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‘Liberals’ and Islamists feel betrayed as AMU administration extends invitation to PM Modi for university’s centenary celebration

OpIndia Staff
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‘Liberals’ and Islamists feel betrayed as AMU administration extends invitation to PM Modi for university’s centenary celebration

In a first, PM Narendra Modi would be attending the centenary celebrations of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) as the Chief Guest. Modi would be attending the event on December 22 via video conferencing. This will be his first appearance at the varsity. However, this has not gone down well with ‘liberals’ and Islamists, who now feel betrayed by the decision of the university.

Pertinently, Modi is the only Prime Minister to be invited to the university since 1964. Lal Bahadur Shastri was the only other sitting Prime Minister to attend an event at the AMU. He had delivered the convocation address at AMU in 1964.

The media statement from the university did not go down well with the assorted gang of ‘liberals’ and Islamists, who couldn’t stop themselves from having a meltdown on Twitter.

Congress supporter Saket Gokhale tore into the “incredibly spineless” University for inviting Modi as a guest of honour for the AMU centenary. He harked back to the last years’ anti-CAA protests, insinuating that the varsity has conveniently ignored the fact that person it has invited as the chief guest, is under whose leadership the police had attacked the students of the university during the anti-CAA agitation last year.

Replying to Gokhale, many Islamists accused the Vice-Chancellor of the university to be a Modi stooge.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Afreen Fatima could be seen spewing venom against the varisty. “AMU administration disgusts me”, said the JNU student. Interestingly, Afreen Fatima is the same person who had challenged the integrity of the Supreme Court by raising doubts over its crucial decisions like that on Ram Mandir and hanging of terrorist Afzal Guru. She earlier urged Muslim mob to attack Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for his comments on communalisation of the anti-CAA protests.

Many Islamists jumped on the bandwagon. One insinuated that the varsity has invited those who “want to remove the minority status of this University”.

Invoking the last years’ anti-CAA agitation, another Twitter user shamed the varsity for inviting PM Modi who showed “no sympathy” when “Sanghis in police uniforms attacked AMU’s peaceful protestors”.

For those who are invoking the last year’s anti-CAA agitation and calling it an attack on “AMU’s ‘peaceful’ protestors” should recall that during the peak of anti-CAA protests across the country, clashes had erupted on AMU campus on December 15 last year after rumours spread that two students had been shot in police firing on Jamia Millia Islamia campus in Delhi during anti-CAA protests. During the confrontation between protesting students and police, students pelted stones at the police and had damaged police vehicles. Around 16-17 policemen have received injuries in the violent clashes with students. The police had resorted to a lathi-charge and used water cannons, teargas and rubber bullets at the protesters to control the violent mob.

AMU thanks PM Modi for accepting the invite

Meanwhile, thanking the PM for accepting the invitation, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mansoor said: “The outreach of the university during this historical year would immensely help in the growth and development of the university and placement of our students in the private and public sectors.”

“Centenary is a great landmark achievement in the history of any university. AMU and its various units, as well as Alumni Associations, have been organising various programmes attended by illustrious people from diverse fields through the virtual mode following the Government of India’s guidelines to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic,” said the V-C.

According to reports, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and President Ram Nath Kovind are also expected to join other online centenary functions of the university.

Karnataka: Communist leader’s arrest shows sinister conspiracy behind Wistron plant vandalism. Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Communist leader’s arrest shows sinister conspiracy behind Wistron plant vandalism. Read details

The Karnataka police have arrested a local president of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) – a student body of Communist Party of India in connection with the violence that took place at the Wistron’s iPhone manufacturing plant in Kolar on early Saturday morning.

According to the reports, ‘Comrade Srikanth’, who is a taluk president of SFI in Kolar, was detained by the Kolar police in connection with vandalism and causing destruction of a mobile manufacturing plant in Narasapura, Kolar.

Reportedly, the employees of Wistron and SFI had planned to hold a protest outside Kolar Collector Sathyabhama’s office at 11 am on December 12. The police officials said that Srikanth allegedly curated the WhatsApp message, calling for the protest that was later circulated widely among employees. 

