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Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls PM Modi, India assures Canada of help in getting COVID vaccine supply

OpIndia Staff
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Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls PM Modi, India assures Canada of help in getting COVID vaccine supply

On February 10, Canadian PM Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up PM Narendra Modi seeking the Indian government’s help in facilitating vaccine supply to Canada. Sharing information about the phone call on social media, PM Modi said that he had assured PM Trudeau that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines sought by Canada.

In the official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs, it was mentioned that PM Trudeau informed PM Modi about Canada’s requirements of Covid-19 vaccines from India. PM Trudeau appreciated India’s role in controlling the spread of Covid-19 and providing support to several nations with its pharmaceutical capacity.

The two leaders also talked about several geopolitical issues and agreed to continue the close collaboration between both countries in fighting global challenges like Climate Change and the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The official statement by Canada

In the official statement by PM Trudeau’s office, they mentioned that during the conversation, both leaders talked about the efforts both countries are taking to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. They spoke about the significant efforts India is making in promoting vaccine production and supply, which have provided vital support to countries around the world and agreed to work together on access to the vaccine.

The two Prime Ministers also talked about the importance of working together on global challenges, including climate change and international trade. Apart from that, the discussion included democratic principles, recent protests and importance resolving issues with dialogues.

Trudeau govt was facing criticism for not reaching out to PM Modi for vaccines

Trudeau’s call is important diplomatically for several reasons. The Trudeau government has been facing criticism in Canada for failing to secure enough vaccine doses for its population. In a conversation with Canadian minister Anita Anand, Conservative Party MP Michelle Rempel Garner had questioned why the Trudeau government is not reaching out to India’s PM Modi for supply of vaccine doses.

India-Canada relations have been bumpy in recent times because the Canadian government’s pandering to Khalistani elements in their politics and populace. Trudeau’s associations with Khalistani elements have been criticised by India on several occasions.

Bangladesh-based terror org JMB chief sentenced to jail in Burdwan Blast. Here is how Mamata Banerjee had blamed Modi govt for it

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh-based terror org JMB chief sentenced to jail in Burdwan Blast. Here is how Mamata Banerjee had blamed Modi govt for it

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday sentenced Bangladesh-based terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) chief Kausar to 29 years in jail for the 2nd October 2014 Burdwan blast case. 

A fine of Rs 35,000 has also been imposed on him. Kausar was convicted by the court under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and the Foreigners Act. As per reports, Kausar is also charge-sheeted in another NIA-case related to January 2018 Bodh Gaya blast.

2014 Burdwan Blast

On 2nd October 2014, a powerful bomb accidentally went off at the first floor of a rented house in Khagragarh locality of Burdwan, West Bengal. Two terrorists, who were fabricating the bomb succumbed to the injuries. While the case was initially probed by West Bengal police, the same was later taken over by NIA on 10th October, 2014. 

Further investigation revealed how it was the conspiracy of Bangladesh-based terror group JMB to radicalise and recruit members and train them in using arms and explosives to commit acts of terrorism in India and wage a war against India. Further, a large number of IEDs, explosives, hand grenades and training material was recovered. Out of the 33 accused, now 31 are arrested. 

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, soon after the blast, had blamed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India, for being behind the blast. She had alleged that she has been central government minister for 23 years, she knows who does what. 

She had alleged that the two terrorists were ‘let in’ by the Modi government which had just come to power few months back and ‘found them a house’ and ‘allowed them to make explosives’. She had alleged that the Central government had done so to start a riot during the Pujo.

Experts had then believed that Mamata Banerjee’s statement could be used by the accused as a shield. 

Ex-cricketer Wasim Jaffer accused of favouring Muslim cricketers as Uttarakhand head coach

OpIndia Staff
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Ex-cricketer Wasim Jaffer accused of favouring Muslim cricketers as Uttarakhand head coach

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer who recently resigned as the Uttarakhand head coach has been accused of favouring Muslim cricketers while holding the position. Jaffer had submitted his resignation alleging interference and bias of selectors and the association’s secretary for non-deserving players.

