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Sanjay Raut is ‘speechless’ after centre says ‘no state reported deaths due to oxygen shortage’, here is why he should ask his own govt about it

OpIndia Staff
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Sanjay Raut is ‘speechless’ after centre says ‘no state reported deaths due to oxygen shortage’, here is why he should ask his own govt about it

We reported earlier how the left lobby twisted a seemingly straightforward statement issued by the government to claim that it was lying about the number of fatalities the country suffered due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. While the union government had said that no state has reported any death due to shortage of oxygen, the left-liberal media and opposition parties twisted it to claim that the Modi is govt is saying no death was caused by the oxygen crisis during the second wave of Covid-19.

The newest entrant to join this propaganda wagon is Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut who is back in news for yet another unwarranted remark. Raut furthering the failed narrative, in a media interaction said, “I am speechless. What would have happened to the families of those who lost their loved ones to oxygen shortage after hearing this statement? A case should be filed against the govt. They are lying.”

“No patient died due to oxygen shortage,” said Maharashtra govt

At this point, it is imperative to remind our readers of the Maharashtra government’s statement to the Bombay High Court in the month of May on Covid-19 deaths. 

The High Courts were hearing a string of PILs filed on shortage of oxygen and other medical supplies when the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak. A Division Bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and B.U. Debadwar had observed that the COVID-19 patients were reaching hospitals in critical condition and the demand for oxygen had grown multiple times. 

At that time Advocate Rahul Chitnis, appearing for the State had said, “No patient in the State has died only for the non-supply of oxygen.” After this submission, the court said it would pull up the nodal officers if they failed to supply oxygen. 

Now, it seems Sanjay Raut has forgotten what his own government had said about the oxygen crisis and Covid-19 deaths. As the union govt said, no state had reported any death due to oxygen shortage, including non-NDA ruled states like Maharashtra. As the statistics of deaths, including the Covid-19 deaths, is maintained by the governments of states and Union Territories, it is the job of such governments to report if any death happened due to lack of oxygen. The union government only compiles the data provided by states and UTs to publish the national statistics.

It is also noteworthy that the deaths that took place due to lack of oxygen are already included in the Covid-19 death numbers.

The state of Maharashtra is still reporting 6000-9000 new Covid-19 cases every day even though it was one of the first to be hit by the second wave in the month of March. It was also the first state to face a shortage of oxygen, however, unlike Delhi, the state was able to resolve the issue within a few weeks.

Manipulation by left ecosystem

The official Twitter account of the Press Trust of India quoted a statement by the government on Tuesday which was beaten and battered to take it out of context. The Tweet read, “No deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by states and union territories during second COVID-19 wave: Govt”.

While the statement clearly mentions “states and union territories”, the entire cabal conveniently eliminated a chunk of the sentence. Soon after the tweet was posted, several luminaries of the leftwing ecosystem, twisted the statement to give an impression that the central government was in denial about the deaths that happened due to lack of oxygen.

Union Health Minister replies to underreporting allegations 

Rebutting oppositions attack of underreporting Covid-19 cases and deaths, newly elected Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reiterated that it is the responsibility of the state to record the cases and deaths. 

“The Centre only compiles the data and publishes it. Why would we ask the states to underreport. In fact, PM Modi insisted that the states must add the backlog too,” said Mandaviya.

Eid celebrations may turn out to be superspreader event as Kerala records over 17k new cases during lockdown relaxation

OpIndia Staff
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Eid celebrations may turn out to be superspreader event as Kerala records over 17k new cases during lockdown relaxation

The Eid-ul-Adha celebrations may turn out to be Covid-19 super-spreader events across the country, especially in Kerala, as the Communist-led state has yet again recorded almost 17,000 new Covid-19 cases taking the tally to a two-month high on the days lockdown was relaxed.

Since the onslaught of Covid-19 pandemic in the country last year, Kerala has remained one of the two biggest epicentres of Covid-19 infections in the country, along with Maharashtra. In fact, Kerala remains the worst Covid-19 affected state in the country and continues to be a burden to the country’s efforts in tackling the second wave of the pandemic even as other states have successfully reduced fresh Covid-19 cases.

