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Taliban writes to UN demanding to be invited to address the UNGA meet, nominates Doha spokesperson as UN ambassador

OpIndia Staff
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Taliban writes to UN demanding to be invited to address the UNGA meet, nominates Doha spokesperson as UN ambassador

The radical Islamist group Taliban which seized control of Afghanistan last month, have written to the UN Secretary-General Guterres asking permission to speak to international leaders at the United Nations this week in New York. The group’s foreign minister made the request in a letter on Monday.

The UN Secretary received the communication with the letterhead “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” signed by “Ameer Khan Muttaqi” as “Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

Guterres’ spokesperson, Farhan Haq, confirmed Muttaqi’s letter. 

Muttaqi’s letter was received by the UN five days after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received communication on September 15 from the currently accredited Afghan Ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai. In the letter, Isaczai provided the list of Afghanistan’s delegation for the assembly’s 76th annual session, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed.

Taliban nominates Doha-based spokesperson as UN ambassador

The successive letter by the Islamist group, instead, nominated their Doha-based spokesperson, Suhail Shaheen, as Afghanistan’s UN ambassador. The Taliban said that the envoy for the ousted government no longer represented the country.

According to a UN spokesperson, the request to participate in the high-level debate is being evaluated by a credentials committee, which includes the US, China, and Russia among its nine members.

The credentials committee are, however, unlikely to meet before the end of the General Assembly session next Monday. Until then, Ghulam Isaczai will continue to serve as Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United Nations under UN procedures.

Ghulam Isaczai is expected to make a speech on the final day of the meeting on 27 September. The Taliban, on the other hand, claims that Isaczai’s mission “no longer represents Afghanistan.”

The Islamic group has claimed that Afghanistan’s ousted President Ashraf Ghani is no longer recognised as the country’s leader by a number of countries.

It may be noted that Ghani had abruptly left Afghanistan as the Taliban advanced on the capital, Kabul, on August 15. He has since taken refuge in the United Arab Emirates.

SAARC meet cancelled after Pakistan wanted Taliban to participate

Meanwhile, the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) meeting of foreign ministers scheduled to be held on 25th September, on the sidelines of the 76th session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York now stands cancelled over lack of consent of members who did not agree with Pakistan’s demand of including the Taliban.

This comes after the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government insisted and demanded that the Taliban be allowed to participate and send a representative for the SAARC summit.

Reports citing sources said that Pakistan’s demand was unilaterally opposed by all member countries.

Taliban regime has not been recognised by most governments across the world. Also, the Taliban has not yet approached the UN for credentials.

Centre allows bureaucrats to retain gifts valued up to Rs 5,000 received from foreign dignitaries

OpIndia Staff
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Centre allows bureaucrats to retain gifts valued up to Rs 5,000 received from foreign dignitaries

The central government has issued an official order, allowing bureaucrats of All India Services like the IAS, IPS and IFoS officers to retain gifts received from foreign dignitaries while being members of Indian delegation.

A five-decade-old law governing rules over foreign contribution to bureaucrats has been amended by the Centre, bringing it in line with the Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations) Rules, 2012, that regulate acceptance of gifts by VIPs on foreign visits. 

As per the rules, the recipients of the gifts are required to submit them in the ‘toshakhana’, a repository of such articles in the Ministry of External Affairs, for assessment by customs appraiser to evaluate their market value. The recipient is then informed about the value of the gift by the ‘toshakhana’.

Bureaucrats can retain gifts with value less than Rs 5,000. However, if the value surpasses the threshold of Rs 5,000, the recipient is offered the option of buying the gift by paying the difference of amount between the market value and Rs 5,000.

It is worth noting that existing rules lacked any provision in the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, with respect to receipt or retention of gifts received from foreign dignitaries by Civil Services Officers as a part of the Indian delegation or otherwise. The rules had allowed officers to receive gifts from only near relatives or from personal friends having no official dealings with them, on occasions like wedding or religious functions, etc., when bestowing gifts is in accordance with prevailing customs and traditions. Besides, they are also required to report it to the government if the value of such gifts exceeded Rs 25,000, the rules say.

