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‘Don’t do anything that would put the state govt in a fix’: How Punjab govt prioritised politics over the security of the PM

OpIndia Staff
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‘Don’t do anything that would put the state govt in a fix’: How Punjab govt prioritised politics over the security of the PM

After the serious and deliberate security breach, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was travelling in Punjab to attend a political rally, Indian Express has now published details on how the Congress government in Punjab instructed the police to stand down, at the cost of the security of the Prime Minister, because it did not want to create a situation that would “put the government in a fix”.

Indian Express published a report after speaking to several police officials and local officials, including some “farmers” who were protesting in Punjab, that led to the security breach on the 5th of January. The report proves that the security breach was a result of petty politics and a failure of the state police to secure the route.

Attributing the information to sources, Indian Express reported that after the cavalcade of the Prime Minister came to a halt, the DGP contacted senior members in the Punjab government. According to the report, the DGP was in favour of using force to disperse the protestors who were blocking the cavalcade of the PM and creating a security breach.

Once the DGP asked the senior people in the Congress Punjab government, reportedly, the DGP was instructed to stand down. The DGP was told that he should not do anything that would “put the state government in a fix as had happened during police action against anti-sacrilege protesters at Behbal Kalan after the incident of sacrilege at Bargari in 2015”.

The sacrilege incident in 2015 was when two protestors were shot dead by the police.

The security breach that led to the Prime Minister being stranded on a flyover only kilometres away from the Pakistan border for over 20 minutes was a direct result of the Punjab government asking the DGP to stand down and not take action even as the violence protestors had already damaged buses and attacked BJP workers before the incident.

In fact, another report by Times Now reveals that the state government and the police already knew about the risk posed by the protesting farmers and communication proves that the police was asked to make adequate arrangements in light of the protests. Top Punjab Police officers had sent a letter to their subordinates regarding the same.

“You are requested to make necessary security, traffic route arrangements in your area, by deploying force at important points. You are further directed to keep a watch on the movement of farmers and they should not be allowed to move to the Ferozepur district to disrupt the rally. Any dharna may result in roadblocks therefore please make necessary traffic diversions in advance. Please brief your SPs personally to assess a plan of farmers and make necessary arrangements,” the letter read.

Despite this, the route details were leaked to protesting farmers, as confirmed by a BKU leader to Times Now. In fact, videos had emerged where police officers were seen sharing tea with the protestors right before the cavalcade of the Prime Minister was stranded and the security breach happened.

Further, Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has admitted that it was a major security lapse, saying that an alternate route should have been planned earlier but was not done.

The Congress leader also busted the claim of several Congress leaders and members, who were saying that PM Modi’s travel to Punjab by road was not pre-planned and it was not informed to the state govt in advance. Dy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa informed that everyone was aware that PM Modi was travelling by road and Punjab Police was supposed to have made arrangements for the same.

After the deliberate security lapses, it becomes evident that the instruction by members of the government stopped the police from taking action against the protestors and therefore, forced PM Modi and his cavalcade to be stranded on a flyover for over 20 minutes. This was done clearly to further petty political interests. The Punjab government has been placating the Khalistani elements in the state and giving a long rope to the violent protestors. This step can also be seen in that light. The Punjab government did not want to police to take firm action against the protestors because politically, it would hurt them in the state elections and therefore, it ignored the violence unleashed by the protestors and the severe security breach of the Prime Minister by asking the police to stand down.

Supreme Court to hear plea over PM’s security breach in Punjab: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court to hear plea over PM’s security breach in Punjab: Read details

On the 7th of January 2022, the Supreme Court will hear a plea that seeks a court-monitored probe into the Prime Minister’s security breach when he was on his visit to Punjab on Wednesday, January 5. A bench headed by CJI NV Ramana will hear the case on Friday.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, who brought the petition before the SC bench has been asked to give a copy of the petition to the Punjab government.

The petition contends that it must be ensured that what happened is not repeated. Advocate Singh urged the bench to take up the plea and in response to his request, the Supreme Court will hear the same on Friday.

