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Islamists, communists launch propaganda warfare against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel, accuse BJP of ‘saffronisation’

OpIndia Staff
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Islamists, communists launch propaganda warfare against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel, accuse BJP of ‘saffronisation’

Some Islamists backed by Kerala politicians in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep have unleashed propaganda warfare against Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel and his administration in a desperate attempt to block new reforms. 

As per an exclusive report by the Organiser, the Islamists accuse Patel of trying to undermine the ‘Islamic character’ of Lakshadweep where Muslims constitute 96% of the total population.

Social media is also actively being used to propagate misinformation claiming that the rise in new Covid-19 cases on the island is due to the administration’s decision to relax quarantine norms. However, Collector Asker Ali in an interview with The Print refuted the claims and informed that it was wrong to blame the surge in cases entirely on the relaxation in quarantine measures. 

He cited the increased movement of people with economic activity resuming and the “very high” transmission rate of the new strain’ as the two main reasons for the rise in coronavirus cases.

Reforms brought by Praful Patel

As per the report, alcohol and drug addiction among the youth in the UT has been on the rise. Immediately after assuming responsibility in December 2020, Praful Patel had conducted 18 raids across the UT to fight the growing menace.

Additionally, Goonda Act was imposed in the Union Territory to restrict the smuggling and distribution of alcohol and drugs.

The administration also had pulled down Anti-CAA/NRC posters placed by radical Islamist outfits throughout the island.

Patel has reportedly been trying to bring in infrastructure and development projects in the Islands, aiming to boost its tourism potential.

Many social media handles were seen opposing the reform policies of Patel, terming his administration as ‘fascist’. Usual suspects who peddle anti-BJP propaganda on social media were also seen propagating the hashtags against Patel.

Among the policies of the new administration that are being opposed are, banning candidates with more than 2 children from contesting Panchayat polls, a rule that is already in use in several states, the removal of illegal storage facilities along the coast, and the strict order to boat owners against leasing/renting their boats to individuals without proper permission from authorities.

Addressing security threat

While the Islamists claim the island to be crime-free, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has raised concerns of illegal berthing of foreign vessels and poor handling of foreign vessels by the police agencies.

In recent weeks, Rs 3000 crore worth of drugs were seized by the Coast Guard off Minicoy Island. A Sri Lankan fishing boat Ravihansi with 300 kgs Heroin and 5 AK-47 rifles with 1,000 live rounds was also caught by the security agencies.

In 2019, there were intelligence reports which suggested the movement of 15 ISIS terrorists from Sri Lanka to the Lakshadweep Islands.

CPIM and Congress leaders extend support to Islamists

As per the Organiser report, As Islamist organizations gear up for ‘protests’ against the administration, CPIM leader and Rajya Sabha MP Elamanam Kareem has written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind extending support to the protests against Patel and urging him to recall the Lakshadweep administrator. 

Kerala Congress leader VT Balram too announced solidarity with these ‘protests’. Sensationalizing the issue, he alleged that the ‘Sangh parivar’ is trying to ‘turn Lakshadweep into Kashmir’.

As protests flare-up in the region, actor Prithviraj Sukumaran on Monday came out in the support of the people of the Union Territory drawing the attention of the authorities.

Promoting Lakshadweep as a tourist destination

Patel administration has been trying to prioritize development, boost tourism and improve the security of Lakshadweep due to its strategic importance.

With the Maldives becoming the new preferred holiday destination, the administration aims at fixing the poor infrastructure of the island to turn it into the most sought out tourist destination. However, some groups with vested interests and fundamentalist attitudes are trying to prevent development works in the islands, the report said.

Gujarat police nab arrests three people for smuggling ‘whale vomit’: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat police nab arrests three people for smuggling ‘whale vomit’: Here is what happened

On Saturday (May 22), the police have arrested three people in connection to the smuggling of whale vomit or ambergris in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It must be mentioned that ambergris is highly expensive and is produced in the intestine of sperm whales.

As per reports, the accused were apprehended while trying to sell it to a client in Ahmedabad from Junagadh. They were identified as Sharin Cheda (46), Khalid Ofi (50), and Sumer Soni (40). The cops also seized about 7 crores worth of whale vomit from them. While Cheda hailed from Junagadh, Ofi resided in Bhavnagar. Soni is a resident of Udaipur in Rajasthan. The trio was booked under relevant Sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Accused arrested, cops initiate probe into the racket

The police informed that sperm whale is listed as an endangered species in India. As such, possession, and sale of ambergris is a punishable offence. In a statement, DP (Zone VII) Premsukh Delu informed, “We have arrested three persons for smuggling 5.35 kg ambergris. They are part of a network in which so far 10 people are suspected to be involved. Further investigation into the case is underway.” The police have also identified the client who tried to procure the whale vomit.

