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Karan Johar’s Dharma Production fires Kartik Aryan, not to work with him again: Here is what happened

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Karan Johar’s Dharma Production fires Kartik Aryan, not to work with him again: Here is what happened

In a rare development in Bollywood, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has not only fired actor Kartik Aaryan from an ongoing movie project, but also decided to not work with him again in the future. According to a report by PeepingMoon, the premier Bollywood studio has decided to replace Aryan in the movie Dostana 2 due to his ‘unprofessional behaviour’.

The entertainment industry gossip website said that Dharma Productions was pushed to the wall by Kartik’s “unprofessional behaviour” during the shooting of Dostana 2, and took the extreme decision to replace him after shooting a significant portion of the movie.

Reporting the development, DNA quoted a source close to the production house saying, “Dharma has decided to replace Kartik Aaryan in ‘Dostana 2’. Kartik expressed creative differences over the script of Dostana 2 ​after one and a half years. However, he completed nearly 20 days of shoot in 2019 after reading the same script and agreeing to it.”

The source also added that lack of clarity on dates by the actor was also another reason to drop him from the project.  “Also, lack of clarity on the commitment of dates from his agency is another reason. It has never happened in the history of Dharma Productions that an actor has shot a film for a while and then walked out alleging creative issues. Therefore, Dharma has decided to not work with Kartik Aaryan in future as well,” the source said.

Dostana 2 is a sequel to the 2008 blockbuster Dostana starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra, which was directed by Tarun Mansukhani. The Dostana 2 is being directed by Collin D’Cunha, and it has Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya Lalwani in the leading roles, along with Kartik Aryan. But now the production house will need to find a different actor to take the place of Aryan. This movie is going to be the Bollywood debut for TV actor Lakshya.

The Logical Indian spreads fake news claiming BJP leader attended Kumbh despite testing Covid positive, issues apology

OpIndia Staff
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The Logical Indian spreads fake news claiming BJP leader attended Kumbh despite testing Covid positive, issues apology

The Logical Indian (TLI) has apologised for spreading fake news about Uttar Pradesh Minister Sunil Bharala claiming that he had attended the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand after testing positive for Covid-19. In a statement, TLI acknowledged that they misrepresented facts.

The statement said, “The Logical Indian earlier reported that Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Sunil Bharala tested positive for COVID-19 and still attended the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. However, in an interview with NDTV, the leader said that he attended the event and later added that he is currently COVID positive.”

The Logical Indian apologises
The Logical Indian apologises

“We wish to acknowledge that we inadvertently misrepresented the facts. The Logical Indian apologizes for the incorrect statement that claimed he attended the event while he was infected with the virus,” he added.

In the fake news post, TLI attributed a fake quote to Sunil Bharala. The fake quote said, “I’m COVID positive myself. I still went to Kumbh. Dharma is above Corona guidelines.” The news post further claimed that Kumbh Mela has become a ‘Covid hotspot’.

The post was then widely circulated on Instagram and WhatsApp groups. People on social media pointed out that TLI was spreading misinformation about the whole matter.

SII CEO Adar Poonawalla asks US President Joe Biden to lift embargo on raw materials needed for Covid-19 vaccine production

OpIndia Staff
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SII CEO Adar Poonawalla asks US President Joe Biden to lift embargo on raw materials needed for Covid-19 vaccine production

Adar Poonawalla, CEO and owner of Serum Institute of India, appealed to US President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on the export of raw materials so that manufacturing of vaccines can be ramped up in India amidst the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Adar Poonawalla appears to Joe Biden
Adar Poonawalla appeals to Joe Biden

Adar Poonawalla said that “if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details.”

Previously, he had said that the production of COVID-19 vaccines in the country had taken a hit because of the restrictions imposed by the United States and the European countries on the export of critical raw material.

“I wish I could go there and protest in the US myself to say that you are holding back critical raw material that are required for Covaxin and so many vaccine manufacturers in India and other parts of the world,” he had said earlier in an interview with India Today.

