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Censoring Covid opinions, suppressing Hunter Biden story, allowing child porn: Ex Twitter execs including Yoel Roth, Vijaya Gadde grilled by US Committee

OpIndia Staff
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Censoring Covid opinions, suppressing Hunter Biden story, allowing child porn: Ex Twitter execs including Yoel Roth, Vijaya Gadde grilled by US Committee

On February 8 (local time), former Twitter executives admitted to errors made by the company while handling different matters, including Hunter Biden’s laptop story in October 2020, censoring Covid opinions of medical professionals and more. However, they categorically denied government pressure on making decisions related to the Hunter Biden story.

Twitter’s Former deputy counsel James Baker, former Head of Trust and Safety Yoel Roth and former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde were grilled during the hearing in front of the House Oversight Committee for the new Republican majority investigating the administration and family of President Joe Biden. The committee aims to examine the allegations against the social media platform related to the Hunter Biden laptop story and broader complaints about censorship on the platform.

James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, heads the committee. Comer is leading an investigation into the business dealings of the Biden family. In a broader investigation, other allegations against the social media giant following the release of the Twitter Files are also being probed. In Twitter Files, internal communications of Twitter staff from the time before Elon Musk took over were released in parts. The documents revealed how the company staff decided to block, shadow ban, and restrict users’ reach. Furthermore, allegations of the government’s involvement in handling the Hunter Biden story were also discussed.

In a statement, Comer said, “America witnessed a coordinated campaign by social media companies, mainstream news, and the intelligence communities to suppress and de-legitimised the existence of Hunter Biden’s laptop and its contents. Twitter worked hand-in-hand with the FBI to monitor the protected speech of Americans, receiving millions of dollars to do so.”

‘No government involvement in suppressing Hunter story’ claim former executives

In the “Twitter Files” released by Twitter in association with multiple journalists, it was alleged that the US government played a role in censoring the Hunter Biden laptop story. Twitter Files revealed that Twitter acted “under orders from the government” to suppress the laptop story. However, the executives testifying in front of the committee categorically denied the role of the government.

Roth claimed that there was a lot of confusion in Twitter’s office over how the story should be handled as they struggled to tackle “misinformation” specifically from the “foreign actors” on the platform. He said, “It isn’t obvious what the right response is to a suspected but a not-confirmed cyber attack by another government on a presidential election. I believe Twitter erred in this case because we wanted to avoid repeating the mistakes of 2016.”

He added that initially, he was against restricting the story, but the company’s decision to suppress it under the impression that there might be a Russian hand behind it overshadowed his personal views.

In the opening statement, Baker said, “I am aware of no unlawful collusion with, or direction from, any government agency or political campaign on how Twitter should have handled the Hunter Biden laptop situation. Even though many disagree with how Twitter handled the Hunter Biden matter, I believe that the public record reveals that my client acted in a manner that was fully consistent with the First Amendment.” While Twitter executives admitted they mishandled the story, they claimed it was done internally to handle the misinformation.

Notably, after initially blocking the story from getting published or shared on its platform, Twitter reversed its decision to block it. Meanwhile, the New York Post’s Twitter account and the social media accounts of other users who shared the story were blocked, suspended and restricted. In a statement, Gadde said Twitter should have reinstated the Twitter account of the New York Post immediately after the company reversed its decision to block the Hunter Biden story.

Republicans blamed Twitter executives for misinformation

Contrary to the claims made by the Twitter executives, the Republicans accused them of suppressing the story because it was believed that Russia might be influencing the 2020 election. Comer said, “You all led the American people to believe (it) was Russian disinformation when it was not. This is something this committee should be concerned about.”

Democrats came out in support of Twitter executives

New York freshman Democrat Rep Dan Goldman, who also represented the House’s 2019 impeachment inquiry into Trump as lead counsel, supported Twitter executives saying that there were legitimate reasons behind Twitter and ex-intelligence officials to believe that it was Russian disinformation. He cited the reason for his belief as Trump’s lawyer Rudy Guiliani pushing the story. He further said Guiliani previously coordinated in anti-Biden efforts with a Russian agent, which synced with the claims of Russian involvement in the Hunter Biden story.

