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Crude bomb making activities increase in West Bengal as several blasts have taken place in the last few months: Read details

The political violence against the Opposition, especially members of BJP and Hindu organisations, has reached an unprecedented level in the State of West Bengal. From politically-motivated murders to staging suicides, the BJP has been at the receiving end of the high-handedness of the Trinamool Congress workers. Bolstered by political patronage, they have unleashed a state of terror in West Bengal with violence and blasts taking place in several parts of the State every month. This indicates that the activities of crude bomb-making have accelerated in the state.

On Tuesday, a massive explosion took place at a club in Dubrajpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal near the residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Naresh Chandra Bauri. As per reports, the BJP has alleged that explosive substances were hoarded by the TMC workers at the club, which eventually led to the explosion. On the other hand, the TMC has dismissed the charges and claimed that its workers were watching IPL and bursting ‘firecrackers’ in celebration.

Blast at a police station in Birbhum

Earlier on August 10, an explosion took place inside the Dubrajpur police station. District police chief Shyam Singh stated, “We came to know about an explosion inside the Dubrajpur police station. We are investigating the case to find out what actually happened there,” said Shyam Singh, the district police chief.”

During the incident, a visitor to the police station was badly injured. He was then rushed to a private hospital for further medical treatment. Surprisingly, senior police officials came to know much later about the explosion as it was not reported immediately. In its defence, the police had claimed that no explosives are stored in the almirah and that all ‘seized items’ are securely kept in malkhana. “We suspect a battery or condenser of a ceiling fan exploded,” a police official informed. According to the sources cited by the Telegraph, the building and the electrical wiring of the police station was old and worn out.

Explosion at a healtcentre in Hetampur

Again on October this year, a blast took place at a one-storey homoeopathic clinic in Champanagari village in Hetampur gram panchayat in Dubrajpur block in Birbhum district of West Bengal. As per locals, crude bombs were stocked at a two-storeyed building by miscreants that resulted in the explosion. However, the police claimed that the blast took place due to a leakage in the LPG cylinder that was stocked in the clinic. Reportedly, one of the rooms, where the cylinder was kept, was frequently used by locals to store utensils and cylinders for public events.

During the blast, two walls of the building had collapsed and the iron door became detached. The clinic was constructed on the land of Hetampur gram panchayat through crowdfunding. “The explosion happened in the room attached to the free health centre. The police are investigating the matter and will take action according to law,” claimed Panchayat chief Mohammed Jasimuddin.

TMC insiders have conceded that there was a long tradition to hoard crude bombs in government buildings in Dubrajpur. “Crude bombs have become an integral part of the political clash. We have seized thousands of bombs in several police station areas of the district. However, the practice remains unchanged,” a police officer emphasised.

Bomb blast at a club in Kolkata

On October 13, another huge explosion took place at a three-storeyed Beleghata club, near Gandhi Bhavan in Kolkata, West Bengal. During the blast, which took place between 6:30 -6:45 am at Beleghata Gandhimath Friends Circle, the wall of the terrace was demolished along with the sewer pipeline and the asbestos roof. No casualties have been reported so far. According to ABP Ananda, traces of explosives were found on the rooftop. It was also reported that ‘sutlis‘ (threads), attached to explosives, was found lying in large quantities, on the road, beside the building.

Following the incident, the BJP slammed the Trinamool Congress of conspiring to stir up political violence in West Bengal. BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya tweeted, “Ahead of assembly elections, TMC wants to create anarchy in West Bengal. Today, we even saw the proof of it after a blast took place at a club on Beleghat main road. The roof of the club got destroyed and its remains fell to a far-off place. We have suspicions that a large number of explosives was hidden in the building.”

TMC workers and crude bombs

In May this year, the Bhagwanpur police had reportedly recovered 153 crude bombs from the backyard of one local resident and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporter named Sheikh Kasemuddin in Lalpur village of East Midnapore District in West Bengal. Four people were arrested in connection with the case. While three of them were released after initial questioning, Kasemuddin was produced before the Kanthi Court on Saturday. He was sent to 14 days in judicial custody by the judge.

