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‘He got real X-rated’: Australian TV star Jessika Power opens up about ‘inappropriate’ messages sent to her by cricket icon Shane Warne

OpIndia Staff
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‘He got real X-rated’: Australian TV star Jessika Power opens up about ‘inappropriate’ messages sent to her by cricket icon Shane Warne

Shane Warne, the Australian cricket legend, has found himself on a sticky wicket when Australian reality TV personality Jessika Power spilt all the specifics about the alleged “inappropriate” messages she received from the cricket icon in a recent episode of Big Brother VIP.

Calling Warne ‘a freak’, Power said now she understands why he gets into trouble all the time. Power added that as she responded to Warne’s messages, he got ‘real X-rated’.

The Australian reality TV star even termed a message that she received from Warne as insane, and added that she could not believe the fact that the 52-year-old cricketer had sent her such a message.

She said: “It was even weirder when I had Shane Warne in my inbox the other week. He’s a freak. Some of the things he was sending me, I was like, Inappropriate! I replied a little bit to him and then he just got real X-rated. And I was like, I just can’t. No wonder he gets into trouble all the time,” the former MAFS star told her inmates revealing how Warne had been trying to get her attention via her private Instagram message.

Power went on to say she’d never sell the story or share the exact messages but warned the cricket star that other girls may.

Later, during an interview with radio duo Fitzy and Wippa, Power divulged further details about the alleged Instagram chats. Jessika told the radio jockeys that Shane was fairly persistent with making advances towards her.

She said that Warne was “very x-rated” while adding that “it was something to do with being naked and facing a wall and on knees”.

“He messaged me three or four times and I hadn’t seen it and then I replied back .. he goes, ‘can I say hi’ and I go, ‘of course you can say hi I don’t bite’ and he goes, ‘what if I ask you to?’,” she said.

“You’re my dad’s age, and I told my dad and my dad goes, ‘watch out for him darling – he’s a spinner.”

Power even posted an Instagram story that showed superimposed faces of several other celebrities who have been linked to Shane Warne in the past. “Hands up if Shane Warne has ever slid into your DMs,” read the caption.

Kerala man orders passport cover on Amazon, gets an original passport of another person

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala man orders passport cover on Amazon, gets an original passport of another person

A man from Kerala named Mithun Babu received an original passport after he had ordered a passport cover on Amazon according to reports. In a case of wrong delivery by Amazon, Mithun Babu was left surprised when he was given an original passport along with the passport cover that he had ordered on the website.

According to reports, Mithun Babu, a native of Wayanad district, Kerala, had made an order for a passport cover on Amazon on October 30 and the parcel was delivered on November 1. Later he discovered that the parcel not only contained his passport cover but also carried an original passport. When Babu informed Amazon custom care about the original passport in the package, he was told “it will not be repeated and we will instruct the seller to be very careful next time.” and got no help on what he was supposed to do with the original passport that was delivered to him.

As per reports, the original passport belonged to one Mohammad Salih, a man from Kerala’s Thrissur district who was eventually found by Mithun Babu.

In another such incident of wrong delivery by Amazon, Vikram Buragohain from Delhi had ordered a remote control car and was handed over Parle-G biscuits in return by the e-commerce company.

Delhi police delete tweet about arresting man for possession of firecrackers, block netizens who mocked them

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi police delete tweet about arresting man for possession of firecrackers, block netizens who mocked them

On November 3, the official Twitter handle of DCP (New Delhi) had posted a tweet about a man who was arrested for carrying a bag of firecrackers. After facing social media trolling, the Delhi police have now deleted the contentious tweet.

The cops had informed that HC Rampal of Connaught Place police station had apprehended a man named Rajesh Chawla for carrying one polythene of firecrackers. A First Information Report (FIR) no. 201/2021 was also lodged against him under Indian Penal Code Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Screengrab of the tweet by Delhi police

The arrest came at the backdrop of a complete ban on all forms of firecrackers by the Kejriwal-led government till January 1, 2022. This prompted the Delhi Police to initiate a crackdown on the sale and distribution of firecrackers during the festive season. Social media was rife with angry comments by netizens, who were aghast with the Delhi police for acting all-powerful and brave against the common man trying to celebrate a festival, after displaying their helplessness against farmer protestors and rioters.

People called into question the ineffectiveness of the police in preventing the infamous Republic Day riots and the mayhem created by the farmer protestors. Following the barrage of mockery, the official handle of DCP (New Delhi) had deleted the tweet. Besides deleting the contentious tweet, the Delhi police also chose to silence dissenters and critics by blocking social media handles that criticised them.

