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Olympic Gold Medalist diver found knitting while in the stands attracted global attention: Here’s why he loves it

OpIndia Staff
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Olympic Gold Medalist diver found knitting while in the stands attracted global attention: Here’s why he loves it

A day after winning the coveted Olympic Gold medal at the ‘Men’s synchronized 10m platform diving’ event on July 26, British diver Tom Daley knitted a small pouch to keep his medal safe. He along with his partner Matty Lee defeated the Chinese divers A.S. Chen, and Y. Cao to secure the gold medal for Great Britain.

In a video posted on his Instagram account (@madewithlovebytomdaley) on July 27, he said, “I and my partner Matty won the Olympics yesterday. The one thing that has kept me sane throughout this whole process is my love for knitting, crochet and all thing stitching. I want to thank my followers for actually following along. Not only that, this morning, I made a little (pouch) for my medal so that it does not get scratched. It just slides in like this. I have got the UK flag on one side and the Japanese flag on the other… How about that?”

On Sunday (August 1), Tom Daley was spotted knitting in the stands while watching the ‘Women’s 3m Springboard Final’ event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. The picture was posted by the official handle of the Olympics. He was again spotted on Monday at the ‘Men’s 3m Springboard Prelims’ knitting a ‘Team GB (Great Britain)’ jumper.

On his Instagram story, the diver confirmed that he was knitting a cardigan with ‘Team GB’ embroidered on it.

Screengrab of Tom Daley’s Instagram story

For his Sunday picture, Tom Daley clarified that he was knitting a dog jumper for the Instagram famous dog with a million followers, ‘Izzy The Frenchie.’

Screengrab of Tom Daley’s Instagram story

Currently, Tom Daley is preparing to qualify for the prelims of the ‘Men’s 10m platform diving’, which is scheduled to take place on August 6 at 11:30 am (Indian Standard Time).

UP: As he gets set to marry for the 6th time, case filed against SP leader Chaudhary Bashir for giving ‘triple talaq’ to his third wife

OpIndia Staff
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UP: As he gets set to marry for the 6th time, case filed against SP leader Chaudhary Bashir for giving ‘triple talaq’ to his third wife

Former Minister in Samajwadi Party’s cabinet- Chaudhary Bashir who is readying himself to marry for the 6th time has been accused of giving triple talaq and assaulting his third wife. 

Nagma, a resident of Gobar Chowki in Tajganj, has been living at her maternal home with her two sons for the past three years. Reportedly, Nagma who married Bashir in 2012 was subjected to physical and mental assault by him and his family right after their marriage. 

As per reports, when Nagma got to know of Bashir’s sixth marriage through an acquaintance, she went to his house to speak with him. However, Bashir after hurling abuses at her threw her out of the house and gave her ‘Triple Talaq.’

Nagma who had filed two complaints against Bashir at Mantola police station previously has lodged a third complaint against him. 

Bashir donned as Hindu to marry a Hindu girl

Nagma has also accused Bashir of changing roles and identity to marry women. Sharing pictures of his other marriage, Nagma claimed that Bashir also sported a teeka to marry a Hindu girl and was seen with a ‘Jai Mata Di’ bandana on his forehead.

Bashir’s marriage with a Hindu girl. Image Source: Dainik Bhaskar

Commenting on the situation Bashir said that he has no ties with Nagma and that he has often landed in trouble because of her. Reportedly, he was jailed in 2013 after his pregnant wife had lodged a complaint against him, accusing him of harassment over dowry, unnatural sex and intimidation.

Accused of instigating communal violence

Bashir who was earlier with the BSP has been a repeat offender and accused of inciting communal violence. In 2020 he threatened Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha workers who protested against illegal slaughterhouses. Releasing a video he warned them from entering Mantola district and made some communally sensitive remarks.

In a run-up to Bakri Eid last year, the Mantola police had not given permission to put up cattle markets in the area. The minister had, however, intervened and ordered the goat sellers to continue doing their business. Disregarding police instructions, Bashir told the goat sellers, “No one needs to run away, no one is selling charas ganja here. No one can even touch you as long as I am here.” A video of this had gone viral after which the minister was booked by the police. 

PM Modi launches new digital payment instrument ‘e-RUPI’: Here is what he said

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi launches new digital payment instrument ‘e-RUPI’: Here is what he said

On Monday (August 2), Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the much anticipated digital payment system called e-RUPI. It is one of the several programmes that have been launched by the Modi government as part of the Digital India initiative.

