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The ‘absolute’ State of the Union: President Joe Biden confuses Ukrainians with Iranians during his speech

OpIndia Staff
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The ‘absolute’ State of the Union: President Joe Biden confuses Ukrainians with Iranians during his speech

On March 1 (local time), Joe Biden, President of the United States, appeared to have confused Ukrainian people with Iranian people during his State of the Union speech. He said, “Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he’ll never gain the hearts and souls of the Iranian people.” White House website specifically mentioned the transcript of the speech ‘As Prepared for Delivery’ where ‘Ukrainian’ was mentioned instead of ‘Iranian’.

Daniel Chaitin, Deputy News Editor, Washington Examiner, also pointed out the fact that after the gaffe made by the President, the White House used ‘Prepared for delivery’ instead of ‘as delivered’ with the transcript of the speech.

The video of the blunder made by the US President has gone viral on social media and is being widely shared. Thomas Massie, the Republican Congressman, wrote several phrases in a tweet thread that had confused the audience during Biden’s speech. He asked, “Does anyone speak Biden? Can you translate these?”

Some Twitter users shared videos highlighting VP Kamala Harris muttering ‘Ukrainian’ when Biden mistakenly said ‘Iranian’.

It is noteworthy President’s “mental sharpness” and overall health has raised several questions in the past. According to a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News, 54 per cent of Americans think President Biden does not have the “mental sharpness it takes to serve effectively as president”. The poll suggested 59 per cent of Americans do not see Biden as a strong leader.

The US President has made multiple errors in the past that has put his health in question. So much so, in December 2018, he had called himself a “gaffe machine”.

In August 2021, he confused facts about his late son during an interview and claimed Beau had served in the Navy in Afghanistan. In October 2021, there were rumours floating in Rome that US President Joe Biden had a “bathroom accident” during his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. In February 2021, he casually dropped N-word during Munich Security Conference.

Mumbai: BMC plans to chop off 2000 mangrove trees to build bridges, while Aarey Metro car shed project is still stuck

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Mumbai: BMC plans to chop off 2000 mangrove trees to build bridges, while Aarey Metro car shed project is still stuck

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has planned to chop off nearly 2000 mangrove trees to make way for bridges in the Andheri and Malad region, as per a report in The Indian Express.

The report states that an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for six bridges that have been planned by the BMC has been submitted to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA). Recently, the MCZMA had cleared a proposal for one bridge that will require 48 trees to be cut. The Coastal Regulation Zone approval for 5 other bridges is pending.

The Indian Express report further states that the construction of all 6 bridges will be in the sensitive CRZ areas and over 1966 mangrove trees will have to be cut for the construction work. A patch of mangrove forest spread over 6.35 hectares will be impacted by the construction.

The BMC’s proposal was reportedly tabled before the MCZMA’s 157th meeting for consideration. The MCZMA reportedly asked the BMC to carry out the EIA for all the six planned bridges individually and asked to study the socio-economic impact of the structures on local fishermen by taking the consultation of the local communities.

The 6 bridges that are planned by the BMC are as follows, Madh to Versova Creek between Andheri and Malad, Marve to Manori in Malad, a bridge on Ramachandra Nullah in Evershine Nagar in Malad, Lagoon Road to Infinity Mall in Malad, Oshiwara River to Malad Creek, a bridge on Marve Road in Dharivali village.

The BMC had in 2021 appointed a consultant for the environmental impact study for the six planned bridges. As of now, the MCZMA had cleared only the proposed bridge on Ramachandra Nullah in Evershine Nagar. It had asked the BMC to get the clearance from the Bombay High Court for Mangrove cutting, promise five times afforestation and get due clearances from the forest department.

A report in the Hindustan Times on March 1 stated that the MCZMA has asked the BMC to seek alternate alignments for the proposed bridge network, adding that the current proposals will have a considerable negative impact on the mangroves.

These 6 bridges, along with another proposed bridge by the MMRDA connecting Borivali to Gorai, will eat up nearly 29.6 acres of mangroves, HT had reported earlier.

Aarey Metro car shed project is stuck

It is notable here that while the BMC and the Maharashtra government have no qualms about cutting trees and harming the mangrove forests that are crucial to the city, the Aarey Metro car shed project is stuck after the MVA government came to power. Despite all due clearances, and a Supreme Court order, the MVA government halted the project soon after coming to power, riding over a wave of activism that launched Aaditya Thackeray’s career as a politician.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led govt, in a vindictive order, had declared the Aarey area where the metro car shed was planned as ‘forest land’ and had shifted the facility to government land in Kanjurmarg. 

