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“Your time of death has come”, radical Islamists attack actress-politician Nusrat Jahan on social media after she poses as Goddess Durga

Dibakar Dutta
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“Your time of death has come”, radical Islamists attack actress-politician Nusrat Jahan on social media after she poses as Goddess Durga

On September 17, Trinamool Congress MP and actress Nusrat Jahan took to Instagram to celebrate the festival of Mahalaya. She had shared pictures of her, dressed as Goddess Durga, on social media.

View this post on Instagram

Shubho mahalaya… সকল কে.

A post shared by Nusrat (@nusratchirps) on

The TMC MP had also shared a video of photoshoot, where she was photographed dressed as Durga.

However, hours after posting the picture on Instagram, she was abused with the choicest of expletives by radical Islamists from both India and Bangladesh. The fanatics questioned her integrity for not following Islam and also issued death threats.

Islamists display Hinduphobia, question ‘Islamic values’ of Nusrat Jahan

An Instagram user, Sagar Hossain, questioned, “Tui ekta Muslim hoye kiser jonno Hindu der support korich (Why do you support Hindus despite being a Muslim?)” Pointing towards the trident in Nusrat’s hand, Mohammed Anowar wrote, “Muslaman hoye haath e ata ki. Nauzubillah (How can you have this in your hand when you are a Muslim? Nauzubillah- Seek refuge in Allah).” Displaying his innate hatred for the Hindu community, another Instagram user (@sari.kakhatun) wrote, “Hindu chee“

Screengrab of the comments on Nusrat Jahan’s Instagram post

Radical Islamists shame actress for tarnishing Islam

Nusrat’s attire did not go down well with one Mohammed Nurtaj. While displaying his angst, Nurtaj wrote, “Muslim er name colonko. Muslim hoye erokom post amra dekhte chai na (You are a blot on the name of Muslims. As Muslims, we don’t want to see such posts.)” An Instagram user (moshiur.audit) asked in his broken English, “Are you know what are you doing you are a Muslim”

Screengrab of the comments on Nusrat Jahan’s Instagram post

Referring to the actress in a derogatory manner, Amanullah from Bangladesh posted, “Ami confused ei sali Hindu naki Mulsim (I am confused whether this bit*h is a Hindu or a Muslim.)” Another user, Sakib, expressed surprise and asked, “Apni Musalman hoye (How can you do this being a Muslim?)”

Screengrab of the comments on Nusrat Jahan’s Instagram post

Nusrat Jahan was not spared even in her succeeding Instagram posts, which she posted in anticipation of the Bengali Hindu festival of Durga Puja. She had uploaded a video on her timeline on September 20 which showed behind-the-scenes of her photoshoot. Radical Islamists did not leave any stone unturned to spew venom against the actress and Hinduism.

Islamists issue death threats to Nusrat Jahan, advocate name change

While issuing death threats and the need for ‘modesty’, an instagram user (@mkkhan486) wrote, ‘Tor moroner somoi asa gecha. Allah tale ke bhaoi karo aar nijer sorir dekhe rakhta paro na chi chi chi (Your time of death has come. Fear the Allah. Can’t you keep your body covered? Chi Chi Chi)’

Another user (@IvIvas) asked to change Nusrat Jahan to change her name, is she can’t adhere to Islamic principles. He wrote, “Naam ta Nusrat Jahan na rekha akhon theka Nusu Das/Ghosh/Sen agulo koren (Change your name from Nusrat Jahan to Nusu Das/ Ghosh/Sen – basically Hindu names).”

Screengrab of the comments on Nusrat Jahan’s Instagram post

Radical Islamists call actress ‘Satan‘, condemns her to life in hell

The anti-Hindu hate did not stop here. One Mohammed Jalal Hossain compared the Bengali film actress to ‘Satan’ (evil) for posing as Goddess Durga. He wrote, “Apni Muslim name Saitan. Musalman Saitan toh dekhe na. Aapnare dekhle Saitan dekher saad mita gesa (You are evil in the name of Muslims. Even though Muslims can’t see evil, yet, my desire to see it has been fulfilled through you).”