Allegations of suppressing Covid-19 opinions

Republicans criticised Twitter policies on how the conservatives were treated over the Covid-19 opinions. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene questioned the Twitter executives over banning her account for being critical of Twitter’s Covid-19 misinformation policy.

Notably, her account was suspended in January 2022 for alleged violations of Twitter Twitter’s Covid-19 misinformation policy. Later, when Musk took over Twitter, he systematically unsuspended several accounts (the process is still underway) that were allegedly suspended without valid reasons. Greene’s account was one of such accounts that Twitter reinstated in November 2022.

Rep Nancy Mace questioned Gadde if she was a doctor as Twitter allegedly suppressed the Covid information. She said, “What makes you think you or anyone else at Twitter have the medical expertise to censor actual, accurate, CDC data?”

Mace accused Gadde and Twitter executives of shutting the account of Jay Bhattacharya, a medical professor from Stanford, who was critical of the lockdowns during a pandemic. She said, “You guys censored Harvard-educated doctors, Stanford-educated doctors, doctors that are educated in the best places in the world, and you silenced those voices.”

The Twitter executive claimed the Trump administration tried to suppress accounts

In her testimony, Anika Collier Navaroli, a former Twitter employee turned whistleblower, claimed that the Trump administration tried to suppress a tweet critical of the then-President. The tweet was published by TV personality and model Chrissy Teigen. Navaroli claimed she ‘heard’ about the request from her supervisor.

Interestingly, Democrats also criticised Twitter for “allowing misinformation against the LGBTQ community and people of colour”. In her questions, Rep Alexandria Ocasio Cortez cited some specific examples of tweets inspiring violent threats, including bomb threats, at Boston Children’s Hospital over its care for transgender children.

With a specific reference to the famous Twitter account LibsofTikTok, which shares the problematic actions being taken at government and administrative levels to “include” the LGBTQ community, she asked if the account was still active on the platform. Roth, in a reply, said, “Regrettably, yes, it is”.

Jammu and Kashmir: A family of 5, including 3 children, found dead in Kupwara

ANI
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Jammu and Kashmir: A family of 5, including 3 children, found dead in Kupwara

Five members of a family from Uttar Pradesh, including three children, were found dead due to suspected suffocation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the family’s rented accommodation in the Kralpora area of the district. The deceased children included a child who was 5-7 years old, another who was three and the third was born just a couple of days ago.

The Block Medical Officer, Kralpora, Mohammad Shafi told ANI, “I arrived here in an ambulance and saw five people lying dead in a room including two children and an infant which was just one or two days old.”

The official said that the cause of the death is suspected to be suffocation due to monoxide poisoning.
“All five of them died due to suffocation, the cause of death can be due to monoxide poisoning,” he added.

The deceased family members have been identified as Majid Ahmad, his wife Shana Khatoon, their children Faizan Ansari, Abu Zar and an unnamed infant were declared dead upon examination.

Police have launched the inquest proceedings, officials said.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

UP government to track the source of money reaching madrasas located along the Indo-Nepal border

OpIndia Staff
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UP government to track the source of money reaching madrasas located along the Indo-Nepal border

The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated an exercise to track the source of money that is reaching over 1500 unrecognized madrasas in the Indo-Nepal border areas. Under this exercise, information regarding the number of students studying in such unrecognized madrasas will also be collected.

In a letter dated January 31, 2023, Jagmohan Singh, the registrar of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, gave district minority welfare officers of various districts directions to provide information on the number of students as well as the income and expense records of madrasas operating at the borders.

Madrasas are to be categorized on the basis of student strength

The first category includes madrasas with between 100 and 200 students, the second category includes madrasas with between 200 and 500 students, and the last category includes madrasas with more than 500 students.

According to Ashutosh Pandey, the minority welfare officer in Gorakhpur, a letter to this effect had been received, and the exercise’s goal was to update the record of the Madrasa Board website.

These unrecognized madrasas are located in the districts of Balrampur, Shravasti, Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich, and Lakhimpur Kheri.

It is notable that in September-October last year, the state government conducted a survey to gather information regarding the unrecognised madrasas operating in the state.

During the 46-day survey among the many aspects, information regarding the funding received by these madrassas was also collected. The majority of these madrasas claimed to receive zakat from Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad, but there was no record of the money reaching these madrasas.