What actually happened in the courtroom?

The bench headed by the CJI Ramana asked the petitioner Maninder Singh what he expected the court to do in this matter. Singh said that such an incident is a very serious lapse and the security breach is unacceptable. Considering the political situations in Punjab, there must be a probe monitored by the court into the police arrangement and law and order situation, the advocate argued. He further added that it was necessary to ensure that no such incident occurs again.

Punjab government sets up probe panel

Meanwhile, the Punjab government formed a high-level team to probe the security lapses during the Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab on Wednesday. It is a two-member committee that includes Justice (Retired) Mehtab Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Anurag Varma, Principal Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs and Justice. The committee will submit its report within three days.

Meanwhile the President of India has also expressed his concern over the incident of security breach that happened in Punjab. The PM met the president briefly earlier today.

The security lapse in Punjab

The convoy of Prime Minister Modi was blocked by political protesters on a flyover on the way to Hussainiwala in the Ferozepur district of Punjab, where he was to visit the National Martyr’s Memorial and subsequently address a public meeting. Later yesterday, it had also become evident that Punjab police, which itself was seen enjoying a tea party with the protesters who blocked the roads, has been complicit the security lapse that endangered the PM.

The Union Home Ministry had stated that the Punjab Police was given all details and the convoy had started only after confirmation with the DGP. The Punjab Police had failed not just in securing a clear path for the PM’s convoy but had also failed to provide an alternative route.

OpIndia Exclusive: Was AIMIM chief Owaisi denied a room in a ‘Hindu’ hotel in Moradabad? Here is the truth

Jhankar Mohta
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OpIndia Exclusive: Was AIMIM chief Owaisi denied a room in a ‘Hindu’ hotel in Moradabad? Here is the truth

A video has gone viral on various social media platforms showing AIMIM UP President Shaukat Ali arguing at the hotel reception in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The video claims that a ‘Hindu hotel’ declined a room to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Owaisi was in the city on January 4, 2022, to address a political rally ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

In the 2.20-minute video, AIMIM Uttar Pradesh president Shaukat Ali can be seen exchanging a heated conversation with the person sitting at the hotel reception and thereafter leaving the premises with his party members. Shaukat Ali, who looks visibly angry, speaks on the phone while leaving the premises. After a while, the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is seen walking into the hotel. He is seen waiting at the reception area for some time before he sits in his car and leaves the premises.

The video has been circulating with claims that the people of the likes of the AIMIM chief are being denied rooms in the ‘Hindu hotel’ in Uttar Pradesh because of their anti-Hindu stand. Many media houses like Lucknow Hindi news shared the video, which was then circulated widely on the microblogging site.

Vernacular media outlets LiveHindustan and ABP News also reported how the party members had booked the room earlier for the AIMIM members but when Owaisi arrived at the hotel named Drive-In 24 in Moradabad, the hotel authorities denied him a room.

What is the truth

The Hindustan report quoted the hotel manager Vipul as saying that according to the guidelines, they need prior approval before allotting rooms to any political figures. “We operate within the confines of the law. I am ready to give the room once I receive authorization”, said the hotel manager as per the report by Hindustan, who was quoted as further saying that the hotel does not believe in any kind of discrimination.

OpIndia spoke with a hotel employee named Arvind Singh Katheria, who claimed to have looked into the arrangements for the entire AIMIM team, which was said to have stayed in the hotel from January 4 to 6. He refuted the news that has been circulating in media that Owaisi was denied a room in the hotel. Katheria, on the contrary, confirmed that Asaduddin Owaisi was allotted a room immediately on his arrival on January 4 and had a very pleasant stay at the hotel and personally thanked the hotel staff before he checked out on January 6.

Narrating the sequence of events, Katheria said the Owaisi had arrived at the hotel and after checking in, he immediately left for a meeting. Some people who had accompanied him checked in later in the evening.

