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Convenience fee and the dramatic fall before a sharp recovery: All you need to know about the IRCTC share price movement

Jinit Jain
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Convenience fee and the dramatic fall before a sharp recovery: All you need to know about the IRCTC share price movement

Precipitous movement was witnessed in the share price of IRCTC after the central government on Thursday had conveyed its decision to share the convenience fee collected by IRCTC in the ratio of 50:50. 

The decision had sent shockwaves on Dalal Street during the after-market hours on Thursday, foreboding a disaster that was awaiting the stock on Friday morning. And predictably, the stock plummeted to as much as 40 per cent to Rs 639.45 on NSE before making a dramatic recovery, rising 39 per cent to hit an intraday high of Rs 906. The stock is currently hovering around Rs 860 levels, 6 per cent down than its opening levels. 

Source: NSE

In the previous trading session, the share closed 10.65 percent or Rs 87.94 higher at Rs 913.75 on sub-division of the share price.

“It is to be informed that Ministry of Railways has conveyed its decision to share the revenue earned from convenience fee collected by IRCTC in the ratio of 50: 50 w.e.f. November 1, 2021,” company said in a release.

The announcement made by the government to share the revenue collected by the IRCTC in a 50:50 ratio stoked negative sentiments in the market as the share of the company endured a beating on the stock market after investors estimated that the move may cut the company’s earnings by as much as 36 per cent. 

However, as the stock prices of IRCTC plummeted, the Railway Ministry issued a prompt clarification stating that it is withdrawing the decision on sharing convenience fee with the IRCTC. The sharp recovery of the IRCTC stock on Friday morning after plunging 40 per cent could be attributed to the government’s decision of reversing the decision on IRCTC convenience fee. 

But a top IRCTC official quoted by Moneycontrol aaid they have not received any communication from the government on the withdrawal of the revenue sharing agreement yet. The official further informed about a meeting scheduled between the company and the Railway Board today.

OpIndia also spoke to a source in the Railway Ministry about the convenience fee mechanism between the government and the IRCTC. Speaking on the issue, the official said that the convenience fee sharing mechanism is not a new phenomenon and had existed before the pandemic hit the country. The government had simply resumed its earlier sharing arrangement of convenience fee with the IRCTC, which was 50:50, the official said.

Convenience fee sharing mechanism not a new phenomenon, IRCTC’s earnings forecast robust: Railways official

During the pandemic, as restrictions were imposed, including on the railways, the central government had forgone its revenue share from the IRCTC. For the last two years, i.e 2020-21 and 2021-22, the Railway Ministry had relinquished its convenience fee share with the IRCTC. For three years before, there was no convenience fee levied on internet booking of tickets. Prior to that, during the financial years 2015-16 and 2016-17, the IRCTC and the Railway Ministry shared the revenue from convenience fee in the ratio of 50:50. 

Convenience fee mechanism shared between IRCTC and Indian Railways for the last few years

Dispelling doubts harboured by investors and common public, the official said there is no cause for concern as the income from internet ticketing is but a minuscule part of IRCTC’s revenue. As per its annual report for the year 2019-2020, IRCTC’s earning from ticketing forms only 5 per cent of its total earnings. There are other more potent sources of income for IRCTC. 

The Indian Railways has authorised IRCTC to facilitate the booking of tickets, provide catering services and packaged drinking water in trains and railways stations.

Furthermore, IRCTC is reportedly planning to run more commercially viable theme-based trains, which would form a major party of its revenue. Catering also forms another big chunk of IRCTC’s income, besides rail ticketing. In addition to this, IRCTC also draws revenue from its bus and air ticketing services. 

Last year, IRCTC earned Rs 299 crores from its ticketing business. In the current year, they have already racked up Rs 224 crores and is all set to get past its last year’s earning even if they had gone ahead with the revenue sharing. 

