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Uttar Pradesh: Students protest against illegal construction of mosque at Udai Pratap College campus, police intervenes

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Students protest against illegal construction of mosque at Udai Pratap College campus, police intervenes

On November 9, the students of Udai Pratap College, Varanasi, sat in protest against the alleged illegal construction of a mosque inside the college campus. A group of students, under the leadership of student leaders Kush Singh and Abhishek Singh, closed the college campus gate and protested against the construction.

A police team from Shivpur Police Station reached the spot to alleviate the situation, but students did not pay heed to their request. Later, Varanasi Police Commissionerate’s Varuna Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Prabal Pratap Singh reached the college and persuaded the students to end the protest.

‘Construction material reach at night’, said students

The students informed the police that construction materials to build the mosque in place of a small mazar inside the campus reach at night in a tractor. The construction work used to take place at night. The students added that when they objected to the construction, those involved started assaulting them. The college administration also tried to stop the construction but could not succeed.

The students gave a memorandum to the police and alleged the construction was taking place to disturb communal harmony at the college campus. They urged the police and the city administration to take strict action against the illegal construction and bar unauthorized personnel from entering the campus.

OpIndia tried to reach out to Kush Singh and Abhishek Singh but could not connect. We also tried to reach out to the college administration and police but could not connect.

Elon Musk sells additional shares of Tesla worth $4 billion days after Twitter takeover

OpIndia Staff
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Elon Musk sells additional shares of Tesla worth $4 billion days after Twitter takeover

Billionaire and Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk has sold $3.95 billion in shares of the electric vehicle company, just days after completing his $44 billion purchase of Twitter Inc. According to filings published by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk released 19.5 million shares between Friday and Tuesday, bringing his net worth below $200 billion.

Notably, Musk with the latest sell-off has sold nearly $20 billion in Tesla shares this year. In April, the world’s richest man sold $8.4 billion in Tesla stock, followed by another $6.9 billion in August.

The tech giant previously stated on social media that “no further Tesla sales are planned” after April 28. Musk promised $46.5 billion in equity and debt financing for the Twitter deal, which covered the $44 billion deal and closing costs.

Banks such as Morgan Stanley and Bank of America provided $13 billion in debt financing, while Musk’s $33.5 billion equity commitment included a $4 billion stake in Twitter.

He reportedly raised $7.1 billion from equity investors such as Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

However, Musk still had to raise another $2-$3 billion to complete the financing, and the latest share sell-off could be a step in that direction.

Notably, Twitter is facing tough times as several major advertisers, including Volkswagen Group and the Danish brewing company Carlsberg Group, have suspended expenses on the platform since Musk took over.

Following Musk’s takeover, the company has told advertisers that its daily user growth has reached an “all-time high.” Twitter recently reported 237.8 million mDAUs and a 16.6% year-on-year increase in its second quarter.

Musk stated last week that Twitter’s revenue has plummeted due to activist groups putting undue pressure on its advertisers.

“Twitter has experienced a massive drop in revenue as a result of activist groups pressuring advertisers, despite the fact that nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists,” Musk tweeted.

Recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended his decision to lay off Twitter employees, claiming that the microblogging platform was losing more than $4 million per day. “Regarding Twitter’s force reduction, there is no choice when the company is losing over USD 4M per day.” “Everyone exited was offered three months of severance, which is 50% more than is legally required,” he tweeted.

On November 5, Twitter started rolling out Twitter Blue at the rate of $8. Initially, the feature is available only for iOS users from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. On the app’s page on Apple App Store, the new version 9.34.3 was released on Saturday, last week.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s stock price has dropped by more than 50% since the beginning of the year. Tesla is also reportedly recalling nearly 40,000 vehicles in the United States due to a potential power-steering issue.

UK Court clears extradition of fugitive Nirav Modi to India, rejects his appeal

OpIndia Staff
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UK Court clears extradition of fugitive Nirav Modi to India, rejects his appeal

In a big victory for the Indian government, UK High Court has ordered the extradition of fugitive Nirav Modi to India. The High Court rejected diamond merchant Nirav Modi’s petition against his extradition, paving the way to bring him back to India. A bench of Lord Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith and Justice Robert Jay delivered the verdict. Nirav Modi is wanted in India for the $2 billion in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam case.

The High Court had reserved its judgement last month after hearing the arguments. In his argument Nirav Modi had claimed that his depression would worsen if he is sent to the “hostile environment of India”. He had said that politicians have demonised him by prejudging his guilt, and the public and the press also have already declared him guilty.

