rs 3 lakh. The new income tax slabs are:

  • ₹ 0-3 Lakhs – Nil
  • ₹ 3-6 Lakhs – 5%
  • ₹ 6-9 Lakhs – 10%
  • ₹ 9-12 Lakhs – 15%
  • ₹ 12-15 Lakhs – 20%
  • Above ₹ 15 Lakhs – 30%

39. Further, the standard deduction for salaried persons has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 52,500. The highest surcharge rate has also been reduced to 25 percent from the current rate of 37 percent.

40. Also, the limit of tax exemption on Leave Encashment has been increased to Rs 25 lakh from the current limit of Rs 3 lakh.

41. The Finance Minister has meanwhile maintained fiscal consolidation, planning to reduce the deficit from 6.4 percent of GDP in 2022-23 to 5.9 percent in 2023-24. 

42. In a relief to the cooperatives, the government has announced to provide a 15 percent tax benefit to new cooperatives, provided they commence manufacturing by March 2024.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Union Budget on Wednesday and said that it will fulfill the dreams of the aspirational society, farmers, and middle class. In a video address, PM Modi said, “First budget of Amrit Kaal will build a strong foundation for building a developed India. This budget will fulfill dreams of aspirational society including poor people, middle-class people, and farmers.”

According to the government data accessed by Opindia, the Centre has allotted Rs 5.94 lakh crores to the Ministry of Defence while the lowest of funds, Rs 1.23 lakh crores have been allotted to the Ministry of Communications. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs gets Rs 1.96 lakh crores and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways gets Rs 2.70 lakh crore.

In a pre-election year, the Budget intends to expand on past budgets’ roadmaps, emphasizing inclusive and progressive development, supporting growth, and job creation, while keeping the macro-economy stable yet growth-oriented. It has put more money in the hands of people and households, which will help to alleviate the increasing strain caused by home loan EMIs and rising housing prices. The budget is a balanced one for the economy while it distinctively aims at rural and urban infrastructural development and enhancing digitization.

It provides a significant boost to capital investment, prioritizes MSMEs as the engine of growth, maintains capital investment, and delivers a boost to the private sector while simultaneously providing tax breaks to people and the middle class.

No, there is no specific scheme for Muslim prisoners, misleading reports in the media create confusion: Details

OpIndia Staff
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No, there is no specific scheme for Muslim prisoners, misleading reports in the media create confusion: Details

Confusion swept social media after media reports claimed that the Union Budget 2023 announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman could help Muslim prisoners with release and bail amounts. 

A report published in Zee News implied that the Centre’s new schemes for poor prisoners might end up helping Muslim inmates. 

Source: Zee News

Before long, several social media users took to Twitter to accuse the Modi government of minority appeasement by releasing Muslim convicts and providing them with bail amounts. 

Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter

Does Union Budget 2023 talk about releasing Muslim prisoners?

No, the Union Budget 2023 announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier today does not include specific schemes aimed at early release of Muslim inmates or providing them with bail relief. Instead, the Finance Minister spoke about providing financial support to people who are unable to afford prison penalties and bail amounts. 

“Support for poor persons who are in prisons and are unable to afford penalty or bail amount required financial support will be provided,” the Minister said. 

The announcement came in line with PM Modi’s appeal last year wherein he asked chief ministers and chief justices of high courts during a joint conference to grant priority to cases related to undertrial prisoners languishing in jails and release them, as per law, based on human sensitivities. 

The Prime Minister had then stated that a committee, headed by the district judge, exists in each district to review cases and release eligible prisoners on bail whenever possible.

Nine years after marriage, Hindu woman discovers that her husband Rahul is actually Azhar, arrested by Uttarakhand Police

OpIndia Staff
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Nine years after marriage, Hindu woman discovers that her husband Rahul is actually Azhar, arrested by Uttarakhand Police

In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, a latest instance of love jihad has come to light. Police have arrested man Azhar, a labor contractor, who married a Hindu woman by posing as a Hindu man. Following nine years of marriage, the wife filed a complaint with the Kankhal police station, accusing the guy of changing his name and concealing his religious affiliation. The police then apprehended the man and jailed him.