Another senior official said, “We had received a tip-off that a group of three persons were bringing in a consignment of ambergris to sell in Ahmedabad. A team held the three accused from a four-wheeler outside the Devpriya complex in the Anandnagar area. Prima facie, the accused have told us that they procured the ambergris material from Junagadh and were trying to sell it in Ahmedabad. A total of 15-20 persons can be involved in this racket and further investigation is on in the case.”

Ambergris used for manufacturing rare perfumes

Reportedly, ambergris is grey or blackish in colour. Besides, the expensive substance is solid, flammable and waxy. As stated earlier, it is extracted from the intestine of a sperm whale. The substance is produced by the whale to protect its gut from the sharp beaks of its prey, squid. It is often found floating in tropical seas and is used in manufacturing rare perfumes and fragrances. Often, sperm whales are preyed upon for the extraction of ambergris and then exported to Gulf countries for exorbitant prices.

After Khalsa Aid received six-figure donation from JK Rowling’s trust in the name of COVID-19 relief work, ‘farmer’ movement gains momentum

OpIndia Staff
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After Khalsa Aid received six-figure donation from JK Rowling’s trust in the name of COVID-19 relief work, ‘farmer’ movement gains momentum

The ‘farmer protests’ which was on a decline in recent times have suddenly gained a lot of momentum. As we speak, more and more farmers are reaching the Delhi-Haryana border to mark the 26th of May as a ‘Black Day’ on the occasion of the completion of 6 months of protests.

The protests against the farm laws have received support from the opposition parties and 12 of them, including the Congress and its allies in Maharashtra, apart from Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) and others, have extended their support to the protests.

Incidentally, the sudden growth in momentum comes days after Khalistan sympathiser organisation Khalsa Aid received a six figure donation from JK Rowling’s charitable organization, The Volant Charitable Trust. Assuming that the six figure amount was in Pound, it would translate it into crores of rupees in INR.

Hemkunt Foundation also received huge donations for their campaign to help people amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, we had reported how the foundation could possible be violating the FCRA Laws in the country.

The disclaimer in the fundraiser’s description reads, “Hemkunt Foundation has tied up with United Way of Bengaluru to accept foreign donations on this campaign. The funds will be transferred to the vendor assigned by Hemkunt Foundation.” According to the recent amendments in FCRA laws, no FCRA registered organization can collect foreign funds for a non-FCRA organization.

According to the Terms of Use and Guidelines published by Ketto, Foreign Funding is disabled by default. The organization is responsible for submitting FCRA certificate if they want to accept foreign funding. The foreign funding to their campaign runs in crores of rupees.

Recently, the Central Government had transferred Rs. 23,000 crore to the accounts of over 9 lakh farmers in a record breaking procurement of wheat.

Alt News ‘fact-checker’ dismisses expert who hailed India because of his Twitter following: Here is a list of his real-life accomplishments

OpIndia Staff
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Alt News ‘fact-checker’ dismisses expert who hailed India because of his Twitter following: Here is a list of his real-life accomplishments

Besides offering ludicrous justifications and flimsy arguments to defend the opposition parties, propaganda outlet AltNews meticulously tries to discredit everyone who speaks in favour of India and the Modi government. Recently, the founder of propaganda outlet AltNews, Pratik Sinha, took to Twitter to belittle an expert who hailed India as the biggest rising power despite the COVID-19 crisis and called India’s power structure as stable and Modi government secure.

In an article published in the Arab News, American foreign policy expert Dr John Hulsman argued that despite the raging COVID-19 crisis, India remains the greatest rising country on the planet and has inherent virtues that would help her in becoming the “most powerful” countries in the world. Hulsman also noted that the Modi government is politically secure in a way that other “developing countries can only envy”.

Naturally, praise for the country and the Indian government did not sit well with the AltNews co-founder, who was quick to dismiss the foreign policy expert’s opinions by casting doubts on his credibility. Raising aspersions on the credentials of the author, Sinha tweeted that the American foreign policy expert had only 160 followers on Twitter.