Modi had also alleged that the condition of jails in India is not good, the same argument used by Vijay Mallya in his extradition case. However, the court had already indicated that the appeal may be rejected, as Justice Robert Jay had said that India is a “friendly foreign power and we have to honour our treaty obligations”.

The court had also said that it will consider the assurances given by the Indian government, rejecting 51-year-old Nirav Modi’s claim that the assurances are not good enough. The Indian government in its argument in the court had given detailed assurances on a fair trial that Modi will face in the country. The govt has also assured daily visit by lawyers and his health check-up and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical team including private doctors.

Nirav Modi is currently lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-east London, and he had approached the High Court challenging the order of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in February this year ordering his extradition to India. He was allowed to appeal the judgement on two grounds, under Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to hear arguments if it would “unjust or oppressive” to extradite him due to his mental state, and Section 91 of the Extradition Act 2003 of the UK, which is related to mental ill health.

Nirav Modi faces a CBI case in India for the large scale fraud done on Punjab National Bank using fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs), and he also faces an ED case for laundering of money obtained through that fraud.

Babri demolition: Allahabad HC dismisses plea filed against Lucknow Court’s order acquitting LK Advani and others

OpIndia Staff
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Babri demolition: Allahabad HC dismisses plea filed against Lucknow Court’s order acquitting LK Advani and others

On Tuesday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a criminal plea filed against the order of the Special CBI Court in Lucknow, which had acquitted 32 people accused of criminal conspiracy to demolish the disputed structure of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. 

According to the reports, the bench led by Ramesh Sinha and Justice Saroj Yadav dismissed the petition after it reserved its judgment on October 31. The criminal plea challenged the Judgment of Special CBI Judge SK Yadav who had stated on September 30, 2020, that there was no conspiracy behind the demolition of the disputed structure.

The judge also then acquitted all 32 persons including prominent BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati, Kalyan Singh, etc in the case. The criminal plea dismissed today was filed by two residents of Ayodhya named Haji Mahmood Ahmad and Syed Akhlaq Ahmad. The duo claimed that they had witnessed the demolition of the disputed structure and that they were the victims of the incident.

The plea was filed in the year 2021 as a criminal revision plea. However, in July 2022, the counsel submitted that the plea was erroneously filed as a revision plea and they ought to have preferred a criminal plea.

The petitioners in the plea stated that the duo had not only witnessed the demolition but were also the victims of the incident. Syed Akhlaq Ahmad stated that his house was set ablaze and all his household assets were also burnt. “The appellants have not only suffered the loss of their historical place of worship known as Babri Masjid but have also suffered a great financial loss on account of the destruction of their houses which were not only damaged and looted by the offender and their collaborators but their houses were also put on fire and most of the belonging of their houses had also been destroyed on account of the arson and loot of their houses,” the criminal plea read.

The duo also alleged that the CBI investigating agency had adorned the role of defending the accused persons in the case. “The victims were left to accomplish the job of prosecution despite being victims having no means and help from anyone neither the State nor the Police nor the CBI,” the alleged victims had said.

In the 2000-page judgment, the court on September 30, 2020, had said that the demolition of the disputed structure was not a conspiracy and was not planned. Special Judge Yadav noted that LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi had tried to stop the mob from demolishing the structure. The court also stated that there was no criminal conspiracy behind the demolition of the disputed structure.

‘The murderer of 1984 is being hailed’: Sikh Kirtankar lashes out on organisers for inviting Kamal Nath to Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations

OpIndia Staff
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‘The murderer of 1984 is being hailed’: Sikh Kirtankar lashes out on organisers for inviting Kamal Nath to Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations

On the occasion of Prakash Utsav, or Guru Nanak Jayanti, an event was organised at the Khalsa College in Indore on November 8. Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath was one of the guests at the college. He was honoured by the administration by handing over the ‘saropa’ or the saffron cloth.

Sikh Kirtankar Bhai Manpreet Singh Kanpuri got angry at the administration for honouring Kamal Nath. Notably, Kamal Nath has been accused of playing a vital role in the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 that erupted following the murder of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her own bodyguards.

Kirtankar Bhai Manpreet Singh Kanpuri reprimanded the society’s secretary Jasbir Singh Gandhi in the presence of thousands of people. He said, “Shame on you, Gandhi. You glorified the one who destroyed the homes of thousands of Sikhs, who is guilty of the 1984 Sikh riots.” He added on whose behest thousands of Sikhs were murdered, shops were burnt, and the honour of mothers and sisters was taken away in 1984, and the Sikhs were respecting that person. He said, “I swear by Wahe Guru Gobind Singh that I will never come to Indore again.”

