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Nazariya QFRG: Brainwashed children, advertised colouring book for students with nude women wearing dildos and masturbating

K Bhattacharjee
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Nazariya QFRG: Brainwashed children, advertised colouring book for students with nude women wearing dildos and masturbating

Tagore International School in Vasant Vihar, Delhi came under fire recently for hosting a session on gender identity politics in order to brainwash children. Images of the visuals that the children were exposed to has shocked people on social media across the board. The sessions at the school were conducted by Nazariya- Queer Feminist Resource Group (Nazariya QFRG).

Now, another shocking post of Nazariya QFRG has started gaining traction on social media. In the said post, the organisation was advertising a planner/colouring book for students that had the image of a nude woman wearing a dildo, a female sex toy. The colouring book also had the image of a nude woman masturbating on the bottom left corner. And the caption read, “Discount for students Rs.100”.

Screengrab of Nazariya’s facebook post

Given the dangerous activism Nazariya QFRG was engaging in, we decided to investigate its background. And we discovered that these are not fringe elements but are quite mainstream within the domain of LGBT activism. Nazariya QFRG was started by three individuals: Rituparma Borah, Ritambhara Mehta and Purnima Gupta.

According to the wordpress website of the organisation, “Rituparna has also been involved in building Muslim girl’s leadership programme through ICT in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). She has also contributed towards Adolescence Education Programme training material published by the National Council on Education, Research and Training (NCERT).” She is also involved with the Delhi Queer Pride.

Ritambhara is a co-director at Nazariya QFRG “responsible for networking, fundraising, programme and organizational development and implementation.” Purnima is a “trainer on issues of gender, caste and sexuality. She also creates training modules, conducts evaluations & research and does advocacy on adult literacy, women’s and gender and sexuality education.”

Ritambhara and Rituparna in a recent interview said, “We conduct workshops in colleges, universities and different organisations on gender, sexuality and LGBTQI+ issues. We have been working with the corporates to sensitise them to sexual harassment in the workplace and promote diversity and inclusion. We also run a helpline, do crisis intervention work, provide free mental health counselling and conduct research and advocacy.” Thus, quite clearly, their problematic activism has raised no eyebrows within the LGBT community.

The Nazariya QFRG members said further, “International NGOS and donors can make funds easily available for small Community Based Organisations. The protocols of many donors are very stringent making it very difficult for small organisations with fewer resources, but greater connection to people who would benefit from funding, to fulfil all the criterions.”

They added, “There are funders who are more focussed on programmes than salaries of people which is also a hindrance to small groups which work with a smaller staff. Reviewing, reducing, dismantling or helping smaller organisations to fulfill these criterions would move money quicker and more easily to the places it can have the biggest impact.”

The further acceptability of Nazariya QFRG in LGBT activist circles became evident when a verified Twitter handle with close to 180,000 followers (as of the time of writing this report) provided them with a platform on social media.

The tweet by Safecity

Members of the Nazariya QFRG has also appeared on television debates of prominent news channels such as India Today as an ‘activist’.

Tweet by India Today, retweeted by Nazariya QFRG

Nazariya QFRG has also been invited to events endorsed by the NITI Aayog.

Unage Credit: @Shampa_Sengupta/Twitter

Thus, quite clearly, Nazariya QFRG is extremely mainstream in the arena of LGBT activism. That its toxic activism and the brainwashing of children has not raised eyebrows yet only further casts aspersions on the nature of such activism. It does not take the IQ of Einstein to realise why exposing adolescents to colouring books with nude women masturbating and wearing sex toys is not conducive to their holistic development.

Furthermore, if information on such matters has to reach children at that age, it is better for society at large if it comes from the immediate near and dear ones of the children and not from strange elements in schools. Nazariya QFRG also showed the photograph of a man with enlarged breasts breastfeeding a baby, which was found disturbing by people across social media.

We have explained in a separate article how gender identity politics harms children irreparably. Governments, both at the state and national level, must take active measures to prevent such activism from gaining ground in India. However, it appears that out of public attention, such entities have been slowly infiltrating our society and brainwashing our children.