So in order to address the lacuna in the rules governing retention of gifts from foreign dignitaries, the government inserted a new sub-rule under Section 11 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968. The new sub-section allows officers to receive and retain gifts as per the same set of rules that govern acceptance of gifts by VIPs from foreign dignitaries.

The Centre had in March 2020 circulated a draft proposal for amendment to AIS(Conduct) Rules and sought responses from states and UTs, positively failing which would be “presumed that the state government has no objection to the proposed amendments”.

Spinning fiction? Siddharth Varadarajan’s ‘Paris cafe’ claims on vaccine certificate don’t quite add up, what the authorities say

OpIndia Staff
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Spinning fiction? Siddharth Varadarajan’s ‘Paris cafe’ claims on vaccine certificate don’t quite add up, what the authorities say

Founding editor of the leftist propaganda website The Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan on Tuesday tweeted that he was asked for proof of vaccination or a vaccination certificate in a Paris restaurant. In the tweet, Varadarajan also attempted to make fun of Prime Minister Modi.

Varadarajan claimed that while at a cafe in Paris, a waiter asked him for his vaccination certificate. According to Varadarajan, the waiter ‘disapprovingly’ compared picture on the vaccination certificate with Varadarajan and exclaimed how it was Varadarajan himself. Varadarajan then said how it was ‘Dear Leader’ (PM Modi) on the certificate and the waiter then wondered why it did not have Varadarajan’s picture instead.

Essentially, Varadarajan, who is an American citizen, was asked to provide for his vaccine certificate in a cafe in Paris and he was able to show how he was fully (or partially) vaccinated in India. But of course, we are to believe the waiter discussed ‘Modi pic’ on the certificate with him instead.

Twitter users were left intrigued by the tweet but soon spotted that something might be wrong and they started suspecting that Varadarajan might be conjuring up fiction.

One user named Sandeep Bangia commented that he believed the story is concocted and questioned Varadarajan why he could not show his fully vaccinated certificate in a digital format. Another one called Rishap Vats mentioned that France issued Covid pass/certificate for everyone above 18 for accessing public places which is the main health proof for vaccinations.

Whether Varadarajan was just spinning stories or indeed telling the truth is a not something we could fact-check till someone puts us in touch with that particular waiter from that cafe, here is what the French authorities say about vaccination certificates.

According to the French government website, in France, a COVID certificate is issued for non-European nationals entering France and non-European students. The certificate is issued to people who have tested negative or who have been fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines recognized by the European Medicines Agency or one of the equivalents to these vaccines. The COVID certificate is generated in digital DCC format which is recognized throughout the EU and in countries with agreements on mutual recognition with the EU. Apparently, no one in France asks for vaccination proof from non-European nationals. They only ask for the COVID certificate.

French Diplomacy on certificates

Apparently, either one has to show valid COVID vaccine certificate or they have to show their negative RT-PCR or antigen test taken – which also comes with a QR code, which one can access from their phones. That, plus for those who have been vaccinated with recognised vaccines, will get a ‘COVID certificate’ for their stay in French territory. France has recognised India-made Covishield for the vaccine pass.

It is very likely that the American citizen that Vardarajan is, who has Indian vaccines administered to him, would have either got himself the French equivalent of COVID certificate as per procudeure or he would have to show his negative RT-PCR or antigen test at the restaurant/cafe he visited.

In either of these cases, it is highly unlikely the waiter at the cafe would get to see PM Modi’s picture on the certificate.

Adani Group releases statement after Congress spreads lies over Mundra Port drug bust, calls out malicious propaganda against company

OpIndia Staff
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Adani Group releases statement after Congress spreads lies over Mundra Port drug bust, calls out malicious propaganda against company

The Adani Group has been forced to issue a media statement after the Congress party and its supporters indulged in spreading blatant lies over the seizure of almost 3,000 kg of heroin at Mundra port in Gujarat’s Kutch district by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs officials.

