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‘Antrix-Devas deal a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress’: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

OpIndia Staff
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‘Antrix-Devas deal a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress’: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

After the Supreme Court upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order winding up Devas (Digitally Enhanced Video and Audio Services) Multimedia Private Limited, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a press conference to brief on the controversial Antrix-Devas issue of the UPA era and charged the Congress party of committing fraud against the country.

Hauling Congress over the coals, Sitharaman said the Antrix-Devas deal is a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress.

Slamming the UPA govt over the 2005 “fraud” deal between Antrix and Devas which they took six years to cancel in 2011, the Finance Minister said, “Antrix appeared in agreement with Devas in 2005 during the UPA government. It was a fraud deal. Fraud on people of India. Fraud against the country. This fraudulent case is a characteristic of the UPA government and the case has become a big legal issue today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fighting in court to ensure justice.”

“In 2011, when the whole thing was cancelled, Devas went to international arbitration. The government of India never appointed an arbitrator, was reminded to appoint an arbitrator within 21 days, but the government did not appoint,” she said accusing Congress-led UPA of entering into a “fraud” and “scandalous” deal with Devas Multimedia by allocating S-band spectrum used by the defence for “pittance”.

“Master game players in this [Devas fraud] are the Congress; with this SC order [on Antrix-Devas issue] we’re able to see that. Now it should be Congress’ turn to answer how Cabinet was kept in dark. They should have no moral right to speak about crony capitalism”, Sitharaman added, further reminding how a couple of months before the cancellation of the agreement a sitting UPA minister was arrested in the scandal related to the deal.

Nirmala Sitharaman accuses Congress of fraud in entering into Antrix-Devas deal, cites SC judgment

Sitharaman said this kind of selling of primary endowments like wavelengths, satellites or spectrum band, giving it away to private parties and making money from private parties and making a deal out if it marks the feature of the Congress governments. This today. after nearly 10-11 years of struggle, we’ve had the Supreme Court come out with a comprehensive order. This is proof of how the Congress party, when in power, misuses its position, remarked the FM.

Further apprising how the Congress had tried to wash off its hands from the fraudulent deal, Nirmala Sitharaman said that in 2011 in an interview to a television channel, the telecom minister then, Kapil Sibal had said that the cabinet was not even aware of the details of the Antariksh Devas, adding that it was surprising considering ISRO comes under the PMO.

She also quoted the then PM Manmohan Singh as saying on February 24, 2011, that “there was no question of the PMO office to approve this deal. It never came to that level”.

Speaking about the extent of fraud involved in the agreement, Nirmala Sitharaman read out para 12.8 of the SC order which stated that a total investment of Rs 579 crore was brought in by Devas, but almost 85 per cent of the said amount was siphoned out of India partly towards the establishment of the subsidiary in the USA, partly towards business support services and partly towards litigation expenses. “You bring in the money and take it out to fight all the arbitration and call it bringing in investment to the country,” said the FM explaining how the “fraud” was masterminded.

She further read an excerpt from the SC judgement which read that the manner in which a misleading note was out to the cabinet and the manner in which the minutes of the DAG were manipulated highlighted by the Tribunal also shows that the affairs of the company were conducted in a fraudulent manner.

Confirming that the liquidation process (for Devas Multimedia) will begin soon, the FM informed that the arbitration tribunals have awarded USD 1.2 bn plus cost and interest on pleas by Devas shareholders against cancellation of Antrix deal.

“We are fighting in all courts to save taxpayers’ money which otherwise would have gone to pay for the scandalous Antrix-Devas deal”, added Nirmala Sitharaman during the press conference.

SC upholds liquidation of Devas Multimedia on grounds that it was incorporated with fraudulent intention

It may be noted that the Supreme Court bench Justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian Monday, upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order winding up Devas (Digitally Enhanced Video and Audio Services) Multimedia Private Limited, which in association with ISRO’s space arm Antrix Corporation aimed to deliver video, multimedia and information services via satellite to mobile receivers in vehicles and mobile phones across India.

