The Bank of India (BOI) has written to the Election Commission against the Congress candidate from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib seat, Ramanjeet Singh Sikki. The bank has stated that Sikki has defaulted on his loan worth Rs 6.35 crores. The bank has also notified the returning officer of Khadoor Saheb and the SDM of the Tarn Taran district regarding the same.
The letter by BOI to ECI
The BOI has written that Ramanjeet Singh Sikki had availed a loan worth 6.35 crores from the bank. Despite several visits by bank officials to his residence and subsequent follow-ups, Sikki has not paid back the amount and the outstanding amount with interest was declared NPA by the bank in December 2020.
The letter also mentions that the bank, after failing to get Sikki to pay back the loan, had filed a lawsuit against him in 2021.
The bank has written that Congress Party has declared Sikki as their MLA candidate from the Khadoor Sahib constituency. They have requested the Election Commission of India to not allow Sikki to file his nomination for the upcoming state assembly elections.
CEC forwards letter for further action, Congress MP’s brother to contest for the same seat
The CEC has forwarded the letter to the district election officer, the All India Congress Committee, and the Pradesh Congress Committee for further action. Tribune India has reported that the SDM has been asked to take appropriate action on the issue.
As per reports, Punjab Youth For Change leader Harbans Singh has stated that it has become common in Punjab to avail a bank loan and then not pay it back. He added that many farmers suffer crop loss and hence fail to pay back the loans. But Sikki is affluent, he should have paid the loan amount back. Singh added that the ECI should consider the request by BOI and stop Sikki’s nomination because it will send a strong message to loan defaulters.
In the latest development, disgruntled Congress MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa’s brother Harpinder Singh aka Ranajn Gill has announced that he will contest the elections for the Khadoor Sahib seat, despite the party naming Ramanjeet Sikki, a two-time MLA.
Though it is not yet clear whether Gill will contest as an independent candidate, there are some reports that he is in talks with the BJP. Sikki’s candidature may get rejected if the ECI prevents him from filing a nomination.
On January 30, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya slammed Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for his ‘wine is not liquor’ comment. He alleged Raut was saying so because his two daughters are partners with a wine company and have a significant investment in the business that would churn a profit of Rs 100 crore per annum for Raut’s family.
How & Why WINE Distributor
“Ashok Garg MAGPIE Group” gave Partnership to Sanjay Raut Family in 2021?
Sanjay Raut & Family has NO Experience, Knowledge, Education of Wine Business or any such Business?
Not contributed Single Paisa for this joint venture
While talking to the media, Somaiya said, “The decision taken by the Maharashtra government is to benefit the family of Sanjay Raut, which is in partnership with a wine company. Raut has a partnership in Maharashtra’s big industrialist Ashok Garg’s wine company named Magpie Global Limited. He has a big investment in this wine business, in which both daughters and wife of Sanjay Raut are in the position of director in the company. MADAK Global Private Limited was renamed Cloud Pie DFS Private Limited. His family gets a profit of about Rs 100 crores annually from Magpie Company.”
He further alleged the company is involved in wine distribution and Raut’s investment in the company is the reason he has been supporting the decision of the state government to allow the sale of wine in supermarkets and walk-in stores. He said, “This company has the business of wine distribution. Sanjay Raut is supporting the decision to sell wine in supermarkets due to the huge investment in the wine business. That’s why Sanjay Raut is not calling wine alcohol and is saying this decision will benefit the farmer.”
He also dared Raut to prove him wrong if the allegations levelled were false. “On April 16 2021, Sanjay Raut’s family had signed a contract with this company; his two daughters, Vidhita and Poorvishi, are directors in this company. If my allegations are false, then Sanjay Raut should prove me wrong,” he added.
Earlier, Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister, Maharashtra, had said the Maha Vikas Agadi govt (Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP) wanted to turn Maharashtra into “Madhya-radhtra” or a liquor state.
Supermarkets and walk-in stores to sell wine in Maharashtra
On January 27, the Maharashtra government had cleared a proposal that allowed the sale of wine in supermarkets and walk-in stores across the state. The premises owner has to pay an annual fee of Rs 5000 for the license. The government claimed it would provide more access to the marketing channels for Indian wineries.
