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After ridiculous demands, Modi govt asked them to approach SC instead to repeal farm laws, claim protesters

OpIndia Staff
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After ridiculous demands, Modi govt asked them to approach SC instead to repeal farm laws, claim protesters

The talks between the government and protesting farmers on Monday ended on an inclusive note as both parties refused to budge from their stand. The government has made it clear that the laws will not be repealed and the protesters said the protests will continue if they are not.

Monday also saw the government making clear that they will not bow down to the motivated protests. Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said, “The agriculture minister clearly said that the laws will not be repealed, he even told us to approach the Supreme Court for repeal of the laws.” “We urge the youth of Punjab to prepare for a long haul. We will take out a big procession on Republic Day,” he stated.

“We will discuss only the MSP issue and the repeal of laws. It is the ego problem of the government that is coming in way of resolving issues,” said Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) President Balbir Singh Rajewal.

Meanwhile, Agricultural Minister NS Tomar maintained that the discussions occurred over a cordial atmosphere. “The meeting was held in a good atmosphere but farmers were adamant on their demands and we could not arrive at any conclusion. The next meeting has been decided with due consensus,” he said.

“Several rounds of talks are held during such important issues. The government has to decide keeping in mind farmers of the entire country. Both sides want to resolve the issue. The laws have been made keeping in mind the best interest of farmers,” he stated.

The protesters have also been threatening the government and holding the country ransom, egged on by the likes of Ichchhadhaari protester Yogendra Yadav. Recently, the politician threatened to target the Republic Day celebrations across the country. The next round of talks is scheduled for the 8th of January. But it appears extremely unlikely as of this point that the matter will be resolved then as well.

Fact Check: Is Covid-19 vaccine changing people into man-eaters?

Anurag
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Fact Check: Is Covid-19 vaccine changing people into man-eaters?

The covid vaccine will make you impotent, Covid vaccine causes an erection, Covid vaccine is a cover-up to inject nano tracker in you, Covid vaccine will make you slave of Bill Gates, Covid Vaccine has pork, Covid vaccine works better if injected in the penis, and Covid vaccine contains human foetus cells. There are some of the most bizarre claims that have been made since many variants of the Covid-19 vaccine was developed and went into trials.

You may think the conspiracy theorists would have used all their brain-juice to cook up stories. Well, you are wrong. They are getting weirder every day, and unfortunately, no vaccine can stop the spread of this disease of misinformation. In a recent claim, the conspiracy theorists and fear mongers have claimed that after receiving Covid-19 vaccine patients have started eating each other. In simpler terms, they have become man-eaters or zombies or cannibal.

The straight-out-of-horror-movie-like image has the CNN logo on the bottom right, and it reads, “Hospitals on lockdown as first Covid vaccine patients start eating other patients.” The first thing that may strike in some people’s heads is “I am not going to take the vaccine!”

Image via Twitter
Image via Twitter
Image via Twitter

But hold-on! Think about it first. Look at the image. Can you see any human parts that alleged patients have left behind or they ate bones too? Let’s not make it scarier and investigate what actually is happening here.

Patients do not get the vaccine

First and foremost, you need to understand who gets the vaccine. And before that, you need to understand what exactly a vaccine is? When you get a vaccine for any disease, you are basically getting injected with the same condition but in non-potent format. They are either killed or weakened so that they do not harm you.

A vaccine trains your body to fight the disease and stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies if the condition tries to infect your body. In case you are already suffering from the disease, like in this case with Covid-19, experts have advised waiting for 14-days before getting vaccinated. The claim in the image that the patients who got the vaccine are eating other patients stays incorrect because ‘patients’ do not get the vaccine in the first place.

Now coming to the image, we did some digging and reverse searched the image being used in the claim. We found that the image is from February 14, 2019, and was used in a report by The New York Times titled “I Remember the First Time I Saw a Teenager Die”. It was clicked by Eric Curran at the trauma bay in the emergency department at Temple University Hospital after resuscitation efforts failed. Basically, the image is from the time when Covid-19 was not even around.

Screenshot of New York Times’s report carrying the image from 2019.

Verdict

No, Covid-19 vaccine is not creating cannibals/zombies/man-eaters. Moreover, vaccines are cleared for use only after extensive clinical trials on hundreds of volunteers. There are several vaccines in the world now. The UK and the US have already started mass vaccination drives. There are no zombies eating other people anywhere in the world. The ‘information’ is FAKE. The claims may be the plot of some cheap movie, but it is certainly not a part of reality.