Despite raging infections in Kerala and state government’s inability to manage the pandemic, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government had given in to the pressure of the Muslim community in the society and had lifted lockdown restrictions for three days to celebrate Bakrid or Eid-ul-Adha from July 18 to July 21. The Kerala government had announced relaxations for the Bakrid festival in a press conference organised on July 17. 

Interestingly, the Supreme Court, which had ruled against conducting Hindu religious events such as Kanwar Yatra in Uttar Pradesh – one of the successful states to have handled the Covid-19 pandemic, did not direct similar actions to the Kerala government.

The Supreme Court had not passed any strict orders banning the celebrations in Kerala even as the state recorded the highest number of cases. However, two days later, after the completion of celebrations in Kerala, the Supreme Court, had rapped the Kerala government for allowing a three-day relaxation in Covid-19 restrictions on the occasion of the Bakrid. This came on the third day of three-day relaxation.

However, it seems the worst damage has already been done as Eid celebrations in the state has spiked the fresh Covid-19 infections in state.

Eid-ul-Adha relaxations turn out to be a super-spreader events in Kerala

Due to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the state ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha, Kerala is now risking another wave of the pandemic as fresh infections have soared in the last week. As restrictions were removed ahead of the Eid celebrations, Kerala has recorded the highest number of fresh cases surpassing the two-month average.

On Tuesday, Kerala reported 16,848 fresh Covid-19 cases taking the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) to 12 per cent after remaining around the 10 per cent mark for several weeks as against the 2.27% TPR in the country. Kerala now accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the fresh infections in the country. India reported 42,015 new cases, 36,977 recoveries in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry.

Image Source: Covid19India.org

Similarly, on Sunday, Kerala had reported 13,956 cases, and the next day, the state had reported 9,931 cases on the following day on Monday. The total tally of Covid-19 cases in the state now stands at 31,87,716, second highest in the country after Maharashtra.

The Muslim majority areas which celebrated Eid have accounted increased number of cases. Malappuram accounted for the most number of cases with 2752 cases, followed by Thrissur with 1929 cases. In addition, Ernakulam -1901, Kozhikode – 1689, Kollam – 1556, Palakkad – 1237, Kottayam – 1101 and Thiruvananthapuram -1055 have all recorded more than 1,000 cases.

Image Source: Covid19India.org

One of the worrying factors about Covid-19 pandemic mismanagement in Kerala is the active cases in the state. As other states have almost brought the fresh infections to a halt, Kerala still has more than 1,26,396 active cases.

Image Source: Covid19India.org

In the last three days alone, after easing restrictions, more than 200 people have lost their lives in Kerala due to the Chinese pandemic. On Tuesday, Kerala accounted for 104 deaths, taking the overall tally to 15,512 deaths in the state.

With cases continue to soar in Kerala, especially the delta-variant, the neighbouring states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu are also at a risk of an onslaught of another wave of the pandemic.

“I am the father of a daughter who was serving in Covid ward. Taali-thaali encouraged us,” says Mansukh Mandaviya in Rajya Sabha

OpIndia Staff
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“I am the father of a daughter who was serving in Covid ward. Taali-thaali encouraged us,” says Mansukh Mandaviya in Rajya Sabha

Responding to a thunderous attack by the opposition on the handling of the ongoing Chinese virus pandemic, newly appointed Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya spelt every detail on the Centre’s response to the crisis in the monsoon session.

Mandaviya’s well-received speech encompassed replies to every attack made by the opposition. When the opposition chose to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘taali-thaali’ initiative after more than a year, Mandaviya said, “Before being a minister, I’m a father. My daughter worked as an intern doctor in COVID ward. She told me that she would work in that ward itself and she continued. At that time I realised the importance of ‘thaali-taali’, it gave us courage.”

His anecdote also garnered support and praise from netizens on social media platforms. 

“Instructed to not politicize the crisis”

Mandaviya, visibly upset with the opposition’s attempt to politicize the Covid-19 pandemic revealed they have received strict instructions from PM Modi to not fan this further. “Our govt has always said that this crisis shouldn’t become a reason for politics. There shouldn’t be politics in this crisis,” he said.

“Even if the opposition politicizes the crisis we should not participate in it,” Mandaviya relayed Modi’s message.

