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Fact-check: Does the Railways send SMS updates about ticket status only in Hindi as claimed by Tamil Nadu politicians?

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-check: Does the Railways send SMS updates about ticket status only in Hindi as claimed by Tamil Nadu politicians?

Bringing back the old anti-Hindi tirade, many political leaders from Tamil Nadu have claimed that Indian Railways is attempting to ‘impose the Hindi language’ on passengers as it is using only Hindi to send message to those booking tickets through its website.

Sharing a screenshot of a message received by some passenger from IRCTC- the portal which handles the online ticketing operations for the Indian railways, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, an elected member of the Lok Sabha for South Chennai, claimed that though the Indian constitution recognises 23 languages as its official language, IRCTC is still imposing Hindi on the train passengers who book tickets through its website vis its ticket booking services.

In her subsequent Tweets, she slammed the government for ‘imposing’ Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking states and requested the Railway Minister to ‘take urgent steps to ensure that non-Hindi speakers are also able to access the IRCTC services’.

Similarly, DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran shared the same screenshot and questioned, “why Hindi was being repeatedly thrust upon the people of Tamil Nadu by the Railway Ministry”?

Dr S Ramadoss, the founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) also in a series of Tweets in Tamil asked why for the last two days, text messages for train ticket bookings in Tamil Nadu have been sent in Hindi. He said that since the Official Language Act, 1976 does not apply to Tamil Nadu, it was reprehensible to send a text message in Hindi. Tagging the Minister of Railways- Piyush Goyal in his Tweet, the Pattali Makkal Katchi leader asserted that all notices relating to the Central Government in Tamil Nadu should be published in Tamil and English only.

Railways clarifies, says language can be chosen as per user’s preference in IRCTC

Soon the Southern Railways took to its official handle to issue clarifications. It issued a notice through which it confirmed that choosing a language is indeed an option in E-ticketing. It said that while booking tickets, under the section titled ‘profile’ in the IRCTC website, the passenger needs to indicate their preferred language.

Speaking on the particular message, the screeshot of which the political leaders used to question the ‘Hindi imposition’ by the Railways, the latter clarified that in the profile of the person on whose name that said ticket was booked, the preferred language was chosen as Hindi. That is why the system generated message was sent in Hindi.

Basically, the Railway conveyed that the option to chose the preferred language completely lies with the passengers. So basically one has to choose the language of preference while registering on IRCTC and the railways itself has nothing to do with it. So if someone chooses Hindi as their preferred language, they will get updates in Hindi and if they choose English then update would be received in English.

While asking for individual details IRCTC does give an “preferred language” option to the passengers

IRCTC replied to Dayanidhi Maran stating that the screenshot of the concerned e-ticket was booked by a passenger who had Hindi as his chosen language in the IRCTC website. It pointed out that the user can get IRCTC notifications in the language of their choice if he/she changes the language preference in settings.

This controversy over the ‘imposition’ of Hindi Language fomented by the opposition to target the Modi government is not new. Tamil politicians peddling the Dravidian separatism agenda have long been painting Hindi as the enemy of regional languages.

Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh wants Rahul Gandhi to become PM to scrap newly passed farm laws, gets trolled

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh wants Rahul Gandhi to become PM to scrap newly passed farm laws, gets trolled

While protesting against the Farm Laws during a Congress-sponsored rally in Punjab’s Ludhiana, the Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has pinned his hope on the former party president and MP Rahul Gandhi, asserting that the new laws would be scrapped when the Congress scion would lead the country as prime minister one day.

The Punjab CM said that though the bills have been passed in the Parliament, amendments could still be made to it. Saying so he requested Rahul Gandhi to scrap these “black laws” when he becomes the PM with a majority in the Lok Sabha.

The Punjab CM’s fanboying over Rahul Gandhi triggered a meme fest on social media. Netizens took to Twitter to troll the Punjab CM for hoping for something impossible.

A twitter user wrote took a hilarious dig at Amrinder Singh claiming that he has been tested positive for the “Pappu virus”.

Some concluded that the Punjab CM was subtly trolling the Congress scion by speculating that he will become PM, and also insinuating that just as the farm reforms will not be reverted, Rahul can never become a PM.

With the Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau probing drugs usage in Bollywood, a Twitter user claimed that the Punjab CM also needs to be reported to the NCB for the incoherent thoughts.