The Kolar Rural Police said that Srikanth instigated several SFI activists, who allegedly entered Wistron’s premises on the morning of December 12, and actively participated in the vandalism that happened in the plant.  

“Srikanth was arrested for instigating the violence and also bringing in non-employees into the plant which was vandalised,” the police said.

Communist affiliated trade union had justified vandalism

Interestingly, the SFI leader’s arrest comes after Communist party-affiliated trade unions defended the attacks and claimed that they were protesting against the non-payment of salaries. Krishna Siddhi, who is a member of the All India Trade Union Congress of the Communist Party of India, had said that this issue was regarding the extended shifts and the company was not paying salaries for the overtime.

Contrary to the claims of Communist-affiliated trade unions, the Labour department of Karnataka had asserted that the organisation has been regularly paying salaries to its employees and there was only a 4-day delay this month due to a software bug.

Hundreds of workers went on a rampage on Saturday and damaged property, vehicles and equipment in a flash strike on Saturday, alleging they were not paid on time and are being underpaid for the hours they put in. Later, the company officials registered an FIR with the police pegging the losses worth several crores.

Chinese propagandist threatens other companies moving from China to India

Even as the Communists in India are creating instability in the country by vandalising manufacturing units, the Communist Party of China and its propagandists have been busy issuing threats to companies that have been considering moving their manufacturing units from China to India.

Just days after employees and Communist-affiliated trade unions vandalised the Apple’s contract manufacturer Wistron India’s plant in Kolar, Karnataka, fingers were pointed towards China over its alleged involvement in creating trouble against firms that are shifting business out of the country.

In what seems to also be a threat to firms for leaving China to set up factories in countries like India, Qingqing Chen – a chief reporter of the Communist Party of China’s Global Times, had said that the destruction of Wistron’s plant in India was a potential risk for manufacturers who are moving their production lines out of China.

The propagandist of China’s Communist Party, subtly threatened the other partners of Apple Inc such as Foxconn and asked whether these companies now regret about moving their production facilities to India. Chen basically hinted that companies that move their production lines out if China may face such vandalism and loss to business.

Kejriwal govt gives sanction to Delhi police to charge Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam under sedition for instigating anti-Hindu Delhi riots

OpIndia Staff
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Kejriwal govt gives sanction to Delhi police to charge Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam under sedition for instigating anti-Hindu Delhi riots

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Wednesday gave its sanction to the police to charge 18 people accused in the Delhi riots case, including radical Islamists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, former AAP leader Tahir Hussain and others under sedition charges for their involvement in the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots case.

According to the reports, the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi finally gave its ascent to prosecute the radical Islamists and far-left ‘activists’ who plotted the communal riots in Delhi in the last week of February that took the lives of more than 50 people.

The Delhi government has also provided sanction to prosecute far-left protestors such Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, former Congress leader Ishrat Jahan and 15 others in connection with the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots case.

Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal are one of the founders of the far-left ‘Pinjra Tod’ group that claims to work for gender equality. They were earlier booked by the police under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to incite the riots. 

The Delhi Police had charged radical Islamist Umar Khalid – one of the masterminds of the communal riots and other accused for their alleged role in the case on October 22. The Delhi Police had informed the court that the sanction to prosecute the accused persons for sedition and other sections was still under consideration.

The consideration of charges at a court can only start after the state government gives a prosecution sanction. The police had sent a request for the prosecution sanction under sedition in mid- September to the Delhi government.

Last month, the Arvind Kejriwal-led government had given police prosecution sanction to charge the accused persons under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. However, the sanction to prosecute the accused under sedition sections was still awaited.

The Delhi government has now given sanction to charge the riots accused under sedition after vetting the charge-sheet was vetted. The Delhi government has apparently satisfied that “prima facie the accused persons had committed the acts of sedition and criminal conspiracy”. The government has also written to the Delhi police saying that the granting of the prosecution sanction has been approved by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal.

Umar Khalid complains of tooth-ache

Meanwhile, riots-accused Umar Khalid, who is currently in Tihar Jail, has complained about a tooth-ache and alleged before a court that he has not been given any medical treatment by the jail authorities for the same.