Source: Twitter

Social media following is hardly a touchstone of measuring one’s credibility and authenticity. Countless personalities continue to excel in their respective fields even if they have no active presence on social media. Some do have dormant accounts on social media platforms with less following because they are largely inactive. Just because someone is not famous on social media or does not command a huge following on Twitter is not a good enough reason to insinuate that they lack credibility.

There are some self-proclaimed fact-checkers with dubious credentials, operating a so-called neutral ‘fact-checking’ website that colludes with political parties to give them clean chits, and who have an outsize sizeable Twitter following, even though their lies have been busted on more occasions than one. Their Twitter following is in no way a mark of their credibility.

In short, the follower count on Twitter has no bearing on a person’s credibility in his/her field of work. Even people with shallow morals and no credibility have a large following on social media websites.

As such, there is a life beyond Twitter and social media websites, and some folks may not be interested in engaging with people on social media.

Dr John Hulsman’s professional accomplishments

While Sinha raises questions on the credibility of the expert who praised the Indian government, it must be noted that Dr Hulsman is an esteemed foreign policy expert and the president and managing partner of John C. Hulsman Enterprises, a prominent global political risk consulting firm.

Hulsman was the Alfred von Oppenheim Scholar in Residence at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. He is also a senior columnist for the City AM, the newspaper of the city of London. Hulsman also contributes research papers to the Aspen Institute of Italy and is a senior research fellow at the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.

In the past, Hulsman used to write for the Heritage Foundation, besides being a senior research fellow in international relations there. He also taught European security studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and world politics and U.S. foreign policy at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Furthermore, Hulsman also authored 3 books—Ethical Realism, The Godfather Doctrine, and a biography of Lawrence of Arabia titled To Begin the World Over Again.

Controversies, brawls, underworld connections: All we know about the murky life of wrestler Sushil Kumar

Jhankar Mohta
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Controversies, brawls, underworld connections: All we know about the murky life of wrestler Sushil Kumar

Several new revelations have been made following the arrest of Olympian medalist wrestler Sushil Kumar. He was arrested by a team of Delhi Police Special Cell on May 23 (Sunday) morning in connection with the Chhatrasal Stadium brawl that led to the death of a wrestler named Sagar Rana or Sagar Dhankad (as named by few media houses).

Sushil Kumar was absconding after the purported May 4th incident.

According to police, the wrestler had a video of the incident filmed to terrorise the wrestling circuit in the city. “Sushil had asked (his friend) Prince to make that video. He and his associates thrashed the victims like animals. He wanted to establish his fear in the wrestling community,” the police told in the Delhi court which sent the wrestler to six days’ police custody, reported NDTV.

Some reports also suggest that Kumar wanted to circulate the video to give out a message to his associated gangster to not mess around with him.

As it turns out, the Olympian medalist wrestler had connections with many dreaded gangsters. Police sources revealed that several criminals used to take shelter in a flat which was in the name of Sushil Kumar’s wife. A history-sheeter named Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi, wanted by the Delhi Police was also given shelter by Sushil.

Who is Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi?

As per reports, Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi is an alleged gangster from Haryana’s Sonepat. Jathedi had escaped from the custody of the Haryana Police in Faridabad after his seven accomplices waylaid the prison van in which Jathedi was being escorted from Faridabad court to Bhondsi jail on February 1, 2020. Jathedi had recently orchestrated the shootout at GTB Hospital to free his associate, Kuldeep Fajja, who was later killed in a police encounter.

Reports suggest that Kumar, who was on the run after the killing of the 23-year-old Sagar Rana, was not only trying to escape the police but was also trying to run away from Sandeep aka Kala Jathedi, who is currently believed to be in Dubai. In fact, despite knowing the repercussion of using an electronic device while being on the loose, Sushil Kumar continuously tried to establish contact with Kala Jathedi using a dongle for internet on his phone.

Sources said he was trying to contact Jathedi to seek forgiveness. Even after his arrest by a Special Cell team led by Inspector Shivkumar, Inspector Karambir and supervised by ACP Attar Singh, Kumar reportedly begged police to save him from Jathedi’s men in jail, suggesting he failed to strike a truce with the dreaded gangster while he was on the run for 18 days.

“These people, who I am up against, are criminal-minded people and I will suffer at their hands,” Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the accused, told the court on behalf of Sushil Kumar. Luthra informed the court that Sonu present during the brawl is a history-sheeter and is a member of a gang headed by Kala Jathedia.