A school sent sermons to children not to burst crackers on Diwali, this is what a mother wrote back

OpIndia Staff
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A school sent sermons to children not to burst crackers on Diwali, this is what a mother wrote back

Every year right before Diwali, the Woke-reformist crowd goes on an intellectual binge trying to spout unsubstantiated tropes on why burning crackers during Diwali is a tradition that needs to be banned. Their logic is seldom backed by research or facts. What was first limited to social media and certain celebrities trying to get clout, then reached the Judiciary with the courts arbitrarily banning firecrackers and the government going the extra mile to ensure that those who wish to celebrate their festival are jailed. The pandemic of woke intellectualism has now diseased the academia where little kids are being brainwashed to hate their own identity, their culture and be apologetic for their festivals.

Ahead of Diwali, one such school indulged in the same exercise of doling sermons. The students were told that bursting crackers on Diwali was something they should not do and that even as a tradition, it was not a desirable one. Further, when asked about where the environmental and other sermons disappear when other religious groups celebrate their festivals, the children were told that they should not point fingers, instead, focus on rectifying their own traditions.

A mother, whose child studies in this school, was livid. A pious woman who wishes to see our traditions flourish without the baseless sermons by those who have chosen to parrot the woke line without studying the evidence. The mother also took umbrage to the fact that Hindus are the only group who are guilt-tripped before every festival, even Diwali which is one of the most important festival for Hindus, while other religious groups who consciously do far worse are never questioned.

The concerned mother shot a curt letter to the school, not only providing evidence to prove that the school’s sermons were unfounded but also calling out the deep-seated anti-Hindu bias in what the teacher was telling the children, including her child.

What the mother wrote to the school, objecting to the teacher’s anti-Diwali sermon

The mother of the child who was subjected to this official shaming attached the IIT Kanpur report on Greenhouse gases that detailed how Diwali crackers were not even the top 15 reasons that cause pollution in India.

Attaching these reports, the mother asked the school to, in turn, substantiate their own claims as a response. She said that she and the IIT could be very wrong in their understanding and that the school should now revert with their own research based on which the children were being taught that Diwali causes pollution and should therefore be stopped.

She wrote in her email that the practice of tarnishing every tradition with the choicest words and saying that even animals would get hurt only creates the impression in the mids of young children that our grand civilisation is based on traditions that are counterproductive. She wrote that ours is a civilisation way ahead of its time and the school should not, under any circumstances, tell the children that they need to feel guilty or apologetic about it. The world owes a debt to our civilisation owing to our contributions and the children should be made aware of that instead of making them feel guilty.

Writing that our understanding of our own traditions should be based on facts and not narratives, she asserted that there is an urgent need to decolonise our minds. She said that negative connotations about culture, history and tradition will not create self-assured and individuals. A generation that grows hating its culture can never be confident. It will always run away from its roots. 

In the letter that the mother wrote, she hoped that these issues would also be highlighted given that these are subjects that are often pushed under the rug due to the fear of being judged.

What does it say about the school, our academia and the times we live in

Firstly, it is important to note that every year, the air quality is usually terrible even before Diwali and after it due to stubble-burning in Punjab and other states. No government has done absolutely anything to solve that problem. Political parties are hesitant to act because it might dampen their prospects in the next elections. Under such circumstances, firecrackers are very easy scapegoats.

The other point to be noted is that firecrackers are bad only during Diwali. When crackers are burst during New Year celebrations or on Christmas, they do not cause any pollution at all. Similarly, no pollution is caused when firecrackers are burst while celebrating victories in elections; by the same parties that have banned crackers during Diwali. Pollution causing firecrackers are only to be found during Diwali.

It is indeed true that IIT-Kanpur and several other research papers have noted in detail how firecrackers during Diwali is not even a top reason for pollution in any city. Further, the Supreme Court itself recently said that the firecracker issue is temporary, however, their main concern is about stubble burning, which the wokes seem to have no problem with.

Given the times we live in, it becomes extremely clear that validation from the Left is far more important not just to the people, but even arms of the establishment, such as the Judiciary and the academia. Due to the Left’s unfounded narrative, we as a nation are not just killing our civilisation but are also raising a generation of children predisposed to hating their cultural and religious identity.

