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Madhya Pradesh Protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma sends Ramayana to WB CM Mamata Banerjee

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh Protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma sends Ramayana to WB CM Mamata Banerjee

The Protem Speaker of Madhya Pradesh, Rameshwar Sharma, has sent a copy of Ramayana to Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal. He took this step after Mamata Banerjee had objected to the chanting of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans in Kolkata in presence of PM Modi.

In his statement, Sharma said that the way Mamata Banerjee protested against Bhagwan Ram was not right. He further added that the country and its people belong to Bhagwan Ram and people expect from you that you do not hate ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ He also asked her if she is under the pressure of extremists to oppose Bhagwan Ram.

Mamata Banerjee refused to speak amid ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans

On January 24, when CM Mamata Banerjee was about to start her address to the public during the event in honour of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present, some people in the crowd started raising slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ CM Banerjee strongly objected to it, and refused to address the public. She said that there is a certain decorum that should be followed during government meetings. CM Banerjee has shown her displeasure over the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan several times in the past.

Farmer protestor writes to PM Modi’s mother requesting her to order the PM to scrap the farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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Farmer protestor writes to PM Modi’s mother requesting her to order the PM to scrap the farm laws

The anti-farm law protestors have intensified their agitation and political tactics to force the Union government to revoke the historic farm laws. In a bizarre development, one such protestor, named Harpreet Singh, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother Hiraben Modi in the hopes of getting the farm laws scrapped.

As per the copy of the letter accessed by Times of India, Singh wrote, “I am writing this with a heavy heart. You must be knowing that farmers, protesting against two black laws, are forced to sleep on the streets of Delhi in this cold winter. Several protestors are aged between 90 and 95. Many have fallen sick. Some have also died due to the cold weather. This is a matter of concern.”

Harpreet Singh, who hails from Ferozepur district of Punjab, alleged that farmers have been forced to launch a peaceful agitation after the government supposedly passed the three farm laws on the behest of Adani, Ambani group and other corporates. He added, “The farmers are unhappy and disappointed because of these laws and are concerned about their children. The farmers of the country do not want any amendments in these laws but want to get them repealed.”

Screengrab of the letter via The times of India

Protestor complains about ‘media labels’, makes emotional appeal

Furthermore, he said that the so-called farmers, protesting against the farm laws, have not only produced crops in large quantities when India was going through a period of food crisis but also fed the hungry stomachs of the people across the globe. “Today, when they are making a demand for their rights, it must be fulfilled. Amidst the protest, the produce is getting destroyed. Farmers and their family members are waiting (for a solution),” he added.

Harpreet Singh alleged that it is a nationwide agitation of farmers and that the protestors are being wrongly portrayed as ‘terrorists’, ‘Khalistanis’ and members of ‘Tukde Tukde gang’ by the media. He claimed that farmers across India have joined the ‘mass movement’ to get rid of the farm laws and have not been misled by anyone. To augment his appeal, the anti-farm law protestor said that Punjab has produced over 90% of freedom fighters but did not demand anything in return.

PM Modi will not refuse you, claims protestor in his letter

Singh concluded, “I am writing this letter with a lot of hope. Your son Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country, he can withdraw the farm laws that he has passed. I feel, a person can refuse anyone except his mother because in our country the mother is considered a god. Your son, PM Modi will never refuse your request. I’m hopeful that your son will listen to you and repeal these black laws. The entire country will thank you. A mother can order his son by pulling his ear. If these three laws are scrapped, then it would be victory for the entire country and nobody will be defeated.”

Harpreet Singh has been protesting against the farm laws since September last year. He, along with two others, namely, Karandeep Sandhu and Gurpreet Singh, was arrested under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) Sections 107, 151 for organising a protest without permission at the Ridge in Shimla. He was released on bail the following day.

Delhi Police grants permission for Tractor Parade by farmer protesters on Republic Day: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police grants permission for Tractor Parade by farmer protesters on Republic Day: Details

Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Intelligence, Delhi Police has announced that permission has been granted to the farmer protesters to conduct a tractor parade at the national capital on the occasion of Republic Day. He said that sanctity and security of the Republic Day celebrations will be maintained.