When a Twitter user (@BesuraTaansane) mocked the action of the cops, they sought to block him. “It’s a fact that it is a great achievement. (It) calls for a President’s police medal.” Miffed by the non-abusive tweet of a common man, the Delhi police resorted to blocking him out.

Screengrab of the tweet

Another user had also recounted how the DCP (New Delhi) handle had blocked him from accessing their tweets.

Screengrab of the tweet

It must be mentioned that public accounts, run by government entities, blocking private citizens is unusual.

In August 2012, the then Government of India had blocked a bunch of Twitter handles – many were ‘Right-Wing among those blocked. It remains one of the earliest attempts to censor private citizens by the government. The UPA government simply bypassed Twitter and asked the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to block access to those Twitter accounts. It created a massive furore, but it also had tacit support from some quarters of liberals.

Many of them justified this blocking, saying the accounts were indulged in ‘hate speech’ on communal lines. Founder and Editor of one such liberal outlet ‘Hardnews’ that supported the decision of the Manmohan Singh government to block Twitter accounts of ordinary citizens, is now an office-bearer of Editor’s Guild of India. While not all among liberals openly supported the government’s decision to block these Twitter handles, many of them, especially the talking heads in the media, started a concerted narrative about ‘trolls’ on Twitter and how that was a real problem that needed solving.

When Rahul Dravid told Ramachandra Guha to ‘shut up and stick to history’ following unwanted cricketing advise from the ‘historian’

OpIndia Staff
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When Rahul Dravid told Ramachandra Guha to ‘shut up and stick to history’ following unwanted cricketing advise from the ‘historian’

Ramachandra Guha, in his book ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket’, revealed that cricket legend Rahul Dravid, soon to be head coach of the Indian team, once politely told him to ‘shut up’ about cricket. The ‘historian’ said that Rahul Dravid responded to his unsolicited cricketing advice with words that carried the suggestion that he should stick to history instead of opining on cricket.

In 2007, Rahul Dravid was the captain for a series versus England. Known as a great slip fielder, Dravid was standing at mid-off.

Consequently, Ramachandra Guha wrote to him saying, “You are quite possibly the finest Test batsman in Indian cricket history, and without question the finest slip fielder ever produced by India in ALL forms of the game. You must field there. I understand that with your somewhat erratic bowling you feel the need to be close at hand to guide them. But, all things considered. I think that slip is the place for you, and for the team. No one else in India is remotely as good as you, which is why all these catches go down in the early overs.”

The reply from Dravid came a few days later. He said, ‘You are right… all our history seemed to stop with Gandhi and there’s actually so much that’s happened since for us to be where we are 60 years later. I finished about 180 pages so a fair way to go. Would love to talk about it and much more.’

Ramachandra Guha believed that the reply from the legendary Indian batsman was a polite way of telling him that his advise was neither wanted nor desirable. Guha wrote, “My email to Dravid was unsolicited, unprompted and impertinent—akin in cricketing terms to a bouncer from a bowler of military medium pace, it was dispatched to the boundary with a flick of the wrists. The put-down was decisive; and yet so delicately worded. I was told, in the kindest possible manner, to shut up about strategy in cricket and go back to writing history books. (I did.)”

Guha was later appointed as an administrator of the BCCI, a post he quit soon after. Therefore, his claim that he stuck to writing ‘history’ books appears factually incorrect as well.

Guha had also accused Dravid of conflict of interest for being a mentor of the Delhi Daredevils IPL team while being the coach of India-A and Under-19 teams. Dravid had responded saying, “By the BCCI’s conflict of interest rules, I was absolutely not under a conflict of interest. If the rules have changed midway through the contract, then I think it is unfair to criticise me for breaking the rules or twisting the rules to suit my convenience.”

“My simple point is that, not only me but there are five or six of us who are in the same position. There needs to be clarity. If there is clarity, we will be in a position to take an informed decision. It is disappointing the way this got played out in the public without much understanding of the background,” he added.

NASA data shows how pollution on Diwali caused by stubble burning, not firecrackers: Read details that disprove Media campaign against Diwali

Raju Das
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NASA data shows how pollution on Diwali caused by stubble burning, not firecrackers: Read details that disprove Media campaign against Diwali

Like clockwork, the media is filled with reports on how air pollution has skyrocketed a day after Diwali. Even though Delhi faces severe pollution for 3-4 months every winter caused by various man-made and natural reasons, the media and the activists have only one favourite event to blame for the same, the firecrackers burst on Diwali.