Reportedly, Khalid had claimed that he was having toothache for the last three days but did not receive any medical treatment. He claimed that a dentist was supposed to visit the jail today but he has not visited.

Khalid also said that he was suffering from pain and it was difficult for him to wait for another one week for the visit to the dentist.

Following his submissions, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar directed the jail authorities to provide proper medical treatment to Khalid. The court directed the jail authorities to file a compliance report before it within two days.

Khalid and Sharjeel Imam – masterminds of Anti-Hindu Delhi riots

Khalid was arrested by the police on September 14 for his alleged involvement in the horrific Northeast Delhi riots. He was summoned by the police for investigation and was later arrested.

In a charge sheet filed by the Delhi police and admitted by the court, it is alleged that Khalid had hatched the conspiracy of the anti-Hindu Delhi riots along with his friends during the visit of the US President Trump to India. Khalid had allegedly met the former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and another accused Khalid Saifi to assure logistical support during the riots through his contacts in the PFI.

Similarly, Sharjeel Imam is accused of being involved in the conspiracy that led to the break-out of riots in the national capital. He was booked under various sections of the IPC and the UAPA.

The charge sheet filed against him had revealed that Imam wanted to transform the anti-CAA protests into a nationwide movement. His WhatsApp chats revealed during the investigation show that he used the misinformation spreading around the CAA to further his agenda and in this, he got the help of local Islamic clerics.

UP Govt refutes media reports that fake spices were made out of donkey dung in Hathras

OpIndia Staff
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UP Govt refutes media reports that fake spices were made out of donkey dung in Hathras

On December 17, Hathras police raided a spice manufacturing unit and allegedly found counterfeit spices of local brands. Anoop Varshney, the owner of the factory, was arrested by the police. The recovered alleged adulterated spices include coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric and spice mix (garam masala). The investigating team collected 27 samples and sent them for testing. An FIR will be registered under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006.

Various media reports suggested that donkey dung was used mixed into the adulterated spices. However, the UP government has clarified that the no animal excreta was mixed in the adulterated spices.

Taking to social media, UP government’s Information department’s fact-checking wing clarified that the reports shared by various media houses as well as political parties is untrue. As per the UP Govt’s fact-checking team, DM Hathras has said that none of the samples of adulterated spices contained dung powder of any animal.

The administration said that only when the tests are carried out will they be able to give more details on the same.

As per reports, Anoop Varshney, owner of the factory had licence to run the factory but at different location. Hence, this factory itself was illegal. The factory was sealed after the raid.

China’s Communist Party member worked in Indian consulate, 7 branches of CCP have India connections: Report

OpIndia Staff
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China’s Communist Party member worked in Indian consulate, 7 branches of CCP have India connections: Report

The recent investigation by ‘The Australian’ highlighting the extent of infiltration of Chinese citizens into global institutions has a created a new threat perception for the rest of the world. The fresh data leaks have revealed that nearly two million members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are living and working across the world. 

The explosive data leak hinted that these Chinese nationals have infiltrated some of the world’s biggest corporations in the areas of defence, banks and pharmaceutical giants manufacturing coronavirus vaccines. According to the data leaks, the CPC members have also infiltrated into Indian public institutions and organisation.

A report by Indian Express suggested that at least one CPC member was hired by the Indian consulate in Shanghai using the services of a Chinese state-owned recruitment agency. The said CPC member had served in the Indian consulate in Shanghai for three years from mid-2014 to mid-2017. Further, seven affiliates of the Communist Party of China (CPC) also have an India connection.

The dataset reveals that at least seven CPC branches have an India connection and cumulatively these seven affiliates have 91 party members belonging to CPC.

The seven branches with an India connection are Shanghai Electric Power Plant Engineering Corporation’s India Project Branch Committee with 31 members, India Research Institute Joint Branch with 17 members, India Research Institute Management Branch with 13 members, City India Tenth Factory Branch with 11 members.

Further, 10 CPC members are linked to CPC Shanghai Urban Construction International Engineering Co., India Regional Centre Branch Committees, Committee of the CCP Shanghai Chilling India Branch has 7 members and New Delhi Sales Department Party Branch includes 3 CPC members, as per the Indian Express report.