During his address on the momentous occasion, PM Modi emphasised that e-RUPI will ensure targeted, transparent and leakage-free delivery to the beneficiaries. He added that unlike other modes of digital payment solutions, it is purpose and person-specific. Contrary to the popular perception that ‘technology’ is only limited to the rich, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today we are looking at technology as a tool to help the poor, a tool for their progress.” He added how India is showcasing to the world its capabilities in innovation, technology usage and service delivery.

While highlighting the efforts made by the government amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, he said that about ₹2300 crore was disbursed to the poor people. PM Modi said that e-RUPI will boost digital transactions and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). He said that the world is impressed by India’s rise in the fintech sector due to the foundation work done to improve digital infrastructure in the past 6-7 years. “Today, there are 66 crore RuPay cardholders in India and transactions worth thousands of crores is being done,” he added.

(Video Courtesy: Youtube/ Narendra Modi)

PM Modi also pointed that RUPAY cards are now accepted in Bhutan and Singapore. He stated that the launch of the futuristic digital payment instrument aka e-RUPI comes ahead of the August occasion of Independence Day. The Indian Prime Minister concluded that e-RUPI can be used for medical purposes, education and as alternative for cash transactions. He also added that the e-vouchers can be redeemed for Covid-19 treatment and vaccination at approved centres.

Benefits of e-RUPI system

A cashless and contactless digital payment instrument, e-RUPI is a QR code/e-Voucher that is delivered to the cell phones of beneficiaries. The voucher can then be redeemed without a card or internet banking access at the service provider. Without the need for a physical interface, e-RUPI will connect the sponsors with the beneficiaries and service providers in a digital manner. As such, payment to the service provider will only be made after a transaction is completed.

Given that it is a pre-paid payment instrument, e-RUPI will ensure timely payment without the requirement for intermediaries. e-RUPI is expected to revolutionise the delivery of welfare services such as nutritional support (Mother and Child welfare schemes), TB eradication schemes, drugs and diagnostics (Ayushman Bharat), fertiliser subsidies, employee welfare in the private sector and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Amnesty International and other ‘liberal democratic global forces’ will fix Modi through WaPo, Le Monde, Guardian: Catholic priest Jegath Gaspar Raj

OpIndia Staff
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Amnesty International and other ‘liberal democratic global forces’ will fix Modi through WaPo, Le Monde, Guardian: Catholic priest Jegath Gaspar Raj

Chennai-based catholic priest and the convenor of Tamil Maiyam, Jegath Gaspar Raj, recently appeared to affirm in an interview what has long been suspected: foreign organisations connive with the western media establishments to undermine the Modi government.

In a recent interview with Liberty Tamil, the catholic priest admitted that foreign organisations conspire with Western media outlets to oust PM Modi from power. He said Amnesty International and other “liberal democratic global forces” will defeat PM Modi with the help of foreign-based media outlets such as The Washington Post, Le Monde, Guardian and other organisations. A transcript of the interview published on YouTube on the 25th of July is available here.

“…Be it Washington Post, Le Monde or Guardian and other Western papers, the forces uniting against Modi are Renaissance forces, the Liberal democratic progressive forces. But, liberal democratic global forces will defeat him! They will fix him, you wait and see,” Gaspar Raj said when asked about the central government’s actions against social media platforms.

Rahul Gandhi has become mature but pro-RSS leaders surrounding him confuse his decision-making: JGR

The catholic priest also seemed to fawn over former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, stating that the Wayanad MP has become mature as he had called to purge the Congress party of people who supported the RSS. Gaspar Raj said he sees Rahul Gandhi as a “liberal democrat” who would usher the country in the era of liberal democracy.

However, he lashed out against Rahul Gandhi’s retinue, adding that they confuse him instead of providing him with proper counsel. Gaspar Raj said he has witnessed many incidents when RSS agents within the Congress party have confused Rahul Gandhi. He also added that the circle of leaders around Rahul Gandhi advise him to be extra-cautious and prevent him from meeting people.

When asked about past Congress party members who supported the RSS, Gaspar Raj said former President Pranab Mukherjee was one among the veteran Congress leaders who sympathised with the RSS. The catholic priest also claimed that RSS promoted the ‘Sanatani’ thought process, which is quite dominant within the Congress party.

Mahatma Gandhi was an RSS supporter, Arvind Kejriwal propped up by the RSS: Gaspar Raj

He even went on to claim that Mahatma Gandhi was also an ardent supporter of ‘Sanatan’ Dharma and by extension, an RSS supporter. “Many of his activities, be it the Poona Pact, be it making religion a Centre list subject, in many many issues, he was a ‘Sanatani’,” he said.