With the onset of winter and starting of stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states, air quality in Delhi had already started to deteriorate, and the pollution further increased on Friday. The 24-hour average AQI for the city on Thursday was 382, up from 314 on Wednesday. The PM2.5 levels also reached very high levels in the national capital.

Such a situation was perfect for the leftist media to blame Diwali for the same, as NDTV claimed that “people paid the price for celebrating India’s biggest festival in the noisiest, and most smoky way”. Almost all media reports blamed people flouting the ban on firecrackers for the increased pollution. Even when the reports didn’t directly blame Diwali for increased pollution, they didn’t forget to mention that it happened a day after Diwali, suggesting the same.

NDTV blames Diwali for pollution in Delhi

However, even though the parameters say that Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated, attributing Diwali for the same is done by the media houses only, as the official air quality reports do not mention any source for the pollution. And, it is clear that the one-day festival was the perfect cover for the media to hide the real culprit of pollution, farmers burning stubble in the neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana. There is no data to back the claim that air pollution increased in Delhi specifically due to Diwali firecrackers, and no such claim has been made in official weather reports by any agency.

In fact, a report by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) had already forecasted that due to winds coming from the northwest of Delhi, the amount of pollutants coming from the burning farmlands will go up significantly on Friday and Saturday. The SAFAR report had said that the share of stubble burning on Delhi’s air pollution will go up from 8% to 20% on Wednesday, and will go up to 35-45% on Friday and Saturday.

Satellite information also confirms that stubble burning has already reached its peak, which is the major reason for air pollution in the NCR region due to geographical location and weather patterns. According to the Fire Information for Resource Management System of NASA, the incident of fires in Punjab and Haryana have gone up significantly in the month of October, with it reaching its peak in the last week.

Social media users also have pointed out how the farmers burning their stubble are responsible for the pollution, not firecrackers.

NASA fire maps for north India on different dates in the last month

NASA uses red dots to indicate incidents of fire caught by satellites, and the maps for 31st October and 5th November show that almost the entire state is covered with red dots, which means that crop residues are being burnt at almost all the farmland in the state to clear the land for the next cultivation. Similarly, a large portion of Haryana is also covered with such red dots indicating fire.

There is also an indication that the farmers time stubble burning with Diwali, so that the pollution caused by them is blamed on firecrackers. When Swarajya Magazine editor Arihant Pawariya asked a farmer why they were burning stubble during Diwali, the farmer had replied that nobody will catch them as it is the time of the festivals.

Therefore, even if there was no bursting of firecrackers due to Diwali yesterday, Delhi’s air quality would not have been any better. Due to wind direction, the smoke from the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana move towards Delhi, where it remains stationary due to the lack of wind movement in the region. Fog caused by lower temperate captures the pollutants in the air and keep them suspended in the air for a longer time, which creates toxic smog.

Even the Supreme Court of India also have finally admitted that the firecracker issue is temporary, and the stubble burning problem is the main reason behind the air pollution in Delhi every year. But the leftist media continues to remain in denial of the issue, and continues to blame Diwali firecrackers for the problem year after year.

Exactly one year after Arnab Goswami was dragged from his home, here is where those who arrested him are

OpIndia Staff
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Exactly one year after Arnab Goswami was dragged from his home, here is where those who arrested him are

Exactly a year ago, Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was arrested by Mumbai Police in an old 2018 closed case of abetment of suicide. OpIndia reported how the Mumbai Police team of at least 30 police personnel, led by encounter specialist and erstwhile members of Shiv Sena Sachin Vaze, carrying assault rifles barged into Arnab’s house without any summons, documents or court papers, physically assaulted him, dragged him by the hair into a police van and arrested him. The police personnel not only stopped Arnab from handing over medicines to his parents-in-law but also physically assaulted him and his son, even refusing to let him wear his shoes.

Before Arnab Goswami was presented before the court, he had highlighted his injury marks and accused Pradeep Patil, Sachin Vaze, and seven other policemen of assaulting him.

Sachin Vaze and his team assaulted and dragged the country’s leading news network’s editor-in-chief from his home, shoved him into a police van and took him to Alibaug police station. He was shifted to a quarantine centre in Alibaug where he was kept in judicial custody for 4 nights.

