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Wishing Merry Christmas is ‘Shirk’, you are creating your place in hell: Viral video shows preacher Zakir Naik telling Muslims

OpIndia Staff
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Wishing Merry Christmas is ‘Shirk’, you are creating your place in hell: Viral video shows preacher Zakir Naik telling Muslims

Radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who has been on the run from the law enforcement authorities in India, is not new to bizarre commentaries. In a video from April 2019 that has now gone viral on social media, Zakir Naik was seen admonishing a Muslim boy named Adel Ahmed for committing ‘sin’.

Ahmed’s mistake was that he wished his Christian friends, ‘Merry Christmas’. This is despite the fact that Christians constitute the majority population in the United Kingdom, of which Ahmed is a resident, and greeting people on festivals is a common practice throughout the globe. But for the hate preacher, such a gesture is against the tenets of Islam.

“To reach your goals, you cannot use wrong means brother. What is Haram to them is also Haram to you. When you are wishing Merry Christmas to them, you are agreeing that he is the son of God and that is Shirk (sin). Because they believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Irrespective of whether they are practising Christians or not, they celebrate the day because of His birthday,” Zakir Naik emphasised.

Video Courtesy: Youtube/Huda TV

It is 100% wrong to wish ‘Merry Christmas’: Zakir Naik

Zakir Naik is of the belief that Allah is the supreme creator of the world and thus the worship of Jesus Christ, aka anyone other than Allah, is, therefore, a sin. The Islamic scholar informed that he invites (Dawah) Christians on December 25, only to dismiss their belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God by coercing them to cite verses from the Bible as proof. “Is saying Merry Christmas wrong? I am telling you it is wrong. It is 100% wrong according to me,” he reiterated.

You are building a place in Hell, claims Zakir Naik

Naik further added, “If you don’t know what Christmas stands for and happen to wish someone, Allah may forgive you. If you drink alcohol, mistaking it for Pepsi, Allah may forgive you. But if you are doing it to build a relationship after knowing what Christmas stands for, you are building your place in Jahannam (Hell). Therefore, for reaching good means, you never have to follow bad means. You have to follow the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah (literature based on life and deeds of Prophet Muhammad).”

Zakir Naik and his bizarre comments

Earlier, on being asked by a ‘Muslim brother’ whether a Muslim can become a bureaucrat in a democratic country like India, Zakir Naik replied, “If you can follow the ‘deen‘ (religion), then, it is permissible. Else, it is not.” he emphasised, “If you are a strong person who can face the criticism of the non-Muslims, attacks of non-Muslims on Islam, stay away from bribery, follow the Sunnah and Quran, go ahead with the job.” Zakir Naik had explained that the only reason a Muslim should become a bureaucrat is to spread the religion and perform his religious duty.

He had also declared that despite his noble efforts of “taking the side of Muslims” and “showing the ugly face of oppressors”, NDTV’s star journalist Ravish Kumar will not find a place in the ‘Jannah’ or Muslim heaven. Naik said that whatever the ‘good deeds’ people like Ravish Kumar may do for the benefit of Muslims since they have not converted to Islam, they will still go to hell because of the crime of ‘shirk’ (heresy, idol worship) is bigger than any other crime.

Baba Ka Dhaba owner Kanta Prasad is now a restaurant owner. Here is what they will serve

OpIndia Staff
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Baba Ka Dhaba owner Kanta Prasad is now a restaurant owner. Here is what they will serve

In what can be seen as a happy ending to the happy-strange story of Internet fame, 80-year-old Kanta Prasad of ‘Baba Ka Dhaba’ is now a restaurant owner.

Baba Ka Dhaba gained internet popularity after a food vlogger Gaurav Wasan posted a video where he was seen crying over financial woes amid lockdown that was imposed to curb Chinese coronavirus. After his video went viral, support and love poured in from all over Delhi and people flocked his little ‘dhaba’ where he served ‘matar paneer’ and rotis. In fact, a doctor even helped him with his cataract operation.

However, soon after he accused the YouTuber of taking away the money that was allegedly collected by Wasan in Kanta Prasad’s name and not giving it to him. He even filed a cheating complaint against Wasan. Gaurav, however, had denied the allegations and said he had transferred the money. Earlier this month, Kanta Prasad had alleged that he was receiving death threats from Wasan.

However, things seem to have settled on a happy note for him as he now started his own restaurant in Malviya Nagar, Delhi. Baba Ka Dhaba restaurant will serve Indian and Chinese cuisines.