In October last year, it was revealed in a state government survey that there are over 7,500 unrecognised madrasas in the state. The Uttar Pradesh government had on September 1 announced that it would survey unrecognized madarsas of the state to ascertain information such as details of teachers and students, curriculum, and its affiliation with any non-government organization.

Last year, OpIndia published a series of detailed ground reports regarding the mushrooming of mazars and other illegal religious structures along the sensitive Indo-Nepal border.

Twitter Blue subscription launched in India: Here is what it will cost

OpIndia Staff
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Twitter Blue subscription launched in India: Here is what it will cost

On February 9, Twitter launched the Blue subscription service for users in India. Besides India, the subscription service is also active in Brazil and Indonesia. There are two plans available for the subscribers using Twitter Web. The first plan is Annual Plan, where the users will be charged Rs 6,800 per year, billed at Rs 566.67 per month. The second plan is Monthly Plan, where users will have to pay Rs 650 per month, which will tune to Rs 7,800 per annum.

Twitter Blue launched in India. Source: Twitter

At the moment, it only accepts card payments. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards can be used to buy subscriptions. Rupay or UPI options are not available.

However, Android and iOS users will have to pay more for subscriptions at Rs 900 per month.

iPhone users have to pay Rs 900 for Twitter Blue. Source: Twitter/Divya Gandotra

The additional charges might be because of the fees Google and Apple charge per subscription. In both Android and iOS, you can only pay via the Play Store or App Store for the subscription.

Android users have to pay Rs 900 for Twitter Blue. Source: Twitter/Divya Gandotra

Twitter announced the updated version of the Blue subscription last year with a host of additional features such as the ability to edit a tweet, organize bookmarks, customise the application icon, high-quality video (1080p) and more. More features, including top priority in replies, mentions and searches, lesser ads, the ability to post longer videos and early access to new features, are expected to launch soon. Furthermore, those who have subscribed to Twitter Blue will get a verified badge subject to manual verification.

Notably, it was earlier reported that the Twitter Blue button started to appear on the web version of the social media platform. Twitter Blue for Businesses is another service the platform is testing for corporate organizations on the platform. Subscribers to this service receive a gold checkmark that distinguishes the account as an official business on Twitter.

“Please send relief staff only”: Massive insult for Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif as earthquake-hit Turkey refuses to host him

OpIndia Staff
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“Please send relief staff only”: Massive insult for Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif as earthquake-hit Turkey refuses to host him

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced massive international insult on Tuesday after Turkey refused to host him in the country. The Pakistani PM had to cancel his planned Turkey visit after the earthquake-hit country said that at present they are only looking for manpower for rescue and relief operations, not state guess which will divert crucial manpower.

Pakistan had earlier declared that its PM will visit Turkey to show solidarity in this difficult hour, just a day after a series of powerful earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria on 6 February, destroying thousands of buildings. Pakistan directly announced this decision without caring for the fact that the country in the middle of a disaster would hardly be able to host any foreign politician, that too a head of a government.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb tweeted on February 7th, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Ankara tomorrow morning, he will express his condolences to the people of Turkey for the destruction caused by the earthquake and the lives lost. Due to Prime Minister’s visit to Turkey, the APC convened on Thursday, February 9 is being postponed, a new date will be announced in consultation with the allies.”

However, a few hours after this tweet, former special assistant to the prime minister of Turkey Azam Jamil tweeted, “The last thing Turkey wants at a time like this is to look after state guests. Please send relief staff only.”

Later, Islamabad announced that Shehbaz Sharif’s Ankara visit has been postponed due to bad weather, and also because the Turkish government is busy with rehabilitation work. Express Tribune reported that PM Shehbaz would not be able to visit the affected areas as helicopters could not fly during bad weather, while the president and vice president of Turkey are also engaged in relief activities, and therefore would not be able to meet him.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz Sharif has postponed his visit to Turkey in the purview of the ongoing relief works. She also tweeted, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to establish the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to support the earthquake victims of our brother country Turkey in their difficult times. The cabinet has announced to donate 1 month’s salary to the relief fund. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appealed for the generous help of our brother country Turkey.”