Thereafter, Arnab was shifted to Taloja jail, which is notoriously known as a ‘hub’ for the underworld mafia and accused terrorists. The windows of the police van in which he was taken were covered with black screens to prevent him from being seen by Vaze’s squad. Hardcore criminals are generally subjected to this treatment.

The then Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh had rushed his right-hand man Pradeep Patil, who had allegedly assaulted Arnab Goswami in custody, to file the charge-sheet against the latter in the re-opened Anvay Naik suicide case. 

Witch-hunt against Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami

With time, however, it became clear how, blinded by vendetta, the Maharashtra Government, the then Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh and his team had mounted a witch-hunt against the journalist.

Mumbai police at the behest of the then commissioner Param Bir Singh, had at first, falsely implicated Republic TV in the TRP scam on the basis of an FIR naming India Today. The police had also reportedly coerced witnesses into naming Republic TV in the TRP scam. Mumbai police had also sought details of all financial transactions of the channel ever since its inception. After this, the Mumbai police opened another front against Arnab Goswami, which was the 2018 suicide case that was closed back then.

It may be recalled that the state home department then led by NCP’s Anil Deshmukh had drafted the 40-member police team to carry out ‘Operation Arnab’. Kokan range inspector general Sanjay Mohite, who drafted the plan, entrusted the responsibility to execute the plan on encounter specialist Sachin Vaze.

The people who had gone out of their way to hound the Republic TV chief are the ones who are in trouble today.

Former Maha HM Anil Deshmukh, who initiated the smear campaign against Arnab Goswami

Sachin Vaze, the Maharashtra police officer currently under arrest had in September confessed before the Enforcement Directorate that the former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh had wanted Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami to be arrested in the TRP rigging case where some TV channels were accused of manipulating TRP to claim an inflated viewership.

As per reports, the tainted cop has revealed that Anil Deshmukh, NCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister, had been personally involved in the attempt to get Arnab Goswami arrested.

The NCP leader who started the witch-hunt against Arnab Goswami is now under ED’s arrest in an extortion and money-laundering case. Deshmukh (71) who was in hiding, was arrested on November 2, 2021, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after being questioned for over 12 hours in connection with the case.

Anil Deshmukh was the “primary beneficiary” of the proceeds of crime, according to ED’s statement in court, and was directly involved in money laundering.

The agency had initiated a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed its FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

The court has remanded the former Maharashtra HM in ED’s custody until November 6.

Encounter specialist Sachin Vaze who assaluted Arnab Goswami

Sachin Vaze, the right-hand man of former police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who on the instructions of the latter, had persecuted Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami is himself under the custody of NIA in connection with the mysterious death of Mansukh Hiren and the explosives-laden car found outside the residence of Mukesh Ambani. The Maharashtra Assistant Police Inspector was arrested at 11.50 PM on March 13, Saturday, after being grilled by the central agency for 12 hours. 

Vaze has been arrested under Sections 286 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (Punishment for forgery), 473 (Making or possessing counterfeit seal), 506(2) (criminal intimidation), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code and 4(a)(b)(I)(attempt to cause an explosion) of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

After his name surfaced in connection with the matter, Sachin Vaze was removed from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

‘Encounter cop’ Sachin Vaze has a problematic past, to say the least. He was accused in the custodial death case of one Khwaja Younis. Under suspicion, he was suspended from the police force. After his suspension, he had joined the Shiv Sena and had been only recently reinstated by the Uddhav Thackeray led government.

Former Mumbai PC Param Bir Singh who carried out a lie-ridden campaign against Republic Media Network

While former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh and ‘encounter cop’ Sachin Vaze are in custody, former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who initiated the lie-ridden campaign against Republic Media Network and its owner Arnab Goswami is still on the run.

The former Mumbai police commissioner is wanted in several ongoing cases under investigation including the Antilia Bomb scare, Mansukh Hiren murder case, and the Mumbai police extortion case.

Reports suggest that the Maharashtra government is also considering legal opinions on the matter and is set to declare Parambir Singh as an absconder after it has failed to trace Singh. Earlier, the state CID had issued a lookout notice against Param Bir Singh.

While the law will follow its own path, it is incredible how justice has come full circle. After over a year of accusations levelled against the Republic Media Network and its Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, the truth has prevailed and Arnab has been vindicated. As per reports, the tainted cop Sachin Vaze has himself revealed that Anil Deshmukh, NCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister, had been personally involved in the attempt to get Arnab Goswami arrested, apart from demanding bribes and extortions worth crores from business owners.