The government has a duty to help ordinary people carry on with their lives normally without interference from radical elements who wish to uproot the entire fabric of social organisation root, branch and stem. The influence of such organisations in schools and our education system could very well prove to be catastrophic for our society.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death: Mid-Day cites unnamed ‘sources’ to claim he had bipolar disorder, changes it to ‘depression’ after being called out

OpIndia Staff
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Sushant Singh Rajput’s death: Mid-Day cites unnamed ‘sources’ to claim he had bipolar disorder, changes it to ‘depression’ after being called out

It has been over a month since the death of talented bollywood actor Sushant Singh. A police investigation has been launched to determine the reasons that provoked Sushant to take the extreme step of ending his own life.

Even as an investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput is underway, popular news daily Mid-day peddled an unsubstantiated story, claiming that the Kai Po Che actor was suffering from ‘bipolar disorder’. The article published in the news daily claimed that one of the psychiatrists of a leading hospital contended in his deposition to the police that the actor was suffering from ‘bipolar disorder’.

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterised by drastic shifts in mood. The symptoms of the disorder can include an extremely elevated mood called mania. They can also include episodes of depression. Bipolar disorder is also known as bipolar disease or manic depression.

The article published in the Mid-day asserted that one of the three psychiatrists interrogated by the Bandra Police in the case of Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide has stated that the actor was suffering from ‘bipolar disorder’. A similar claim was also made in an article published by Times Now, where it said that the doctors who were consulted by Sushant stated that he was suffering from ‘bipolar disorder’. Even news reports on DNA and Zee News said that Sushant was afflicted by bipolar disorder and wasn’t taking his medicines regularly.

The article had gone ahead to suggest the deceased actor was not taking his medicines. Citing the Mid-Day report, film editor Apurva Asrani had called out the efforts to tarnish Sushant’s image.

Apurva Asrani’s tweet

However, when Film editor and screenwriter Apurva Asrani questioned the veracity of the claims made in the article, the news daily quietly edited the article and Sushant Singh Rajput’s purported illness was changed to ‘depression’.

The Film editor then went on to allege that the hatred for Kangana, who has been vocal in her support for Sushant Singh Rajput and has cast aspersions on some powerful personalities of Bollywood industry for continuing nepotism, is being channelled to cover up an injustice.

Sushant’s death triggers allegations of nepotism, harassment and exploitation in Bollywood

In the wake of Sushant’s demise, a groundswell of opposition had developed against the Bollywood bigwigs, accusing them of abetting his suicide by perpetuating the culture of nepotism and professional harassment of ‘outsiders’ in the industry. A large number of people on social media, aided by the reports of Sushant Singh Rajput being rejected by a number of well-known production houses, firmed up the popular belief that the actor was shunted on account of being an outsider.

This belief unleashed a wave of fury and discontent against ‘bigwigs’ like Mahesh Bhatt, Karan Johar, Yashraj Films and several other prominent individuals of the Bollywood industry, alleging that the culture fostered by them had led Sushant to take away his life.

As the blame of Sushant’s alleged suicide pivoted on Bollywood bigwigs and major movie makers, popular Bollywood critics and starlets came together to patronisingly assert that the Kai Po Che actor was ailing from a mental illness. Bollywood critic Subash K Jha had also penned an article claiming how Sushant, who many believe was bullied and pushed over the edge, was ‘mentally unstable’.

It was also pointed out how the talented actor was hounded with an extremely negative PR machinery that included baseless gossips, allegations and claims made by movie critics and gossip columnists to criticise and defame the actor. Apurva Asrani had earlier also called out movie critic Rajeev Masand for his ‘vicious and cowardly blind items’ against Sushant Rajput.

While it is still early to ascertain the true reasons that pushed Sushant over the edge, efforts were already underway by the media and Bollywood coterie to paint Sushant as a patient of clinical depression and absolve themselves from the collective guilt of his death.

India’s first Chinese coronavirus vaccine, COVAXIN, undergoes human trials: Here are the details

OpIndia Staff
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India’s first Chinese coronavirus vaccine, COVAXIN, undergoes human trials: Here are the details

With the coronavirus caseloads in India surging past the 11.5 lakhs mark, the efforts to arrive at a COVID-19 vaccine have accelerated in the country. The indigenously developed vaccine–COVAXIN has entered the critical human trails phase.

12 centres across the country selected for human trials of COVAXIN

About 12 centres across the country have been selected by India’s Premier Medical Research Body, ICMR, where the phase 1 and 2 of the human trials of the vaccine would be conducted. After Haryana’s PGI, human trials of the COVAXIN are all set to start in another Bhubaneswar-based institute.