In July, crude bombs were hurled at BJP workers, prior to the scheduled public rally by BJP MP from Barrackpore, Arjun Singh. The incident took place in Shymnagar in North 24 Parganas in West Bengal. The State unit of the BJP reportedly wanted to take out a protest march against the rise of terror, perpetrated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), in Bhatpara, following the attack on one of its members, and also against corruption in the distribution of relief to the victims of the cyclone Amphan. When BJP workers flocked to the protest site, an explosion took place at the spot. Reportedly, 4 people were injured during the attack. Even though the rally was postponed for some time, it was resumed afterwards.

Earlier in August, a 40-year-old TMC worker named Humayun Kabir died after sustaining grave injuries during an explosion caused while making crude bombs at the roof of his house, reported The Hindustan Times. The incident took place in the Shamshergunj area in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. As per the report, the 10-year-old son of Humayun was also injured in the explosion. According to the sub-divisional police officer of Jangipur, Prasenjit Banerjee, Kabir was fatally injured while trying to make crude bombs. 

Vikas Dubey case: Yogi Govt suspends senior IPS Anant Dev over allegations of close links with slain gangster

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The Uttar Pradesh Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Anant Dev Tiwari has been suspended by the Yogi government after the special investigation team, investigating the case, unearthed his alleged nexus with the dreaded slain gangster Vikas Dubey who had killed eight policemen in an ambush at Bikru village in Kanpur on July 3.

“In its report, the SIT found Anant Dev guilty on various counts. On the basis of inquiry report, the government took the decision of suspending Dev,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said.

Dev was transferred from Kanpur and made DIG, Special Task Force (STF) on June 15. Three weeks later, on the night of July 2, the Bikru massacre took place in which Vikas Dubey and his henchmen brutally shot 8 policemen to death when they had gone to arrest him at his village Bikru in Kanpur.

It is believed that Vikas Dubey’s clout had grown manifold when Anant Dev Tiwari was posted as SSP Kanpur.

Moreover, the Yogi government has also sent a show-cause notice to SSP Dinesh P, who was posted in Kanpur when the Bikru incident took place.

As per reports, apart from Anant Dev Tiwari, former ASP Rural Pradyumn Singh, a former CO LIU of Kanpur, and some Lucknow-based officials have been under scanner for their alleged involvement with the gangster too.

Audio clip of DIG admitting his links with the gangster goes viral

The action against the officers was initiated after an audio clip alleging a close nexus between the slain gangster Vikas Dubey and DIG PAC Anant Dev Tiwari went viral on social media. In the audio clip, the official can be heard telling the caller that he wept bitterly after the gangster was killed in an encounter on July 10. The official goes on to say that he, too, could land in jail if his proximity with the gangster is revealed.

The officer also divulged that not only policemen, but even tehsildar, lekhpal and BDO joined the langars (community feast) which was organised by Vikas Dubey at his residence daily until he was alive.

Yogi Govt formed SIT to probe crimes committed by Vikas Dubey, his nexus with police personnel

The Uttar Pradesh police, working at the behest of the Yogi Adityanath government has relentlessly been persuing the Vikas Dubey case to dig out the names of the police personnel who had been hand-in-gloves with the slain gangster. In July, the Uttar Pradesh government had ordered that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will probe into the crimes committed by the dreaded gangster and his alleged links with police personnel.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter

The notorious gangster Vikas Dubey, who was arrested yesterday from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, was killed in an encounter in Kanpur in the early morning on July 10. According to the reports, the encounter broke out between Vikas Dubey and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) after the gangster tried to flee from the overturned vehicle that was bringing him from Madhya Pradesh.

8 police personnel were killed and several others where injured in an ambush on July 3. A special team of police officials was formed to arrest Dubey when news was delivered that he was at his residence in Bikru village. The police teams were systematically cordoned off and fired upon by dozens of supporters of Dubey, resulting in a bloodbath that killed many of the police officials.

This is why Obama will not be ‘cancelled’ by liberals just yet for his comments on Rahul Gandhi. There is a silver lining

Indian Twitter is all stirred up today after the reports of a rather interesting assessment of Rahul Gandhi in Barack Obama’s new book. He has described the Congress leader as someone who lacks aptitude and passion to master the subject.

Former US President and liberal heartthrob Barak Obama, in his new book ‘A Promised Land’ has reportedly made an interesting observation about Rahul Gandhi. Obama’s book says:

“Rahul Gandhi has a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject”. 

