The Pune-based Serum Institute of India is soon going to start the production of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Kirill Dmitriev, CEO, Russian Direct Investment Fund, who said Sputnik V will be manufactured by SII starting September this year.
Serum Institute of India (SII) will commence production of Sputnik V in September. Some other manufactures are also ready to produce this vaccine in India: Kirill Dmitriev, CEO, Russian Direct Investment Fund pic.twitter.com/XDkh1C0Uwg
Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is promoting the vaccine globally, said the plan was to manufacture over 300 million doses of the vaccine per year in India, making it one of the leading production hubs for Sputnik V.
“The parties intend to produce over 300 million doses of the vaccine in India per year with the first batch expected in September 2021,” the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a statement.
The RDIF further added that SII, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, has already received cell and vector samples from Russia’s Gamaleya Centre. It also said that with the import approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the cultivation process has begun.
Sputnik V has so far been registered in 67 countries across the world, covering about 3.5 billion people, the RDIF said.
As of now, Sputnik V is marketed by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd in India. Earlier yesterday, the Gamaleya institute said that during a study conducted by it, vaccination with Sputnik V has produced protective neutralising titers against new variants, including Alpha (B.1.1.7) – first identified in the UK – Beta (B.1.351) – first identified in South Africa – Gamma (P.1) – first identified in Brazil – and Delta (B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3), first identified in India.
The Indian drug regulator has granted permission for restricted emergency use of Sputnik V.
Earlier, Serum Institute of India, world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, had partnered with AstraZeneca for supply of vaccine doses. In India, the vaccine is being administered under the name ‘COVISHIELD’.
On July 8, Mohali Police arrested Damdami Taksal Jatha Rajpura chief and Kathavachak Barjinder Singh Parwana. As per reports, Barjinder had gone to Mohali for some work where Balongi Police had apprehended him. Later, Mohali Police raided his house in Rajpura and searched the place for hours. Reportedly, he was arrested based on the complaint by Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri who was also arrested by Punjab Police for hurting religious sentiments on July 6.
Chardikla Time TV quoted SHO of Balongi Police station saying, “We cannot provide any information in the case. The case was registered in this police station, and his vehicle has been parked here, but Barjinder is not here.” Later, he was produced in Kharar Court and sent to Police custody for five days. He has been booked under Sections 153, 505, and 120 of the Indian Penal Code.
Akali Dal’s Manjinder Sirsa came to Barjinder’s rescue
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa has come out to Barjinder Singh Parwana’s support. In a video statement, he said, “Barjinder Singh Parwana was arrested by Punjab Police on July 8 based on the complaint of [Sudhir] Suri. His wife informed me yesterday that Punjab Police is trying to frame Parwana under UAPA [Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act]. The Police are trying to prove that Parwana is getting foreign funding from terrorist organizations. They are creating false cases against him.”
We stand in solidarity with Barjinder Singh Parwana who is arrested by @PunjabPoliceInd This is nothing but @INCPunjab Govt’s ploy to defame Sikhs and present them as anti-nationals. We condemn this in strong words. We support Parwana Ji; DSGMC would fight against Punjab Police pic.twitter.com/nJXRihv2K7
He further said, “I urge Captain Amarinder Singh not to do anything in such manner. Sikhs are already defamed across the world. Congress has been finding ways to defame Sikhs and prove that the Sikh community is full of terrorists. But being a Sikh Chief Minister, it is your duty not to let anything like this happen. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Committee is standing with Barjinder Singh Parwana and his family. We are providing legal assistance to him. We will make sure Punjab Police cannot use force while he is in custody. We are working on getting him bail. I am thankful to Ghuman brothers [Advocates] who are fighting the case.”
Who is Barjinder Singh Parwana
Chief of Damdami Taksal Jatha Rajpura, Kathavachak Barjinder Singh Parwana, is one of the prominent Sikh religious leaders in Punjab. He is known for his firebrand image and often publishes videos and statements favouring Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Recently, Parwana made headlines when he released a statement supporting Daljit Singh Kashmir and others who are accused of lunching of Army Man in a Gurudwara in Gurdaspur.
It has to be noted that Parwana has a history of promoting Sikh militants on his social media profiles. In a few photographs and videos where he is wearing a half-sleeve shirt, a tattoo of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale could be seen on his arm. On June 5, he also released a song titled Bhindranwala (The Warrior) under the Punjabi Records label. It is one of the hundreds of songs that have been released praising Bhindranwale in recent times.