The court stated that it is a case of “fraud of a huge magnitude which cannot be brushed under the carpet, as a private lis (suit)”. 

The National Company Law Tribunal had ordered the winding up of Devas on May 25, 2021, on a petition by Antrix. This was affirmed by NCLAT on September 8, 2021. It also appointed a provisional liquidator, saying Devas was incorporated with a fraudulent motive to collude with the then officials of Antrix Corporation.

A Supreme Court has junked the Devas’ case against the NCLAT. The bench also upheld the tribunal’s order from September last year making it the first case of winding up on a company on grounds of fraud.

The Antrix-Devas multimedia deal

Devas Multimedia and Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), struck an agreement in 2005 to provide multimedia services to mobile subscribers utilising the leased S-band satellite spectrum. The agreement was terminated in 2011 on the grounds that the broadband spectrum auction had been tainted by fraud, and the government required the S-band satellite spectrum for national security and other social reasons.

The scandal first surfaced when The Hindu revealed in 2011 that there were some inconsistencies in Antrix and Devas’ agreement. They presented the findings of a draught audit report, highlighting irregularities such as financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest, rule violations, and favouritism. This revelation came at the heel of the 2G spectrum scam which was condemned for the high level of corruption.

The government finally cancelled the deal on 17 February 2011. Devas then took Antrix and the Government to International Court for cancelling its contract by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2011.

Devas Multimedia filed a complaint with the International Chambers of Commerce to get the annulment overturned (ICC). Under the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), Mauritius investors in Devas Multimedia filed a claim under the India-Mauritius BIT, while Deutsche Telekom, a German business, filed a claim under the India-Germany BIT.

All these proceedings led to adverse awards given against India. India was ordered to pay a total of USD 1.29 billion in damages after losing all three cases.

This led to courts in France and Canada ordering attachment of India’s assets in these countries to recover the dues. Canada even started seizing the Airports Authority of India and Air India’s assets for recovery. These steps have severely dented India’s image abroad. Now that the Supreme Court has ordered the liquidation of Devas Multimedia company describing it as fraudulent, India will have to fight its cases again. 

In 2015, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a First Investigation Report (FIR) against Devas and its officers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 

Congress’ involvement in the Antrix-Devas deal

When the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in 2004, the game began just months after the new administration entered office. Dr M Chandrashekhar, a former ISRO employee, established a start-up company with the goal of defrauding the Indian government. The goal was to secure the S-band spectrum from the government, and investors came from the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

Next year, Devas struck a partnership with Antrix Corporation to build two satellites and provide digital and multimedia services in India. The startup company requested an S-band spectrum in exchange for Rs 1,000 crore in multimedia services, and the Centre agreed to grant the company with S-band spectrum.

The same government, on the other side, requested Rs 12,500 crore for the S-band spectrum for its own firms, BSNL and MTNL. Meanwhile, the fledgling company did not begin work, and the Rs 1.75 lakh crore 2G telecom scandal surfaced in 2011. The Antrix-Devas transaction was quickly cancelled by the Manmohan Singh government, which was preoccupied with the 2G scandal.

Hearings in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration court commenced for Devas. Manmohan Singh’s government did not even send a lawyer to the arbitration court to defend India. The ICC chose a lawyer to represent India on its own, but bizarrely, the UPA government did not even furnish the lawyer with information on the case. Finally, the ICC arbitration court ordered the Indian government’s assets abroad to be attached in order to recover dues. Devas investors filed lawsuits in the United States, France, Germany, and Canada.

When the Modi government took up office in 2004, it quickly requested that the CBI and ED investigate the matter, and it dispatched its counsel to overseas courts.

Antrix Corporation sought the NCLT liquidate Devas Multimedia company on the Centre’s directives, claiming that it was set up with the intent to cheat the exchequer. NCLT ordered the company’s liquidation, which Devas challenged in court, but NCLAT affirmed the decision. Devas took its case to the Supreme Court, which dismissed it on Monday.