Azhar lured her into his love trap

According to the Senior Superintendent of Police, SSP Ajay Singh, the woman who is a resident of Shivapuram Rajagarden area made a complaint, that the accused Azhar Ahmed, son of Zafar, of Mohalla Nabab Tehsil Road Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, has duped her into marrying him by hiding his religion. She said that she met Azhar, who lives in the Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh, nine years ago while working for a company. Azhar had, however, identified himself as Rahul at that time. He had also claimed that he has no family. As their bond deepened, the two fell in love, got married, and went on to have two children. One of their kids is seven and the other one is four.

The wife discovered a second Aadhaar card of her husband a few months prior to the complaint, which contained his original name, his father’s name, and his home address. Nine years into their marriage, her husband finally revealed the truth and pushed her to become a Muslim. Not only that, but the accused spouse also threatened to kill her when she refused.

She had moved away from the accused and was living in the Kankhal area, for three months.

The woman hails from Delhi, but refused to disclose her address. She proclaimed that she has nothing to do with her family.

Two Aadhaar cards were discovered

Superintendent of Police (SP), City Swatantra Kumar provided information, stating that following the victim’s complaint, the police have taken the culprit into custody and brought him before the court. Furthermore, the accused was found to have two Aadhaar cards bearing the names of Azhar and Rahul.

Saints assert love jihad

President of Swami Jagannath Ashram Mahant Lokesh Das advises Hindu females to be wary of love jihadists. After the Shraddha murder case became public knowledge, the entire country witnessed the horrors of love jihad and how its female victims are cut into 35 pieces. The government ought to enact severe legislation against it.

Massive protest against love jihad

Hindu groups had organized a huge demonstration against “love jihad” and called for anti-conversion laws in Dadar, Maharashtra, on Sunday.

The protestors marched almost 4 kilometers, beginning at Shivaji Park in Dadar and ending at Kamgar Maidan in Parel, under the banner “Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha,” which was arranged by Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of Hindu organizations.

Hindu organisations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders and members were also in attendance. The gathering also featured a number of BJP officials and MLAs as well as representatives from the Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde faction. Ashish Shelar, the head of the Mumbai BJP, Pravin Darekar, Atul Bhatkhalkar, and Nitesh Rane were among the BJP leaders present at the event.

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee calls Budget 2023 ‘anti-poor’, says she can make a better budget in 30 minutes

OpIndia Staff
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Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee calls Budget 2023 ‘anti-poor’, says she can make a better budget in 30 minutes

Hours after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced tax rebates in the Union Budget 2023-2024, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee criticised the Centre’s actions as ‘anti-people.’

She made the remarks while addressing a government function at Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. “The Budget did not address anything for the unemployed people. Whatever jobs existed are now being removed by the Central government.”

“They are selling everything, disinvesting government assets,” she claimed without elaborating that only those assets are disinvested, which are making losses for years and have no future of making a financial recovery in near future.

“This Budget is not futuristic but totally opportunistic. There is no ray of hope in this budget but the darkness of Amāvásyā. Totally anti-poor budget. It has neglected the poor,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said.

She claimed that the tax rebate will not help anyone due to ‘rising inflation.’ “Give me half an hour and I will show you how to prepare a Budget for the poor,” she was quoted as saying.

Mamata Banerjee then went on to repeat the misleading claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised ₹15 lakhs to everyone. “Did anyone get it? You did not,” she asked. Mamata Banerjee also reiterated the fake news that the Indian Prime Minister promised 2 crore jobs per year.

She alleged that the Centre had withheld the wages of those involved in ‘100 Days of work’ under the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act. “How can you stop our payments? Is it not a criminal offence,” Mamata Banerjee inquired.

Union Budget 2023 gives major relief for the middle class 

In the last full-fledged budget of the second Narendra Modi government presented by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, major reliefs have been announced for the income taxpayers. The finance minister announced 5 major changes to the personal income tax regime under the direct tax proposals of the budget, which will reduce the income tax burden of the middle-class taxpayers significantly.

Under the revised income tax system, the rebate limit for the new tax regime has been increased to ₹7 lakhs from ₹5 lakh. This means, no income tax will be payable for those people who have income up to ₹7 lakhs, provided they opt to file their income tax returns under the new income tax regime. However, the rebate limit remains ₹5 lakhs for the taxpayers that choose to remain in the old tax regime.

Under the new income tax regime, the income tax rates are lower, but it does not have several deductions and exemptions which are available in the old tax regime. At present, both regimes are available for taxpayers. The new tax regime means that taxpayers do not need to invest in tax-saving instruments to save tax.