He added that the shortage and and struggling for raw material is for short term because in a few months, they will be able to develop other suppliers. Poonawalla also added that SII is not looking to import raw material from China because of its quality issues and other supply constraints.

Shekhar Gupta’s The Print declares Instagram Reels casteist, claims dancing Savarnas marginalise Dalits through ‘modern casteism’

OpIndia Staff
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Shekhar Gupta’s The Print declares Instagram Reels casteist, claims dancing Savarnas marginalise Dalits through ‘modern casteism’

The Print, the digital media venture of Shekhar Gupta, has published an opinion piece by one Abhishek Minus Verma where the author has declared that ‘Savarnas’ have established a modern casteist hegemony on Instagram Reels. The article makes it abundantly clear that Instagram Reels are the next great enemy that must be overcome.

The author begins with the declaration, “One of the main reasons for my resentment with the new Reels culture is the crude display of privilege and the mono-cultural world of the so-called upper castes or Savarnas.” Shortly after, the author says, “Sadly, this domain (influencer market), like any other economic domain, is also the stronghold of Savarnas.”

The headline of The Print article

The whole article is littered with one gem after the other. At one point, Verma says, “Instagram Reels are designed in such a way that you feel like you’re entering an expensive restaurant where you can be judged and mocked for your clothes, accent, and your pronunciation. There is a very subtle and sophisticated form of casteism that plays out in this digital corner.”

Immediately after, he declares, “Instagram Reels seems to have an algorithm that prefers particular Savarna aesthetics.” He continues, “All one sees are Savarnas expressing the joy and melancholy of living a life full of privileges. Instagram actively promotes the most ‘beautiful’ looking Reels on these trends. Anyone who opens the Reels tab on their app can always see that it’s the Savarna influencers who are trending.”

There is this particular instance which comes across as extremely offensive towards non-Savarnas. Verma says, “It’s very difficult for non-Savarna users, who lack the same cultural and social capital of looks, clothes, and clean, picture-perfect backgrounds to succeed in this culture of making ‘aesthetic’ Reels.”

Verma also accuses Savarnas of cultural appropriation, which appears to be borrowed from progressives in the western context to be weaponized against Indians. In a particularly disturbing instance, the author says, “Today, the grandchildren of those who once directly discriminated against lower-castes are now singing and dancing on Insta Reels. They are now doing the same activities that made lower-castes ‘impure’, ‘brash’ and ‘loud’, but in perfect lighting and aesthetic settings.”

After careful evaluation, Verma concluded, “In the Insta Reels ecosystem, creators who dance or create videos outside of these aesthetics and songs are labeled ‘cringe’. As is often said online, ‘modern problems require modern solutions’ thus modern Savarnas, too, have come up with modern casteism. Personally, I would call it ‘castiesm with a good vibe’.”

The article was edited by Fiza Ranalvi Jha and is part of The Print’s Dalit History Month 2021 series, along the lines of Black History Month that is observed in the USA. The article, at one point, describes TikTok users as ‘digital refugees’ since the app has been banned in India.

The Print is noted for publishing such stellar columns. Earlier, one of their journalists had claimed Narendra Modi was a sex symbol for women in villages. More recently, Jyoti Malhotra of The Print was mocked for not knowing that pharmaceuticals are chemicals.

Amidst shortage, black marketing of Remdesivir injections continues unabated: Here are the 5 cases reported in the last few days

OpIndia Staff
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Amidst shortage, black marketing of Remdesivir injections continues unabated: Here are the 5 cases reported in the last few days

As the number of Coronavirus cases in India zoom at an alarming rate, there is a sharp rise in the demand for the ‘miracle drug’ Remdesivir, considered by many as crucial in the treatment of COVID-19. The rising demand has resulted in an acute shortage of the drug, leading to its unbridled black-marketing in several parts of the country.