P.S. If we go by the latest standards, we would like to call them “person-eaters” just to make sure no gender out of countless that now exist, get offended by calling these alleged person-eating vaccine-receivers ‘man-eaters’.

British PM Boris Johnson cancels India visit for Republic Day

OpIndia Staff
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British PM Boris Johnson cancels India visit for Republic Day

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was to attend the Republic Day celebration has now called off the visit. This comes after more transmissible variant of the Chinese coronavirus was found in UK patients.

Johnson was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. He said that he hopes to visit India in later part of the year ahead of UK’s G7 summit which PM Modi is due to attend.

The United Kingdom is currently under nationwide lockdown due to increased number of cases as well as mutated coronavirus strain.

As per Reuters, Johnson has cancelled his visit citing the need to oversee pandemic response at home as the reason. British PM Johnson spoke to PM Modi and conveyed his regret at his inability to attend the Republic Day celebrations in India on 26th January.

UK under strict lockdown

The UK is currently under strict lockdown to curb the coronavirus cases. All schools and colleges will remain shut starting today. All are advised to stay at home. The lockdown is expected to last at least till mid-February. By mid-February UK expects to vaccinate the top four priority groups like frontline workers, people over 70 years of age and other vulnerable people.

Similarly, Scotland and Wales too have imposed lockdowns where schools and colleges are expected to remain shut till 18th January at least.

Innocence exploited? ‘Farmers’ and Congress use a child to peddle their propaganda yet again

OpIndia Staff
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Innocence exploited? ‘Farmers’ and Congress use a child to peddle their propaganda yet again

The handful of agitating ‘farmers’, who have been demonstrating on the outskirts of Delhi for more than a month, have been steadfast in using all tricks in the Left manual to mount pressure on the Modi government to accede to their demands. Even if it has taken them to use pliable young minds as props to give shape to their nefarious agenda, they have been unhesitating. Earlier, we saw scores of children holding posters and banners, at the protest site, in solidarity with the protesters and demanding the government to repeal the farm bills. 

Now, yet another video has surfaced on social media where a young child is seen giving a ‘motivational speech’ at the venue. The Congress party, which has been vociferously supporting the agitating farmer’s and peddling lies and misinformation against the new agricultural laws to berate Modi government, shared the video on Facebook on Sunday.

Gujarat youth Congress shares the video of a child speaking at the farmers protest

Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who has also been backing the ‘farmers’ agitation took to Twitter Today to share the video. Sirsa opined that the little girl would act as a motivation for people to join the protest.

Farmers using children to garner sympathy

In the video, the little girl recites powerful poetry to motivate farmers, while waging a war against the ‘three black laws’ and the ‘bikau media’. Though the confidence shown by child, who does not look a year older than 7 or 8, is definitely appreciable, no rational mind would believe that her diction and style of enunciation is her own. The small girl, who obviously must not be knowing the meaning of ‘bikau media’ or having any knowledge or understanding of the new Farm Laws, has been tutored to speak against the Centre to pressurize them into repealing them.

By roping in children, these protestors try to capitalise on their innocence and simplicity for drawing attention and garnering sympathy. Though this is becoming a very common practice lately, it’s sad to see how the anti-Modi detractors see no wrong in using gullible and impressionable children to peddle their propaganda.

Children being used as props for anti-govt protests are becoming common

Earlier, children of the actor-singer Gippy Grewal are seen exhorting people to extend their support to farmers and join the protests in solidarity with them. 

Even during the anti-CAA protests, young and pliable children were used as props by the protesters to garner sympathy from the masses and pressurise the government into repealing the Citizenship Amendment Act. People have not forgotten how a 4-month-old infant, Mohammad Jahan, was taken to protest site at Shaheen Bagh almost every day to solicit support for the anti-CAA protests.

Moreover, Congress scion Priyanka Gandhi was also been seen in a video egging on children to raise abusive slogans against PM Modi.

Vietnam to buy 70,000 tonnes of rice from India after decades. Here is why

OpIndia Staff
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Vietnam to buy 70,000 tonnes of rice from India after decades. Here is why

In a major development, Vietnam has begun purchasing rice grains from India for the first time in several decades, reported Reuters. This is despite the fact that the Southeast Asian country is the third-largest exporter of rice in the world.