According to reports, Jaffer had a dispute with Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) secretary Mahim Verma and Chief Selector Rizwan Shamshad. Jaffer had reportedly taken Rs 45 lakh to work as Uttarakhand head coach for a session. Jaffer has accused Verma of interfering in the selection of players. However, Jaffer’s allegations were denied by both Mahim Verma and Rizwan Shamshad.

Jaffer accused of having religious bias and preferring Muslim cricketers

Mahim Verma, who is former vice-president of the BCCI, accused Jaffer of quarreling with Cricket Union officials and trying to break the cricket team due to his religious bias. Verma said that initially they lend full support to Jaffer and accepted his decisions considering that he has scored the maximum runs in domestic cricket.

Verma added that he never pressurised Jaffer regarding the selection of players. He told that Jaffer brought in Iqbal Abdulla, Samad Salla and Jai Bista as guest players. Jaffer forcefully made Iqbal Abudullah the captain of the team instead of Kunal Chandela, alleged Verma. However, the team lost four matches out of 5 in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament due to his decisions, said Verma.

Jaffer got the team slogan ‘Ram Bhakt Hanuman ki Jai’ changed to ‘Go Uttarakhand’ citing religious reason

Verma added that a team was selected on Monday for Vijay Hazare trophy one-day tournament that starts on February 20 keeping Kunal Chandela as the captain. However, Jaffer submitted his resignation the next day. Jaffer was appointed by Appointment Advisory Committee and therefore his resignation has been sent to the committee.

Verma further alleged that the team’s assistant staff used to tell him that Jaffer used to bring a Maulvi during the camp. Navneet Mishra, who has been team manager during Mushtaq Ali trophy reportedly said that three Maulvis had visited the camp. He said that Jaffer told him that the Maulvis had come to read Namaz. This happened twice during the camp.

Mishra further told that the team has been using the slogan ‘Ram Bhakt Hanuman ki Jai’ since last year but Jaffer got the slogan changed to ‘Go Uttarakhand’ saying that the team had members from different religions. Jaffer was suggested the slogan ‘Uttarakhand ki Jai’ but he had a problem with the word ‘Jai’, he said.

Mahim Verma alleged that Jaffer favoured Iqbal Abdullah over Kunal Chandela and therefore he kept Abdullah as opening batsman shifting Chandela to lower spots. Jaffer even prepared a parallel team for the Vijay Hazare trophy and mailed the details to Verma without consulting the selectors. Verma said that Jaffer misbehaved with him on three occasions and told him that he (Jaffer) was not his servant.

Hafiz Saeed aide and Khalistani terrorist Gopal Singh Chawla announces tractor rally in Pakistan against Indian farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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Hafiz Saeed aide and Khalistani terrorist Gopal Singh Chawla announces tractor rally in Pakistan against Indian farm laws

Khalistani terrorist and a close aide of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Muhammad Hafiz Saeed, Gopal Singh Chawla, has announced that he will organize a tractor rally in Pakistan in support of the ongoing ‘farmers’ protest in India.

The announcement was made through a 2-minute video in which Chawla said that a tractor rally will be organised in Pakistan in solidarity with the ‘farmers’ protesting against the newly introduced Farm Bills in India. In the video, Chawla was also heard indulging in fear-mongering, alleging that hundreds of farmers were killed by the Modi government since the protest started last year.

“Modi has brought bills that are unacceptable to the farmers. Atrocities are being inflicted upon farmers in India for the past several months. Modi may not be troubled by this but I am. We will take out a tractor rally in support of the farmers. The rally will start from Nankana Sahib and conclude at the Wagah border,” Chawla reportedly said.

He further said, “We will tell the farmers around the world that we are united. Whoever is sitting at the protest are the ‘Anndatas’, they are feeding everyone. Therefore I appeal to everyone to join the rally.”

