The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, led by Imran Khan, has decided to put up the Prime Minister House in Islamabad for rent, reportedSaama Tv.
Khan, who had earlier vowed to convert the building into a university and education hub, has decided to rent it out for fashion, cultural and educational events. The decision was finalized by the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan. In this regard, two committees have been constituted to ensure that the ‘decorum’ and ‘discipline’ of the PM House are maintained during these events. It must be mentioned that Imran Khan had vacated the Prime Minister House in August 2019 and shifted to his plush residence at Bani Gala.
Imran khan had auctioned buffaloes and luxury cars belonging to PM House
Earlier in September 2018, PM Imran Khan decided to auction the buffaloes that were housed in PM’s official residence. The sale of the bovines had fetched PKR 23.02 lacs. Dawn had reported that it was a part of the austerity drive of Khan, who had vowed to cut down on government expenses amidst Pakistan’s economic crisis. The Pakistani Prime Minister had also auctioned off 61 luxury cars that belonged to the PM House and added PKR 20 crores to the government funds. A month later in October, he had chaired a meeting to convert the PM House into a university.
PM House was to be converted into a university
Imran Khan had directed the constitution of a committee to review the charter of the university. The meeting was attended by Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman Tariq Banuri, the then Education Minister of Pakistan, and other officials. During the said meeting, it was decided that two separate committees would be formed for draft charter evaluation and selection of a vice-chancellor. PM Imran Khan had also approved the establishment of an Institute of Advanced Studies as part of the proposed university.
Imran Khan rents out PM House for wedding ceremony of army man’s daughter
In August 2019, Imran Khan came under the spotlight for renting out the PM House for the wedding ceremony of one Brigadier Waseem Iftikhar Cheema’s daughter Anam Waseem. At that time, Cheema was the military secretary to the Pakistani Prime Minister. Khan soon became the subject of a social media tirade for using the PM House as a wedding venue. However, in less than 3 years’ time, PM Imran Khan took a U-turn and decided to rent out the PM House and add funds to the government’s coffers.
Athletes competing for medals at the Olympics have differing ways of celebrating their triumph. While most of them beat their fist in the air or jump in ecstasy on qualifying for the subsequent rounds or achieving victory, United States Shot Putter Raven Saunders had a peculiar style of celebrations that have raised many eyebrows.
Saunders secured second place in the women’s shot put tournament at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and she marked her victory by twerking in front of the camera. After winning a silver medal in the shot put tournament at the Tokyo Olympics, Saunders was seen sashaying in front of the camera, before breaking into twerk.
US shot-putter Raven Saunders twerks in front of the camera at the Tokyo Olympics. pic.twitter.com/3m6tU2PQhh
Her sheer power in the shot put category was evident with her win being a finishing distance of 19.79 meters, second to China’s Lijiao Gong. However, Saunders’s second throw was regarded to be even farther, possibly enough to challenge for gold if not for a foul called for stepping outside of the circle.
Nevertheless, Saunders appeared ecstatic at bagging the silver medal, celebrating her victory by twerking in front of the cameras. The Olympics broadcast quickly aired pulled the camera away after realising what Saunders was doing after winning the silver medal. Besides twerking, Saunders is also known for her idiosyncratic demeanour—wearing technicolour sunglasses, purple and green hair and an Incredible Hulk facemask.
Needless to say, Saunder’s twerking created quite a flutter on the internet, with reactions pouring in from a large number of social media users.
One user was sardonic in criticising Saunders for twerking on camera. In a sarcastic jibe, the user said “nothing screams oppression better than multicoloured hair guy twerking on live TV”.
Nothing screams oppression better than multicolored hair guy twerking on live TV https://t.co/B3lQgo578f
Another concerned American on Twitter remarked that twerking on live TV in a country that clucks over chewing food in public has made the United States a laughing stock.
On foreign soil that sees chewing food in public as disrespect. America is a laughing stock.
Let me guess, @GiveMe1Shot, no positive role model? For future reference, when you’re representing the country that made this opportunity possible for you, nix the grotesque moves.
While her twerking was seemingly censored, Saunders continued her theatrics when she was called upon the podium to receive her medal. Raising her arms above her head as shecrossed her wrists to form an “X,” the 25-year-old shot put player told the mediathat the gesture symbolized “the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet”.