Soon after Vaze’s submission before the ED, Republic TV issued a statement expressing satisfaction that it has been finally proven that the “case against Republic was fake, manufactured, fabricated, malicious, and designed at harming India’s biggest news network in a conspiratorial manner”. The media outlet stated that it is evaluating all legal options against all those who were involved in the plot and amplification of the fabrications.

 

While PM Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with the armed forces, reports say Rahul Gandhi flew to London for a vacation

OpIndia Staff
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While PM Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with the armed forces, reports say Rahul Gandhi flew to London for a vacation

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers at the Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir on November 4, according to a Republic TV report, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi flew to London. PM Modi has been celebrating Diwali with armed forces since 2014 when he became the prime minister.

“I want to spend Diwali with family members, so I join you on this festival,” Modi explained his priority as a citizen and prime minister and applauded the role of the army brigade which had carried a successful surgical strike against Pakistan sponsored Islamic terrorists on September 29, 2016, in wake of a terrorist attack on an Army base in the Uri sector.

Modi’s Jammu and Kashmir visit during Diwali celebration with members of armed forces has come at a time when forces are carrying operations against Islamic terrorists following targeted killings of minorities in the Valley.

Rahul Gandhi on the other than, according to a media report, flew to London.

BJP has taken a swipe at Rahul Gandhi for undertaking a foreign trip. “PM Modi returned from a successful visit of the G20, COP26 and got straight to work, chaired important meetings and took big decisions. Today, he was at Nowshera to celebrate Deepawali with jawans. But where is Rahul Gandhi? Apparently on his way to London for another holiday!” BJP leader and IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya said.

So far there is no update on Rahul Gandhi’s London holiday and Congress has not come with any official statement about the purpose of that visit.

Rahul Gandhi – A part-time politician and full-time traveller

In December 2020, Rahul Gandhi left for Milan in Italy on the eve of the 136th foundation day of the Congress. When questions were raised on the sudden disappearance of Rahul Gandhi on such an important occasion, the nervous Congress leaders gave contradictory explanations. KC Venugopal said undertook a personal visit to see his grandmother. Kanti Lal Bhuria on the other hand claimed that Rahul Gandhi had gone for some party work. 

On October 6, 2019, barely a fortnight before the assembly elections of Maharashtra and Haryana, Rahul Gandhi left for Bangkok while leaving a fighting flock behind. While the BJP had thrown formidable challenges there was a clear split in the Congress into two camps led by Rahul Gandhi and another by Sonia Gandhi. In Haryana, ahead of his visit, former state unit chief Ashok Tanwar resigned from the party alleging those groomed by Rahul Gandhi were sidelined. Right after he returned from Bangkok, he undertook a trip to Indonesia.

This another escape of Rahul Gandhi from responsibility, the Congress defended as a visit for mediation. Notably, under his direction, Congress had planned as many as 35 press conferences across the country between November 1 and November 8 (2019) against the economic policies and decisions of the Modi government. But Rahul Gandhi skipped the protests.

In May 2019, ahead of the counting of votes of the parliamentary elections, a lot of political activities were going on. Believing that Modi-led NDA is going to be defeated, the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had invited prominent leaders from the Opposition parties to decide on a Prime Ministerial candidate. However, the meeting was postponed as NDA got a massive mandate. Surprisingly, Rahul Gandhi had apparently planned his London visit when his mother Sonia Gandhi was worried about the fate of the Congress and the future of her son in the post-poll scenario. However, Rahul Gandhi postponed the visit as claimed by media reports.

According to media reports, Rahul Gandhi has frequently skipped even important parliamentary sessions and debates. In January 2018 he had skipped the budget session for a sabbatical.

In 2015, Rahul Gandhi went missing for 60 days on the name of vipassana or meditation. He visited four South Asian nations namely Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam from February 16 to April 16, 2015. He spent a maximum number of 21 days in Myanmar which is considered an unsafe place for a Special Protection Group (SPG) protectee.

Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits have always surprised his party and the SPG

Even if the leaders of the Congress have defended his untimely and secret foreign visits, he always left SPG bothered. His SPG protection was withdrawn in November 2019.  In November 2019, during the debate on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Union Home minister Amit Shah had said that since 2015, Rahul Gandhi had travelled 247 times abroad without informing SPG. Shah had also said that other members of the Gandhi family namely Sonia Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also flouted SPG norms. He said that Sonia Gandhi had also made as many as 24 foreign visits without informing SPG. About Priyanka, he said that she had undertaken 99 foreign trips since 1991, of which she did not seek SPG cover on 78 such tours.