Indian-American Samir Banerjee won the Wimbledon Boys’ single title on Sunday this week. The United States Consulate in Kolkata, while applauding Samir Banerjee, made a rather controversial comment. The US Consulate called him ‘Bengali-American’.
“Congratulations Samir Banerjee for winning the @Wimbledon Boys’ singles title. Junior World No 19, Samir Banerjee, a Bengali-American #tennis player has won his first junior Grand Slam singles title! Way to go!” posted the official Twitter account of the US Consulate in Kolkata.
Congratulations Samir Banerjee for winning the @Wimbledon Boys’ singles title. Junior World No 19, Samir Banerjee, a Bengali-American #tennis player has won his first junior Grand Slam singles title! Way to go! pic.twitter.com/iu1qyDdfaV
— US Consulate Kolkata (@USAndKolkata) July 11, 2021
Netizens slam US Consulate after it is found promoting subnationalism
But no sooner did the US consulate in Kolkata referred to Samir Banerjee as ‘Bengali-American’, netizens on Twitter slammed them, accusing them of promoting sub-nationalism and using an erroneous term to describe the winner of the Wimbledon Boys’ singles title.
One of the Twitter users commented: “When did Bengal become a country?”
A Twitter user replied on the tweet that ‘Bengali-American’ is the wrong title to describe a person and the correct one to describe Samir Banerjee would be ‘Indian-American’.
Its Indian American & not Bengali American! There is no term as Bengali American! Who invents these terms….not very bright I think!
Yet another social media user highlighted how it is a bit odd to say Bengali-American since one is a state and another is a country. The right way to describe Samir, the user said, was to either call him Bengali-Newyorker or Indian-American.
It’s a little odd to say Bengali-American, one is a state and another is a country.
Maybe say Bengali-Newyorker or Indian-American.
?
— Anurag Singh Rana ?? (@anuragsinghrana) July 12, 2021
Social media users take potshots at the US Consulate after it posts a clarifying tweet on Samir Banerjee’s antecedents
Taking cognisance of online criticism, the US consulate of Kolkata posted another tweet, saying: “Samir is an Indian-American with Bengali origin/heritage with Assam connections.”
Samir is an Indian-American with Bengali origin/heritage with Assam connections.
— US Consulate Kolkata (@USAndKolkata) July 13, 2021
While the clarifying tweet was meant to assuage the feelings of people hurt by the wrong title attributed to Samir Banerjee, it did not stop people from taking potshots at the US Consulate in Kolkata for furthering its subnational propaganda.
One Twitter user commented why did not the US consulate also mention the details about the district, town, village, lane from where Banerjee belongs.
Which district/ town / village/ lane … mention that as well… it’s confusing… Hopefully you delete the tweet…
Another Twitter user was quite acerbic in his criticism of the US Consulate. He suggested the Consulate stop using Twitter to shoot itself in the foot. After calling Samir ‘Bengali-American’ and later tweeting that he had “Assam connections”, the user wondered if the Consulate would now mention his gotra too.
You really should stop using Twitter and shooting yourself in the foot. First, he’s a “Bengali American”. Then, he has “Assam connections”. What’s next? His gotra?
Samir Banerjee wins the Wimbledon boys’ single title
American tennis player of Indian-origin Samir Banerjee on Sunday lifted the Wimbledon boys singles title with a straight-set win over compatriot Victor Lilov. Playing only his second junior Grand Slam, the 17-year-old won 7-5, 6-3 in the final that lasted in one hour 22 minutes.
Born in the United States of America (USA), Samir Banerjee grew up in the state of New Jersey. His parents had moved to the USA in the late 1980s and are now settled there. His father, Kunal, is a chemical engineer from Assam, while his mother, Usha, is from Andhra Pradesh.
On Sunday (July 11), a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against a man under the anti-conversion law in Dhoraji town in Rajkot district of Gujarat.
As per reports, the accused has been identified as a 30-year-old garage owner named Mohammed aka Dado Gani Sami. The complainant accused the man of raping her and trying to convert her religion to Islam. She said that Mohammed befriended her by claiming that he was unmarried. The accused is a resident of Radhanagar in the Rajkot district. He has been booked under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act (GFRA), making it the first case registered under the newly enacted anti-conversion law.