In the midst of a raging pandemic, some miscreants have used the shortages of Remdesivir injections to feather their nest by black marketing the key antiviral drug. With stocks of Remdesivir rapidly drying up from the market and its demand soaring uncontrollably, some individuals have used the opportunity to make profits by selling a counterfeit version of the drug.

Here are some of the cases of the black marketing of remdesivir injections reported from across the country:

Three people arrested from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore for black-marketing Remdesivir

The Madhya Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force(STF) on Thursday arrested a medical shop owner and two others for allegedly black marketing Remdesivir injections used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The arrested persons were identified as Rajesh Patidar, Gyaneshwar Baraskar and Anurag Singh Sisodia, senior police official Manish Khatri said.

“They were arrested based on a tip-off. The STF officials retrieved 12 vials of injections of two different brands from them. It was printed on the packet of these vials that they are meant ”for export only”,” he said.

Though the maximum sale price was not printed on them, they were trying to sell each injection at Rs 20,000, the official said.

Pharma company owner arrested in Indore for selling fake Remdesivir injections

On Thursday, the Crime Branch of Indore Police arrested a pharma company owner for allegedly selling counterfeit Remdesivir injections. The arrested man, identified as Vinay Shankar Tripathi, is accused of taking advantage of the situation by selling fake Remdesivir injections.

“Around 400 Remdesivir vials have been recovered from the accused’s car that were found to be fake after being investigated by the drug department. He owns a pharma company in Indore’s Pithampur. He planned to take advantage of the drug shortage and make money,” Guru Prasad Parashar, Additional Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch said.

A case has been registered against the accused under various sections, including fraud. The seized fake injections were to be sold for Rs 20 lakh in the black market.

Three arrested in Uttar Pradesh for black-marketing Remdesivir

The Uttar Pradesh police on Friday said that they had arrested three persons, including two medical representatives for allegedly black marketing Remdesivir injections. A total of 265 Remdesivir injections were recovered from their possession, a senior UP Police Special Task Force official said.

The official added that the injections were meant for black marketing. The three persons were arrested in a joint operation by the Kanpur Police and the STF after a tip-off regarding black marketing of Remdesivir injections.

The STF said that the Remdesivir injections were to be sold to someone at a premium price in Kidwai Nagar. The arrested persons were identified as medical representatives Prashant Shukla and Mohan Soni, residents of Naubasta, and Sachin Kumar of Haryana.

Mumbai doctor, 2 others arrested for selling remdesivir in black market

A Mumbai doctor and two others were arrested on Thursday on the charges of selling remdesivir injection, a key antiviral drug to fight COVID-19, in Mumbai’s fast-growing black market.

According to the police, the three people sought a very high price for remdesivir injection. The Malwani police had received a tip-off that a few individuals were hoarding the remdesivir injections from chemist shops and selling them at a markup price to people desperate for the antiviral drug.

The police sent a decoy customer to the men for buying the injection administered by hospitals to adults with severe complications. Two men, Siddharth Yadav (21) and Rizwan Mansuri (32), and a doctor, were arrested a little after 7.30 pm on Tuesday when they turned up at Mumbai’s Charkop Naka to deliver the injections.

Pune: 5 arrested and 4 vials recovered in connection with remdesivir black marketing

The Pune police arrested five men and recovered four vials of the Remdesivir injection used for Covid-19 treatment and currently in short supply. The four arrested men have been identified as Mohammad Mehboob Pathan (28), Imtiaz Yusuf Ajmeri (52), Parvez Mounoddin Shaikh (36), and Ashwini Vijay Solanki (41).

The police claimed the accused were trying to sell the vials on the black market. A raid was carried out by the officials of Unit 4 of the Pune Police Crime Branch on Wednesday which recovered the vials of remdesivir injections.

In one raid, the police caught four men and recovered two vials of the drug from near a petrol pump along the Ahmednagar road. In the other raid, two vials were recovered from one person in Wagholi.