It is worth noting that the call for tractor rally came after ‘farmers’ protesting along the Delhi border had carried out a similar tractor rally on January 26 this year. During that tractor rally, the protesters breached barricades and burst in the national capital. Thousands of protesters even stormed the grounds of the hallowed Red Fort, desecrating the symbol of India’s sovereignty by raising Khalistani flags on its ramparts. The chaos that was unleashed in the wake of the rally caused injuries to over 300 police personnel. Buses, private cars and government properties were also vandalised by the protesters.

Gopal Singh Chawla, a Khalistani terrorist and an ISI stooge

It is noteworthy to mention that Chawla is an ISI stooge and has been accused of carrying out anti-India activities. He is also close to LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, whom he hails as the “Messiah” of Pakistan. In 2018, the Indian government had submitted a dossier to Pakistan in which it claimed that Chawla had been indulging in whipping up anti-India sentiments.

Earlier in 2018, a controversy erupted when Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu posed with Khalistani terrorist Gopal Chawla during his Kartarpur visit. Chawla had posted a photo of him standing next to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on his Facebook account.

Gopal Singh Chawla, an ardent supporter of Khalistan, a separate nation for Punjabi Sikhs and is also an active member of pro-Khalistani terror outfits. He is also suspected to be involved in the recent bomb blast at a Nirankari gathering in Amritsar in which three people were killed. Gopal Chawla is also believed to be a close aide of Pakistan sponsored Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hafeez Saeed and is in contact with the ISI to hatch a terror plot against India. Gopal Singh Chawla is also the man behind the ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ movement and had been routinely involved in waging anti-India activities.

Police arrest assailants who had shot bullets at Kota RSS district chief while seeking donation for Ram Mandir construction

OpIndia Staff
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Police arrest assailants who had shot bullets at Kota RSS district chief while seeking donation for Ram Mandir construction

Bullets were shot at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) district chief Deepak Shah on February 9 in Rajasthan’s Kota when he had gone to solicit funds for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya under the ‘Shri Ram Mandir Nidhi Samarpan’ drive. A bullet hit him on the thigh and he was rushed to the Community Health Centre for treatment. He was subsequently shifted to the MBS Hospital.

Deepak, a resident of Ramganj Mandi in Kota, was out to collect funds for the construction of Ram Temple on Tuesday evening, as per reports. He was accompanied by district pracharak Hemant and department pracharak Manoj Pratap. After a while, Pratap left the fundraising exercise while Deepak and other associates carried on. However, a few minutes later, three men came riding on a bike and fired shots at Deepak Shah. People present on the spot rushed him to the hospital.

Following the incident, MLA Chandrakanta Meghwal and former MLA Prahlad Gunjal reached the MBS Hospital to meet the injured Deepak Shah. Simultaneously, a large number of businessmen and RSS workers swarmed the Ramganjmandi police station demanding action against the culprits who attacked Shah.

In the aftermath of the incident, police officials, including the rural SP encamped in Ramganjmandi. Different teams of police carried out raids all night to catch the accused. The police team also launched a search operation along the MP border. The district special team and the Ramganjmandi police team finally arrested the accused from Raipur (Jhalawar) near the MP border.

Personal enmity the cause of the attack on Deepak Shah: Reports

As per reports, the main accused is the brother of history-sheeter Babu Paya’s brother Ashu Paya. Ashu, along with 2 of his associates, opened fire on the RSS district chief Deepak Shah. The assailants then fled from the spot. Police teams continued to chase them. They took the help of the mobile phone tracking to track the exact location of the miscreants. In Raipur, Jhalawar, the accused reportedly left the car and fled to the fields and switched off the mobile. Police laid siege and nabbed the accused at Nayagaon in Raipur. 

It is being reported that the attack on Deepak Shah has roots in the past rivalry between the RSS leader and history-sheeter Babu Paya. A few days ago Babu Paya had threatened RSS leader Deepak Shah after which the RSS district chief filed a complaint with the police. Following the complaint, Babu Paaya was arrested by the police under Section 307 of the IPC. Since then Babu Paaya is lodged in jail. In order to avenge his arrest, Babu Paaya’s younger brother Ashu Paya, along with two of his associates fired bullets at Deepak Shah.