Chinese Communist Party infiltrated at least 30 consulates

The recently leaked datasets shed light on the branch and membership structure of the Chinese Communist Party. In China, the Communist Party is divided into branches and Party Committees exist in most big corporations.

The data leak obtained by ‘The Australian’ newspaper has revealed how the alleged CPC members have infiltrated into at least 30 consulates in the eastern Chinese metropolis Shanghai. These CPC members have been allegedly employed as senior political and government affairs specialists, clerks, economic advisers and executive assistants.

The access to foreign consulates has been termed as a coordinated effort by the CPC for over a decade. This includes consulates of the UK, US, India, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Italy and South Africa.

The leak has alleged that the ruling CPC has infiltrated the Australian, British and US consulates in Shanghai, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade using a Chinese government agency, the Shanghai Foreign Agency Service Department, to hire local staff.

CPC members are employed in big corporations across defence, banking, etc

The data leaks have also disclosed how CPC members have joined several multinational corporations across banking, defence, pharmaceutical and financial sectors. The companies include ANZ, HSBC, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Volkswagen and Boeing.

It has further revealed about 79,000 branches of the CPC, many of them have been working inside companies, universities and even government agencies.

The leak has exposed details of nearly 2 million CPC members after data got released from a Shanghai server by whistle-blowers. The data was extracted from a Shanghai server by Chinese dissidents, whistle-blowers, in April 2016.

Earlier, we had reported on how the Communist Party of China has gained access to top-most universities in the United States and infiltrated its research departments. Not just it, the China has also been running a spy network inside top universities in US to gain access to relevant research projects that it considers important for its national development.

‘Poor Adivasi girls are trafficked and sold’: Gujarat MP Mansukh Vasava writes to CM Vijay Rupani to bring strict laws on Grooming Jihad

OpIndia Staff
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‘Poor Adivasi girls are trafficked and sold’: Gujarat MP Mansukh Vasava writes to CM Vijay Rupani to bring strict laws on Grooming Jihad

Raising the issue of trafficking of Adivasi girls and increasing cases of grooming jihad, Gujarat MP Mansukh Vasava has written to Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to bring in stringent laws.

In a letter dated 3rd December, 2020, Vasava said that people of all religions and caste live in India. However, sometimes Hindu girls lured and entrapped by some Muslim men who then force them to convert their religion to Islam. “Some organisations also impart training for carrying out such deeds. Many leaders of Hindu society have reached out to me regarding this,” he wrote in his letter.

Just as Uttar Pradesh government made stringent laws against forced religious conversions, Gujarat government should also enforce such laws, he said.

“More importantly, the girls of poor families in Gujarat, especially girls from Adivasi families in tribal areas are highly affected. In such areas, the sex ratio is low. These areas as distributed to such gangs where teams of agents work to lure these poor girls. These girls are then trafficked and sold. This should also be taken care of,” he wrote.

The Uttar Pradesh government recently passed the anti-forced religious conversion law to prevent forced conversions under the pretext of love and marriage. Under the new law, a jail term of 1-5 years is awarded to the accused (extended to 3-10 years in case of SC/STs) and a fine of ₹15,000 (₹25,000 in case of SC/STs). Moreover, the offender’s proven guilty for mass conversion will attract a jail term of 10 years.

BSF eliminates two armed Pakistani infiltrators trying to enter India near Amritsar

OpIndia Staff
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BSF eliminates two armed Pakistani infiltrators trying to enter India near Amritsar

On Thursday, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) eliminated two Pakistani intruders at the Attari border area in Punjab. The security personnel have recoverd several weapons from the spot.

According to the reports, the Border Security Force (BSF) has shot dead two Pakistani armed intruders who were trying to sneak to India on the wee hours of Thursday by taking advantage of the thick layer of fog.

A patrolling party of BSF spotted some suspicious movement in the area near the border outpost Rajatal in Amritsar sector. The BSF troops initially warned the intruders, however, they continued towards the international border. The intruders opened fire on BSF jawans.

