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UP: 80 persons of 12 Muslim families revert to Hinduism, accuse SP leader Azam Khan of forcing them to embrace Islam 12 years ago

OpIndia Staff
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UP: 80 persons of 12 Muslim families revert to Hinduism, accuse SP leader Azam Khan of forcing them to embrace Islam 12 years ago

On Sunday, around 80 people of 12 families in Muzzafarnagar quit Islam and embraced Hinduism in presence of Mahant Swami Yashveer Maharaj at Yog Sadhana Ashram, Bagra. The 80 members, belonging to the Dalit community, alleged that they were earlier Hindus and were forced to convert to Islam by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.

According to the reports, the members said that Azam Khan had forced them to quit Hinduism and accept Islam 12 years ago. They also alleged that after the forceful conversion, Khan and his henchmen snatched the properties and wealth belonging to the Dalits. Fed up with everything, they quit Islam and accepted Hinduism in an elaborate ceremony organised to mark their reversion to the faith in presence of Yashveer Maharaj, one of the chef abbots at the Yog Sadhana Ashram.

Hindu ritual performed by Mahant Yasveer Maharaj (Image Source- Newstrack)

‘Azam Khan forced us to embrace Islam, he also appropriated our properties’, said Kavita, who reverted back to Hinduism

The members undertook Ghar wapsi by chanting Gayatri Mantra and by embracing the Hindu religious thread ‘Janeu’. Yashveer Maharaj also purified the members with the help of Gangajal. One of the members named Imrana who gave herself a new name on Sunday, Kavita, said, “12 years ago, Azam Khan had forced us to convert to Islam. He also snatched our wealth and properties. He did the same to many other Dalit families.”

Meanwhile, another one named Harjana, who will now be known as Savita, said, “Azam Khan has harassed many people. He forced people to convert to Islam. He is in jail because of his sins. Now we are happy after Ghar wapsi.” Reports mention that the 80 persons who did Ghar Wapsi on December 11 belong to the Dalit community and are residents of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.

Mahant Swami Yashveer Maharaj at Yog Sadhana Ashram, Bagra also confirmed the incident and said that SP leader Azam Khan had threatened many Dalits to convert their religion to Islam. “These Dalits were lured 12 years ago and were threatened to change their religion. Today these people were purified with the help of Gangajal and now they will be known as Hindus,” he added. According to the Mahant, he has done Ghar Wapsi of around 530 persons.

Samajwadi Party leader calls Gujaratis ‘cowards’ while challenging PM Modi to declare war on China

OpIndia Staff
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Samajwadi Party leader calls Gujaratis ‘cowards’ while challenging PM Modi to declare war on China

On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party leader IP Singh challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare war on China and said that the India-China face-off was becoming intolerant. He also cornered PM Modi and his government while referring to Gujaratis as cowards. “Prime Minister should declare war with China, now it is beyond tolerance,” he tweeted.

Further, while calling himself the son of a brave soldier, Singh said that he was not a Gujarati ‘coward’ and that he had the guts and courage to fight the Chinese. “I am the son of a brave soldier, I am not a Gujarati coward, we have courage and determination,” he added.

This is days after clashes broke out between the Indian and Chinese troops on December 9 in the border area of the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. While no deaths were reported, there were reports of multiple injuries on both sides. As reported earlier, the Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but didn’t expect the Indian side would also be well prepared to thwart their intrusion.

As per the reports, the Chinese PLA contacted the LAC in the Tawang sector, which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner that led to a stand-off between the two sides. Though both sides immediately disengaged from the area after the clashes, the Chinese PLA suffered more injuries than the Indian Army troopers.

Later, Defence Ministry issued a statement and confirmed that the face-off had led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. As a follow up of the incident, own Commander in the area held a Flag Meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquility,” it added.

Defence Minister lauds Indian Army, says they foiled Chinese bid to unilaterally change the status quo

Also today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the lower house of the Indian Parliament over the scuffle that broke out between Indian and Chinese and said, “Our army valiantly fought back and forced Chinese troops to go back to their post. They foiled China’s bid to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC in the Tawang sector. Both sides have suffered some injury, none of our soldiers is seriously injured or dead.”

Along with the Samajwadi Party, many opposition parties including Congress and RJD also targeted the Modi-led government and said that the central government should be honest with issues related to national security. “Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too. We are one with the nation on the issues of National Security and would not like to politicize it. But Modi govt should be honest,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.