As the controversy erupted after the decision, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed wine is not liquor. He said, “Wine is not liquor. If wine sale increases, farmers will benefit from it. We’ve done this to double farmers’ income.”
In a bid to counter the alleged China-sponsored, politically motivated, anti-India narratives in the island nation of Maldives, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is drafting a new bill to outlaw internal political movements that adversely impact foreign relations.
The ‘India Out’ campaign has gained momentum in the Maldives, following the release of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom from jail. He had accused India of interfering in the country’s internal politics and the incumbent Maldivian government of ‘colluding’ with India.
As such, incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his MDP will propose a new bill in the Parliament to stall the ‘India Out’ campaign. Solih has been a strong proponent of ‘India First’ foreign policy and his government sees that the nefarious anti-India campaign by the Opposition may hurt the bilateral relations between Maldives and India.
The proposed new law will attract a penalty of 20,000 Maldivian Rufiyaa, besides a jail term of 6 months or house arrest of 1 year for insinuating that the Maldives is under the military, economic or political control of another foreign nation.
Govt of Maldives has decided to criminalize the use of #IndiaOut slogan. According to a bill drafted by the ruling party, those who take part in the campaign can be jailed up to 6 months.
The Opposition has dubbed the drafted bill as an attack on the constitutional rights of the people. A spokesperson for the Progressive Congress Coalition, Heena Waleed alleged, “It’s a downright attack on the constitutional rights of the people. Their right to freedom of assembly and freedom for expression cannot be curtailed to protect the interests of a foreign power.”
The Background of ‘India Out’ controversy
The so-called ‘India Out’ campaign began in 2020 as on-ground protests, which later shifted to social media as a ‘hashtag campaign’. Besides the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), one of the frontrunners of this anti-India campaign has been a news outlet by the name of Dhiyares.
While speaking to The Indian Express, Dhiyares co-founder Shifxan Ahmed alleged, “We are just protesting military presence in the country. We are not calling for a violent clash against India or Indians in the Maldives.”
According to one research analyst, Dr Gulbin Sultana, the ‘India out’ campaign is led by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Sultana added that it is not a civil society movement anymore but rather a political movement.
Owing to the anti-India sentiments fuelled by the divisive campaign, Indian teachers had been at the receiving end of harassment from protestors. ‘India Out’ campaigners had targeted 2 Indian teachers on two different islands under the garb of protests. They were asked to leave the country.
The cases were confirmed by the Education Ministry of Maldives. “The ministry has also filed a case with the police since the Shaviyani Funadhoo School’s wall has been vandalized with spray paint, in a sign that reads India Out,” a report in The Edition stated. It must be mentioned that former President Yameen, who is behind the campaign, had been pro-China during his tenure between 2013 and 2018 as Maldivian President.
The Maldives is of strategic importance for both India and China, with the Communist regime trying to exert its influence in the Indian Ocean. To counter this, India has invested large sums of money in the island nation and has now become of the largest investors in the island nation. “Ultimately the Maldives does need assistance from India. It is not a very big power in the region and India is an important country,” informed research analyst Dr Gulbin Sultana.
Maldivian political parties extend support to India
One of the primary arguments behind the ‘India out’ movement is the alleged presence of Indian military forces in the island nation. While speaking on this matter, Chief of Staff at President’s Office Ali Zahir said that the presence of foreign military did not automatically imply foreign control over the Maldives. “Even our own military personnel are stationed in various countries abroad,” he added.
Besides the incumbent Maldivian government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, other political parties such as the Adhaalath Party has condemned the motivated campaign against India. “Adhaalath Party condemns the efforts undertaken by a political party to incite hatred in the people’s hearts towards neighbouring and global partners that are assisting in the growth and development of the country,” it said in a statement.
The largest Opposition party of Maldives, Jumhooree Party, stated, “The majority of the countries in the world have accepted this practice, on an international, regional and mutual level. It is a common political stunt by oppositions to imply such “unarmed” military personnel on official duties as the presence of foreign “military” in the country”.