Manpreet Singh Kanpuri said it was wrong of the office bearers of the community to do politics at such an event. He said, “You people do not belong to the Sikh community as you are openly doing politics in front of Guru Sahib.” He added, “You people do not have any conscience. Our community is dead. Remember, you will suffer again. You people do not understand this.”

Meanwhile, Jasbir Singh Gandhi tried countering him and said, “If I am wrong, I will suffer. If you are wrong, you will suffer.” A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Gurusingh Sikh Sabha issued a clarification on the matter. President of the Gurusingh Sikh Sabha, Danveer Singh Chhabra, denied any ruckus. He said Kamal Nath arrived in the afternoon, and the Kirtan program got delayed for a few minutes, which irked Kirtankar Manpreet Singh.

He further added Manpreet Singh expressed displeasure over handing over saropa to Kamal Nath as it is given only to the people of the community. Kamal Nath was to be given a memento and not saropa. Furthermore, the views expressed by Manpreet Singh were his personal views, Danveer Singh said.

Kamal Nath was reportedly in Indore to take stock of the preparations for the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. During his presence in the city, he was invited to Khalsa College on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Soon after Manpreet Singh expressed his strong objection, Kamal Nath left the venue.

Manpreet Singh had supported the farmer protests

During the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed agriculture laws in 2020-21, Kirtankar Manpreet Singh Kanpuri had spoken in favour of the protests. He used to urge people to go and sit on protests with the agitators. He also visited the protest sites and organised Kirtan Sabhas.

Karnataka: Sunny Leone’s picture found on admit card of TET 2022 exam candidate, govt orders probe

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Sunny Leone’s picture found on admit card of TET 2022 exam candidate, govt orders probe

A candidate for Karnataka Teacher’s Eligibility test held on November 6 was left in shock after she found her admit card bearing the picture of Bollywood actor Sunny Leone in place of her original image.

The controversy assumed epic proportion after the admit card with Sunny Leone’s picture was shared on social media, where it instantly went viral, leaving people amused by the slip-up.

The incident came to light when the candidate furnished her admit card at Rudrappa College on the day of the TET 2022 examination. A complaint was subsequently filed at the Cyber Crime Police.

According to the police, the goof-up may have happened at the time of uploading the picture of the candidate while filling out and submitting the application online. The candidate revealed that she had not applied for the form on her own and had sought help from her husband’s friend in filling up the form.

A probe has been ordered into the incident by the education department after the screenshot of the admit card went viral on the internet.

Issuing a clarification, the education department said that candidates were informed about the procedure, which involved entering the information for filling out the application through a user-generated ID and password. The ID and password are exclusive to the candidate, and no one can make changes to them. The education department made it clear that the image change is not the department’s fault and that it has no role in generating the examination hall ticket.

“The department has no role in whatever media is reporting on this issue. Yet we have requested the police to investigate the matter and initiate action against those responsible for the incident,” the Public Instruction Department was quoted as saying by PTI.

Patra Chawl Land Scam: Special PMLA Court grants bail to MP Sanjay Raut, prosecution’s appeal for stay order rejected

OpIndia Staff
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Patra Chawl Land Scam: Special PMLA Court grants bail to MP Sanjay Raut, prosecution’s appeal for stay order rejected

On Wednesday, the PMLA Court in Mumbai granted bail to Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case pertaining to Rs 1034 crore Patra Chawl land scam. The bail was granted on a surety of Rs 2 lakh.

According to the reports, Raut who is a member of the Rajya Sabha and his co-accused identified as Pravin Raut were produced before the court today. During the hearing, the Additional Solicitor General requested a temporary stay of implementation of the bail decision so that the ED could file an appeal in a higher court against the order of Mumbai’s PMLA court.

“I am only asking for stay of a week. The court may grant a stay for 2-3 days also. We want to read order and procedure takes time”, the Additional Solicitor General was quoted. The Enforcement Directorate also said that it would move to the Bombay High Court against bail order of Sanjay Raut and Pravin Raut if stay was not given by the court. Sanjay Raut’s co-accused Pravin Raut has also been granted bail in the case.

As per the latest reports, the appeal by the prosecution for a stay on the bail order has been rejected.