In a retaliatory action BSF shot dead two Pakistani intruders who were carrying AK-47 rifles.

Last week, Pakistani drones were noticed at the international border in Ranbir Singh Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The BSF had said the drone went back after the Indian forces had fired at it.

Uttar Pradesh: Saqib became Sonu to entrap a minor Dalit girl, forced her to convert to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Saqib became Sonu to entrap a minor Dalit girl, forced her to convert to Islam

A case of Grooming Jihad has emerged from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh where 19-year-old Saqib concealed his religious identity to entice a 14-year-old Dalit girl into forced religious conversion. As per reports, a case has been registered under the new UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020 and various sections of the IPC. A case has also been registered under the SC/ST Act.

As per the police, Mohd Saqib enticed the minor Dalit girl by pretending to be Sonu. They were allegedly in a ‘relationship’ for a year. On December 14, the duo decided to elope. They were apprehended by police when they reached Nahtaur. The police said that during interrogation, the girl said that Saqib hid his religious identity and had subsequently tried to force her to convert to Islam.

According to the girl’s parents, the girl used to study in a school in Dhampur and Saqib used to follow her after school hours. He lured her by pretending to be a Hindu, the father alleged.

This is second case registered under the anti-forced religious conversion laws in Bijnor and eighth in the state.

Saqib has been arrested and sent to jail. A case has been registered under Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage) of the Indian Penal Code, provisions of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the new ordinance against forced and dishonest religious conversion.

The incident comes close on heels of another incident wherein a man had introduced himself as Sonu alias Bhure and worked as painter in Chandigarh. He befriended another man from Bijnor. Both returned to their native place on December 4 to attend a wedding. Here Sonu lured the daughter of his friend and eloped. The girl’s family got to know of his religious identity when they reached his home.

Filmmaker Navjot Gulati claims airport security ‘refused’ to search him over farmer protest. Here is what minister of civil aviation said

OpIndia Staff
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Filmmaker Navjot Gulati claims airport security ‘refused’ to search him over farmer protest. Here is what minister of civil aviation said

Showing support for the ongoing farmer protest, filmmaker Navjot Gulati posted a boastful tweet yesterday that caught the attention of Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Gulati tweeted that a security officer at refused to frisk him at the airport saying, “Sir, you people are already doing so much for all of us and now you are fighting to save the country. My heart does not allow me to suspect you.”

Screenshot of Gulati’s tweet

Apparently, Gulati was trying to insinuate that the security officer was reluctant to frisk Gulati out of gratitude towards the ‘farmers’ protesting against the three farm laws. However, Gulati did not mention how come the security officer assumed that Gulati was a farmer or was in any associated with farmer protest. It is also notable that Gulati is a film maker, and it is not known how he has been contributing to the nation by making movies.

Interestingly, Gulati’s tweet caught the eye of the Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri whose response to Gulati’s tweet made him delete the tweet. One popular Twitter user tagged the Minister on Gulati’s tweet and wrote, “Who’s this security officer?” To this, the Minister responded that he would also like to know about the security officer who refused to frisk Gulati.

Screenshot of Civil Aviation Minister’s tweet

It may be noted that airport security is handled by CISF in India, which is known as a very professional force. They don’t make any difference while checking people at airports and other places where they are deployed. Even if someone working at CISF has an affinity to a cause, they will not neglect their duty to show such affinity. By claiming that a CISF personnel refused to frisk him, Gulati actually ended up insinuating that the security officer was disregarding his duties.

Perhaps realising that the tweet could land him in trouble, Gulati deleted his tweet later, and also made his Twitter account protected. However, his tweet already sparked memes on Twitter with several people tweeting along the lines of Gulati’s tweet. JNU scientist and author Dr. Anand Ranganathan picked up the trend and posted a tweet similar to Gulati’s weaving a story about how a staff member at Saravana Bhawan at Connaught Place in Delhi refused to accept payment from him out of gratitude for his work.

Another popular Twitter user who goes by Twitter id @theskindoctor13 took a dig at Gulati’s tweet and sarcastically wrote how once a patient refused to pay his consultation fee because the patient thought that he was not doing enough and was not even fighting to save the country.