Pathak said, “We have finally decided, we have agreed that we will have tractor rally also on that day (Republic Day) maintaining the sanctity and security arrangements of the Republic Day celebrations.”

“The tractor rally will enter Delhi from Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders and return to its originating points. From Singhu, it will pass through Kanjhawala, Bawana, Auchandi border, KMP Expressway and then return to Singhu,” he added.

Farmer leaders had announced on Saturday that permission had been granted to them for the tractor parade in Delhi. Later, Delhi Police had denied receiving any written submissions regarding the routes for the rally. However, now the matter appears to have been settled and permission has been granted by the Police.

Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorists hiding in launch pads to infiltrate into India to carry out attacks: Intelligence reports

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorists hiding in launch pads to infiltrate into India to carry out attacks: Intelligence reports

Several Pakistan-based terror teams, comprising Islamic terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahedeen (HM) are hiding in various forward areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir waiting to infiltrate into India to carry out suicide attacks in Kashmir and beyond, reports Sunday Guardian quoting intelligence reports.

According to the verifiable intelligence gathered by the Indian security agencies, that is accessed by the Sunday Guardian, it has been revealed that terrorists belonging to these terror groups have been given clear instructions to carry out attacks on Army installations in Kashmir. All these terror groups are working separately and are desperately trying to infiltrate into India.

Reportedly, the intelligence agencies suspect that one group of Lashkar terrorists comprising six terrorists, led by a commander rank terrorist, is camping in Poonch district of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. They have been given the task of assisting in carrying out a BAT-led (Pakistan’s Border Action Team) terror attack on Indian soldiers. These terror groups will co-ordinate with Pakistani Army regulars to cross the LoC to kill Indian soldiers, mostly by using sharp weapons.

Lashkar, Hizbul terrorists waiting at launch pads to infiltrate into India

Addition to Lashkar terrorists, four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, are also camping near the International Border (IB) in the Kathua sector and may cross India through a tunnel with the help of an accomplice. It is pertinent to note that the Indian Army has unearthed several such tunnels dug from POK’s side to send terrorists across to India.

The intelligence gathered suggests that these four terrorists will infiltrate into India and walk towards NH 44 to board a commercial vehicle for their onward journey. Another batch of six Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including two individuals identified as Nazim and Shadaq are also moving adjacent to Indian assets on the Naushera sector to carry out attacks on Indian soldiers.

A group of seven heavily armed terrorists are also currently residing in terror camps in Datote of Pachiot village, PoK. This group, which is desperate to enter India, has already made two unsuccessful attempts in the last month to cross over, but have failed to do so.

Indian Army gives stern warning to Pakistan

In its annual press conference on 12 January, Indian Army chief MM Naravane had said that their immediate concern was terror emanating from Pakistan. In a clear and unambiguous message to Pakistan and the world, the Indian Army chief had said that Pakistan was continuing to use terrorism as a tool for achieving its state objectives.

“Pakistan continues to embrace terror and terrorism as an instrument of state policy. However, we are very clear that we have zero tolerance for terror and we reserve our right to respond at a time and place of our own choosing and with precision. This is a clear message that we have sent across that we will not tolerate any such kind of activity,” the COAS said, giving a stern warning to Pakistan by highlighting India’s aggressive strategy to counter Pakistan’s use of terrorism as a state policy to destabilize the country.

Even as the terror-state of Pakistan trying to inflict terror on India, the Indian political leadership and the Indian Army have made it very clear in the past that any terror attack on Indian assets and people, would be dealt with the severe response that was also manifested in India’s two operations against terror-grouping emanating from Pakistan.

India has carried out two major strikes against terror launch pads – first in September 2016 after Indian Army carried out surgical strike on terrorist assets located in PoK to retaliate against the terror attack on an Army base in Uri. Again in February 2019, India conducted an air strike in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, against Jaish-e-Mohammaed camps to avenge the terror attack in Pulwama that led to the death of 40 CRPF personnel.