While speaking about the matter, a senior police official said, “The woman told police that she had been in contact with Sami for the last one-and-a-half year. He sent her some religious verses on Instagram and forced her into marriage. He allegedly asked her to accompany him to a maulvi to perform the formal ceremony to convert into Islam but as she did not want to change her faith, she approached the police.” The cops added that the complainant got in touch with the accused to sell her scooter.
According to the police, Mohammed arranged taxis for outstation trips and the woman had also hired a taxi from him. The complainant learnt that the accused was married, only after his wife paid a visit to her house. ASP (Jetpur) Sagar Bagmar informed that the accused has been on the run from the law-enforcement authorities. Mohammed has three children while the complainant has one daughter from her marriage with a man from her own community.
Former Indian cricketer Yashpal Sharma, who was also a member of the squad that won the 1983 World Cup under the leadership of Kapil Dev, died on Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 66 and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Yashpal was one of the crucial players in India’s triumph in the 1983 world cup, scoring 240 runs at an average of 34.28 in the series, including a courageous knock of 61 against England in the semi-finals.
Shocked and deeply pained by the demise of Yashpal Sharma ji. Have fond memories of watching him bat during the 1983 World Cup. His contribution to Indian cricket shall always be remembered.
Sharma represented India in 37 ODIs and 42 tests and was a pivotal part of the Indian middle-order from 1979 to 1983. He scored 1606 runs with two centuries and nine fifties. Yashpal made his debut in 1979 against England. He made his ODI debut in 1978 against Pakistan while amassing 883 runs at an average of 28.48.
Yashpal rose to prominence in junior-level cricket when he scored 260 for Punjab schools against Jammu & Kashmir schools in 1972. In a matter of just two years, he was in the state team and a member of the North Zone team that won the Vizzy Trophy. Sharma also impressed the selectors with superb innings of 173 in the Duleep Trophy for North, against the South Zone team which had Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna, and Venkataraghavan. In Ranji Trophy, he represented three teams, including Haryana and Railways, and played 160 matches while racking up 8,933 runs that included a double century.
Yashpal Sharma also served as a national selector for a couple of years and was reappointed to the panel in 2008.
Many cricket players, present and former, have expressed condolences on the demise of Yashpal Sharma.
A few days ago, New Zealand vlogger Karl Rock was blacklisted by the Indian authorities for violation of multiple visa norms.
“New Zealand origin vlogger Karl Rock has been blacklisted by the Government of India for violating multiple visa norms, he was found doing business on a tourist visa, he is barred for one year, his visa is cancelled,” MHA official told ANI.
The vlogger had claimed that the government added him to the blacklist without giving him a reason after he left India to travel to Dubai and Pakistan, thereby separating him from his wife and family in New Delhi.
“Before someone is added to the blacklist they’re meant to be given the reason, and time to reply,” he said, adding, “I wasn’t”.
Rock maintains that he has been unfairly targeted by the Indian government. After being denied a visa for India, the vlogger took to social media platforms to start an online petition, alleging that the Indian government stopped him from entering the country by unjustly adding his name to the ministry of home affairs’ blacklist.
“I left India to go travel Dubai and Pakistan in October 2020 and upon leaving they cancelled my visa at the airport. They wouldn’t tell me why. So, in Dubai, I applied for a new visa. They called me in for a meeting and told me I had been blacklisted and, therefore, they couldn’t issue me a visa to go home,” Rock wrote in his petition.
On his YouTube channel, Rock posted a video sharing that the Indian government had allegedly blacklisted him and blocked his entry to the country. His wife, an Indian national who lives in Delhi, has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the move. On Friday, Rock uploaded a YouTube video titled ‘Why I haven’t seen my wife in 269 days’, where he claimed he has been separated from his wife and in-laws because he was blacklisted by the Indian government.
While Rock cried himself hoarse and accuses the Indian government of subjecting him to injustice, it is worth revisiting his antics from the last few months that may have played a role in the cancellation of his visa by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
New Zealand vlogger Karl Rock and his wife attended anti-CAA protest
For years now, Rock fashioned himself as some sort of know-it-all, posting videos on everything under the sun—from reviewing various Indian delicacies to travel destinations across the country, to a wide array of cultures and traditions that are followed by multitudes of inhabitants across the expanse of this country and sundry other things.