Saints of Ayodhya call Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav ‘Babar-Jeevi’ after he mocked Ram Mandir donation seekers

OpIndia Staff
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Saints of Ayodhya call Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav ‘Babar-Jeevi’ after he mocked Ram Mandir donation seekers

Enraged over the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s contentious remarks on Ram Temple donation seekers, the saints of Ayodhya have called the Samajwadi Party chief a ‘Babar-Jeevi’.

Earlier yesterday, Akhilesh Yadav coined a term “Chanda jeevi“, ridiculing people who sought donation under the ‘Shri Ram Mandir Nidhi Samarpan’ campaign.

This did not sit well with the Hindu saints, who slammed the former UP CM for his crass remarks. A simmering wave of resentment swept the devotees of Lord Ram after Akhilesh Yadav derided the donation collectors, calling them “Chanda jeevi” or professional donation collectors. 

Mahant Raju Das of Hanuman Garhi said that Akhilesh Yadav has always been a ‘Babar-jeevi‘ and advised him to get a handle on his senses.

Akhilesh Yadav derides Ram Mandir donation seekers

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Mr Yadav, a fierce critic of PM Modi, took a swipe at the Ram Mandir devotees by saying that those who collect donations must be called “Chanda jeevi” or professional donation collectors. “What is being said about the agitations? That people are ”aandolan jeevi”. What should I call the people who go out to collect donations? Are they not members of ‘‘chanda jeevi sangathan” (organisation which collects donations)?” he said.

Yadav’s remark was in response to PM Modi’s sharps comments on the protests pervading the country. PM Modi, while replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President in Rajya Sabha on Monday, had earnestly appealed to the farmers protesting along the Delhi border against the new Farm Laws to call off their demonstrations and engage in dialogue to iron out the differences. He, however, later cautioned that one must be aware of a “new category” of people: “Andolan jeevi”.

Akhilesh Yadav’s father Mulayam Singh Yadav earned the nickname of ‘Mullah Mulayam’

It is also pertinent to note that Akhilesh Yadav is not the only one in his family who is described by people as a supporter of the Mughals. Even his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, had earned the nickname of ‘Mullah Mulayam’ after he ordered firing upon the Karsevaks who had gathered at Ayodhya in November 1990 to demand the construction of a Bhavya Ram Mandir at Janmabhoomi.

While official figures suggested that 16 Karsevaks were killed by UP Police under Mulayam Singh Yadav, the actual number is believed to have been much higher. In a sting by Republic TV, it was claimed that the Hindus were not even cremated as per their religious but were buried instead. Footage of the manner in which the Police attacked the Karsevaks reveals the manner in which the devotees of Rama were hunted down. 

The curious case of Churchill’s Cigar Assistant and Congress’ inability to move from the status quo

OpIndia Staff
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The curious case of Churchill’s Cigar Assistant and Congress’ inability to move from the status quo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday replied to Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha. During his speech, Prime Minister Modi highlighted how the Congress and its establishment are so deep-rooted in maintaining ‘status quo’ in governance and its lack of intent to bring reforms.

As he attacked Congress party and other opposition parties for creating roadblocks against the reforms, PM Modi also narrated an incident – “Churchill’s Cigar Assistant” to explain how the Congress system was stuck in ‘status quo’ mindset and unwilling to bring any reforms in the country.

What is ‘Churchill’s Cigar Assistant’ incident?

In the early 1960s, the Madras government had constituted a pay committee to review the pay structure and the service conditions of its officers and staff. According to an article written by Nitin Pai, the chairman of the committee received a ‘top secret’ post sent by a person identified as ‘CCA, the office of the chief secretary, Fort St George, Madras’.

As the chairman opened the letter, he found an eloquent letter asking him to upgrade the post of CCA to that of office superintendent in the chief secretary’s office. The officer claimed that he had an ‘unblemished service record’ of 20 years.