The ED had earlier summoned the leader twice in the case failing which the officers conducted raids at his residence and questioned him in the case. As the leader failed to respond to the investigating team properly, the ED detained him for further questioning on July 31.

The case pertains to Patra Chawl in the Goregaon area of Mumbai. It is a plot of land belonging to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority popularly known as MHADA. There is a scam of about Rs 1034 crores. Properties worth 9 crore rupees of Sanjay Raut and Rs 2 crore of Raut’s wife Varsha have been seized in the case.

It is alleged that a real estate businessman named Pravin Raut, also co-accused in the case cheated people living in Patra Chawl. A construction company had got the job of constructing 3000 flats on this plot. Of these, 672 flats were to be given to those living here. The rest were to be given to MHADA, but in 2011, parts of this big plot were sold to other builders. Till now, the original residents of the chawl have not received the flats.

Notably, the crucial involvement of Pravin Raut and his company named Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited in the case appeared when the PMC Bank scam that surfaced in Maharashtra in 2020 was under investigation. It was then found that an amount of Rs 55 lakh was given to Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut from the bank account of the builder’s wife. It is alleged that Sanjay Raut had purchased a flat in Dadar using the same money. ED has now sealed that flat.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had earlier claimed that a false case had been prepared against him out of political vendetta. However, the ED denied the political vendetta charge and confirmed that the leader was completely involved in the money laundering case. “The role of Sanjay Raut’s proxy and confidant Pravin Raut has been comprehensively brought out in the supplementary charge sheet filed on September 15, 2022. In order to avoid trial Sanjay Raut has been operating behind the curtains and Pravin Raut being his front man,” the agency confirmed. The court will decide on the stay of the order of Sanjay Raut and Pravin Raut at 3 pm today.

‘I am intellectual but not anti-Indian or anti-Modi’: Shashi Tharoor after being denied a place on list of star campaigners for Gujarat and Himachal polls

OpIndia Staff
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‘I am intellectual but not anti-Indian or anti-Modi’: Shashi Tharoor after being denied a place on list of star campaigners for Gujarat and Himachal polls

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that he is an intellectual but not anti-Indian or anti-Modi. This reaction from the Thiruvananthapuram MP came after he was denied a place on the list of the star campaigners for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

After losing the race for Congress President, Shashi Tharoor was forced to take a back seat. First, Mallikarjun Kharge’s new body that replaced the Congress Working Committee (CWC) sidelined him. Then he was dropped off the list of top campaigners in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections.

According to a report by Aaj Tak, Shashi Tharoor said, “As an intellectual, I am not against India. I have no hatred for Modi. My opposition is limited to just a government. I will continue our fight against the BJP.”

Shashi Tharoor added, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed several schemes that were actually started by the Congress. Congress was not given credit even once by PM Modi for those schemes. The needs of the people are the top priority.”

About being dropped off from the list, he said, “I personally wanted to campaign for the party in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, but I was not included in the list of star campaigners by the party. The party probably doesn’t need my service there. Anyway, if I go to an election state without becoming a star campaigner, then action can be taken by the Election Commission. Money can be deducted from the expenses of the candidate.”

Mallikarjun Kharge has formed another committee in place of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). 47 members have been given a place on this committee. It includes Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi among the Gandhi family members, and other family loyalists like Dr. Manmohan Singh, AK Antony, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Anand Sharma, Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken, Digvijay Singh, Ambika Soni, and Harish Rawat.

Mallikarjun Kharge won the election for Congress President by a significant margin against Shashi Tharoor. Kharge received 7897 votes in the poll, whereas Shashi Tharoor had to settle with 1072. The important point is that after 24 years, Congress finally received a non-Gandhi president with that win.

Mumbai: Comedian Vir Das and Netflix booked for copyrights violation, Producer Ashvin Gidwani says they stole jokes from an old show

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai: Comedian Vir Das and Netflix booked for copyrights violation, Producer Ashvin Gidwani says they stole jokes from an old show

On Tuesday (November 8), Mumbai Police informed that it has registered an FIR based on a producer’s complaint, accusing stand-up comedian Vir Das, two other persons, and online streaming platform Netflix of infringing copyright laws in their show ‘For India’.

In his police complaint, prominent theatre producer Ashvin Gidwani has stated that his company and Vir Das signed a contract for the production of a show in October 2010.

When Gidwani saw a Netflix trailer for a new Vir Das show in January 2020, the producer allegedly noticed that certain footage had allegedly been lifted from the past programme (from 2010) with a few changes, according to a representative from Cuffe Parade police station.