Joining the trend journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra also posted an amusing story about his similar experience at a Rolls Royce showroom where the showroom owner refused to take money from him for a Phantom car that he bought from the showroom.

Taking advantage of the meme, OpIndia CEO Rahul Roshan also jokingly pulled a leg of OpIndia Editor Nupur J Sharma and tweeted how she refused to accept the salary for this month out of gratitude for whatever he did for the whole OpIndia team. He also mentioned how she got emotional when he insisted to pay.

Twitter in India was filled with such tweets today, with people making up stories to mock the claim made by Navjot Gulati.

The ongoing farmer protest is being used by several media outlets to peddle their agenda and built a fake narrative. Several media outlets have been trying to fearmonger about use of force by government against the protesting farmers.

‘TMC Fail Card’: A comprehensive report on TMC’s misgovernance in West Bengal during the last decade

OpIndia Staff
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‘TMC Fail Card’: A comprehensive report on TMC’s misgovernance in West Bengal during the last decade

As the state of West Bengal gears up for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled to take place in 2021, a ‘TMC fail card’ has been released by BJP that describes the corrupt and inept governance for the last 10 years when the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress(TMC) was in power in the state. The card was released by senior BJP leaders Swapan Dasgupta, Shishir Bajoria and Shamik Bhattacharya

From busting lies about the proclaimed economic growth in the state to the total collapse of law and order in the state, from the marked deterioration of the education system in the state to the abandonment of economically backward, and the appalling state of healthcare in the state, the ‘TMC fail card’ debunks the false claims made by the Mamata Banerjee government and carries in details the missteps taken by the regime during the last decade of being in power.

Lies about the economic growth in the state

The fail card states that the TMC government in West Bengal has often resorted to lying to portray a deceitful picture of the economic growth in the state. It contended that TMC’s claim that the average per-person income has more than doubled under their rule is “absolutely incorrect” and “deliberate misrepresentation”. It further adds that the quoted per capita income numbers do not account for inflation and are not at constant prices that provide a more accurate assessment.

At constant prices, the card asserts that the average per-person income of West Bengal has risen from Rs 51,543 in 2010-11 to Rs 71,757 in 2019-2020. At the constant prices, West Bengal also ranks a poor 24th out of the 32 states and UTs benchmarked in 2018-2019 and 15th out of the 20 states and UTs benchmarked in 2019-2020 on average per-person income.

Besides, the pamphlet released by the senior BJP leaders also states that TMC claims on growth in GSDP, agriculture, industry and service sectors are also misleading. It asserts that West Bengal has underperformed as compared to the rest of the country during the decade of TMC rule and which is reflected in the GDP numbers that have slipped from 6.03 per cent in 2010-11 to 5.25 per cent in 2018-19. Similarly, the growth of the agriculture sector, industry and services sector has also been dismal.

The TMC government is also accused of withholding crucial information about the state’s budget. The fail card says that the state’s debt estimate stands at a staggering Rs 4.5 lakh crore and out of Rs 2.34 lakh crore budget announced in February 2020, just Rs 75,073 crore is from the state’s own revenue, tax and non-tax.

On the foreign investment front as well, the TMC government has been equally disappointing. The foreign direct investment in the state even after a decade of TMC government remained stuck at 1 per cent, demonstrating that the government has thoroughly failed in attracting new investment to the state.

Total collapse of law and order in West Bengal

The ‘fail card’ paints a grim picture of the abysmal state of law and order in West Bengal. It has stated that the protection given to the criminals by the TMC in exchange for money and muscle has created anarchy in the state. The pamphlet draws on the statistics to allege that Bengal has witnessed the fourth-highest number of murders in the country. West Bengal has recorded the highest number of attempt to murder cases and the highest number of grievous hurt.

The state has also seen political violence as a tool to silence the dissenting opposition voices. The brand of politics practised by the TMC, the pamphlet states, has provided a breeding ground for terror networks such as Al Qaeda to flourish. Left-wing extremism has also seen an uptick and so has incidents of communal violence across the state.