However, neither the chairman nor the committee members had no idea what CCA stood for.

The curious chairman wrote a reply to the officer asking him what those three letters meant and what work he did in the chief secretary’s office. The latter surprised the chairman saying that he cannot speak on the designation since there was a 30-year embargo on disclosure of secret matters and could only speak after 1975.

The chairman argued that the officer should withdraw his representation and place it before the next pay committee after 1975. With no other choice, the office replied to the chairman of the committee. The officer said that the CCA stood for “Churchill’s Cigar Assistant”. He was responsible for supplying Cigar to former British PM Churchill.

The story behind Churchill and his love for Indian-made Cigars:

As the second world war was in its peak during the early 1940s, Winston Churchill, Britain’s Prime Minister, craved two things – French liquor and Havana cheroot. With war escalating in Europe and Hitler’s army hunting down British ships at his will, Britain found it tough to reach American coasts.

This led to the critical shortages of everything in England, including Churchill’s favourite Havana hand-rolled cigars. However, the housekeeping officers of Churchill found an alternative for the depleting stock of Havana. The officers secured a way to procure Trichy cigars from Madras.

Soon, letters were exchanged between London and New Delhi and between New Delhi and Fort St George in Madras. Finally, the Governor of Madras agreed to take personal responsibility for the project and selected two cigar manufacturers of Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli). The manufacturers were sworn to keep the issue confidential, and they were ordered to produce the best quality Trichy cigars to ship for England.

To handle the procurement, the governor appointed an English-speaking person as an assistant. The assistant needed to know about cigar-making and their quality, and he also had to be a cigar taster. The job was kept highly secretive. The officer could neither disclose about the procurement nor his post.

The Governor exercising his special powers under the Defence of India Rules, created a post of an assistant, naming it CCA (Churchill’s Cigar Assistant). It was placed in the chief secretary’s secret cell. Only the governor, the chief secretary and the assistant knew the real meaning of CCA. Meanwhile, others thought that the chief confidential assistant dealt with ultra-secret matters.

Months later, the Cigars were shipped from Trichy to Logan with utmost secrecy and continued throughout the war. Reportedly, Churchill liked the mildly aromatic Trichy cigar in place of the Havana cigar’s heavy pungent smell. In 1945 Churchill lost the election and became the leader of the opposition.

The staff of the new prime minister, Clement Attlee, informed him about the ‘top secret’ Cigar procurement. In a goodwill gesture, Clement Attlee suggested that the supply should continue to the Churchill as he was the opposition leader and also the shadow prime minister. In fact, PM Attee ordered his staff to increase the numbers so that he also mcould occasionally enjoy the Indian cigars.

A few years later, the war ended. British Empire collapsed as India became independent. The supply of Trichy cigars to Whitehall also stopped, however, the post continued till 1960, unknown to most people.

Prime Minister Modi’s narration of the entire incident was to make a strong point that the Congress party, which took the reigns of power from the Britishers, continued most of their policies and did not care to bring in reforms aligned with the interests of independent India. Rather than bringing recent reforms, the Indian government-led by Nehru was happy to maintain ‘status quo’ resulting in anomalies such as Churchill’s Cigar Assistant continuing the job even decades after India’s independence.

The ubiquitous Congress grass, here is why it is named so and how Jawaharlal Nehru gifted this poisonous weed to the nation

OpIndia Staff
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The ubiquitous Congress grass, here is why it is named so and how Jawaharlal Nehru gifted this poisonous weed to the nation

If you live in India, whether in a posh upmarket locality or a poor roadside jhuggi, the odds are that you have seen the weed called “Congress grass” everywhere. Unless you stay locked up inside your home, there is no escaping this weed in India.

However, it is not native to India, and yet it is everywhere in India, that is the curious part. This toxic invasive species named Parthenium hysterophorus was not present in India when we gained independence, but soon, it was everywhere. So what happened, well, Jawaharlal Nehru happened to India.