On August 2, the results of the YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey were released for the months of June and July, covering 10,285 respondents across 203 cities. The survey was conducted jointly by YouGov’s Indian branch, Centre for Policy Research, Delhi and Mint. The aim of the surveys conducted by the group is to examine attitudes, aspirations and anxieties of the digital narrative of India. More than half of the respondents were millennials.
Lack of trust in vaccines among Muslims
The data released in the survey reports show that there is a notable gap in vaccine coverage across religious groups. Two-third of the Hindus among the respondents have received at least one dose. However, Muslims are far behind, covering less than half of the population. Muslim respondents said they are worried about the safety and side-effects of the vaccines.
Muslims have lesser trust on vaccines compared to Hindus. Source: YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey
According to the survey report, there were 7,155 Hindus and 883 Muslims in the sample. While 66% of Hindus had already taken the first dose of the vaccine, only 48% of Muslims had taken the first shot. 13% of Muslims were reluctant to take the vaccine, while only 6% Hindus thought they wouldn’t take the vaccine.
There have been several misleading reports that suggested Covid-19 vaccines may cause impotency, mental health issues, and other problems. Some other reports suggested the use of pork in vaccines. Some religious leaders also propagated against getting vaccinated.
Political influence on decision making to get vaccinated
Political views make a significant difference in developing a viewpoint. In the case of vaccines, a similar problem is coming to light as there has been a lack of trust over the ruling party. Interestingly, the survey showed that those who have trust in BJP are far ahead in vaccination coverage compared to the supporters of other parties. BJP supporters are more convinced of vaccination safety and do not worry about the side effects or complications.
BJP supporters are more likely to get vaccinated. Source: YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey
71% of the BJP supporters in the sample had taken at least one shot of the vaccine compared to 57% of Congress supporters. 71% of BJP supporters believe vaccines are safe, but the number dropped to 56% in Congress supporters.
The inequality in vaccination coverage
Due to lack of language coverage, limited slots and lack of high-speed internet, there has been a noteworthy inequality in vaccination coverage. The sections that belong to the lower-income groups and have lesser education are less likely to have been vaccinated. Though walk-in, on-site registration and other such programs are helping these groups, there is still a significant gap in vaccination coverage.
Poor and less educated are lagging behind in getting vaccinated. Source: YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey
According to the survey, those with professional degrees were better covered under the vaccination program. Those who earn less than Rs.20,000 were far behind those who earn more than 1,00,000 per month in getting vaccinated.
The said survey was part of four-part series on Covid experiences in India’s netizens.
Wife of Bollywood actor and singer Yo Yo Honey Singh has filed a case of domestic violence against him.
Case filed against Bollywood singer & actor 'Yo Yo Honey Singh (Hirdesh Singh) by his wife Shalini Talwar under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. Delhi's Tis Hazari Court has issued notice to the singer and sought his response over it
As per initial reports, Shalini Talwar, wife of Yo Yo Honey Singh (real name Hirdesh Singh), has filed a case against him under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in Delhi. The Tis Hazari Court has issued notice to him and sought his response over it by August 28.
In 2014, Yo Yo Honey Singh introduced his wife on a reality show Rawstar.
Yo Yo Honey Singh’s battle with drugs
Known for his raps and Punjabi music, the rapper-cum-star singer has a long history of alcohol abuse. In 2016, in an interview, Honey Singh revealed his addiction problem that led to his absence from the industry for 18-months. When he disappeared without any information, there were rumors that he was lodged in a rehab center for his drug problem.
In his interview with Times of India, he denied those allegations but said that he was getting treatment for alcohol abuse. He admitted that he has bipolar disorder and is an alcoholic with a mental illness took a toll on his mental and physical health. He said, “I must confess that I was bipolar and an alcoholic, which aggravated the condition.”
As the roads in the national capital continue to flood and the clean Yamuna promise is still filled with toxic foam, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is back with a few more dreams and promises.
Kejriwal while launching Delhi@2047- a platform for fostering partnerships with CSR and Philanthropic organizations said, “We’ll increase Delhi’s per capita income to Singapore’s level. We’ll bid for 2048 Olympics. There should be 24×7 water supply before next polls.”