Gaspar Raj even referred to Gandhi Ji as a cunning person, stating that his calculation was correct in ascertaining that BJP-like or pro-Hindutva government would not have been possible if Pakistan and Bangladesh had stayed with India. By this assertion, the catholic priest was insinuating that Mahatma Gandhi agreed to the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan.

“Gandhi was soft-RSS; he knew that with Pakistan and Bangladesh (and their Muslim majority population) a future soft-RSS government in India will not be likely,” Gaspar Raj said.

Gaspar Raj further alleged that it was RSS who brought Arvind Kejriwal to public life. The catholic priest surmised that Kejriwal was propped up by the RSS to defeat the Congress party. According to him, RSS thought Congress has outlived its usefulness after setting up a united Indian state and the time was ripe to undermine the party by introducing Arvind Kejriwal.

12 bullet entry and exit points, tyre marks on face as Taliban ran heavy vehicle over Danish Siddiqui’s body: Xray shows proof of mutilation

OpIndia Staff
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12 bullet entry and exit points, tyre marks on face as Taliban ran heavy vehicle over Danish Siddiqui’s body: Xray shows proof of mutilation

After the Taliban dusted their hands off the murder of Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui, an Afghan official confirmed that Siddique was indeed captured and executed by the Taliban.

Ajmal Omar Shinwari, spokesperson of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) in an interview to India Today gave the first official confirmation that Danish Siddiqui was arrested or captured and later executed by the Taliban.

With the reports of Siddique’s brutal execution doing rounds, Shinwari said, “No confirmation of mutilation, the matter is under investigation as the area where Danish was executed is under Taliban control, so finding witnesses is taking time.”

Conflicting reports

Conflicting reports on Siddiqui’s murder have emerged in the media. The 38-year-old journalist was killed on the morning of July 16, when he had accompanied Afghan commandos to Spin Boldak, a border district recently captured by the Taliban.

Initial photographs from the scene showed Siddiqui’s body with multiple wounds but no signs of mutilation. However, according to two Indian officials and two Afghan health officials there, Siddiqui’s body was badly mutilated when it was handed over to the Red Cross and transferred to a hospital in the southern city of Kandahar.

The claim was asserted by The New York Times that reviewed multiple photographs provided by Indian officials and those taken by Afghan health workers at the hospital. As per the report, one Indian official said the body had nearly a dozen bullet wounds and tyre marks on the face and chest.

One of the health officials in Kandahar said his face was unrecognizable and the health officials could not determine what exactly had been done to the body.

However, the Taliban insisted that Siddiqui lost his life in a crossfire when their convoy was ambushed from multiple directions. Reportedly, an Afghan commander was also killed while trying to save Siddiqui. 

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed that they have been instructed to treat bodies with respect and to hand them over to local elders or the Red Cross.

New revelations about murder of Danish Siddiqui

Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul has made stunning revelations regarding the extent to which Siddiqui’s body was mutilated. He reported that the body had 12 bullet entry and exit points and the face had tyre marks, hinting that the body was crushed under a Humvee or some other heavy vehicle by the Taliban.

Aditya Raj Kaul said that there is official confirmation of the same and he has confirmed from multiple sources in the establishment that the body of Danish Siddiqui was indeed mutilated.

Afghanistan official accuses Pakistan of sending terrorists 

Commenting on Pakistan’s support to the Taliban, Shinwari further alleged, “Taliban’s claims on areas under its control are false. The Taliban are funded and supported by Pakistan and it’s a proxy war that the Afghanistan government is fighting.”

“All countries are stakeholders and should support the Afghan army. Afghan forces are strong and will not allow a Taliban takeover,” he appealed. 

The recent ambush of the Taliban in Afghanistan has rendered over 3 lakh Afghanis homeless. Reports suggest as many as 30,000 are being forced to flee to neighboring countries fearing the Taliban. 

SC rejects petition of rape victim seeking to marry the Christian priest who had raped and impregnated her when she was a minor

OpIndia Staff
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SC rejects petition of rape victim seeking to marry the Christian priest who had raped and impregnated her when she was a minor

On Monday (July 2), the Supreme Court rejected a petition by a rape victim seeking permission to marry the accused, reported Bar and Bench.