Jawaharlal Nehru and Congress gifted the ‘poisonous weed’ to the nation

During the 1950s, after independence, India was facing a food shortage. To mitigate this crisis, the Congress government at the centre at that time decided to import wheat from the USA. The food-grain was obtained under the PL 480 (food for peace) programme of the USA. But the wheat that was shipped to India was of inferior quality, and it was mixed with seeds of the parthenium weed. Thus from this shipment from the USA, the dangerous weed spread in India.

Spotted first in Pune, five decades down the line, it can now still be found in Andaman-Nicobar Islands. It is alleged that when the weed was first spotted, the government didn’t take any step to stop its spread. For this reason, people named the weed ‘Congress grass’, considering it as a gift from the Congress government to the nation.

The poisonous and invasive parthenium, commonly known as ‘congress grass’ or ‘gajar ghas’ is known to have created nuisance in many parts of the world. The weed, which is known to cause skin and respiratory diseases owing to its poisonous property, has already created havoc in many Indian states, including Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

The congress grass grows extremely fast along the roads in many villages and kills many other flora species on its way. The weed has managed to thrive even at places where other species of weeds have not survived and cattle, too, stay away from them. According to experts, the weed needs to be removed manually with hands before it escalates and reaches the next phase. The species is harmful to humans as well as animals.

If left unchecked the grass could spread uncontrollably within a short span of time. The plant grows about 5-6 feet in height and can produce as many as 5,000-10,000 seeds. The seeds, which are lightweight can spread far and wide with help of wind, rain and human and cattle movement, leading to uninterrupted growth.

Writer in NYT arrested on charges of being an agent of Iran : How many Indian liberals are foreign agents?

Abhishek Banerjee
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Writer in NYT arrested on charges of being an agent of Iran : How many Indian liberals are foreign agents?

Tell me this. While reading an article by an Indian liberal, have you ever had the feeling that something just isn’t right? I mean, it’s okay if they don’t like Modi. That’s their democratic right. Even if they are driven by obsessive, all consuming hatred against the Prime Minister, that’s okay too. Even somewhat funny. After all, these people have lost a lot of privileges since Lutyens changed hands. Believe me, if you had that much unearned privilege and it was suddenly taken away, you would be just as angry.

I’m talking about something else. While reading some of their articles, have you wondered if the person writing even cares about India? Does it feel like some of their stuff isn’t dissent, but paid propaganda by foreign agents?

That’s because it might actually be. Consider this:

“Afrasiabi allegedly sought to influence the American public and American policymakers for the benefit of his employer, the Iranian government, by disguising propaganda as objective policy analysis and expertise,” Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme said.“

What is going on? In January, the US government arrested one Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi on charges of secretly being a paid agent of the Iranian government. Apparently, Afrasiabi used to call himself a “political scientist” and go around disguising propaganda as “objective policy analysis and expertise.”

Sound familiar? I will let the Assistant Attorney General speak for himself

“For over a decade, Kaveh Afrasiabi pitched himself to Congress, journalists, and the American public as a neutral and objective expert on Iran,” Assistant Attorney General Demers said. “However, all the while, Afrasiabi was actually a secret employee of the Government of Iran and the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations (IMUN) who was being paid to spread their propaganda.“

Neutral and objective expert! Do we know any people like that in India?

So who gave this person the platform for presenting his “neutral and objective” views?

“In 2018, The New York Times published an opinion piece co-written by Afrasiabi that called for a meeting between then-President Trump and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran. The Times described Afrasiabi as “a former adviser to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team.” The Times also linked to a book written by Afrasiabi, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office now accuses him of simply pushing propaganda. ….

Afrasiabi also wrote a 2012 opinion piece published by the Times which claimed world leaders gathering in Tehran for a summit would “elevate Iran as the movement’s new president for three years and enhance Tehran’s regional and international clout” but “the United States … adopted a purely negative approach toward the Tehran summit.“

Ah, the New York Times! The venerable newspaper of record. The keeper of the democratic conscience of the United States and all formerly colonized countries around the world. If it isn’t in the New York Times, it might as well not be true at all.