Delhi has made good efforts in some sectors in last 5 yrs. Extraordinary achievements have been made in education. Delhi has 24×7 electricity supply. There are over 100 door services. Many things are yet to be done. We want to make roads as per European standards: Arvind Kejriwal
Changing destination from Singapore to Europe, Kejriwal further boasted, “Delhi has made good efforts in some sectors in last 5 yrs. Extraordinary achievements have been made in education. Delhi has 24×7 electricity supply. There are over 100 door services. Many things are yet to be done. We want to make roads as per European standards.”
However, his comments did not go down well with the netizens who slammed the Chief Minister reminding him of his failed promises.
Netizens react to new promises
A Twitter user pointed out that Kejriwal’s new promise is plausibly a back-door entry for NGOs after they were subjected to intense scrutiny over Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) violations.
“Making way for back-door entry of breaking-India forces & NGOs that took a hit bcz of Modi govt’s FCRA enforcement, and now their illegal, black money funds are drying up,” the handle Tweeted.
Making way for back-door entry of breaking-India forces & NGOs that took a hit bcz of Modi govt’s FCRA enforcement, and now their illegal, black money funds are drying up.
In the first term of NDA Government, the registrations of over 14,800 NGOs were cancelled over various FCRA violations. This move to rope in ‘philanthropic organisations’ was seen by many with suspicion that this may open doors for the NGOs which were earlier shown the door by Union Govt.
Another user hinting at the government’s inefficiency, tweeted about the recent sinkholes that appeared on prime roads in Delhi.
“Fact: Delhi roads have already attained International standards under the rule of Arvind Kejriwal. They’ve underground parking system similar to Japan & Water transportation system similar to Venice,” read the Tweet.
Fact: Delhi roads have already attained International standards under the rule of Arvind Kejriwal. They’ve underground parking system similar to Japan & Water transportation system similar to Venice pic.twitter.com/3OKtepg2F6
While some dug out long-forgotten promises made by the Chief Minister on water supply comparing it to today’s water crisis in Delhi.
Every household will be provided free electricity if AAP advertisement party forms the govt in delhi : khujliiwal 2015-2020? 2021 ? pic.twitter.com/ehhMBrQSKI
Some even mocked Kejriwal for his advertising and marketing gimmicks by wanting to make Delhi a new international city every year.
A user by the name Adith Malhotra Tweeted, “This is latest addition to the fakery of political advertisement world. Delhi walas keep on enjoying the show. Kabhi London, kabhi Singapore, kabhi Europe and Delhi wale Delhi ka hi intezaar karte rehgaye hai. Courtesy Advertisement guru Shri Shri @ArvindKejriwal ji Maharaj.”
This is latest addition to the fakery of political advertisement world. Delhi walas keep on enjoying the show. Kabhi London, kabhi Singapore, kabhi Europe and Delhi wale Delhi ka hi intezaar karte rehgaye hai ? Courtesy Advertisement guru Shri Shri @ArvindKejriwal ji maharaj ? https://t.co/phf1qLa35n
Arvind Kejriwal government had recently come under fire for spending crores on advertisement amid the pandemic, especially when there was peak oxygen crisis during the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Singapore warned Kejriwal to stick to ‘facts’
In a recent political faux pas, the Delhi Chief Minister was slammed by his role model country officials for accusing them falsely. Kejriwal in the month of May had taken to Twitter to claim that a new variant of Covid-19 was found in Singapore and appealed to Indian government to shut down flights to and from Singapore to not let the ‘new variant’ reach India.
Sir, you have such a short memory.
Singapore foreign minister slams Arvind Kejriwal, asks him to ‘stick to facts’ https://t.co/CiH35b1h3k
To this, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan suggested that politicians should stick to facts and slammed Kejriwal’s statement reiterating that there is “no Singapore variant.”
A Twitterati was quick to remind Kejriwal of the embarrassing incident. “Sir, you have such a short memory,” wrote the user sharing the news.
Failed Delhi Model
The national capital governed by the Aam Aadmi Party has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. From mismanagement during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic to supporting ‘andolanjeevis’ to the water crisis, Kejriwal’s dream of Delhi seems far from reality.