As per reports, Vietnam has been forced to import rice from India, after local prices reached their peak in nine years. The problem is further accentuated due to limited domestic supply and continued purchase of rice grains by Philipines from Vietnam. As such, export prices reached a 9-year high, forcing the country to look for cheaper imports.

High export prices for rice in Vietnam has raised concerns of sub-Saharan nations, which import rice to meet the growing demands of its population growth. To add to the problem, the Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted supply chains, a rise in unemployment, leading to an increase in chronic and acute hunger. In order to ensure food security, Vietnam had earlier announced that it would stockpile 270,000 tonnes of rice. It must also be mentioned that the paddy output of the country fell (1.86%) to 42.69 million tonnes in 2020.

Vietnam turns to India for rice exports

Amidst the crisis, Vietnam has ordered shipments of 70,000 tonnes of 100% broken rice from India for the month of January and February. Industry officials informed that the shipments would be provided on a free-on-board (FOB) basis at $310 per tonne. Comparatively, Vietnam’s 5% broken rice would cost around $500-$505 per tonne.

BV Krishna Rao, Rice Exporters Association President, said, “For the first time we are exporting to Vietnam. Indian prices are very attractive. The huge price difference is making exports possible.”Nitin Gupta, the vice president of Olam India’s rice business, stated that demand from Asian and African countries are contributing to rise in export prices but hoped to stay competitive due to available stocks.

Last year, India exported a whopping 14 million tonnes of rice. And from December 2020, China also began importing rice from India after decades. As such, it is believed that if such trends continue, countries which traditionally import rice from Thailand and Vietnam might turn towards the world’s largest exporter of rice, India.

Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech pledge smooth rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in a joint statement, lay controversy to rest: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech pledge smooth rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in a joint statement, lay controversy to rest: Details

Days after the Drugs Controller General of India approved the emergency use of indigenously made COVID-19 vaccines—Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Serum Institute of India’s Covishield—both the vaccine manufacturers have come together to pledge towards a ‘smooth rollout’ of COVID-19 vaccines to India and the world.

In a joint statement issued by SII CEO Adar Poonawalla and Bharat Biotech’s Chairman Dr Krishna Ella, the two vaccine manufacturers stated that “the more important task in front of them is saving the lives and livelihoods of populations in India and the world.”

The two companies affirmed that the smooth rollout of the vaccine was their duty towards the nation and they are fully engaged in carrying it out earnestly. Both the companies are continuing their COVID-19 vaccine development activities as planned.

The also reiterated that they are “fully engaged in this activity and consider It our duty to the nation and the world at large to ensure a smooth rollout of vaccines.” Each of our Companies continues their COVI0-19 vaccines development activities as planned.

“Now that the two COVID-19 vaccines have been issued EUA (emergency use authorisation), the focus is on manufacturing, supply and distribution, such that population that need it most receive high quality, safe and efficacious vaccines,” the statement read.

SII and Bharat Biotech sparred over the efficacy of their COVID-19 vaccines

The joint statement also came days after Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawalla stirred an unwarranted controversy by claiming that only three vaccines passed all the scientific evaluations — Pfizer-BioNTech, Modera and Oxford-AstraZeneca — and that while the others were safe, “safe like water”, their effectiveness had not yet been evaluated.

Following Poonawalla’s veiled attack against Covaxin, the chairman of Bharat Bharat Biotech chairman Krishna Ella on Monday said, “We do 200 per cent honest clinical trials and yet we receive backlash. If I am wrong, tell me. Some companies have branded me like water.”

Notwithstanding their bickering, the coming together of Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech holds significance amidst attacks from several quarters over the efficacy of the vaccines made in India. Several politicians, including so-called experts, have slammed both the vaccine-makers and raised questions regarding the processes adopted by them to build and test the vaccines.

DCGI rubbishes rumours of indigenously-made vaccines being unsafe for the public

Many of them have sought to fuel suspicions that both the vaccines are not clinically tested like the Western-developed vaccines and have raised questions on the Drugs Controller General of India for rushing into authorising their emergency use.

However, the DCGI has rubbished the rumours of vaccines being unsafe as unfounded and groundless and claimed that both the vaccines are safe for the public.