On January 28, Congress Candidate from Baghapurana constituency, Moga, Punjab, Darshan Singh Brar promoted a Facebook Live session with an image of Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The live session was specifically for the residents of village Rode, where Bhindranwale was born. The image used in the poster had a caption, “Fourteenth chief of Damdami Taksal, singer of Gurbani, great warrior, Amar shaheed Sant Jarnail Sant Gyani Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindra Wale”, written in Punjabi.
Congress leader Darshan Singh Brar promoted Facebook Live with Bhindranwale’s photo.
Brar had refused to comment when Bhindranwale’s house was turned into Gurudwara
In 2007, the conversion of Bhindranwale’s ancestral house to a Gurudwara was started under the supervision of Damdami Taksal. It was named Gurudwara Sant Khalsa. At that time, Jasvir Singh Rode, nephew of Bhindranwale, had informed Indian Express that Bhindranwale’s photographs would be installed in the langar hall, library and an education institute in the Gurudwara.
When Brar was approached by IE for comment, he refused to say anything and claimed it was the internal matter of the residents of the village. According to the granthi of the Gurudwara, no one had opposed the construction.
Punjab Assembly Elections
Punjab will vote for the upcoming Assembly elections on February 20. The voting will be done in a single phase. The results will be announced on March 10 along with other states.
CM Yogi Adityanath had said recently that the state of UP is no longer known for the infamous Saifai festival, but it now hosts major cultural events like the Ayodhya Deepotsav and the Divya Kumbh. During the Samajwadi Party regime, the Saifai festival, organised annually at the Saifai village, the seat of the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan in Etawah district, had often made headlines, for the wrong reasons.
For a state struggling to provide the basic necessities like roads, power supply, jobs, road transport and food, the annual extravagance and festivities with the taxpayers’ money were seen as a vulgar display of power and family politics.
Akhilesh Yadav brought more film stars after ascending to the state power in 2012
In March 2012, Akhilesh Yadav became the chief minister of the state. Soon after that, the whole state machinery was deployed in the preparations of this festival scheduled in December 2012. This festival included the performance of popular artists like singer Kailash Kher and poet Munawwar Rana. Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma was accompanied by Pakistani comedian Irfan Ali Hasan. Singer Sapna Mukharji and dancer Shyamak Dawar were also the ones among the key attractions of the festival that year.
These performances were coupled with even bigger star performances like singing performances by Bollywood singer Shaan and dance numbers by Hrithik Roshan who was also felicitated and awarded after his performance. Not to forget, everything in this 14-day festival was paid for by the state. However, during Mayawati’s regime from 2007 to 2012, the glamour around the festival was somewhat reduced, maybe due to the lack of power.
Grandeour of the festival increased in 2013 despite Muzaffarnagar riots
In 2013, violent and brutal riots had happened in Muzaffarnagar. Relief camps were set for the victims of the riots. As the festival was scheduled in December, it was right in the middle of a cold wave. Children and kids were dying in those relief camps and the government along with its ministers and officials was busy organizing and enjoying the festival that included popular songs and dance numbers. NGOs and people from the relief camps in Shahpur village kept crying but none was listened to. Entertaining the party leaders and their grand family was far more important for the whole system rather than saving the riot victims who were shivering in cold. When people were seeking help to save their lives, ministers were busy responding to the jokes cracked by the star comedians.
When Mulayam Singh Yadav’s attention was drawn towards the fact, he dodged the question by terming it as a rumour. Mulayam Singh Yadav had then claimed that this was a move by the BJP to malign the image of the Samajwadi Party and its government in the state. Adding to this, the chief secretary of the state went on to make a controversial statement wherein he had said that nobody dies of cold.
The Saifai festival would be organized as an initiative to save the rural and folk culture and promote local art. But in reality, there was nothing folk or rural, instead, it catered typical Bollywood entertainment to the ministers and officers spending the government funds. There were Qawwali sessions, stand-up comedy performances, Bollywood dance, and singing shows. Rather than rural and folk artists, celebrities from the cinema were the key attractions of this festival. Besides, there used to be a cycle marathon, wrestling competition, and kids singing program.