Turkey was hit with a catastrophic earthquake on 6th February 2023 claiming thousands of lives.

‘Today everybody is scared in India’ is the new ghost that everybody has heard about but nobody has seen

Virender Kapoor
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‘Today everybody is scared in India’ is the new ghost that everybody has heard about but nobody has seen

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’: Franklin D. Roosevelt

In school in class 7, (around 13 year’s age) we had a window in the back yard of the school- an old rickety wooden rear window which we were told not to open ever, as there was a ghost out there. No one, our seniors or the juniors ever had the guts to open it. It was a forbidden piece well cemented in the brick wall. The maids, the school Gardener (Mali baba as he was called) and Peons were the strongest proponents of this – story.

Mali baba himself had long unkempt salt pepper hair with a scary stubble and had brownish yellow Tobacco stained teeth and two of them of gold- enough to scare the hell out of any one, especially at night or after sunset when we had prep classes.

Some of our class fellows were that dare devil types and even those ‘bullies by birth’ also never ever dared to do it- open that window!

Who had seen the ghost? This question was always responded by ‘We don’t know but someone saw it when I was a boy your age’ was the response of Mali baba who himself looked like a ghost who walks’. To spice it up he would get us all along in a group under a big banyan tree, may be 80 year old in one corner of the school garden with roots hanging down to the ground and the setting was right to scare the wind out of us all- girls used to be scared and so were we, trying to put up a brave face. He was a great story teller and with very funny facial expressions and almost in a whisper he would let out some ‘secrets’- every time it was a different one- and we idiots believed every story as if enjoying it. A repeat was also welcome. He used to say that long long time ago a girl called ‘chandani’ had failed in the exam and had committed suicide by hanging with a rope tied to that tree, the old man would point at a branch also- though different one every time! And all of us would gleefully say ‘Yes, yes, yes’. Police also investigated the murder angle but mali baba used to say that, that may have been the reason for all this. It was enough to convince us as well as the parents who often complained to the principal, who always assured them that this was rumor mongering and a grape wine gossip and none of this was true. But you know ‘daar ka kida’ cannot be taken out of your head easily. In fact this had become a problem for the school that some parents didn’t take admission for their children because of this. Even evening extra classes had taken a hit.

The best part is that no one had ever seen this fictitious ghost or ghostani (witch).

‘Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win’: Stephen King

Bhoot Ayaa- Bhoot Ayaa syndrome

No wonder so many horror movies are made and do pretty well on the box office. Holly wood has contributed enough to this ‘made up fear’ with movies as scary as, exorcist, Hereditary and conjuring. Bollywood greats like wo kaun thee, Bhool Bhullayia or Raaz also scared the hell out of people. Whatever you may say these leave some kind of fear in minds of people, though they know it is not true. But maybe, you never know kind of lurking doubt always remains in your mind ‘Dimaag ka Kida’.

You would be surprised that even Field Marshal S.H.F. J Manekshaw Victoria Cross awarded for outstanding bravery in war was also scared of such things and I quote ‘I am not a brave man. I am frightened of ghosts and spirits and so on. If my wife tells me a ghost story after dinner, I cannot sleep in my room, and I have to go to her room.’ As reported in his lecture.

Alfred Hitch Cock and some Indian Directors like Ramsay brothers had mastered this art of scaring people.

Now a new breed- A Democratic Bhoot

A year back I got a call from a senior journalist a lady who was writing a piece for a newspaper and wanted to take my response which was a quick bite. She was doing a piece or was tasked to do a piece on why people are scared in India under the current administration. This I realized much later.

Her question to me was ‘What do you think about the environment?’ I said ‘yes there is a climate change across the world’. “No, no, no I want to know about India’. I said ‘We are impacted too, unexpected rains, cyclones, floods etc.‘  ‘No I am talking about the “other” environment.’ I was a little confused so I said I feel till now there has been more rains but it is manageable’. She seemed to be getting frustrated, I didn’t know why. ‘No I mean are you feeling safe or you have any fear?’ ‘What fear, I asked? I am fine, what do you mean?’ ‘No I am a reporter and I feel everyone is scared today in India’. I was beginning to get where she was coming from and had to ask her ‘ma’am are you scared for your life in India?’ She said ‘Not really’.