What the mother did, in this case, is brave. Brave because the consequences of swimming against the ride can be disastrous for the child. It is for this reason that we have not revealed the name of the mother, the child or the school. While the consequences can be devastating for the child, it is extremely important for parents to speak up against schools toeing this dangerous line and brainwashing our children to hate their own identity.

As Police remove barricades from Tikri and Ghazipur border, Rakesh Tikait threatens more protest, says will sell crops at Parliament

OpIndia Staff
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As Police remove barricades from Tikri and Ghazipur border, Rakesh Tikait threatens more protest, says will sell crops at Parliament

On Friday (October 29), the Delhi police began removing the barricades from the Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border. This includes multiple layers of cement and iron barricades and about 5 layers of concertina wires. Besides, iron nails studded on the National Highway-9 were also removed. These physical barriers were put up to restrict the movement of the farmer protestors following the vandalism at the Red Fort on Republic Day this year.

Earlier on Thursday (October 28), the cops had confirmed the removal of barricades from the Tikri border that separates Delhi from Haryana. It had almost been a year since the border had remained closed for vehicular movement. Reportedly, the Delhi police had removed at least four layers of barricades while four layers of cement barricades still remain at the site. Delhi police remarked, “The barricades placed at the borders will be removed after getting farmers’ consensus.” Prior to lifting the barricades at the Tikri border, the Haryana government officials had met the farmer protestors to negotiate a deal.

The farmer protestors had alleged that no road has been blocked by them. “The entire responsibility to open roads is on the Delhi Police as the way has been blocked towards the other side,” claimed one farmer leader. The development comes days after the Supreme Court observed that public roads cannot remain shut indefinitely. While listening to a petition by a Noida resident named Monicca Agarwaal, Justice S K Kaul of the apex court stated, “Ultimately some solution has to be found. We are not against the right to protest even when a legal challenge is pending. (But) roads cannot be blocked like this.”

While speaking to Zee News, Rakesh Tikait announced, “They are removing the walls that they have built. Once the roads open, we will go to the Parliament to sell our crops. We will go once the roads open. We will do what the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) decides. We also wanted to go to Delhi for the past 11 months but they did not allow us to go. Our tractors will reach Delhi first.”

While speaking to Times Now about the development, Rakesh Tikait, “I am saying that the road to Delhi must be opened. Even I want to go to Delhi. If necessary, I will go to Delhi and protest. We will sell our crops at the Parliament, as the Prime Minister (allegedly) said. It is not necessary that everything must remain closed for protest. Open communication is important.”

While reacting to the Supreme Court’s observation about not blocking roads indefinitely, he conceded that public roads should not be obstructed in this manner. “Even I am waiting to go to Delhi since last 11 months,” Tikait had concluded.

‘We gotta take these MFs out’: Rutgers professor goes on racist rant against Whites, says they are committed to being villains

OpIndia Staff
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‘We gotta take these MFs out’: Rutgers professor goes on racist rant against Whites, says they are committed to being villains

A video clip has gone viral on social media where Rutgers University Professor Britney Cooper could be heard making a series of racist comments against White people. The comments were made during a session at The Root institute conference which involved a discussion between Britney Cooper and author Michael Harriot.

The event was held in September but the clip has gone viral only after a month. During the session, titled “Unpacking the Attacks on Critical Race Theory”, Britney Cooper says that White people cannot afford to have children and they ‘kind of’ deserve it.

She said, “White people’s birth rates are going down … because they literally cannot afford to put their children, newer generations, into the middle class … It’s super perverse, and also they kind of deserve it.” At another point, she says, “I think that white people are committed to being villains in the aggregate.” She also says that White people are “so corrupt”.

She also says, “We gotta take these motherf*s out” but claims “I don’t believe in a project of violence”. Speaking on White Colonialism, she said it is her responsibility to help ‘get to the other side of this very inconvenient apoca(lyptic)-interruption of black and indigenous world-making’.

Cooper proceeds to ask, ‘Does that give people comfort on the day-to-day when you’re just having to deal with white folks and the travesties that they create in the sense that they want to destroy the planet?’ She then answered her own question in the negative.