Videos of Kejriwal coughing incessantly during campaign trails trigger concerns after Delhi CM claimed recovery from COVID in 5 days

OpIndia Staff
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Videos of Kejriwal coughing incessantly during campaign trails trigger concerns after Delhi CM claimed recovery from COVID in 5 days

Following his announcement that he had recovered from Covid, many video recordings of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaking at public gatherings sans a mask and coughing persistently have gained attention. Throughout all of the clips, he can be seen coughing repeatedly while interacting with others.

It should be noted that Kejriwal contracted Covid on January 4th and declared himself clear of the virus on January 9th, only 5 days after being diagnosed. If symptoms continue even after testing negative, the ICMR recommends isolation for at least a week or ten days. Videos showing him interacting with the people, coughing continuously, and campaigning in his own capacity in numerous states have swamped social media.

@kajukatla, a Twitter user, tweeted a video showing Kejriwal campaigning in Goa despite his ill health.

Another user named Nishant Azad (@azad_nishant) shared a video of CM Kejriwal on a stage with many people including Chief Ministerial candidate of Punjab Bhagwant Mann. He wrote “Wear a mask, Kejriwal ji. Kejriwal ji is seen coughing everywhere whether it is rally, interview or press conference. @ArvindKejriwal If your health is bad then rest at home why are you risking the lives of others even when the country is battling #Covid19.”

A Twitter user named Sunil Bishnoi (@SM_Bishnoi) wrote “Arvind Kejriwal has not fully recovered from Covid. Instead of being in home isolation, he is campaigning (physically) in Punjab. He was in quarantine for only 4 days. In today’s video, He is coughing in open without mask. Kejriwal is very careless, putting 1000s lives in danger.” He also shared a video of him with Bhagwant Mann interacting with the public in Punjab.

A Twitter handle @MeghBulletin tweeted a video of Kejriwal and wrote “Arvind Kejriwal seriously needs to get treated first … #COVID”

Arvind Kejriwal’s careless attitude against Covid

It’s worth noting that in the last month, Kejriwal has made repeated travels to poll-bound states like Goa and Punjab to campaign for his party. Opindia has extensively covered Arvind Kejriwal’s election campaign path leading up to the news that he was Covid-19 positive. The Delhi CM has spoken at various press conferences to express worry over the mounting COVID cases in Delhi. Meanwhile, throughout his rallies and press conferences, he himself was not observed adhering to the COVID safety protocol. He was observed without a mask engaging with everyone.

COVID-19 infection has been on the rise across the country, owing to the novel coronavirus variant Omicron. Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party’s head and Delhi’s chief minister, has been campaigning for elections nonstop, implying that he has willfully placed the lives of many people in danger in the ongoing pandemic.

‘True character of party exposed’: BJP slams Congress for endorsing Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had ‘warned Hindus’

OpIndia Staff
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‘True character of party exposed’: BJP slams Congress for endorsing Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had ‘warned Hindus’

Ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittihad-e-Millat Council today extended his support to the Congress in the state. Addressing the media, the Ittihad-e-Millat Council party chief said that he feels that only Congress can ensure the development of the Muslims.

In a press conference with UP Congress chief Ajay Lallu, Khan assured full support to the grand old party in the UP elections 2022. He said that only Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were ‘secular’ leaders and that Muslims would stand by the party in the state. This is after Khan had a meeting with Priyanka Vadra and declared that he would not contest from his party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The UP Congress tweeted the photograph of Khan and Priyanka Vadra and confirmed that Ittihad-e-Millat Council had extended its full support to the Congress.

BJP slams Congress for seeking support from hate-monger Maulana Tauqeer Razan Khan

The Bharatiya Janata Party meanwhile has slammed the Congress party for endorsing hate monger Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had warned Hindus. The BJP on Tuesday questioned the ‘secular credentials’ of the Congress for sharing the stage with a controversial Muslim cleric, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan.

BJP’s spokesperson Sambit Patra said that Maulana is the same person who was spewing venom against Hindus a few days ago. “Maulana had said that if law and order come in the hands of their soldiers, then Hindus will not even get a place to live in India. He had also said that the maps of India would be changed. This is the height of hatred”, Patra said.