Screengrab of the comments on Nusrat Jahan’s Instagram post

While emphasising that the actress will be doomed to Hell and how Allah is watching over everything, another Instagram user (@alisk217) wrote, “Chi Muslim hoyeo apni asob korchan lojja bolta apna ki kichu nei chi chi chi…. Jahannami mohila…. Ni lojjo maya allah sob dakcha (Shame on you for doing this as a Mulsim. You have no shame left in you. You are condemned to go to Jahanam aka Hell. No shame. Allah is watching everything)”

Muslim clerics attack Nusrat Jahan for participating in Durga Puja

This is not the first time that Nusrat Jahan has been issued threats by Radical Islamists. Last year, a cleric from the Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, named Mufti Azad Wasmi, had slammed the Trinamool Congress leader saying that a Muslim should not offer prayers to any God other than Allah. “She has been participating in such prayers, there is nothing new in this. However, under Islam, a follower is not allowed to offer prayers to any God other than Allah, this is ‘haram’. She should change her name and religion,” the cleric said on camera.

Last year, photographs of Nusrat Jahan attending Durga Puja wither her husband Nikhil Jain had gone viral, which had resulted in similar attack from Islamists. She was also targeted by Islamists due to her marriage with a Jain man.

“Hindu ki maiya maar gayi”, Pakistani internet sensation Nimra Ali goes on a Hinduphobic rant on live air, apologises after backlash

OpIndia Staff
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“Hindu ki maiya maar gayi”, Pakistani internet sensation Nimra Ali goes on a Hinduphobic rant on live air, apologises after backlash

In an interview with Pakistani news channel GNN on September 23, Pakistani social media sensation, Nimra Ali, went on a vicious Hinduphobic tirade on live air. Ali, who has recently risen to prominence, spewed deep-seated venom against the minority Hindu community during her appearance on Tv.

Referring to Hindus as ‘goats’ and ridiculing the death of Hindus during the partition of India, she said, “Kashi mein saari bakriya chadh gayi, Gandhi Nehru matam manao Hindu ki maiya maar gayi (All goats have been hung in Kashi. It is time for Gandhi and Nehru to grieve as the mother of Hindus have perished.)”

The most astonishing part of the interview was that the anchors, instead of condemning the anti-Hindu couplet, applauded her in unison and heaved praise for her actions.

Nimra Ali apologises for her remarks

Following a social media backlash for her hate speech on live air, Nimra Ali was forced to tender an apology. While replying to Hindu activist Kapil Dev who pointed out her ignorant and jingoistic behaviour, Ali said, “I am so sorry Kapil Dev. Sir, I was just copying a character done by Sajal Ali (one of my favourite actresses), didn’t want to hurt you or anyone from the Hindu community.”

Pakistani anchor makes anti-Hindu remarks against Hindu Baniyas

Earlier, the anchor of a show on Pakistan news channel, Newsone, made a vile anti-Hindu comment while trying to hold India responsible for the landmine blast in South Balochistan on May 1 that has left 6 Pakistani soldiers and a Major dead. While trying to take potshots at India, the anchor said, “Hindu Baniya aab aukat se bahar nikalna lag gaya hai“. It loosely translates as “Hindu Baniya is going out of hands.” The video was aired in Pakistan on 9th May 2020.

At around 3 minute into the video, the news anchor, while holding India responsible for the instability in Pakistan, says that Pakistani Army’s restrain should not be considered its weakness. “Till when will we stay quiet because now the Hindu Baniya has crossed all limits,” he says.

China injecting unproven coronavirus vaccine to its citizens, forcing them to sign non-disclosure agreements

OpIndia Staff
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China injecting unproven coronavirus vaccine to its citizens, forcing them to sign non-disclosure agreements

The People’s Republic of China, after infecting with the world with deadly pandemic COVID-19, is now injecting thousands of its people with unproven coronavirus vaccine, which are still under trial. According to the reports, the Communist Party of China has also made these vaccinated people sign a “nondisclosure agreement” to make sure that they do not reveal about the vaccination drive to the news media.