Refraining from taking names, Mandaviya said that there were enough political parties and Chief Ministers who took all the credit for good work but dumped the blame on Centre and PM Modi when something went amiss. 

He also highlighted, “when Centre was overlooking the strategies, states said that health is a state subject and the decision making must go to them including procurement of vaccines.” However, when the strategy collapse they quickly shifted the blame on Centre, said Mandaviya.

Mansukh Mandaviya’s speech in Rajya Sabha

He also apprised the floor of the fact that PM Modi had chaired at least 20 meetings with the states and relevant representatives to overview the situation. Talking about the support to boost vaccine research, production and distribution Mandaviya said that he as a former Pharmaceutical Minister and PM Modi both met the scientists, the medical fraternity and company representatives personally to assure complete backing and financial aid. 

“We all should be proud”

Amused by the name-calling by the opposition inside and outside of the parliament, Mandaviya said that it is for all of us to take pride in these achievements. 

He questioned the opposition as to why they were adamant about importing vaccines that are available at higher costs than domestic vaccines. He then went on to inform about India’s efforts from April 2020 to make the country self-reliant and not depend on a foreign country for vaccines as it could have been catastrophic. 

He also said that India will soon be the first country to have a DNA-based vaccine. Mandaviya for the benefit of the parliamentarians listed the indigenous companies engrossed in ramping up the production and availability of the vaccines.

Rebutting oppositions allegations on ‘vaccines kahan hai’ Mandaviya without disclosing names said, “Some of them who questioned about non-availability of vaccines have 10-15 lakh doses still in stock for their state at the moment.”

He informed that the states are intimidated 15 days prior about the next batch of vaccine doses giving them ample time to plan and strategize. “If at one centre only 200 doses can be made available by you but you call 400-600 people and cry no vaccines are available then it is not our fault,” exclaimed Mandaviya.

“Getting 11-12 crore doses of Serum Institute’s Covishield vaccine per month. Bharat Biotech is to supply 3.5 crore doses of its COVID vaccine in August,” Mandaviya said in the Rajya Sabha. 

Responding to allegations made by the opposition on shortage of oxygen and medicines, Mandaviya highlighted how the entire ecosystem including private companies, NGOs, defence forces and railways came together to mitigate the shortage caused due to a sudden spike in demand. 

“Centre did not ask the states to record less deaths”

Rebutting oppositions attack of underreporting Covid-19 cases and deaths, Mandaviya made it clear that it is the responsibility of the state to record the cases and deaths. “The Centre only compiles the data and publishes it. Why would we ask the states to underreport? In fact, PM Modi insisted that the states must add the backlog too,” said Mandaviya.

“Preparations being made to tackle the third wave”

“A country is made by the states and it is the duty of all states to come together and take the nation forward,” said Mandaviya. 

Detailing the preparatory work being done by the Centre in collaboration with states, Mandaviya informed that 316 out of 1573 PSAs commissioned are functional, work towards setting up paediatric wards in every district along with community health centres is in full force, availability of ambulance and ventilators has also been taken care of. 

Mandaviya’s speech was appreciated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who took to Twitter to urge people to watch the informative piece.

Not just Mandaviya but Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri also attacked the opposition for its vile attempt to fuel vaccine hesitancy and act nothing but as an obstacle in this unprecedented crisis. 

Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz responds to Imran Khan’s comment against her son with an antisemitic attack on Jemima Goldsmith and her children

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz responds to Imran Khan’s comment against her son with an antisemitic attack on Jemima Goldsmith and her children

Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima recently got into a Twitter brawl after Khan mocked Nawaz’s son. It all started when Khan while giving a speech at an election rally launched an attack on his opponent Nawaz’s party by insinuating corruption charges. However, the route taken by him was rather puzzling.

Imran Khan referring to the pictures of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif attending his grandson’s (Maryam’s son Junaid) polo match in London remarked, “The poor go to jail and the powerful (Nawaz Sharif) get NRO (deal) to go abroad and watch his grandson’s polo match.”

Imran Khan attacks Maryam Nawaz’s son in an election speech

“The common man cannot play polo — a kings’ sport. You need a lot of money to keep a horse and play polo. So tell us where this dear grandson got this money from. It’s the people’s money,” Khan added.