This comes after the Congress party launched a vicious attack on the Adani Group that manages the port and accused the chairman of the group, Gautam Adani, of using the port to smuggle the contraband. 

Detailing the role of Adani Group, the media statement read, “The law empowers the Government of India’s component authorities such as the Customs and the DRI to open, examine and seize any unlawful cargo. No port operator across the country can examine a container. Their role is limited to running the port.”

Adani Group issues media statement. Image Source: Twitter

“APSEZ is a port operator providing services to shipping lines. We have no policing authority over the containers or the millions of tonnes of cargos that pass through the terminals in Mudra or any of our ports,” it read further. 

Adani Group issues media statement. Image Source: Twitter

The conglomerate also applauded the Customs and DRI for seizing the drugs. “We sincerely hope that this statement will put to rest the motivated, malicious and false propaganda being run on social media against the Adani group,” the business Group urged concluding their statement. 

Congress spreads blatant lies, uses drug bust to target Adani and Gujarat state

The Congress party and its leaders have been using the major drug bust to target the Adani Group, which operates the Mundra port. While the initial tweets by Congress supporters looked idiotic, it has now evolved into full-fledged, intentional misinformation spreading campaign by the Congress party. The Congress party has been maliciously targeting the Gujarat government, Adani Group and the Central government over the drug bust.

Congress has now held a press conference addressed by Pawan Khera, alleging conspiracy behind the drug bust. It is notable here how maliciously Congress is spinning the issue. DRI works under the Indian government. It was a combined effort by DRI and other authorities that the major drug consignment was busted. The authorities have made arrests and raids at various locations during the investigation. If the authorities were inefficient, the drug would have reached India to be sold or smuggled elsewhere and nobody would have known about it.

But just because the bust happened in Gujarat and it was a port that is managed by Adani, Congress is now spinning the issue to target the Modi government, Gujarat state and Adani Group.

Not the first time

Well, this is not the first time that the warriors of the “Gandhi” party have fired a misguided missile against Gujarat.

In the latest, the ‘rent-a-cause-andolanjeevis’ had flooded the social media with anti-Adani/Ambani narrative after Gautam Adani- Chairman of the Adani Group announced taking over the management control of Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) from the GVK Group. 

In fact, the Congress’ new friends Shiv Shivsainiks had barged into the landscaped garden at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), uprooted the Adani signboard and planted saffron flags.

Shiv Sena goons vandalize the Adani sign at the landscape of Mumbai’s International Airport

In 2020, social media platforms were awash with posts that alleged that the central government had sold the ownership of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport in Ahmedabad to Adani Airports. 

Former Congress supporter and present TMC loyalist Saket Gokhale had Tweeted that PM Modi is giving out ‘airports for free’ to Adani.

Congress is playing a malicious political game

It is not that Congress does not know that allowing a private company to operate and manage a port or an airport is not the same as selling, and private enterprises managing commercial ports and airports is a common practice all over the world. They are just playing a dirty political game by deliberately spreading lies.

It is also notable here that the recent drug bust is important because the heroin consignment was sent from Afghanistan’s Kandahar through a port in Iran. It was busted by Indian authorities and the consignment was seized before the massive cargo made its way further. Afghanistan is the world’s largest heroin producer and with the Taliban takeover, global experts are worried that the Taliban will use drug money to fund terrorism.

The seize at Mundra is seen as a major success, because it stopped a large quantity of heroin from being sent and sold, possibly stopping a chain of narco-terrorism and terror funding. However, Congress, visibly rattled for some unfathomable reason, is using the drug bust to launch an attack on the very authorities that successfully busted the major smuggling operation.

Ahead of UNGA, EAM Dr Jaishankar meets his counterparts from UK, Australia, South Korea etc, regional concerns discussed

OpIndia Staff
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Ahead of UNGA, EAM Dr Jaishankar meets his counterparts from UK, Australia, South Korea etc, regional concerns discussed

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is meeting his global counterparts from various countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to discuss key regional and global issues. 