Health minister calls for stringent action

Amid such incidents of profiteering from Remdesivir shortage, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday called for stringent action against those found indulging in black marketing and hoarding of the anti-viral drug Remdesivir. Talking about the shortage of the drug to ANI, the minister said, “Shortage of Remdesivir happened because its production was reduced as COVID19 cases were decreasing. Our drug controller and ministry held a meeting with stakeholders and asked manufacturers to strengthen the production. In case of any complaint of black marketing or hoardings of doses stringent action will be taken by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Stringent action should be taken against those who are exploiting people by inflating the price of Remdesivir.”

The union minister further emphasised that there are no shortage of vaccines and the Centre gives it to every state and added, “It is the job of states to provide the vaccine at the centre in a time-bound manner along with monitoring the drive and meticulous planning.”

At least eight people dead, many injured in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis in the USA

OpIndia Staff
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At least eight people dead, many injured in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis in the USA

On April 16, a gunman open fired at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis city of Indiana in the United States, leaving at least eight people dead, and dozens injured. After the mass shooting, the gunman also killed himself. The incident happened at the FedEx Ground Plainfield Operations Center late Thursday.

As per reports, police officers received information about an active shooter at the FedEx centre near the airport at around 11 pm night. Journalist Matthew keys reported that about 60 people were injured, with more than 20 victims sustaining gunshot wounds. Citing sources in law enforcement, he informed that about 10 people suffered critical injuries while 20 victims sustained serious injuries. Around 30 people were walking wounded, in the aftermath of the mass shooting.

Journalist Matthew Keys further stated that the accused in the Indianapolis mass shooting died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The accused also had multiple firearms in his possession.

While speaking about the matter, Indianapolis police spokesperson Genae Cook did not specify the number of casualties but conceded that the injuries were consistent with gunshot wounds. She added, “As officers arrived, they came into contact with an active shooting incident. Preliminary information at this time is that the shooter has taken his own life. We don’t feel like there is an active threat to the community at this time.”

At present the identity of the shooter has not been revealed. Police said it was too early to tell if the shooter was an employee of the facility, and that an active investigation was underway. 

FedEx releases a statement, emphasising safety as priority

In a statement, FedEx said, “We are aware of the tragic shooting at our FedEx Ground facility near the Indianapolis airport. Safety is our top priority, and our thoughts are with those who are affected. We are working to gather more information and are cooperating with investigating journalists.”

Eyewitnesses recount the Indianapolis mass shooting

One Timothy Boillat and his friend Jeremiah Miller, who worked at the FedEx facility were eyewitnesses to the incident. “By the time we sat down at the smoke lounge and started eating, we heard two gunshots. We thought it was a car. We ignored. We then heard three shots and began thinking that it was an engine problem. Then, we heard around 6-10 shots,” Jeremiah Miller recounted.

He added, “This made me stand up and look out through the window. I saw a man with a sub-machine gun/automatic rifle of some sort and he started firing in the open. I immediately ducked down and got scared. My friend’s mother came in and told us to get inside the car. We are currently telling our co-workers to not go to work and told them about the incident that just happened.”

Another man named Parminder Singh informed that his niece was in the driver’s seat of the car when the mass shooting began. His niece did not know the shooter. The victim was shot on her left arm and was rushed to the hospital. “She got shot on her left arm. She’s fine, she’s in the hospital now,” Singh emphasised. In the aftermath of the mass shooting, the city police have closed access to Ameriplex Parkway from either direction.

Andhra Pradesh man hacks family of six including two children to avenge the rape of his daughter: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh man hacks family of six including two children to avenge the rape of his daughter: Details

In what appears to be a case of revenge, six members of a family, including two children, were brutally hacked to death in their house in Juttada village in the outskirts of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh during the wee hours of Thursday.

The accused, Battina Appala Raju who used to live in the neighbourhood, entered the house at around 6 am on April 15 and allegedly murdered three women, a man, a 2-year-old boy and a 6-month old baby girl with a sickle. A sickle is a sharp tool used to cut grass.

According to news agency ANI, the accused’s daughter was allegedly raped by a member of the said family.