The accused has been identified as a 49-year-old Catholic priest named Robin Vadakkumcherry. He had raped a minor girl while serving as the priest of the parish. At that time, the victim had just completed her 10th Std exam and went to the parish for some work. Sensing an opportunity, the Catholic priest forcibly took the girl to the bedroom and raped her. He then intimidated her to not reveal the matter to anyone. When the victim became pregnant, a DNA examination confirmed Vadakkumcherry to be the father of the child.

A POCSO court had found the Catholic priest guilty of rape and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. At the same time, he was fined ₹2 lac for his crime. However, during the trial, the victim turned hostile and alleged that she was not a minor at the time of the incident. She even went on to claim that the ‘sex’ was ‘consensual.’ Following the conviction of Vadakkumcherry by the POCSO court, he filed an appeal before the Kerala High Court on February 17.

Supreme Court rejects bail petition, directs accused to approach High Court

The High Court had rejected his bail application and made scathing remarks about the Catholic priest. Later, the victim approached the Supreme Court of India seeking the accused’s bail and permission to marry him. She and the accused had challenged the Kerala High Court order. The matter came up for hearing before a 2-Judge Bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Vineet Saran. The girl argued that the bail of the accused will help her marry him and legitimise the child that was born out of an act of rape.

While appearing for Robin Vadakkumcherry, advocate Amit George remarked, “In a bail plea how can my fundamental right to marry be hindered. Observations should not be such that an application cannot be made to the jail superintendent. There are scathing observations by the High Court.” While rejecting the bail plea, the Supreme Court said that the accused brought upon himself the scathing observations of the Kerala High Court. The Judges noted, “We see no reason to disturb the order of the Kerala High Court…We can only request the High Court to hear the accused. Approach the High Court for relief.”

CPM goons attack an RSS activist for sharing a news report on vaccine irregularities in Kerala: Report

OpIndia Staff
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CPM goons attack an RSS activist for sharing a news report on vaccine irregularities in Kerala: Report

Kerala continues to remain one of the states where political attacks against RSS workers continue to take place unabated. Recently, a bunch of CPM hoodlums attacked an RSS worker in Nedumkandam district in Kerala after he shared a news article that alleged vaccine irregularities observed in the region on his Facebook account, a report published by Malayalam daily Janmabhumi said. 

The CPM goons were reportedly unhappy with the RSS worker for disseminating the embarrassing news about irregularities in vaccine distribution under the CPM rule by sharing it on his Facebook account. 

At around 9:45 PM on August 1, the CPM goons waylaid RSS worker Thaikeri Prakash while he was driving back to his home. As soon as he was stopped, the CPM goons attacked his jeep and smashed its windshield. Then the goons stabbed Prakash in his face and arm. 

A day before the incident, a report was published stating that vaccine distribution was being used to make political gains. Apparently, a 60-year-old man was given a vaccine token with a dubious seal on it. The report accused politicians of using vaccine distribution to promote themselves. 

The RSS activist shared the report on his Facebook account, sparking outrage over the incident. There was a big stir in the region after Prakash posted the report on Facebook, with people criticising the CPM for the alleged irregularities. The police, who have reportedly nabbed the culprits, believe the stir that was created after Prakash’s Facebook post was responsible for the violent attack against him.

Rising number of attacks against RSS workers in Kerala

There has been a sharp uptick in the number of violent incidents perpetrated against BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. With Kerala being one of the only remaining communist bastions, the attacks against their opponents in the state have seen a dramatic surge.

Earlier this year, RSS worker Nandu Krishna was hacked to death. In addition this, three more people were injured by the SDPI goons.

For the past years, Kerala has witnessed a spate of political killings with workers and supporters from either side of the political spectrum being murdered, many times brutally. The situation has grown worse after Islamist outfits started gaining currency in the region. Many youths from Kerala had also reportedly joined the ISIS owing to an increased influence of fundamental Islam.

Mass exodus in Afghanistan, at least 30,000 locals flee every week fearing Taliban

OpIndia Staff
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Mass exodus in Afghanistan, at least 30,000 locals flee every week fearing Taliban

“What I am scared of is the Taliban.” Such statements have been reverberating in Afghanistan since the Taliban is in the ascendency in the country.

There has been a surge in violence especially in Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar as the Taliban terrorists seek to seize them from government forces. The Talibani terrorists, in heavy fighting on Saturday in Lashkar Gah, were reportedly just a few hundred meters from the governor’s office when they were pushed back. 

A massive attack was launched in Kandahar with the terrorist outfit surrounding the city from all sides. Flights at Kandahar airport had to be suspended on Sunday after Taliban rockets struck down the complex damaging the runway. Afghan forces have been deployed in the economically important city of Herat to stabilize the situation. 