Kejriwal in 2015 had promised to clean the Yamuna river within 5 years. And this was the promise made on the banks of the river when Kejriwal, along with his cabinet colleagues and senior Delhi government officials, had taken part in the first ‘Yamuna Aarti’ held at the Kudesia Ghat. However, the river continues to be clouded with toxic foam.
#WATCH | Thick layer of toxic foam floats on the surface of river Yamuna
Kejriwal’s next promise of ‘free pani’ too turned out to be costly for the citizens of Delhi who were seen running behind the water tankers this summer amidst a raging pandemic.
#WATCH | Residents of Vivekanand Camp in Chanakyapuri area of Delhi climb atop a water tanker while others mill around as they wait for their turn to get water. pic.twitter.com/ccRLNMcZkZ
Just like the woes of the Delhi citizens have no end, the dreams of Arvind Kejriwal too seem to be endless.
What is Delhi@2047?
Kejriwal’s Delhi@2047 initiative is to invite private players from different sectors to develop public infrastructure, transport networks, solid waste management and fight air pollution.
“Several sectors need more work in the days to come, such as Delhi’s roads, water supply, public transport system, development of lakes, sports infrastructure, solid waste management and fighting air pollution. It is not rocket science. Cleaning Delhi actually can be turned into a revenue generating idea,” Kejriwal said at the launch.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has approved a hike in MLAs’ salaries who will now get a salary of Rs 30,000 besides other perks amounting to a total of approximately Rs 90,000.
On Saturday (July 31), the weekly newspaper ‘The Economist’ sparked a controversy after it propagated a pro-colonialist narrative regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An article was published by ‘The Economist’ titled, “A grim account of the construction of the Congo-Océan Railway” on Saturday. It was a review of the newly published book ‘In the Forest of No Joy’ by WW Norton. “The book is a masterful, if relentlessly bleak, account of the construction of the Congo-Océan Railway, a route designed to connect the central African interior to the Atlantic. What makes it so compelling is the divide it exposes between the often admirable intentions of colonial bureaucrats, who did genuinely think they were lifting Africans out of poverty, and the grim reality that they enabled.”
Screengrab of the contentious tweet by The Economist
Given that the construction of the railway project in the 1920s was marred by violence, forced labour and deaths of tens of thousands of Africans, the use of ‘admirable intentions’ for colonial bureaucrats drew the wrath of netizens. To build the railway, the French colonisers unleashed brutality and forced the labourers to work at gunpoint. The workers were chained at the neck, treated like slaves and made to walk hundreds of kilometres to the track. As such, the Economist’s attempt to suggest that colonial bureaucrats even intended to benefit the Africans drew people’s ire on social media.
Netizens slam ‘The Economist’ for whitewashing historical wrongdoings
One user wrote, “I didn’t know that the mass murderer King Leopold was admirable o The Economist employees.”
I didn’t know that the mass murderer King Leopold was admirable o The Economist employees.
Another Twitter user stated, “The Economist employs its typical apology for colonial violence by framing the “admirable intentions” of the colonizers. There is nothing “admirable” about colonialism. The book is called In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism.”
The Economist employs its typical apology for colonial violence by framing the “admirable intentions” of the colonizers. There is nothing “admirable” about #colonialism. The book is called In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism. pic.twitter.com/pGhffPsZHk
— Infrastructural Brutalism (MIT Press, 2020) (@InfraBrutalism) August 2, 2021
One Twitter user (@speraomarco) lamented, “When the genocide is in Africa they still call it “admirable”.”
When the genocide is in Africa they still call it “admirable”
Another miffed netizen remarked, “There’s nothing admirable about colonization, just like there’s nothing admirable about The Economist, one of the trashiest publications out there.”
there’s nothing admirable about colonization, just like there’s nothing admirable about The Economist, one of the trashiest publications out there
The Economist removed contentious choice of words, didn’t cite apology
Screengrab of the Editor’s note by The Economist
Following the social media backlash, the Economist deleted the tweet. A new tweet was posted with the words ‘admirable intentions’ removed from the caption as well as the article. In the Editor’s note, the weekly paper stated, “We have deleted and revised a previous tweet to clarify the description of the bureaucrats’ intentions.”