The curious opinion already has the Indian Twitter in splits. For Rahul Gandhi is usually mocked for his outlandish comments, factually incorrect claims and general incompetence among the general public, not just his political rivals. However, since the Congress ecosystem and the compliant media absolutely refuses to see the writing on the wall and accept that Rahul Gandhi is not cut for politics, we get op-eds after op-eds, one PR campaign after another hailing Rahul as the present and future of Indian politics, a worthy opponent for the Modi regime and whatnot.

As we have covered in this report, the left-liberal media in India has been predicting Rahul Gandhi’s ‘coming of age’ for over a decade now.

Why Indian left-liberals won’t ‘cancel’ Obama

Obama has done something that would easily have got a Congress leader expelled from the party. No, it is not an exaggeration, anyone in Congress, who dares to question the leadership is forced to resign, or hounded till he or she does resign. Even senior Congress leaders, ones who have given literally a lifetime to the party were duly reprimanded in the last CWC meeting when they allegedly wrote a letter seeking some structural and leadership-level changes in the party.

It is Obama’s good fortune that he is not a Congress leader, because ‘madam’ would not have been pleased over this kind of statements about Rahul baba.

Still, Obama won’t be ‘cancelled’ just yet by Indian left-liberals. Here are the main reasons.

Obama is smart, his ‘criticism’ can actually be twisted to mean as subtle praise

Obama’s statements on Rahul do not actually write him off. By pegging him as a ‘student’ Obama has done what Karan Johar does to Shah Rukh Khan, portrayed him as a young, vibrant individual who is young enough to be called a ‘student’ and not a 50-year-old dynast who is yet to achieve anything of his own. ‘Nervous student’ is the American version of calling JNU’s Dafli-banging senior citizens as ‘student leaders’, to create a false image of youthful energy and thus, making an escape tunnel for abject failures to be dismissed as minor mistakes of youthful fervour and pass unnoticed.

By citing Rahul Gandhi as a ‘nervous student’ Obama has opened the opportunity for another dozen op-eds, declaring that the young student has finally ‘come of age’ and is now no longer nervous like a first-year student in his first day at college.

‘Done his coursework’? Seriously?

When had Rahul Gandhi done his coursework? In the now-famous interview with Arnab Goswami, where his incompetency, lack of knowledge and insincerity was out for everyone to see? Or the varying range of costs of a Rafale jet, that kept changing in every rally? Was Rahul Gandhi doing his coursework when he was lying, blatantly lying and lying some more on top of all that lying all through the run-up to the 2019 elections about the non-existent Rafale ‘scam’ where no one could point out what or where the ‘scam’ was?

Remember the instant where a person from the audience in a London meeting asked him about the Doklam standoff, an issue Rahul Gandhi has been ranting about for months? Rahul’s answer was, “I don’t know the details”.

Rahul is a person who attempts to pronounce “Visvesvaraya” in Karnataka rally and utterly fails to do that. Rahul Gandhi is so up-to-date with his homework that he cannot even pronounce the names of government schemes, claims he wakes up in the morning in the middle of the night, and so on.

Rahul Gandhi is the one Indian politician who never does his coursework. Congress loyals should be grateful to Obama that he was so kind to Rahul Gandhi.

Obama, by claiming that Rahul Gandhi ‘has done his coursework’ but still appears nervous, has in fact, inserted the scope for liberals to claim that Rahul is a sincere, youthful, hardworking student who is learning his way around, unlike old bullies like Modi, and thus will be a perfect PM candidate for young India. There is a scope for at least 2 dozen op-eds there in that single sentence.

Obama is the liberal dream, un-‘cancellable’

It is a unique predicament for Congress loyal, Gandhi family faithful, Indian ‘secular-liberals’ that Obama has done this. After all, how do they express displeasure against a former American President of the same party after they just expressed great joy over Joe Biden’s alleged election victory. Obama was after all, Biden’s boss for eight years.

Also, they have just fawned over Kamala Harris for being black, being of Indian-descent and being a woman and still becoming the Vice President of USA, forgetting that Indian, Sri Lankan women have been becoming presidents, prime ministers and chief ministers for decades now. ‘Cancelling’ Kamala’s former boss so soon after fawning all over the Democrats is going to look a bit ‘uncool’ after all.