A special laboratory is set up at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM(IMS and SUM) Hospital, pursuant to the protocols laid down by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The human trials of BBV152 COVID Vaccine will begin on Wednesday at the said facility.

The first Human trials of the Bharat Biotech created vaccine had started in AIIMS Patna last week on July 15. 10 volunteers were chose to administer the vaccine. After two weeks, if the vaccine is found safe and efficacious, it will be given to more people.

On Friday last week, the Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij took to Twitter to inform that PGI Rohtak has also started the human trials of the COVAXIN. He claimed that 3 volunteers were given the vaccine and they have responded well to the antidote. He also added that no adverse side effects had been reported on the subjects so far.

In addition, human trials of the vaccine have also begun in Goa at the state’s Redkar Hospital. Goa CM Pramod Sawant informed about the same and congratulated the team for entering a crucial phase in developing the vaccine.

The director of AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria, said on Monday that human trials of India’s first indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine has also begun at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences.

Volunteers to be monitored for the antibody levels in their blood

According to the guidelines set for carrying out human trials, the subjects who are administered the vaccine have to stay in the trial centre for around 2 hours for observation to rule out any possibility of adverse effect or other serious complications.

The volunteers will be given two doses within a gap of 14 days. They will be monitored and kept in touch with the trial centres. If the antibody level in their blood is found to be adequate, they can go for second and third phase of the trials.

COVAXIN expected to be released by August 15

It is pertinent to note that this is the same coronavirus vaccine that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body for the medical research in the country, had announced earlier of being released for the public use by August 15. However, it is not yet clear whether the vaccines will be ready by then.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech successfully developed COVAXIN™ in collaboration with the ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV). The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech for the effort.

Besides Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had permitted another vaccine prepared by ZydusCadila Healthcare Ltd to go in for the first and second phase of human clinical trials.

CBI summons OSD to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia for questioning in SHO Vishnudutt Vishnoi suicide case

OpIndia Staff
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CBI summons OSD to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia for questioning in SHO Vishnudutt Vishnoi suicide case

The CBI Tuesday summoned OSD to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deva Ram Saini, and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia in connection with the alleged suicide by the state police officer (SHO) Vishnudutt Vishnoi on May 23. A team of special crime unit of the CBI from Delhi is in Jaipur to record statements in connection with the death of Vishnoi, who was SHO of Rajgarh. 

According to reports, Saini was summoned to the CBI office in Jaipur at 10 am today. Following his questioning, the CBI is also likely to question Congress MLA and former Indian athlete Krishna Poonia again. The agency had on Monday evening questioned Congress MLA Krishna Poonia for nearly three hours at her home in Jaipur. It is pertinent to note here that Vishnoi’s family and colleagues had alleged that the SHO was under pressure from the Congress MLA Krishna Poonia, which led to his suicide.

Vishnudutt Vishnoi suicide case handed over to CBI

The case was handed over to the CBI after pressure was created on the Rajasthan Congress government from all quarters. On May 28, former Union minister Col Rajyavardhan Rathore had also written a to Rajashthan CM Ashok Gehlot demanding a CBI probe into the suicide case. Prior to Col Rajyavardhan Rathore, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party had also demanded a CBI probe in the suicide case of a police inspector.

SHO suicide case: political pressure alleged

Vishnudutt Vishnoi, who was posted as the SHO of Rajgarh police station in Churu, had committed suicide by hanging himself in his quarter on May 23. His alleged suicide had kicked up a political storm in the state of Rajasthan, as his brother and colleagues had pinned the blame of the alleged suicide on Congress MLA Krishna Poonia, a charge which she had denied.

The SHO’s brother had filed a complaint with the Rajasthan police alleging that the former was under pressure which led him to take this drastic step. Two suicide note were recovered from Vishnoi. One was addressed to the SP of the Churu district, while the other was for his parents. In the one addressed to the Churu SP, Vishnoi had revealed that he was not being able to bear the pressure created around him.

Earlier, Vishnoi had also sent messages to his lawyer friend Govardhan Singh on WhatsApp saying that he has been trapped in the whirlpool of dirty politics.

On the basis of the suicide note and allegations of family members and staff in the police station that Vishnoi was under pressure, a case under section 306 of IPC (abetment to suicide) was registered at the Rajgarh Police Station.