WB Governor seeks details of enquiry against IPS officer Gyanwant Singh, questions Mamata govt’s ‘favours’ to him

OpIndia Staff
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WB Governor seeks details of enquiry against IPS officer Gyanwant Singh, questions Mamata govt’s ‘favours’ to him

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who has been at odds with the Mamata Banerjee led state government on many issues, has once again questioned the CM over shielding of IPS officer Gyanwant Singh from an enquiry and promotions effected in his favour by the ruling dispensation.

Taking to Twitter, the WB Governor stated that he has asked the Additional Chief Secretary of Home to make available before him the entire file relating to the enquiry of Shri Gyanwant Singh IPS, ADG (Law & Order) by December 29, 2020.

He questioned as to why, despite the officer being charge-sheeted in view of the findings of the Calcutta High Court, did the Mamata Banerjee government favour him by promoting him to the post of ADG (law and order), a post considered as one of the most important ranks in the Bengal police.

Dhankhar wrote that he had earlier too sought details of enquiry against IPS Gyanwant Singh from the Mamata Banerjee government, but unfortunately that evoked no response from the ruling dispensation.

Jagdeep Dhankhar questions Mamata Banerjee over shielding IPS Gyanwant Singh

He also shared the observations made by the Calcutta High Court against the IPS officer, who he insinuated was being shielded by the WB chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Observing that Gyanwant Singh had “invaded right to life without authority of law while discharging his duty as a public servant’, and the Calcutta HC “declared that he acted ultra vires and his acts were unconstitutional”, the WB governor also criticised the state government’s lack of response on the matter so far.

Letter shared by WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

Gyanwant Singh’s promotions under Mamata’s regime

Here it may be recalled that last year, West Bengal had observed an unusual and unprecedented spate of reshuffling of the commissioners of the Bidhannagar Police after BJP stormed Banerjee’s Bengal bastion in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Unsure of the loyalties of IPS and IAS officers after BJP made successful inroads, a fearful and jittery Mamata Banerjee, who directly handles the police department as she has retained the home portfolio since becoming the chief minister in 2011, had gone on a spree of shuffling and reshuffling police commissioners, superintendents of police and district magistrates.

As a part of this bizarre IPS posting-and-transfer circus, IPS Gyanwant Singh was appointed as the additional director general (law and order) in May, last year.

Pertinently, in April, the Election Commission removed IPS Gyanwant Singh from the post of Bidhannagar police commissioner, as he is considered close to Mamata Banerjee. The EC had replaced Gyanwant Singh with Natarajan Ramesh Babu, who was in the post until May 25. As soon as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was lifted on May 26, Singh was not only reinstated but was appointed Additional Director General (Law and Order) the very next day.

Gyanwant Singh a close aide of Mamata Banerjee

According to the Home Ministry, Singh is one of the five IPS officers who sat on a dharna with the Chief Minister during the Kolkata police-CBI showdown in February last year. The Union Home Ministry had then issued a notice asking the Bengal government to take action against DGP Virendra of the 1985 IPS batch, ADG Vineet Kumar Vital of the 1994 IPS batch, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma of the 1991 IPS batch, Bidhan Nagar Commissioner Gyanwant Singh of the 1993 IPS batch, additional commissioner Supratim Sarkar of the 1997 IPS batch. But instead of taking any action against them, Mamata Banerjee had not only reinstated these officers in the force but also promoted them.

When Mamata Banerjee batted against Gyanwant Singh

For the uninitiated, IPS Gyanwant Singh was shunted out of the force in 2007 by the then CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for his alleged intervention in Rizwanur Rahaman’s mysterious death case in October 2007. Singh got posting later, but his promotion was blocked until he got a clean chit in the case. Interestingly, the officer, who is now believed to be a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, had then been vociferously opposed by the latter. Mamata Banerjee, who was the biggest rival of the CPI-M led government in WB in 2007, had led agitations and dharnas, pitching for the immediate arrest of Gyanwant Singh and three other officers who she alleged were involved in the Rizwanur Rahaman’s death case.

However, under Mamata’s rule, IPS Gyanwant Singh was promoted to DIG Murshidabad Range in 2014 and as Additional Director General (Law and Order), another key post, in 2019.