Some shared hilarious memes on how Rahul Gandhi would himself react to the wishful thinking that he will one day become the PM with majority seats in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who was also a part of the three-day ‘kheti bachao yatra’ along with Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and a battery of senior Congress leaders at Moga district’s Badhni Kalan village, guaranteed that the day Congress party comes to the power, he will scrap the three ‘black laws’ and throw them in a waste paper basket”.

The bills bring much-needed changes to the farm laws and are extremely beneficial for the farmers. In fact, similar reforms were also proposed by the Congress party in their 2019 manifesto. However, when the Modi government started working on them, Congress, somehow started fault finding and opposing it. From burning tractors to sharing UPA-era images of farmers in distress Congress has used several tactics to spread falsehoods and canards to criticise Modi govt’s farm bills.

UPSC Jihad show: As Centre sends fresh notice to Sudarshan News, hearing gets postponed to 26th October: Here are the details

OpIndia Staff
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UPSC Jihad show: As Centre sends fresh notice to Sudarshan News, hearing gets postponed to 26th October: Here are the details

The Central government today informed the Supreme Court that an Inter Magisterial Committee had made certain additional recommendations and a fresh notice based on those recommendations has been sent to Sudarshan News in the matter of their ‘Bindas Bol’ show that was airing an investigative program called ‘UPSC Jihad’.

Yesterday, a letter was circulated by the Central government seeking an adjournment in the case. The letter circulated states that, as the Bench had been informed, the Union of India, in exercise of its power conferred upon the Central Government under Section 20(3) of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, had already issued a notice to Show Cause on 23.09.2020 to Sudarshan News, and the same was returnable on 28.09.2020.

In pursuance of the Notice, a Reply was received from Sudarshan News and the same was forwarded to the Inter-Ministerial Committee for its views and recommendations. The IMC then conducted its proceedings wherein Sudarshan News was given full opportunity to represent their case by bling written submissions as well as by making oral arguments.

Post the proceeding, the IMC gave some additional recommendations to the Central Government on 04.10.2020 in respect of some programs which are yet to be telecasted by Sudarshan TV News channel. The letter states that the “Competent Authority of the Central Government, is therefore, duty bound to give one more opportunity to Sudarshan TV News Channel, to make its representation on the recommendation given by the Inter-Ministerial Committee in general and in particular with respect to the additional recommendation made by the Inter- Ministerial Committee in respect of the future program”. In this light, an adjournment was sought by the central government.

Letter circulated by the central government
Letter circulated by the central government

The letter contended that only after giving Sudarshan News another hearing, would the central government be in the position to pass an order and in the light of that, an adjournment was sought.

During the hearing, the contention was accepted by the bench comprising of Justices DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee. The hearing of Sudarshan News in front of the central government is scheduled for tomorrow, the 6th of October 2020.

One petitioner said during the course of the hearing that the court needs to decide on the larger matter and decide on what is hate speech and what is offensive, irrespective of the decision taken by the Central Government.

Thereafter, the Solicitor General, who is also assisting the court in this case other than representing the central government said, “May I make one request ? Let the matter remain between the Court, Petitioner and Respondent. Everyone is intervening and broadening the scope”. However, after Advocate Shahrukh Alam intervened and requested the court to stick to the order passed on 23rd September, Justice Chandrachud assured her that the court will conduct a full hearing.

During the hearing, a lawyer sought to appear on behalf of Sanjeev Newar and file an intervention in the case since he was a panelist on a show on UPSC-Jihad and his comments were mentioned during a previous hearing. However, Justice Chandrachud did not take kindly to the request and said that since he keeps appearing on television shows, he cannot complain. Further, Justice Chandrachud also said that the intervener will probably go back to the same channel in the future.

Justice Chandrachud said that next week will possibly be a miscellaneous week, so we won’t be able to take it. “We will take it after Dusshera vacation”, he said setting the next date of the hearing for the 26th of October.

Hathras: Ink thrown at AAP’s Sanjay Singh with slogans of ‘PFI brokers go back’

OpIndia Staff
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Hathras: Ink thrown at AAP’s Sanjay Singh with slogans of ‘PFI brokers go back’

Ink was thrown at AAP Rajya Sabha leader Sanjay Singh on Monday while he was speaking to the media after meeting the family members of the 19-year-old strangulation victim who had succumbed to her injuries in Delhi on September 29.