‘See you are not scared I am not scared then who is scared?’ I said respectfully. ‘No but everyone is scared-I know it’ she replied curtly as if rapping me on my knuckles. Now she was a bit hyper as she was not getting a response she possibly wanted from me. I didn’t want to be rude, so I chuckled and cut the line. Felt sorry for her, I had killed her day!

After cutting the call I realized she really wanted a juicy spicy bite from me. I thought what was her issue?  “Malls are full, airlines are packed, roads are choked with cars and two wheelers, buses and trains are full, and then where is the ghost yaar”

‘Today everybody is scared in India’ is the biggest bogey of the decade. ‘Oh you know everyone is feeling unsafe’. If you want to make sure you want a property price to fall, and never sell, you want the owner to be scr*wed; you start a rumor of a haunted house and the owner can keep defending that bogey but nothing works, he is doomed to be doomed. Woh to gaya bhai- finished!

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”: Joseph Goebbels

Today suddenly so many ‘Mali Babas’ have come out of that Banyan tree- god knows in all different bhootiya avatars. They are not gardeners- they could be from any profession, respected suited booted, journalists, TV anchors, senior retired police officers, Armed forces veterans, actors, film directors, educationists, retired bureaucrats, producers, students and even music directors ready to give back ground score. Ganged up Left and politicians ready to give covering fire and create a smoke screen to make it look real. They sing in chorus as we watch in movies, cannibals dancing around their prey- a live man. As they say in Hindi ‘Weham ka koiyee ilaaj nahi hai’ very difficult to take a superstitious bug out of even a sane mind provided you can plant one. Monsters are creating ghosts today.

Authors have earned millions by writing Fantasy. You can manipulate human mind if you try hard enough.

Which to same extent has been done- with some success.

The saving grace is that Indians are used to these ‘Vikram Betal’ stories and don’t buy the synthetic ones crafted by the crafty ones- ‘Bharat ke bande saab samajhtey hain’ Keep trying you will not succeed –ever.

Monsters will always exist. There’s one inside each of us. But an angel lives there, too. There is no more important agenda than figuring out how to slay one and nurture the other.: Jacqueline Novogratz

OpIndia Exclusive: Javed Sama attacks a Surat lodge owner associated with Hindu organisations, booked and arrested

લિંકન સોખડિયા
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OpIndia Exclusive: Javed Sama attacks a Surat lodge owner associated with Hindu organisations, booked and arrested

A shocking case has come to light from the Varachha area of Surat in Gujarat. Javed Sama, a Muslim artisan working in a factory here, attacked Sanjay Chauhan, the owner of a lodge and associated with Hindu organizations, in a minor dispute. Police have arrested the accused after registering a complaint in this regard.

The complaint in this regard has been lodged by Harmeet Khasia, son of Sanjay Chauhan’s sister. He was present in the lodge at the time of the incident. Harmeet also suffered minor injuries in the attack by Javed.

When OpIndia contacted Sanjay Chauhan in this regard, he told OpIndia all the details. According to him, the entire incident took place on Tuesday, February 7. Javed Sama, one of the artisans who frequently came to eat from the factory next to his lodge, started misbehaving with the lodge worker and started abusing him when he came to eat at the lodge on Tuesday. Sanjay Chauhan intervened and defended his workmanship.

Being a regular customer, some of his money was deposited in the lodge. So Sanjay Chauhan calculated it and returned the balance of money to Javed and asked him not to come to eat in this lodge again. Enraged by this, Javed took out the leather belt he had worn and attacked Sanjay Chauhan while speaking abusively. As the workers gathered at the lodge, Javed fled the spot after threatening to kill Sanjay Chauhan.

In this attack, Sanjay Chauhan and his brother Devraj were injured in the fingers and elbow parts of the hand. Harmeet Khasiya suffered an injury on the back of her head. After the incident, all of them were taken to the nearby Smeimer Hospital for treatment. The police came there and the aggrieved registered their complaint.

In a conversation with OpIndia, Sanjay Chauhan said that he is associated with many Hindu organizations and frequently organizes various religious programs in the area.

At present, a complaint has been lodged in this regard at Varachha police station in Surat, after which the police have arrested the accused Javed Sama immediately. It remains to be seen whether the dispute at the lodge alone was the main reason or if the original issue was something else. It is possible that the police investigation will also reveal any more information on this matter.