On Sunday, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved Serum’s Oxford COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’, and an indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive. The approval was given based on recommendations given by a COVID-19 Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Workers at Google unionize, form ‘Alphabet Workers’, support pours in from Democratic Socialists: All you need to know

Anurag
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Workers at Google unionize, form ‘Alphabet Workers’, support pours in from Democratic Socialists: All you need to know

On Monday, over 200 workers at Google and other Alphabet Inc units announced that they have formed a labour union for the US and Canadian offices. The workers in the group have claimed that they have been protesting over business practices and working conditions in the tech giant for years. However, they were unable to get the needed support to force the company to the bargaining table.

Those who are in support of the “Alphabet Workers Union” say that this union will help in shielding members from firing or other forms of retaliation. Also, it will help the workers to collect dues to hire support staff. Due to the lack of support, workers were unable to attack the company aggressively, which will now be possible with the formation of the union.

Communications Workers of America labour group represents employees from AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc. The union will be a part of this group. Alphabet workers will pay 1% of the total compensation as dues to the group.

The Alphabet can ignore the union’s demands

As per the US labour law, Alphabet will have the right to ignore the demands put up by the union until a majority of employees support it. Reports suggest that the Alphabet group is a so-called “minority union” different from the traditional labour unions in the US. It will not be able to force the tech giant to collectively bargain over issues, including wages.

The widespread support is unlikely to happen anytime soon

Union leaders acknowledge that it will take time to gather widespread support. Those who work at Google know that it is a high paying job with perks such as gyms and free meals. Unionization has not been a priority for the majority of the workers at Alphabet. However, labour activism is slowly entering the tech industry as workers and regulators are continuously locking horns with the increasing power of internet companies, including Alphabet.

Chewy Shaw, the Alphabet union’s vice-chair, said that in the recent years small fractions of the workforce had raised voices over workplace equity and ethical business practices. Google has listened to some of them and brought new policies around workplace investigations. The company also dropped a drone software project with the US military after an uproar among the workers. Shaw further added that the union would raise similar campaigns, and with the new structure with adequate funding, they will bring legitimacy and resources to the union.

In the past, the US Labour Regulator has accused Google illegal questioning of several workers who were later terminated as they protested companies policies and tried forming a union. Google then had said that it took action as per the regulations and followed the process as per their legal stand.

Different perks for employees and contractors is a significant issue at Google, says Union member

In an interview with Yahoo, Raksha Muthukumar, a software engineer at Google and part of Alphabet Workers, said that classification system is one of the main points the union wants to raise. While full-time employees get benefits, the contract workers do not get perks like health benefits etc. which they feel is wrong.

She further said that they have noticed Google has been shutting down such contractors recently putting them out of a job. “We just generally feel like that stratification is really divisive in the workplace, when the work and the responsibility is shared equally,” she added.

Support poured in for the union

Bernie Sanders, US Senator, has shown support for the newly formed union. In a tweet, he said that he stands in solidarity with the Alphabet Workers who are organizing to form a union at Google.

Congresswoman Marie Newman said that she is thrilled to hear the formation of the union. She further added that this union would help in democratizing the tech industry as a whole.

Rep Ro Khanna (Rohit Khanna), a Democratic Socialist in the same vein as Bernie Sanders, said that he stands with the Alphabet Workers who are bravely speaking out for their rights.

Congressman Donald Norcross called it great news for the tech industry.

Senator Sherrod Brown called it an essential step in the fight for a fair workplace.

Senator Tammy Baldwin recognized it as an important day for the tech workers of the US.

Alphabet Workers demand respect from the employer

In a tweet threat, Alphabet Workers said they formed the union as they want to work in a company that respects them. It reads, “We deserve a workplace that respects us, where we can work for a fair wage without fear of abuse or discrimination. We deserve meaningful control over the projects we work on & the direction of this company.”

Director of people operations at Google, Kara Silverstein said that the company supports its workers’ protected labour rights. She further added that the company would continue to engage directly with the employees.

If laws are to be made and amended on Sonia Gandhi’s NAC’s whims and fantasies why are we even holding elections

Nirwa Mehta
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If laws are to be made and amended on Sonia Gandhi’s NAC’s whims and fantasies why are we even holding elections

In the past six years, if there is one thing that is consistent, it is protesting. The moment the central government tries to bring in reforms, the usual suspects invariably oppose it. It doesn’t matter that they were once rooting for the same reforms when they were in power.