HC orders for detailed report from Punjab govt after sons allege father was alive after body swap amid coronavirus outbreak

OpIndia Staff
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HC orders for detailed report from Punjab govt after sons allege father was alive after body swap amid coronavirus outbreak

Amidst the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, several cases of administrative negligence have come to light. Two brothers have now reportedly moved the Punjab and Harayana High Court after they were handed the corpse of a 37-year-old woman instead of their 92-year-old father for cremation. As per the report, Gurcharanjit Singh and his brother alleged that their father was alive and was being treated at the same Guru Nanak Dev Hospital as that of the woman in Amritsar.

The woman’s family cremated the body they had received without checking. However, the man’s family was shocked when they saw that the body handed over to them was not of their father but a woman.

Justice Vivek Puri asked the Counsel appearing for the State to authenticate the details of the case and file a detailed response in the matter. He has also issued notices to the State and other respondents. The High Court was then adjourned till July 22. Reportedly, the father of the petitioners, Pritam Singh, was diagnosed with the Wuhan Coronavirus on July 1. He was then shifted to an isolation ward at Rayat Bahra University in Hoshiarpur before being admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on July 5.

As per the report, the petitioners received a message on July 18 that their father had passed away the previous day at 11 pm. The duo was handed the body of the deceased via an ambulance at Mukerian. However, they later discovered that the dead body belonged to a woman when they uncovered the body bag.

Administrative negligence by hospital

The petitioners informed the Court that the body of the woman was shifted to a morgue in Mukerian. They were hopeful that their father was alive and being treated at the said hospital. Their counsel emphasised that it was a part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) to show the face of the patient prior to performing the last rites. ADC Himanshu Agarwal has informed that he has learnt about the incident and has sought authentication from the hospital administration.

N-95 masks may not stop the virus if worn by an already infected person, govt issues advisory against its use

OpIndia Staff
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N-95 masks may not stop the virus if worn by an already infected person, govt issues advisory against its use

The Director-General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, has issued a stern warning that the use of N-95 masks with valved respirators can be detrimental to prevention measures adapted against the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

“The use of valved respirator N95 masks is undesirable to the measures adopted for preventing spread of coronavirus as it doesn’t prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask,” the Director-General, Dr Rajiv Garg, warned in a letter to states and union territories.

He also added that states and union territories should encourage their citizens to use homemade cloth masks, which can be made by following the guidelines listed by the Health Ministry. 

The central government had earlier issued advisory for making effective masks at home to battle the spread of coronavirus. The advisory said that any cotton cloth can be used to create a protective cover. However, it added that the cloth must be cleansed and boiled in hot water for at least 5 minutes. It should then be completely dried out to be used as a face mask. The advisory also added that the makers should ensure that the masks prepared at home covers the face completely, not leaving any gap on the sides. The masks should be washed and cleaned daily.

The recommendation came amidst rising concerns over the ineffectiveness of the valved masks to stop the spread of the virus. 

The letter written by DGHS to all state governments, image via Twitter

Valved masks enable transmission of virus into the environment

Valved masks are typically used in industrial settings, where a user needs protection from the environment. While the masks filter in the air that the user inhales, the valves help release exhaled air back into the environment.

The valved mask can effectively prevent the user from contracting the virus but could result in harming others if the one wearing it is already infected by the virus. 

The letter asserts that only designated health workers should use the N-95 mask and not the general public.

US CDC issues warning against the usage of valved N-95 masks

Even the United States CDC has issued a warning that the use of masks with exhalation valves could potentially exacerbate the sterile environment that is used to contain the dissemination of the virus. The CDC website also recommends that people should use cloth coverings or cloth masks when social distancing is not avoidable because it will help prevent the spread of the virus.

NCW urges NCPCR to look into the rape and murder of BJP leader’s minor sister in Dinajpur, WB

OpIndia Staff
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NCW urges NCPCR to look into the rape and murder of BJP leader’s minor sister in Dinajpur, WB

On July 19 (Sunday) it was reported that a BJP booth President’s minor sister was allegedly abducted from her home, raped and murdered in Chopragaj in Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal. Today, the National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma took to Twitter to urge National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to take cognisance of the rape and murder of the 15-year-old. She said that since the girl was a minor, NCPCR should look into the matter and take immediate action. The NCPCR has taken cognisance of the matter and sought probe.