Even as TMC lashes out and brands him as ‘Mir Jafer’, Suvendu Adhikari set to meet speaker over his rejected resignation: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Even as TMC lashes out and brands him as ‘Mir Jafer’, Suvendu Adhikari set to meet speaker over his rejected resignation: Details

The West Bengal Assembly Elections are only months away in 2021, and the churn in TMC is rather visible. With one of their strongest booth managers and the leader who organised the Nandigram protest, Suvendu Adhikari, quitting the party and joining BJP, TMC is in a state of flux. On Tuesday, Suvendu Adhikari is all set to meet the speaker over his resignation that was rejected earlier.

According to a report by India Today, Suvendu Adhikari has already left for Kolkata and is all set to meet the speaker over his resignation that was rejected earlier.

West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday had refused to accept the resignation of former TMC stalwart Suvendu Adhikari claiming that his resignation letter was not in proper format and also did not have a date on it.

The speaker also said that he has not been informed that Adhikari’s resignation is voluntary and genuine and asked him to meet him on Monday. He also said that it is not possible to accept the resignation letter in this format. 

“I have examined the letter & found that the date isn’t specified in it. I hadn’t been informed that his (Suvendu Adhikari) resignation is voluntary & genuine. So it’s not possible to accept it. I’ve asked him to appear before me on 21st Dec,” said West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee.

Additionally, Suvendu Adhikari is also set to visit the BJP party office at 4 PM, after meeting the speaker over his resignation.

TMC tries to salvage what is left, claims defection of Suvendu Adhikari and others won’t hurt the party ahead of assembly elections

After losing 10 MLAs to BJP, who joined the party in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah only a day ago, the TMC is trying to save face and convey to the people that all is well within the party, even though, that might not really be the case. Saying that “Traitors and backstabbers have existed since time immemorial,” TMC alleged that recent deflections won’t hurt the party in the upcoming Assembly Elections.

State Panchayat Minister Subrata Banerjee said, “We did have some information, and therefore we were not stunned. There is no reason to raise a hue and cry over the desertion of Mir Jafars. Such betrayals have been taking place for centuries. Just with one Suvendu in its fold, the BJP hopes to win 250 seats…Thank god, they are not saying they will win all the seats”.

It is pertinent to note that TMC seems awfully angry with Suvendu Adhikari while saying that his exit will not affect the party adversely in the polls. Clearly, TMC seems to believe that Adhikari has ‘betrayed’ the party and Mamata Banerjee as he was branded as ‘Mir Jafer’. Mir Jafar was a military commander who aided the British and betrayed Nawab of Bengal Siraj Ud-Daulah during the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Interestingly, in calling Adhikar Mir Jafer, they also seem to be calling Mamata Banerjee the ‘Nawab of Bengal’.

Criticising the Union minister, Mukherjee’s Cabinet colleague Firhad Hakim said, “He said the BJP would build ‘Sonar Bangla [Golden Bengal]’. They should make a ‘Sonar Bharat [Golden India]’ first and then they may try for ‘Sonar Bangla’. Modi said the government would provide one crore jobs, but 21 crore people became jobless in his regime. They are trying to make India a private limited company. Selling all the public sectors and now they are trying to win Bengal through communal politics.”

Winter solstice and ‘The Great Conjunction’ of Jupiter and Saturn: All you need to know about the rare celestial event

OpIndia Staff
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Winter solstice and ‘The Great Conjunction’ of Jupiter and Saturn: All you need to know about the rare celestial event

December 21 marks the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. However, what is going to make it extra special is the occurrence of a rare celestial event dubbed as ‘The Great Conjunction’ between Jupiter and Saturn that is going to be witnessed on the longest night of 2020.

Two of the solar system’s biggest planets—Jupiter and Saturn will align their positions to form a conjunction—nearly overlapping themselves to form a “double planet”, a phenomenon that has not occurred since the 17th century.

What is ‘The Great Conjunction’?

The Great Conjunction is an occasional astronomic event when the two planets—Jupiter and Saturn—appear closest together in the sky. On Monday, Jupiter and Saturn will be very close to each other—a tenth-of-a-degree apart. The last time they were this close and visible, was in 1226 AD. The two planets were this close in 1623 as well but likely not visible due to their proximity to the Sun.

Jupiter and Saturn regularly pass each other, as often as once every 20 years, but what makes this year’s conjunction special is that it is for the first time in nearly 400 years that the two planets will be this close to one another and 800 years since the phenomenon occurred at night.

The conjunction is popularly known as the ‘Christmas Star’ or the ‘Star of Bethlehem’, which, according to the Bible, was the star that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus.