‘This is the dog that curses Islam’: YouTuber Fayez Kanfash, a Syrian immigrant in Germany, flogs ‘Macron the dog’ amidst chants of Allahu Akbar

The hate campaign unleashed by Muslim groups against French President Emmanuel Macron continued across the world as Muslims are now indulging in promoting violence against French President Emmanuel Macron after he took a strong stand to fight the radical Islamic terror. Inspired by radical Muslims across the world, a Berlin-based Syrian YouTuber Fayez Kanfash took to streets in Berlin to spew venom against French President Emmanuel Macron by referring to him as “Macron, the dog”. Interestingly, Kanfash is supposed to be a ‘satirist’.

The Youtuber dragged a man wearing a mask of French President Emmanuel Macron through these streets as a mark of protest against the French President’s alleged act of Islamophobia. A video of him dragging and flogging a handcuffed man wearing a mask of French President Emmanuel Macron has gone viral on the internet.

In the video, Fayez Kanfash can be seen dragging and flogging a hand-cuffed person as onlookers cheer him. Burning pictures of Macron, the Syrian Youtuber can also be seen encouraging people to act against the French President as he flogs the masked man referring to him as a ‘lowlife and a dog’.

Kanfash also warned the onlookers that this is how people who curse Islam and the Prophet Muhammad will be treated and prompted fellow Muslims present at the spot to chant “Allahu Akbar!”.

“I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger,” says Fayez Kanfash as crowd chants ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the streets of Berlin.

“Do not kill him, he is not the real [Macron]. Just wait, you dog, you lowlife. You want to eat shawarma? I will let you eat my shoe! — Say: ‘Allah Akbar!” the Syrian Youtuber says.

Continuing to drag the Macron-face masked man, Kanfash abuses the French President saying, “This is Macron. We burned you. Did you curse Islam, you lowlife, you animal? Just wait, you dog… Let’s go, come with me. Let’s go, Macron. Let’s go! Whoever insults out Islam and our Prophet will be treated like this,”

“This is the dog that curses Islam. I swear that if you do that again. Come you dog, you lowlife, you insect. His wife wants to ban the hijab because the children are afraid. (Allah Akbar),” says the Youtube as he lits fire to Macron’s posters.

Kanfash has more than one million followers on Youtube and he uses his channel to promote bigotry and hatred against non-Muslims.

German police investigating the incident

As the act of flogging went viral on the internet, the German police took the matter into cognizance and began an investigation against Fayez Kanfash for filming act promoting violence against Macron.

A Berlin police said authorities were looking into whether the Macron flogging stunt amounted to incitement to commit violence or whether it was satire.

The 23-year-old Syrian immigrant Kanfash was also questioned about the incident. Kanfash said that he was stopped and questioned by police about the stunt. He also added that he wanted to show Germans and Westerners that freedom of expression has its limits.

“The intention was never to incite violence,” he said. Kanfash came to Germany after he fled Syria four years ago. “We just wanted to say, if freedom of expression allows you to insult our prophet, then don’t be offended if we insult your leaders,” the Syrian Youtuber defending his heinous act.

Muslim world turns against France

French President’s strong stance against radical Islam and in support of freedom of speech has infuriated Islamic nations like Turkey and Pakistan that have condemned France and French President alleging Islamophobia.

Pakistan’s National Assembly had even passed a resolution demanding its government to recall their non-existent envoy from France. Muslims across the globe have been taking out protests against France including in India. India had expressed solidarity with France and condemned the attacks on French people by Islamic terrorists.

Maharashtra police interrogate Republic TV CFO in connection with 2018 suicide case only 2 days after Arnab Goswami was released from Taloja jail

Continuing their witch-hunt against Republic Media Network, the Raigad Police on Friday questioned Republic TV’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) S Sundaram in connection to the 2018 suicide case of interior decorator Anvay Naik, only two days after editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was released from Taloja jail.

According to the reports, the Raigad Police had earlier summoned S Sundaram for questioning him in the 2018 suicide case. The summons to Republic TV CFO comes two days after Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was granted interim bail in the same case by the Supreme Court.

Reportedly, Raigad police had summoned Sundaram after Arnab Goswami had allegedly said that making payments on behalf of the company was the job of the CFO. Accordingly, the police officials have issued summons to him and asked him to appear before them on Friday.