How much money the taxpayers will save after the newly announced income tax structure in Budget 2023: Some illustrations

Raju Das
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How much money the taxpayers will save after the newly announced income tax structure in Budget 2023: Some illustrations

In the last full-fledged budget of the second Narendra Modi government presented by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, major reliefs have been announced for the income tax payers. Under the revised income tax system, the rebate limit for the new tax regime has been increased to ₹7 lakh from ₹5 lakh, meaning no tax for people who have taxable income upto ₹7 lakh. Apart from this, the number of income tax slabs has been reduced to five from the existing six, with each for ₹3,00,000, while it was ₹2,50,000 earlier.

These two changes will cause major benefits for the income tax payers, especially the middle-class citizens. Here we present some illustrations of how the changes will benefit taxpayers compared to the existing rates under both the old and new tax regimes.

Before going into the illustrations, let’s clear a confusion some people are having. Some people are asking why there are tax slabs for 3 lakh to 6 lakh and 6 lakh to 9 lakh if there is no tax for income upto 7 lakh. This is because, the slabs are for the calculation of income tax, and the entire slab will be applicable if the income is above the rebate limit.

While it is correct to say there is no tax upto ₹7 lakh, it is a bit misleading, because the correct system is, while the income tax is calculated using the slab structure, if the taxable income is ₹7 lakh or less, the calculated tax becomes rebate. This rebate is deducted from the income tax, therefore the tax payable becomes nil. But if the taxable income is above ₹7 lakh, then there will be no rebate, and the entire calculated tax will be payable.

In the existing tax structure, the limit is ₹5 lakh, but the system works the same way.

It is also notable that the changes have been made only to the new tax regime, and the rebate and slabs remain the same in the old tax regime. Under the new income tax regime, the income tax rates are lower, but it does not have several deductions and exemptions which are available in the old tax regime. At present, both regimes are available for taxpayers. The new tax regime means that taxpayers do not need to invest in tax-saving instruments to save tax. Taxpayers can choose the income tax regime at the time of filing the return.

Now coming back to illustrations, please note that the taxable amount taken here means the amount on which income tax will be calculated, after any deductions and exemptions. This means, it can be lower than the income for the financial year, as there can be various deductions and exemptions allowed under the Income Tax Act, like contributions for tax-saving instruments, donations, educational expenses and so on.

For a taxable income of various amounts, here are the tax calculations in two scenarios, tax for the assessment year 2024-25 under the new tax regime, and tax for the assessment year 2023-24 under the new tax regime. The calculations under the old regime have not been shown, as the same has not been changed. Moreover, the old regime has much more deductions and exemptions, therefore it can’t be compared with the new regime for the same taxable income.

For ₹7 lakh income under the revised system under the new regime, the calculated tax is ₹25,000, but this entire amount becomes rebate as the taxable income is ₹7 lakh. Therefore, the tax payable will be zero.

Now for the same amount in the existing structure, the tax payable will be ₹32,500. It is notable there is an additional 4% health and education cess on the tax amount, which has not been shown in the calculations. If the cess is included, the final tax will be ₹33,800 for ₹7 lakh taxable income under the existing structure.

If we take an income of ₹6 lakh, the tax will be ₹22,500 under the existing structure. But under the new structure, the tax will be zero as the taxable income is below ₹7 lakh.

For an income of ₹10 lakh, the tax will be ₹60,000, compared to ₹75,000. The amounts are ₹1,50,000 and ₹1,87,000 for 15 lakh income.

Therefore, it can be seen that the net tax outgo for the taxpayers will reduce significantly under the revised tax structure. Today’s budget also announced other reliefs in income tax, including an increase in the standard deduction for salary income, a cut in the highest surcharge rate, and an increase in the limit of tax exemption on Leave Encashment to ₹25 lakh from the current limit of ₹3 lakh. For those whom these changes are applicable, they will get these additional benefits which will reduce their tax amount.

As mentioned earlier, the tax structure only for the new tax regime has been changed, and the old tax regime remains unchanged. Taxpayers have the option of choosing the regime under which they want to pay their tax. However, from next year, the new regime will be made default in the Income Tax portal. Unless a taxpayer has a substantive amount of deductions and exemptions, the new tax regime will be more attractive for most people. It is clear that the govt wants the entire taxpayer base to move to the new regime, with more direct rebate and less complicated deductions and exemptions, and that is why the rebate limit has been increased to ₹7 lakh in the new regime while it remains ₹5 lakh in the old regime.

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