Maryam Nawaz, who is also running her party’s election campaign extensively in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir region was quick to rebut. In an equally puzzling remark, Maryam rebuked, “My son (Junaid) is the polo team captain (for Cambridge University) and is bringing honour to Pakistan. He is Nawaz Sharif’s grandson, not Goldsmith’s and he is not being raised in the lap of Jews.”

Maryam Nawaz’s attack on Imran Khan

Maryam defended her jibe at Khan (which was actually an attack on his ex-wife Jemima and her children) by saying that she did not want to bring children into it, but Khan’s comment needed a ‘befitting reply.’

Interestingly, Maryam’s “befitting reply” was also a sample of blatant antisemitism that is considered normal in Pakistan. Pakistani politicians, even the educated and well-travelled ones, for some reason, consider it ok to popularise racial hatred against Jews.

“You have only your ex to blame” said Maryam

Unsurprisingly, Jemima was quick to call out Maryam’s anti-Semitic remark on Twitter. “My kids are ‘being raised in the lap of the Jews’, announced @MaryamNSharif today. I left Pakistan in 2004 after a decade of antisemitic attacks by the media & politicians (& weekly death threats & protests outside my house). But still it continues,” she wrote. 

This pinched Maryam who later that day responded to Jemima’s tweet, saying, “I have absolutely no interest in you, your sons or your personal lives because I have better things to do and say but if your ex (Imran Khan) drags in families of others out of spite, others will have nastier things to say. You have only your ex to blame.”

While the two ended the fight there, Maryam got called out by the netizens for her anti-Semitic and personal comments. “Maryam Nawaz’s attacks against you and your kids were extremely disgraceful. People of Pakistan have nothing but respect for your family. Hope this pushback will be a lesson to those who continue to use bigotry against political opponents,” said a user in support of Jemima.

The rivalry between the trio is not new. Jemima in 2017 when Sharif was deposed by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case had tweeted: “Good riddance to the man who tried to get me jailed when I was pregnant with my 2nd child on trumped-up non-bailable charges of smuggling.”

“In politics, such things are not uncommon”

As per reports, when a member of Khan’s party was asked about the need to attack Maryam’s son, he said, “Imran Khan had targeted Maryam and Sharifs only because the latter was continuously using offensive language about the premier. He had to say something; in politics, such things are not uncommon.”

On the other hand, Maryam’s party spokesperson pinned the blame on Khan calling him frustrated. “Dragging Maryam’s son in the controversy only shows Imran Khan’s frustration, who is not happy to see people’s response to his party’s public meetings in AJK, and reflected his mentality,” said the spokesperson. 

UP: Wanted by police for obscene Facebook post against Smriti Irani, Firozabad professor Shaharyar Ali surrenders in court

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Wanted by police for obscene Facebook post against Smriti Irani, Firozabad professor Shaharyar Ali surrenders in court

On July 20, Firozabad police have arrested a professor identified as Shaharyar Ali after he surrendered before Additional Sessions Judge Anurag Kumar.

Ali is accused of making derogatory remarks against Union Minister Smriti Irani on Facebook. He had moved interim bail application that was rejected by the judge, and the professor was then sent to jail. Ali had made an obscene Facebook post against the minister in March.

The case against Ali

As per reports, on July 9, the Supreme Court had denied protection from arrest to Professor Ali. While rejecting his application, the two-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising of justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Hemant Gupta observed that social media could not be used to defame others. The judges further said that people must remain mindful of the language that they use against others while critiquing, criticising or mocking them on social media.

Shahryar Ali is the head of the Department of History in Firozabad’s SRK College. The 55-year-old had shared an obscene Facebook post with defamatory remarks against Union WCD Minister Smriti Irani. As per reports, Ali had absconded to evade police action and had tried to avoid arrest by remaining elusive and even absconding from his job.

The SRK College has stated that they do not endorse Ali’s statement and the college administration will not tolerate derogatory and foul remarks against women.

‘You can’t say anything you like and then want to get away

“You can’t defame women like this. You cannot use social media just to defame. What kind of language is being used? There is a language to criticise. There is a language to say jokes. You can’t say anything you like and then want to get away,” said the two-judge bench, denying anticipatory bail to Shaharyar Ali.