As the festival advanced in the month of January 2014, so did increase the antisocial activities of the goon of the SP. There emerged a ruckus in the middle of the ongoing Saifai festival and the police slightly used the force to control the mob. But leave alone settling down, the public started beating the police back. This was the condition of law and order in Uttar Pradesh under Akhilesh Yadav.
तारीख़ – 10 जनवरी 2014,UP की कहानी मीडिया की ज़ुबानी,इसीलिए नई नहीं,वही सपा है !! pic.twitter.com/afhHeT9GbT
The police complained about this unexpected violent behaviour of the people to the CM but nothing happened as all of them belonged to the native village of the state’s ruler.
Hundreds of crores spent for Bollywood stars while UP lacked basic necessities
In 2014, around Rs.334 Cr was spent on this festival out of which Rs. 100 Cr was spent on the Bollywood night alone. Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit were also among the guests. At the other end of the state in Muzaffarnagar, victims of the riots staying in relief camps were dying in the cold.
Back in Saifai, Mulayam Singh Yadav was saying that there is nobody in the relief camps and everyone there had gone back to their homes. Arrangements of dining and accommodations were made for more than 1000 VVIP guests. More than 400 officers and other staff from the government were deployed for the organization of this festival.
It was the festival that witnessed more than 85 takeoffs and landings of helicopters in a matter of a few days. It took a total of 9 airplanes to bring the VVIPs and guests to this festival. This year Ranveer Singh and Mallika Sherawat were the main attractions.
The next edition of this festival was organized in December 2015. Mulayam Singh Yadav inaugurated the program. This was the 18th Saifai Festival which is organized in the memory of Ranveer Singh Yadav, nephew of Mulayam Singh Yadav. The festival had everything from Ghazal sessions to light and sound shows. Lisa Hayden, Ranveer Singh, and Hrithik Roshan were among the invitees while Boman Irani, Huma Quraishi, singer Arijit Singh, Parineeti Chopra, Jaqueline Fernandes, Sushant Singh, Vaani Kapoor, Richa Chadhdha, Lorin D’souza were the participating performers.
The festival added more glamour in 2016 when actresses like Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan took part in the performances along with Ranveer Singh. The Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan were offered a ‘Royal Feast’ by the government. Singer Ankit Tiwari performed at the festival. People had an opportunity to move steps onto the rhythm beats with Arjun Kapoor. Sonakshi Sinha and Mika Singh shared the stage for performances. Ranveer Singh took it a step further. He was seen falling flat on the feet of Mulayam Singh Yadav. It is notable that even in this festival, people threw away the chairs and made a ruckus with the police force on the spot.
Bollywood celebrities were ferried on chartered flights.
In fact, there were performances by artists like Javed Ali, Ali Abram, Karishma Tanna, Sunil Grover, Ashraf Ali, and Uday Singh Gouri. There was a ruckus and law and order issues at the festival in 2014. The police lathi-charged.
In 2017, the Yadav family was entangled in domestic disputes, and hence the festival was not organized. The same year, the state witnessed a change in the government and since then, the Saifai Mahotsav came to an abrupt stop.
The Saifai festival had started in 1997. Mulayam’s nephew Ranveer Singh Yadav used to be the main organizer of this festival who passed away in 2002. After his death, this festival is being organized in his memory every year. His son Tej Pratap Yadav now looks after the organizing part. He was elected as the MP from the Mainpuri constituency in 2014 at the age of 26. This Lok Sabha seat used to be the home ground for Mulayam Singh Yadav. Tej Pratap Yadav is married to Rajlakshmi Yadav who is the daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
A 25-year-old Dalit man was abducted and was made to drink urine in Churu district in Rajasthan on January 26. The cops have arrested two people as accused and an FIR has been filed against them.
Rajasthan | A Dalit man was allegedly abducted, beaten, & forced to drink urine by some men in Churu. Two people have been arrested& other accused will be arrested soon: Jagdish Prasad Bohra, Addl Superintendent of police, Churu
According to the Police, Rakesh Meghwal, a farm labourer from Rukhasar village in Churu district was attacked on Wednesday night by a group of men. Talking about the incident, Rajgarh Police circle officer Himanshu Sharma said, “On Saturday evening, we arrested two of the accused—Umesh and Birbal. We are investigating the role of the other accused. Some of them are absconding.”