What is the connection between Sushil Kumar and gangster Kala Jathedi?

It may be recalled that on May 4, a quarrel took place between Sushil Kumar, Ajay, Sonu, Sagar, Prince, and others in the parking area of the Chhatrasal Stadium. 

The accused Sonu, who has 19 cases of murder, extortion and robbery lodged against him, is Kala Jathedia’s nephew. As reported by Navbharat Times, Jathedi treated Sonu like his son and carried out large-scale land grabbing and extortion in Delhi through Sonu and other associates.

Sushil Kumar had allegedly joined hands with Jathedi and through him, obtained a flat in M2-Block of northwest Delhi’s Model Town, where the purported incident took place on May 4.

This flat was being used to shelter criminals belonging to the Jathedi-Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who hatched many criminal plots there. According to reports, Kumar had formulated an understanding with the gangsters, according to which all the land grabbing and extortion proceeds would be distributed equally amongst Kumar and Jathedi.

However, in the last few months, Kumar had established proximity with Jathedi’s rival gangs, including henchmen of jailed gangsters Neeraj Bawana and Naveen Bali, which created distrust leading to drift between Kumar and Jathedi.

When Jathedi pressed Kumar for money and sale of the flat in M2-Block of northwest Delhi’s Model Town, the latter asked Sagar, who was living in the flat then, to vacate the premises.

This miffed the gang members of Jathedi, who started foul mouthing Kumar publicly. Enraged by this, Kumar challenged Sagar and his associates for a face-off. Sonu was convinced until then that Kumar would not cross lines given Jathedi’s clout. However, Kumar, known for being short-tempered, took the help of Jathadi’s rival gang members to teach a lesson to Sagar and his aides.

For this reason, Kumar asked Prince to record the assault, so that it could be circulated and a strong message could be given out to the members of the Jathedi gang to not mess with him.

However, Sagar’s death prompted Jathedi to declare a full-fledged open war against Kumar and his aide with a threat to eliminate them. According to reports, until his arrest, Jathedi’s men were still in the lookout for Kumar and his associates, to seek revenge for Sagar’s killing. This fear has now compelled Kumar to plead with the police to save him from Jathedi’s men in jail.

A wrestler told the media on the condition of anonymity that Kumar was afraid of being caught by the members of the Jathedi gang. “Sushil had contacted Jathedi but the talks between them were inconclusive. Jathedi had also threatened to kill him and others involved in the incident,” he said. 

The Olympian medalist wrestler is not new to controversy

Sushil Kumar, one of India’s ace wrestlers has a life marred with controversies. In fact, the man who brought India an Olympic silver and bronze from London and Beijing respectively has been one of the country’s most controversial athletes in recent times. Below is a list of Sushil’s trysts with controversies.

Sushil Kumar accused of having a role in spiking Narsingh Pancham Yadav’s food: In 2016, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had chosen Narsingh Pancham Yadav to represent India at the Rio Olympic Games. Sushil moved the Delhi High court seeking the organisation of a trial bout against Narsingh to determine India’s entry in the 74 kg wrestling event at Rio. The court refused Sushil’s demand.

Then when Narsingh Pancham Yadav failed the dope test, he accused Sushil Kumar of having a role in spiking his food. 

The wrestling federation also accused Sushil of being more inclined towards his commercial interests than training and competing.

After all the arguments, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Kumar’s plea for a trial against Narsingh Yadav to decide on a berth in the 74kg category at the Rio Olympic berth. 

Sushil Kumar’s appointment as national observer questioned: In 2017, Sushil’s rival wrestler Narsingh Yadav has objected to Sushil Kumar’s appointment as a national observer, raising conflict of interest allegations in a letter to the Sports Ministry.

Narsingh also questioned how Sushil was appointed observer despite allegations of sabotage levelled against him before Rio Olympics, which led to four years of suspension for the Mumbai-based wrestler.

Sushil Kumar received three walkovers en route to gold: Sushil Kumar had received three walkovers before he was crowned the new national champion in the 74-kg category in November 2017 raising eyebrows at his national win. Sushil had qualified to represent his employers, Railways Sports Promotion Board, for the Nationals without a single bout. The manner in which he had then became the national champion was termed more a political victory rather than performance.

During the 2018 Commonwealth Games trials, when Sushil Kumar beat Praveen Rana in the final, the latter claimed that Kumar’s supporters beat him and his elder brother “for daring to take the ring” against him.