Britney Cooper is an Associate Professor at the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality studies at Rutgers University. Apart from being a professor, she has also authored books on race and women.

Porn Wali Azadi? Court says phones of Delhi Riots accused have sex videos they made of themselves, content can’t be shared

OpIndia Staff
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Porn Wali Azadi? Court says phones of Delhi Riots accused have sex videos they made of themselves, content can’t be shared

A Delhi court on Thursday this week did not allow mobile data collected from several accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case to be shared with the co-accused on the grounds that it allegedly contains pornographic content and would infringe on their privacy. 

The development came while the Court was dealing with sec. 207 CrPC applications moved on behalf of various accused persons in the matter, which asked for some accused to be supplied with a copy of all the evidence and material relied upon by the prosecution in the charge sheet. 

However, the Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat responded by saying that personal data contained in the mobile phone of the accused persons cannot be supplied to other accused persons in view of the privacy concerns.

Several people, including former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar, former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain and 13 others are the accused in the case and have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The judge said there have been a few applications requesting sharing of data, but the prosecution has made their reservations against sharing the personal data of other co-accused persons with the applicant. He also added that the prosecution showed him some photographs and details of the content in the mobile phones of the accused persons.

The pornographic content is such that it cannot even be shared with the lawyers of other accused persons, as per reports.

As per Live Law, the court stated, “SPP submitted two sealed envelopes that contained the data from the phones of some accused persons. It contained nude photos, private intimate moments and other self-made pornographic videos by accused persons.”

“From the look of those photographs and videos, it cannot be made available to anyone,” the judge said.

‘I am told there are certain audio and video of the accused persons that cannot be shared publicly. Even their counsel agree to this because it is pornographic content and video of self,’ the judge added. 

The judge said, ‘There are some porn videos, which the accused have made of themselves. So, I reckon you would understand that it would infringe on the privacy and lives.’

The judge, however, added that not everything found on the mobile phones of accused are pornographic, stating that are some personal photographs of the accused persons as well. 

The judge also asked the lawyers of the accused to provide an advance copy whenever they move an application under 207 CrPC so that they can file a reply to it, or furnish all the documents, except those that they have expressed their reservations on for being self-pornographic or some personal pictures.

The case pertains to the horrifying riots that convulsed the national capital in February 2020 when unruly mob in the city’s northeast went on a rampage, indulging in wanton violence, vandalism and arson. A bevvy of people were arrested in the case, including 18 people who were booked under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA and accused of hatching a conspiracy that touched off the riots that had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

Post the viral confrontation and Shoaib Akhtar ‘quitting’ the channel, PTV initiates inquiry, takes Akhtar and host Nauman Niaz off-air

OpIndia Staff
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Post the viral confrontation and Shoaib Akhtar ‘quitting’ the channel, PTV initiates inquiry, takes Akhtar and host Nauman Niaz off-air

Two days after Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar quit a PTV talk show over confrontation with host Dr Nauman Niaz, following the victory of Pakistan over New Zealand, the management has barred the duo from attending any programme on the channel.

The temporary ban will continue until the submission of a final inquiry report by a 4-member inquiry committee, comprising of one Aamir Manzoor, Tahir Mushtaq, Arif Mehmood and Akbar Malik. PTV News informed, “It has been decided that Niaz and Akhtar will be taken off air until the inquiry is completed.” It further added that Niaz and Akhtar could not participate in any TV programme hosted on PTV during the time period.

Reportedly, on Wednesday, Dr Niaz was questioned for several hours over the incident. Dawn reported that Akhtar had refused to appear before the committee to give his version of the events. He instead said that the committee can infer directly from the footage of the events. In a tweet, the former Pakistani pacer wrote, “Well thats hilarious. I resigned in front of 220 million Pakistanis & billions across the world. Is PTV crazy or what? Who are they to off air me?”