Divulging further details, the hotel staff said that as per protocols, whenever any VIP guest arrives, the LIU team needs to be informed in advance so that their security arrangements can be made.

According to him, if a member of any political party checks into a hotel, a letter must be issued in advance to the district magistrate’s office, which would then alert the hotel and make the necessary security arrangements for the team. The hotel had not received a letter from the district magistrate’s office since it had not been forwarded to them by the AIMIM team in advance.

“We were awaiting a response from the office of the district magistrate when the AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali got agitated. He demanded that the rooms be made available to them immediately. We only asked them to wait for a little. Their check-in was done before we even received the letter from the district magistrate’s office. Only some formalities were left, as it is a matter of security and we cannot take any chances.

At this point, one of the AIMIM members started spreading rumours that the hotel had denied him a room, leading to the rumour that the AIMIM chief had been denied a room in the hotel over religious discrimination.

This was a small issue that was blown out of proportion and misrepresented. Soon after, rumours circulated that Asaduddin Owaisi had been denied a room, which Arvind Singh Katheria said was “totally false and unsubstantiated.”

“He (Owaisi) was very pleased with our services and thanked the hotel employees personally before checking out today (January 6)”, Katheria added.

AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi, who has taken to the communal route to fight the upcoming state assembly elections, was on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh as a part of his election campaign. Interestingly, Owaisi had kickstarted his campaign for Uttar Pradesh 2022 state elections from Ayodhya claiming that the “Muslims of UP will win” and since then he has given several inflammatory speeches, instigating Muslims to choose an Islamic leader and not rely on the ‘Dallas’ of other political parties. 

The Uttar Pradesh police had on September 9, registered two FIRs against the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in connection with his public meeting in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki. The Hyderabad MP had been booked on charges of attempting to disturb communal harmony, flouting Covid norms and disrespecting the national flag.

Owaisi, who is eyeing to make inroads in Uttar Pradesh by wooing the Muslim vote bank, had delivered a communally charged speech in which he, despite clarifications from authorities of the Mosque being an illegal structure, tried to provoke the Muslims by making references to the razing of a mosque in the Ram Snehi Ghat tehsil in May this year. 

Bengaluru school student alleges teacher forced class to pray to ‘better god’ Allah as punishment, school says it was eye exercise

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru school student alleges teacher forced class to pray to ‘better god’ Allah as punishment, school says it was eye exercise

A Bengaluru school has got involved in a major controversy after one of its teachers allegedly forced students to say Islamic prayers as punishment. Reportedly, a math teacher in Orchid International School forced students to pray in the name of Allah for failing to solve a problem, and also instructed them to keep silent about the matter. However, the school, which has campuses in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad, has denied the allegations.

The matter of what some are calling ‘Education Jihad’ came to light when Vikram Simha, a furious parent, recorded a video of her daughter who said that she was forced to pray in the name of Allah at Orchid International School, BTM branch, Bengaluru. The girl in the video that went viral on social media, said that her teacher asked the Hindu students to make a bowl shape of their hands and pray. “The Math problem was confusing, we weren’t able to crack that problem. So the teacher told us to pray to Allah. Despite telling her that we are Hindus and we are not supposed to pray to Allah, she scolded us and made us make a bowl shape with hands and pray”, she said.

According to the girl, the teacher said that Allah is a better god, and asked them to pray to Allah.

Blatantly denying the fact, the Bengaluru school in its official statement said that the child in the video was lying and that the teachers at school don’t promote the practice of religion. “We talked to the parent. No such instance occurred in the Math class as the teacher focused only on her subject and never said anything about the religion in the class”, it said after what it called a thorough investigation.

The statement by the Orchid International School reads-

“The management swiftly conducted an intense investigation to find that the teacher also does not practice the religion alleged to have been promoted. The allegations made by the child and the parent are baseless. We have checked the CCTV footage of the class and have also spoken to other children. They all have denied the happening of any such incident”, the statement read.