Rana also alleged that Sushil’s supporters have given him death threats and dared him to participate in the upcoming Pro Wrestling League.

The Delhi Police had then registered an FIR under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code against wrestler Sushil Kumar on charges of attacking Parveen Rana and his brother Naveen.

Feuds with co wrestlers and coaches: Kumar also had a feud with wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who won the Bronze Medal for the country along with Sushil at the London Olympics. Yogeshwar used to train at the Chhatrasal Stadium itself. Due to a dispute with Sushil, he left the Chhatrasal Stadium after the London Olympics. Apart from Yogeshwar, other wrestlers namely, Jeetendra Kumar and Praveen also left the Chhatrasal Stadium. Apart from these, wrestler Bajrang Punia, who won the medal in the World Wrestling Championship, also left the Chhatrasal Stadium due to the controversy.

Sushil’s dispute has not only been with the players but fed up with his behavior, many coaches have too left the Chhatrasal Stadium. Coach Ramphal left the Chhatrasal Stadium after the London Olympics. At the same time, 6 months ago, Virender Singh, who was considered to be Sushil’s special, also kept away from Sushil due to controversy.

Sushil Kumar accused of deliberately injuring fellow wrestler: During the trial bout for the 2019 World Championship, Sushil was accused of deliberately punching wrestler Jeetendra in the eye. In the trials held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in 2019, Jitendra faced Sushil in the final.

During the bout, Sushil allegedly first twisted Jeetendra’s finger, then punched his left eye. Jeetendra had then told the media that the injury he suffered stopped him from making an appearance for a while. 

The recent brawl leading to the murder of Sagar Rana: On May 4, an incident of a brawl among some wrestlers namely, Sushil Kumar, Ajay, Sonu, Sagar, Prince, and others were reported at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. In the incident, Sagar Rana succumbed to his injuries and Olympian Sushil Kumar was named as one of the accused in the case.

Sushil Kumar travelled between Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana while trying to evade arrest

Police said that Kumar had been travelling between Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana while trying to evade arrest. The wrestler had spent May 5 and 6 at a yoga guru’s ashram in Haridwar, sources said. During his bid to evade arrest, the wrestler kept switching his mobile phone off and made WhatsApp calls to connect with his aides. It is also suspected that he was helped by his friends and some gangsters to stay off the grid.

The use of a dongle to browse the internet on a mobile phone, which was without a SIM card, helped police narrow their search. Apart from this, human intelligence also played a major role in the arrest.

At least 14 teams from different units of Delhi Police, including northwest district and Special Cell, had been chasing Kumar ever since he went into hiding.

Wrestler’s political connections questioned

Wondering who gave shelter to Sushil Kumar while he traveled between Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana to evade arrest, the deceased Sagar Rana’s uncle Anand, opined that Delhi police should thoroughly investigate who provided shelter to Kumar despite a reward on his head. He also said that his links with high-profile politicians who are providing tactical support to Kumar should be brought to the fore.

Delhi police arrest Olympian medalist wrestler

Sushil Kumar has now been arrested and sent to 6-day police custody. Kumar had been absconding since the shootout and the Delhi Police had announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information that leads to his arrest. 

The Delhi Police had registered a case under Sections 302, 365, 120B of the Indian Penal Code. Sushil Kumar’s associate Ajay Kumar, who had been accompanying the wrestler ever since Sagar Rana’s murder has also been arrested. One of the accused identified as 24-years-old Prince Dalal was arrested shortly after the incident. 

Sagar succumbed to his injuries at the hospital while Amit and Sonu are undergoing treatment.

Madurai couple get married inside chartered SpiceJet flight, DGCA seeks reports from airlines, airport authorities

OpIndia Staff
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Madurai couple get married inside chartered SpiceJet flight, DGCA seeks reports from airlines, airport authorities

After the videos and images of a couple from Madurai tying the knot mid-air on board a chartered flight went viral on social media, the DGCA has called for an inquiry into the matter. The airline has been directed to lodge a complaint against those who flouted the Covid-19 protocols with relevant authorities.

In a bizarre incident amidst the pandemic, a couple booked a private SpiceJet chartered flight for a duration of two hours from Madurai Airport to Bengaluru for getting married mid-air. 

Soon, the video of the entire function with the guests blessing the couple from their designated seats went viral on social media.

Video of mid-air marriage ceremony. Source: ABP News

The businessman who booked the flight for the marriage asked all the 160 guests on board for the marriage to carry a negative Covid-19 report.