The scuffle assumes significance given that it is the first such incident since the Galwan Valley clashes between India and China more than two years ago, heightening tensions between the two countries. On June 15, 2020, the Chinese troops attacked the Indian troops along the LAC near the Ladakh border. The clashes resulted in India losing 20 of its soldiers.

Not 1962 anymore: Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu says Indian soldiers will now give befitting reply amid Tawang clashes

OpIndia Staff
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Not 1962 anymore: Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu says Indian soldiers will now give befitting reply amid Tawang clashes

On December 13, while quoting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that this is not 1962 anymore, and if anyone [from the Chinese side] tried to transgress, the Indian soldiers would give a befitting reply. He also said that Yangtse falls, where the Chinese attempted an incursion, under his assembly constituency, and he meets the soldiers and villagers of the area every year.

CM Khandu said, “Yangtse is under my assembly constituency & every year, I meet the Jawans & villagers of the area. It’s not 1962 anymore. If anyone tries to transgress, our brave soldiers will give a befitting reply.”

In Hindi, he further added, “ईंट का जवाब पत्थर से नहीं, ईंट का जवाब लोहा से दे रही है हमारी वीर भारतीय सेना।“ that translates to “Our brave soldiers are not only paying back in the same coin with interest but paying back with an iron fist”.

His remarks came amidst the recent reports of Tawang clashes in Arunachal Pradesh between the Indian Army and the Chinese Army. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has told the Indian Parliament about the scuffle that broke out between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector on December 9. Singh said none of the Indian soldiers was seriously injured or killed during the clashes with the Chinese PLA troopers.

“Our Army valiantly fought back & forced Chinese troops to go back to their post. They foiled China’s bid to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC in the Tawang sector. Both sides have suffered some injury, none of our soldiers is seriously injured or dead,” Singh said in Lok Sabha.

Singh said PLA troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of the Tawang Sector on December 9 and unilaterally change the status quo. However, their attempt was contested by the Indian Army in a firm and resolute manner. He further added that the contestation led to a face-off between the two forces, resulting in a minor scuffle which prevented the PLA from transgressing into the Indian Territory and compelled them to return to their posts.

The 1962 India-China war

Almost six decades ago, on October 20, 1962, China attacked India. Provoked by a territorial dispute and tensions over Tibet, the war was short, and India lost to China. India’s belief that China could never attack it did not let the Indian army prepare, and the result was the standoff between 10,000-20,000 Indian troops and 80,000 Chinese troops. The 1962 Sino-India war continued for about a month and ended on November 21, 1962, and China emerged victorious.

This is a historical truth that the then Congress government led by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and his defence minister VK Krishna Menon had fallen short of expectations in their dealings during the 1962 war with China, leading to the debacle. It is said that the Indian Army warned then Defence Minister Krishna Menon in 1961 about the need to prepare for a Chinese invasion. However, the warning fell on deaf ears, and the follies made by the then-Congress government left a deep-seated scar.

Jawaharlal Nehru was warned of a possible attack by China almost two and a half years before the 1962 Sino-India war

Shockingly, the then government, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, was warned of a possible attack by China almost two and a half years before the first wave of Chinese troops overran the border in 1962. Still, Nehru and the then defence minister Krishna Menon did not feel the need to take professional military advice. The result was that India suffered its worst-ever defeat during the Indo-China conflict in 1962.

Twitter is making everyone a ‘fact-checker’ with ‘Community Notes’ rollout, but there are problems and India-specific issues that need to be discussed

Nupur J Sharma
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Twitter is making everyone a ‘fact-checker’ with ‘Community Notes’ rollout, but there are problems and India-specific issues that need to be discussed

On December 12th, Twitter made an announcement in the hopes that it will make the discourse far more balanced on the social media platform. Community Notes was rolled out globally over the weekend, allowing users from all countries, not just the US, to enrol in the program to add ‘helpful context’ and additional information to public tweets. “Community Notes aims to create a better-informed world, by empowering people on Twitter to collaboratively add helpful notes to Tweets that might be misleading”, Twitter said.

There are 4 aspects listed by Twitter that form the basis of Community Notes, along with 4 prerequisites that the users have to fulfil in order to register as a contributor.