The said confrontation between Dr Niaz and Akhtar took place during the post-match analysis of the Pakistan Vs New Zealand match, which was held on Tuesday (October 26). In his defence, Shoaib Akhtar said, “Whatever happened is out there for everyone to see. (The committee can make the decision after watching the videos (of the show).”

Details of the verbal duel between Shoaib Akhtar and PTV host

During the post-match analysis, Akhtar was seen discussing Pakistani players’ performance against New Zealand and was asked whether the players made a mess in the chase against New Zealand. Akhtar, however, did not agree with the assessment and heaped praises on Haris Rauf, Lahore Qalandar, and Pakistan Super League franchise coach Aaqib.

At one point, Niaz lost his cool after Shoaib taunted over players. Sensing his rude and ‘over-smart behaviour, Niaz asked him to quit the show. When Shoaib tried to respond, Niaz again cut him off and announced commercial break even when a visibly angry Akhtar was speaking. After the break, Niaz asked Shoaib to continue with his remarks. Akhtar took a long pause, and bickered for a while ‘politely.’ Later, Akhtar apologised and ‘resigned’ from PTV as an analyst. He took off his mic and walked away even as Niaz, without batting an eyelid, continued with his show.

Sameer Wankhede writes to SC Commission over harassment by Nawab Malik, wife approaches CM’s office

OpIndia Staff
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Sameer Wankhede writes to SC Commission over harassment by Nawab Malik, wife approaches CM’s office

NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on Thursday wrote a letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes alleging his continuous harassment by Maharashtra government minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik.

Sameer Wankhede has been facing a barrage of allegations and harassment right after he dared to arrest Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan in the Cordelia Cruise drugs bust case on October 2.

Interestingly, Malik going personal against Wankhede and hitting below the belt stems from the fact that Wankhede had arrested Sameer Khan, son-in-law of the minister in a separate drugs case earlier in January 2021.

Malik released some documents in the public domain to claim that Wankhede was actually a Muslim who took benefit of reservation for Scheduled Caste to get the coveted job in Indian Revenue Service. Malik released his purported birth certificate and Nikahnama. Malik claimed that on December 7, 2006, when Wankhede was married to Shabana Qureshi his name was mentioned as Sameer Dawood Wankhede in the Nikahnama.

Malik had further alleged Wankhede had tried to extort money from Shah Rukh Khan. He raised suspicions on Maldives visit of the officer and later on shared a letter against Wankhede purportedly written by an NCB officer. Malik has been aimlessly shooting in the hope that some of them might work against Wankhede and he may be withdrawn from the investigation.

The NCB officer writing to the SC Commission has come after he had approached the Bombay High Court for protection. Fearing his arrest by Mumbai police, Wankhede on Thursday had requested that any investigation against him should be conducted only by CBI or NIA, and not by Mumbai Police. 

However, the court rejected his petition following an assurance from the Maharashtra government that he will be given three days’ notice before police arrest him in the extortion case.

Earlier on October 27, a complaint was lodged with the Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Home Ministry and National Commission of Scheduled Castes against Nawab Malik under relevant sections of the SC/ST Act, for Obstruction of Justice, misuse & abuse of power to threaten & intimidate NCB officer Mr Sameer Wankhede belonging to SC/ST community.

The complaint was filed by some Dalit activists.

 Kranti Redkar Wankhede, the wife Sameer Wankhede writes to Maharashtra Chief Minister

On Thursday, Kranti Redkar Wankhede, the wife of NCB officer Sameer Wankhede, wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. She stated that Thackeray’s minister is carrying out an attack on her family and her personal life. Kranti Redkar is a Marathi actress by profession and she was married to Wankhede in 2017. She posted the letter on her Twitter handle and tagged it to the Maharashtra CMO.

“Being a Marathi person, I expect justice from your side since my personal life is unnecessarily dragged into a controversy. Had late Balasaheb Thackeray been alive today, he would not have tolerated any personal attack on a woman’s dignity. The dignity of a woman has become a joke in the regime that draws inspiration from king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” she said.