NCW chief, Rekha Sharma was responding to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) statement on the incident. ABVP in its press release, dated July 20, 2020, demanded immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the gruesome rape and murder of the 15-year-old girl.

In the press release, the student organisation accentuated how the state’s lady chief minister, Mamata Banerjee has failed to protect girls from her party karyakartas. Pinning the blame of the heinous crime on a few “TMC sponsored Muslim goons”, ABVP wrote that this scenario is omnipresent in the entire state of West Bengal. It said that the ruling TMC is sponsoring such crimes. Moreover, what is most appalling is that after committing such heinous crimes, these criminals are getting protection from the state police, read the press release.

Saying so, the ABVP furthered that they have launched a massive protest all over the district, demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

West Bengal police claim there was no rape and the minor girl died of poisoning

Yesterday, the West Bengal police had claimed that there were no signs of physical or sexual assault and that the 15-year-old sister of the BJP leader had died due to consumption of poison. The WB police took to Twitter to reveal that according to the autopsy report, no injury marks were found anywhere on the body of the minor girl. They, thus concluded that as per the post mortem report cause of death is “effect of poison”. 

A report by India Today also quoted a highly placed sources in the district as saying that there is no mention of any kind of injury or any attempt of sexual advances in the post mortem report.

The family of the teen, meanwhile, claimed that the girl was gang-raped and murdered.

BJP accused Trinamool Congress worker Feroze Ali

BJP leaders had accused West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress worker Feroze Ali to be behind the gruesome act. BJP General Secretary (Uttar Dinajpur) Surjit Sen said that Trinamool Congress is behind the abduction, rape, and murder of the minor girl. The official handle of the BJP unit of West Bengal had tweeted that the 15-year-old girl was raped by one Feroze Ali. 

What transpired

In what transpired on July 19, the 15-year-old sister of a BJP booth President went missing. She was reportedly taken to an abandoned place near Chopragaj in Sonarpur Gram Panchayat. The 10th std student was then, allegedly raped and poisoned by the perpetrators. The criminals fled the scene after dumping her body at the abandoned place which is located close to her house. After the girl went missing, locals began searching for her. She was found in an unconscious state at the deserted place. She was rushed to a primary healthcare centre in Chopragaj’s Dalua block. When her condition deteriorated, she was admitted to Islampur Sub-Divisional Hospital where she was declared dead.

700 Sikhs, Hindus from Afghanistan to be allowed to come and live in India: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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700 Sikhs, Hindus from Afghanistan to be allowed to come and live in India: Reports

Days after an abducted Sikh leader was finally released in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has reportedly approved long-term visas to 700 Sikh and Hindus currently living in Afghanistan. According to Kashmiri journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, such long-term visas are granted only to persecuted minorities in the region.

As per the report, the Indian government is fulfilling all necessary formalities to bring the said Afghan nationals to India before Independence Day. The report noted that about 600 Sikhs had applied for such long-term visas to India after the attack on Gurudwara that occurred on March 25 this year and left 27 dead.

A government official informed, “To begin with, over 700 such individuals have been identified and the required formalities are underway to bring them to India before 15 August.” Reportedly, the Afghan minorities who will arrive in India include those who have received security threats and have relatives in India.

It is notable here that there are very few Sikh and Hindu communities left in Afghanistan’s Muslim majority regions controlled mostly by Islamic hardliners. India’s CAA last year had eased the process for persecuted minorities in neighbouring Islamic countries to gain Indian citizenship.

Abducted Sikh leader released in Afghanistan

India had earlier thanked the Afghan leadership for its efforts in facilitating the release of 55-year-old Nidan Singh Sachdeva, an Afghan Sikh community leader. He was abducted a month ago from a gurudwara in the Pakita province of Afghanistan and got released on Saturday.

Anurag Sachdeva, spokesperson Ministry of External Affairs expressed appreciation to the Afghan leadership, security forces and tribal elders. The Indian government has hinted that if he applies for Indian citizenship under Citizen Amendment Act, the government will process the request. Sachdeva had moved to India in the 1990s with his family and is eligible for Indian citizenship. 