Take the new generation to Teerthstahalas: PM Modi talks about Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Kashi-Vishwanath corridor and more

OpIndia Staff
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Take the new generation to Teerthstahalas: PM Modi talks about Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Kashi-Vishwanath corridor and more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking from the Kedarnath Dham on the occasion of Govardhan Puja revealed, “My inner voice had said that Kedarnath will be rebuilt in all its glory despite the mass destruction post the Uttarakhand floods in 2013.”

After inaugurating the grand 12 feet statue of Adi Shankaracharya at the divine shrine of Kedarnath, PM Modi while addressing the devotees in person and virtually, said, “After 2013 destruction, people used to think if Kedarnath could be redeveloped. But a voice within me always told me that Kedarnath will be redeveloped again.”

PM Modi said that he had ‘no words to describe the experience of sitting before Adi Guru Shankaracharya’s statue at his rebuilt samadhi.’

Expressing his grief on the disastrous 2013 floods, the Prime Minister said that he had rushed to Uttarakhand despite being the Chief Minister of another state. “I had the experience of rebuilding Kutch after the devastating earthquake in 2001. I had been inspecting the work at Kedar Dham virtually,” said PM Modi.

However, he also mentioned that no human can take the credit for rebuilding Kedarnath after the floods. He also thanked the workers and administration who worked round the clock, despite heavy snowfall to bring back the Dham to its glory and make it functional for devotees. 

“I reviewed the progress of different works being carried out here through drone footage. I want to thank all ‘rawals’ here for their guidance for these works,” said the Prime Minister. 

‘India being viewed differently’

Talking about the various religious spots being built across the nation, PM Modi remarked that there was a time when religion was just associated with conservative stereotypes. 

“But, Indian philosophy talks about human welfare, sees life in a holistic manner. Adi Shankaracharya worked to make society aware of this truth,” exclaimed Modi. 

He also mentioned the grand Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya which led to the crowd’s roar in cheer. “A grand Ram Temple is being constructed in Ayodhya. Recently, Deepotsav was celebrated there. Work on the Kashi-Vishwanath corridor project in Varanasi is also progressing rapidly. The work is progressing well on the Buddha-circuit that connects all the places of importance for the Buddhists. Several developmental projects are on in Mathura-Vrindavan,” informed PM Modi further. 

He also appealed to the citizens to take the newer generations to the ‘teerthstahalas’ to acquaint them with our history, culture and tradition. 

Several infrastructure projects coming up in Uttarakhand

PM Modi informed that the number of devotees visiting the Chardham is on a rise every year. To facilitate easy travel and commute, the Prime Minister informed, “A number of infrastructure projects are planned for Uttarakhand including road connectivity to Chardham. We want the devotees to be able to reach Kedarnath directly in vehicles.”

He further stated that a ropeway is being built at Hemkund Sahib for the devotees. “The Delhi-Dehradun highway will further reduce the travel time. Moreover, Rishikesh and Karnaprayag are being connected by rail,” PM Modi announced further.

Talking about enhanced tourism, the Prime Minister said, “The network of homestays is increasing in the state of Uttarakhand. This will further empower the women of the state.”

He also congratulated the state for administering at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to 100% eligible population of the state. 

“This decade belongs to Uttarakhand. In the next 10 years, the state will receive more tourists than it did in the last 100 years,” said Modi concluding his speech with the chants of ‘Jai Kedar.’ 

PM Modi to lay foundation stone of multiple projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Adi Shankaracharya statue built by a sculptor from Mysuru. 

will now inaugurate key infrastructure projects worth Rs 130 crores, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini. 

He will also lay the foundation stone for multiple projects.

‘He brought life to a sleeping civilisation, awakened Bharat to rise above caste boundaries’: What PM Modi said about Adi Shankara at Kedarnath

OpIndia Staff
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‘He brought life to a sleeping civilisation, awakened Bharat to rise above caste boundaries’: What PM Modi said about Adi Shankara at Kedarnath

PM Modi is in Kedarnath today. After visiting the Jyotirlinga shrine, and performing Aarti, PM Modi proceeded to unveil the statue and reconstructed Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya near the Kedarnath shrine.

Speaking to the public after the inauguration of key projects, PM Modi told about how Adi Shankara worked relentlessly to bring a sleeping civilisation back to life by inspiring millions through his philosophy and message of spiritualism.