As Sanjay Singh came out of the house after meeting the kin of the Hathras victim and was about to address the media, a young man shouting “Brokers of PFI, go back!” and hurled ink at the AAP delegation.

The perpetrator who threw ink at Sanjay Singh and other AAP leaders, accusing them of being brokers of Islamist organisation PFI, has been detained by the police.

This is the first such attack meted out to any political leader who had visited Hathras following the death of the victim. Yesterday, Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad and before that Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had visited the town but nobody had thrown any ink on them.

Earlier, people in the village had also shouted slogans against media channels Aaj Tak and ABP News, presumably for their one-sided coverage in the case.

Hathras incident

A lot of debate and political mudslinging has been happening around the Hathras case since the victim succumbed to her injuries in Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital on Tuesday last week. Though the victim’s family has claimed that she was gang-raped, post-mortem report and forensic lab tests have ruled out rape or sexual assault on the victim. The emergence of the initial statements of the victim and her family, claiming that she has been strangulated and not mentioning any rape or sexual assault has also put a question mark over the relentless media hounding and politicisation.

The UP Police had already arrested the 4 accused named by the victim. An SIT probe was ordered by CM Yogi Adityanath and later the case was handed over to the CBI.

However, the incident provided an ideal opportunity for the listless opposition parties to organise themselves and mount a vigorous attack against the Yogi Adityanath government by exploiting the castes of the victim and the accused.

‘Justice for Hathras victim’ website created overnight to instigate caste-based violence in Uttar Pradesh pulled down says intelligence report, FIR filed

OpIndia Staff
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‘Justice for Hathras victim’ website created overnight to instigate caste-based violence in Uttar Pradesh pulled down says intelligence report, FIR filed

Intelligence agencies have uncovered a global conspiracy to instigate riots in different parts of the country, especially Uttar Pradesh, which is currently roiling with the Hathras incident, and discredit PM Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The agencies found out that under the pretext of carrying out protest against the Hathras incident, a website–”Justice for Hathras” was created overnight, with the sole aim of throwing Uttar Pradesh into chaos by inciting ethnic riots.

‘Justice for Hathras’ website springs up overnight

A day after the Hathras victim breathed her last, a website called ‘Justice for Hathras’ was created and thousands of people were linked to the website through fake IDs. According to the probe, the website had received funding from Amnesty International, Fundamentalist organisations based out of Islamic Countries. The objective of the website was to create a wedge between the majority community in the country and undermine the Yogi and Modi government in Uttar Pradesh and India respectively. Objectionable content pertaining to inciting riots and safeguarding oneself during the riots was found on the website.

The website came under the government scanner for its misleading, inflammatory and objectionable content. The website was subsequently pulled down after the raids conducted on Sunday night. The investigation agencies also discovered that PFI and SDPI had assisted in preparing the website. Incriminating content such as fake videos, photoshopped images, doctored visuals was uploaded on the website to provoke riots and unrest in the country.

Objectionable content on the website aimed at dividing the majority community

The content uploaded on the website included a detailed manual of the do’s and don’ts that the protesters should abide by during the riots. It also includes details of how to instigate riots and escape accountability. The manual touched upon several aspects, instructing rioters about the safety during a protest, what they should wear, what to bring with them to the protests, how to evade teargas and identification from the police and measures to be taken if they get arrested or detained by the law enforcement officials.

Details of Do’s and Don’ts uploaded on the ‘Justice for Hathras’ website

The website instructed the protesters the ways to create chaos and enlisted strategies to target the police and administrative officials under the pretext of carrying out protests. Use of mask was suggested, not out of respect for the coronavirus guidelines but to avoid identification and detection. Tricks such as dividing the majority and sowing the seeds of distrust and discord were suggested on the website. The website also hosted the script of inflammatory speech that could be used to stoke passion among the protesters during the riots.

Details of Do’s and Don’ts uploaded on the ‘Justice for Hathras’ website

Rioters were advised to carry N-95 or other thick face masks to reduce the impact of teargas used by the police to disperse the crowd. They were also recommended treatments to mitigate the effects of teargas.

Details of Do’s and Don’ts uploaded on the ‘Justice for Hathras’ website

Rioters were specifically asked to not put vaseline, mineral oil or any oil-based sunscreen that could trap the chemicals on their screen. They were also asked not to wear branded clothes that could aid police in identifying them. Black, loose clothes were recommended that would make it difficult for the police to recognise them.