The officer said they will scrutinise the financial records of the accused. “A few more persons will be issued summons in the coming days,” the officer said, adding that they will also audit more financial records before filing a charge-sheet in the matter.

Supreme Court grants bail to Arnab Goswami

On Wednesday, a Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra hearing the petition said that Bombay High Court made an error in rejecting the application for grant of interim bail on technical grounds. Granting the bail to Arnab Goswami, the apex court also directed the Raigad police to ensure the compliance of the order of release of Arnab Goswami forthwith.

The Supreme Court also asked Arnab Goswami and two other accused to execute a personal bond for an amount of Rs 50,000 for release on interim bail.

Justice Chandrachud, hearing the plea had made scathing observations saying, “If we don’t interfere in this case today we will walk on path of destruction. If left to me I won’t watch the channel and you may differ in ideology but Constitutional courts will have to protect such freedoms”.

Arnab was arrested last week by the Mumbai Police after it had reopened 2018 abatement of the suicide case of an architect, Anvay Naik. On the 4th of November, 15-20 policemen armed with assault weapons and led by encounter cop Sachin Vaze had stormed into the house of Arnab Goswami and dragged him out. The 2018 case has been unilaterally opened against after it was closed in 2019 at the behest of the Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh.

‘Harish Salve did not charge a single rupee to represent me, I am deeply grateful’: Arnab Goswami on his first 9 PM debate back

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On Thursday, Republic TV Editor Arnab Goswami expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards senior advocate Harish Salve on live air for representing the news channel in the Supreme Court and securing his bail in the 2018 abetment of suicide case. Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV said this on his 9 PM debate, the first after he was released from Taloja jail following a witch-hunt by Maharashtra government.

The case pertains to the death of one Anvay Naik, who committed suicide in May 2018 alleging that Arnab Goswami had not cleared his dues worth ₹83 lacs. Even though the case was closed in 2019, the Maharashtra government reopened it in May this year to falsely implicate Arnab Goswami. In a statement, Arnab Goswami said, “I must place on record, my deepest personal and professional gratitude for the legal colossus. One of India’s foremost jurists Mr Harish Salve, who fought with all his heart and knowledge for me. I am deeply grateful. We owe deep gratitude to Harish Salve.”

The Republic TV Editor further informed that Harish Salve had not charged a single rupee from the news network and appeared in the Court pro-bono. “I don’t know how many of you all know this but Mr Harish Salve does not charge us even one rupee for any of his valuable appearances for the court. He appears pro-bono for us. That is something I can’t even express my gratitude and thanks for,” Goswami emphasised.

Harish Salve had made a strong case in Supreme Court

After the Bombay High Court rejected the bail petition of Arnab Goswami, Harish Salve argued in the Supreme Court that no ‘abetment of suicide case’ could be made out against the Republic TV Editor.

“The person (Anvay Naik) was in financial difficulty and, thereafter, committed suicide but how can it be abetment to suicide. For abetment, there must be a direct and indirect act of the commission of the offence. If tomorrow, a person commits suicide in Maharashtra and blames Government, then will the Chief minister be arrested?” Harish Salve submitted before the apex court. The Supreme Court, while upholding an individual’s liberty, granted interim bail to Arnab Goswami and stated that the Bombay High Court was in ‘error’ for rejecting his bail petition.

Supreme Court grants bail to Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV

On Wednesday, Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami after it granted interim bail in connection with the suicide case filed against them by the Maharashtra government. A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra hearing the petition said that Bombay High Court made an error in rejecting the application for grant of interim bail on technical grounds. Granting the bail to Arnab Goswami, the apex court also directed the Raigad police to ensure the compliance of the order of release of Arnab Goswami forthwith.

The Supreme Court also asked Arnab Goswami and two other accused to execute a personal bond for an amount of Rs 50,000 for release on interim bail. Justice Chandrachud, hearing the plea had made scathing observations saying, “If we don’t interfere in this case today we will walk on the path of destruction. If left to me I won’t watch the channel and you may differ in ideology but Constitutional courts will have to protect such freedoms”. Arnab was arrested last week by the Mumbai Police after it had reopened 2018 abatement of the suicide case of an architect, Anvay Naik.