Starting his speech about Adi Shankara, PM Modi stated that Indian spiritual Gurus says that ‘Shankaro Shankarah Sakshaat’ (Adi Shankara was Lord Shankara himself in human form). PM Modi added that from a very young age, Adi Shankara had started studying and analysing Shastras and Vedas. In the age where almost all common people indulge in social endeavours and narrow material pursuits, Adi Shankara had started analysing Sanskrit philosophies, and discussing Vedanta.

Explaining the meaning of ‘Shankara’ PM Modi explained that the individual who does the ‘kalyaan’ of the people is called ‘Shankara’.

When India was mired in violence, hatred and wars, Adi Shankara had given us the message of rising above the negative emotions of jealously, anger, hatred, and greed, asking a civilisation to awaken from its slumber and achieve the greatness it was meant for.

Adi Shankara asked us to rise above the divisions of caste and fears

“Name Mrityushanka, Name Jaatibheda, Chidananda Roopa Shivoham Shivoham”

PM Modi stated that Adi Shankara had inspired the Indian civilisation to forget the divisions of caste, anger, class and rise above the socio-economical boundaries to achieve greatness via the pursuit the knowledge and self-realisation.

PM Modi reminded that it was Adi Shankara who made us aware that ‘Chidananda’ or the eternal joy lies within us, within our consciousness and by seeking knowledge and spiritual enlightenment, we can be free from the shackles of meaningless social boundaries and achieve our truest potential.

PM Modi stated that even the greatest scholars fail to fully comprehend the Vedanta philosophy. Though it is not possible for all of us to go deep into spiritual texts we need to understand that ‘Advaita’ is what is no Dvaita. There is Shivatva inside Jeevatva (divine within the mortal).

PM Modi discussed how Adi Shankara awakened the ‘Chetana'(consciousness) of a civilisation that was forgetting its own roots and made us Indians aware of our origins, our spiritual destination and in that way, he revived Dharma throughout India.

Knowledge is the path to liberation

PM Modi explained that Adi Shankar made us realise that ‘Gyan’ knowledge is the path, the guiding light that takes us from darkness to light, from despair to enlightenment and joy.

“Gyanavihinah Sarvamatena Mukti Na Bhavati Janmashatenah” (all religious rituals are useless without Gyan)

Reciting the Adi Shankara written shloka about knowledge or Gyan, PM Modi stated that Gyan is the path that liberates us from pain, despair and darkness. Adi Shankara had realised that our civilisation quest for Gyan was hindered. Spirituality and Dharma were limited to a chosen few and some elitists had kept it away from the commons through useless superstitions, rigid social laws and hollow ritualism.

PM Modi asserted that the Sanatan civilisation sees the whole world in a holistic, inclusive way and ‘Gyan’ (knowledge) is the path, that opens doors for everyone. PM Modi stated that by establishing holy ‘mathas’, founding the Char Dhams and rejuvenating the 12 Jyotirlingas as the nodal centres of faith for the Sanatan Dharma, Adi Shankars had worked as the guiding light for an entire civilisation. The PM added that he gave up materialistic pursuits to guide Indians into the realisation of their true identity.

Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kalady, Kerala in the 8th century CE and had displayed unusual brilliance from a very tender age. At the age of 8, he had left his home in search of his Guru. After training for four years under Guru Govindapada on the banks of Narmada, he had started analysing Hindu scriptures and writing down his philosophies. At the age of 16, he had started on an epic, unprecedented journey all over India, establishing learning centres, spiritual centres and temples all over India, while spreading his message.

“ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः” (Brahma, the pure consciousness is the absolute reality. The material world is an illusion) is Adi Shankara’s fundamental principle for spiritual awakening. In a short lifespan of 32 years, Adi Shankara had not only managed to guide numerous spiritual Gurus and scholars, but he had also authored 72 devotional hymns, 18 commentaries on Hindu scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. He had also written numerous books on Advaita Vedanta.

TRS stronghold Huzurabad goes to BJP: KTR’s immature response, the significance of this victory and the future of BJP in Telangana

S. Sudhir Kumar
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TRS stronghold Huzurabad goes to BJP: KTR’s immature response, the significance of this victory and the future of BJP in Telangana

The lowest electoral point in the 20-year political history of the TRS party was in the year 2009. The party won only 10 seats in the 294 seat Andhra Pradesh Assembly. KCR appointed Eetala Rajender as the floor leader of the TRS legislature party, despite both his son and nephew getting elected as MLAs too. He was the first finance minister of Telangana in the 2014-18 term and then Health minister in the 2nd term. All this clearly signifies the importance of Eetala Rajendar in the TRS scheme of things. He was the most known face outside of the KCR family too. KCR had a fallout with Rajender and removed him from the cabinet at the peak of the 2nd COVID wave (citing corruption in some land deal). 