A new report published by Disinfo Lab uncovers damning links between US/UK based ‘Kashmiri activists’, who are feathering their nest through keeping the Kashmir pot boiling, with Pakistan’s notorious intelligence agency ISI. The report also details the links between such dubious activists and the Biden administration in the United States.
Since India tightened its FCRA regulations in 2015-2016, thereby making it difficult for the rabble-rousers to continue sowing discord in Jammu and Kashmir, a renewed attempt is being made to transfer the ‘family business’ of continuing to inflame tensions in the state to the next generation with the help from the Pakistani establishment, anti-India activists, ISI stooges and vested interests.
In their attempt to continue peddling propaganda on Kashmir, several white experts/activists have been roped in that harbor critical view of India’s ‘failings’. These include usual suspects—CJ Werleman, Audrey Truschke, Haley, McIntyre, and organizations like Polis Project, Equality Labs, KKRF, etc, as per the Disinfo Lab report.
The attempt to internationalize the Jammu and Kashmir issue can be gauged from the fact that in the United Kingdom alone, there have been more than 6 new organizations registered by just one person—Muzammil Thakur—the ‘new age’ Kashmiri activist as the report mentions.
It is worth noting that while Thakur portrays himself as a ‘Kashmiri activist’, he was born in Saudi Arabia and lived in London. His interest in pursuing Kashmiri activism was piqued by his marriage to Shaista Safi, daughter of Ghulam Safi, a Hurriyat convenor who was removed by Geelani for corruption. Shaista is a lobbyist at YFK.
The report says Muzammil has divergent views on Kashmir, based on his audience. For the Pakistanis, Muzammil passionately argues for Kashmir being a part of Pakistan. However, for the international audience, he talks about ‘independent Kashmir’.
However, Muzammil is not the only ‘new age’ Kashmiri activist who is engaged in propagating anti-India narrative on Jammu and Kashmir. Several other dubious characters have also assumed the mantle of keeping Kashmir in flux by their kins, including Hafsa Kanjwal, Sameera Fazili, and Ather Zia, all of whom live either in the United States or the United Kingdom.
The report sheds light on a particularly nefarious and interlinked nexus involving the so-called Kashmiri activists, their relatives who serve as important members of suspicious anti-India organizations, dubious individuals, and a convicted ISI operative.
The dubious nexus between ‘Kashmiri’ activists, ISI operatives and anti-India organisations
Kanjwal is co-founder of suspicious organization Stand with Kashmir, which describes itself as a “Kashmiri diaspora-driven independent global citizen grassroots group committed to standing in solidarity with the people of Kashmir in ending the occupation and supporting their right to self-determination.”
Source: Disinfo Lab
In the past, StandWithKashmir has supported terrorists such as Yasin Malik who has ties with the LeT, Riyaz Naikoo, a senior commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen who was eliminated by security forces. SWK also calls Asiya Andrabi a ‘sociopolitical activist’ despite her known links to terrorists.
One of the founders on the document of Stand with Kashmir is Sehla Ashai, a relative of Tony Ashai, who in turn is considered to be a close aide to Pakistan PM Imran Khan and who was recently awarded the Namal Project Contract by the Khan administration.
Another founder on the document of SWK is one Aejaz Dar, son of Akram Dar, who serves as the Director of Kashmiri American Council, a murky organization founded by convicted ISI agent Ghulam Nabi Fai that indulges in lobbying for Kashmiri separatism. Hafsa Kanjwal, the co-founder of Stand with Kashmir was often seen with Ghulam Nabi Fai since 2006, leaving no doubt about the ISI involvement in running and managing SWK. Fai was arrested by the FBI in 2011 and released in 2013, kept low profile till 2015-16, after which he was rehabilitated by Pakistan PM Imran Khan and FM Qureshi, the report says.
It is notable to mention that Thakur’s father was a close friend of convicted ISI agent Ghulam Nabi Fai, who played a pivotal role in settling Thakur first in Saudi Arabia and then in the United Kingdom.