A few months after he started uploading vlogs on YouTube, he shifted his focus on uncovering different ‘scams’ taking place in the country. In an overwhelming number of videos uploaded on his YouTube channel, which has about 1.8 million subscribers, Rock created awareness among people about the methods and modus operandi adopted by scammers to perpetuate their criminal activities.
However, in December 2019, when the country was convulsed with the anti-CAA protests, Rock and his wife visited one of such demonstrations. The vlogger even took to Twitter to inform his followers that he has attended an anti-CAA protest and posted a video about the demonstrations on his YouTube channel.
Source: Twitter
But following the visa fiasco, he made his YouTube video private, which means viewers can’t watch it. However, when it was published, a large number of people had reacted against him. Some of them had even posted videos on YouTube, educating him how he was wrong about the CAA.
In the video that has now been made private, Karl Rock and his wife are seen attending an anti-CAA protest. The duo rants against the Citizenship Amendment Act and wrongly brands it as a law that discriminates against people based on their religion. They also call the Modi government a ‘right-wing’ government bent on turning the country into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. The video is replete with misinformation and lies that fuels apprehensions about the new Citizenship Amendment Act, which is simply meant for fast-tracking the naturalisation process of minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who had fled persecution from their respective countries and sought refuge in India on or before 31 December 2014.
Screengrab of the now private video of Karl Rock and his wife attending an anti-CAA protest
It does not even affect the citizenship of Indian, irrespective of their religion.
The New Zealand vlogger had been involved in both subtle and brazen anti-India propaganda from the start. In his video, he posted a ground report video wherein he participated in the anti-CAA protests against the Indian government. Despite being well aware that foreign nationals cannot take part in political movements, he went ahead violating his visa rules.
Karl Rock’s suspicious visit to Pakistan and PoK after participating in anti-CAA protests
Intriguingly, just after participating in the anti-CAA protests that ultimately led to the horrifying anti-Hindu pogrom in Delhi in February 2020, Rock had travelled to neighbouring Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(PoK). He spent months in Pakistan and PoK, visiting various places and posting about his experience on his YouTube channel.
Though as a traveller he has a right to visit places that interests him, the timing of his visit to PoK, which happened right after he attended the anti-CAA protests in India, is particularly suspicious and raises doubts on whether he was doing ISI’s bidding in spreading propaganda on the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Curiously enough, Karl’s visit to Pakistan also raises eyebrows because three years back, he had abruptly left the country after he thought the ISI was watching him and suspecting him of being a spy.
He had said that he was constantly under surveillance during his Pakistan visit in 2018, and due to this he became so paranoid that he had to end the visit early. On 22 May 2018, he had posted a video, where he had said that he was feeling very paranoid because Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency was watching him after he had crossed the border on foot.
But just a couple of years after he claimed ISI suspected him to be a spy, Rock had no apprehensions in visiting Pakistan yet again. In fact, he not only visited Pakistan but also went to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(PoK), a region considered to be one of the most sensitive areas under the control of Pakistan.
It is also worth noting that Karl Rock’s recent visit to Pakistan has been much more extensive than his previous visit to Pakistan in 2018 if videos uploaded by him on his YouTube channel are anything to go by. Rock’s YouTube channel is rife with his videos from places he visited in Pakistan during his latest visit. Rock had visited a ton of places in Pakistan, including the electronics market in Lahore, a Ram Temple, a video game market, restaurants and other places. Besides Lahore, he has been to other cities in Pakistan as well such as Multan, and even the rural areas.
The New Zealand vlogger had also visited Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, the birthplace of Sikh Guru Nanak Dev. In 2019, Rock had uploaded a video in which his wife, Manisha, was seen visiting Dera Baba Nanak through the Kartarpur Corridor, a project that Pakistan claims was built to facilitate Sikhs in India to visit the hallowed Gurudwara but analysts believe it was done to revive Khalistani terrorism. Shortly after the Corridor was thrown open in November last year, there has been a sharp uptick in Khalistani sentiments in the country, with its most ugly manifestation witnessed during the farmers’ protests in India, where Khalistani elements carried pictures of terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and shouted slogans in support of Khalistan.
These inconsistencies naturally add to the growing cloud of suspicions surrounding Karl’s visit and raise questions about his real motives behind visiting Pakistan and PoK. Did he really feel threatened during his visit to Pakistan in 2018 as claimed by him in his videos? Or was it just a smokescreen put up to avoid prying Indian agencies from probing his possible links to ISI? Why did Karl participate in anti-CAA protests even though it amounted to flagrant violation of visa norms? Was he acting at the behest of an external destabilising force when he attended an anti-CAA protest and released a propaganda video on the same to further unrest in the country?