On Thursday, Kranti Redkar along with her father-in-law Dnyandev Wankhede also met senior Maharashtra BJP leader Kirti Somaiya. “They are disturbed by the Slanderous / Dirty Propaganda by the Minister against their Family Members,” Kirti Somaiya tweeted.

Wankhede’s sister writes to National Commission for Women

It seems that the Wankhede family has now pulled up its socks to legally fight the low politics of minister Malik.  Wankhede’s sister advocate Yasmeen Wankhede, has approached the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the police against Malik. Yasmeen wrote to the Women Commission requesting to “safeguard her constitutional rights as a woman” as Malik has been violating her privacy. She said that the minister is sharing her pictures from her social media profiles to make baseless allegations against her brother.

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma told ANI that Yasmeen in her letter has said that she is being stalked online and her pictures were downloaded from social media and circulated in the press. She said that the Commission will write to Maharashtra DGP about it.

“Right to privacy is her right and how come anyone circulates her pictures which were taken out without her permission. We will take up this matter on police apathy also,” the NCW chairperson said.         

Islamist outfit PFI files defamation suit against Republic TV for their coverage of Darrang incident, court summons Arnab Goswami: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Islamist outfit PFI files defamation suit against Republic TV for their coverage of Darrang incident, court summons Arnab Goswami: Details

On Thursday (October 28), a Delhi Court summoned Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami after Islamist group Popular Front of India (PFI) filed a defamation suit against him and fellow Editor Ananya Verma. PFI had accused the duo of ‘false reporting’ and tarnishing its image.

It had also attached the News Broadcast standards Association (NBSA) as one of the respondents in the matter. As per reports, the outfit sought ₹1 lakh in damages and a ‘mandatory injunction’ on Republic TV against reporting anything defamatory about PFI. The order for the summons was issued by Additional Civil Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan. The matter has been adjourned until January 3 next year.

The defamation suit pertained to the coverage of the Darrang incident in Assam. PFI had accused Republic TV of publishing an article titled, “Darrang Firing: 2 arrested with PFI links, accused of mobilizing crowds for protest”, which was published on the website of Republic TV. The Islamist outfit had also alleged that the news channel aired another programme titled, “Assam violence probe: Two PFI men arrested” on the live telecast.

Scrrengrab of the Repunlic tV article Ananya Verma

The Popular Front of India claimed that the two people arrested in the Darrang violence, namely, Md Asmat Ali and Md Chand Mamud were not connected to the outfit. In its defamation suit, it alleged, “In the said news article/ telecast, the defendants have made false and frivolous accusations against the plaintiff with the intent to provoke people and to cause prejudice to the name, image and goodwill of the plaintiff… The defendants have deliberately made such libellous, defamatory and derogatory allegations with the motive to defame and malign the image of the plaintiff.”

PFI claimed that Republic TV published the news without proper verification and enquiry and that its coverage was a blot on freedom of speech and expression. It had cited the statement of Darrang SP who supposedly claimed that the two accused were panchayat members and not that of PFI. The radical Islamist outfit, represented by one Shakeel Abbas, added that it had sent a legal notice to Republic TV on September 30 seeking an unconditional apology but in vain. It added that the channel had sent a ‘false and evasive reply’ in return.

Violence in Darrang district in Assam, encroachers resist eviction drive

On September 23, an eviction drive conducted by the administration in Darrang district in Assam had turned violent after encroachers of the land attacked security forces. While 9 policemen were injured in the attack by the mob of illegal encroachers, 2 attackers were killed in retaliatory police firing.

The incident took place at the Dholpur in the Garukhuti area near the Sipajhar town in Darrang district in Assam, where the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is conducting an eviction drive of illegal settlers on land belonging to the government or other organisations like temples. When the eviction party reached the place inhabited by Bengali-speaking Muslims on Thursday, hundreds of people clashed with the police, attacking them with stones, machetes, pointed bamboo sticks, etc.