It has further called the act of making a bowl shape with hands as the act of eye palming exercise. “It is a Two Minutes Eye Exercise conducted during online sessions, which is intended to help the children rest their eyes due to the screen time,” the school said. It is pertinent to note that the school has locked its official Twitter handle after Vikram Simha came up with yet another video with his daughter revealing the actual truth.

Vikram Simha says the school didn’t allow his daughter to speak-

The parent in response to the statement by school management said that it was not entirely true. “It is correct we had a conversation with the school authorities (Principal and their legal team), but they refused to let my daughter speak about the incident happened in the class”, he said.

Posting yet another video with his daughter, Vikram Simha noted that Mrs Manjula, the Principal of the BTM Branch school at Bengaluru, refused to listen to the child. The girl in the next video, again fearlessly spoke about her teacher named Sarika Rana teaching the students that ‘Allah is a better God’.

Further, refuting to the eye exercise claims made by the school, the daughter said that she did not get confused over the act of making a bowl shape with hands to be the Two Minutes Eye Exercise. “We rub our hands and place them on our eyes in the exercise. But the teacher made us make a bowl shape of our hands and pray to Allah”, she showed into gestures.

Several BJP leaders and activists have come up in support of the child and demanded strict action against the school and the communal teacher. However, it seems that the city police has not taken cognizance of the issue yet.

The Orchid International School that is managed by St Theresa Educational Cultural and Social Development Society, which was earlier in news in October 2014 for sexual assault on a 4-year-old kid. According to the reports, the staff was being questioned in the case of assault on a minor girl in the school campus in the city.

‘Bulli Bai’ app case: Delhi Police arrests main culprit from Assam

OpIndia Staff
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‘Bulli Bai’ app case: Delhi Police arrests main culprit from Assam

In the latest development in the ‘Bulli Bai’ app case, the Delhi Police have arrested the main conspirator from Assam, as per reports.

ANI reported that the Delhi Police, IFSO special cell has arrested the main conspirator behind the derogatory app that targeted Muslim women from Assam.

Earlier, the Mumbai Police, acting on the social media outrage over the derogatory app, had arrested one 21-year-old named Vishal from Bengaluru and an 18-year-old named Shweta from Uttarakhand. In earlier media reports, Shweta was named as the ‘primary’ accused. Another person named Mayank Rawal was also arrested later.

Some reports have stated that the person arrested is named ‘Neeraj Bishnoi’

On social media platforms, a person named ‘Giyou’ had claimed that he had created the app. Details regarding the Delhi Police operation and the person arrested are awaited. This is a developing story.

Delhi High Court dismisses Subramanian Swamy’s petition against disinvestment of Air India

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi High Court dismisses Subramanian Swamy’s petition against disinvestment of Air India

In a major blow to rebel BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, the Delhi High Court has rejected his plea against the proposed disinvestment of Air India by the govt of India. Reportedly, a bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh of the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea where he had challenged the sale of Air India to the Tata group alleging irregularities in the process.

Confirming the development, Subramanian Swamy tweeted that he will consider moving Supreme Court against the High Court order after the same is uploaded by the court. At present the Delhi HC informed about the dismissal of the petition orally and the detailed order is being uploaded on the high court website soon.

After hearing all the concerned parties, the High Court had reserved the order in the case on January 4th. Petitioner Subramaniam Swamy had alleged in the plea that the bid process for disinvestment in the debt-ridden national carrier was arbitrary, corrupt, malafide, unconstitutional and against the public interest. He had also alleged that the entire process was rigged in favour of Tata Sons.

The Rajya Sabha MP had sought to revoke all actions and decisions related to the Air India disinvestment process. He had also sought CBI investigation into the role and functioning of authorities in the process, saying that a detailed probe report should be submitted to the court.

However, he had clarified that he is not against disinvestment, but only against the process used in the process under which Tata Sons was selected as the winning bidder. “I am in the favour of disinvestment. I have always believed in the idea of the open market,” he had told High Court.