He also hit out at the Congress stating that possibly the hatred speech by Maulana in Bareilly was pre-decided between the Congress and Ittihad-e-Millat Council chief at the meeting.

Taking to Twitter, BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla also claimed that Congress was hand-in-glove with Hindu hate-mongers and the party’s true character stood exposed. “Rahul Gandhi claims to be the biggest Hindu during elections! His party has embraced someone who warns of Hindu genocide! Tauqeer Raza was sharing the platform with Congress UP president and has been taken on board to replace Imran Masood?”, he said.

“Congress party always practices the politics of dividing, abusing and threatening Hindus, polarizing the Muslim vote bank and then taking their votes. The true character of Congress stands exposed today. Incite riots, provoke the vote bank, abuse Hindus and then earn votes. This is the strategy of the Congress party. Therefore, they have taken the support of Tauqeer Raza,” he added.

On January 8, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan had provoked Muslims against Hindus in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. While addressing a crowd of 20 lakh Muslims, the radical Islamist had brazenly threatened Hindus in India that the day Muslims rage flares, they would have nowhere to escape.

“I see the anger within my Muslim youths and I am afraid that the day this anger bursts out, the day I lose control over them… I want to warn my Hindu brothers that I’m scared that the day my Muslim youths are forced to take the law into their hands, you will not find a place to hide anywhere in India”, he had said while displaying his extreme hate for the Hindus.

Congress’ old association with the Muslim cleric, had fought 2009 Lok Sabha elections together

It is important to note that Congress had allied with Maulana Tauqeer Raza also in 2009 despite his habits of issuing threats to anyone he thought was insulting Islam. The party had in 2009 announced that the All India Ittihad-e-Millat Council has agreed to support Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, and in return, the council would have a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress in 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

It was reported that the Maulana belongs to the Barelvi sect which is close to Congress. At that time, Maulana had claimed that he was allying with Congress because he felt the need to strengthen the ‘secular forces’ in the country.

Bombay HC commutes death penalty of serial-killer sisters who killed 5 children to life imprisonment: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC commutes death penalty of serial-killer sisters who killed 5 children to life imprisonment: Details

The Bombay High Court commuted the death sentence of sisters Seema Gavit and Renuka Shinde to a life sentence citing the Maharashtra government’s inordinate delay and indifference in dealing with their mercy petition. The sisters were sentenced to death in 2001 for kidnapping 13 children and killing five of them between 1990 and October 1996.

The sisters, together with their mother Anjana, were charged with kidnapping 13 children in order to force them to beg between 1990 and 1996. The kids who refused to beg were slain. In 2001, the defendants were found guilty and punished. The death sentence was upheld by the Bombay High Court in 2004 and the Supreme Court in 2006.

In 2008, they petitioned the governor with a mercy plea, which was denied in 2012-13. Following this, they petitioned the President for pardon, which was likewise denied in 2014. The sisters eventually petitioned the High Court, claiming that the decision on their mercy appeal had been delayed and their death sentence must be commuted to that of life imprisonment.

The bench stated that the government authorities, notably the state government, had behaved rashly, delaying procedure while knowing the seriousness of the matter, and failing to carry out the women’s death sentences despite the President’s rejection of their mercy applications over seven years ago.

“Though the procedure for deciding mercy petitions mandates speed and expediency, the state machinery showed indifference and laxity at each stage,” the court observed.

The state apparatus, according to the bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Sarang Kotwal, displayed carelessness. “The position of law that an unexplained delay in disposal of mercy petitions may result in commuting the death sentence was already holding the field when mercy petitions by the petitioners were made,” the bench said.

The petitioners asserted that the executive, comprising the Governor of Maharashtra, the state government, the Union Home Ministry, and the President of India, is solely responsible for the delay in determining their mercy requests.

The Kolhapur sisters have remained in detention for nearly 25 years as of December 15, 2021, and have thus exercised their basic right under Article 21 through a petition before the judiciary.