Congress supporters try to claim ‘clean chit’ in 2G and Coal scam by spinning an apology by former CAG Vinod Rai to Sanjay Nirupam

OpIndia Staff
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Congress supporters try to claim ‘clean chit’ in 2G and Coal scam by spinning an apology by former CAG Vinod Rai to Sanjay Nirupam

Former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai has tendered an unconditional apology to Sanjay Nirupam for taking his name as one of the Congress MPs who was pressurising him to leave the former PM Manmohan Singh’s name out from his report on 2G Spectrum allocation. In response to a defamation case filed by Sanjay Nirupam, Vinod Rai tendered an apology and said that he had erroneously taken Nirupam’s name. Rai said this in an affidavit before the Metropolitan Magistrate’s court in Patiala House where Nirupam had filed a defamation case against the former CAG.

This apology, however, was spun by Congress supporters, leaders and trolls to allege that the former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress had got a ‘clean chit’ in the allocation scam. They further used the apology to allege that the 2G allocation scam did not take place at all and that the nation was misled by Anna Hazare and Vinod Rai.

Manish Tewari took to Twitter to congratulate Sanjay Nirupam for the apology from Vinod Rai. He further ended his tweet by saying, “He (Vinod Rai) should apologise to the nation for his fanciful 2-G & Coal Blocks allocation Reports also”.

Congress troll Rachit Seth “reminded” people that Vinod Rai and Anna Hazare “damaged the nation”. Essentially, he meant that Vinod Rai’s report on the 2G Spectrum allocation scam “damaged the nation” because it was false.

Another Congress troll said that Vinod Rai’s “unconditional apology” was not enough for misleading the nation. He even termed his CAG report an ‘anti-national act’.

There were 100s of other tweets from Congress leaders, trolls and supporters that used the apology by Vinod Rai to Sanjay Nirupam to insinuate that the 2G scam did not happen at all and that the apology exonerated Congress and former PM Manmohan Singh.

However, is that true? Does the apology by Vinod Rai exonerate Congress? Does it mean that Congress MPs actually did not pressurise him to leave Manmohan Singh’s name out of the report?

What former CAG Vinod Rai said in his apology to then Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam

Former CAG Vinod Rai had repeatedly said in 2014 and during the launch of his book that several Congress MPs had then pressurised him to keep former PM Manmohan Singh’s name out of the 2G Spectrum allocation report. In his affidavit, Rai said, “I made certain statements against Sanjay Nirupam particularly in 2014 subsequent to the launch of my book ‘Not just an Accountant: The Diary of the Nation’s Conscience Keeper’. I have realised that I had inadvertently and wrongly mentioned the name of Sanjay Nirupam as one of the MPs who pressurised me to keep the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s name out of the CAG report on 2-G Spectrum allocation during the meetings of the Public Accounts Committee and on the sidelines of the Joint Parliamentary Committee”.

Rai also apologised for the agony his remarks caused to Nirupam and his well-wishers. Nirupam had pressed defamation charges against Rai after the ex-CAG made references in respect of the Congress leader in his book and in media interviews that followed the launch of the book.

“Vinod Rai stands discharged in the case. His apology was accepted by Sanjay Nirupam and the matter was disposed of after recording Nirupam’s statement,” said RK Handoo, Nirupam’s lawyer.

Does the apology by Vinod Rai change anything? Does it exonerate Congress or former PM Manmohan Singh?

Congress trolls and leaders have come out of the woodworks after the apology from Vinod Rai. They have insinuated that Vinod Rai’s apology for taking Sanjay Nirupam’s name means that the entire 2G Spectrum allocation report had been discredited.

However, that is not the truth.

Vinod Rai said, in his apology, “I have realised that I had inadvertently and wrongly mentioned the name of Sanjay Nirupam as one of the MPs who pressurised me to keep the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s name out of the CAG report on 2-G Spectrum allocation during the meetings of the Public Accounts Committee and on the sidelines of the Joint Parliamentary Committee”.

Essentially, his apology meant that him taking Sanjay Nirupam’s name specifically was a mistake. However, he did not say that other Congress MPs did not pressurise him to keep former PM Manmohan Singh’s name out of the scam report.

He also did not say anything about retracting his findings of scam in the report that he had submitted, detailing the scam.