Obama’s opinion of Rahul Gandhi makes Indian Twitter trend ‘Maafi Maang Obama’, read why

An excerpt from Barack Obama’s recent book is going viral in India. It is about Rahul Gandhi.

Barack Obama – the former President of the United States of America, has made a rather interesting assessment of the Congress prince Rahul Gandhi. He has described the Congress leader as someone who lacks aptitude and passion to master the subject.

About Rahul Gandhi, former US President Barack Obama highlights the inability of the Gandhi-scion to understand the way of politics as he says Rahul Gandhi lacked both aptitude and passion to master the art of politics.

In his new book – ‘A Promised Land’, former US President Barack Obama has opined on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stating, “Rahul Gandhi has a nervous, unformed quality about him as if he were a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject”.

According to a book review by the New York Times, the autobiography by Obama is ‘more political than personal’. The book is reportedly is a harsh self-assessment by Obama of his Presidential tenure and his life including his first stirring of social awareness in his teenage years. The book also talks about his VP and the current US President-elect Joe Biden along with various other issues.

The mild critique of Rahul Gandhi by Obama comes just days after Congress’ yet another dismal performance in the recently concluded Bihar election. Many critics have pointed out how Rahul Gandhi’s incompetence to lead the party resulted in Congress managing just 19 of the 70 seats it contested, pulling down the Mahagathbandhan.

Obama’s opinion on Rahul Gandhi, however, is not surprising as many Indian have already realised the lack of capability of Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress party. The failure of Rahul Gandhi as a leader has been evident not only with a series of losses in various state elections since 2014 but also manifested after various party loyals quit after expressing doubts over Rahul Gandhi’s leadership capability.

In fact, the former US President is highlighting the fact that is already known by the rest of the country. Rahul Gandhi had met Obama when he visited India in 2017.

Rahul’s 2017 teen about meeting Obama

Obama’s opinion of Rahul Gandhi triggers sarcastic tweets

Congress party workers and sympayhisers of course are not very pleased with the viral book excerpt, especially because it comes from an American President of the same party after they just expressed great joy over Joe Biden’s alleged election victory. Obama was after all, Biden’s boss for eight years.

Interestingly, the Right-Wing social media users too joined in with the outrage, sarcastically tweeting sadness over a former American President having such low opinion of the Congress prince.

Some users claimed that it was unfair for Obama to mock Rahul Gandhi, because he can be a subject of entertainment for India only, and no American can use him for laughs.

Another user tweeted, “Rahul Gandhi is India’s internal matter, Obama has no right to interfere or criticise”.

Tweet by @AdventuresArti

A user named Sushil Sancheti “severely condemned” the language used by Barak Obama for Rahul Gandhi and asked who does the former US President think he is. He also asked whether he knew Rahul Gandhi more than Rahul Gandhi’s ‘supporters’ such as Raghuram Rajan, Rajiv Bajaj, Saket Gokhale, and Sanjukta Basu.

“How dare that an American undervalue our Yuvraj?,” Sancheti asked.

Obama has described Sonia as ‘beautiful’

As per reports, in the same book, Obama has also described Sonia Gandhi as ‘beautiful’. “we are told of the handsomeness of men like Charlie Crist and Rahm Emanuel, but not the beauty of women, except for one or two instances, as in the case of Sonia Gandhi”, a part of the book reportedly mentions.

Barak Obama, through his strong criticism against Rahul Gandhi, has achieved the impossible of the Right-wing and left-wing unity in the country. The social media users, momentarily ignoring their ideological and political affiliation, have united to seek apology from Obama for making harsh comments against ‘national icon’ Rahul Gandhi.

I cannot be a silent spectator: Bengal Governor speaks up after BJP leader Dilip Ghosh’s convoy was attacked and stoned

On Thursday, the 12th of November, the convoy of BJP leader and West Bengal state president Dilip Ghosh was attacked as it passed through Asian Highway 48 and reached Jaigaon. Two cars of the convoy were damaged as stones were mercilessly pelted at the convoy which had Dilip Ghosh.

Sharing a video of the damaged car, BJP leader and co-in charge of Bengal, Arvind Menon said that from a booth-level worker to the state president, each and every BJP worker is being targeted by the TMC goons. The damaged car in the video shared by Menon was that of BJP leader Wilson Champamari.