SP leader Azam Khan who is in jail in fake birth certificate case to contest UP assembly elections from Rampur seat: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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SP leader Azam Khan who is in jail in fake birth certificate case to contest UP assembly elections from Rampur seat: Reports

Samajwadi party heavyweight Azam Khan, who has been lodged in jail since February 2020 in connection with a fake birth certificate case, will be reportedly fighting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from the Rampur seat.

Khan’s son, Abdullah Azam, who was released from Sitapur Jail last week, will also be fighting the assembly polls on an SP ticket. Azam Khan is reportedly selected as the SP candidate from the district assembly seat while his son Abdullah Azam will contest from Swar Tanda(Suar).

Rampur is a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, especially Azam Khan, who has been elected 9 times from the said constituency. In 2017, when BJP swept Uttar Pradesh, Khan had managed to retain his Rampur seat by defeating Shiv Bahadur Saxena of BJP by 47,000 votes.

Khan’s son Abdullah Azam too had won the assembly elections in 2017 from the Swar Tanda or Suar seat, but his election was deemed invalid by the Allahabad High Court on the ground that he was underage to fight the 2017 Assembly polls. The father-son duo approached the Supreme Court but they got no reprieve from the apex court, which upheld the High Court’s decision.

It is worth noting that Abdullah Azam was released from Sitapur jail on Saturday last week. Khan has 43 cases lodged against him in Rampur and had got release orders in all the cases.

Azam Khan lodged in jail since February 2020, several cases filed against him

Azam Khan and his son have been lodged in jail since February 2020 in a case pertaining to a fake birth certificate produced by Khan’s son Abdullah Azam who had won from Suar assembly seat in 2017. Abdullah Azam was also detained in August 2019 from Mohammad Ali Jauhar University for hindering investigation as the premises were being raided to recover books stolen from a 250-year-old madrasa. The father-son duo is facing cases pertaining to land grabbing by the university.

Khan had landed in a major land grabbing case after irregularities and allegations against his family’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University surfaced in 2019. The University was raided by Rampur police following a complaint by the principal of Madrasa Aliya, wherein he stated that 9000 books and rare manuscripts from the Madrasa have been stolen.

It was first land-grabbing, then lion statues, followed by books and valuable manuscripts. He has also been booked for ‘stealing buffaloes’ and later the Rampur MP was also booked for electricity theft. The power supply to Azam Khan’s resort ‘Humsafar’ in Uttar Pradesh was cut after raids were conducted in the resort by the Uttar Pradesh electricity department.

Besides several other cases are also lodged against SP leader Azam Khan. In September 2019, Rampur Police in Uttar Pradesh had booked Azam Khan on allegations of ‘stealing goats’ following the complaint which was filed in October 2016.

I am willing to resign from MP post, but please give MLA ticket to my son: Rita Bahuguna Joshi to BJP leadership

OpIndia Staff
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I am willing to resign from MP post, but please give MLA ticket to my son: Rita Bahuguna Joshi to BJP leadership

Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Lok Sabha MP from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, proposed resigning as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday if the party agrees to nominate her son Mayank in the upcoming state assembly elections.

Her son Mayank Joshi, she says, has been working since 2009 and has asked for a ticket from Lucknow Cantt. She further stated that if the party decides to only issue one ticket per family, she will resign from her current Lok Sabha seat to campaign for Mayank.

She added that she has conveyed her request to the party’s national president, JP Nadda. “I will always continue working for the BJP anyway. The party can choose to accept or reject my proposal. I had already declared that I won’t contest elections, many years ago,” Joshi further added according to ANI.

The Lucknow Cantt seat, one of Uttar Pradesh’s 403 assembly seats, is located in the state’s capital city of Lucknow. Joshi has been a two-time MLA from the same seat, once on congress nomination in 2012 and then on BJPs nomination in 2017.

Joshi has reportedly approached top BJP officials, including Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP State President JP Nadda, for a ticket for her son.

Dr. Joshi previously served as a cabinet minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. In 2019, the BJP nominated her for the Allahabad parliamentary seat. She resigned as state minister after winning the general election. Dr. Joshi, an Allahabad Central University professor, was also a mayor. She afterwards joined the BJP.

For the approaching elections, all political parties are negotiating for the distribution of tickets. Elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases, commencing on February 7 and ending on March 7, with the ballots being counted on March 10.