Details of Do’s and Don’ts uploaded on the ‘Justice for Hathras’ website

An attempt to incite social upheaval on the lines of the riots in America

The intelligence report said that the anti-CAA rioters created the “Justice for Hathras” website to incite a social upheaval in Uttar Pradesh on the lines of the flurry of violent protests that took place in the United States in the wake of the death of George Floyd. As per intelligence inputs, the miscreants involved in anti-CAA violent protests had created this website to avenge the stern action initiated by the Yogi Adityanath government during the protests over the Citizenship Bill.

The rioting lobby had eventually planned to scale the riots to the different parts of the country and thereby discredit the Modi government. In order to spread hatred, the masterminds of the riots used important accounts on social media, to spread their inflammatory, fake and motivated agenda on the platforms and garner support from people.

UP Police files an FIR for conspiring to instigate riots in the state

After it came to light that a global conspiracy is being hatched to incite riots in Uttar Pradesh under the pretext of carrying out protests over Hathras incident, the UP Police has registered a case of conspiracy to stoke riots in Hathras.

FIR by Hathras Police against dubious website

The case has been registered at the Hathras Police station under various sections that include conspiring for riots to create ethnic and communal riots in the state, spreading chaos, defaming the Yogi government on the pretext of rioting, spreading rumours, provoking the victim’s family against the government, spreading hatred through fake photos, fake information, photoshopped photographs.

Sections invoked by the police are: 109, 120(B), 124-A, 153-A, 153-A(1), 153-A(1)(a), 153-A(1)(b), 153-A(1)(c), 153-B, 195, 195-A, 465, 468, 469, 501, 505(1), 505(1)(b), 505(1)(c), 505(2), and Section 67 of the Indian Penal Code.

Justice for Hathras victim Carrd website

Hours after the probe was initiated, the website was shut down suddenly. The Carrd website was created as a free one-page landing website on the host, carrd.co. The website became popular in America during the Black Lives Matter protests earlier this year. Since the website did not have any registered domain, it is little difficult to track it down.

Umar Khalid remanded in judicial custody for 14 more days, demands ‘adequate protection’

OpIndia Staff
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Umar Khalid remanded in judicial custody for 14 more days, demands ‘adequate protection’

On Monday, a Delhi Court remanded riot accused Umar Khalid to 14 days in judicial custody. The Metropolitan Magistrate Dev Saroha ordered his judicial remand in connection to the Delhi riots in the Khajuri Khas area. Khalid is one among 15 people who have been arrested for their role in instigating and carrying out riots in the Chand Bagh area of Delhi on February 24. He was produced before the Court, following the expiry of his 3-day judicial custody.

Umar Khalid seeks ‘adequate protection’, and other facilities

While hearing a plea by Khalid, seeking ‘adequate protection’ in jail, the Delhi court directed the prison authorities and the Jai Superintendent to take ‘precautions’ to ensure that the Delhi riot accused is not harmed. The plea was filed by him through his counsel Trideep Pais. Khalid had also sought permission to communicate with friends and family. He had also stated before the Court that he did not sign any argument or statement during his time in police custody.

Umar Khalid also sought permission to retain his eyeglasses, obtain non-academic books and reading material from outside. He also requested the Court to allow him to leave his prison cell early in the morning and not to be restricted within his cell for a longer duration. He sought permission to be locked only up at dusk as per the Delhi prison rules of 2018.

Umar Khalid seeks permission for private legal interviews

In his plea, Khalid asked the Court’s permission for two ‘legal interviews’ per week with his lawyer for 30 minutes. He had submitted that the meetings via video conferencing must be permitted in such a manner that it is beyond the ‘audible range’ of the prison authorities. He had also requested for headphones to maintain ‘privacy’ during the legal interviews and adequate facilities to share screen via Cisco Webex platform.

The court has asked the jail superintendent to provide the facilities as specified in the jail manual.

Alleged Role in Delhi Riots

Khalid was arrested by the police 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.

Battle for SSR: How different media channels put out conflicting reports about AIIMS report and how one doctor is at the heart of it

Dibakar Dutta
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Battle for SSR: How different media channels put out conflicting reports about AIIMS report and how one doctor is at the heart of it

The Sushant Singh Rajput case has taken a new turn, ever since the shocking revelation by AIIMS forensic expert Dr Sudhir Gupta has been ‘leaked’ to the media. Dr Sudhir, who was tasked to examine the post-mortem and viscera reports of the deceased actor, allegedly concluded that it was a case of suicide. “Sushant’s death is a case of suicide. Murder completely ruled out,” Dr Sudhir Gupta claimed on October 3 as per an India Today report.