The distance between the two planets would remain the same but the angle of viewing it from Earth would give an impression that the two planets would be very close to each other, only 0.1 degrees apart.

It is to be noted that despite appearing just 0.1 degrees apart, the two planets will be 456 million miles apart. Meanwhile, the distance between Earth and Jupiter is 550 million miles.

According to Space.com, “Jupiter and Saturn are in conjunction when they have the same right ascension or celestial longitude. This is what is referred to as a ‘Great Conjunction’, signifying the rarity of the union because unlike conjunctions with the other bright planets, these two don’t get close as often.”

The next such super close pairing of the two giant planets won’t happen again until the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of 15 March 2080.

How and when to view ‘The Great Conjunction’?

The “great conjunction” also coincides with the winter solstice, the shortest day (December 21) in the year as the sun reaches a point where it appears to shine farthest to the south of the equator over the Tropic of Capricorn.

The rare celestial event will be visible shortly after the sunset today, between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM in the southwestern sky. Saturn will be smaller, fainter than Jupiter on the upper right. Though the phenomenon would be visible to the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes will be needed to differentiate between the two planets.

Sharp increase in voters in West Bengal’s ‘mini-Pakistan’, opposition parties cry foul: Read Details

OpIndia Staff
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Sharp increase in voters in West Bengal’s ‘mini-Pakistan’, opposition parties cry foul: Read Details

The political tussle between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP has heated up in the State of West Bengal, with the latter accusing the ruling dispensation of facilitating a demographic change ahead of Assembly elections. On Monday, BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya shared a newspaper cutting, which claimed that there has been a rise of 9% voters in the Muslim-dominated constituency of Metiabruz, referred to as ‘mini Pakistan‘ by Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim, in the space of a year.

He tweeted, “Metiabruz constituency, famously referred to as mini-Pakistan by TMC minister Firhad Hakim, registers over 9% increase in voters in last year alone! Pishi (Mamata Banerjee) has been silently overseeing demographic change of West Bengal just to serve her political interests. Is the EC watching?

According to the news article shared by Amit Malviya, it has been reported that the ‘unusual’ rise in the number of voters has led to an increase in polling booths in the Metiabruz constituency (6) and Topsia area (8) of West Bengal. The stark increase in electorates in a span of just one year has led to renewed skepticism of the current political dispensation.

CPIM leader Rabin Deb said, “The process of correcting the voter list has been the biggest conspiracy. They are not eliminating the names of those who have already died. The Communist Party wants that the Election Commission verify the death of such individuals directly, on receiving information about the same. If family members of the deceased fail to show proof, then, we need the truth of the case must be verified with the Municipality or panchayat.”

Stark discrepancy in the number of voters

The BJP has alleged that instead of undertaking the verification themselves, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have outsourced it to TMC workers and supporters. In the Muslim-dominated Metiabruz constituency, more than 19,500 voters have increased in one year, thereby representing a rise of 9%.

It is important to mention that in the Lok Sabha elections, a total of 2,35, 105 people were eligible to vote in Metiabruz constituency . However, when voter list was published, the number had gone up to 2,52,615. As per the report, the Metiabruz constituency includes ward No. 136-141 of the Kolkata municipality. It has been found that a total of 400, 450 and 900 voters on the list have expired in ward No.s 137, 138 and 141 respectively but their names feature in the voter list.

Similarly, in the Topsia area, the number of voters were 83,509 with a total of 79 booths. However, the number of electorates have risen to 91,393. As such the number of booths had been increased by 8 to 87.

BJP writes to EC, highlights the issue of demographic change

In a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the State unit of the BJP had expressed concerns over the sudden hike in the number of voters. “From the draft electoral list that was made public on 18 November, it was noticed that there has been a sharp rise in the numbers of electors, especially in many parts that are very close to the Bangladesh border and those that are predominantly minority voters,” the letter emphasised.

The BJP pointed out that there has been a 10% rise in the number of voters in the ward No. 66 of the Kasba Vidhan Sabha constituency, despite no ‘new township or settlement’. The party alleged that a similar increase in electorates has been observed in Metiabruz constituency and Sonarpur Uttar in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal.

“Also, we find that dead voters and those who have changed their dwelling place are not struck out from the voter’s list. In the past elections, it has been seen these votes have also been cast,” the letter added.