According to Swamy, the other bidder in the process, SpiceJet, was actually not eligible to bid as an insolvency process for the airline is ongoing in Madras HC, and therefore Tata was the only bidder, and the bidding can’t take place in such a situation.

However, the centre had opposed the plea, saying that disinvestment is a policy decision. Appearing for Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had said that Air India is in continuous losses, and the govt can’t afford more losses. Tata Sons had also opposed the plea, saying the winning bidder is a 100% Indian company.

In October last year, Talace Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt Ltd, was selected as the winning bidder to acquire loss-making Air India. The EV quote by Talace was Rs 18,000 crores, which includes debt of Rs 15,300 crores and a cash component of 2700 crores.

‘Not even journalists are safe in Punjab’: Republic reporter’s car gets attacked in Ferozepur on the same day that PM’s security was breached

OpIndia Staff
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‘Not even journalists are safe in Punjab’: Republic reporter’s car gets attacked in Ferozepur on the same day that PM’s security was breached

Anupama Jha, a Noida based journalist of Republic Bharat was attacked by a group of people in the city of Ferozepur, Punjab on January 5th. This is on the very same day when the Congress-ruled state of Punjab made a seemingly deliberate attempt to endanger Prime Minister Modi’s security by allowing the protesters to block the Prime Minister’s convoy during his visit to the state.

PM Modi was to hold his first election rally in Ferozepur yesterday but could not reach the location as farmers staged a demonstration to block his cavalcade in the city.

Anupama Jha, who was in Ferozepur to cover the scheduled rally, shared a video on social media of her car being attacked at around 11:30 in the night yesterday. She said that not even the journalists were safe in Punjab now. “Someone pelted stones and my car and I am severely injured. Does Congress have a say in this”, she captioned the video.

The video shared by the journalist shows that she immediately informed about the attack to the authority and the media.

Condemning the attack, BJP’s Alok Awasthi said that nobody can be safe in the state of Punjab, not the Prime Minister and not the journalists. Also, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit criticised the Congress-ruled state saying that the law and order machinery had completely collapsed in Punjab. “It’s a free for all situation for anti-nationalists”, he added.

Security breach in Punjab, PM Modi gets stranded for 20 minutes

Earlier on the 5th of January, in a major security lapse by the Punjab government, PM Modi’s convoy was deliberately endangered by the Punjab Police. The PM was on his way to the National Martyr’s Memorial in Hussainiwala when the PM’s vehicle was stopped by a group of political protestors.

The Home Ministry has stated that the details of the PM’s travel and route were shared with the Punjab government and the convoy had started only after due confirmations by the Punjab Police. In a major security lapse, a group of protestors were allowed to block the PM’s convoy for over 20 minutes, causing a dangerous lapse in the security of the nation’s PM. 

Soon after the major security lapse, Congress leaders and workers had started celebrating, hailing how the ‘protesting farmers’ successfully forced the PM to go back. Congress’ social media head Gaurav Pandhi has almost admitted that the blocking of the PM’s convoy was a deliberate act and the state government headed by the Congress party was aware of the protests.

CDS Rawat chopper crash: Bad weather, thick cloud was the cause, no technical snag or sabotage found

OpIndia Staff
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CDS Rawat chopper crash: Bad weather, thick cloud was the cause, no technical snag or sabotage found

The Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 13 others on December 8 , 2021, was caused by ‘loss of situational awareness’ on the part of pilots due to the bad weather, the investigation has revealed.

As per reports, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Air Marshal Manvendra Singh who headed the tri-service inquiry into the crash shared details of the inquiry with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on January 5.

The inquiry report is learnt to have pointed out that there was a sudden appearance of a thick cloud cover creating a situation of ‘loss of situational awareness’ for pilots Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan and Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh.