  1. Contributors who register with Community Notes write and rate notes.
  2. Only notes rated helpful by people from diverse perspectives appear on Tweets – “Community Notes doesn’t work by majority rules. To identify notes that are helpful to a wide range of people, notes require agreement between contributors who have sometimes disagreed in their past ratings. This helps prevent one-sided ratings”, Twitter says.
  3. Twitter does not choose what shows up, the people do by marking it helpful.
  4. Open source and transparent – promising complete transparency, Twitter says that anyone can inspect their ranking algorithm.

The prerequisites that users need to meet if they choose to enrol for this are following:

  1. No recent notice of Twitter rule violation
  2. Joined Twitter at least 6 months ago
  3. A verified phone number
  4. The phone number must be a trusted phone carrier
  5. The phone number must not be associated with any other community notes account

While Community Notes can ensure contrarian views are displayed on information that may be misleading, there are several issues with the Community Notes launch which are apparent right off the bat.

1. Only notes rated helpful by people from diverse perspectives appear on Tweets

The “diversity of perspective’ requirement essentially says that the number of people finding the note helpful will not ensure that it becomes visible under a tweet. Essentially, what is needed is that people with diverse perspectives should find the information useful. “To find notes that are helpful to the broadest possible set of people, Community Notes takes into account not only how many contributors rated a note as helpful or unhelpful, but also whether people who rated it seem to come from different perspectives“, says Twitter.

“Community Notes assesses “different perspectives” entirely based on how people have rated notes in the past; Community Notes does not ask about or use any other information to do this (e.g. demographics like location, gender, or political affiliation, or data from Twitter such as follows or Tweets). This is based on the intuition that Contributors who tend to rate the same notes similarly are likely to have more similar perspectives while contributors who rate notes differently are likely to have different perspectives. If people who typically disagree in their ratings agree that a given note is helpful, it’s probably a good indicator the note is helpful to people from different points of view”, Twitter says.

It says that this approach has yielded benefits since it becomes apparent that people are capable of having nuanced views and secondly, it helps community note users to evaluate the data since it works wholly on public information.

It almost feels like Twitter is falling, all over again, for idealistic versions of the world that seldom exist. We live in times where basic facts about biological sex has been disputed by the global Left, which has essentially asserted that men can give birth to babies, put on a dress, slap on some lipstick and claim that they are women even though they have a penis. Now, let’s suppose there is a tweet about how important conforming to pronouns is and how biological men can give birth to babies. Now, let us suppose that one community note says talks about research that summarily rejects woke gender politics and the premise that men can legitimately call themselves women. How does Twitter expect people of “diverse perspectives” to find this information relevant? Are the wokes and leftists going to concede that the community note adds “valuable information and context”? Certainly not. Therefore, the people to find this information relevant are most likely to belong to a certain spectrum of political ideology. If such basic facts can’t be agreed upon, one has to wonder what happens when more nuanced subjects are involved.

In the Indian context, there are several contentious subjects that will never find consensus among opposing ideologies. The fact that one side chooses to ignore thousands of documented cases where Muslim men target Hindu women and the other side talks about the unbridled Jihad against Hindus is a subject that will find no consensus. In fact, let us for a moment forget about recent conflicts. There are Left “intellectuals” who are dishonestly whitewashing the history of persecution, shamelessly and brazenly. She paints one of the most tyrannical Muslim rulers – Aurangzeb – as a benevolent king despite documented cases in Muslim history about his atrocities against Hindus. She has also tried to claim that Hindus were not persecuted during the Portuguese inquisition, again, despite documented historical evidence.

With the Global Left waging a war against the truth, hoping for consensus on facts from “diverse perspectives” is a pipe dream that is likely to play out badly, only furthering the Left’s agenda.

2. No recent notice of Twitter rule violation

Recently, Elon Musk has been releasing “Twitter Files” which essentially contain tranches of internal communication, proving Twitter’s bias towards conservatives. In one of these tranches, it was proven beyond doubt that Twitter selectively targeted conservative voices and favoured the Left.

The internal communications exposed how Republicans and conservative voices were censored, based on the whims and fancies of Twitter’s top executives. They revealed how a small group of Twitter employees controlled political discourse on the social media platform and sided with the Democrats.

The ‘Twitter Files 3.0’ also showed how the content moderation team came up with one excuse or the other to justify their vicious attempts at censorship. 