On Thursday, Dilip Ghosh, who is on a tour of north Bengal, headed for Khoklabusty of Jaigaon for a public meeting. As his convoy headed down AH48, 100s of people with black flags and posters saying “Go Back Dilip Ghosh” assembled at GST More on the way to Jaigaon. At Jharnabusty, another 6km away, another group started pelting stones at the vehicles.

The two vehicles that were severely damaged were that of Kalchini MLA Wilson Champramary the Alipurduar district president of BJP’s ST Morcha.

Mukul Roy too took to Twitter to condemn that attack, vowing to overthrow the tyrannical regime of Mamata Banerjee.

While the BJP says that its convoy was attacked by TMC goons because they are getting scared of losing power in the state, Mridul Goswami, Alipurduar district Trinamul chief, called the protests “a spontaneous reaction” of people.

Reacting to the attack, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that he cannot be a silent spectator as the law and order machinery breaks down in the state.

Governor Dhankhar said that an environment of political violence has been created in the state of West Bengal. “We are in a very explosive situation. The threat to democracy is increasing day by day. Rule of law is nose-diving. I cannot be a silent spectator”.

He further said that the people had his assurance that the elections (to be held in 2021) would be peaceful and follow the rule of law. He also said that those who believe that things will continue to happen the way they used to in Bengal are wrong.

After Bihar, it is time for West Bengal for BJP

After winning 125 seats in the state of Bihar, without wasting any time, so to speak, the BJP has turned its attention to West Bengal. While celebrating the win of the NDA alliance in Bihar, Prime Minister Modi delivered a speech tacitly targeting the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee after the recent spate of violence in the state.

He said that those who are unable to compete with BJP in democratic ways, those who are finding it difficult to challenge BJP democratically, such people have adopted the tactic of killing BJP workers. “In some parts of the country, they think that by killing the BJP workers they will succeed in their plans. I try to explain them with the request, I do not need to threaten them, that will be done by the people”, the PM said, inviting cheers and applauds from the crowd present.

“Elections come and go, wins and losses keep happening, sometimes this party rules sometimes that party rules, but this game of murders can not go on in a democracy”, Narendra Modi said. Nobody can win votes by the game of murders, read these writings on the wall, the PM added, without naming any state or party.

Modi’s comment came just a week after home minister Amit Shah had referred to the political murders in West Bengal during his visit to the state. During a rally in the state, Amit Shah had stated that violence and political killings had become the hallmark of the Mamata regime.

Saying that West Bengal tops the chart in political killings, Shah had asked CM Mamata Banerjee to release a white paper on political killings in the state. He also said that the state government has not sent the statistics of crime to the National Crime Record Bureau.

There have been several incident of murders of BJP leaders in the state. Last month, lawyer and BJP councillor from Titagarh Manish Shukla was shot dead by unknown assailants near Titagarh police station in Brackpore area. A week after that, one BJP worker hailing from Ranaghat in TMC ruled West Bengal’s Nadia district was brutally shot dead.

Other than shootings, bodies of BJP workers found hanging from trees in rural areas also happen regularly. BJP leaders have alleged that TMC goons are behind all these murders.

Twitter removes Home Minister Amit Shah’s display photo citing copyright violation and locks account, calls it ‘inadvertent error’

The microblogging site – Twitter on Thursday removed the Twitter display picture of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in response to a “report from the copyright holder” inviting severe criticism from the citizens of the country. On Thursday night, a message was displayed on the display image section of Home Minister Amit Shah’s Twitter profile saying “Media not displayed”. The micro-blogging site stated in the message that the picture has been removed after someone claimed ‘copyright’ on it.

Twitter had locked Home Minister Amit Shah’s account after the copyright claim on his display image, which was a part of his official portrait according to Shah’s website.

Such action is generally taken if an individual claims copyright on the image that is being used by someone in their Twitter profile. However, so far, it was assumed that such action would only be taken after basic verification of such claims.

Image Source: Amit Shah

However, as soon as the netizens began to question Twitter’s unilateral action without apparent verification, the micro-blogging site reinstated Amit Shah’s display picture.

Home Minister Amit Shah is the second most followed leader in the country on Twitter after Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has 23.6 million followers. The Home Minister follows only 296 people.

The action by Twitter seems unilateral since if one visits the webpage of Amit Shah, one sees that the picture that was being used as a display picture is a part of his official portrait. Hence, it would seem impossible that anyone else could hold the copyright for it.