So, how would the New York Times feel about a situation like this? They must be so crushed, so ashamed. Wondering if they are really the best people in the world. Even Mother Teresa doubted herself, at times. As Foxnews noted on Jan 28,

“The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment. … As of Thursday morning, the Times did not add any type of disclaimer to Afrasiabi’s columns informing readers he is accused of illegally working on behalf of Iran.”

Never mind. This is America’s internal affair and I don’t want to play nosy. I just hope we can take some lessons from the story and apply it to what is happening in our country.

Indeed, not every article that disagrees with the government has to be foreign propaganda. Being paranoid is not helpful.

At the same time, we cannot be clueless about things that happen around us. Our open democratic society allows us to express dissent against the policies of our government. At the same time, we must realize that enemy regimes and powerful special interest groups see this as an opportunity. They will use every means to undermine our country. And in a democracy, that begins with subverting public opinion.

Indeed, they will use same information highways that we use; books, newspapers, TV channels, news portals, to plant their propaganda. And they will disguise it as everything from expert opinions to dissent.

Of course they won’t make it easy to tell the difference. Do online scamsters tell you in advance that they are scamsters? So what do we do? Stop using the internet? No! But we can use the online scamster analogy to draw two simple lessons about foreign propaganda.

First, you have to admit to yourself that the scam exists. The information channels are out there. Our enemies are out there. Like the internet, the enemies would be crazy not to use them against us. So you should be suspicious of anyone who tells you there is no need to look out for anti-nationals. Would you trust someone who tells you there are no internet scams out there so please give your passwords to anyone over phone or email? Would you trust someone who says that literally everyone arrested on accusations of highway robbery or online scams is actually innocent?

Then, why would you trust a class of people who insist that anyone ever arrested on accusations of subversion in India is innocent?

Second, use common sense. If it sounds too far fetched to be true, it probably isn’t true. Could it really be that some dying general in a distant country wants to leave you $100 million in gold for safekeeping? Similarly, Nazi, fascist, Taliban, ISIS … what haven’t they said about the current government of India? Not once or twice, but on a coordinated international scale. Just like I bet your spam folder collects 10-20 emails per day informing that you have won hundreds of millions of dollars.

Take a look around. If you were to walk to your neighbor’s house right now and criticize Modi, what do you think would happen to you? If you were to tweet against him, what would happen? Or if you walked into a police station right now and said you want Modi to resign, what could they do to you? You know perfectly well that nothing would happen. Do you really think that is how it used to work under Stalin or Hitler or the Taliban?

There are people who have made million dollar careers sitting in Delhi or Mumbai criticizing Modi as the worst ever. Do you think this is how it works in Pyongyang?

So why are these people telling you that New Delhi has turned into Pyongyang? Why are they telling you this far fetched ridiculous story? Like the dying general who wants to send you $100 million in gold right away. What are their motivations? They must want something. They won’t say upfront what it is. But you can sense that they are trying to cheat you somehow.

So, watch out! A spam folder might help.

SAD’s Harsimrat Badal peddles fake claims, tries to turn farmers’ protests into Hindu Vs Sikh issue

OpIndia Staff
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SAD’s Harsimrat Badal peddles fake claims, tries to turn farmers’ protests into Hindu Vs Sikh issue

Former Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Badal addressed the Lok Sabha speech on February 9, 2021. Badal was presenting her views on the Agriculture Laws and ongoing farmer protests. She started her speech with the mention of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, who gave three pillars of Sikhism that are Kirt Karo, Naam Japo and Vand Chakho. That means earn by hard work, pray to God and share what you have or earn.

Up to this point, MP Badal sounded concerned about the farmers but soon after she took the turn towards attacking the central Government, making communal remarks on Hindus. Her speech soon turned towards peddling Hindu-Sikh division narrative.