SWK’s ties with the Biden administration
Intriguingly enough, a member of the SWK is a member of the Joe Biden administration. Sameera Fazili of Kashmiri origin works as the Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. She is also Hafsa Kanjwal’s cousin and had worked as Ex Media Coordinator of SWK.
Fazili is also the daughter of another suspicious character, Yousuf Fazili, who also serves as one of the Directors of the ISI-linked Kashmiri American Council.
These activists reportedly set up organizations such as Stand with Kashmir, Justice For Kashmir, Friends of Kashmir, Free Kashmir, Americans of Kashmir and other such organisations. They host webinars, social media campaigns and other media activities to continue peddling venom against India and challenge its sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir. They are then amplified by an organised syndicate, the report states.
The close association between various anti-India organisations and the new-age ‘Kashmiri’ activists
The report further states that SWK was simply a ‘facelift’ version of Justice For Kashmir, whose first follower and promoter on Twitter was Muzammil Thakur, thereby demonstrating the interconnection between various so-called Kashmir activists. It is their modus operandi to use one anti-India organisation to bankroll and support other such organisations.
For instance, Friends of Kashmir is set up by Ghazala Khan, who is also associated with Kashmir Khalistan Referendum Front(KKRF), along with Gurpatwant Pannun, from Sikhs For Justice(SFJ), a Pakistani product.
Friends of Kashmir
Another activism shop set up by Ghazala H. Khan who is associated with Kashmir Khalistan Referendum Front (KKRF), alongside Gurpatwant Pannun, from Sikhs for Justice, a Pakistani product. FoK also has links wid IHF, run by Sajjad Burki, President PTI USA. 11/n pic.twitter.com/zxK2zRU8mq
Aejaz Dar, one of the founders of the document of SWK, is the founder of Americans For Kashmir, a US-based organization that, although claims to stand for independent Kashmir, surreptitiously supports Pakistan’s claim on Jammu and Kashmir.
Apparently, these next-gen ‘Kashmiri’ activists are progenies of the yesteryear-generation activists, groomed in some of the best US institutes, but are either not related to Kashmir or have no thorough understanding of the intricacies accompanying the issue.
US politicians working at the behest of Pakistan to influence policy decisions on Jammu and Kashmir
Additionally, the report also highlights the involvement of CIA operatives in doing the bidding for their Pakistani masters in promoting propaganda on Kashmir. Lobbyists hired by Pakistan to influence US policy on Kashmir include CIA station chief in Islamabad Robert Grenier. Earlier, another CIA operative Robin Raphel had grabbed a contract worth $1.5 million for lobby firm Cassidy and Ass.
US Politicians
Pak hires US lobbying firms with millions of $ to buy ‘concerns’ over Kashmir. Pramila Jayapal has expressed such concerns b/w June-Dec 2019, and introduced a resolution on Kashmir in Dec 2019.
Even US politicians are working at the behest of Pakistan in spreading the anti-India narrative on Kashmir. The money funneled to the US lobbying firms by Pakistan inevitably finds its way to the US politicians, who then express ‘concern’ over India’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Rep. Pramila Jayapal had expressed similar ‘concerns’ between June-December 2019 and introduced a resolution on Kashmir in December 2019.
A freelance journalist named Gaurav Singh on Tuesday took to Twitter to inform that a decapitated body has been found near the Panki Kalyanpur canal in Kanpur City in Uttar Pradesh. He informed that the locals spotted the beheaded body and informed the Panki police.
He said that it is being speculated that the accused killed the youth somewhere else and dumped the body near the canal.
— Gaurav Singh ( Journalist ) (@Gaurav_prime) August 3, 2021
The Police Comminsionerate of Kanpur has responded to Gaurav Singh’s Tweet. In a video byte, Kanpur’s Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police West confirmed that a dead body of an unidentified youth has been found near the Panki temple in Kalyanpur. The police have filed a case and sent the body for post mortem.
थानाक्षेत्र पनकी अन्तर्गत पनकी मन्दिर के पास एक अज्ञात शव मिलने तथा अन्य कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में अपर पुलिस उपायुक्त पश्चिम द्वारा दी गयी बाईट। @Uppolicepic.twitter.com/Wj9ewJJ35f
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE KANPUR NAGAR (@kanpurnagarpol) August 2, 2021
Investigations into the case in being carried out added the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police West.