Even though the metro project will substantially improve the environment by removing lakhs of fossil fuel-guzzling vehicles from the roads, the project was opposed due to political reasons. The decision to shift the metro car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg will now increase the project’s cost by at least Rs 4,000 crore, which was estimated by a committee appointed by the current government. Further, the project will also be delayed by several years due to ongoing litigation and the condition of the new site.

A month after extreme activism by Shiv Sena to impress its coalition parties – Congress and NCP, Sena had exposed its hypocrisy by ordering the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to chop down 1,000 trees for a Bal Thackeray memorial in Priyadarshini Park.

In January 2020, a committee set up by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in December had recommended lifting the stay on construction of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 car shed at Aarey Milk Colony. Reportedly, the committee has said that shifting the car shed site from Aarey would not be viable. 

Student pursuing MBBS in Ukraine turns out to be Gram Pradhan of UP, Panchayat Raj issues notice: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Student pursuing MBBS in Ukraine turns out to be Gram Pradhan of UP, Panchayat Raj issues notice: Details

The Russian-Ukraine conflict has jeopardised Gram Pradhan’s seat in Uttar Pradesh. A video of Vaishali Yadav, who was elected Gram Pradhan last year, had surfaced on February 24 when Russia announced military action against Ukraine. Yadav is currently pursuing MBBS from Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University had appealed to the Government of India to rescue the students stuck in Ukraine.

Reports suggest that the villagers were not aware that Yadav had returned to Ukraine after being elected as Gram Pradhan, and the information has irked them. Panchayati Raj has reportedly issued a notice to Yadav seeking an explanation why she moved back to Ukraine after getting elected as Gram Pradhan.

It appears that in the last year, while Yadav was in Ukraine, the work in her village continued, and some funds were utilised. As per a report in News18, Panchayati Raj would conduct an investigation on the funds utilised by Gram Panchayat in her absence.

‘I chose Ukraine as its degree is accepted across EU’

Speaking to Times of India, 24-years-old Vaishali said she chose Ukraine for MBBS as its degree is acceptable across European Union. She said, “I never thought that I would get stuck here in the crossfire. I have only chosen Ukraine because its degree is accepted for practice anywhere in the EU. I only want a flight back home now.”

Attending meetings via video calls

In December 2021, Amar Ujala had reported ‘praising’ Vaishali for attending Gram Panchayat meetings via video calls. The report suggested Yadav wanted to develop her village Tera Pursali on the lines of villages in Ukraine. Vaishali, who had done her schooling from Hardoi district and Lucknow, has been pursuing MBBS in Ukraine for the last three years.

Last year, she expressed her desire to contest Gram Panchayat elections to her father and former Block President Mahendra Singh Yadav. The report further suggested initially, her father did not agree as she had to return to Ukraine to complete her studies, but she ‘insisted’ she could attend Gram Panchayat meetings via video conferencing and continue her studies in Ukraine.

Though Amar Ujala’s report suggested she wanted to come back after completing her studies and work for the betterment of her village, the TOI report suggested she selected Ukraine as its degree is acceptable in European Union.

OpIndia tried to reach out to the Panchayati Raj District head and Arwal Police Station but could not connect.

‘Son could not get a medical seat due to caste-based reservations, donation’: Shekarappa, father of Naveen, Indian student killed in Ukraine

OpIndia Staff
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‘Son could not get a medical seat due to caste-based reservations, donation’: Shekarappa, father of Naveen, Indian student killed in Ukraine

Shekarappa, the father of deceased Naveen – the Indian student who died in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, said that his son could not get a medical seat even after scoring 97 per cent in his MBBS entrance in India, prompting him to go abroad to pursue his education in Ukraine. Shekharappa, a retired mechanical engineer, regretted that the caste-based reservation and the menace of donations have pushed intelligent and meritorious students out of the country. 

“For MBBS In India, donations are very bad. Due to this, intelligent students are going abroad as they have to spend crores in India. Seats here are being allotted based on caste-based reservations and not on merit,” said Shekharappa, who lost his son in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine clashes. 

The father of the deceased Indian student said that his son could not secure a medical seat despite scoring 97% in PUC. “It became inevitable for us to send him to Ukraine for studies. But we lost him,” he added. 