The censorship of conservatives is, of course, not just limited to the USA. One recalls Vijaya Gadde and Jack Dorsey travelling to India and holding a particularly offensive poster that was designed to offend. In fact, in an interview with Tim Pool, Vijaya Gadde specifically admitted that the “context was different” insinuating that she was censoring conservatives in India (I use the word conservatives loosely here because the ideological nuances are different in the USA and in India).

Given that these are proven, undisputed facts, it is safe to assume that “recent Twitter violations” in several cases are largely a result of Twitter’s bias and selective censorship. Given that Elon Musk is aware of this, to keep this as an impediment to users registering for community notes, he is essentially ensuring that droves of conservatives from across the globe are unable to register and contribute to the new feature, thereby yet again turning it into a fiefdom of the Left. This, coupled with the fact that “diverse consensus” is needed for community notes to be visible, the only possible outcome is that conservatives, censored, shadow banned and vilified, are now also going to have Left perspective “community notes” under their tweets with little option of even registering for this program.

3. The phone number must be a trusted phone carrier

This, of course, is a perfectly reasonable restriction. However, there seems to be a problem since no Indian carrier has been listed as a “trusted phone carrier”. Airtel, Jio and Vodafone do not feature in the list and therefore, Indian users are unable to register for Community Notes.

This issue is not India-specific, however. In many nations, users are not being able to sign up for Community Notes because their phone carriers are not “trusted”.

Twitter users from Poland, London, Belgium and South Africa from what we could discern so far.

However, according to Elon Musk’s court filing, he had expressed displeasure over Twitter’s conduct in India given that India is the third largest market for the social media giant in the world.

Musk’s court filing against Twitter before his takeover

There were several other mentions of Twitter’s conduct in India and a detailed report can be read here.

With Elon Musk believing that a market like India cannot be ignored and that Twitter’s battle put the company’s interest at risk, one has to wonder how Twitter under Musk could ignore India completely and not have even one carrier included in the “trusted carrier” list, thereby, excluding its third largest market from enrolling to the Community Notes feature.

After the takeover of Twitter, Elon Musk has been focusing on “preserving freedom of speech in America”. To that end, he has released internal communication that proved the severe bias of the platform that ended up affecting their elections and even censored the sitting President of the United States of America on the basis of flimsy, made-up excuses.

Whether Elon Musk likes to believe it or not, Twitter, while it is not a private company, is an entity that affects individuals and civil liberties the world over. In India specifically, Twitter’s conduct has been less than transparent. With rampant shadow bans, suspensions, and even politically motivated statements being passed by past executives, Twitter has actively tried to interfere in India’s internal democracy, while suppressing the voices of those who oppose the politically left narrative that they seem to have preferred. Little has changed since the Musk takeover. Musk seems to be focussing his entire energy on the USA, which is understandable, however, has failed to pay any attention to India, which is its third-largest market. From suspensions to shadow bans and now, even with Community Notes, India is in no better position on the social media platform than it was when the Woke Left controlled the platform.

What is worse is that people who have been chosen by him are now peddling the same lies perpetuated by the Left. Barry Weiss, editor of The Free Press, who has been trusted with reporting the Twitter files today quoted a New York Time article which peddled vicious lies against PM Modi.

On December 12 (local time), Bari Weiss, Editor of The Free Press, published the fifth instalment of ‘Twitter Files‘ explaining how former President Donald Trump was de-platformed from Twitter. While giving examples of leaders from around the world that did not get banned from the platform even after instigating people, Weiss tried to insinuate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of them.

While Twitter made these claims, it is pertinent to note that some of the accounts that were withheld or some content of the accounts were withheld by GoI orders include alleged journalist Rana Ayyub, pro-Khalistani author Aman Bali, pro-Khalistani activist Ravi Singh who is also the founder of Khalsa Aid and more. In these cases, the Indian government issued take-down notices because it affected national security and content that incited violence or terrorism within the country cannot be broadcast according to the laws of the land. 

Further, as mentioned earlier, Elon Musk has himself advocated for Twitter to follow the laws of India. In such a scenario, for Musk to not publicly disassociate from Bari Weiss shows that there are areas where nothing much has changed and Musk needs to do more with respect to his third largest market – India.

Kalaburgi Railway station building gets fresh ‘whitewash’ after locals complain green colour makes it look like a mosque

OpIndia Staff
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Kalaburgi Railway station building gets fresh ‘whitewash’ after locals complain green colour makes it look like a mosque

On Tuesday, a section of Kalaburgi railway station in Karnataka was painted white hours after locals, including members of a Hindu organization named Hindu Jagruti Sene, objected to the green colour paint put up on the walls of the railway station. The repainting on December 13 was done in the presence of police personnel.