From expressing concerns over the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan to the vaccine protocol, Dr Jaishankar held crucial talks with his United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Vietnam and French counterparts. 

Early resolution of Covid quarantine issue in UK and others 

Reportedly, in a meeting with his British counterpart Liz Truss, Dr Jaishankar asserted early resolution of Covid quarantine guidelines issued by the UK for Indian travelers and the latest hindrance of vaccine recognition. 

“Discussed the progress of Roadmap 2030. Appreciated her contribution on the trade side. Exchanged views on developments in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific. Urged early resolution of quarantine issue in mutual interest,” the EAM Tweeted. 

To this, the UK on Monday assured that it is working with India on the recognition of Covid-19 vaccine certification issued by the Indian authorities after its decision to treat doubly vaccinated Indian citizens as ‘unvaccinated’ garnered sharp criticism in India and elsewhere. 

Both the countries mutually expressed concerns about the lack of inclusivity in the new Taliban’s caretaker government. India and UK also said that Afghan soil should not be used for terrorism. 

Afghanistan emerged as a crucial topic of discussion

Dr Jaishankar began his UNGA meetings with FM Ine Eriksen Søreide of Norway. The two had a comprehensive discussion on Afghanistan. 

The meeting with FM JY_LeDrian of France revolved around Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and other contemporary issues. 

The EAM exchanged views on the GERD issue and Afghanistan with FM Sameh Shoukry of Egypt.

Regional cooperation

The EAM had an insightful discussion with his Cyprus counterpart FM Christodulides who shared regional insights. The two also discussed strengthening the economic ties. 

In a meeting with the Republic of Korea, the two countries spoke about Korea’s New Southern Policy and India’s Act East Policy which has strengthened the convergence in the Indo-Pacific.

An upgrade to India’s ‘Look East Policy’, the ‘India’s Act East Policy’ was announced in November 2014 to promote economic cooperation, cultural ties, and developing a strategic relationship with countries in the Indo-pacific region.

Whereas, the objective of the Korean government’s New Southern Policy is to strengthen its relations with ASEAN and India as key partners in the southern region.

Amongst others, Jaishankar also held a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein and exchanged views on “historical ties, economic, energy and development cooperation linkages.”

PM to address UNGA on September 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to leave for the United States on Wednesday and will be addressing the UNGA debate on September 25. This is PM Modi’s first major foreign visit after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Modi is slated to meet US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and CEOs of leading US companies. 

A bilateral meeting with Australia and Japan has also been scheduled.

Bengaluru riots: NIA arrests absconding accused Tabrez of SDPI in DJ Halli police station attack case

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru riots: NIA arrests absconding accused Tabrez of SDPI in DJ Halli police station attack case

On September 20, National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a joint operation with Karnataka Police, arrested an absconding accused identified as 35-year-old Tabrez S/o Shaikh Mohaboob in the DJ Halli police station attack case. He was one of the accused of the violent riots where a Muslim mob had attacked the DJ Halli police station and burned vehicles on August 11, 2020.

As per the statement released by NIA, a case was registered in connection to the Bengaluru Riots on August 12, 2020, at Devarajeevanahalli Police Station, Bengaluru city under Sections 143,147, 307, 436, 353, 332, 333, 427, 504, 506, 149 & 34 IPC, Section 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 & Section 2 of Karnataka Prevention of Destruction & Loss of Property Act, 1981.

NIA took over the case on September 21, 2020, and initiated an investigation in the case. After investigation, on May 2, 2021, a charge sheet was filed before the NIA Special Court, Bengaluru, under various sections of UAPA, IPC and Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act (KPDLP Act) against 109 accused persons. Tabrez was one of the accused mentioned in the list.

During the investigation, NIA found that Tabrez is a member of Sagaipuram ward, SDPI, a political outfit of Popular Front of India( PFI). He was involved in formulating the conspiracy to attack DJ Halli police station. NIA stated that he had instigated many others to be a part of the conspiracy using WhatsApp groups. Tabrez had been involved in burning vehicles and damaging public as well as private property during the riots.