Delhi HC grants bail to Tahir, Shahrukh, Faizal and 3 others who had brutally murdered Dilbar Negi during anti-Hindu riots

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC grants bail to Tahir, Shahrukh, Faizal and 3 others who had brutally murdered Dilbar Negi during anti-Hindu riots

On January 18, the Delhi High Court granted bail to six persons named Mohd Tahir, Shahrukh, Mohd Faizal, Mohd Shoaib, Rashid and Parvez in the Gokulpuri murder case related to the Delhi Riots of February 2020. The bail was granted by Justice Subramonium Prasad. The six were accused of vandalism and setting Anil Sweet Corner on fire “resulting in the death of 22-year-old Dilbar Negi”.

Advocate Amit Mahajan, appearing for the Delhi Police had vehemently opposed the grant of bail.

Dilbar Negi’s hands and feet were chopped off by the mob of rioters. Negi, who was working in the sweet shop, had come to Delhi looking for a job from his native state Uttarakhand just six months before the incident. As per the Police report, rioters pelted stones and set several shops on fire on February 24 near Shiv Vihar Tiraha. Two days after the riots, a mutilated and torched dead body was found in the said sweet shop that was one of the shops burnt down by the rioters.

The dead body was unrecognizable at the time when it was found. Later, the deceased was identified as 22-year-old Dilbar Singh Negi, who was one of the employees of the sweet shop. An FIR was registered by the Police under The FIR was registered under Section 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), 302 (Murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence), 436 (Mischief by fire) and 427 (Mischief causing damage) of the Indian Penal Code against the accused at Gokulpuri Police Station.

The case was later transferred to SIT of Crime Branch. A charge sheet was filed in June 2020. Twelve people were named as accused by the investigation agencies in the case. The public eyewitnesses stated in their statements that the rioters pelted stones, chanted anti-Hindu slogans and torched several shops and houses. They also mentioned that the rioters entered a building and killed the deceased who was hiding in the building. His body was burnt along with the building.

Fact Check: Has California enacted “Alternative Side of Street Pooping” to regulate open defecation? Here’s the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Fact Check: Has California enacted “Alternative Side of Street Pooping” to regulate open defecation? Here’s the truth

Social media platforms are rife with posts that say the California State has enacted “Alternative Side of the street pooping”, apparently a law to put a curb on the menace of open defecation on the streets of San Francisco.

A legion of social media users shared an article published in Mad House Magazine and titled “California Enacts Alternative Side of the Street Pooping” to assert that the California State in the United States has passed a law to tackle the scourge of street pooping in San Francisco.

Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter

Citing the article, the users claim California State has passed a law institutionalising pooping on the street. The article attributes New York City’s alternate side of the street parking as the inspiration behind the recent law allegedly passed by Governor Newsom.

“For example, On a street running east to west, degenerates can only poop on the south side of the street for a few hours a day every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On the other days, you poop on the north side. It’s very easy. Of course, Sundays and Holidays will be free for all. Poop where ever you want until your heart is content,” Governor Newsom was seemingly quoted as saying in the article.

Source: Twitter

The article further said that those who are found contravening the law will be given a fine of $65, besides being deloused and sprayed with DDT by code enforcement. In addition to this, the offenders will also be provided with free hypodermic needles, condoms and candy, the article claimed. They would be automatically registered to vote and given a stimulus check and unemployment, it added.

However, has California State really passed a law on street pooping as alleged by social media users and the article shared by them?

The truth about the article that claims California State passed a law on street pooping

While social media users cite the report to back their claims about California state passing a law to regulate street pooping, the reality is starkly different. A cursory glance at the website and the article shows that the piece on Street Pooping was a work of satire and not reality.

Therefore, the claim that the California State has passed “Alternative Side of the Street Pooping” that is being bandied around on social media websites is wrong and misleading. The state has passed no such law as being talked about.

The article published in Mad House Magazine is a satirical piece, aimed at mocking the chronic problem of open defecation faced in San Francisco. A sarcastic take on an issue plaguing California is being used as an authoritative source of information to peddle that California has indeed passed a law institutionalising street pooping.