Naveen, a fourth-year MBBS student who died in a shelling incident in Kharkiv, was a native of Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district. 

Gangadhar Gyanagoudar, a relative, recalled that Naveen was a bright student from the beginning, but his family could not afford the cost of medical education in India. So he was sent to study medicine in Ukraine. Speaking to the media, Shekharappa urged the Indian government to end the menace of donations and caste-based reservations to enable meritorious students to pursue their education in the country itself. He also urged the government to make all efforts to bring his son’s mortal remains to India. 

Naveen died in shelling at Kharkiv

Naveen Shekharappa, the 21-year-old MBBS student in Kharkiv, lost his life on March 1 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, when he was out of the shelter to buy something from a nearby store. 

The final year medical student from Karnataka’s Haveri died when Russian soldiers blew up a government building on Tuesday.

According to the TV9 report, Naveen was standing in a line for food outside Governor’s house city hall. A Russian individual grabbed the phone found near the body and took it to Indians, which helped identify Naveen. The mortal remains have been shifted to the local morgue. Around 3000-4000 Indian students are stuck in Kharkiv.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed the death and tweeted, “With profound sorrow, we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family.”

Priyanka Chaturvedi targets the Indian Embassy in Poland over a video of a student stuck in Kyiv, Netizens give her a lesson in geography

OpIndia Staff
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Priyanka Chaturvedi targets the Indian Embassy in Poland over a video of a student stuck in Kyiv, Netizens give her a lesson in geography

Despite being snubbed by Poland’s Ambassador to India, Adam Burakowski, for propagating false information, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Tuesday, sent out another tweet to attack Indian Embassy in Poland. However, in her haste to do so, she landed up making a mockery of herself as she went on to share the plight of a student stranded in Kyiv instead of Poland.

On March 1, 2022, the Shiv Sena MP used Twitter to re-post a clip from the news agency NDTV in order to once again vilify the Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland. She captioned her Tweet as, “Hello @IndiainPoland another fake news for you to RT”.

The student speaking in the video shared by NDTV was Shreya, a trapped Indian in Kyiv. Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was undoubtedly so outraged by yesterday’s humiliation, that she directed it at Indian Embassy in Poland, despite the NDTV Tweet clearly mentioning that the student was in Kyiv.

This is undoubtedly erroneous as Kyiv is the capital city of Ukraine and the Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland may only assist Indian people stranded in Poland’s border areas or seeking entry into the country. They can’t aid students stuck in Ukraine, no matter how hard they try, until they fly to the country’s borders. A fundamental understanding that the Shiv Sena MP should perhaps brush up on before sending out such erroneous tweets that simply serve to embarrass her.

Priyanka Chaturvedi’s effort to mock the Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland boomeranged at her. Netizens used the opportunity to give some geography lessons to the Shiv Sena MP.

Many social media users highlighted that Kyiv was in Ukraine and that Priyanka was harassing the Indian embassy in Poland.

Another social media user said people like Priyanka Chaturvedi should be barred from tweeting in such crucial times. The user further said that she is clueless about diplomacy and has zero understanding of geopolitics.

“I think she has a lack of knowledge in geography,” said another social media user.

Priyanka Chaturvedi embarrasses herself after making fallacious claims about Indians being stopped from entering Poland on Ukraine border

On February 28 too, the Shiv Sena MP had embarrassed herself after she claimed that Indians are not being allowed by Poland to enter from Ukraine’s border. Chaturvedi had tagged Poland’s Embassy in India and said entry to Poland was being denied to lots of Indian students. She further alleged those students who were allowed entry on Sunday were sent back.

No sooner she Tweeted, Adam Burakowski, Ambassador of Poland to India, refuted the claims and snubbed her for spreading fake news. Burakowski requested Chaturvedi to check her sources before posting anything on social media. He said the Polish government did not deny entry to anyone from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a popular social media user going by the handle @Scar3rd has claimed that the Poland government has complained to India of unprovoked harassment of the Polish Ambassador by an Indian Rajya Sabha MP.

India to operate buses on the Ukrainian side for Indians

As per the latest advisory by the Embassy of India in Poland, ten buses have started operating at Shehyni on the Ukraine side of the border.

The buses would take the Indian citizens to other border checkpoints for transit entry into Poland. The buses would drive through Krakowiec and Budomierz border checkpoints and drop students at the residential accommodation arranged by the Embassy at Rzeszow, Poland.