Bengaluru riots over a Facebook post insulting Prophet Muhammad

A Facebook post by a relative of a Congress MLA had triggered some Islamists so much that they had gathered a violent mob and went about burning vehicles and attacking police stations, after trying to set fire to the MLA’s house. The reason behind the violent mob on the roads of Bengaluru was an alleged Facebook reply of the nephew of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy about Prophet Muhammad.

The riots left four people dead. Around 60 police personnel were injured. Two of the police stations and house of MLA Srinivasa Murthy were burnt down. NIA, during the investigation, found that SDPI leader Muzamil Pasha was responsible for “instigating the mob” to unleash violence on the streets of east Bengaluru.

Soon after the riots broke in Bengaluru, two separate mobs gathered in front of DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations. The Islamists locked the gates of the stations from outside and started pelting stones. They damaged at least ten vehicles, including the Innovas of two DCPs that were parked outside the stations. What seemed to be a pre-planned attack by the Islamist mob resulted in damage of property in the police stations and outside, where dozens of vehicles were burnt down.

Along with NIA, the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) is also conducting an investigation in the case in which it has submitted a preliminary charge sheet naming 60 people. CCB has included the names of former Mayor and Congress leader Sampath Raj and corporator Rakib Zakir in the DJ Halli riots case.

During the investigation, NIA conducted raids on 43 locations linked to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). SDPI is the political wing of the radical Islamic organisation Political Front of India (PFI). Reportedly, NIA seized incriminating material related to the SDPI/PFI along with weapons like swords, knife and iron rods during the raids. The agency had informed that 293 people had been arrested in connection with the riots that swept the city.

On June 30, NIA arrested 38-year-old accused Syed Abbas for his involvement in the riots. Other than him, 17 party leaders of the Islamist organisations SDPI and PFI were also arrested during the investigation for their involvement in the Bengaluru riots case. As many as 138 persons have been charge-sheeted by the agency for their involvement in the riots.

Not without our Taliban: SAARC Ministers’ meet cancelled because Pakistan wanted Islamist group to participate

OpIndia Staff
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Not without our Taliban: SAARC Ministers’ meet cancelled because Pakistan wanted Islamist group to participate

The SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) meeting of foreign ministers scheduled to be held on 25th September 2021 in New York now stands cancelled over lack of consent of members who did not agree with participation of Islamist group Taliban which is currently governing Afghanistan.

This comes after Imran Khan led Pakistan government insisted and demanded that Taliban be allowed to participate and send a representative for the SAARC summit. The SAARC summit is being held on the sidelines of 76th session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Reports citing sources said that Pakistan’s demand was unilaterally opposed by all member countries.

Further, reports citing diplomatic sources said that Pakistan wanted the SAARC Chair Nepal to guarantee that the former Afghanistan government led by Ashraf Ghani will not represent the country at the SAARC meeting. Pakistan wanted to keep an ’empty chair’ instead. Reports said that SAARCH Chair Nepal refused to give any such guarantee to either Pakistan or Taliban leadership. Hence, as of now the meeting stands cancelled.

Taliban regime has not been recognised by most governments across the world. Also, Taliban has not yet approached the UN for credentials.

In 2020, the SAARC meeting was conducted virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SAARC comprises eight member states, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC was set up on 17 January 1987 in Kathmandu, Nepal and Afghanistan joined the group in 2007 and is the youngest member in the group. Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and the United States are the observers.

The Islamist group Taliban took over Afghanistan in August this year, days after the US announced withdrawal of troops, ending a twenty year old ‘war against terror’, thereby sending the country into chaos. Since then, there have been reports of Islamist group carrying out atrocities in a bid to implement the Islamic Sharia in Afghanistan. You can read more about it here.

Australia: Protests over Covid-19 restrictions continue, construction workers clash with police

Jinit Jain
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Australia: Protests over Covid-19 restrictions continue, construction workers clash with police

The sweeping restrictions imposed in Australia to blunt the coronavirus outbreak continues to face stiff resistance from anti-lockdown proponents, who have recently intensified their demonstrations against the government.