Ali had moved his anticipatory bail application in May 2021. The matter came up for hearing in the Apex Court on July 9. Earlier, the High Court had rejected the application and observed that the professor’s conduct of this kind prima facie did not entitle him to anticipatory bail and had remarked that Ali was entitled to surrender and seek regular bail, which would then be considered in accordance with the law.

Professor had played the ‘account hacked’ card

While challenging the orders of Allahabad High Court, Vikas Singh, the counsel of Ali, claimed before the Supreme Court that his client’s Facebook account was hacked, and as soon as he came to know about the obscene post, he published an apology.

The Apex Court was not impressed with the lame excuse and asked, “What you are saying is an afterthought. You used the same account to post your apology, but you say your account was hacked. This shows you are the one still using that account. Is there anything to show that your account had been hacked?” The counsel was unable to provide any proof of hacking.

The post against Union Minister

In March 2021, Ali was booked by Firozabad Police for an obscene Facebook post against Union Minister Smriti Irani. FIR was registered against him based on a complaint by a BJP leader. He was booked under Section 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly promoting enmity between communities, apart from Section 67A of the Information Technology Act for publishing obscene material.

Why I don’t worry about the government tapping my phone – and neither should you

Abhishek Banerjee
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Why I don’t worry about the government tapping my phone – and neither should you

The global elite wants you to get angry. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Le Monde have investigated the matter and found that governments worldwide could be spying on people. The Guardian has a full page feature with Narendra Modi’s face on it. What are you waiting for? Stand up and resist.

Well, count me out. Why should I get angry? For one, I quite liked the fearsome image of PM Modi that The Guardian used for its feature. It’s a far cry from the fatherly, good-natured and bearded image that he tries to project today. The image reminded me of an earlier time, when his face would strike terror into the hearts of leftists worldwide.

I mean I am angry, but just a little. Could it be that the government used our taxpayer money to procure spy software to listen in on 2BHK journalists getting their election inputs from the domestic help, cook or driver? That would be a shame.

There was a time when I had a lot of respect for privacy warriors. When the Facebook – Cambridge Analytica scandal broke in 2018, I followed the developments very closely. Did shady political consultants harvest our data without our consent from the world’s largest social media platform? Did they use this data to influence our voting choices and thereby subvert democracies worldwide? In India as well, this should have been a watershed moment. Then, this happened.

Congress picture in Cambridge Analytica office

I never heard about Cambridge Analytica in Indian media again. As Rahul Gandhi had once explained, the Congress symbol stands for daro mat (have no fear). I bet the good folks at Cambridge Analytica must have wrapped up their operations and left for the Himalayas in search of moksha.

Yesterday, when liberals were working themselves up into a frenzy, right wing users dug up this old gem from Dr. Manmohan Singh.

2010 when PM Manmohan Singh backed phone tapping

I showed this headline to a liberal friend of mine. Her rhetoric softened instantly. And I didn’t even show her this one.

UPA govt tapping phones

So the current debate has nothing to do with principles, just liberal privilege. The liberal elite gets to choose the issue of the day and make us all react. This time, I am not going to worry.

I know what you are thinking. Two wrongs don’t make a right. But my reasoning is more cynical than that. Why should I worry? I’m a BJP supporter and the BJP is in power. I have nothing to worry.

But wait, you might ask. Do you think BJP will be in power forever? Don’t be so short-sighted.

Of course not. Nothing is permanent. The government will change some day. I have no illusions.

But I also know that the day liberals come back to power, they will exact a terrible revenge. Have you seen how liberals operate in Bengal? For two successive elections now, the Congress has been reduced to dust. They could not get even the 55 seats needed to form the opposition. The day they get their power back, phone tapping will be the least of my problems. Like I said, I have no illusions.

So I don’t care. And neither should you, even if you are a liberal. What’s the worst that could happen to you? It’s been seven years of Modi and your business of liberal privilege is flourishing. In fact, you have gone from earning in Rupees to earning in dollars. Even small time Communist student leaders can spring for rooms at the Taj hotel. Imagine the lifestyle of the globally connected tycoons of Indian liberalism. While asking for donations, one of these tycoons put out an announcement that they make no more than Rs 2 lakh per month in salary. Were perks included? I don’t know.