While his participation in the anti-CAA protests may be sufficient grounds for the cancellation of his visa, the aforementioned questions highlight the murky activities he was possibly involved in, which may have inevitably influenced the government’s decision of restricting him from entering India.
On July 12 (Local Time), an investigation has been initiated against a library in London over an event that was reportedly done to ‘promote reading among kids’. As per reports, the event included one performer who was dressed in a ‘Rainbow Monkey’ costume with fake genitalia hanging out and exposed buttocks.
In a video that has gone viral on social media platforms, the “Monkey” character runs out from the library on the street with two other performers holding a placard. The event was held at London’s Redbridge library.
They all break into dance outside. Most of the people who saw the video are outraged as the Monkey’s fake genitalia kept flapping in all directions as he danced on the street. The Redbridge Library claimed the event was to ‘promote reading among kids’ between the ages of four to eleven. However, the blatant obscenity in front of children and families attracted strong criticism among social media users.
The actor belonged to a troupe of street performers associated with one Mandinga Arts that is based in Clapham South in London. The group’s website reads that it has “a distinctive style bringing together live music, carnival, street costume, puppetry and dance, drawing on diverse influences from Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.” The monkey was part of its walkabout acts. People who come across indecent costumes took social media platforms to criticise the event.
Strong criticism followed
People across social media platforms called out the said library for endorsement and promotion of the blatantly obscene act.
All future events of the ‘dildo monkey’ reading to children have been cancelled. Redbridge Libraries has apologised, although it initially laughed about it when challenged, saying ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’. Here’s a video of the ‘education’ https://t.co/iQleEL2Eyl 2/2
I mean how many librarian/councillor eyes had to behold the Rainbow Dildo Butt Monkey before he was released into the wild to delight the children of Redbridge? ? pic.twitter.com/SbkDerdDZb
Some people questioned the Redbridge Labour council that had reportedly organised the event. Some users stated that initially when they tried to complain to the council, they were blocked while the council defended the act.
Redbridge Labour commissioned a furry rainbow monkey with a huge dildo and exposed anus to dance in front of children as part of a reading project at libraries this summer. People complained to Labour and were blocked and called 'lecturing Johnny come latelys' by its leader 1/2 pic.twitter.com/UTT1DZz5Jb
An apology has been issued by Redbridge Libraries for hosting the performance. Notably, they blamed the charity Vision for the lapse of judgement in choosing the group for the event. In a statement, they said, “We are utterly appalled by the unacceptable event at Redbridge Libraries on Saturday organised by our independent leisure contractor, Vision. The contractor had commissioned characters to support the start of the Summer Reading Challenge, but the costume in question was wholly inappropriate for the intended audience.”
What action has been taken against the team or person from Redbridge Libraries who thought it was hilarious when made aware of? ‘When you’ve got it, flaunt it’ was the response. pic.twitter.com/5lgeKorly3
It further added that a full and thorough investigation had been initiated. “We sincerely apologise for the offence and distress this has caused,” the statement read. But there is more to the story. One of the comments under a tweet by Redbridge Libraries pointed out that the Library was well aware of the costumes and even made indirect reference to the hanging genitalia in the comments.
Vision have apologised to residents for an event earlier today that included an inappropriate costume. The council leader and deputy have expressed their strong condemnation to Vision for this costume and the offence it has caused. https://t.co/m5sjTWhvLE
Jas Athwal, Council Leader, issued a strong statement against the event and called it “disgusting”. He added that the charity had confirmed that all scheduled events had been cancelled.
I was appalled by the event our independent leisure contractor organised at Redbridge Libraries on Saturday.
I have launched a full investigation into the incident and will put stringent measures in place to ensure something like this can’t happen again.
Notably, the incident took a political turn as some of the comments were directed at the members of the Labour Party who dominates the Redbridge Council. Athwal, who is a member of the Labour Party, got irked by such comments, and in one of the replies, he said he would not take lectures from a Johnny-come-lately. The phrase means ‘a person who is new to the scene or has come late for the event’.