The Victoria Police in Melbourne clashed with construction workers protesting against vaccine passports and shutdowns who hurled objects and charged at the law enforcement officials. Visuals from the streets of Melbourne display a complete pandemonium as protesters march their way on the streets defying police orders and government mandates.

The protests by construction workers marks the biggest protests in the country over Covid mandates thus far. The protesters were demonstrating against mandatory vaccinations and other restrictions.

Law enforcement authorities in Australia reportedly resorted to firing rubber bullets to control the mob. The protesters set off flares and allegedly threw urine at reporters. Some sites would be shut down for a duration of two weeks due to the clashes, authorities said.

Several cities across Australia, especially Melbourne and Sydney, have witnessed widespread protests against the draconian shelter-in-home strictures imposed by the government. Restive population have hit the street, in defiance of the law, carrying out demonstrations and protest marches to convey their discontent against the restrictions.

Violent protests erupt in Australia over draconian lockdown restrictions

Last week on Saturday, violence erupted in Melbourne and Sydney after thousands of anti-lockdown protesters gathered on the streets to protest against restrictions imposed by the government in the wake of a renewed bout of COVID-19. 

The protests were carried out on a day when the state recorded 535 new cases and 1 death due to COVID-19, around 1,000 protesters defied the stay-in-home orders and gathered in the north-eastern suburbs of Richmond and Hawthorn to mark their opposition to the new set of restrictions enforced to tame the outbreak. 

However, protests quickly turned violent as clashes broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement officials. Victoria Police on arrested 235 people and three officers were admitted to hospital following the violent skirmishes between the police and the anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne’s inner city. 

Videos of the protests show protesters indulging in riotous behaviour, assaulting police officers and throwing objects, including plastic bottles, cones, at the officials deployed to control the demonstrations. Likewise, chaotic scenes from the streets of Sydney and Brisbane were also witnessed on Saturday last week.

After chafing under weeks of authoritarian restrictions imposed by the government, anti-lockdown protesters have resolutely launched demonstrations to force the authorities to lift the curbs. The protests have come at a time when Australia is grappling with an increasing surge of COVID-19 caseloads, driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, with both Sydney and Melbourne, and the capital Canberra, in strict lockdowns. On Saturday, a total of 1,882 new coronavirus cases were reported, most of them in Sydney.

Australia introduces strict measures to curb COVID-19 outbreak

Earlier this month, in order to curb Covid and secure safety health measures, the Government in Australia had adopted drastic measures that could be termed as direct threats to liberal democracy and freedom. Australians were worried that the government is going to compromise democratic freedom to maintain emergency restrictions in these Covid times.

The Australian Parliament had passed a draconian bill by the federal government, the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2020 (Identify and Disrupt Bill), which gives unprecedent power to the police to “identify and disrupt suspected online criminal activity”. The new law gave the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission sweeping powers to modify or delete the data of suspected offenders, collect intelligence on criminal networks, and take control of online accounts of suspected offenders.

The law also allowed police to force anyone, including tech companies, to hack accounts of suspected people to modify, add, copy, or delete data of people under probe, and they will be protected from civil liability for such activities. But if they refuse to help the police, they can face imprisonment for up to 10 years. Authorities can force companies and hackers to alter, copy and delete data, intercept and modify communications, surveilling networks, and change account credentials.

Congress attacks Gujarat after drugs from Iran seized at Mundra Port, cast aspersions that Gujaratis are drug addicts

OpIndia Staff
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Congress attacks Gujarat after drugs from Iran seized at Mundra Port, cast aspersions that Gujaratis are drug addicts

Congress party and its supporters seem to harbour inexplicable hatred against Gujarat and Gujaratis. It appears like their aversion for PM Modi and Amit Shah has spilt over to ordinary Gujaratis as the party leaves no opportunity to slight the citizens of the western state. 