While ANI reports that the accused is absconding, other media houses have reported that the accused had surrendered to the police after the incident, who in turn took him into custody and launched a probe in the case.

Visakhapatnam Assistant Commissioner of Police (West) V Sripad Rao told the media that the victims were found lying in a pool of blood in a residence in Juttada village of Pendurthi Mandal. He added that the incident was a fall out of an old feud between the accused and the victim family.

Andhra Pradesh man kills 6 of family to avenge rape of his daughter

“The accused Appalaraju is a neighbour of the deceased. There was an ongoing dispute between their families. Because of that issue, he killed six members of the family with a sickle,” ACP Sripad Rao said.

ACP added that a dispute had occurred between the two families back in 2018, involving a member of the victims’ family, Vijay Kiran, and the daughter of the accused. Neighbours and relatives confirmed that Vijay had been booked for the rape of Appalaraju’s daughter back in 2018. The case is still under trial.

“Since the altercation in 2018, the two families have not been on talking terms. The issue further deteriorated and led to this incident,” Rao added.

“The accused was planning to kill Vijay Kiran but the latter was not at home. So, in a fit of rage, he killed all those who were present in the house,” a senior police officer who did not wish to be named said.

Following the incident, tensions have been brewing in the village. According to a Hindustan Times report, when Vijay Kiran came to know about the murder of his family members he dashed to the accused’s house with a few of his relatives to stage a protest. He demanded strict action against the accused and his family.

Kiran also refused to allow the police to shift the bodies to the hospital for post mortem till the accused was handed over to them. He demanded that the bodies be buried in fields belonging to Raju.

FIR registered in Kanpur, police on the look-out for those from AIMIM who put up posters calling for beheading of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati

OpIndia Staff
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FIR registered in Kanpur, police on the look-out for those from AIMIM who put up posters calling for beheading of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati

On April 12, 2021, the Kanpur unit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) has put up incendiary ‘sar tan se juda’ posters, calling for the beheading of Dasna Devi Temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his remarks on Prophet Muhammad. Opindia had reported the incident in detail.

On April 16, the Kanpur Police took to Twitter to respond to the incident. It acknowledged the occurrence of the incident. They informed that Chamanganj police had registered an FIR against the miscreants in Kanpur on April 12, 2021. They furthered that IPC sections 153 A and 295 A have been invoked in the case and police have been on the lookout for the accused.

Kanpur police assured that efforts are being made to identify the accused and once they are caught, action will be taken accordingly.

AIMIM puts up posters in Kanpur calling for the beheading of Yati Narsinghanand and Wasim Rizvi

It was reported how one of the hoardings in Kanpur showed the head of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati severed from his body. Along with the decapitated body of Narsinghanand Saraswati, the poster also displayed a beheaded Wasim Rizvi, the former chairman of the Shia Central Board of Waqf in Uttar Pradesh.

Another despicable poster had a dog and a child urinating on Narsinghanand Saraswati and Wasim Rizvi, respectively. The poster also demanded that Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati and Wasim Rizvi be hanged.

The Kanpur police had then too, responded on social media saying that the posters have been removed and an investigation into the matter has been initiated.

Hindus come out in large number in support of the Hindu priest

Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati has been in the line of fire ever since he made some remarks on Prophet Muhammad. Ever since many Muslim hardliners in various cities have been protesting against Dasna Devi Temple’s head priest. Endless calls for the beheading of the priest have been made by several Muslim groups and even mainstream political parties for his alleged ‘blasphemy’.

Enraged by the Islamic fanatics openly calling for the murder of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Hindus from various corners of the country are now coming together in large numbers to voice their support for the Hindu priest.

Pakistan shuts down social media platforms from 11 AM to 3 PM due to expected protests by radical Islamists after Friday prayers

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan shuts down social media platforms from 11 AM to 3 PM due to expected protests by radical Islamists after Friday prayers

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan government has taken the decision to shut down social media websites and messaging applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter throughout Pakistan from 11 AM to 3 PM, according to Pakistani media sources.