PM Narendra Modi recalls his visit to Lal Chowk over 30 years ago while speaking in parliament

OpIndia Staff
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PM Narendra Modi recalls his visit to Lal Chowk over 30 years ago while speaking in parliament

On 8th February 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Lok Sabha in response to the motion of thanks to the President’s address. During his speech, he recalled his visit to Lal Chowk in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir where he unfurled the national flag as his Ekta Yatra of 1991 concluded there. This remark by PM Modi in his speech came as a response to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who recently concluded his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk and unfurled the national flag there.

PM Narendra Modi said, “The issue of Jammu and Kashmir was also discussed here in the house. And those who have recently visited to Jammu and Kashmir might have seen how you can go there and have a tour. In the second half of the last century, I too took a Yatra to Jammu and Kashmir with the intent to unfurl the tricolor at Lal Chowk. At that time, the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir had pasted posters that read ‘one who is a real son of his mother should try and dare to unfurl the Indian flag Tricolour at the Lal Chowk of Srinagar. We will see if he manages to go back alive.’ On 24th January of that year, I said in a public meeting in Jammu, that I will reach Lal Chowk on 26th January at 11 am sharp. I will come without any security. I will come without a bulletproof jacket. Who is the real son of his mother, will be decided in the Lal Chowk of Srinagar on 26th January.”

He added, “Those were the times. After unfurling the tricolor at Lal Chowk, people and media asked me usually our national flag is honored by our armed forces on 26th January. I told them that today even the armed forces of the enemy are saluting our national flag, as there were bullets fired around by the terrorists. Today there is peace. You can go there fearlessly in a group of hundreds. This is the situation there today. Today the people in Jammu and Kashmir are celebrating the festival of democracy. People there are observing the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. Some people used to say that there can be a problem due to the tricolor in Jammu and Kashmir. See how the times have changed, even those people are participating in the Tiranga Yatra. When all this was happening, theatres in Srinagar were running houseful, and separatists were seen nowhere.

After the phenomenal success of the Ram Rath Yatra led by LK Advani, the BJP had come up with Ekta Yatra in 1992. Kashmir had then become home to Islamic terrorists and Kashmiri Pandits were compelled to leave their homes on 19th January 1990. Those who resisted were killed. Terrorists were openly threatening the Indian republic that they will draw out Kashmir from India on the basis of religion. Insulting the national symbols of India was one of the acts terrorists would repeatedly use to mock the largest democratic nation day in and day out. It was at this time that the BJP organized the Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Waving the Indian flag at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar was to be the conclusive point of this yatra. Modi was one of the key organizers of this yatra led by Dr Murli Manohar Joshi.

“Blessings of the 140 crore Indians my ‘Suraksha Kavach’, weapons of abuse and lies cannot penetrate this guard”: PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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“Blessings of the 140 crore Indians my ‘Suraksha Kavach’, weapons of abuse and lies cannot penetrate this guard”: PM Modi

On 8th February 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Lok Sabha while replying to the motion of thanks to the President’s address. During his speech, Narendra Modi recounted the union government’s work for the poor and middle-class people of India during the last 9 years of the Modi government. He also credited the people of India for the blessings and trust they have in him.

PM Narendra Modi said, “Any live organization or system is connected to the ground. They know what is going on in public discourse. They think about what is going on in people’s minds and accordingly change the direction of their actions. But those who think that they know everything, feel that abusing Modi is the way ahead and discrediting Modi will be beneficial for them. They have had this misunderstanding for the last 22 years. Trust in Modi is not because of the news headlines or the shining faces on television. I have invested every moment of my life in the people of my country and used it for the bright future of my country.”

He added, “People of the country believe in Modi and the trust is beyond the limits of their understanding. The trust people have in Modi is higher than their understanding and thinking limits. Will the 80 crores poor of my country, who get free ration, believe the people who make false allegations? One nation one ration card enables the poor to get ration anywhere in the country. How will that poor man believe in your false talks and dirty allegations? Will the 11 crore farmers who get PM Kisan Samman Nidhi thrice in a year in his bank account believe in your abuses and allegations? 3 crore people who were forced to live a life on a footpath, or in slums got pucca houses. Why would they believe in your false promises, abuses, and dirty talks?”