They had decided to fly through the thick cloud before the landing at the Wellington helipad. It hit a cliff and crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu seven minutes before its scheduled landing. Wellington is located in a topographic bowl and often has a slight fog cover. Due to cloud, pilots heading to and from the Wellington helipad are asked to follow the visual flight rules means ‘see and avoid.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 12 others lost their lives when the Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force they were flying in met with an accident in the Nilgiris. Rawat was heading to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to attend a programme.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Air Marshal Manvendra Singh explained to the defence minister that the crash was a case of Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT).

CFIT explains a situation when the pilot out of the loss of situational awareness, unintentionally hits an obstacle —ground, mountain, tree, or water body — despite being in full control of his helicopter or aircraft.

The IAF is yet to make out a statement whether standard operating procedures were compromised while flying the chopper or there was an ‘error of judgment’ on the part of pilots who were rated under ‘master-green’ category, signifying their top rating in terms of flying and experience.

The tri-service inquiry also analysed the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the ill-fated Mi-17 V5 beside a video of the last moment of flying filmed by some tourists. No distress call was made by pilots to the ground stations when the chopper entered the cloud cover.

The inquiry report has also suggested changes in protocols and standard operating procedures for VIP flights. It said that the pilots of such flights should be a mix of master-green and other categories to ensure they seek help from the ground stations if required, the report stated.

‘Tiranga wale fled from Punjab’: Sikhs For Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu threatens PM Modi and India after the security breach

OpIndia Staff
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‘Tiranga wale fled from Punjab’: Sikhs For Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu threatens PM Modi and India after the security breach

Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the leader of the terrorist group Sikhs For Justice, has released yet another incendiary video in which he threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that Khalistanis are ready to secede Punjab from India. Pannu often uploads incendiary videos to his YouTube channel in order to incite Sikhs in Punjab to oppose India.

In this video, he is heard declaring that the Free Khalistan Referendum movement began on January 5 and that the people of Punjab have begun their journey toward freedom.

Drawing PM Modi and the Indian government’s attention towards his incriminating speech, Pannu said that the Free Khalistan Referendum campaign began on January 5 when ‘Tirange wale (Indians)’ fled from Punjab to Delhi, while ‘Khande and Kesri wale (Sikhs)’ forced India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flee Punjab.

Further issuing veiled threats to the Indian government, the banned terrorist organisation chief said that Punjab has taken the first steps toward independence. Punjab’s people have made their decision today. Modi and his government should pay attention, he said adding, that when “Indira had arrived with arms, they had returned the favour” (referring to the former PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination).

He added, “You all came to instil fear in Punjab, but the people of Punjab forced you to return home quietly.”

He further said that the Khalistan Referendum movement is based on votes rather than bombs and they would use this power of votes to free Punjab from the clutches of India. Pannu added that Punjab has decided that the referendum in Punjab will be held at the time when Assembly elections would be taking place in Punjab in 2022 and any political party that stands against Kesari, whether it is the Congress’s Channi, Sidhu, the BJP, or the ‘Jhadu wale (AAP),’ they would be imprinted with the Khanda.

“Those who support Tiranga must leave Punjab and relocate to Delhi”, Pannu added.

ISI-backed Khalistan ideologue Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of the banned organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has always indulged in provocating Sikh individuals living in India especially those who agree with the Khalistani movement. The SFJ chief, who has been coordinating referendum votes in the United Kingdom and other countries, has repeatedly stated in his previous speeches that the SFJ would hold a referendum in Punjab during the 2022 Assembly elections.

In another video released on January 11, Pannu asked Sikh youths to hoist the Khalistani flag on India Gate and remove the Indian flag from India Gate as well as from every corner in Delhi. Pannu declared an award of USD 2.5 lakh for anyone who hoists the Khalistani flag on India gate. He further threatened the Indian government, saying that if peaceful protests were not allowed, the Sikhs would not hesitate to join the armed insurrection.

In fact, two days before the Golden Temple lynching on December 18, Pannu, who was, last year in September, booked for issuing assassination threats to former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, wrote to Pakistan PM Imran Khan seeking his intervention in the Referendum and ‘Fall of Delhi’. Pannu had written to Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, to support SFJ to “Free Punjab” and form “Khalistan”. 