According to the reports, the Kalaburagi station was recently painted green by the railway authorities. Several organisations and locals then complained that the railway station looked more like a mosque due to its green colour. The members also demanded that the government repaint it with some other colour. 

The members of the Hindu organization staged protests across the city against the railway authorities and demanded the removal of green paint from the walls of the station. Several Police officers were deployed at the spot as the members of the Hindu organization staged protests. As pressure mounted, the Kalaburgi railway authorities issued orders to remove the green colour and repaint the walls of the railway station with white colour.

Earlier, a similar incident happened in the Mysuru district of Karnataka. BJP MP Prathap Simha had alleged that a bus station in Mysuru which had three dome-like structures on it resembled a mosque. He demanded that the mosque-like structure be altered, failing which he said he would demolish it himself. Later on November 27, two of the three dome-like structures were removed by the authorities. Now the structure stands with just one dome-like structure on top.

European Parliament hit with a bribery scandal, members accused of lobbying for Qatar. Here is all you need to know

Dibakar Dutta
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European Parliament hit with a bribery scandal, members accused of lobbying for Qatar. Here is all you need to know

The European Parliament (EP), one of the several institutions of the European Union (EU), has been hit by allegations of corruption. Dubbed the ‘most egregious’ scandal in years, several sitting and ex-members of the EP have been accused of lobbying for Qatar.

The story unfolded on Friday (December 9) when the federal police in Belgium conducted raids in the capital city of Brussels. A total of 4 high-profile individuals were arrested by the police over charges of corruption, criminal organisation and money laundering.

Phones, computers and a whopping pile of €600,000 in cash (₹5.23 crores) were also recovered. By Sunday (December 11), the law enforcement authorities seized an additional €1,50,000 from the residence of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and arrested two more accused.

In a news release, the Belgian prosecutor’s office informed, “For several months, investigators from the Federal Judicial Police suspect a Gulf country of influencing the European Parliament’s (EP) economic and political decisions.”

It further added, “This is done so by paying large sums of money or offering large gifts to third parties with a significant political and/or strategic position within the European Parliament.” The investigation into the case has reportedly been underway for the past 4 months.

Although the initial statement did not name ‘names’, it soon came to light that the country in question was the FIFA World Cup host Qatar. Investigators are now probing whether the Gulf Nation engaged in ways that went beyond ‘classic lobbying.’

One of those arrested by the Belgian federal police included a Vice-President of the European Parliament named Eva Kaili. It must be mentioned that she is a native of Greece and was a member of the leading opposition party in the country, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

She was expelled by PASOK over allegations of corruption and lobbying for Qatar. Eva Kaili was a member of the second-largest party of the European Parliament, namely, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).

Following her arrest, she was also suspended by the party with immediate effect. The development was confirmed by S&D in a tweet on Saturday (December 10).

It must be mentioned that Eva Kaili served as one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. Known for her immense influence within the EP, she had been one of the vocal cheerleaders of the authoritarian regime in Qatar.

When Qatar was faced with criticism over its treatment of migrant workers in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022, Eva Kaili defended the Middle Eastern nation as the “frontrunner in labour rights.” She had also met Qatar’s Labour Minister Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri in October this year.

A month later, she claimed in the European Parliament that Qatar had undergone a ‘historical transformation’. She also extended support for visa liberalisation for residents of Qatar and Kuwait.

Reportedly, the Delegation for Relations With the Arab Peninsula (DARP) of the European Parliament was scheduled to visit Qatar before the commencement of the World Cup and take note of the tournament facilities and labour law changes.

However, the Shura Council (the consultative assembly of Qatar) asked DARP to postpone its plans. Eva Kaili went to Doha on her own accord and claimed to represent 500 million European citizens.

According to one Member of the European Parliament, Hannah Neumann, the reason Qatar ‘uninvited’ DARP members and instead Kaili was because she would be ‘less critical’ of the country’s affairs. She was reportedly caught with ‘bags of cash from Qatar.’

The other ‘players’ in the scandal

The Belgian federal police have also detained the partner of Kaili, Franceso Giorgi, who incidentally worked as an adviser on North Africa and the Middle East in the European Parliament.