‘This is Tulsi Gabbard’: Former US Congresswoman announces the launch of her podcast

OpIndia Staff
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‘This is Tulsi Gabbard’: Former US Congresswoman announces the launch of her podcast

Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has announced the launch of her podcast after not attempting a re-election to the US House of Representatives from the second Congressional seat in Hawaii. On the 22nd of January, she released a video on YouTube announcing that ‘This is Tulsi Gabbard’ will be launched soon.

The first Hindu woman to be elected to the US House of Representatives says in the video, “Now, more than ever, during these dark and divisive and dangerous times, we have the opportunity to be a positive force, to help heal the divide, to treat each other with Aloha, with respect and love and better understand each other.”

Gabbard says that the show will attempt to transcend ‘sound bytes’ and instead, focus more on information and thought provoking discussions. She will also answer questions by her audience. “We will tackle the great challenges of our time together. We will go where others won’t, gain new perspectives and we will never shy away from the tough conversations,” she stated.

Tulsi Gabbard has made multiple appearances at the Joe Rogan Podcast and enjoys great popularity among both sides of the political divide. However, since she announced her run for the presidency, she has been accused of being Russia’s puppet, an apologist for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and was targeted for her Hindu identity.

She lost favour with the Democratic party after she resigned her vice chairmanship at the Democratic National Committee in 2016 to endorse Bernie Sanders for the nomination of the presidential candidate from the Democrat party. Her anti-war position with regards to foreign policy has worked against her as well and in recent times, she has, on more occasions than a few, found herself at odds with the political establishment of her party.

While India administers over a million vaccine doses in a week, Pakistan awaits its ‘unsafe gift’ from China

OpIndia Staff
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While India administers over a million vaccine doses in a week, Pakistan awaits its ‘unsafe gift’ from China

India has administered a million doses of Chinese coronavirus vaccines to its frontline workers in just about a week. However, our neighbour next door Pakistan is still to get its first doses of vaccines delivered.

In April 2020, when the pandemic had just started to spread across the world, Pakistan PM Imran Khan had to inform his citizens that social media messages which claimed Allah has made Pakistanis such that coronavirus won’t affect them were fake. He had asked Pakistanis not to be afraid. “Aapne gabhrana nahi hai. It is our belief that life and death are in the hands of Allah,” he had said adding that the government will help the doctors and nurses in their ‘jihad’ against Coronavirus.

However, as rest of the world is already getting its coronavirus vaccine, Pakistan is yet to receive its first ‘gift’ from its friend China.

China promises vaccines to Pakistan

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi last week announced that China has promised to provide 5 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine by January 31.

Pakistan has approved the emergency use of SinoPharm vaccine to be administered to its citizens. A Chinese doctor, Dr Tao Lina, had earlier this month said that SinoPharm vaccine developed by China is the ‘most unsafe’ vaccine with as many as 73 side effects. However, soon his social media post mysteriously disappeared from Weibo, a Twitter-like platform for China. Some of the side effects of SinoPharm vaccine listed by him were pain around the injection area, headache, high blood pressure, the loss of vision and taste, and urinary incontinence.

World Health Organisation is yet to consider China’s SinoPharm and Sinovac vaccine for emergency approval.

The second vaccine, Sinovac, has also had efficacy issues. As per reports, the last-stage trials of the Sinovac vaccine in Brazil noted that the vaccine’s efficacy is around 50.38% and not 78% as claimed by China. The true efficacy rate is still unclear. 

Interestingly, Turkey reported an efficacy rate for Sinovac at 91.25%, and Indonesia reported 65.3%. In its recent statements, Brazil said that the level of efficacy is greater in some cases compared to others. Because of such mismatch in numbers and uncertainty over the data available in the public domains, some countries have decided to put the vaccine under review and pause the rollouts. The scientists have urged the company to release more information.

Chinese vaccine maker CanSino offers deal to Pakistan

Meanwhile, Chinese vaccine maker CanSino has offered 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan. It is apparently a single-shot vaccine and has promised preferential pricing to Pakistan. Other vaccines have dual dose and require specific temperature to store the vaccines.