Speculations have been rife on social media about the ‘possible murder angle’ in the sensational case. Following the revelation of Dr Gupta, different news channels have been publishing contradictory reports about his present claims and past statements to the media.

Times Now does not air ‘leaked audio tape’

On Monday, Times Now claimed that they are in possession of ‘leaked audiotape’ wherein Dr Sudhir had allegedly said that Sushant Singh Rajput was murdered. The news channel emphasised how the AIIMS doctor initially ruled out the ‘suicide theory’ after looking at the photographs of the deceased body of the actor. While Times Now did not telecast the audio clip, which formed the crux of their report, they, however, pointed out the contradiction between the observations and statements made by Dr Sudhir Gupta, in connection to the case.

Times Now contradicts its own ‘unleaked’ audio tape

Just half an hour later, Times Now published another report wherein in it claimed that not just Sudhir Gupta but the entire panel of 7 senior doctors have reached the conclusion that Sushant’s death was a case of suicide. Citing sources from AIIMS, the news channel then proceeded to dismiss its own ‘audio tape’ which indicated ‘U-turn’ of Dr Sudhir Gupta. As per the said report, Times Now claimed that even though the AIIMS doctors initially doubted ‘foul play’, the examination of all medical reports had put all speculations to rest.

Earlier, the news channel had asked those who raked up ‘murder theory’ to ‘introspect‘ while conveniently forgetting that they were at the forefront of peddling the murder angle for months.

India Today dismisses claims of U-turn

Meanwhile, India Today, which has been dismissing any ‘foul play’ in the unnatural death of Sushant Singh Rajput from the very onset, has been firm on its claims. The news channel was one of the first to claim that the ‘murder angle’ was ruled out by Dr Sudhir Gupta.

In line with their narrative, India Today published a report on Monday titled, ‘Dr Sudhir Gupta shares crucial facts on Sushant Singh Rajput death AIIMS report: 8 points’. The channel also published a statement of Dr Sudhir wherein he justified his U-turn. He opined, “Yes, everyone doubted when CBI started its investigation. We investigated all doubts and then came with this opinion. Now, there should be no doubts. It was a seven-member team of doctors who came to this conclusion that SSR died by suicide.”

This is not the first time that India Today has attempted to dismiss aspersions surrounding the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. Earlier, it had interviewed accused Rhea Chakraborty to assert that Sushant Singh Rajput was depressed, took drugs and committed suicide.

Screengrab of the India Today report

Republic Tv airs exclusive telephonic conversation, questions Gupta’s statement

Republic Tv, which has been consistently covering the developments in the case, has aired a telephonic conversation between the AIIMS doctor and one of its journalists on August 22. Dr Sudhir had highlighted that the crime scene, in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, was contaminated.

He had said that contrary to the usual police investigation, Mumbai Police did not keep the crime scene ‘intact’. Expressing ‘surprise’ over the contamination of the crime scene, he had insinuated that it was the ‘destruction of evidence’. Republic Tv questioned, “If the evidence preserved for the investigation was ‘unsuitable’, then, how did Dr Sudhir Gupta rule out the murder theory?”

Amidst the contradictory reports and distinct narratives peddled by different news channels following Dr Sudhi’s claims, the case of Sushant’s death has become even murkier. Meanwhile, Vikas Singh, the lawyer for Sushant Singh Rajput’s family, has demanded the constitution of a new AIIMS panel, following the U-turn by the doctor.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment building on 14th June 2020. While initial reports suggested death by suicide, family members later alleged foul play. Following that, the CBI was asked to take over the investigation. The investigations into the case opened up the alleged drug abuse problem involving several Bollywood celebrities and their suppliers in the film industry. Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea, her brother Showik and many others are currently under custody for alleged drug peddling, procurement and usage. The NCB had taken up the investigation into the drug angle after chats of Rhea were leaked, indicating that she was buying illegal substances.

Five visuals that show the despicable conduct of the media while covering the Hathras incident

OpIndia Staff
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Five visuals that show the despicable conduct of the media while covering the Hathras incident

The unfortunate Hathras incident has converted the area surrounding the village where the alleged crime took place into a media tourist spot. Journalists from various mainstream news networks have been devising new techniques to use the incident as a platform to spiral their dipping TRPs. Social media platforms are full of such videos where these so-called journalists exhibit despicable conduct in what they want to project as a fight for justice.