‘Farmers faced bullets’: Badal’s false claim

Badal made an explosive claim in which she alleged that the security forces had used bullets (gola baari) along with water cannons and tear gas shells on farmers during November clash when farmers tried to enter Delhi via Singhu border. In reality, security forces did not fire a single bullet during any clash with the farmers, let it be in November 2020 or on January 26, 2021.

‘Police attacked unarmed farmers’ – claimed Badal

During her speech, Badal said that police attacked unarmed farmers during the clashes. During both November and January clashed between police personnel and protestors, farmers had used their heavy-duty vehicles including tractors to break the barricading put in place by the police. During January 26 violence, police personnel were attacked with batons and swords.

Some protestors tried to mow down the police personnel with tractors when they were stopped. At Red Fort, police personnel on duty were cornered, beaten up with batons, kicked and pushed from a wall. There were thousands of protestors who were carrying swords and other weapons. One protestor was also seen waving an assault rifle on January 26.

‘Government is stubborn and not talking to the farmers’: Badal says even after 11 rounds of talks

Another bizarre claim that Badal made during her speech was that the central government is not interested in talking to the farmers. She claimed that the central Government is stubborn and in 75+ days since the protestors reached Delhi, not even a single minister has approached farmers. She also claimed that there were no attempts to discuss the issues with farmers during the protests that were happening in Punjab since September.

Contrary to her statement, the Central Government had made several attempts to talk to the farmers in Punjab before they started to march towards Delhi. Reports suggest that the farmer unions denied it with a new demand every time the Government opened the route for discussion. When the farmers started moving towards Delhi, a date was already fixed for a meeting and unions could have waited for the date given by the central Government. However, they decided to march towards Delhi, creating a situation of chaos.

Since the first round of discussion in December 2020, the Government so far has held 11 rounds of discussion with the farmer unions. The Government has asked them to give a list of problems and discuss the laws clause-by-clause. Farmer unions have shown stubbornness in the matter and demanded that the Government must repeal the laws.

‘Everyone has put Nishan Sahib in bad light’: Badal

Badal claimed that the flag that was hoisted on Red Fort was Nishan Sahib and it is worn by Prime Minister and many foreign leaders during their visit to Gurudwaras. She claimed that by calling it an act of disrespect for Tricolour, everyone is putting Nishan Sahib in a bad light. However, Nishan Sahib, which is a triangular flag with the Sikh Holy symbol, was not the only flag that was hoisted on Red Fort on Republic Day. There was another rectangular flag too that very much resembles the flag used by Khalistan groups.

Moreover, the ramparts of the Red Fort are the place from where the Indian national flag is hoisted on every Republic Day and Independence Day. By placing religious flags on flagpoles of a place that symbolises India’s sovereignty, and flies only the Tricolour, the rioters had angered a large number of Indians.

Our Gurus sacrificed their lives to save your ‘janeu’ and ’tilak’: Badal converts farmers’ issues into Hindu-Sikh issues

Towards the end of her speech, MP Badal did not shy away from spewing venom for Hindus. She claimed that Sikh Gurus sacrificed their life for those who wear Janeu and Tilak. She claimed that Sikhs have always saved Hindus and now Hindus are demeaning Sikh Gurus. In reality, no one is against the Sikhs. During his recent speech in Rajya Sabha, PM Modi also mentioned the contribution made by the Sikh community in India’s progress. Throughout the debate and media hype of the farmer protests, no anti-Sikh remarks have been made. In fact, it was certain secessionist elements among the protestors who had made anti-India and anti-Hindu remarks, peddling secessionist Khalistani sentiments that is encouraged by Pakistan.

‘PM called farmers parasites’: Another fake claim

Another fake claim that Badal made during her speech was that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called farmers protesting on Delhi borders parasites. PM Modi referred to those who are always present in protests no matter what the agenda of the protests is. PM Modi said that these people thrive on protests and often turn the demonstrations into propaganda. Calling such professional protesters parasites, PM Modi said it is essential to identify them as they cause trouble for the nation. The PM’s remarks were clear in conveying that it was not against the farmers but the few political individuals who have been hijacking the protests to ain political relevance.

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