Trinamool Congress has also been accused of turning the administration into its personal army. It alleges that administration officials such as state police are routinely used to quell the opposition protest, other officials help the TMC government in covering up murders of opposition workers and act as mouthpiece to exonerate the party cadres. “The politicisation of the administration has happened to such an extent opposition workers are being killed in police custody and in police firing on peaceful protests,” the released pamphlet said.

Marked deterioration in Bengal’s education system under the TMC rule

The ‘TMC fail card’ released by the BJP leaders has noted that there is a marked deterioration in the state’s education system. It contended that about 90 per cent of the government-run elementary schools do not have basic furniture like desks and tables for all students. The situation is notably similar in higher secondary and secondary schools. About 16,289 government-run schools do not have the requisite number of teachers as per the RTE norms.

Even education related schemes such as Kanyashree Prakalpa and Sabooj Sathi have become a source of cut-money for the TMC government, the leaflet says. Notably, Kanyashree Prakalpa has failed to deliver on its promises, as West Bengal has been one of the worst performers with regard to early age marriage. About 42 per cent of women are married before attaining the age of 18 while the national average hovers around 26 per cent.

Even in the field of higher education, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC government has spectacularly failed. With an alarming ratio of 13 colleges per lakh population, parents and guardians in West Bengal are forced to pay huge amounts of cut money to TMC workers to secure admissions for their kins in colleges.

Dismal state of healthcare in West Bengal under TMC

The glaring gaps in healthcare infrastructure have caused tremendous suffering for the people of West Bengal. The state faces shortfall in all categories of healthcare centres—Sub Centres, Primary Health Centres, and Community Health Centres.

The fail card observes that not just health centres, but the state is also facing an acute shortage of trained healthcare personnel. About 516 positions for doctors at rural PHCs are lying vacant out of a sanctioned 1,326 positions. Out of 574 sanctioned positions for specialists in CHCs in rural West Bengal, 503 positions are vacant.

Mamata Banerjee’s persistent denial to implement Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal has left the poor and the weak vulnerable and without a safety net. Hundred of crores could have been saved if Ayushman Bharat had been accepted by the TMC and the funds could have been used for ramping up the healthcare infrastructure to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The pamphlet also notes that the TMC government has failed remarkably in controlling the spread of the disease in the state. As per the National Health Profile 2019, Bengal has recorded the highest number of acute diarrhoeal diseases in the country with 21,15,771 cases. Likewise, it also registered the highest number of dengue cases in the country with 37,746 cases that amounted to 20 per cent of the total cases. Furthermore, West Bengal registered the highest number of measles, rabies, meningococcal meningitis cases in the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic has served to highlight the terrible state of healthcare in Bengal. As of 11 December 2020, West Bengal has reported the third-highest number of active coronavirus cases. “Significant inefficiency, dysfunctional decision-making and acute shortage of healthcare capacity have further exacerbated the issue,” the pamphlet said.

TMC government has shunned Bengal’s economically backward population

In their report card for the TMC, the BJP leaders have alleged that the Trinamool Congress has failed even in the most fundamental job of providing basic necessities of food, shelter, and water to the economically backward people in the state. It stated that besides repackaging central government’s schemes, TMC has blocked efforts to seeding of Aadhar cards that plays a crucial role in ending corruption.

The national Aadhar seeding rate is 83 per cent but it is 64 per cent in West Bengal. The TMC has also opposed One Nation One Ration Card because it would deprive them of carrying out corruption in PDS, the pamphlet read.

About 26 per cent of Bengal households still don’t have access to pucca housing. 19.5 per cent of rural housing and 11 per cent of urban housing were classified as bad in the 76th round of the National Sample Survey. 70 per cent of rural and 25 per cent of urban houses have no access to drainage facilities. Even sanitation coverage was improved only after PM Modi launched Swachh Bharat mission.

Furthermore, West Bengal has installed a paltry 2.2 lakh taps against a steep target of 55.5 lakh under the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide access to clean water to rural households.

The TMC’s misgovernance exacerbated the impact of COVID-19 and Cyclone Amphan on the economically backward population. Widespread corruption was reported in the distribution of relief materials, including food during the COVID-19 induced lockdown. There was no cooperation extended by the Mamata Banerjee to the Central Government in bringing back state’s migrant workers and she even called the special trains designated for this purpose “Corona Express”.