Amit Shah’s website – amitshah.co.in

After locking Twitter account of Amit Shah, microblogging website issues clarification – calls it inadvertent error

On Friday morning, Twitter issued a clarification calling this action taken by it against Amit Shah’s Twitter profile an ‘inadvertent error’.

A Twitter spokesperson said, “Due to an inadvertent error, we temporarily locked this account under our global copyright policies. This decision was reversed immediately and the account is fully functional”.

Twitter removes BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s display picture

Just as Twitter removed Amit Shah’s profile picture, the micro-blogging site has also removed BJP MP Subramanian Swamy’s Twitter image citing ‘copyright’ issues.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy took to Twitter to allege that his Twitter photo was taken off because some unknown Bangladeshi had claimed that photo was patented by him.

Tweet by Subramanian Swamy

According to Swamy’s supporters, Twitter had removed Swamy’s image without verification. However, it later restored after Swamy’s team brought the issue into their notice.

Interestingly, Twitter’s action against Amit Shah and Subramanian Swamy comes just a day after the Modi government had issued a notice to them for distorting India’s map and infringing on country’s sovereignty.

Twitter gets notice for map distortion

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a notice to social media giant Twitter for distorting the map of India. The notice has been issued after it was found that Twitter was showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir, instead of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The micro-blogging site has been asked to explain why legal action should not be initiated against it for disrespecting India’s territorial integrity. The notice was issued on November 9 and gave five days to Twitter to submit its reply.

The Ministry notice says that showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir is a deliberate attempt by Twitter to undermine the will of sovereign Parliament of India, which had declared Ladakh as a Union Territory of India with headquarter in Leh.

The Ministry has also directed Twitter to explain within five working days why legal action should not be initiated against Twitter and its representatives for disrespecting the territorial integrity of India.

The matter came to notice after defence analyst Nitin Gokhale had noticed on October 20 that Twitter was marking his location Leh as being part of Jammu of Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils the statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus, here is what he said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today unveiled the statue of Swami Vivekananda in the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in New Delhi via video conferencing. Speaking on the occasion PM Modi said that he wished that the statute would inspire and energise everyone and would still courage and compassion that Swamiji wanted to see in everyone.

The Prime Minister said that the youth of the country were the brand ambassadors of Brand India in the world and that they represented the culture and traditions of India. He said that the youth of India are not just expected to feel proud of thousands of years old identity of India but also to create a new identity of the country in the 21st century.

Talking about the poor in the country, PM Modi said that the poor in the country were given place only in slogans and no effort was made to connect them with the system. He said that the poor have been the most neglected, the most unconnected and financially excluded lot in the country. He pointed out how the poor are now being provided facilities houses, electricity, water supply, LPG connection, digital banking, cheap mobile connectivity and internet connection.

PM said to the students in JNU that the statue of Swami Vivekandanda could be a hang-out place for them like Sabarmati Dhaba where they could exchange ideas and have debates and discussions

Taking a veiled dig at the left ideology, PM Modi said that placing one’s ideology above national interest has severely harmed our democratic setup. He said that it was wrong to be restricted within the limits of one’s ideology even when national interest is concerned.

The Prime Minister said that it was natural to feel proud of one’s ideology but one’s ideology should be in line with national interests and not against it.

Citing the example of freedom struggle led Mahatma Gandhi, PM Modi recalled how people from different ideologies came together during difficult times of the country.

He remembered how during the Emergency unity was manifested despite different ideologies. He told that during the movement against the Emergency several former leaders and workers of Congress party had also participated along with people from the RSS and the Jan Sangh.

Citing the example of the movement against the Emergency, PM Modi explained that standing in unity for the national interest did not mean compromising one’s ideology as everyone had a common interest- national interest.

Prime Minister Modi said that India has been a place where diverse ideas have flourished and that it was important to maintain the flow of new ideas. He urged the youth of the country to preserve this tradition which makes India the most vibrant democracy in the world.

The statue of Swami Vivekananda was approved by the Executive Council of the JNU in June 2017. In 2019, a complaint was filed by the JNU administration with the police alleging that the statue was defaced and derogatory messages were written on it during the violent protests in the JNU against the hostel fee hike.