Anyway, I saw the Taj hotel once, while walking in front of the Gateway of India. It seemed nice.

So, if you are a liberal, life is good under Modi. And if the liberals come back to power, life can only get better. So what are you worried about?

Ah, I almost forgot. What about principles? It’s time to stop asking stupid questions. Big Tech companies are compiling, trading and auctioning your data all over the place. There are no rules. Big government, foreign governments and hostile governments are all interested. Did you hear about what is happening in the United States?

What is happening in the US

It starts with misinformation about vaccines. Soon it will be extended to all political issues, to whatever a “fact checker” classifies as misinformation. Any time you are about to commit a thoughtcrime against the global elite, they will get inside your head and “fact check” you.

By the way, did you read that extract carefully? It is not even the US government that will start fact checking your text messages. It is the DNC or Democratic National Committee, working directly with service providers. Yeah, that’s right. Any time you are sending a message, it will go to the headquarters of the ruling party first. The ruling party will decide whether your message contains “misinformation.”

In his book Nineteen Eighty Four, Orwell spoke of the phenomenon of “crimestop,” the ability to stop on the threshold of a dangerous thought. At that time, it was just a dark fantasy. But let me tell you algorithms are fully capable of doing this today. By processing data from billions of people, they know what you are going to think of next, even before the idea has formed inside your head. Just like the e-commerce platforms just seem to know in advance what you are going to buy. Have you heard of text prediction software? It’s actually remarkable how coherent they have become.

What do you do for a living? More and more people now depend on Big Tech for a living. It isn’t just tech workers or social media influencers. It is also the person who strings together odd jobs, or drives around a taxi or autorickshaw. It’s also a small business owner who runs a restaurant or hotel, or the delivery guy who runs to your door with the food. Just one thoughtcrime against the global elite and Big Tech will put you on a list. You get kicked off the platform and lose your way of making a living.

By the way, your bank also subscribes to the list, which is why they will refuse to let you bank with them. You pick up the phone to call a friend for help. But your phone service provider has already disabled your connection. All this in the space of milliseconds. That day is coming.

In any case, if anyone tried to protest your plight, they would get “fact-checked” too. So be rest assured that nobody is coming to help.

Can you name any fact checkers? I know who you are thinking about. He is not the only one, but he is a good example. Well, think of his stony face and cruel eyes. That’s your new boss. So, show some respect.

In Nineteen Eighty Four, Orwell tells us to think of the future as a boot crushing a face. That’s our fate. Privacy is long dead. Om Shanti. Say it while you still can.

UP: Court issues non-bailable warrant against Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s wife Louise in wheelchair distribution scam case

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Court issues non-bailable warrant against Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s wife Louise in wheelchair distribution scam case

The Uttar Pradesh court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Louise Khurshid, wife of former Union minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, for allegedly misappropriating central grants of over Rs.71 lakh.

According to the reports, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Farukkhabad Praveen Kumar Tyagi has issued a non-bailable warrant against Louise Khurshid and another accused Athar Farooqui of committing financial irregularities in Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust.

In March 2010, the Trust, headed by Louise Khurshid, had received a grant of Rs.71 lakh from the Congress-led UPA government to distribute wheelchairs, tricycles and hearing aids among physically challenged persons in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Athar Farooqui is the secretary of Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust.

However, an allegation of corruption and forgery surfaced against the office-bearers of the trust in 2012 when Salman Khurshid was a cabinet minister in the then UPA government. The Khurshid duo had rejected all the allegations.

In 2017, the Economic Offences Wing initiated an investigation, and an FIR was registered against Louise Khurshid and Athar Farooqui in the Kayamganj police station in Farukkhabad.

Trust faked signatures and seals to obtain grants, alleges charge sheet

The charge sheet in the case was filed on December 30, 2019. In the charge sheet, it was alleged that the accused had forged the signatures and seals of senior officials of Uttar Pradesh to receive grants from the Union government for the welfare of the disabled.

The trust had claimed that it had organised camps for differently-abled children across over a dozen districts – Etah, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Aligarh, Shahjahanpur, Meerut, Bareilly, Moradabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Rampur, Sant Kabir Nagar and Allahabad to distribute equipment for the disabled persons.