“We will first capture Kashmir and then invade India from all sides for Ghazwa e Hind”: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar in viral video

Jinit Jain
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“We will first capture Kashmir and then invade India from all sides for Ghazwa e Hind”: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar in viral video

For many Indians, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar is among the few saner voices and pacifists that have called for a lasting peace between the two countries. Akhtar’s effusive views on the Indian cricket team has only served to cement his personality as someone who is willing to shed the decades-long antagonism between the two neighbours and proceed on the path of peaceful coexistence.

Akhtar, who was popularly called as The Rawalpindi Express, was also feted by the Indian media after he raised discrimination meted out to Danish Kaneria, a Pakistani Hindu cricketer, by the rest of the Pakistani cricket team on account of his religion. The cricketer had recently invoked humanity over religion and country while appealing India to provide ventilators to Pakistan in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, cynics within the Indian society have cautioned that Shoaib Akhtar’s charm offensive for the Indian cricket team and the country at large is just a smokescreen, a ruse intended to remain in good books with the BCCI so that when Pakistani sports presenter and coaches are allowed to be a part of the IPL, he is amongst the first to land a lucrative deal.

Besides, many others also claim that Pakistani fast bowler makes glowing remarks for India and the Indian cricketers to attract following from the Indian YouTube users on his channel.

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar promotes the Islamic doctrine of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’

However, an undated video of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar that is now doing the rounds on the internet has shattered all the carefully constructed myth about his favourable outlook towards India. In the video, which is at least a year old, Shoaib Akhtar is seen endorsing the Islamic supremacist fantasy of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’.

In an interview with Samaa TV, Shoaib Akhtar says, “It is written in our scriptures that Ghazwa e Hind will take place. The river in Attock will be coloured red twice with blood. Forces from Afghanistan will reach till Attock. Then after that forces will rise from Shamal Mashriq, different contingents will arrive from Uzbekistan etc…this refers to Khorasan, a historical region which extended till Lahore. Later those forces will conquer Kashmir, and then, inshallah, they will march onwards (to the rest of India).”

Shamal Mashriq is an Urdu reference for the geographical region which is just north of the Arabian peninsula.

Ghazwa-e-Hind: An Islamist doctrine forecasting the dominance of Islam over India

It is pertinent to note that the Islamist doctrine endorsed by Shoaib Akhtar is often cited by terrorists to justify their attacks in India. The Islamist terror attacks on India take place under the banner of Ghazwa-e-Hind. Radicals in Pakistan are trained and brainwashed with the concept of Ghazwa-e-Hind, to prepare them for suicide missions in India and legitimise their jihad against India.

The term Ghazwa-e-Hind or a holy raid of India has been used by Pakistani terrorists against India for decades. The concept of Ghazwa-e-hind roots in several works of Islamic literature named Hadiths. The doctrine prophesizes a pitched battle between Hindus and Muslims before (qayamat), resulting in a decisive victory of Muslims over Hindu India.

As per the prediction, the battle to the end will start in modern-day Syria, with forces marching towards India. Islamic armies carrying black flags will supposedly come from Khorasan and conquer India to turn it into an Islamic state.

Many Pakistanis still believe that their country was created for the express purpose of leading the Islamic world and fulfilling the prophecy of Ghazwa-e-Hind. This doctrine of capturing India and turning it into an Islamic state is exploited by terror organisations to recruit young and impressionable youth into the fold of terrorism, indoctrinating them into believing that conquering the lands of ‘non-believers’ is their holy duty.

Priyanka Gandhi’s newfound love for cow welfare appears to be as fake as the fake news she shared

OpIndia Staff
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Priyanka Gandhi’s newfound love for cow welfare appears to be as fake as the fake news she shared

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has achieved a new milestone. She has penned a whole letter and addressed it to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath without even verifying the authenticity of the bit of information she was outraging about. In the letter, she said that she was distressed by the images of the corpses of cows circulating on social media.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in the letter that the pictures of the dead cows came from Lalitpur. She admitted that she did not know how the cows had died but concluded that they appeared to have died from starvation.

As it turns out, the news was fake and such a thing, fortunately, never came to pass. The official fact-checking handle of IPRD, Uttar Pradesh, tweeted that the Chief Veterinary Officer at the Gaushala in Lalitpur has said that no corpses have been found either inside the Gaushala, or outside it, or anywhere in the vicinity.

It appears that with UP Assembly Elections on the horizon, the Congress party has suddenly discovered its love and concern for cows. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is being touted as a potential Chief Ministerial candidate from the Congress party, was so eager to demonstrate her love for the cow that she fell for fake news.