However, it is well known that to travel by plane one has to mask up, wear the face shield and the PPE suit. But not more than two guests can be seen following the protocols in the viral video. Let alone face shields or gloves, most can be seen with no masks or masks lowered to their chins. 

There was very little scope to maintain social distancing too with the guests packed and cramped in the flight. 

The viral video has now invited trouble for not just the airline but even the airport authorities who claim they were unaware of the mid-air marriage ceremony. 

As per reports, the crew in the SpiceJet flight have been off-roastered.

Madurai Airport director, S. Senthil Valavan, in a statement to ANI said, “A SpiceJet chartered flight was booked yesterday from Madurai. Airport authority officials were unaware of the mid-air marriage ceremony.”

After black fungus and white fungus, India witnesses a fresh case of yellow fungus: Here is everything you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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After black fungus and white fungus, India witnesses a fresh case of yellow fungus: Here is everything you need to know

Amidst the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic in India, a growing number of recovered patients are contracting the black fungus infection. The country has so far witnessed 8,800 cases of the rare Mucrormycosis infection (black fungus), which has a high mortality rate of 50%. The rising cases of black fungus have compelled several States such as Rajasthan to notify it as an epidemic.

To add to the woes, at least 4 cases of white fungus were reported in Patna and Bihar. The white fungus is considered deadlier than the black fungus. Reportedly, the white fungus does not spread from human to human transmission but through inhalation of fungi moulds (mucromycetes). The fungus then causes severe damage to vital organs, which in turn impacts the respiratory system, brain, kidneys, and private parts. Individuals with co-morbidities, diabetes, cancer, low immunity, or using Immuno-suppressants are vulnerable to white fungus infection.

It has now come to light that a case of yellow fungus has been reported in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. The patient is now being treated at the hospital of ENT surgeon Brij Pal Tyagi. While speaking to ANI, Dr Tyagi said, “Yesterday, a patient came to me at Sanjay Nagar. An endoscopy test revealed that he was infected with black, white, and yellow fungi. This yellow fungus is found in reptiles. I am seeing this for the first time”

Individuals infected by yellow fungus develop symptoms such as laziness, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In severe cases, the patient may experience pus leakage, a slow rate of healing of wounds, malnutrition, organ failure, and sunken eyes. Reportedly, yellow fungus infection is caused primarily due to poor hygiene. As such, it becomes important to keep the home and its surroundings clean.

Besides, disposal of faecal matter and food items must be done appropriately to prevent the rapid growth of the fungus. At the same time, the humidity of the house must be checked at all times, as higher humidity promotes the growth of fungus. The current treatment for yellow fungus involves the administration of Amphotericin B injection, a broad-spectrum antifungal drug.

Mucormycosis is not contagious

It has to be noted that mucormycosis or black fungus is not contagious. It cannot spread between persons or persons and animals. CDC says, “Mucormycosis can’t spread between people or between people and animals”.

In a recent interview with Times Now, Dr Akshay Nair, Oculoplastic Surgeon, Ocular Oncologist said that mucormycosis is not contagious. He said, “It is possible that a healthy person like you and me can have mucormycosis spores in our system, but unless an environment is created that allows mucormycosis to grow, which happens in diabetes, which happens in immuno-compromised people unless that happens, the disease will not be able to invade our system. It is only possible in those who are vulnerable.”

Delhi Police wants Twitter to reveal the evidence on the basis of which it added ‘manipulated media’ label, serves notice

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police wants Twitter to reveal the evidence on the basis of which it added ‘manipulated media’ label, serves notice

Delhi Police has sent a notice to Twitter demanding an explanation for their adding the ‘manipulated media’ tag to tweets by BJP politicians on the alleged Congress toolkit. The social media platform has been asked to explain the reason behind their decision to add the tag.

Delhi Police wants to know on what basis Twitter decided to add the ‘manipulated media’ label to the tweets. Delhi Police has said that as per their investigation, Twitter is acquainted with some facts related to the matter and are in possession of some information regarding the same.

Notice sent by Delhi Police

Twitter MD Manish Maheshwari was also asked to be present before the Police with the relevant documents on the 22nd of May. However, Maheshwari has responded saying that he is the sales head of Twitter Communication India Private Ltd. But his verified Twitter account says he is the MD of Twitter India.