As many as 300 Talibani terrorists have been killed and hundreds wounded in operations by Afghanistani security forces in different provinces since Saturday. “254 Taliban terrorists were killed and 97 wounded as a result of ANDSF (Afghanistan National Defence and Security Forces) operations in Ghazni, Kandahar, Herat, Farah, Jowzjan, Balkh, Samangan, Helmand, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Kabul & Kapisa provinces during the last 24 hours. Also, 13 IEDs were discovered & defused by #ANA,” tweeted the Afganistan defense ministry on Sunday. 

Over 3 lakh Afghanis displaced

As per a New York Times report, as many as 330,000 Afghans have been displaced and at least 30,000 flee their homes every week to escape the Taliban rule. 

While some have crowded the makeshift tent camps or relatives’ homes in cities, thousands are trying to secure passports and visas to leave the country altogether. Some have even risked cramming into smugglers’ pickup trucks to illegally cross the borders. 

According to the United Nations, the number of Afghans crossing the border illegally has shot up around 30 to 40 percent. In March, around 200 cars left each day from Zaranj for the Iranian border. By early July, the number had peaked to 450 cars each day.

Terrified of Taliban rule

One Mr Sakhi had fled Afghanistan 20 years ago after he saw the Talibani terrorists dragging a young woman from her home and lashing her on the sidewalk. Though returned a decade later, Sakhi is once again trying to flee the country. 

“I’m not scared of leaving belongings behind, I’m not scared of starting everything from scratch. What I’m scared of is the Taliban,” said Sakhi who recently. applied for Turkish visas for himself, his wife, their three daughters and one son.

Abdullah a taxi driver said, “I need to get a passport and get the hell out of this country. Trying to leave legally is costly, and if we go illegally it is dangerous. But right now the country is even more dangerous.”

Another Afghani who is trying to illegally enter Iran said, “We don’t have any money or means of getting a visa. We cannot find another way out.”

One Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi had to borrow $1,000 to bring 36 of his relatives to Kabul after the Taliban attacked his village in Malistan district.

US airlifts Afghans who worked for them

With around 20,000 Special Immigration Visa applications stuck in bureaucratic knots, around 200 translators were airlifted last week in “Operation Allies Refuge”.

President Joe Biden in a statement said, “These arrivals are just the first of many as we work quickly to relocate SIV-eligible Afghans out of harm’s way — to the United States, to U.S. facilities abroad, or to third countries — so that they can wait in safety while they finish their visa applications.”

This comes after the US faced criticism for abandoning the Afghans who worked for them in Afghanistan. As many as 50,000 or more people ultimately could be evacuated in the ongoing operation, said the Reuters report. 

Taliban entering houses making the situation difficult

According to the Afghan forces’ members, Taliban terrorists have entered houses of civilians in some locations, which has made the situation more difficult. “The Taliban entering the house of people makes it much more difficult for us, we have to be so much more careful,” one said.

In the last few weeks, the terrorist organization Taliban is using heavy forces to gain control of the major portion of Afghanistan. While the US has announced they would leave the nation by September, the future of the war-hit country hangs in mid-air as terrorists are gaining control over the city after city.

Chak de! India actor Chitrashi Rawat calls Indian women’s hockey team win ‘a deja vu moment’, netizens not amused

OpIndia Staff
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Chak de! India actor Chitrashi Rawat calls Indian women’s hockey team win ‘a deja vu moment’, netizens not amused

As the Indian women’s hockey team scripted history by booking their spot in the semi-finals of the Olympics by beating the Australian team 1-0 in the quarterfinals, Bollywood movie Chak de! India actor Chitrashi Rawat who played the role of Komal Chautala in the movie, called it a deja vu moment.

To celebrate the outstanding performance of the Indian women’s hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics, India Today invited the Chak De! India actress to their show. During the interaction, she told the channel that ever since the girl’s of the India hockey team have made it to the semi-finals, she has been receiving “so many calls”.

She said that it feels like the victory is ours, like what we felt when we were shooting for the movie.

She said that she could relate to what the members of the Indian women hockey team must have felt after their victory as it is quite parallel to what the actors had experienced while enacting the win during the Chak De! India shoot.