Giorgi is also the founder of an NGO named ‘Fight Impunity’ whose members are also under the scanner in connection to the scandal. One of them included the President of the NGO, Pier Antonio Panzeri.

Interestingly, Panzeri served as a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP). His arrest on Friday (December 9) was soon followed by the arrest of his daughter and wife.

According to the German newspaper Politico, Panzeri’s arrest warrant mentioned that he “intervened politically with members working at the European Parliament for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco.”

Similarly, the office of the aide of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Belgium, Marie Arena, has also been sealed. “If Qatar is doing so, I know that others are doing exactly the same. And so we have to really prevent this kind of capacity to influence,” she said about the development.

She is also known for her close ties to the NGO of Kaili’s husband, Fight Impunity. Interestingly, the same NGO has ties with another NGO named ‘No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)’.

In fact, the founder of NPWJ, Emma Bonino, serves as an honorary board member of Fight Immunity. Coincidentally, both NGOs are registered at the same address in the capital city of Belgium.

Bonino had also served as a former Member of the European Parliament. Amidst the ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption and lobbying, the Director General of ‘No Peace Without Justice’ named Niccolò Figà-Talamanca was also detained.

Besides members connected to the two NGOs and the European Parliament, the secretary general of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Luca Visentini was also detained.

He was later released on Sunday (December 11) by the Belgian judicial authorities. ITUC has a history of not being critical of Qatar’s treatment of migrant labourers.

Coincidentally, Luca Visentini had earlier served as the chief of an organisation named the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the office of which in Brussels is also registered at the same address as the NGOs Fight Impunity and No Peace Without Justice.

Qatar dismisses allegations, European Parliament moves to undo the damage

The Gulf nation of Qatar has been under the scanner in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 over its treatment of women, migrant labourers and people identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Islamic country is now accused of using its riches to influence people, holding strategic positions of power in the European Parliament, changing diplomatic ties, and expediting energy deals.

Until recently, the EP was even deliberating on a proposal to grant visa-free travel to residents of Qatar to the Schengen Area (a set of 27 countries within Europe that allows for free movement for both EU and non-EU nationals).

In a statement on Sunday (December 11), a Qatari official said, “Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed. The State of Qatar works through institution-to-institution engagement and operates in full compliance with international laws and regulations.”

Despite the attempt of the Gulf nation to brush the matter under the carpet, the European Parliament is mulling measures to undo the damage caused to its reputation and integrity.

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) has urged the EP to halt the visa liberalisation process for Qatari citizens. Besides, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament had cancelled its upcoming trip to Qatar.

Reactions to the scandal

In a statement, the President of the European parliament Roberta Metsola informed, “Our European parliament stands firmly against corruption.”

She further emphasised, “At this stage, we cannot comment on any ongoing investigations except to confirm that we have & will cooperate fully with all relevant law enforcement & judicial authorities. We’ll do all we can to assist the course of justice.”

In the aftermath of the lobbying scandal, Metsola had reportedly suspended all powers of Eva Kaili as Vice-President of the EP. The other members are also likely to revoke her parliamentary immunity soon.

Danield Freund, a member of the European Parliament from the German Green party, dubbed the controversy as “most serious corruption scandal in Brussels in recent decades.”

“This is the most shocking integrity scandal in the history of the EU. It unveils the inadequacy of the EU ethics system applicable to its elected as well as the absence of any attempt at governing foreign influence lobbying,” transparency activist and Professor Alberto Alemanno told Politico.

Congress leader Raja Pateria, arrested over his ‘kill Modi to save constitution’ remark, says he followed Gandhi as he flashes victory sign

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader Raja Pateria, arrested over his ‘kill Modi to save constitution’ remark, says he followed Gandhi as he flashes victory sign

Raja Pateria, a former minister in Madhya Pradesh and leader of the Congress party, who was arrested on Tuesday for his “kill Modi” remark, appears to have no remorse for his despicable remark against the Prime Minister of India. In the latest pictures shared by the news agency ANI, the Congress leader was seen smiling and brandishing a victory symbol as he was escorted out of a court after his bail plea was rejected.

According to reports, Raja Pateria’s plea for bail was denied, and the Congress leader has been sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody.

However, instead of expressing any sort of regret, the Congress leader brazened it out by telling the media outside the court, “It’s a fight of ideology. I haven’t said those words. I’m a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.”