No it’s not. As soon as I learned of this I took immediate action. I contacted Vision & they have have confirmed that all subsequent events have been cancelled. I will deal with this Monday morning. This was a couple of hours ago will not take lectures from a Johnny come lately.
The reply was directed to Conservative Campaigner Has Ahmed, who had said, “Apparently, this is meant to encourage kids in Redbridge to pick up reading for summer. Please tell me the rationale behind these indecent costumes that were shown to families and done so publicly. Is this really necessary?”
Interestingly, Mandinga Arts has worked with Redbridge Libraries on several projects. Earlier in 2021, they participated in the Day of the Dead celebrations. Redbridge Libraries itself has a controversial history of using ‘not-so-decent’ characters for its events. Last year, they hosted a week of “inclusive Story Time for LGBT+ History Month” with drag article Mama G. The same artist has promoted the Summer Reading Challenge for Kent Libraries this year.
South Africa is in a state of chaos and unrest ever since the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma on July 7. As riots, arson, violence and lootings escalate in the country, the Indian community living there faces dangers to their homes and businesses. In a desperate attempt to protect their businesses from looting, Indians have now stepped up their fight against the arsonists and looters.
The Background of the violence
Zuma, once known for his fight against apartheid, was imprisoned in the Estcourt Correctional Center for 15 months for disobeying court’s orders. Reportedly, he failed to testify before the judicial commission that was investigating accusations of corruption against him between 2009-2018. When the country’s apex Court i.e. Constitutional court refused to postpone his jail term, a series of pro-Zuma protests broke out in South Africa. It soon escalated to arson, and killings on the streets of Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provinces.
Shopping centres, pharmacies were looted and the supply chain and Coronavirus vaccination drives were disrupted. In all, 6 people have been killed so far and a total of 489 suspects have been arrested. In a statement, incumbent South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “What we are witnessing now are opportunistic acts of criminality, with groups of people instigating chaos merely as a cover for looting and theft. We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who perpetrate these actions and will ensure that they face the full might of our law.”
#ShutdownSA Game Nandi Drive in KZN looted. Protesters have emptied the store. Despite the address by President @CyrilRamaphosa the lawlessness continues unabated. Businesses are losing millions of Rands in stolen stock by criminals. #Lootingpic.twitter.com/JJcBFBZ4ON
On Monday, the African National Congress (ANC) informed that the poor people had to bear the consequences of the destruction caused during the pro-Zuma riots. The former President is accused of corruption in a $2 billion dollar arms deal in 1999. He has also been accused of helping the three brothers of the Indian-origin Gupta family i.e. Atul, Ajay, and Rajesh Gupta in plundering State resources and peddling influence over government policy. His supporters, however, deny such allegations and claim that Zuma is a victim of a political witchhunt.
As per reports, in several places of the country, residential communities have formed armed groups to defend their homes and businesses from the rioters. Armed groups of civilians have reportedly been formed in several parts of Durban city as community members try to defend themselves. As police forces and private security provisions are stretched beyond their capacity, residents and business owners seem to be taking the law into their own hands to save lives and property.
The Indian community arms itself to protect homes and businesses
Ex-President Jacob Zuma’s association with the Gupta brothers and their role in the corruption cases is being used as an excuse to target many Indian businesses and Indian communities living in Durban and Johannesburg, as per some reports. One such Twitter handle, instigating riots against Indians, wrote, “Let us not forget that Jacob Zuma sold our country to Indian monopoly capital (IMC).” The Twitter handle had shared an image of the tainted Gupta brothers.
— SOUTH AFRICA 4 SOUTH AFRICANS (@Amika94855371) July 11, 2021
Twitter user, Enemy Slayer, shared visuals of how Indian and white property owners resorted to gunfire to protect their shops from looting as chaos broke out in several cities of South Africa.
Some Indian and White property owners resorted to firing to protect their shops from looting as chaos and looting is happening in many major cities of South Africa. pic.twitter.com/2ZCC58yPgv
Members of the Indian community were seen armed with guns and artillery to ward off rioters, looters, and arsonists. Willem Petzer, the Chairman of Taxpayers Union of South Africa, tweeted, “I have to say, after watching everything that happened today, I am looking at the Durban Indian community in a whole different light. These guys showed us they are willing to go all the way to defend their communities when they are threatened, whatever it takes.”
I have to say, after watching everything that happened today, I am looking at the Durban Indian community in a whole different light.