This decision has been reportedly taken in order to combat the deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan. The social media ban comes amid reports that Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan is planing a massive round of protests following the Friday prayers today.

On Wednesday, the Pakistani government announced its ban of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), whose supporters and members have been violently protesting since the arrest of their chief, Saad Hussain Rizvi, on Monday.

PEMRA, Pakistan’s media regulatory authority, has blocked all TV channels in Pakistan from providing any coverage of this now-banned Islamist organization.

Pakistan has been gripped in violence the past few days because TLP leader Saad Hussain Rizvi urged his followers through a video message on Sunday to protest and hit the roads against the government if the TLP’s demands are not fulfilled. This call for a countrywide protest led to his arrest at around 2 pm on Wahdat Road in Lahore. TLP has been demanding that Pakistan should expel the French ambassador to the country, in protest against France govt supporting the right of people to publish drawings and cartoons of Muhammad, and the strong action against Islamic radicalism in the country.

Following Rizvi’s arrest, a large mob of his supporters blocked the Grand Trunk Road at several junctions. Major cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, and Peshawar were cut off from the rest of the country. The Islamists had also blocked motorways, highways, train tracks and clashed with the police, resulting in two deaths.

Derek O’Brien’s Clubhouse interaction exposes how TMC fears the prospect of loss in West Bengal: Three statements made and what they mean

Editorial Desk
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Derek O’Brien’s Clubhouse interaction exposes how TMC fears the prospect of loss in West Bengal: Three statements made and what they mean

The content creation app, which is for now only available on iPhone, had only recently become the Achilles’ heel for election strategist Prashant Kishor. Kishor had inadvertently admitted while talking to several ‘close’ journalists that TMC’s internal poll was giving a raging majority to the BJP in West Bengal. After realising that the room in which they were talking was open to the public and his conversation was being heard by hundreds, Prashant Kishor changed tunes and began to talk about Mamata’s victory. Perhaps to fire-fight what Prashant Kishor had said, yesterday, Derek O’Brien appeared on Clubhouse for a short interaction with select ‘liberals’.

During the interaction, those present say that Derek O’Brien tried his best to essentially show how TMC was sweeping the state without a shadow of doubt in his mind. However, there were certain statements that point towards the unhinged nervousness that TMC seems to be feeling at the prospect of losing power and BJP winning the state.

Talking to Congress troll Saket Gokhale, Derek O’Brien’s first clinching statement was that TMC was not worried about BJP per se since they could be taken care of later. The focus of TMC and even other opposition parties was to remove Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP could be ‘taken care of’ later.

This statement is particularly interesting when one thinks about the implications.

For the longest time, TMC has been claiming that PM Modi and Amit Shah are ‘outsiders’ and are therefore not popular in West Bengal at all. However, this statement gives us a window into just how much PM Modi’s popularity is feared by the TMC that today stares at the prospect of losing power in West Bengal, due to the popularity of PM Modi. In fact, the nation over, while the opposition parties have tried their best to dislodge BJP with falsely created controversies, false allegations of corruption, communal riots, fanning Islamism, separatism, Khalistani separatism and more, PM Modi has remained a wildly popular leader who enjoys unbridled goodwill.

It is perhaps this aspect that worries TMC and Derek O’Brien. PM Modi is an extremely popular leader who enjoys the faith of the masses. What PM Modi being at the helm has also done is increased by leaps and bounds the civilisational awareness in the electorate. And what does the minority appeasing opposition fears the most? A united electorate that is aware of their civilisational values and unashamed to own its Hindu identity. Therefore, it only makes sense that even in the narrow scope of West Bengal, given the Hindutva resurgence in the state and the prospect of BJP winning, Derek O’Brien would say that it is PM Modi and Amit Shah that need to be removed, before BJP.