The fallout was not sudden and was brewing for quite some time, but the removal was quite sudden and the timing totally unexpected. The political scenario in the state heated up with such a senior leader, who held very crucial posts in the party and in the government being unceremoniously sent out. Eetala Rajendar then joined the BJP, which is increasingly being seen as the opposition party that is capable of taking upon the might of the KCR and TRS party. He also quit his assembly seat thereby necessitating this bye-election in Huzurabad, a TRS stronghold.

KCR went all out to stop Eetala Rajendar and the BJP from winning this. He introduced a new scheme called “Dalit Bandhu” in which he promised a whopping Rs. 10 lakh per Dalit family in the state. He announced that he is starting this scheme exclusively in the Huzurabad constituency and launched it with a lot of fanfare, without ironing out the details of the scheme. He then said it is just a matter of time before he extends this to the entire state.

While he was still figuring out how to give this money, the Election Commission passed an order to halt this scheme till the by-election was over. The TRS party, of course, started a campaign that the EC is in the hands of the BJP, but the people weren’t so foolish to believe in that campaign. In fact, the BJP’s victory in this by-election is a slap on the face of those ruling parties that think that merely doling out a cash incentive just a week before the election will fetch them victories! 

Eetala Rajender and the BJP, on their part, stuck to the basics. They campaigned door to door and successfully explained the injustice meted out to Eetala; about the arrogance of KCR and the TRS party; as to why Eetala chose to join the BJP instead of contesting as an independent; and why a vote to the BJP will further strengthen the party as opposed to KCR’s family rule. 

The bye-election result also calls for a discussion on the capability of KCR’s son, Mr K. Tarakarama Rao (KTR). After the stupendous 2018 Assembly victory, KCR appointed his son KTR as the Working President of the party – thereby divesting a lot of authority to his son. Ever since KTR has presided over a snubbing in the 2019 LS election victory; a major loss in the GHMC election; a loss in the all-important Dubbaka bye-election and now the loss in the Huzurabad bye-election. The only victory of significance that KTR has presided over, is the sweep of local body polls in early 2020. In fact, KCR had to personally step in and strategize for the MLC elections and another Assembly by-poll that the TRS won. KTR is a darling of the media, especially the English media. He is also called just a Twitter star because his polished language on Twitter keeps him in the good books of the media. Electoral results on the ground have so far not matched his English language skills

The frustration of KTR is evident in his reaction to the election result this time – “In the last 20 years TRS has seen many highs and lows & this one election result will not be of much significance or consequence”. It is one thing to boost the morale of the cadre by talking about the highs & lows but it’s a whole new level of arrogance to say that “one election result will not be of much significance” when it was quite evident how important his dad thought this poll was! 

There are many such examples of childish responses by KTR to the arguments put forth by the opposition. His most recent reaction to a familiar argument often put forth by the opposition, sums up why the public doesn’t take his arguments serious enough. The opposition often accuses KCR of furthering his family rule over the state (KCR is the CM; his son KTR has multiple portfolios; his nephew Harish Rao is Finance minister; his daughter Kavitha is an MLC; his nephew Santosh is an RS MP and is often seen by his side). KTR’s counter to this argument was that if Telangana is under a family rule, then is India being ruled by Gujaratis? This bye-election result must push the TRS party into introspecting if KTR needs to be given such important roles in the party. 

For the BJP, this victory is another shot in the arm for all the hard work the party has been doing in Telangana. The Congress party is in great self-destruct mode. The BJP has done well to relegate it to 3rd position. The next two years are going to be arduous, and the BJP has to be careful not to repeat a West Bengal scenario. It would really help the party to study the West Bengal scenario and avoid those mistakes here. 

Remember, even with this victory, the BJP still has only 3 seats in the 119-member assembly. It is important for them to get the right political leaders from other parties to expand on their base (For example, Eetala needed the BJP as much as BJP needed him). It is important for them to diversify their message, just like they did in the multiple elections they have won so far. It is also important for them to learn from the defeats they’ve had so far too. KCR isn’t an easy rival to have, though he has shown umpteen times how he is prone to arrogance of power. He still is going to be in power for 2 more years and can change things on the ground. One thing is for sure – the BJP has risen to be a principal opposition to the mighty KCR. The next 2 years are going to be exciting to watch (and participate!). 

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