These guys showed us they are willing to go all the way to defend their communities when they are threatened, whatever it takes. pic.twitter.com/GsD8rO6x3k
— DiversityVictim ?????? (@DiversityVictim) July 12, 2021
Seeing the courage and fight put up by the Indians in an act of self-defence, Dawie Malan said, “Tonight I salute the Indian communities for taking law into their own hands.”
Tonight I salute the Indian communities for taking law into their own hands.
Netizens blamed the incumbent President for his failure in stopping the arson, looting and riots. Crime Stoppers International VP, Yusuf Abramjee, tweeted, “What is President Cyril Ramaphosa waiting for? Do they want more malls to burn? Do they want more looting? This lawlessness is not stopping. ACT!! The country is on fire.”
Ex-Johannsensberg Mayor Herman Mashaba wrote, “The SANDF (South African National Defence Force) is being deployed. Why did it take President Ramaphosa so long to realise the levels of lawlessness? Why did it take him so long to see how overwhelmed our law enforcement authorities are? What we have seen this morning, is the cost of indecisive leadership!”
The SANDF is being deployed.
Why did it take President Ramaphosa so long to realise the levels of lawlessness? Why did it take him so long to see how overwhelmed our law enforcement authorities are?
What we have seen this morning, is the cost of indecisive leadership!
As per latest reports, the South African government has decided to deploy the military at some places to curb the violence. Military sources have confirmed the development.
Delhi High Court on Monday directed Congress supporter Saket Gokhale to take down the defamatory tweets casting aspersions of impropriety against ex-IFS officer Lakshmi Puri for her house in Switzerland. The court has also restrained him from posting further such tweets in future. Further, Justice Harishankar has also directed Twitter to take down his tweets should Gokhale fail to delete them within 24 hours of pronouncement of the order.
Earlier, the High Court had come down heavily on Gokhale for putting out allegedly defamatory tweets against former diplomat Puri without due diligence. Puri, though her lawyer, had also described Gokhale’s crowdfunding modus operandi where he seeks funds from people on social media to ‘fight the good fight’.
Her lawyer Singh said this is a new way to earn money, a new business method to first embarrass and harass somebody who’s retired after serving for years. “When when he gets a notice, he says, “Oh, oh, you’re intimidating me.” New business model. Our prayer is he has to remove this defamatory material,” Advocate Maninder Singh said on Gokhale’s ‘crowdfunding’ initiatives.
Coming down heavily on Gokhale, the court had asked, “So any Tom, Dick and Harry can write anything vilification against anyone on the internet”. Saket Gokhale claimed that he had a right to know information as a voter, to which the court asked him to go to the Election Commission to be satisfied. “Before you throw mud at someone, you must do a due diligence exercise,” pointed out High Court.
Former Indian Diplomat Lakshmi Puri, the wife of Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, had sent a legal notice to Gokhale for his posts on Twitter casting aspersions that the couple had undisclosed income through which they purchased property in Switzerland. Lakshmi M Puri had earlier slammed Saket Gokhale for creating a mischievous Twitter thread filled with baseless allegations against her.
Subsequently, Puri sent a legal notice to Gokhale and sought an apology for the same. However, after the hearing last week, Gokhale had brazened it out and claimed he will not voluntarily take down his tweets.
The court remarked that the right to reputation is a protected fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the court had said that while it is not restraining Gokhale or any other citizen to comment on public servant or retired public servant, the law did not permit any person aggrieved by retired public servant’s or officer’s declaration of assets to publish allegations without seeking clarification from the person or approaching authorities.
Buoyed by the winning as many as 27 seats in local body polls in Surat held earlier this year, Aam Aadmi Party has now trained its guns on Gujarat Assembly elections scheduled for December 2022. In the Surat Municipal Corporation elections held in February 2021, the BJP got the highest seats (93 out of 120) but AAP won as many as 27 seats emerging as the opposition. Congress went out for a duck.
So now, AAP is confident that it can lure the enterprising Gujaratis by offering freebies as it does in Delhi. This, despite the disastrous governance by the Delhi government led by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal himself. To make some noise ahead of the elections, AAP has roped in moneybag realtor Mahesh Savani, who is accused of kidnapping and extortion, and a Gujarati journalist Isudan Gadhvi, perhaps to offset the venom that has come out of its leader Gopal Italia.