Whether it is the abrogation of Article 370 or Citizenship Amendment Act or the new farm laws, these know-it-alls metamorphose into the protestor of the season and demand full repealing of the laws. It is either my way or the highway for these ‘activists’ who change their cause as per the demand.

Sonia Gandhi’s minions appear out of thin air to ‘fight’ against the ‘fascists’.

Sonia Gandhi’s minions

Like Harsh Mander, the PIL ‘activist’ on wrong side of India’s interest, almost always. Remember how last year he was found inciting Muslim mobs against the Indian State and judiciary? Mander had said that henceforth, decisions pertaining to matters of the state shall not be delivered by the Supreme Court or the Parliament but will be made in the streets.  

And the time he accused the Supreme Court of failing India’s minorities. It is, of course, obvious that when Harsh Mander says ‘minorities’, he does not mean Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs or Parsis.

Harsh Mander was against CAA. He is also against the farm laws. No surprises there, no?

Speaking of surprises, Yogendra Yadav obviously does not come across as one at the protests. A protest veteran, Yadav shifts shape and takes the form of whichever community is protesting. Yadav likes to sometimes identify himself as a ‘concerned citizen’, but he’s more like the grumpy phoophaji at weddings whose sole existence depends on taking an offence.

If there is a reform, Yogendra Yadav is there to protest against it. Or spreading lies. Like Mander, he also wants full repealment of the new laws. A bit rich coming from a man who can’t manage to raise more than 50 bucks to fight elections.

To quote a wise Twitterati, do kaudi ki aukaat, ek kaudi ki zillat. (A two-bit person who thinks too highly of himself gets humiliated because of his delusions.)

NAC: The de facto PMO during Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure

Sonia Gandhi set up NAC (National Advisory Committee) on 4th June 2004, days after her ‘inner voice’ asked her to step aside and not become India’s Prime Minister. She was hailed as the Christian woman who stepped aside to let Sikh man take oath from Muslim President as Prime Minister of world’s largest democracy.

Files released by government of India in 2017 revealed how NAC overstepped its role of providing inputs in policy formulation to influencing policy decisions. Officers were summoned, reports sought by the NAC headed by Sonia Gandhi. Her decision was final.

Dr Manmohan Singh, as Prime Minister, carried out instructions as given by NAC headed by Sonia Gandhi.

Did you know Harsh Mander, Yogendra Yadav and other clowns had played their roles in various committees of the NAC and formulated various laws themselves? While Mander was a member of the committee that drafted anti-Hindu Communal Violence Bill, Yadav was member of the NAC on Right To Education (RTE). Mander also tried to save 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab from hanging.

Unsurprisingly, other members of Sonia Gandhi’s NAC are also opposing the farm laws. Jean Drèze, who had has spread lies about Modi govt’s maternity scheme is also against these laws. As is another member Shabnam Hashmi who went on to spread fake news amid Punjab farmer protests.

You get the drift, right?

And if we were to implement only what these people (Sonia Gandhi and her minions) have to ‘recommend’, why are we even having a democratically elected government? If Sonia, her son had to disagree, why are they not attending parliament when the bills are discussed and voted? Why use these underhanded tricks of creating chaos?

Are you really that hurt that not only you lost power in 2014, but also lost Amethi in 2019 and are reduced to a caricature of yourself?

CAA, Farm laws, were all passed with legitimate discussion in Parliament

One of the foremost argument these ‘dissenters’ have is that the laws are being implemented too quickly. So, now they have problem with the government actually working as well. How insanely absurd is that.

Worst is, when these laws were tabled as bills in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi was conveniently absent. Now also when Punjab farmers are protesting while on break from vandalising Jio telecom towers, Rahul Gandhi is vacationing in Milan. But now that it can’t be undone, the minions are unleashed.

Like, seriously, why are we even a democracy?

China: Former Huarong Chairman Lai Xiaomin sentenced to death for taking bribes, corruption, rumoured to have 100 mistresses

OpIndia Staff
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China: Former Huarong Chairman Lai Xiaomin sentenced to death for taking bribes, corruption, rumoured to have 100 mistresses

Former chairman of China Huarong Asset Management Co Lai Xiaomin has been sentenced to death on charges of bribery, corruption and bigamy. A local court in Tianjin City found Lai Xiaomin guilty of taking bribes worth a total of 1.79 billion yuan (S$365 million) between 2008-18. As per the ruling, all his personal assets will be confiscated.