Under the vaccination drive, high-risk population, including staff of state-owned companies, government officials, vaccine company staff, teachers are being vaccinated on an emergency basis. However, global health experts are raising questions about the efficacy of the untested vaccine.

The Chinese officials are injecting three vaccine candidates into workers whom the government considers important, along with many others, including employees of the pharmaceutical firms themselves.

Citing emergency use, Chinese officials risking lives of Chinese

The officials are planning to vaccinate more number of people, citing emergency use, risking the lives of thousands of Chinese citizens.

However, despite questions being raised, China has continued to inject its citizens with untested coronavirus vaccine. China has also claimed that the World Health Organization supported China’s experimental coronavirus vaccine programme, which started in July. The Communist country also said that they had informed WHO about the vaccine trials in June.

China’s attempts to inoculate tens of thousands with untested vaccines comes even as the rest of the world are trying hard to come up with a proven coronavirus vaccine.

Reportedly, China is currently carrying out clinical trials for 11 vaccines and four other vaccines are in Phase 3 trials. Among these, two are developed by state-backed China National Biotec Group and one by Sinovac Biotech. Another experimental vaccine is also ready, which is developed by CanSino Biologics and approved to be used in the Chinese military in June.

Maharashtra: Close to Anil Deshmukh’s residence in Nagpur, gambling den operator lynched to death. Video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Close to Anil Deshmukh’s residence in Nagpur, gambling den operator lynched to death. Video goes viral

A video has emerged from Nagpur, Maharashtra in which a man, identified as gambling den kingpin Kishore alias Balya Binekar, was killed at a busy city square close to the residence of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. The incident was captured on a CCTV camera at the square.

Binekar, who had a lengthy criminal record, was involved in running a gambling den. The person who killed Binekar is believed to be the son of a man Binekar murdered in 2001.

In the viral video, a group of men on motorcycles approached Binekar’ car when it was at the traffic signal of Bhole Petrol Pump square. His car was blocked by a motorcycle while his accomplices pulled Binekar out of the vehicle and killed him using axes and other sharp weapons. The onlookers watched the incident, but no one dared to intervene.

Maharashtra state home minister Anil Deshmukh’s residence is barely 1 km away from where the stabbing took place.

Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said that they had arrested a person who is the son of a man Binekar killed in 2001. “Binekar was also running a gambling activity and had been booked in many crimes since 1995,” he added. An offence has been registered against unidentified assailants.

Update: Four accused have been arrested by Nagpur Crime Branch.

The ‘Kerala model’ everyone has stopped talking about

Nirwa Mehta
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The ‘Kerala model’ everyone has stopped talking about

On May 14, 2020, British Daily newspaper The Guardian had hailed Kerala’s health Minister KK Shailaja as ‘rockstar’.

The Guardian on Kerala

It credited KK Shailaja for having identified the dangerous virus as early as January 20 and having equipped Kerala’s health infrastructure. KK Shailaja credited herself that because of the efforts, there were only 524 cases of Chinese coronavirus in Kerala by 14th May, 2020.

Four months since that ‘victory’ over virus, Kerala has recorded over 1,67,000 coronavirus cases. As of now, over 52,000 active coronavirus cases are there in the state.

Kerala cases

Kerala has 5th highest active caseload for coronavirus in India presently. While most states have been showing higher recoveries than new cases including the worst affect Maharashtra, Kerala has been showing a significant rise of new cases. This even though its testing remains as low as 27.2 lakh.

Coronavirus graphs in Kerala

As can be seen from above graphs, the active cases in Kerala have been steadily increasing. On September 1, 2020, Kerala had 22,512 active cases. Today, the active cases have more than doubled. But no one is talking about it.

In fact, with rising cases, Kerala has dropped testing. On Friday, Kerala tested 59,610 samples, of which 7006 tested positive, taking positivity rate to 11.75%. To put things in perspective, Uttar Pradesh tested 1,56,928 samples on Friday, of which 4,302 tested positive. That is a positivity rate of 2.74%. Uttar Pradesh, one of the most populous states of India, has little over 57,000 active cases, just about 5,000 cases more than Kerala, that had ‘won’ the coronavirus battle as early as February this year.