Gidwani has mentioned that Vir Das had an agreement with him for a show named ‘History of India Virtten’. Das had written the script, directed and had agreed to act in it. It was eventually developed and was performed before an audience at Mumbai’s St Andrews Auditorium on September 14, 2011. The show was popular and was performed across India several times, as per Gidwani

According to the official, on November 4, a case was filed under the relevant provisions of the Copyright Act against Vir Das, two more people, and Netflix based on Gidwani’s allegation. He also stated that the matter is being investigated, but no arrests have been made so far.

Notably, a show by Vir Das was allegedly cancelled on Monday after the “Hindu Janajagruti Samiti” complained to Bengaluru police that it would hurt Hindus’ religious sentiments and reflect a negative image of India. 

‘Comedian’ Vir Das has been in the news many a time in the past over his controversial statements and tweets. On November 16, 2021, Vir Das shared a YouTube video in which he went on a rant against India at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

Das peddled anti-India propaganda in a 7-minute monologue disguised as comedy. He discussed politics, religion, and nationality while instilling fear that India, once built by great men, would soon become a distant memory. Vir Das’s anti-Hindu and anti-India rant had back then sparked massive outrage which compelled him to issue a clarification. Das clarified that he did not mean to insult the country and that his intention was to serve as a reminder that the country, despite its issues was “great.” Notably, Vir Das already has several cases filed against him over the controversial stand-up act.

After Ganesh Chaturthi at Hubli Idgah Maidan, AIMIM wants Tipu Jayanti and Hindu groups want Holi on the renamed Rani Chennamma Maidan

OpIndia Staff
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After Ganesh Chaturthi at Hubli Idgah Maidan, AIMIM wants Tipu Jayanti and Hindu groups want Holi on the renamed Rani Chennamma Maidan

After Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated at the Hubli Idgah in Karnataka earlier this year, now two organizations have submitted a memorandum to the municipal officer seeking permission to celebrate Holi and Onake Obavva Jayanti by installing a statue of Kamdev at the Eidgah ground. A day earlier, the AIMIM had sought permission to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti on the same ground. Earlier, the matter of the Idgah Maidan had gone to the Supreme Court in connection with consent to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi there. The Supreme Court had then permitted to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at this place, and the Hindu festival was celebrated on the ground starting from the last week of August.

Following the SC’s approval to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at the Hubli Idgah ground, Dalit organizations and AIMIM submitted memorandums to corporation authorities seeking permission to celebrate Tipu Jayanti there on November 10. Sri Ram Sena has also submitted a memorandum seeking permission to celebrate Kanakadasa Jayanti on this ground.

After that, two Hindu organisations approached the authorities seeking permission to celebrate Holi on the ground. They also want to install a statue of Kamdev at the venue for the occasion.

Mayor Viresh Anchatagiri said, “Religious activities can be done at the Idgah ground but no big leader will be allowed.” Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra said, “This is a matter concerned to the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation and the mayor and the Karnataka chief minister will look into it.”

In the meanwhile, the ground is being renamed Rani Chennamma Maidan, after Rani Chennamma, the queen of Kittur who led an armed rebellion against the East India Company in 1824. Reportedly, Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) Mayor Viresh Anchatgeri has issued an order to rename the ground. Right Wing organisations were demanding for the Idgah Ground to be named as Rani Chennamma Maidan for a long time.

Mayor Viresh Anchatgeri said that the decision was taken in the general body meeting as it is HDMC property, and the ground didn’t have any official name.

In August, the Karnataka High Court upheld the Dharwad Municipal Commissioner’s order allowing the Ganesh Chaturthi festival to be held at Idgah grounds in the city. Dismissing the petition filed by Anjuman-e-Islam, the order had said the land was the property of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Commission and they can allot the land to whomsoever they want. Later this issue reached the Supreme Court. With the Supreme Court’s nod, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival was celebrated on the ground. This was the first time when a Hindu festival was celebrated there.

The Hubli Idgah ground has been the subject of a contentious legal battle for many years. In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the Hubli-Dharawad Municipal Corporation is the sole owner of the ground. The land was given to the Islamic group Anjuman-e-Islam in 1921 on a 999-year lease so that they might do prayers there. Following independence, several shops were established there. This was contested in court, and a protracted legal battle ensued that came to an end in 2010 with the ruling of the Supreme Court. The apex court had given permission for twice-yearly prayers and for no permanent structures to be erected on the land.

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