In one such video shared by the journalist of a Hindi news channel Bharat Samachar herself, Pragya Mishra sits smack in between a field, hell-bent on meeting the victim’s kin. Without showing least bit of respect for the police authorities, the journalist provokes an official by asking him whether they would also burn her as they cremated Hathras victim’s body.

The lady police officer is seen requesting this particular journalist with folded hands to get up and not create a scene. Pragya Mishra, on the other hand, after provoking police officials by asking them if they would burn her too, takes to nauseating levels of moral grandstanding.

The aim while behaving in this manner is twofold – One, they want viewers to believe that journalists on the ground are the only ones pursuing justice for the victim and that all action taken by them is due to their relentless fight against a corrupt system hell-bent upon subverting the truth. Secondly, while giving that impression, they also want to catapult their own TRP which has been dwindling with remarkable speed recently.

In few other such videos dated October 2, an ABP News channel reporter, Pratima Mishra, in what can be called an award-winning performance, takes it upon herself to harass police personnel on duty. Shunning all journalistic ethics, Pratima Mishra’s screams and shouts at the so-called atrocities being meted out at her by the Uttar Pradesh police, while she only does her job, owing to which the police were forced to pack her in a vehicle and forcefully get her out of the village.

She laments that she is being forced to leave the village in a vehicle without being escorted by a lady officer.

ABP News posted yet another video on the same day with a dramatic caption. It wrote that the Uttar Pradesh police tried to stop the satyagraha of ABP News for the daughter of Hathras, questioning who’s the Godse, who is stifling Gandhiji ideologies on his birth anniversary.

In another video, ABP News claimed that the Uttar Pradesh police manhandled and misbehaved with its reporter and the cameraman who were trying to meet the family of the victim.

‘Journalist’ Barkha Dutt had also posted pictures of how despite walking several km through vast fields, Uttar Pradesh police had caught her and her mojo team and placed them in a police van and deposited them back on the highway again. Pertinently these images were also shared on October 2.

Section 144 imposed when these videos and pictures were shot

It is pertinent to note here that at the time when these videos and pictures were shot and the so-called journalists were ‘heckled’, Hathras was out of bounds for the media due to the Section 144 imposed considering the ongoing SIT investigation. The Uttar Pradesh police had put up barricades at about 2 km from the village on the main road, blocking off all access paths to the village.

While it is well within the media’s right to question the move by the Uttar Pradesh government to not allow the media into the village, these theatrics that has been displayed by the media serves nobody, and certainly not the quest to get victim for the family. What is worse is that after the SIT investigation was completed and the media was allowed into the village, all of these channels claim that it was because of their theatrics that the UP government had allowed to media in. The truth was, however, that the media was allowed because the SIT investigation had been completed.

Through it all, it becomes evident that none of these journalists or their channels were bothered about the truth were in part, interested in feeding a certain set narrative about the case and secondly, were interested in bolstering their falling TRP.

OpIndia reported leaked conversation between India Today journalist and Hathras victim’s brother

Since the day the Hathras incident has come to the fore, the mainstream media and the opposition parties, most notably the Congress party have been trying to exploit the incident to revive their drowning careers and mount an attack and settle scores with the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. Congress friendly media has also played an extremely vital role in spinning a web of lies and misinformation around the unfortunate death of the Hathras girl.

OpIndia had also reported a leaked conversation between India Today journalist and the Hathras victim’s brother where the journalist, Tanushree Pandey, was seen pleading with the victim’s brother to shoot and send a video of the father alleging that the UP administration was putting pressure on his.

‘Will give 1 crore to anyone who brings Thakur girl to sleep with me’: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader makes objectionable statement in Hathras case

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will give 1 crore to anyone who brings Thakur girl to sleep with me’: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader makes objectionable statement in Hathras case

Mau Police has registered a case against Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party’s leader Kamal Bharti for making an objectionable statement against women. A video has gone viral on social media platforms in which he said he would pay Rs 1 crore to any man from Thakur community who will bring his daughter or sister to sleep with him. He was referring to the Hathras case in which a 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped and beaten up by four upper caste men. She died two weeks later in the hospital after the incident. He had used objectionable language against CM Yogi Adityanath in the video.