‘Please be responsible’: Bharat Biotech ‘fact-checks’ TOI, Wire and others who have spread lies against Covaxin

OpIndia Staff
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‘Please be responsible’: Bharat Biotech ‘fact-checks’ TOI, Wire and others who have spread lies against Covaxin

India’s vaccination drive has been reliant on two ‘Made In India’ vaccines, which are Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. While SII’s Covishield is developed by Oxford AstraZeneca, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has been developed indigenously and has been India’s success story in the vaccination drive so far.

Since the Indian government granted approvals to Covaxin, a number of media houses, media persons and politicians have been busy peddling blatant falsehoods and misinformation against the indigenously developed vaccine that has proven its efficacy and is now approved by the WHO too.

Recently, Bharat Biotech had shared a list of recent media reports from Indian media outlets that have spread misinformation, and sometimes blatant lies to create confusion regarding the vaccine. The company ‘fact-checked’ those lies one by one.

‘Fact-check’ by Bharat Biotech

Fake claims and misinformation by Moneycontrol

Bharat Biotech listed an article by Money Control dated 29 December 2021 that claimed Bharat Biotech’s ability to provide vaccine doses for 10 crore Indians in the 15-18 age group is doubtful.

Bharat Biotech stated that they have provided crores of doses in the last 11 months of the vaccination campaign and the vaccination drive for the 15-18 age group will also be carried out through several months.

Another statement in the article claimed that they had a ‘botched up’ attempt to revive the Haskins Veterinary Institute in Gujarat and their tech transfer efforts so far have been unsuccessful.

Bharat Biotech stated that they are carrying out tech transfer projects with 3 companies, one is already manufacturing and the company mentioned by Moneycontrol does not exist.

Further, Moneycontrol had claimed in a misleading statement that Bharat Biotech is one of the few companies that has experience of trials in the ’18 odd’ age group.

Bharat Biotech reminded them that they have been carrying out clinical trials on children in the 2-18 age group.

Fake statements and misinformation by Times of India

In a TOI article dated 25 December 2021, it was claimed that private hospitals in Bengaluru have over 5.5 lakh doses of Covaxin that are ‘expired’.

Bharat Biotech stated that they have data and the current number of ‘expired’ doses stands at less than 1 lakh.

Fact-check by Bharat Biotech

False claims by Deccan Herald

In an article dated 5 January 2022, Deccan Herald had claimed that “the confidence of parents have been shaken by the low sample size of human clinical trials, and the confusion regarding extension of shelf life of the Covaxin doses’.

Bharat Biotech clarified that they have conducted clinical trials on over 26,000 people so far and their findings are published in internationally peer-reviewed journals. Further, the extension of shelf life has been granted by CDSCO in a very transparent manner after data on shelf life was submitted. The company has also communicated the same in the public domain and the government of India has granted shelf life extension to both Covishield and Covaxin based on data submitted by the respective companies.

The DH article further stated a blatant lie claiming that Bharat Biotech has taken back over 90% of the six lakh ‘expired-label’ doses in Bengaluru.

Bharat Biotech stated that the company maintains data on doses supplied and available and Bengaluru’s hospitals did not have six lakh ‘expired-label’ doses. The number was less than 1 lakh.

False claims by The Wire

The Wire, in an article on 29 December 2021 had claimed, “The virologist said currently there is currently no data available on the immune response generated by Covaxin.

Bharat Biotech stated that the data on the immune response generated by Covaxin has been published in several reputed international peer-reviewed journals through 2020 and 2021. The data on booster doses has been submitted to the authorities.

The company stated that the above mentioned false statements by media outlets are just a few examples of the number of false claims and misinformation shared by many publications against their vaccine and company. They have added that they will continue to ‘fact-check’ the false claims.

They requested the media organisations to be responsible in their reportage, adding that news articles on medicine, science, vaccines and pharmaceuticals etc have to be based on actual scientific facts and data, not on ideological, political or financial leanings.

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