This statement leads beautifully to the next, shocking statement made by Derek O’Brien. During his interaction, Brien said that even though the Communists (CPIM) has killed many of their party workers, they would be a far better opposition party in West Bengal compared to the BJP. Essentially, for Derek, a party that conducted genocide is far better than one that makes Hindus wake up and own their civilisational identity. Because TMC and CPIM both have a penchant to rule with force and fear and not by the faith of the electorate.

With these two statements, Derek O’Brien managed to establish just how their political psyche works – it does not matter if Hindus stay oppressed, it does not matter if citizens are murdered to ensure that the power remains with these parties, but God forbid a party that actually wins on the basis of goodwill ruins their political power-trip.

And that fear was even more evident with his third statement. Derek O’Brien said that the Election Commission was approached by the TMC, requesting them to club the remaining election phases into one, owing to the second wave of COVID-19. Mamata Banerjee has said that her request is focused on protecting the people from COVID-19.

“Amid an ongoing pandemic, we firmly opposed ECI’s decision to conduct WB polls in 8 phases. Now, in view of the huge surge in COVID-19 cases, I urge the ECI to consider holding the remaining phases in ONE go. This will protect the people from further exposure to COVID-19,” the TMC supremo tweeted.

However, just like Derek O’Brien prefers a party that has murdered the citizens of Bengal, he also does not really mind if COVID-19 claims the lives of the citizens of Bengal, as long as it does not benefit BJP.

During his interaction on Clubhouse, Derek O’Brien said that the EC is most likely to deny this request to hold the remaining phases of elections at the same time, but given that the EC ‘works for Modi’, they might ban physical campaigning and that is something O’Brien does not support. Why, one might ask? Well, Derek O’Brien thinks that if the Election Commission bans physical campaigning, the electoral advantage would go to BJP. According to Brien, BJP is strong on social media and on other digital platforms, and therefore, if physical campaigning is banned due to the spread of COVID-19, it would be EC giving the advantage to BJP.

Essentially, TMC is so worried about the people of Bengal that they want all remaining phases to be clubbed into one, but if EC bans physical campaigning, that would be TMC giving the electoral advantage to BJP. TMC wants the EC to ensure that physical campaigning continues and it does not seem to matter if that leads to the spread of COVID-19, because they believe it helps TMC electorally.

With such statements, it is evident that TMC fears losing power in the state and perhaps, Prashant Kishor was not that far off the mark when he said that TMC’s internal survey showed a victory for BJP.

What Prashant Kishor said on Clubhouse just a few days before the Derek O’Brien interaction

On April 7, audio clips of a Clubhouse conversation between Lutyens journalists and election strategist Prashant Kishor appeared on Twitter. Kishor, working for the ruling TMC, admitted that his internal survey results suggest a comfortable BJP victory in the West Bengal State Legislative polls.

Without realising that the audio conversation on the ClubHouse app is being recorded, Prashant Kishor said, “If BJP is getting votes, then, it is due to the Modi and Hindu factor. Polarisation, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Hindi-speaking people are the other factors. Suvendu Adhikari’s exit or my entry has no bearing on the election results. There are over 1 crore Hindi-speaking people here and 27% SCs. All of them are standing with the BJP.”

While speaking on the voting preferences of the Matua community, Prashant Kishor emphasised, “Matuas will be predominantly voting for the BJP. However, they won’t be unitedly voting for the BJP as they did in the Lok Sabha polls. It will be 75% BJP and 25% TMC.”

Before that, in an interview with the Indian Express, Kishor had said, “Around November-December last year, there was a lot of hype being created around the BJP, that they are going to sweep the state, get 200 seats etc. So, it was important for us to say publicly that this is not true… There is no way that in December the BJP was in a position to be winning 200 seats.”

He had said that he stood by his earlier assessment that BJP can not cross the double-digit mark. “And, in our assessment, they would struggle to enter triple digits, and I stand by that remark. If they do, I will cease to exist as a political aide to anyone. I must quit this space, and quitting this space does not mean Twitter; I won’t do this work ever,” he had announced.

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