It was claimed that the equipment was distributed among disabled children under the leadership of Louise Khurshid in May 2010. Later, it was revealed that no such camps were held, rather the camps for the disabled existed only on paper.

‘India has sufficient evidence against him’: Biden govt tells LA court to allow the extradition of 26/11 accused Pakistani-origin terrorist Tahawwur Rana

OpIndia Staff
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‘India has sufficient evidence against him’: Biden govt tells LA court to allow the extradition of 26/11 accused Pakistani-origin terrorist Tahawwur Rana

The United States administration has requested a federal court in Los Angeles to extradite Pakistani-origin Canadian terrorist Tahawwur Rana to India. Tahawwur Rana is wanted by the Indian authorities for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

According to the reports, the 59-year-old Tahawwur Rana, who has been declared a fugitive by India, is accused in multiple cases for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed.

Rana, who has been in US jail for more than a decade for supporting terrorist groups and plotting Mumbai attacks, faces extradition to India on murder conspiracy charges. Rana was earlier convicted of his role in the Mumbai terror attacks, but US prosecutors had failed to prove a terrorism charge connecting him directly to the terror attacks.

However, Rana was granted early release from a Los Angeles federal prison because of poor health and amidst the coronavirus scare. The Pakistani-born terrorist was arrested again on June 10, 2020, in Los Angeles on an extradition request by India.

In a submission before the US District Court, Central District of California in Los Angeles, the Biden administration has argued that the extradition request filed by Indians have necessary evidence on each of the criminal charges for which India seeks Rana’s extradition.

“Having found that all of the requirements for certification of extradition have been satisfied, the Court certifies the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana to the Secretary of State and commits him to custody pursuant,” according to a draft order proposed by the US attorney in his submission before the court last week.

Rana committed fraud against Indian govt by creating forged documents: US

The submissions to the court by the Biden administration said that based on the evidence submitted by India, Tahawwur Rana committed fraud against the Indian government through the creation and submission of forged documents. The purpose behind such fraud is irrelevant under the Indian criminal provisions, the document said.

“In any event, RANA knowingly allowed Headley to obtain the business visa and the cover that he needed to conduct terrorism-related surveillance operations in India, ultimately leading to the three-day terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Accordingly, the Court finds there is probable cause that RANA conspired to forge a document for the purpose of cheating and use a forged document as genuine, in violation of IPC 120B, 468, and 471,” the submission said.

The United States administration said that the evidence established that the Mumbai attacks were committed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The document said that the evidence establishes that Rana conspired with Headley to provide false information on multiple documents submitted to the Indian government.

The document said that Tahawwur Rana was aware that Headley was involved with LeT, and he supported the terrorist organisation and its associates by assisting Headley and affording him a cover for his activities. The Biden administration also submitted to the court that Rana knew about details of Headley’s meetings with LeT and the planning of the attacks, including some of the targets.

“Accordingly, this Court finds that there is probable cause that Rana committed the crimes of conspiracy with the object of committing a terrorist act, in violation of IPC 120B and UAPA 16, and conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, in violation of UAPA 18. The court further finds that under an agency theory or an abetting theory (as contemplated by UAPA 16), there is probable cause that Rana committed the substantive crime of commission of a terrorist act in violation of UAPA 16,” said the document submitted by the US attorney.

In August 2018, the Indian government had issued a warrant for his arrest for orchestrating the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana is accused of conspiring with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in planning the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.

The Indian government has charged Rana under IPC Section 468 – forgery for purposes of cheating as an object of the alleged criminal conspiracy and IPC Section 471 – using as genuine a forged document or electronic record as an object of the alleged criminal conspiracy.

Rana helped David Headley to get visa through forged documents: Biden administration

Further, the document said, “In 2006 and 2007, Rana conspired with Headley to include false information on Indian government documents, so that Headley could obtain business visas (a one-year and five-year multiple entries) as an alleged employee of Rana’s business. Rana reviewed Headley’s applications on both occasions and failed to correct information Rana knew to be false”.

“Rana also had the Immigrant Law Center, through his unsuspecting business partner, submit the applications to the Indian Consulate. RANA also allowed his business to apply to the Reserve Bank of India while falsely claiming it wanted to open an office in Mumbai with Headley serving as the business’s ‘Office Head”, it said.