Earlier, the Government of India had raised objection to the labeling of the tweets. Ministry sources had said, “In its communication to Twitter, the Ministry has stated that a complaint has already been made by one of the concerned parties before local law enforcement agency questioning the veracity of the toolkit and the same is under investigation.” Sources said that Twitter has taken an arbitrary and unilateral decision regarding the matter.

Sources said, “Such tagging by Twitter appears prejudged, prejudiced and a deliberate attempt to colour the investigation by local law enforcement agency. The Ministry has termed such unilateral action by Twitter as an effort to influence the fair investigation process and a clear overreach, which is totally unwarranted.”

PSBB school issues statement, denies knowledge of any case of sexual harassment by the teacher, promises action: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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PSBB school issues statement, denies knowledge of any case of sexual harassment by the teacher, promises action: Read details

Amidst the allegations of sexual harassment against a teacher identified as Rajagopalan of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School’s KK Nagar branch in Chennai, PSBB has issued a statement on May 24 in which they denied knowledge of any such allegations.

The letter reads, “We would like to assure you that our school has zero tolerance towards any behaviour that adversely affects the physical, emotional and psychological well being of our students.” It further reads, “Contrary to what is mentioned, these kinds of allegations have not been brought to the attention of the management in the past. However, we are taking suo motu notice of the allegations and will take all necessary steps to address the situation in a free, fair and transparent manner.”

It has to be noted that in the stories posted by an individual on Instagram, several students have mentioned that they had contacted the authorities, but no one paid heed to the complaints. On the contrary, the students have alleged that the school administration threatened them against raising their voice over sexual harassment as it would ruin their future.

Alumni wrote to the school administration

PBSS alumni came forward in support of the students and demanded action against the teacher. They wrote a letter to the school administration addressing Sheela Rajendra, Dean, PBSS and demanded immediate suspension of Rajagopalan.

The letter reads, “It has come to our attention that Mr Rajagopalan, who teaches Accountancy and Business Studies in PSBB KK Nagar, and has been a faculty member for over 20 years, has been behaving in an extremely inappropriate manner with students, making repeated sexual advances, making sexually coloured remarks, and has breached the boundaries of the student-teacher relationship through his conduct.”

They listed down the allegations made by the students, including the incident where he attended virtual class in a towel. The immediate demands that former students stated before the school administration include immediate suspension of Rajagopala as a teacher of PSBB KK Nagar, pending investigation, ensure he is not allowed to grade any students’ unit tests or any other examinations, ensure child protection committee, as well as the gender sensitivity committee, investigate the case, and the identity of the students is protected. In case Rajagopalan resigns, he must join the investigation.

They also demanded that if proven guilty, he must be dealt with appropriate law. The alumnus said in the letter that predators like Rajagopalan should not exist in any educational institute, and the school must take immediate action.

Leaders promise support

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, MP, posted a series of tweets expressing her shock over the incident and promised to take the case to the concerned authorities. She said, “The sexual harassment allegations against a commerce teacher in PSBB School, Chennai, has been shocking. An inquiry should be conducted, and action must be taken against those who are involved, including school authorities who failed to act against the complaints from students.”

Rajiv Gandhi’s vanity project: How the PMO was renovated and beautified months after the Bhopal Gas tragedy

Jinit Jain
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Rajiv Gandhi’s vanity project: How the PMO was renovated and beautified months after the Bhopal Gas tragedy

21 May 2021 marked the 30th death anniversary of the 6th Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. The sombre occasion saw countless articles written paying tribute to the Prime Minister, who was assassinated by an LTTE terrorist while he was on an election campaign in Tamil Nadu. An interesting trivia cropped up in one of the articles, authored by one Sunita Kohli, which was published in The Week. According to the author’s account, Rajiv Gandhi authorised and commissioned the renovation of the PM’s office months after the country witnessed the horrifying spectre of Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Kohli had reportedly worked with Rajiv Gandhi on a host of projects—the redecorations of prime minister’s secretariat in South Block; the prime minister’s office and cabinet meeting room in Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Hyderabad House, Panchsheel Bhawan, Jawahar Bhawan and two official Boeing aircraft. However, the beautification of the Prime Minister’ Secretariat grabs the spotlight, since it was carried out just months after Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister and in the wake of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

As per the author’s own admission, the most significant work she undertook with Rajiv Gandhi was the restoration and redecoration of the prime minister’s office (PMO) and secretariat in South Block in 1985. Kohli says Gandhi wanted to restore the “dignity and ordered beauty” of the secretariat as envisioned by its creator, Herbert Baker. Crores of money was spent in renovating and beautifying the Prime Minister’s Office when the aid could have gone for those who were suffering from the debilitating effects of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Source: The Week