The aim is to reduce the crowding at Shehyni and provide Indian nationals safe environment. The buses are exclusively arranged for those who are stuck at the Shehyni border. The embassy has further urged the Indians lodged in Lviv to stay put and wait for the congestion at the Shehyni border to ease. The government of Poland had also earlier declared that Indian students will not be asked to produce visas.

Russia expelled from FIFA World Cup and UEFA after International Olympic Committee asked to ban athletes

OpIndia Staff
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Russia expelled from FIFA World Cup and UEFA after International Olympic Committee asked to ban athletes

Russia has been expelled from the 2022 FIFA World Cup and other football competitions as a reaction to its invasion of Ukraine.

In a joint statement with European football body UEFA, FIFA stated that Russian clubs and national teams had been banned from competitions “until further notice”.

The move came in the wake of a letter written by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), asking sports organisations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and sports officials from participating in any international events. The IOC said the move was needed to “protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants.”

The International Olympics Committee last week decided to withdraw the Olympic order from Russian President Vladimir Putin stating ‘the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past.’ The Geopolitical situation amidst the Ukraine-Russia tussle has caught the ire of the international sports community while many have asked to bar Russia from participating in sports competitions and leagues in the future.

Soon after IOC’s Executive meeting took place, the European football governing body confirmed that Russian players will be suspended from FIFA and UEFA. Earlier on Sunday, Football’s world governing body announced sanctions against Russia. Russian players were however allowed to compete under the name, ‘Football Union of Russia’ with no flag or anthem. With this move, pressure mounted over FIFA to remove Russia while Labour MP Chris Bryant from the UK labelled the body’s response a ‘shambles’.

After IOC’s meeting, the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA issued a statement saying, “‘Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.”

The bodies highlighted, “Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people,”

In 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency put a two-year ban on Russian athletes to compete in the Olympic events as a measure to punish the country for its state-sponsored doping program. Going beyond Football, IOC’s steps are going to affect individual Russian players participating in international leagues as well. Daniil Medvedev, the Russian tennis player who bagged world number one after defeating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the ATP 500 tournament might lose his position owing to IOC’s current move.

“By being a tennis player I want to promote peace all over the world, We play in so many different countries. I’ve been in so many different countries as a junior and as a pro. It’s just not easy to hear all this news. I’m all for peace,” said the 26-year-old player affected by IOC’s decision condemning the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Russian football team Spartak Moscow is also banned by the UEFA – European governing body on football to participate in the ongoing Champions League finale which was due to take place in St Petersburg on May 28, 2021. With the blanket ban on Russia by the European clout in International sports, cancel culture has concreted its way into sports, being dictated by geopolitical changes. Gone are the days, when calls of separating sports and politics were given; it looks like the politics of sports is here to dictate who plays and who doesn’t.

Telangana Congress president stokes north-south divide, claims CM KCR has Bihari DNA and relies on Bihari officers​

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana Congress president stokes north-south divide, claims CM KCR has Bihari DNA and relies on Bihari officers​

Taking a leaf out of Congress playbook of regional polarisation, Telangana Congress president A Revanth Reddy recently fanned ‘North-South’ divide in his attempt to rundown chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Reddy claimed that KCR had a Bihari DNA in him and is running the state with the help of Bihari officers like chief secretary Somesh Kumar and acting DGP Anjani Kumar.

The remarks were made in response to TRS’ decision to rope in poll strategist Prashant Kishor for the 2023 assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Insinuating that KCR is working against the interests of Telangana, Revanth said the CM, who used to rely on his welfare schemes to win him elections, is now seeking help of strategist from Bihar for acing the polls. 

“The ancestors of KCR belonged to Bihar, which he himself had admitted in an interview to a television channel in 2008 and that they had migrated to Telangana. KCR, who used to bank on his welfare schemes to win elections, is now taking the help of a political strategist from Bihar in Prashant Kishore,” Revanth said in an official statement released after a meeting held in Secunderabad to review the status of digital membership drive of the party.

Revanth cited the appointments of Somesh Kumar and Anjani Kumar, both of whom are from Bihar, to the post of chief secretary and acting DGP respectively, to back his claim that KCR is employing discriminatory measures against the people of Telangana.