On the other hand, Rana’s attorney opposed the extradition, saying that the government has not satisfied Article 9(3)(c) of the Treaty, which states that an extradition request should be supported by such information that justifies the committal for trial of the person if the offence had been committed in the requested state.

On 26th November 2008, ten terrorists from Pakistan wreaked havoc in Mumbai. They held the country on ransom for almost three days as some of them holed up inside star hotels in Mumbai, holding hostages, many of them foreign nationals, as the ghastly scenes were telecast live in our living rooms. At least 174 people died, including 9 terrorists, and more than 300 were wounded in the Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks in India.

Taliban killed, mutilated Danish Siddiqui’s body as he was Indian, ‘apologised’ after details of his work was hailed

OpIndia Staff
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Taliban killed, mutilated Danish Siddiqui’s body as he was Indian, ‘apologised’ after details of his work was hailed

Taliban’s claims that they were unaware that Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was with the Afghan forces when they ambushed them, leading to his death, fall flat as local Afghan leaders tell a different side of the story.

Aaj Tak report states that Danish’s body was mutilated because he was an Indian. Speaking to Aaj Tak, Afghan army commander Bilal Ahmed said that Taliban first shot Danish then ran a car over him after they got to know he is Indian since Taliban hates India and Indians. That they knew Danish had died of the bullet but they still ran a car over him because he was an Indian.

Interestingly, after his death, Danish’s body of work, especially the pictures of funeral pyres during the second wave of coronavirus and Rohingya crisis, was publicised and hailed by all, Taliban expressed sorrow on killing him. In fact, Taliban had claimed they did not know how the photojournalist had died. “Any journalist entering the war zone should inform us. We will take proper care of that particular individual. We are sorry for Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui’s death. We regret that journalists are entering war zone without intimation to us,” The Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid had told News18.

In an article published by Newslaundry, Afghan journalist Ahmad Lodin said that the Taliban killed Danish and kept his body. In fact, they even refused to return his mortal remains.

Snippet from Newslaundry article

As per Lodin, who spoke to Newslaundry, the Afghan authorities contacted Taliban and Red Crescent but they refused to return Danish’s body. After much negotiation, his body was returned at 3 PM. Lodin also said that Danish’s body had been ‘disrespected and mutilated’. According to the report, Reuters was aware that Siddiqui was injured few days prior to the attack that killed him. However, they did not pull out an injured journalist from the conflict zone.

Subsequently, Danish Siddiqui’s friends and colleagues in media and other ‘liberals’ had hailed Taliban for expressing regret at killing Danish, whom they killed and mutilated his body because he was an Indian.

Kangana Ranaut to expose ‘underbelly of Bullywood’ in her upcoming film Tiku Weds Sheru, reacts to Raj Kundra’s arrest in porn case

OpIndia Staff
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Kangana Ranaut to expose ‘underbelly of Bullywood’ in her upcoming film Tiku Weds Sheru, reacts to Raj Kundra’s arrest in porn case

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut took to Instagram to react to businessman and husband of actress Shilpa Shetty Raj Kundra’s arrest in pornography case. In an Instagram story, Ranaut said that this (pornography scandals) is why she calls movie industry a gutter.

Kangana Ranaut’s Instagram story

She said that all that glitters is not gold and that she will expose the underbelly of ‘Bullywood’, term she uses to refer to Bollywood after being bullied by the who’s who of the film industry like Javed Akhtar and Karan Johar, in her film Tiku Weds Sheru. She said that we need a strong value system and conscience in the film industry.

Kangana Ranaut is producing ‘Tiku Weds Sheru’ under the banner ‘Manikarnika’ and stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in main lead. Sai Kabir is the director and this will be Ranaut’s first digital media venture.

Raj Kundra arrested in pornography case

Businessman Raj Kundra was arrested on Sunday in a case related to creating and publishing porn over the internet. Mumbai Police said he was a key conspirator in the February 2021 case relating to the scandal. Kundra, along with Ryan Tharp, who worked in a senior position in an app firm, are in police custody till July 23, 2021. Bollywood actresses Poonam Pandey and Sherlyn Chopra had said that it was because of Kundra that they landed up in adult film industry.

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