Meanwhile, following Raja Pateria’s remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh Congress on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice and gave him three days to file his reply explaining why he should not be expelled from the party. 

“On December 12, 2022, you used very objectionable and reprehensible words about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Congress meeting held in Panna district’s Pawai. This act of yours comes under the category of gross indiscipline. Therefore, you should explain within three days why you should not be expelled from the membership of the party,” the Congress letter to Raja Pateria stated. 

Congress leader arrested over his ‘kill Modi to save constitution’ remarks

Notably, the Congress leader was arrested from his residence in Hatta of Damoh district early this morning. The arrest came after State Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Monday ordered the filing of an FIR against the Congress leader. 

On Monday, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Pawai police station in Panna district against the Congress leader for making remarks against the Prime Minister. Pateria has been booked under sections 451, 504, 505 (1)(b), 505 (1)(C), 506, 153-B (1)(C) of the IPC.

On Sunday, Pateria, the former Madhya Pradesh minister, purportedly made the controversial remarks at a meeting of Mandalam Sector presidents organized by the District Congress Committee at Powai Rest House. 

In the video that went viral, Pateria could be heard saying that PM Modi will “end elections, divide people on the basis of religion, and Dalits face the biggest threat under his regime. You should be ready to carry out ‘Modi ki hatya’ if you want to save the Constitution…hatya (kill) in the sense of defeating him,” Pateria is heard saying. 

Agitated over his statement, the BJP leaders demanded Pateria’s immediate arrest and also sought the strictest probe into the matter. 

FCRA registrations of over 1800 organisations were cancelled between 2019 and 2021: Modi govt in Lok Sabha

ANI
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FCRA registrations of over 1800 organisations were cancelled between 2019 and 2021: Modi govt in Lok Sabha

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration certificates of 1,811 associations have been cancelled from 2019 to 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai shared the input in a written reply to a query from Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Ray.

“During the last three years from 2019 to 2021, the FCRA Registration Certificates of 1,811 associations have been cancelled under section 14 of The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010) due to violation of provisions of the FCRA, 2010,” the Minister mentioned in the reply.

Whenever any inputs pertaining to the use of foreign contributions to spread terror activities are received by the MHA, Rai said appropriate action under the FCRA, 2010 and other extant laws and rules is taken.

Asked whether the FCRA licence cancellation caused a lack of funds for humanitarian assistance in the country, the Minister said “No, Sir.”

The FCRA was enacted during the Emergency in 1976 amid apprehensions that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs by pumping money into the country through independent organisations. These concerns were, in fact, even older, they had been expressed in Parliament as early as 1969.

The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned “in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic”.

An amended FCRA was enacted under the UPA government in 2010 to “consolidate the law” on the utilisation of foreign funds, and “to prohibit” their use for “any activities detrimental to the national interest”.

The law was amended again by the current government in 2020, giving the government tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by NGOs.

Broadly, the FCRA requires every person or NGO seeking to receive foreign donations to be (i) registered under the Act, (ii) to open a bank account for the receipt of the foreign funds in the State Bank of India, Delhi, and (iii) to utilise those funds only for the purpose for which they have been received and as stipulated in the Act.

They are also required to file annual returns, and they must not transfer the funds to another NGO. 

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

Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Raj Kundra, Sherlyn Chopra, and Poonam Pandey in porn film case

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Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Raj Kundra, Sherlyn Chopra, and Poonam Pandey in porn film case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to businessman and Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra, models Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey, and one Umesh Kamat in a case in which an FIR was filed against them for creating obscene content and showing it on OTT platforms.

A bench of Justice KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna said that all must cooperate and join the investigation as and when required. It asked all the accused to approach the concerned Mumbai trial court for regular bail. The Maharashtra police did not oppose the anticipatory bail pleas of the accused.

“Having heard the parties, we say that these are cases where the petitioners should be allowed anticipatory bail subject to conditions imposed by the trial court. In case they are required in the future case, they should fully cooperate. The trial court should necessarily incorporate this as a condition,” the apex court stated in its order.

The apex court initially questioned whether bail can be granted in a case like this. “What message will it send to society,” asked the court. We will protect you till you can go to the court for regular bail, said the bench.

Raj Kundra, Poonam Pandey, Sherlyn Chopra, and Umesh Kamat sought direction to quash obscenity proceedings against them. Maharashtra cyber police have filed a charge sheet against them in a case related to making pornographic content and circulating it on OTT platforms for financial consideration.