“For all of us Chak De girls, it is a month of celebrations, yet again. Our movie Chak De! India released on August 10, 2007, and today (in August) we got the news that our Indian women’s hockey team has created history by entering the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics. For me, it is like reliving the excitement all over again. I can’t contain my happiness and excitement ever since I woke up and got the news,” Chitrashi Rawat was quoted by TOI as saying.

“This is so nostalgic. While I am extremely proud of what our girls have achieved today and very happy, I can’t help but recall the moments from the games, a practice that we went through when we were shooting the film. I have been seeing pictures, highlights from the recent match and stills from the movie are running as a flashback in my memory”, said the actor. She further added that not only she but everyone who watched Chak De would be drawing a parallel between the stills from the movie and the pictures from the real game in their mind.

Chitrashi Rawat’s remarks have left Netizens rolling their eyes.

One social media user wondered how the actor could draw comparisons between a rehearsed act pulled off in a movie and a real time game.

While some slammed the actor for snatching the credit from the players.

Many rebuked India Today for inviting an actress to talk about the game instead of a real hockey player.

Some slammed India Today for giving importance to ‘reel’ rather than the ‘real’.

A few, however, went with the classic way, sharing interesting memes, to mock the actor and India Today.

Rawat, however, wasn’t the only one to make it about the film. Pro-AAP YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a tweet said, “Our whole generation grew up watching #ChakDeIndia,” and proceeded to add, “That film probably deserves more credit than anything for motivating a generation of amazing Indian women hockey players. Most players would’ve been at a critical childhood age of 10-15 years of age when the film released.” However, after realising the absurdity of his statement, he quietly deleted his tweet.

Dhruv Rathee syndrome: How the media, Bollywood is taking limelight away from Indian women team’s brilliance with focus on ‘Chak De! India’

K Bhattacharjee
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Dhruv Rathee syndrome: How the media, Bollywood is taking limelight away from Indian women team’s brilliance with focus on ‘Chak De! India’

Chitrashi Rawat, who played the role of Komal Chautala in ‘Chak De! India’, has compared the emotions attached with the entry of the Indian women’s hockey team in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics with the shooting of the movie.

The actress says that it is a ‘deja vu’ moment for her and somehow manages to draw a comparison with a movie and the actual historic achievement of the women’s hockey team in the Olympics. It is quite inexplicable and bizarre.

Chitrashi Rawat says people are congratulating her for the Indian team’s brilliant performance. But why would they congratulate her? She did not participate in the Olympics. It isn’t even clear why India Today would invite her to speak on the matter.

It would certainly make more sense to have former Hockey players on the panel to speak about their sentiments and the message they have for the team. Comment from the families of the players, or the background of some of the players could also be highlighted.

Chitrashi Rawat says that she has been a state and national level hockey player, which is certainly worthy of much respect, but it is all the more reason for her to recognize how tone deaf her comments were.

Unfortunately, she is not the only person who drew the comparison. Actor Randeep Hooda said that ‘real’ has imitated ‘reel’.

The media itself is the driving force behind the narrative. It is not just India Today that has invited Bollywood stars to speak on the matter, Aaj Tak, too, has invited a ‘Chak De! India’ actress on the occasion.

The whole situation is really quite bizarre. The players of Indian women’s hockey team have managed a historic feat with their accomplishment at the Tokyo Olympics. Given the precious little time and attention that the media focuses on games and sports other than cricket anyway, one would have believed that they would at least find the decency to focus exclusively on the stories of the players on this historic occasion.

But even that was too much to expect from the media. They felt compelled instead to add a Bollywood angle to the story instead. It is a bit like how Bollywood adds ‘item numbers’ to every movie without rhyme or reason just to generate some hype. Here, too, the media decided to invite Bollywood actresses for the heck of it really.

The media would run loud campaigns the entire year asking people to cheer for the Indian players in games other than cricket. But at a time when the country wants to learn more about the players, they decide to dedicate attention to Bollywood stars instead.

Shahrukh Khan himself tried to hog limelight over the matter citing ‘Chak De! India’, however, Sjoerd Marijne did not appear too pleased with the comment and responded with what could only ever be classified with a ‘befitting reply’.

It appears that the entire media is suffering from the ‘Dhruv Rathee’ syndrome. The YouTuber claimed that ‘Chak De! India’ deserves most credit for the victory of Indian women’s hockey team in the quarter finals of the Tokyo Olympics.

Soon after making that tweet, he probably realised how stupid the comment was and removed the tweet. He was mocked widely on social media for it. But it appears that he is not only person who suffers from such deluded notions. It seems the entire media harbours believes it to be so. Common sense, after all, is not so common.

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