Taking cognizance of the video, Mau Police has registered a case against the said leader under several acts, including Section 153A, 504, and 67 IT Act. Three teams have been formed to arrest the leader.

On Sunday, UP Police arrested Congress leader Nizam Malik for announcing bounty for bringing heads of the accused in Hathras case. His video also went viral that led to his arrest.

Hathras Case

The Hathras case has attracted a lot of controversies. As politics has taken over the case, a  lot of mudslingings has been happening around. The victim was allegedly raped two weeks ago. Some reports claimed Hathras Police forcefully cremated the girl on Tuesday night without the consent of the family members. The police had later stated that the victim’s father was present during the cremation, which attracted nationwide outrage.

ADG Prashant Kumar had informed that the forensic reports that were awaited have also been received. ADG stated that the FSL report found no evidence of ‘rape.’ He asserted that it was concluded that there was no sexual assault, and the cause of death was strangulation and injury to the spine.

Several leaders, including Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, TMC’s Derek O.Brian, and Bhim Army’s Chandrashekhar Azad, had already met the family of the victim, making it a high profile case. Shashi Tharoor, on being asked about doing politics in the case counter, questioned the reported and asked if politics is allowed in democracy or not.

The family of the victim is also doing flip flops in statements regarding the investigation. One day they ask for a special investigation, the other day asked for CBI and then requested for judicial investigation.

Gabbar Singh Tax: A new undefined, unbooked tax being imposed on coal businessmen in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh

Anand Walunjkar
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Gabbar Singh Tax: A new undefined, unbooked tax being imposed on coal businessmen in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh

For years, Rahul Gandhi has been on a spree libelling GST as Gabbar Singh tax and attacking the Modi Govt for it, but in his own Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, this jibe has come to be known of something else – An undefined tax of sorts, nowhere on the books but being collected from coal businessmen in the northern part of the state.

Local media portals have reported that in the five big mining areas in the Korba, Raigarh, Janjgeer, Champa, Surajpur and Ambikapur districts, businessmen dealing with mining and transportation are being charged a tax of Rs. 25 per tonne at the barriers. The merchants and businessmen have started calling it the Gabbar Singh tax.

It is noteworthy, that earlier there was no need to pay the pit pass/permit for the transport of coal, because earlier after all the legal formalities with SECL (South Eastern Coalfields Limited), the mined coal used to reach the businessmen directly. However now, as per reports, there has allegedly been interference from the Mining Resources Department and District Collector. Fingers have started to point towards the implication of CMO if it is on their behest is this being carried on.

There are reports that any truck carrying coal on state highways is being stopped and a pit pass of Rs 25 per tonne is demanded. If they fail to do so, they are being harassed with the seizure of the truck or accusations of illegal transportation of coal. It is noteworthy that there is no statutory order with Mining Department nor is there any notification by the Chhattisgarh Govt to collect any such tax.

In such a scenario, it looks apparently like extortion. Moreover, if they refuse to pay, they are threatened with dire consequences by sending teams from the Environment and Labor Departments. Being a big mining region, the total money exacted is estimated to be about Rs. 100 crore per month. 

It is noteworthy that online transactions, cheques or drafts have been ignored for the collection of the so-called pit pass tax but payments are made in only cash. Businesses are puzzled as to where to display this expenditure in their income tax returns as they do not have any bills or receipts. With no accountability, questions are being asked whether what use this money is going to be put into.

Already there are reports that black money was used in anti CAA protests and Delhi riots. Also, being a Naxal sensitive zone, there are dangers of money reaching the wrong hands. Moreover, it is a huge discouraging dampener for corporates to see Chhattisgarh as an investment opportunity with such undeclared taxes that might risk the potential jobs of thousands of youth in the state.

The deafening silence of Congress stalwarts from the area is shocking. T S Singhdeo who hails from Ambikapur and the Mahant couple (Charandas Mahant, the Assembly Speaker and his wife Jyotsna Mahant, MP from Korba) has not given any reaction to this alleged loot. Nor has Jaisingh Agrawal, the Minister of Revenue from the same area has spoken on the alleged illegal e-permit.

On the other hand, BJP leaders Amar Agrawal have tweeted against the extortion. At a time when Bhupesh Baghel Govt is already facing backlash over the assault on senior journalist Kamal Shukla by local Congress leaders, it looks like politics over the Gabbar Singh Tax, if heated might create a storm in Chhattisgarh.

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