They have been charged with shooting obscene videos in two suburban five-star hotels, as per the Cyber Police’s charge sheet filed before a court.

Allegations against Kundra were for allegedly producing and distributing porn films using a subscriber-driven mobile app called ‘Hotshots’.

Kundra had claimed that there was no evidence of him being actively involved in the creation of the alleged content and that he was being falsely implicated.

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

Eye movement holds clues to how humans make decisions, new research finds

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Eye movement holds clues to how humans make decisions, new research finds

Eyes may really be the window to the soul–or, at least, how humans dart their eyes may reveal valuable information about how they make decisions, suggests new research led by scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The new findings, published in the journal Current Biology, offer researchers a rare opportunity in neuroscience: the chance to observe the inner workings of the human brain from the outside. Doctors could also potentially use the results to, one day; screen their patients for illnesses like depression or Parkinson’s Disease.

“Eye movements are incredibly interesting to study,” said Colin Korbisch, a doctoral student in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at CU Boulder and lead author of the study. “Unlike your arms or legs, the speed of eye movements is almost totally involuntary. It’s a much more direct measurement of these unconscious processes happening in your brain.”

He and his colleagues, including researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, published their findings in November in the journal Current Biology.

In the study, the team asked 22 human subjects to walk on a treadmill and then choose between different settings displayed on a computer screen: a brief walk up a steep grade or a longer walk on flat ground.

Researchers discovered that the subjects’ eyes gave them away: Even before they made their choices, the treadmill users tended to move their eyes faster when they looked toward the options they ended up choosing. The more vigorously their eyes moved, the more they seemed to prefer their choice.

“We discovered an accessible measurement that will tell you, in only a few seconds, not just what you prefer but how much you prefer it,” said Alaa Ahmed, senior author of the study and associate professor of mechanical engineering at CU Boulder.

Shifty eyes

Ahmed explained that how or why humans make choices (Tea or coffee? Dogs or cats?) is notoriously difficult to study. Researchers don’t have many tools that will easily allow them to peer inside the brain. Ahmed, however, believes that our eyes could provide a glimpse into some of our thought processes. She’s particularly interested in a type of movement known as a “saccade.”

“The primary way our eyes move is through saccades,” Ahmed said. “That’s when your eyes quickly jump from one fixation point to another.”

Quickly is the key word: Saccades usually take just a few dozen milliseconds to complete, making them faster than an average blink.

To find out if these darting motions give clues about how humans come to decisions, Ahmed and her colleagues decided to hit the gym.

In the new study, the team set up a treadmill on the CU Boulder campus. Study subjects exercised on various inclines for a period of time and then sat down in front of a monitor and a high-speed, camera-based device that tracked their eye movements.

While at the screen, they pondered a series of options, getting 4 seconds to pick between two choices represented by icons: Did they want to walk for 2 minutes at a 10% grade or for 6 minutes at a 4 per cent grade? Once done, they returned to the treadmill to feel the burn based on what they chose.

The team found that subjects’ eyes underwent a marathon of activity in just a short span of time. As they considered their options, the individuals flitted their eyes between the icons, first slowly and then faster.

“Initially, the saccades to either option were similarly vigorous,” Ahmed said. “Then, as time passed, that vigor increased and it increased even faster for the option they eventually chose.”

The researchers also discovered that people who made the hastiest decisions–the most impulsive members of the group, perhaps–also tended to move their eyes more vigorously. Once the subjects decided on their pick, their eyes slowed again.

“Real-time read-outs of this decision-making process typically require invasive electrodes placed into the brain. Having this more easily measured variable opens a lot of possibilities,” Korbisch said.

Diagnosing illness

Flicks of the eye could matter for a lot more than understanding how humans make decisions. Studies in monkeys, for example, have suggested that some of the same pathways in the brain that help primates pick between this or that may also break down in people with Parkinson’s–a neurological illness in which individuals experience tremors, difficulty moving and other issues.

“Slowed movements aren’t just a symptom of Parkinson’s but also appear in a lot of mental health disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia,” Ahmed said. “We think these eye movements could be something that medical professionals track as a diagnostic tool, a way to identify the progress of certain illnesses.”

Eyes, in other words, could be windows to a lot more than just the soul.

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

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