But no one is talking about it. No one is talking about the fact that instead of scaling up the testing, Kerala has actually scaled it down. Health experts had warned as early as May itself that Kerala’s testing rate is poor and the CM had then rubbished it.

No testing, no new cases. All is well.

The hold that communists have over media ensured that these facts regarding Kerala’s terrible management of coronavirus crisis gets pushed under the rug. No one is holding anyone accountable. KK Shailaja is not giving interviews blaming other states for the crisis. No media house is holding the communist government accountable for being unable to arrest the infection. No one is questioning for high positivity rate.

Just like China.

Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi shares benefits of Farmers’ bills, talks about the importance of storytelling

OpIndia Staff
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Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi shares benefits of Farmers’ bills, talks about the importance of storytelling

In today’s episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Farmers’ bills, the importance of storytelling and Bhagat Singh, Nanaji Deshmukh and Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia. In the recent past, the government took several steps to remove restrictions and break free from many myths. He said, every now and then, he receives letters from farmers and farmer organizations who inform him about the ongoing changes in the agriculture sector.

While discussing the benefits of Farm Bills, he talked about several farmers who faced difficulties selling their vegetables and fruits outside the mandi, the market place. There were rules under which their products would get confiscated if they try to sell their produce outside mandis. In 2014, the government decided to exclude fruits and vegetables from the APMC Act and enabled farmers to sell their produce wherever they want at the price they like. He talked about a farmer from Haryana, Kanwar Chauhan, who grows baby corn and sweet corn. Chauhan sells the produce directly to restaurants, retail chains, hotels and Azadpur Mandi and earns over two lakhs per acre annually.

Selling produce outside mandi will bring more income

He said that the Farmers’ bill would enable every farmer to sell their produce outside mandi without any problem. The farmers who grow paddy, wheat, mustard, sugarcane and other crops can now sell produce to the buyers who are will to pay a higher price. They can form their local organizations and sell the produce together. The concept is becoming popular among farmers who grow fruits and vegetables. PM Modi talked about Sri Swami Samarth Farm Producer Company Limited, Tamil Nadu Banana farmer produce company and Iraada that are organizations formed by the farmers to sell produce.

Farmers should use modern technology

He also talked about using modern technology in farming to reduce costs. PM Modi gave the example of a farmer Ismail Bhai from Gujarat who is using technologies like drip irrigation to reduce his cost and increase profit. He sells potatoes directly to large companies that have increased his family’s income by several folds. He also talked about Bijay Shanti from Manipur, who has started producing thread using lotus stem.

Importance of storytelling

During his monthly radio address to the nation, PM Modi emphasized on the importance of storytelling. He said Hitopdesh and Panchatantra are famous in our country. It is easier to give knowledge and teach children about ethics using such stories. In today’s time, stories based on technology, science, etc. should become a part of everyday life. He urged the citizens of India to initiate storytelling sessions at their homes and localities. As India will be celebrating 75th Independence Day, he said everyone should share stories about the Independence movement with everyone around them.

While closing the address, he again urged everyone to take precautions like wear a mask and maintain a distance of 6 feet or 2 meters to ensure safety against Covid-19 infection.

Tuticorin custodial death case: CBI names 9 cops in charge sheet in the custodial death of father-son duo in Tamil Nadu

OpIndia Staff
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Tuticorin custodial death case: CBI names 9 cops in charge sheet in the custodial death of father-son duo in Tamil Nadu

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against 9 policemen for the murder of two individuals, namely, P Jeyaraj and J Benicks, in police custody in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. The incident had triggered a nationwide outrage in June this year. In the charge sheet, the CBI has revealed that the father-son duo was mercilessly tortured on June 19 at the Sathankulam police station. The victims succumbed to their injuries on June 22 and June 23.

9 policemen suspended from their jobs

The accused cops include 2 head constables, four constables, two sub-inspectors and an Inspector/Station House Officer (SHO). They are identified as Inspector S Sridhar, sub-inspectors K Balakrishnan and P Raghuganesh, constables M Muthuraja, S Chelladurai, Thomas Francis and S Veilumuthu. The list also included head constables S Murugan and A Samadurai. One of the accused died during the course of the investigation. They have now been suspended from their jobs. The police personnel are charged for misconduct, producing fake evidence and making false charges and criminal actions.