PM Narendra Modi further said, “9 crore people received a free gas connection. How will these people accept your lies? 11 crore women now have a toilet in their house. How will they accept your lies? 8 crore families got a tap water connection after 75 years of independence. How will those mothers and sisters accept your lies? How will they back your mistakes and belief in your abuse? 2 crore families benefitted from the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Their lives are saved. Modi came to help in their hour of need. How will these people tolerate your abuse?”

PM Narendra Modi said, “These abuses will not directly come to Modi. They have to first pass from these crores of Indians whom you forced to live a difficult life for decades. Some people are ready to destroy the country for their own selfish motives toward themselves and their families. They are living with their family. They are living for their family. Modi is a member of the 25 crore families in the country. Blessings of the 140 crore Indians are my ‘Suraksha Kavach’. Weapons of abuse and lies cannot penetrate this guard. It is made of trust.”

About middle-class people, PM Narendra Modi said, “Vote bank politics made a dent to the capacity of our nation. It resulted in the delay in the work. For a long time, there was only total denial towards the middle-class people. Nobody cared to have a look towards the middle-class. Middle-class people used to assume that nobody will care for them and they used to exhaust all their energies in their works. But the NDA government has recognized the honesty of the middle-class and provided a security to them. Today, this middle-class is taking our nation to newer heights.”

PM Narendra Mod added, “Before 2014, 1 GB data coste Rs 250. Today it is Rs 10. One citizen in our country uses 20 GB data per month on an average. This saves almost 5000 rupees per person. There are Jan Aushadhi Stores which have become a center of attraction in the whole country. A thousand or two thousand rupees are spent per month to get medicines of a senior citizen in a family who has disorders like diabetes. Today middle-class families collectively save 20000 crore rupees only because of the Jan Aushadhi Stores.”

He added, “Every middle-class family aspires to have its own house. We have simplified the process for the same by implementing RERA. Every middle-class family aspires to enrol their kids for some professional education course. We have increased the number of medical and engineering colleges. We are also working on basic infrastructure.

Centre asks CAG to audit PM Poshan Shakti Nirman in West Bengal over reports of alleged misuse of funds

ANI
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Centre asks CAG to audit PM Poshan Shakti Nirman in West Bengal over reports of alleged misuse of funds

The Ministry of Education on Wednesday asked the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to conduct a special audit of the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan Scheme) in West Bengal over the last three financial years.

This comes after the ministry received several reports about the alleged misuse of funds in West Bengal under the PM Poshan Scheme. Instances of deviations in the implementation of the Scheme have also been reported in the media. According to an official statement, the audit will encompass compliance, performance and financial audit.

The ministry added that necessary corrective action will be taken based on the CAG audit report.

“The CAG is empowered to conduct this Audit under Regulations on Audit and Accounts (Amendment) 2020 framed in pursuance of Section 23 of the Comptroller and Auditor Generals (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971, (Act No 56 of 1971). Necessary corrective action will be taken by the Department based on the Audit Report by the 0/o CAG,” the ministry said in the statement.

The Department of School Education and Literacy administers the PM Poshan scheme through which funds are provided to states, based on proposals received, for one hot cooked meal to eligible children in classes one to eight and Balvatika.

PM Poshan Scheme benefits about 11.80 crore children in the country studying in 11.20 lakh Government and Government aided schools.

Earlier in January, a central team was constituted to visit West Bengal for reviewing the implementation of the PM POSHAN scheme.

“Ministry of Education has constituted a Joint Review Mission to visit the State of West Bengal to review the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) in January,” an official statement said.

The team reviewed the fund flow from State to Schools/implementing agencies, the coverage of the Scheme, the availability of Management Structure at the State, District, and Block levels, the delivery mechanism of food grains from State to Schools, the smooth implementation of the Scheme with particular reference to interruptions among other objectives.

It also reviewed the Construction of Kitchen-cum-stores, Procurement/Replacement of Kitchen Devices, the involvement of NGOs/Trust/Centralized kitchens in the Scheme, the payment of the Cost of Food grains to the Food Corporation of India etc.

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