“The top post in state administration, that of the chief secretary has been given to Somesh Kumar who is from Bihar and in charge director general of police Anjani Kumar is also from Bihar. Municipal administration principal secretary Arvind Kumar, Sandeep Kumar Sultania among others— all holding a major chunk of portfolios in the state administration are from Bihar. Our bureaucrats from Telangana like R S Praveen Kumar have been meted out a raw deal,” Revanth was quoted as saying by Times of India. 

Continuing his attempt to fuel ‘North-South’ discord, Revanth asked people whether they wanted Telangana state to be governed by a Bihar batch, calling upon the IAS and IPS officers from the state to give up their post and demonstrate to the world the “pourusham of Telangana.”

“You all know how the politics of Bihar is run on the strength of the sword. Violence mars elections. Women cannot venture out safely during night. You all know how bad law and order is in Bihar,” Revanth said, trying to insinuate the consequences of voting KCR back in power. 

The Congress playbook of stoking sub-nationalism and polarising the country on regional lines

It is worth noting that Revanth’s chauvinistic remarks came weeks after another Congress leader, Charanjit Singh Channi, made hateful remarks against people from UP, Bihar, while campaigning for assembly elections in Punjab. 

“The bhaiyas from UP, Bihar and Delhi come here to live and rule the state, we will not allow them to enter,” Channi said while addressing a public meeting. Notably, ‘Bhaiye’ in Punjabi is a pejorative reference for people of UP and Bihar. While Channi was promising to evict people from UP and Bihar, Priyanka Gandhi was standing by his side unflustered and instead, cheering the Punjab CM on his comments. 

Her brother, Rahul Gandhi, too has a storied history of stoking regional polarisation in a desperate bid to reverse his sagging political fortunes. In February 2021, the Gandhi scion on his visit to Kerala insulted the voters of Amethi, his former constituency from where he was defeated by BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019 General elections. 

Addressing the public in Trivandrum, Kerala, the senior Congress leader said that “people in Kerala are interested in issues and not just superficially but going into detail in issues”. One was left to wonder whether Rahul Gandhi was insinuating that the people in the North are not as serious and informed as the people of the South. 

Approximately a year before that, Rahul Gandhi attacked North Indian states claiming that they had emasculated Panchayati Raj. In April 2020, Rahul Gandhi had said that North Indian states are not empowering people as much as the South Indian states, because the North Indian states believe more in centralisation of power while South Indian states believe in ideas like Panchayati Raj.

More recently, in February 2022, Rahul Gandhi was accused of stoking sub-nationalism when he ignited a massive debate in the country by questioning the very idea of India as a ‘nation’. Speaking in the Parliament on the motion of thanks to President’s Address in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed that India was just a “union of states” and not as a nation.

Subramanian Swamy hurls abuses at PM Modi for “being neutral” while students are being rescued from a war that has nothing to do with India

OpIndia Staff
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Subramanian Swamy hurls abuses at PM Modi for “being neutral” while students are being rescued from a war that has nothing to do with India

Days after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy hurled abuses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ‘being neutral’ amidst the conflict in the Eastern European country.

In a tweet on Tuesday (March 1), Subramanian Swamy claimed, “Now that it is clear that what Russia has done in Ukraine violates BRICS Resolution in Delhi Declaration of last year.” He asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct Russia to stop its military offensive.

Screengrab of the tweet by Subramanian Swamy

“Will Modi have the guts to tell Putin to back off?” said the Parliamentarian displayed his ignorance. It must be mentioned that on February 24 (the day of invasion), PM Modi had called for an immediate cessation of violence in Ukraine during his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Keeping geopolitical concerns and the country’s interests in mind, India abstained from voting on the United Nations Security Council resolution that criticised Russia’s action against Ukraine. Despite this, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti made it clear that India was deeply disturbed by the turn of events in Ukraine.

“No solution can ever be arrived at at the cost of human lives. We are also deeply concerned about the welfare of the Indian community, including a large number of students, in Ukraine. The contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” he stated.

The career diplomat had added, “All members need to honour these principles and find a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling disputes. However, daunting it may appear at this moment,” TS Tirumurti told the United Nations.

Given that it is not ‘India’s war’, the government chose to stay balanced while being upfront in condemning hostilities carried out in Ukraine by Russia. Swamy, a vocal critic of the BJP government, held the belief that such a move displayed that the Modi government lacked guts.

Subramanian Swamy calls PM Modi a ‘political Hijda’

A Twitter user (@AndyKapur1) had emphasised, “No, he’s caught between a rock and a hard place, the best is to play neutral which he is doing.” Miffed by the response, Swamy resorted to using derogatory language against the transgender community.