Case handed over to CBI

A CBI team had registered 2 cases on July 7, at the request of Tamil Nadu government and Centre’s notification, in connection to the custodial death of the victims. The investigative agency is also probing the role of other people in the case. The CBI team, stationed in Madurai, had earlier told the Madras High Court in August that the victims died due to multiple injuries.

Custodial death of the father-son duo

P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks reportedly died after they were picked up by the Police for opening their mobile accessories shop open on June 19 when the lockdown was still in force in the state. “Between 7 am and 12 pm on June 20, the father and son had changed at least seven lungies each as they had become wet due to blood oozing from their rectums,” Rajkumar, a friend of Benicks, was quoted by the media portal as saying.

The friend also said that they were instructed to arrange a vehicle for themselves to transport the two to the government hospital in Sathankulam. Then, the father-son duo apparently complained of pain in their rectum. They were also bleeding profusely and their lungis had to be changed on the way to the hospital.

After the incident, Tuticorin police had said that the father-son duo had argued with the police and also abused the policemen. But CCTV footage had proved that the police allegations were wrong, and Jeyaraj and Benicks had cooperated with police. The Superintendent of Police in Tuticorin, IPS officer Arun Balagopalan was transferred out of the district and he was put under ‘compulsory wait’ at the office of the Director-General of Police by the state govt.

Why is Prasar Bharati dragging its feet over relationship with PTI? 3 months and still no action

Editorial Desk
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Why is Prasar Bharati dragging its feet over relationship with PTI? 3 months and still no action

Almost exactly three months back, there was news that public broadcaster Prasar Bharati may cut ties with the news agency PTI especially after PTI provided platform to Chinese ambassador to run their propaganda during the Ladakh standoff. In an interview with the news agency, Sun Weidong placed the entire blame for the Galwan Valley clash at India’s feet without ever being confronted by the PTI over the Chinese propaganda.

Taking a strong position against this, the Prasar Bharati had written to PTI expressing its strong disproval and had said it will review its relationship with it. So much that the public broadcaster had also considered withdrawing financial support it gives which runs into crores.

However, there has been no update about this issue ever since.

This is rather surprising and disappointing given that the government has taken tough stands on issues that are directly or indirectly related to Indo-China border skirmishes. Whether it be banning of Chinese apps or acting against those elements that are perceived to be pro-China such as arrest of a journalist named Rajeev Sharma who was found doing passing off crucial information on army movement and defence acquisitions to the Chinese.

Government or quasi-government bodies are known to take their own sweet time to take decisions, but delaying a decision over a concern that was linked to national security doesn’t bode well. It’s high time Prasar Bharati comes out with a clarification about reasons why the national broadcaster is not talking tough with a news agency that has been wayward way too frequently.

PTI and fake news

PTI has had a longstanding relationship with fake as well as misleading news. In August this year, PTI misquoted PM Modi on coronavirus figures in India. During Delhi assembly elections held earlier this year, the news agency had completely misreported the share of candidates with criminal records from various parties. While AAP had 51% candidates facing serious criminal cases, PTI reported it as only 25%, misquoting a report by Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR). Similarly, they had also changed the numbers for BJP and Congress.

In July last hear, PTI had published a report claiming that finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in parliament that demonetisation has no affect on economy. The finance minister herself had to clarify that she didn’t made any such statement, after several media houses carried the misleading report.

Prasar Bharati and PTI

Prasar Bharati is India’s public broadcasting agency set up by an Act of the Parliament. It comprises of the Doordarshan television network and the All India Radio.

Sources have told OpIndia that since 1980, PTI has received nearly Rs. 200 crores in public funding with no public accountability. In today’s terms, the funding would be equivalent to an investment of Rs. 400 to Rs. 800 crores, depending on the interest rate.