In the FIR that was registered on Thursday, Meghwal has accused eight people of forcing him to drink urine. A dispute between Meghwal and the group of men had broken during Holi last year when the accused had insulted him with casteist slurs.
The FIR said the accused allegedly abused Meghwal using casteist slurs and said that the Dalits will be “would be taught a lesson” for having the “audacity” of getting into a confrontation with the Jat community.
It is reported by the Police that the victim has suffered several injuries on his back during the attack. The victim has alleged that on January 26 at around 11 PM, eight people abducted him from his house and forcibly took him in an SUV to a nearby field with an intention to kill him. According to the victim, after making him drink a bottle full of liquor, all the accused urinated in the bottle and made him drink it. What followed after the shameful incident was the brutal thrashing of Meghwal before leaving him in the village, presuming that he died. The attackers also took away his mobile phone.
The police have named Umesh, Rajesh, Tarachand, Rakesh, Birbal, Akshay, Dinesh and Bidadi Chand as accused in the FIR. The eight accused have been booked under IPC Sections of 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 365 (abduction), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt, or restraint), Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of atrocities) Act.
Among the 8 named in the FIR, Umesh and Birbal have been arrested. “On Saturday evening, we arrested two of the accused—Umesh and Birbal. We are investigating the role of the other accused. Some of them are absconding,” the police informed on Sunday.
Crimes against Dalits have skyrocketed during the Congress rule in Rajasthan from 2018. Be it the gang rape of a Dalit woman in Alwar in 2020 to Dalit man, Valmiki being thrashed by a Muslim mob in Jhalawar last year, the refusal from Congress in acknowledging the atrocities against Dalits has been astonishing.
The Congress party has decided to field Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi from two seats in the upcoming state assembly elections happening on February 20, 2022. On Sunday, While releasing a list of eight candidates fighting the elections on Congress ticket, the Congress party has announced the candidature of CM Channi from Bhadaur, a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes.
List of eight candidates released by the Congress, which includes the candidacy of Charanjit Singh Channi from Bhadaur, Barnala
Apart from his traditional home turf of Chamkaur Sahib, Charanjit Singh Channi is now set to contest elections from Bhadaur as well. In the first list of 86 candidates announced by the Punjab Congress, CM Charanjit Singh Channi was nominated from his current constituency Chamkaur Sahib, which is reserved for SCs.
Following is the announced list of 86 candidates by CEC, who will be contesting in the Punjab Legislative Assembly election 2022.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee sends their best wishes to them to win the people's mandate. pic.twitter.com/9HgJqyrrHr
It is said that with Bhadaur, a rural seat with a 35 per cent Dalit population, the Congress is sure of getting a comfortable majority with the projection of Channi as a Dalit face. Pirmal Singh, who had won the Bhadaur seat in the 2017 elections as an Aam Aadmi Party candidate, had recently drifted to the Congress with hope for a ticket from the same seat.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the Congress party had lost all three seats in the Barnala district – including Bhadaur. With the positioning of Channi as a candidate from Bhadaur, Congress hopes to revive its prospects in the district. Political analysts say that the move brightens Channi’s chance as a preferential Chief Ministerial candidate in the state.
In a similar move, the Congress party had earlier fielded Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and Waynad in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. The ex-Congress chief had lost the traditional turf of Gandhis to Smriti Irani at that time.
On Sunday (January 30), a Christian pastor was gunned down by miscreants in Madina Market in Peshawar city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The area falls within the jurisdiction of the Gulbahar police station.
As per reports, the victim was identified as one pastor William Siraj of All Saints Church. Besides, another priest named Reverend Patrick Naeem was critically injured in the gun attack.
According to the police, the pastors came under gunfire from unidentified assailants while they were travelling for personal work in a van on the Ring Road. While Siraj died on the spot, pastor Naeem was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital. He is said to be in a stable condition now.