In a bid to label the “Indian government’ as ‘incompetent’, Swamy dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘political Hijda.’ Swamy claimed, “A Prime Minister of 1.4 billion cultured people cannot be a political hijda.”

Screengrab of the tweet

Operation Ganga to the rescue

While Subramanian Swamy has been busy in mud slinging, the Indian government, under ‘Operation Ganga’, has moved a massive amount of personnel and resources to repatriate every stranded Indian from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian airspace was closed for civilian aircraft from Thursday (February 24) morning onwards. As such, the Indian embassy in Ukraine had to coordinate with the embassies of neighbouring countries in Poland, Romania and Hungary for the creation of safe evacuation channels.

Under ‘Operation Ganga’, Indians are first taken in batches from Ukraine to bordering countries (currently Hungary and Romania) via buses/commute arranged by the embassy. They are then airlifted to Delhi or Mumbai through chartered Air India flights.

On Saturday (February 26) evening, the first Air India flight carrying 219 Indian nationals reached the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai from Bucharest in Romania.

As of Tuesday (March 1), a total of 2012 Indians were evacuated via 9 chartered Air India flights under Operation Ganga. It must be mentioned that prior to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, Air India had evacuated 240 people from Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv on Tuesday (February 22). This puts the total number of Indian evacuees at 2252.

Congress protest near S Jaishankar’s house demanding safe evacuation of Indians as Indian Govt already brings back 2252, shifts 9000 out of Ukraine

OpIndia Staff
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Congress protest near S Jaishankar’s house demanding safe evacuation of Indians as Indian Govt already brings back 2252, shifts 9000 out of Ukraine

At the time when the Indian government is leaving no stone unturned to bring back its stranded nationals from the war-hit Ukraine, the Congress has yet again opted to use the catastrophe for playing petty politics. According to reports, on March 1, 2022 (Tuesday), the Indian Youth Congress members staged a protest near External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s residence here in Delhi, demanding the safe evacuation of Indian students stranded in war-torn Ukraine.

At a time when the entire nation should be standing together and supporting the government in its efforts to bring back the stranded nationals, the IYC workers decided to create a ruckus on the road leading to EAM S Jaishnkar’s residence. They burnt posters and shouted, “Modi Murdabad” (down with Modi) slogans.

However, the Congress workers were intercepted by the Delhi police on the Tughlaq road while they were marching towards the minister’s residence. Some of them were detained and sent to Mandir Marg police station.

The Congress’ protest comes at a time when several reports have suggested that India has already managed to bring almost 9000 students out of Ukraine while a considerable number are now in safer areas. “We will continue to make utmost efforts to ensure the return our citizens stranded in Ukraine,” a sources has been quoted by various media houses as saying.

Moreover, until March 1, 2022, over 2200 Indian national have safey been brought back to India from the war-torn Ukraine.

It may be noted that only today, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also reiterated that India is doing everything it takes to assure the safety of its people stuck in Ukraine. “We will not rest till our fellow Indians are safe. Ninth #OperationGanga flight departs Bucharest for New Delhi with 218 Indian nationals,” Tweeted the EAM.

Operation Ganga: Four Union Ministers to fly to neighbouring nations of Ukraine to coordinate evacuation of Indian students

At a media briefing on Monday, February 28, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that Union minister Hardeep Puri will travel to Hungary, Jyotiraditya Scindia will monitor the evacuation process in Romania and Moldova, Kiren Rijiju will visit Slovakia, and Gen. (retd) V K Singh will travel to Poland. “The special envoys will go to these countries to basically coordinate and oversee the evacuation process there on the ground,” he said. Bagchi said the “situation on the ground in terms of evacuation continues to be complex and fluid. Nevertheless, we have been able to accelerate our evaluation process clearly over the last 24 hour,” said Bagchi.

Government to rope in Air Force for Ukraine evacuation efforts

It may be noted that the government of India has decided to engage the Indian Air Force (IAF) as well as commercial flights to help nearly 20,000 Indian students, most studying medicine, who have been stuck in Ukraine.

The Indian government has started an evacuation operation named ‘Operation Ganga’ for the stranded Indian students. Several special flights have been running from Poland, Romania, and Hungary to bring the students home.