An undated video has been doing the rounds on social media wherein the Chief Editor of Urdu daily Nai Duniya and former Member of Parliament, Shahid Siddiqui is seen proudly acknowledging that there is not a single madarsa in Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar where he has not given money (presumably from his MPLADS funds.)
In the video that is now making rounds on social media, Siddiqui can be heard clearly flaunting that he has contributed all his funds for development of madarsas, schools and colleges. He then emphasizes how he had helped every single madarsa in Saharanpur. He then says he has given crores of rupees for these institutions.
Though it is unclear when the video was made, however, it must be an old video considering on April 7, 2020, the Modi government had decided to suspend the MPLADS scheme for two years and divert a total of Rs 7,900 crores to the Consolidated Fund of India, in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak.
“Aap Saharanpur chale jao, aapko ek bhi aisa madarsa nahi milega, yahan Muzaffarnagar mein bhi, jahan maine rupaye nahi diye ho” (There is not even a single madarsa in Saharanpur and even here in Muzaffarnagar where I have not contributed), the former MP is heard boasting.
“Maulana Nasir saheb ko toh maine ek crore diye hain” (I have given one crore to Maulana Nasir Saheb), Siddiqui added.
He further explained that like people look after their children, MPs and MLAs are obligated to take care of the people of their constituency. So, as part of his duty and commitment, because he is answerable to Allah.
The central government funded MPLADS scheme
MPLADS is a centrally-sponsored plan scheme fully funded by the government of India under which funds are released in the form of grants-in-aid directly to the district authorities. The objective of this initiative is to allow Members of Parliament (MPs) to propose and have developmental projects carried out based on locally felt needs.
Under the MPLADS scheme, a total of Rs 5 crores is provided to the Members of the Parliament to suggest development work to the district collector in their respective constituencies. The scheme was formulated in December 1993 and is monitored by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation since 1994.
Shahid Siddiqui and his political turnarounds
The Editor-in-chief of the Urdu daily Nai Duniya Shahid Siddiqui has had a very interesting political career. In the 24-year of being in politics, he has changed his affiliations repeatedly.
Siddiqui, who joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the second time on June 7, 2021, started his political journey with Congress. He was appointed as the head of the party’s minority cell in 1997. He then joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2002 as its national general secretary.
Siddiqui served in the Rajya Sabha for the Samajwadi Party from 2002 to 2008, but he left the party on July 19, 2008, to join their then arch-rival, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He resigned from the SP because he refused to vote in favour of the UPA during the nuclear deal’s trust vote.
Siddiqui was, however, dismissed from the BSP on December 14, 2009, after he spoke against Mayawati. Siddiqui was fired just hours after giving an interview to a national English newspaper in which he attempted to portray Mayawati as a dictator.
He joined the RLD in April 2010 following a brief stint with the BSP, claiming he supported then-RLD head Ajit Singh’s demand for the creation of a state of Harit Pradesh.
Siddiqui resigned from the RLD in protest over the party’s partnership with Congress before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2012. He went back to the Samajwadi Party.
After forming the government in 2012, the Samajwadi Party fired Siddiqui in July of that year for interviewing Narendra Modi, who was then the CM of Gujarat.
After his expulsion, Siddiqui cried foul over his removal from the party. He slammed the then SP head Mulayam Singh saying that the latter owed a lot of his popularity to him. He said that when no publication was ready to write in favour of Malayam Singh, it was his Nai Duniya that had written in his support.
Nevertheless, after being ousted from the SP, it is believed that Siddiqui stayed away from politics for a while, until, one fine day, he announced his support to Aam Aadmi Party. He claimed he was not joining the party but had extended support the party’s campaign. He had urged all Delhites to vote for AAP.
The next year, Siddiqui, very much in line with his past and present allies, was seen sharing fake news in a bid to malign the Modi government. In May 2020, when India was grappling with the first wave of the Wuhan coronavirus, Shahid Siddiqui shared a 2016 video from Bangladesh as that of India’s migrant crisis.
It’s surprising that a person, who until a few years earlier was taking pride in sharing pictures with Narendra Modi, had suddenly taken a U-turn to criticise his government.