Speaking on the design changes brought in the office of the PMO, Kohli says in the article, “The prime minister’s own chamber was totally redesigned. The room itself is handsome and symmetrically proportioned, but this was lost in the earlier arrangement. All items of furniture were custom-designed for this office. A new desk was manufactured, like the earlier one made in the 1950s for Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had been shifted to Teen Murti Bhavan. Its replica, used by Indira Gandhi, was now in the prime minister’s Parliament House office.”

Source: The Week

Kohli says Rajiv Gandhi had a flair for furnishings and was meticulous in adorning his office with the cultural artifacts. The original and carpet was organically cleaned and re-laid. The upholstery fabrics were hand-woven and developed in natural fibres. The Prime Minister also wanted his office to represent India’s culture and artistic skills. He also took on loan some paintings and murals, such as the Somaskanda, from the reserve section of the National Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art.

Even the general entrance to the PMO office was converted into an exclusive entrance for the Prime Minister and other eminent visitors. On the eastern face of the South Block, Rajiv Gandhi demanded the construction of a higher wall and Kohli dutifully obeyed the Prime Minister, constructing a sandstone wall in line with Baker’s techniques.

Bhopal Gas tragedy

Bhopal gas tragedy was a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered among the world’s worst industrial disasters. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas. The highly toxic substance made its way into and around the small towns located near the plant. At least 3,700 people lost their lives, as per official estimates, while the real tally is claimed to be closed to 16,000. More importantly, the toxic gas altered the metabolic system of people, including pregnant women, affecting generations of people, causing birth defects and disabilities. Activists estimate more than 5 lakh people were affected by the Gas leak tragedy.

However, Rajiv Gandhi nevertheless went ahead with the beautification project of the PMO office. Gandhi had assumed the office of Prime Minister on 31 October 1984 following the assassination of his mother and India’s then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Bhopal Gas Tragedy took place a month after he took the PMO office. And months later, in 1985, the Prime Minister Office’s renovation started. A decision to renovate the Prime Minister’s Office is not an off the cuff decision. It takes months of consideration, planning, shortlisting contractors to commence the beautification project. Given that Rajiv Gandhi assumed office in November 1984 and the project started in 1985, it cannot be discounted that Rajiv Gandhi gave its approval for the project when India was reeling under the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Rajiv Gandhi’s government had allowed Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson to escape to America

It is worth noting here that Rajiv Gandhi has also been accused of helping Warren Anderson, the chairman of Union Carbide, escape the country. Four days after the deadly leak, Anderson was arrested on his arrival in the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. However, after being held under arrest for only a few years, Anderson posted bail and quickly left the country, never returning to face trial.

Several news reports suggest that the Congress government at the Centre, headed by Rajiv Gandhi, enabled Warren Anderson to escape the country. Anderson, who is considered as one of the accused in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, was let off the hook by Rajiv Gandhi’s government.

Not only did Gandhi provide a safe passage to the accused, but he also used the public exchequer to bankroll the renovation of the Prime Minister’s Office, which was unnecessary and not pressing in the view of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. It is also notable to mention that Gandhi also went on to use the country’s resources for his personal indulgences. In 1987, Rajiv Gandhi had used the Indian Navy’s INS Viraat as his “personal taxi” to transport his family and their companions for their vacation in the Arabian Sea.

Rajiv Gandhi and his family had used INS Viraat for his personal vacation

The holidaying group included Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi’s mother, her brother and a maternal uncle. Also present were then Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya Bachchan and their two children, Amitabh’s brother Ajitabh, and former minister Arun Singh’s brother Bijendra Singh’s brother’s wife and daughter. The location for the vacation was Bangaram, a small uninhabited island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.

INS Viraat, the lone aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy at that time, was used to ferry the Gandhi family and their guests, which moved in the Arabian sea for 10 days for this vacation. An aircraft carrier does not move alone in the sea, a carrier is the nerve centre of a carrier battle group and it is always surrounded by several warships and support vessels. Even a submarine was also present during the trip. This means a huge expenditure. Gandhi was not fazed by the astronomical cost incurred from the usage of the INS Viraat. Nor was he bothered by compromising the security of India’s maritime borders by using a warship for his personal family holiday.

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