Days after a huge consignment of drugs originating from Afghanistan and transported via Iran was detected at Mundra Port in Gujarat, the Congress party has come out all guns blazing against the state and its residents, insinuating that Gujarat offers a safe passage for smugglers to get the contraband imported in India. 

Social media campaign by Congress to vilify Gujarat and Gujaratis

A hashtag #BJPGujaratDrugsModel is being run on Twitter, with several verified Twitter handles of Congress party units and functionaries tweeting it to cast aspersions on Gujaratis of being the facilitators of drug smugglers. The slander campaign is launched months before Gujarat goes to poll in 2022.

“There are several ports across the Indian coastline, yet drug smugglers only want to use Gujarat,” the official Twitter account of Congress tweeted along with sharing an infographic that maligned Gujarat as a “smuggler haven”.

Source: Twitter

Another tweet by official account of Congress included yet another infographic to assert that Gujarat is a gateway of smuggling drugs in the country.

Source: Twitter

Similarly, Congress functionaries and other Twitter accounts associated with the Congress party also participated in the social media campaign to defame Gujarat.

Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter

Habitual fake news peddler and Congress leader Gaurav Pandhi also eagerly participated in the party’s campaign to slander Gujarat and Gujaratis. Without providing evidence to substantiate his claims, Pandhi asserted that under BJP rule, consumption of drugs increases, which is essentially equivalent to accusing Gujaratis of being drug addicts since Gujarat is ruled by the BJP.

Source: Twitter

Besides, Congress even convened a press conference to assert that Gujarat provides conducive route for drugs to be smuggled in to India. The press conference was addressed by Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera who alluded that people in Gujarat are morally corrupt to have allowed their state to be used for smuggling drugs in the country.

Source: Twitter

Like most of their arguments and contention, Congress’ smear campaign against Gujarat and Gujaratis seems to have no logical grounds and is based on perhaps pathological hatred for the state that catapulted PM Modi and Amit Shah to the national politics. 

Even so, Congress’ questions regarding the drug seizure in Gujarat have been utterly ludicrous. It has asked why smugglers preferred Gujarat’s coast and not Andhra’s. The answer to this is quite simple. It is possibly because Gujarat lies on India’s west coast and is closest to Afghanistan/Iran, the source country of drug consignment. 

For the container to reach the Andhra coast, it would have had to traverse through the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Such long-distance sailing would have involved greater risks of being caught by coastal guards than the risks involved in transporting the container to nearby Gujarat. One assumes that Congress and its leaders are well aware of the geographical advantage Gujarat presented to the smugglers, but in their pathological hatred for the state, they overlooked such facts and proceeded to vilify it.

Congress even highlighted that Gujarat has been one of the states where drugs consignments have been routinely caught. Yet again, it is a testament to the integrity of the authorities guarding the coastal areas of Gujarat that drugs transported from outside India are not allowed to be smuggled into the country and caught at the checkpoints.

If Congress supporters are to be believed, the managing authorities are to be blamed if any contraband is seized from their respective premises. By this logic, the Kerala government must be responsible for all those people who stuff their backside with gold and get caught every day. Similarly, perhaps Arvind Kejriwal and Uddhav Thackeray are to be blamed if criminals are caught for smuggling illegal items in Delhi or Mumbai. 

While Congress supporters continue with their campaign to slander Gautam Adani and his business group for the seizure of drugs at Mundra Port, it is worth noting that the ship that carried the contraband was from Iran and the containers that held the drugs were from Afghanistan. The ship was caught just after entering the Indian waters. As per reports, DRI officials were alerted about the drugs and the operation was carried out over several days to finally seize the major heroin shipment.

Past incidents when Congress has insulted Gujarat

Nevertheless, at the heart of this vilification campaign is the visceral hatred that Congress and its leaders harbour for Gujarat and Gujaratis. Interestingly, it comes at a time when the state is gearing up for assembly elections in 2022. But it has not stopped Congress from disparaging the state and its residents.