Therefore, it is inexplicable how Congress is spinning this as a “clean chit” to either Manmohan Singh and the Congress in the 2G scam and the coal scam. It also does not mean that other Congress MPs did not pressurise him to leave Manmohan Singh out of the report.

Interestingly, in 2017, a special CBI court had acquitted all accused, including former telecom minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi, in the 2G spectrum allocation scam cases. All of the 19 accused were acquitted of all charges in the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering case which comes under the gamut of the 2G scam case.

Even then, the Congress and their sympathetic journalists had taken to Twitter to exonerate Congress and claim that the 2G scam did not happen at all.

However, the Supreme Court had in 2012 itself declared that the allocation of 2G spectrum by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was “illegal” and was an example of the arbitrary exercise of power. It had then cancelled all 122 telecom licences allotted on or after January 10, 2008, to 11 companies during the tenure of the former telecom minister, A. Raja.

In this case, it was akin to saying that the murder did not occur simply because the accused was acquitted. Now, it is like saying that just because one lackey was named wrongly, the others did no wrong either. The 2G scam was pegged at Rs. 1.76 lac crores by former CAG Vinod Rai. In this case, it would seem like the loss is there, but Congress wants us to believe that nobody really committed the scam at all.

Congress is clearly desperate to wash away the Congress’ image of being corrupt, however, at this point, it would seem like the Congress is clutching on to straws.

No Ram to Jai Shri Ram: U-turn Kejriwal building Ram Mandir replica for ‘Dilli Ki Diwali’ celebrations

OpIndia Staff
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No Ram to Jai Shri Ram: U-turn Kejriwal building Ram Mandir replica for ‘Dilli Ki Diwali’ celebrations

Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is reportedly building a replica of the under-construction Ayodhya Ram Mandir, at the Thyagaraj Stadium Complex in New Delhi as part of its ‘Dilli ki Diwali’ celebrations. 

Reportedly, the temple replica is set to be 30-foot-high and 80-foot-wide. It will be a part of the stage where the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will perform Diwali puja on November 4.

“The construction work is being done as per the directions from the Deputy Chief Minister’s (Manish Sisodia) office. An event management company was selected and a work order has been issued,” reported the Hindu quoting a source. 

Talking about the setup, a worker said, “The Ram Mandir will be part of the stage. It will be built on a metal frame and will have plywood over it. The exterior of the temple will be made of thermocol.”

The construction of the replica began on Thursday and is said to be completed by Sunday. 

From ‘No Ram’ to ‘Jai Shri Ram’

Kejriwal and many of his ministers had objected to the Ram Mandir and had even tried to shame and condemn the Hindu community for wanting to build it. However, as the Supreme Court verdict came and the overwhelming public opinion seemed to be favouring the Temple, Kejriwal quickly took one of his famous U-turns.

The AAP leadership have turned into devotees running pillar to post or rather temple to temple to allegedly seek blessings of Hindu deities. 

Kejriwal who vehemently opposed the construction of Ayodhya Ram Mandir for political gains is now participating in multiple programs, offering obeisance to Lord Ram. 

Early this week, Kejriwal sporting a rather awkward look, attended the Aarti on the banks of the Saryu River.

Prior to this, declaring himself a Ram Bhakt, Kejriwal announced taking senior citizens from New Delhi to a trip to Ayodhya Ram Mandir. 

However, not long ago, Kejriwal on several occasions had questioned the need for a Ram Mandir. 

In 2014, he had shamed the Hindus for trying to build a temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram saying his Nani (grandmother) would never have approved of it.

When Ayodhya Ram Mandir was a distant reality, Kejriwal mocked the intent and repeatedly said that the government should instead build schools, colleges and hospitals. However, Kejriwal found his way to the same temple, the day PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the temple. 

Not just the Delhi CM, his colleagues have also time and again opposed the construction of Ram Mandir. AAP leader Sanjay Singh, in an attempt to gain relevancy in politics, had run a misinformation campaign alleging funds misappropriations by the BJP and Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust in June this year. 

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