Lai Xiaomin committed the crimes as a senior banking regulator, the Secondary Intermediate People’s Court of Tianjin observed. “Lai Xiaomin was lawless and extremely greedy,” the court said. “The social harm was huge and the crimes were extremely serious and he should be severely punished according to law,” it said. He was infamous for having a hundred mistresses.

Lai confessed in a state TV documentary that he preferred cash payments and would drive the money to an apartment in Beijing, from where the police recovered more than 200 million yuan later. He pleaded guilty in his final statement and expressed remorse over his conduct.

Lai was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party in 2018 and was detained. It was discovered that he owned a great many properties, luxury watches, cars, gold and art collections. The court observed that he took advantage of his position to capture millions of yuan worth of public funds in collusion with others. He was also charged with bigamous violations of his marriage.

According to Chinese state media, more than a million government officials have been punished in Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive. It is to be noted that Alibaba founder Jack Ma is also under the radar and an antitrust investigation has been initiated against the Alibaba Group Holding after the billionaire made unsavoury comments against financial regulators.

Republic TV has left rival channels behind in viewership since 2018: Chrome DM

OpIndia Staff
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Republic TV has left rival channels behind in viewership since 2018: Chrome DM

Chrome DM, a reputed market research firm, has found that Republic TV has a higher OTS (Opportunity-To-See) than its rival media network, Times Now, since 2018, as per a report in Indiantelevision.com.

OTS refers to the number of times a viewer is likely to watch a channel/brand. As such, any channel with a high OTS implies that the channel has a higher consumption/reach. Chrome DM analysed the OTS data between 2016 and 2020 and found that Republic TV overtook Times Now in 2018 in terms of higher OTS and in 2019 became the largest available English channel in Indian urban homes.

OTS data (Source: Chrome Live, Mkt- All India Urban, 2017-2020)

In its report, Chrome DM noted, “The distribution and availability of the channel have been extremely high in comparison to any other channel in the genre.” The firm discovered that the entry of Republic TV to the industry in 2017 marked a significant expansion of the news genre.

How Republic TV fared over Times Now since 2017?

Since Republic TV has been a free-to-air channel, TRAI’s implementation of its new tariff order (NTO) ensured that its reach increased across India. And thus, the gap in viewership/reach between Times Now and Republic TV has further widened in 2019 and 2020.” Chrome DM noted that Republic TV has been on a sharp growth trajectory ever since its launch in 2017. However, the growth has been slow or semi-stagnant for other news channels when compared to Republic TV.

Average OTS data (Source: Chrome Live, Mkt- All India Urban, 2017-2020)

OTS analysis reflects growth, the leadership of Republic TV: Republic CEO

While speaking about the OTS analysis by Chrome DM, Republic Media group CEO Vikas Khanchandani stated, “Republic Network has focused and delivered the largest reach platforms in its respective genres. The above data from Chrome is yet another data point that reflects on the growth and leadership that our brand enjoys.” He further said that Republic TV has also the highest engagement on social media, in its own genre.

“We have similar data points for our humongous consumption on OTT as our brand has very wide availability on connected devices and I am more than confident that we will continue to bring the largest English and Hindi news platforms for consumers and advertisers,” he concluded.

Mumbai Police accuses Republic TV of TRP manipulation

On the 8th of October, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh held a press conference where he categorically stated that Mumbai police have been alerted about a new racket involving false television rating points (TRP). He said that three channels, including Republic TV and two other Marathi channels- Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema have been reportedly involved in distorting the apparatus used by BARC to rate television channels. The commissioner said that arrests have also been made in this regard. He further added that Republic TV’s bank accounts were under scanner and that their officials would be summoned soon.

Parambir Singh further said that the confidential contract was given by BARC to a company called Hansa Research which has filed the complaint against some former employees who misused the data on households where the TRP monitoring systems are installed. Interestingly, in this FIR that was filed by Hansa Research, Republic TV was not mentioned even once. The channel that was mentioned several times was India Today.

Several senior staffers of Republic TV, have been arrested and interrogated by Mumbai Police so far.

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