OpIndia has now further learnt that not only PTI has been able to maintain its revenue source in form of fees from Prasar Bharati, shockingly it has been earning this revenue without a proper contract in place. Interestingly, the last contract was signed in 2005 which expired in 2006. Since then, there have been negotiations which have not successfully culminated into formal contracts.

OpIndia has learned that since 2006, PTI services are being availed by Prasar Bharati on ad-hoc basis. The rate revision in 2011 and 2013 was also on ad-hoc basis. Prior to 2011 rate revision, PTI demanded Rs 56 crore as annual subscription fee from Prasar Bharati, sources told OpIndia.

In 2014 the Prasar Bharati Board decided to rationalise PTI fees down to Rs 2 crore. Same was reiterated in letters to PTI in 2019. Correspondences with PTI are management decision by the public broadcaster and administrative department communicates based on management’s instruction. And the final decision on terminating PTI relationship will be a decision of the Board whenever it takes it up, OpIndia has learnt.

To reiterate, there has been no formal contract between Prasar Bharati and PTI since 2006, and even this ad-hoc arrangement has not been stopped after PTI was found indulged in furthering Chinese propaganda and feeding misinformation on various occasions. A warning letter was sent, but the decision is still pending.

OpIndia tried to get official responses but not many were willing to come on record. It indeed is worrying that while even a engineered controversy related to a rather small news channel Sudarshan News becomes a matter in Supreme Court, PTI has been able to get away after being accused of compromising national interests.

Could the old lobby of ‘liberal establishment’ be working to save the PTI and put pressure on Prasar Bharati so that the one critical source of revenue doesn’t dry up?

Hours after expressing displeasure over new BJP team, Subramanian Swamy retweets report that hails Priyanka Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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Hours after expressing displeasure over new BJP team, Subramanian Swamy retweets report that hails Priyanka Gandhi

Hours after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had expressed his displeasure over the re-appointment of the party’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya, the Rajya Sabha leader on Sunday retweeted a report that hailed Congress leader and Gandhi-scion Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

A day after national president Jagat Prakash Nadda announced a new team on Saturday including the re-appointment of the party’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had expressed his displeasure over Malviya’s extension. However, he had later taken a U-turn to claim that his earlier tweet about Malviya was to test whether he “financed fake ID tweets” on his own or not.

In his latest attack, Swamy had also accused Hiren Joshi of the PMO, of running the fake tweets campaign against him.

“Now that Malaviya has been re-appointed, I have this to say: My earlier tweet was to test whether Malviya financed fake ID tweets on his own or not. Now it is clear. PMO Haren Joshi (sic) was behind it. I have written to PM two weeks or so ago bringing this to his notice with documents,” he said.

Earlier, Subramanian Swamy had accused BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya of running a campaign against him using fake tweets. The senior party leader had said issued an ultimatum to the BJP demanding the removal of Malviya.

Offering a ‘compromise proposal’ to the BJP, referring to the ‘five villages’ proposal given by Shri Krishna on behalf of the Pandavas to Duryodhana from Mahabharata, Subramanian Swamy had warned that if the party did not remove Malviya, that would mean the party is not willing to “defend me”.

Despite the threats from senior leader Swamy, the BJP has now snubbed him and decided to back the young BJP leader Amit Malviya.

Swamy responds after BJP snub

However, the outspoken BJP MP has now reacted to the snubbing by retweeting a news report by that praised Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as an ‘agent of silent change in Uttar Pradesh Congress’.

Image Source: Subramanian Swamy

On Sunday, Subramanian Swamy retweeted a CNN News18 report that claimed that the Congress party under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi was undergoing a massive transformation in Uttar Pradesh. In the report, Priyanka Gandhi, who is referred to as ‘Didi’, has also been hailed for carrying the resemblance of her grandmother- former PM Indira Gandhi and her style of political and organisational functioning.

Swamy, who is until now known for his aversion for the Congress party, especially for the Gandhis, has now strangely expressed his appreciation for the Gandhi-scion. However, his subtle positive acknowledgement for Priyanka Gandhi comes just a day after he was ignored by his own party leadership.

Subramanian Swamy’s war of words against Amit Malviya

A few weeks earlier, Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy took to Twitter to accuse BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya of running a campaign against him using fake tweets.