Interestingly, almost during the same time, even the Congress party had tried to pass off an image from Bangladesh as that of Indian migrant workers suffering due to lockdown.
And before one could know it, the journalist was seen heaping praises for Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Twitter. It may be noted, that for all these years, Siddiqui had been a vocal critic of the Congress party.
However, on April 27, 2021, he took to Twitter to thank senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for securing Covid-19 drug Remdesivir for him after reading his plea for help on Twitter. Shahid Siddiqui also revealed that Priyanka Gandhi did not want him to thank her publicly for it but he did anyway because he wanted to express his gratitude towards her. The revelation came at a time when people were being advised not to hoard Remdesivir.
On August 2 (Monday) several Shiv Sainiks barged into the landscaped garden at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), uprooted the Adani signboard and planted saffron flags. The irked members of Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, Shiv Sena party’s labor wing, raised “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai ho” slogans while indulging in the act of vandalism.
Maharashtra: Shiv Sena workers vandalise Adani signboard, which was placed near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/mzfypdwp0A
The protestors led by Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) General Secretary Sanjay Kadam, claimed that they were protesting against Adani Group’s unilateral decision of abruptly “changing” the name of CSMIA and replacing it with the Adani Group brand name.
Calling it an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant was quoted by ANI as saying: Airport’s name is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport. They wrote ‘Adani Airport’. Have you bought it? Shivaji Maharaj is the country’s pride. They have done the vandalism. 2-3 people don’t follow laws.
In response to the allegations, the spokesperson of Adani Airports Holding Limited (AAHL), the group’s flagship company for airports business and Adani Enterprises’ wholly-owned subsidiary, assured that the company had merely replaced the previous branding(GVK) with Adani Airports branding and that no change has been made to CSMIA’s name.
“The branding at CSMIA is in compliance with the norms & guidelines of the Airport Authority of India (AAI). AAHL will continue to adhere to all the guidelines laid out by the government in the interest of the aviation community at large”, the Adani Airport spokesperson said.
The branding at CSMIA is in compliance with the norms & guidelines of the Airport Authority of India (AAI). AAHL will continue to adhere to all the guidelines laid out by the government in the interest of the aviation community at large: Adani Airport Spokesperson
Has the Adani Group actually bought the Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport?
Since this is not the first time the Adani Group has been targeted with accusations that it has acquired the ownership of the Mumbai airport, it becomes almost imperative here to elucidate that contrary to the rumors and allegations, the airport is not ‘owned’ but the Adani group has taken over the management of Mumbai International Airport, from the GVK Group.
On July 13, 2021, Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, had informed in a tweet that the Adani Group has taken over the management of Mumbai International Airport. The Adani group has actually, taken over the management of the airport from the control of the GVK Group after acquiring 74% stakes in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
According to reports, the Adani group had bought 50.5 per cent stakes from the GVK Group and 23.5 per cent from minority partners, including Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), and Bidvest Group.
It should be mentioned that prior to the Adani Group, the GVK group, which is also a privately-owned Indian conglomerate, was handling the management of the CSMIA since 2006. However, lately, it had been under pressure from the lenders. Owing to this, the group agreed to sell a 50.5% stake in MIAL to Adanis.
Gaurav Gupta and Karan Adani had joined the MIAL board after the acquisition process was completed.
How opposition parties like Congress have been spreading lies about the Adani group in a bid to berate Modi Govt
It’s rather unfortunate that though all the information is out on the public platforms, oppositions parties like Shiv Sena and especially the Congress party, in their bid to accuse Modi government of indulging in crony capitalism, have always spread half baked information on the airport takeovers. They have often alleged that the Modi government has bestowed Gautam Adani’s company with the proprietorship of the airports because of personal affinity.
However, the fact is that in February, 2021, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) awarded six airports- Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru- for operations, management and development under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for 50 years, The Adani group won the bids for the six airports.
Then in July 2021, the Adani group acquired 74% stake in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and took over the management of this airport too from the GVK Group which had the management rights earlier. After the acquisition of the management of the Mumbai airport, the Adani Group had announced that it will begin the construction of Greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai in August 2021. The new international airport would be commissioned in 2024.