It must be mentioned that the Ukrainian airspace was closed for civilian aircraft from Thursday (February 24) morning onwards. As such, the Indian embassy in Ukraine had to coordinate with the embassies of neighbouring countries in Poland, Romania and Hungary for the creation of safe evacuation channels.

Under ‘Operation Ganga’, Indians were first taken in batches from Ukraine to bordering countries (currently Hungary and Romania) via buses/commute arranged by the embassy. They were then airlifted to Delhi or Mumbai through chartered Air India flights.

On Tuesday, March 1, an Air India Express flight carrying 182 Indian nationals evacuated from war-torn Ukraine landed in Mumbai from the Romanian capital Bucharest on Tuesday morning, an airline spokesperson said. Union MSME minister Narayan Rane received them at the Mumbai airport. This was the 7th flight carrying strandsed Indian back home from Ukraine.

Notably, until Monday, February 28, 2022, under Operation Ganga, a total of six evacuation flights had landed in India with 1396 nationals who were stranded in war-torn Ukraine after the Russian military offensive. It must be mentioned that prior to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, Air India had evacuated 240 people from Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv on Tuesday (February 22). This had put the total number of Indian evacuees until Feb 28 at 1636.

Today, another 182 Indian nationals reached Mumbai from war-torn Ukraine. The 8th and the 9th flights, carrying 216 and 218 Indians respectively are on their way back home, taking the total count of Indian evacuees until March 1 to 2252.

Moreover, more than 9000 have been brought out of the war-hit Ukraine and several others have been shifted to safer places.

Ateeq Shariff, admin of Facebook page ‘Mangalore Muslims’ booked for posting derogatory remarks against HC judge hearing hijab case

OpIndia Staff
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Ateeq Shariff, admin of Facebook page ‘Mangalore Muslims’ booked for posting derogatory remarks against HC judge hearing hijab case

On Tuesday, the Cyber Crime Division of the Bengaluru South division registered a case against Ateeq Shariff, the administrator of a Facebook page ‘Mangalore Muslims’ for posting derogatory messages against one of the three judges of the Karnataka High Court hearing the hijab case.

The case has been registered against Shariff and another associate for posting derogatory content on February 12 against one of the judges questioning his credentials and integrity. The case was registered by the Cyber Crime Division on its own.

According to the reports, the Police has said that the persons who have liked the post may also face penal action. The three-judge bench specially constituted to hear the hijab case comprises Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit.

The case is similar to the one in which Kannada actor Chetan Kumar Ahimsa had targeted Justice Krishna Dixit questioning his clarity. Taking to Twitter handle, Ahimsa on February 6 had retweeted his June 2020 post with a fresh comment on Justice Krishna Dixit.

“This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision. Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case. Now, this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools. Does he have the clarity required?”, his post read. The actor was arrested by the police and booked under 505(2) and 504 of the IPC.

Meanwhile, this is not the first case that has been registered against the Facebook page ‘Mangalore Muslims’. Earlier on February 23, the Mangaluru police had registered an FIR against admins for inciting hatred and violence by posting derogatory content about the 26-year-old Bajrang Dal leader Harsha. The Hindu leader was stabbed to death by Muslims on the streets of Karnataka’s Shivamogga.

The Facebook page had posted content defending Harsha’s murder and referred to him as a street dog. The page had claimed that Harsha was murdered for allegedly abusing Prophet Mohammed in the year 2015. It had also added that whoever insults the Prophet will meet the same fate.

Mangalore Muslims page has been accused of repeatedly posting provocative posts against Hindutva outfits and Hindu political leaders to spread hatred between Hindus and Muslims and provoke to indulge in violence.

The hijab controversy in Karnataka gained momentum in the first week of January after eight Muslim girls were denied entry to classes in a Udupi college because they were wearing hijab. The college authorities had informed that the hijab was not a part of the uniform dress code mandated for the students.

The Muslim girls, adamant about wearing hijab, then filed a petition in High Court seeking permission to attend classes with hijab. They stated that wearing the hijab was their ‘fundamental right’ granted under Articles 14 and 25 of the Indian Constitution and ‘integral practice of Islam’.

The controversy spiralled as Hindu students in Karnataka styled with saffron scarves around their necks, protested against Muslim girls continuing to wear Hijab to the college. Tensions also prevailed at some educational institutions in Udupi, Shivamogga, Bagalkote and other parts as incidents of stone-pelting and violence were reported from various parts of the state. The order of the hijab case is still pending in the High Court.

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