The senior leader said that the BJP IT cell has gone rogue and alleged that some of its members were putting out fake ID tweets to make personal attacks against him. Attacking Malviya, Swamy had also warned that he should not be held accountable if his angered followers made counter personal attacks just as BJP cannot be held responsible for the rogue IT cell of the party.

Subramanian Swamy’s remarks came after some of the videos of him where he had made comments against the Modi government and the construction of Ram Temple went viral on the internet. There were also some memes and posts showing Swamy as a ‘Chinese agent’.

CBI registers case alleging violation of FCRA regulations in Kerala govt’s flagship ‘Life Mission’ project

OpIndia Staff
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CBI registers case alleging violation of FCRA regulations in Kerala govt’s flagship ‘Life Mission’ project

In a major setback to the Communist-led Kerala government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in a special court in Ernakulam in connection with the financial irregularities in the Pinarayi Vijayan’s flagship ‘Life Mission’ project.

According to the reports, the CBI registered a case of Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act violation in the Kerala government’s ‘Life Mission’ housing project for the poor and homeless people. The CBI also carried out searches at two locations in Kochi belonging to Santhosh Eapan of Unitac Builders, which won the contract of the project.

The allegation against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government is that the ‘Life Mission’ project was funded by an international agency named Red Crescent without informing the central government thus violating the FCRA norms.

The Kerala government had also stated that it had not sought the permission of the Union government before accepting funds from the UAE-based organisation for building apartment complexes under the project.

Red Crescent, a United Arab Emirates-based NGO affiliated to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Interestingly, Swapna Suresh, who is the kingpin in the Kerala gold smuggling scam has also agreed that she had got a commission in the deal between Red Crescent and Unitac builders.

The ‘Life Mission’ project corruption case has snowballed into a big political controversy in Kerala after Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had alleged that Swapna Suresh had received one crore as commission from the project. He had demanded a CBI enquiry into the case.

CPI-M opposes CBI enquiry, says BJP using central agencies to intervene in Kerala

Following the CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities in the ‘Life Mission’ Project, the CPI(M) on Saturday alleged that the BJP was using central agencies to “intervene in Kerala politics”.

The CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan asserted that his party will resist any move by BJP to intervene in Kerala politics using central agencies.

“The decision of the Centre to hand over the probe into the ‘Life Mission’ Project to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is politically motivated and unusual. BJP had sabotaged governments in Congress-ruled states using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Congress had opposed CBI strongly,” Balakrishnan said speaking to the media.

Opposing the CBI enquiry to the alleged scam, Balakrishnan further said, “Mamata Banerjee has ordered the CBI not to probe cases in Bengal. When Chandrababu Naidu became the Chief Minister, he denied the power to CBI to investigate in Andhra Pradesh. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress chief minister had taken a stand against CBI.”

“In Rajasthan too, the Congress chief minister himself took a stand against the CBI. It was decided not to take up any case,” he added.

The left-wing leader also accused the Congress party of taking an opposing stand in Kerala in comparison to its opposition to CBI intervention into cases in other states where they are in power.

“That Congress is now demanding CBI probe in Kerala on the ‘Life Mission’ Project. If the intention is to overthrow the Kerala government through this, the people of Kerala will be able to oppose the move legally and politically. There will be many more interventions. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) can survive that and move forward. A political campaign will be organised for it. The aim of BJP and Congress is to sabotage LDF,” Kodiyeri said.

NIA investigates Kerala gold scam

The CBI enquiry into the ‘Life Mission Project’ comes amidst the ongoing NIA investigation into gold scam in the state that has caused a major political setback for the Communist Party in Kerala. Several high-profile officers linked to Kerala CMO have been alleged to have played a role in the Kerala gold scam.

A close nexus between Pinarayi Vijayan-led government and Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh was recently unearthed during the NIA investigations into the gold scam. The NIA had confirmed to the court that prime accused Swapna Suresh had close links with CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s office.

Last month the call details of Swapna Suresh had also revealed that the accused was in regular touch with Kerala’s Higher Education minister KT Jaleel. 

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