Gujarat has traditionally been a two-party state – people are either BJP (or in recent times Modi) loyalists or Congress loyalists. There is no in-between. This is why there is no significant regional party. Further, Since 1998 when Keshubhai Patel led the BJP to victory, Gujarat has always had a BJP government. An entire generation has grown up in only BJP ruled stated. So with AAP jumping into the arena, here is what we can expect.
Ugly hood of caste politics
Kejriwal may have promised that he will change politics, but he never said he would change it for the better. This is why caste politics is being raised. You see, Congress in Gujarat was the pioneer of caste politics. Former Chief Minister and tall Congress leader Madhavsinh Solanki had brought in the ‘KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim)’ theory for vote bank politics.
AAP is just taking it forward. Ahead of the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections, AAP had sided with the Patidar community where now Congress leader Hardik Patel was leading an agitation for reservation as OBC community. Italia is one such Patidar leader who was a close Hardik Patel aide and now President of the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat.
An RSS leader in Surat while speaking to OpIndia said that Aam Aadmi Party has tried to consolidate the Patidar and Muslim voters. Patidars are disgruntled with BJP and Muslims has been a traditional vote bank for Congress. “Aam Aadmi Party is not a direct threat, but it will definitely create a dent and BJP will have to fight harder to retain the power. It is an unprecedented 25-year anti-incumbency the BJP is facing. Gujaratis may just want to give AAP a chance,” he said.
Can AAP form government in Gujarat?
A senior journalist from Gujarat while speaking to OpIndia said that it would be too much of a fantasy to imagine AAP will actually form the government in Gujarat. “AAP is making disgruntled BJP supporters join its party by creating a ‘mahaul‘. Kejriwal wanted to tap into the Patel vote bank during the Patidar agitation. There is an artificial discontent amongst the Patels where they want to become leaders themselves, like Hardik Patel, who played the caste card to emerge as a leader. Patel community got carried away by his rhetorics but when he joined Congress, they were disillusioned,” he said.
He further added that in the 2017 elections, the Patidar community voted for Congress instead of BJP. However, this time around, they may vote for AAP, making Congress come out as a bigger loser. “AAP is relying on the 25-years anti-incumbency. Kejriwal thinks people are fatigued by BJP presence. For the first time in 2017, the BJP seat tally went below 100 even though there was a slight increase in vote share,” he added that while AAP may get a couple of seats, those 10-15 seats it may win would be traditional Congress seats.
“There is no sign of revival of Congress in Gujarat,” an RSS leader from Surat said. He, however, expressed fears that while AAP and Congress may not form government in Gujarat on their own, if BJP fails to cross the majority mark, the two parties may forge an alliance and come to power. “If Congress can ally with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, what can stop it from joining hands with AAP,” he said.
BJP does not even consider AAP significant enough to take them seriously
The BJP in Gujarat, however, is unperturbed with Aam Aadmi Party making noise. “We do not take them seriously. They are too insignificant to even be considered a real threat. They must fight elections as India is a democracy and if they do win seats, good for them. Robust democracy is important. But Gujaratis are logical and hardworking people. These promises of free electricity which has voltage fluctuation other issues won’t sit well with Gujaratis,” a senior BJP leader told OpIndia.
Gujarat is a two-party state
Gujarat has traditionally been a two-party state. Till Keshubhai Patel formed the first-ever BJP government in the state in 1995, Gujarat had only one non-Congress Chief Ministers. Babubhai Patel of Janata Party, who was CM for a little less than a year in 1975 during Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and again for about three years in 1977.
In 1996, Shankersinh Vaghela, a former BJP leader quit the party and floated his own political party, Rashtriya Janata Party. With the external support of Congress he became the second non-Congress Chief Minister of Gujarat. He had to step down after Congress threatened to withdraw support and another RJP leader Dilip Parikh became the CM. Later, the party was merged into Congress.
In 2007, Gordhan Zadafia, who was the Gujarat Home Minister when the 2002 Gujarat riots broke out, floated his own political party Mahagujarat Janata Party. In 2012, ahead of state assembly elections, Keshubhai Patel floated a political party, Gujarat Parivartan Party. Zadafia later merged his party with Gujarat Parivartan Party which eventually merged into the BJP.
Since March 1998, Gujarat has only had a BJP chief minister.
While it may be too soon to make predictions on who may win the elections, but one thing seems sure that Congress may end up being pushed further into oblivion as BJP may continue to gain from AAP’s entry.