It is imperative to note here that CanSino vaccine is yet to declare its efficacy results from Phase 3 trials. CanSino and other Chinese developers had to reach out to other countries for Phase 3 testing trials. Eventually, CanSino started its late-stage trials in Pakistan, Russia, Argentina, Mexico and Chile.

CanSino has enrolled 17,500 participants few days back for Phase 3 trials in Pakistan. These results in Pakistan are likely to be the earliest results of CanSino’s protection against COVID-19.

Pakistan is world’s fifth most populous country but it is amongst the 51 countries which is yet to start immunisation program for its citizens.

Professor who translated Rahul Gandhi’s “don’t need army if farmers are strong” speech in Erode faints after the speech: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Professor who translated Rahul Gandhi’s “don’t need army if farmers are strong” speech in Erode faints after the speech: Reports

In a bizarre incident, Muhammed Imran, the person who translated Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Erode in Tamil Nadu today, collapsed at the rally venue minutes after interpreting Gandhi-scion’s English speech into Tamil.

According to the reports, the 35-year-old Muhammed Imran, a professor, who was seen passionately translating the speeches delivered by Rahul Gandhi during his address to the party workers in Erode on Sunday fainted a few minutes of Rahul Gandhi’s speech. He has been taken to a nearby hospital.

It is not yet clear regarding the reason why the professor fainted at the Congress rally.

It is pertinent to note that Rahul Gandhi had delivered a dangerous speech in Erode, where he had suggested that if India’s farmers, workers and labourers were strong, India would not need to deploy army, navy and air force at borders, especially at Indo-China border. He had claimed that if the farmers and labourers were protected and empowered, China would not dare to intrude into Indian territories.

The report by Dinakaran said that after translating the speech delivered by Rahul Gandhi, the translator Imran lost his consciousness and fainted at the spot. Following the incident, he was rushed to a hospital.

Russian Government metaphorically spanks Shekhar Gupta’s The Print for peddling fake news, advises editors to focus on facts, not flashy headlines

OpIndia Staff
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Russian Government metaphorically spanks Shekhar Gupta’s The Print for peddling fake news, advises editors to focus on facts, not flashy headlines

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on social media where it has metaphorically spanked Shekhar Gupta’s The Print for publishing fake news regarding the postponement of the India-Russia annual summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MFA, Russia) said that The Print’s “attempt to create a sensation from nothing failed and looked ludicrous and helpless.”

The MFA, Russia stated on Facebook that the media was informed that “even though the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the schedule of contacts and delayed the annual summit, it had not become an obstacle to the strengthening of friendly ties between our countries.”

In a statement, the Russian government said, “During the event, members of the media were informed about the well-known position of Moscow: Russia welcomes the commitment of its Indian partners to the promotion of inclusive formats of regional cooperation as opposed to the division that a number of other countries are trying to impose, as they build their policies in the spirit of containment.”

MFA, Russia hits out at Shekha Gupta's The Print for spreading fake news
MFA, Russia hits out at Shekha Gupta’s The Print for spreading fake news

Furthermore, the statement added that their Indian counterpart had raised the sensationalist report by The Print “emphasising that in 2020, the summit, with the mutual agreement of the parties, had not taken place due to the pandemic, and insinuations of any other kind were invalid.”

It added, “The Indian Foreign Ministry noted separately that the spread of false information about important bilateral relations was “particularly irresponsible.”” The report in question was published on the 23rd of December, 2020.

“The Print’s attempt to create a sensation from nothing failed and looked even more ludicrous and helpless amid dozens of other articles published following the briefing which described various aspects of Russian-Indian relations in a constructive and correct manner. We hope that The Print editors will draw the necessary conclusions and will from now on focus on facts, rather than flashy headlines aimed at attracting attention,” MFA, Russia stated.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had cited The Print report to target the NDA Government at the Center. Gandhi wrote, “Russia is a very important friend of India. Damaging our traditional relationships is short-sighted and dangerous for our future.”

The Print report had claimed that Russia had “expressed severe reservations on New Delhi joining the Indo-Pacific initiative and Quad, thereby tilting more towards the US.” Russian Ambassador to India, Nikolay Kudashev, had junked the report and said that it was “far from reality”.