Pakistani Christian priest William Siraj killed & priest Rev. Patrick Naeem wounded in gun attack in Peshawar today on Sunday. #Pakistanpic.twitter.com/rrud0Jq9SS
The hospital authorities informed that the dead body of pastor Siraj will be handed over to his family. Meanwhile, a large contingent of police has been deployed in the crime spot. The cops have launched a search operation to nab the accused.
The dastardly attack was condemned by several people on social media. President of Bishop Church of Pakistan, Azad Marshall, tweeted, “We strongly condemn the firing on clergy of Diocese of Peshawar and instant killing of Pastor William Siraj and injuring Rev Patrick Naeem earlier today. We demand justice and protection of Christians from the Government of Pakistan.”
Screengrab of the tweet by Bishop Azad Marshall
It must be mentioned that the pastors belonged to the All Saints Church of Peshawar, which has been operational since 1883. The Church came under a deadly terror attack in September 2013, leading to the death of over 75 people. The attack was orchestrated by two Islamist suicide bombers, belonging to the Pakistani Taliban. While taking responsibility for the attack, the Islamist outfit said that it was carried out to avenge US drone strikes in North-west tribal areas in Pakistan.
On Tuesday (January 25), political satirist Satish Acharya was slammed by Islamists for his ‘anti-Muslim’ cartoon on social media. His artwork was published in the backdrop of an ongoing controversy at a Udupi college where 6 Muslim girls were barred from attending classes for brandishing hijab over their uniform.
The cartoon by Satish Acharya depicted a ‘Muslim woman’ clad in a hijab (head scarf) and being caught in the middle of two groups. While one group directed the girl that she cannot attend college with a hijab, the other group told her ‘no college without hijab.’
Screengrab of the cartoon by Satish Acharya
Islamists slam satirist for suggesting Hijab can be ‘forced’
Although Acharya tried to ‘normalise’ wearing of religious attire atop school uniform, his insinuation that the hijab has been thrust upon the girls irked the Islamists on social media. They slammed him for deviating from the common Islamist narrative that the headscarf is a matter of choice for women.
In a tweet, popular ‘news grazer’ Zoya Rasul claimed, “Helpless, voiceless Muslim women being forced by brutal, aggressive Muslim men has been the most popular strand in anti-Muslim sentiments. This cartoon exhibits the same prejudice, cunningly discounting the brave and graceful fight these girls have been putting up for weeks now.”
Screengrab of the tweet
In another tweet, one Nihad said, “Hope you have heard the girls talk. They are not forced to wear hijab. Maybe you can draw a more accurate cartoon next time.”
Screengrab of the tweet
“This cartoon is misleading. No one is forced to wear hijab. But the hijab girls are being forced to miss school. Big difference,” wrote one Islamist.
Screengrab of the tweet
Another Islamist claimed, “Shame on you Satish. Wearing hijab is their choice. No one has forced them to wear this. Stop these biased things.”
Screengrab of the tweet
Another Islamist slammed Satish Acharya for his ‘disgusting’ cartoon. “So-called modern minds, who cannot accept ‘Muslim women exercising her right & willingly practising her religion. But always ready to impose their own false narratives. Pity on your mindset, which doesn’t allow you to accept Muslim women committed to her beliefs,” he added.
Screengrab of the tweet
One Mohsin Khan went on parrot the same Islamist argument that hijab, just like bikini, is a matter of choice. This is however in complete disregard to the fact that the college has a mandatory uniform for all students and did not encourage either religious symbolism or swimwear.
Screengrab of the tweet
“If a female wears a bikini, then, it’s her choice. And if she wears burkha or a hijab, then it’s forced. It just shows your prejudice. Nothing much,” he claimed.
Udupi hijab row: The background of the Case
The controversy began on January 1 this year when 6 female Muslim students of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi tried to enter their classes with a Hijab. The school principal, identified as one Rudra Gowda, barred the girls from attending classes with their Islamic attire.
He pointed out that it nullified the purpose of a uniform. According to Karnataka’s Education Minister BC Nagesh, uniforms had been in existence in the said government PUC since 1985. He informed that there had never been an issue to date.