The chronic issue of open defecation facing San Francisco

While the satirical article takes a swipe at the California State, it nevertheless brings under the spotlight the persistent problem of open defecation in San Francisco. A report published in SFGate in July 2021 brought forth the extent of the scourge facing the city.

Street pooping has been an escalating problem for San Francisco. Since 2015, the number of reports of human and animal waste on streets for the period from Jan 1 to July 12 had steadily grown, underscoring the severity of racking the west coast city. The number of incidents had risen steeply in the last 4 years. However, the only consolation was that 2021 saw a declining trend.

In the same period in 2018, 12,287 incidents of human and animal excrement were reported. A year later, the number grew to 14, 337. And then in 2020, it was highest with 16,547 reports of waste on streets between Jan. 1 and July 12.

However, in 2021, the number drastically came down, with 13,856 incidents of open defecation reported from the city. In terms of the total number of incidents in an entire year, 2019 saw the highest case incidents, following which there was a marked reduction in the years 2020 and 2021.

San Francisco Public Works, which oversees street cleaning efforts, largely ascribes the steep rise in a number of instances when excrement was found on streets to coronavirus lockdown, which led to the closure of many indoor private and public restrooms.

Though the instances of human and animal faeces on streets have been come down precipitously, it is still a serious issue for a city that is located at the heart of the hallowed Silicon Valley and which has the highest concentration of high-tech companies in the United States.

Punjab Assembly polls: AAP compares CM chair to a woman to mock opposition, except forgets how the movie ends

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab Assembly polls: AAP compares CM chair to a woman to mock opposition, except forgets how the movie ends

With Punjab Assembly polls round the corner, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has posted a video on their official Twitter profile on January 17, Tuesday, titled “Punjab’s future CM is in the home” to announce Bhagwant Mann as the chief ministerial candidate of the party. The video is a spin-off of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Mast Kalandar’ from the 2007 Bollywood film Heyy Baby.

The Aam Aadmi Party has tried to give the song a comic twist by swapping faces of actors with those of Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and finally, its chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann. Many netizens pointed out how it was misogynist to compare a CM’s chair to a woman.

The 0.39-second video shows all CM contenders dancing around Vidya Balan shown as the CM’s chair. While Punjab’s current CM Charanjit Singh Channi face has been swapped with the protagonist of the movie played by Akshay Kumar, Bhagwant Mann face has been superimposed on that of Shah Rukh Khan in the song. The state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s face has been swapped with that of Riteish Deshmukh, who plays the role of Akshay Kumar’s friend in the film.

Additionally, Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP’s leader and Delhi Chief Minister, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also appear with their faces superimposed on the bodies of Anupam Kher and Boman Irani respectively. The duo has played pivotal roles in the 2007 movie loosely based on the Malayalam film Thoovalsparsham (1990) which is an adaptation of the American film Three Men and a Baby (1987).

Towards the end of the clip, AAP’s candidate Bhagwant Mann’s makes a grand entry. He is warmly greeted by the “people of Punjab” and ultimately wins over the CM’s chair (Vidya Balan).

The original song from the movie can be viewed here:

AAP slammed for objectifying a woman in its latest video promoting Bhagwant Mann

The video did not go down well with many netizens and they slammed the AAP for coming up with such a crass video.

Even the ‘liberals’ were triggered with the video.

However, what is most amusing is that in the movie, Vidya Balan ultimately returns to Akshay Kumar (portrayed by Channi) and not Shah Rukh Khan, who is being portrayed as Bhagwant Mann. Highlighting this fact, many Netizens quipped that like in the movie Shah Rukh Khan only makes a cameo appearance and it is Akshay Kumar (shown as Punjab’s current CM Charanjit Singh Channi) who actually wins over Vidya Balan, shown as the CM’s chair, in the end, Channi will retain his power in the state.