Rahul Gandhi says if farmers and labourers are strong, India does not need to deploy armed forces at Indo-China border

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi says if farmers and labourers are strong, India does not need to deploy armed forces at Indo-China border

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who is on a trip to Tamil Nadu ahead of the state assembly elections, said on Sunday that the workers, farmers and labourers in the country are being neglected at the expense of five-six business houses and claimed that the Indian labourers could replace the security personnel at the Indo-China border.

Addressing a rally at Erode, Tamil Nadu, the Gandhi-scion pushed for demilitarisation of Indian borders, especially along the Indo-China border saying that the government was using Indian Army, Navy and Air Force to protect India from China, however, it should use India’s farmers and labourers at the borders instead of Armed Forces at the border.

‘You are using the Indian Army and Navy to protect India from China. If you use India’s farmers, labourers and workers, you will not need the Army, Navy and Airforce at the borders,’ said Rahul Gandhi while interacting with the weavers’ community in Erode. The Kerala MP also said that he can guarantee that if India’s labourers, farmers and weavers were strong, they were protected and given opportunities, China would never dare to come inside India.

The Congress party, which has signed an MoU with the Chinese Communist Party, seems to be playing a dangerous game of politicising national security by calling to demilitarise the Indo-China border and instead deploy Indian farmers and labourers to protect the borders.

Continuing his political rhetoric, the Gandhi-scion said that if India’s small and medium industries were strengthened, then Chinese President will wear ‘Made in India’ shirt.

Attacking the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi made false claims saying that every act of the Indian government is to strengthen 5-6 businessmen and weaken India’s real strength i.e., the labourers and weavers of India.

“If India’s weavers, farmers, labourers are given opportunities then China would not dare to come into India. If India’s small-medium factories are strong, President of China will be wearing a ‘Made in India’ shirt, Chinese people will drive Indian cars, Chinese people will fly Indian planes,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi is currently on a 3-day tour in Tamil Nadu – Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Karur.

Photograph of PM Modi landing in Kolkata goes viral, clocks over 1 million likes on Facebook in less than 24 hours

Dibakar Dutta
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Photograph of PM Modi landing in Kolkata goes viral, clocks over 1 million likes on Facebook in less than 24 hours

A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was uploaded from his official Facebook account on Saturday, clocked over 1.1 million likes in less than 24 hours.

The said photograph was captured after PM Modi reached the city of Kolkata to pay tribute to freedom fighter Netaji Subash Chandra Bose on ‘Parakram Diwas’. At the time of writing, the post has been shared 15,000 times with over 49,000 comments. “Reached Kolkata to pay tributes to Netaji Bose”, read the caption of the image posted from the official Facebook account of PM Modi. The Prime Minister was spotted in a white dress, with a shawl on his shoulder. PM Modi had reached Kolkata from Assam, where he had attended an event earlier in the day.

Screengrab of the Facebook post of PM Modi

PM Modi visits Kolkata on Parakram Diwas

Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the Netaji Bhawan, a memorial and research centre dedicated to the late freedom fighter, along with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Bose’s grand nephews Sugato Bose and Sumantro Bose. Following this, he took part at an event along with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to commemorate the birth anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose.

While speaking at the Victoria Memorial Hall, PM Modi remarked, “I sometimes wonder how Netaji would have felt had he seen how a new and strong India is taking shape. From the LAC to LoC, the world is witnessing a strong India that was once envisioned by Netaji. India today is giving a befitting reply wherever attempts are made to challenge its sovereignty.”

PM Modi’s most retweeted tweet on Twitter

As per Twitter, the ‘light a lamp’ tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the most retweeted tweet in the category of politics last year. Prime Minister Modi had posted pictures with a burning lamp and had also urged the public to follow suit to switch off all the lights of the house and stand in the balcony after lighting a lamp, switching on the flashlight of their mobile phone or holding a torch. He had said that this collective expression of purpose and togetherness would help the nation get through this time of crisis. His tweet was retweeted 118.4k times and had 513.2K likes.

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