“Uniform in the college has been there since 1985. Till now, no problem was there. Uniformity creates a common mind. Kesari shawls are not allowed in college either. The same six girls had been OK [with the uniform] till 1.5 years ago. They have been suddenly provoked,” he had remarked.
The girls then launched a protest outside their classrooms for 3 days to allow them entry with their headcovers. They have now been asked to attend online classes until the matter is resolved.
Meanwhile, Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) had cautioned that Hindus will wear saffron shawls to classes if Hijab is allowed for Muslim students.
According to a report published in the Indian Express, the Director Generals of several Central Armed Forces were not invited to the Republic Day Parade this year. However, this turned out to be misleading information because all of the DGs were invited to the Parade, and several of them attended the event.
The report read, “The DGPs of the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITB, and SSB were not invited to the Republic Day parade. The omission is perceived as a snub to the one odd million personnel of the central forces.” The claim appeared in an opinion piece titled “Why PM Modi wasted no time in installing Netaji’s statue” by Coomi Kapoor, where it was added under the section titled ‘Not Invited’.
However, this claim has turned out to be false, as several CAPFs have refuted the report and informed their chiefs were invited to the parade and they have attended the same.
This misinformation was first countered by the Twitter handle of Central Reserved Police forces (CRPF). It tweeted “The information published in @IndianExpress that DG CRPF was not invited to Republic Day Parade is not just incorrect but also ill intended and insulting to the Force. Shri Kuldiep Singh, DG CRPF, was invited to the Republic Day Parade which he attended.”
The information published in @IndianExpress that DG CRPF was not invited to Republic Day Parade is not just incorrect but also ill intended and insulting to the Force. Shri Kuldiep Singh, DG CRPF, was invited to the Republic Day Parade which he attended. pic.twitter.com/KzDeKR7dYj
Similarly, Indo-Tibetan Border Police also refuted the claim. The CAPF said that DG ITBP was invited & attended the Parade. ITBP also added that it was for the 1st time that the ‘Janbaz’ bikers of ITBP displayed a brave show at the parade.
A newspaper published today a piece that DsG of CAPFs were not invited at the Republic Day Parade 2022. It is clarified that the DG ITBP was invited & attended the Parade. It was for the 1st time that the 'Janbaz' bikers of ITBP displayed a brave show at the parade.#Himveerspic.twitter.com/pY3sYkI7i9
It is notable that DG ITBP Sanjay Arora also has the additional charge of SSB. Therefore, even though SSB has not issued any statement regarding the Indian Express report, their chief was invited to the parade and he had attended the same.
Central Industrial Security Force tweeted to inform that the Indian Express report was fake. It said that DG CISF Sheel Vardhan Singh was invited to the 73rd Republic Day parade at Rajpath, New Delhi, and he attended the same. “The information published in news paper stating that DsG of CAPF were not invited at the Republic Day Parade 2022 is incorrect,” CISF said.
DG #CISF Sh. Sheel Vardhan Singh was invited & attended the 73rd #RepublicDay parade at Rajpath, New Delhi.
BSF has not responded to the report yet, but given that the DGs of all other CAPFs were invited to the parade and they attended the same, it can be said with reasonable certainty that DG BSF was also invited.
After the individual CAPFs refuted the report, Indian Express removed the ‘Not Invited’ section from the article. It added an Editor’s note saying “The last item in this article titled ‘Not invited’ was incorrect and has been removed. The error is regretted.“
It should be mentioned that Indian Express has been accused of disseminating fake news and promoting misinformation on countless occasions.
Very recently, when PM Modi’s convoy was blocked in Ferozepur Punjab and his security was breached, The Indian Express reported that Khalistani slogans were raised by the BJP workers near the Ludhiana DCs office. The truth, however, was far from the catchy headline that IE had picked. Conversely, IE stated in the same article that the slogans raised by BJP activists were ‘Khalistania da yaar Channi Murdabad’ (friend of Khalistanis, Channi Murdabad) and ‘Attwadian nu panah den wala Channi Murdabad’ (one who host terrorists, Channi murdabad). PM Modi’s convoy was blocked when he was heading towards Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district of Punjab to visit the National Martyr’s Memorial and subsequently address a public meeting.