As such, the party has a storied history of insulting Gujarat. Earlier in February 2021, Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in poll-bound Assam expressed his hate for Gujaratis, stating that he will take money from Gujarat tea traders and give them to the tea garden workers in Assam.

Speaking at a public meeting, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that Assam tea workers get paid Rs 167 per day wage while ‘traders in Gujarat’ get tea gardens. He did not give any proof to back his claims. He ‘promised’ that should Congress come to power in Assam, the workers will get Rs 365 per day wage. “Where will the money come from? It will come from Gujarat’s traders”, he claimed.

This was not the first time the Gandhi scion had slighted Gujaratis. During an election rally in the run-up to the 2019 elections, Rahul Gandhi had mocked an entire community in Gujarat by saying, “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi… how come they all have Modi as a common surname? How come all thieves have Modi as a common surname?”

Mahant Narendra Giri was being blackmailed, suicide note urged Prayagraj police to act against Anand Giri so that he could die peacefully

OpIndia Staff
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Mahant Narendra Giri was being blackmailed, suicide note urged Prayagraj police to act against Anand Giri so that he could die peacefully

The purported suicide note written by the deceased Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri emphasises that the Mahant was being blackmailed, which forced him to take the drastic step. The letter reveals that the seer had been contemplating ending his life since a week ago. The suicide note was initially dated September 13, 2021, which was later scratched off and changed to September 20, 2021.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri was found dead in Baghambari Mutt in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Monday, September 20.

The purported suicide note written by Mahant Narendra Giri (source: Jagran)

Moreover, the 7-8 page long suicide note held the now arrested Swami Anand Giri, Aadhya Tiwari and Sandeep Tiwari as the accused who pushed the seer to end his life. The note read that Anand Giri and others had “threatened and forced” him to commit suicide.

“Anand Giri, Aadhya Tiwari, Sandeep Tiwari should be held responsible for my death,” the Mahant had mentioned in his suicide note. He also wrote that the three even tried to kill him.

Mahant Narendra Giri urged Prayagraj police to take legal action against the three so that he could die a peaceful death. The note further mentioned how Swami Anand Giri, the seer’s closest disciple had mentally traumatised him and tried to tarnish his reputation.

Swami Anand Giri circulated morphed videos and photos of Mahant Narendra Giri

According to Times Now there are a few morphed videos and photos in circulation, which are being considered the reason behind the suicide of the Mahant. The Uttar Pradesh police are probing these videos and photos which had brought disrepute to Mahant Narendra Giri.

“Anand Giri made the photo viral which showed me doing wrong things. How many people would I convince otherwise! It would only tarnish my reputation further. That’s why I am going to commit suicide,” Narendra Giri wrote in the letter, citing the morphed pictures and videos which Swami Anand Giri had reportedly circulated to defame the Mahant.

Narendra Giri had added in his suicide note that Anand Giri had made untrue, false, fabricated allegations against him. “Since then I have been living under mental pressure. I have always lived with dignity in the society, but Anand Giri defamed me in a wrong way,” he noted.

The role of some local political leaders in the seer’s death is also under the scanner of the police, Times Now further reported.

Uttar Pradesh police arrests Swami Anand Giri and two others from Haridwar

A day after the purported suicide of the seer, the Prayagraj police filed an FIR against his closest disciple Swami Anand Giri and two others at the George Town police station and detained them in connection with the seer’s death. Anand has been booked under Section 306 of the IPC (Abetment of suicide), according to the copy of FIR.

Reportedly, Swami Anand Giri was Narendra Giri’s most devoted protege until they fell out in May after the latter was expelled from the Niranjani Akhara over accusations of financial irregularities.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath assures the culprits would not be spared

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who reached the Baghambari Math on Tuesday to pay his last respect to Mahant Narendra Giri, assured that the culprits would not be spared. The Uttar Pradesh CM said: “The post-mortem will be done tomorrow. The culprit will not be spared. Several pieces of evidence have been collected regarding the incident. A team of senior police officials is investing the case.”

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