It is akin to the manner in which her brother Rahul Gandhi can be found engaging in a Temple Run exercise ahead of every major election. Shalabh Mani Tripathi, adviser to CM Yogi Adityanath, was quick to point out the Congress party’s hypocrisy when it comes to cow protection.

Tripathi was referring to the incident in Kerala when Congress party workers slaughtered a calf in the middle of the road in full public view and then cooked it and ate it. The ghastly incident, which occurred in 2017, had provoked widespread outrage due to the brutality of it. More than three years later, the Congress party appears to have decided to feign concern for cow welfare in light of the Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2022.

TMC admits that BJP could reach 99 seats in Bengal Assembly elections in 2021: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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TMC admits that BJP could reach 99 seats in Bengal Assembly elections in 2021: Here is what happened

As the political landscape in West Bengal heats up, the ruling party TMC seems to have had a faux pas. A day after the massive roadshow of Home Minister Amit Shah, TMC’s strategist Prashant Kishor took to Twitter to ‘challenge’ that despite the ‘hype amplified by supportive media’, BJP in Bengal will ‘struggle to cross double digits’ in Bengal.

Essentially, Kishor inadvertently ended up admitting that the BJP will end up with at least 99 seats (highest double digit figure).

The faux pas wasn’t lost on netizens who did not miss the opportunity. BJP Bengal Observer Kailash Vijayvargiya took a dig on Kishor and said how after the BJP forms the government in Bengal, the country will have to lose one of its political strategist.

Bengal assembly has 294 seats and majority mark is 148. In 2016 assembly elections, TMC had won 211 seats while Congress got 44 seats. The BJP in Bengal had won 3 seats.

Psephologist Yashwant Deshmukh also wondered whether Bengal is heading for hung assembly with the kind of predictions Kishor is making.

Some were just brutal.

This prediction from TMC is a bit rich considering the fact that in 2019 general elections, TMC went down from 34 MPs in 2014 to 22 MPs and BJP went from 2 MPs in 2014 to 18. In fact, BJP’s vote share had also gone up by over 22% to 40.64% while TMC’s vote share had only gone up 3.48% to 43.69%.

Netizens also pointed out how Kishor put a bad bet this time.

Speaking of bad bets, Kishor had earlier worked as poll strategist for Rahul Gandhi and Congress ahead of 2017 UP Assembly Elections. In the 403 member assembly, the SP-Congress alliance was reduced to 54 seats while the BJP got a sensational 325 seats.

Kerala has no APMCs in the state, but Communist govt calls assembly session to ‘reject’ farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala has no APMCs in the state, but Communist govt calls assembly session to ‘reject’ farm laws

Even though Kerala has not implemented the APMC Acts, the Communist government in the state has decided to convene a special Assembly session on December 23 to discuss and reject the three newly introduced Farm Bills that were passed by the Centre in September 2020.

State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac informed that the Communist government in Kerala has called in a special Assembly session on Wednesday this week to pass a resolution against the farm laws enacted by the Centre.

According to the reports, the decision was taken by the Kerala government after a cabinet meeting that was held yesterday in which it was decided that the state government will approach the Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to call a special assembly session.

Opposition parties, including Congress, have extended their support for the move. In the 140-member house, the BJP has just a single legislator. During the one-hour session, a motion would be introduced to reject the bills and it will be put to vote. It has been reported that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala have reached a consensus in this regard and the resolution is likely to be passed unanimously.

Kerala has not implemented the APMC Act

However, while the Kerala government proceeds to reject the Farm Bills in a special Assembly session, it is notable to mention that Kerala has no APMCs, which is a bone of contention for the protesting farmers that have swarmed the national capital borders. The protesters are alleging that the new Farm Bills would effectively render the APMCs powerless and allow private players to have greater sway in buying the agricultural produce and thereby regulate the pricing.

Interestingly, Kerala doesn’t even have APMCs as the state never implemented the APMC act.

PM Modi and several other Cabinet Minister have dispelled this notion many times that the APMCs would continue to exist as they already do and the new Farm Bills would only unlock new opportunities for the farmers to sell their produce directly to the buyers as per their choice.

Kerala, on the other hand, has not implemented the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee(APMC) Act of 2003 and therefore has no APMCs in the state. There are no statutory regulations prevailing. There are no controls for the agricultural market. Government and LSG institutions provide marketing infrastructure. Paradoxically, despite having no APMCs in the state, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government hs extended their solidarity to the protesters who fear that the new Farm Bills would abolish the APMCs in their states.

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