Rs 5000 crore granted to Bengal government to rebuild dams and barrages in Sundarban area were misused. The TMC was also accused of presiding over corruption in the funds granted by the Centre under PMAY.

Injustices meted out to SC, ST and OBC communities under Mamata Banerjee’s regime

The communities of SC, ST and OBC had to suffer grave injustices under the TMC government in West Bengal. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes’ repeated admonition to the Mamata Banerjee government only illustrated the regime’s apathy towards the welfare of the SC population.

Despite making promises of revision in the salaries of the Tea Plantation workers, the majority of which belong to the SC community, the TMC government has failed in providing any relief to them. It has also failed in ensuring that the ST population gets their substantive rights under the Forest Rights Act. By opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, the TMC government preventing a large portion of the SC community from living a dignified life.

The TMC government is also accused of expanding the OBC category to 97 per cent of their vote bank, thereby depriving the real beneficiaries belonging to the OBC community.

West Bengal infrastructure in ruin due to TMC’s misgovernance

Bengal’s infrastructure is in ruin due to the apathy and indifference of the Mamata Banerjee government. Even after 73 years of independence, electricity remains both unavailable and unaffordable. Kolkata is infamous for having the highest electricity rates in the country, making it highly unaffordable for the poor in the city.

The collapse of the Ultadanga and Majerhat bridges in West Bengal demonstrates the government lack of supervision towards the state’s debilitating infrastructure.

Road connectivity is often hailed as a pathway to prosperity and development. But, the TMC regime has constantly failed in providing good quality road network in the state. Only 15 per cent of the total roads in the state are surfaced since 2017. Bengal ranks a lowly 14th out of the 31 states and UTs in terms of length of state highways.

Cities also play a crucial role in the growth and act as drivers of development. However, the TMC government has turned a blind eye to the pathetic state of cities in Bengal. It has failed to utilise the 30 per cent of the total funds released by the centre under the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT.

TMC’s betrayal of trust of the West Bengal farmers

Far from helping farmers, the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has worked against their interests. The TMC government did not allow PM KISAN in the state, depriving over 70 lakh farmers in the state from receiving an annual support amount of Rs 6,000. Instead, an alternative of PM KISAN was announced but it was poorly implemented, with over 35 per cent of the farmers eligible for the scheme left out.

The TMC government also denied the MSP bonus for paddy to the farmers. It replaced Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana with an inferior state scheme that covered far fewer crops and was shoddily implemented.

The agri-infrastructure is also in poor shape in West Bengal. The state lacks irrigation facility in 45 per cent of the arable land and due to deficient cold storage facilities, a large portion of agriculture produce is laid to waste.

The West Bengal government has failed in enhancing the income of farmers. According to survey by NABARD, Bengal ranked a lowly 24th out of 29th in terms of average monthly income for agriculture households.

TMC failed in empowering and protecting the women of the state

The TMC government in West Bengal also has a poor track record in empowering and protecting the women. It recorded third-highest number of cases against women in 2018. The state also recorded highest number of acid attack against women in the entire country in 2018.

Even the conviction rate of accused caused in a crime against women is abysmally low. While nationally it is 23 per cent, in West Bengal, the conviction rate is around 5 per cent.

Contrary to the TMC’s claims regarding employment provided to women in the state, West Bengal has one of the lowest labour force participation rates(LFPR) in the country.

Unprecedented growth in unemployment during the TMC rule

There has been an unprecedented growth of unemployment under the TMC rule. Between October 2016 to 2020, unemployment in West Bengal has grown by an astounding 217 per cent.

The poor employment meant that lakhs of West Bengal residents had to leave the state in search of jobs elsewhere. In the times of COVID-19, about 10.5 lakh Bengali migrant workers returned to the state, compared to 5.8 lakh as per Census 2001 and 2011.

Besides, West Bengal also has the highest percentage of delayed MGNREGA payments and it is plagued by TMC’s cut-money across the state, where workers are forced to pay hefty sums to avail work under the scheme.

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