Bhagwant Mann named as party’s chief ministerial candidate for Punjab assembly polls

Earlier in the day, Arvind Kejriwal announced that his party would fight the upcoming assembly polls in the state with Bhagwant Mann as the CM face. Bhagwant Mann is AAP Punjab president and a member of parliament from the Sangrur constituency.

Kejriwal ascribed the party’s decision to go ahead with Mann as the chief ministerial candidate to an unusual referendum, in the form of televote asking people to vote for their choice of leader as the party’s CM candidate.

People were asked to use their phones and Whatsapp to vote for their preferred candidate. More than 93 per cent of the people who voted their choice opted for Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal told reporters.

Sikh leader Ripudaman Singh Malik writes to PM Modi, shows gratitude for taking positive steps for Sikhs

OpIndia Staff
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Sikh leader Ripudaman Singh Malik writes to PM Modi, shows gratitude for taking positive steps for Sikhs

Ripudaman Singh Malik, Sikh leader from Canada has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanking him for the steps the Indian government took for the Sikh community. In his letter, he expressed “deep heartfelt gratitude” for the positive steps the Modi government has taken. Malik was one of the accused of the Kanishka bombing of Air India flight by Khalistani terrorists in which over 300 people lost their lives. He was acquitted by the Canadian court in 2005.

In his letter, Malik said, “I am writing you this to express my deep heartfelt gratitude for the unprecedented positive steps taken by yourself to redress long-reading Sikh demands and grievances including the elimination of blacklists that restricted visit to India of thousands of Sikhs living abroad, grant of passports and visas to asylees and their families, reopening of hundreds of 1984-riots closed cases leading to conviction and jail term for some, declaring 1984-riots as ‘genocide’ by then Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh on the floor of the House, giving compensation of Rs. 5.00 lakh per family of the anti-Sikh genocide victims, the opening of Sri Kartarpur Saheb Corridor facilitating pilgrims from India to visit the revered place of our first Master Guru Nanak Dev Ji.”

He further thanked PM Modi for declaring December 26 as Veer Baal Diwas to remember the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons. Malik also showed concerns over the “orchestrated campaign” by the members of the Sikh community against India and the Modi government. He said such propaganda is being spread at the behest of some foreign powers to destabilise India. He called it a challenge to India’s national integrity. Singh further promised to work with the government of India for redressal of the pending issues.

As per reports, he also wrote a letter to the Sikh community urging them to stay vigilant of the motivated and vicious campaign that would hurt the interests of the Sikh community. He said, “Violence in Punjab only ends up hurting the interests of the Sikh community in Punjab and throughout India and around the world. I do my daily Ardaas for world peace as I do not like seeing my community or any community suffer due to violence.”

He further added, “I do not believe it is right to unfairly criticise the Prime Minister given his many positive gestures towards the Sikh community. Instead of criticising, we should be appreciating and engaging meaningfully with the government of India under his leadership towards a positive partnership for the future.”

Malik visited India in 2019 after the Modi govt scrapped the Sikh blacklist

In 2019, Malik had visited India after an interval of 25 years. It was possible after the Indian government under PM Modi scrapped the Sikh blacklist. Only two names in the list were barred from entering India, which were not disclosed. Khalistani Terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had raised questions over Malik’s visit to India. As per reports, in a tweet, Pannu had claimed Malik was PM Modi’s guest. However, Malik’s brother, who lives in India, had debunked the claims.

In a statement issued by Malik brother Jasjit Singh, it was mentioned that Malik stayed at his brother’s place throughout his visit. Singh further added Malik could visit India only after the blacklist of Sikhs was scrapped by the Indian government. He had taken an Air France flight as his name was on the US no-fly list that was also recognised by Canada at that time. Malik had spent four years in prison from 2000-2004 for his alleged involvement in the Kanishka bombing. It was alleged he provided finance for the terrorist attack, but the court later acquitted him of the charges.

Malik is currently running Khalsa schools in Canada. In his schools, Punjabi language and culture are taught to the students along with the Vancouver Education Board curriculum. Ripudaman is a Canadian millionaire businessman who was accused of giving funds to the terrorists who were behind the Kanishka bombing. He was acquitted by the Canadian court in 2005.

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