This Rakshabandhan, people go vocal for local, willing to pay little more for made in India Rakhis

OpIndia Staff
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This Rakshabandhan, people go vocal for local, willing to pay little more for made in India Rakhis

The festival of Rakshabandhan is going to be celebrated on 3rd August this year. While everyone is preparing for the festival in their own way, there is an anti-Chinese sentiment that is gripping the market. In the last few years, China-made Rakhis and other products essential for the festival like Thaali, gifts etc. have captured a significant share in the market.

Amid the backdrop of the faceoff between China and India in Galwan, the anti-Chinese sentiment among buyers and sellers have started to show its effect as the demand of locally produced Rakhis etc. have increased. In a report, ANI mentioned that buyers are showing interest in local products. Quoting a shopkeeper in Ahmedabad, the news agency said that buyers are willing to pay a higher price for Indian products instead of Chinese.

Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and “Vocal for Local”

PM Modi’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in which he asked the citizens of India to become “Vocal for Local” products is playing an essential role in increasing local production of different products and services. Starting from Saawan, there will be a long festival season in India, and several festivals including Rakshabandhan, Navratri, Janmashtmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Vijay Dashmi, Diwali and many others will be celebrated. In all these festivals, local artists, as well as The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), are working extensively to promote India-made products.

Swadeshi Rakhi initiative by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi 

On 16th July, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi  started an initiative to promote “Swadeshi Rakhi.” She said that Rakshabandhan is a festival of sisters and this initiative is for the sisters and by the sisters. “Today, China does a business of Rs. 400 crore on the festival of Raksha Bandhan. If we, the people of India, pledge to buy Rakhi made by our sisters, it will create numerous opportunities as well as support for these workers,” she added.

Over one lakh Rakhis made by self-help groups in Madhya Pradesh

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Indore Shankar Lalwani has recently announced that he is arranging one lakh indigenous Rakhis with the help of NGOs for Rakshabandhan. He said, “After PM Modi’s appeal to make India self-reliant, we are constructing one lakh indigenous Rakhis with the help of women associated with 22 NGOs of the city so that the local market I can challenge the Chinese as well as the Chinese as well.” The amount collected by selling these Rakhis will be distributed among the NGOs that prepared the Rakhis.

Traditional Rakhis by Tribal artists in Jharkhand

Tribal artists at Kalamandir in Jamshedpur are using traditional items to make Rakhis and other products for Rakshabandhan. Amitabh Ghosh, Convener Kalamandir, said that the Rakhis are of high-quality. They are made using traditional methods and will be available at an affordable price so that they can become a well-worthy alternative for the Chinese Rakhis. He said, “People are calling it Swadeshi rakhi, Jharkhandi rakhi, but I call them traditional rakhis. But it remains to be seen whether the shopkeepers will sell these over the Chinese ones. If we are able to provide a good product at cheap rates, the market will not look towards Chinese made rachis.”

The artists of Kalamandir also prepared masks and used the traditional patterns and material to sell during Covid-19 pandemic. They are trying to use less plastic to ensure there is no environmental impact of their products. These Rakhis are being promoted on the social media platform and getting a good response. Till date, they have prepared more than 11,000 Rakhis.

Rajasthan’s bid for “Vocal for Local”

Various artists and NGOs in Rajasthan have started manufacturing ‘desi’ Rakhis and gifts for Rakshabandhan. An NGO Sparsh Sansthan from Banswara is among the top producers of Rakhis in Rajasthan this year. Swati Jain, the founder of the NGO, said, “On this Raksha Bandan day, all sisters will pledge to use India made goods and shall boycott China-made goods while tying rakhis on their brothers’ wrists.”

Shrigopesh Panchgayvashala and Research Centre is also helping in reducing the market share of China during the Rakshabandhan. Himani, who is among the team that is making Rakhis at the centre said, “Following the ‘Vocal for Local’ call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are making rakhis which can be sown in pots or gardens after their use.” They have placed a Tulsi seen in the Rakhi and it will be a much better alternative to the plastic-based Chinese Rakhis that pose a threat to the environment.

NGOs and local administrations in almost every state are encouraging local artists to make Rakhis and gift items for Rakshabandhan and other upcoming festivals.

‘The way Urban Naxals protect terrorists, they now protect movie mafia’: Kangana Ranaut hits out on Anurag Kashyap, Swara Bhaskar

OpIndia Staff
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‘The way Urban Naxals protect terrorists, they now protect movie mafia’: Kangana Ranaut hits out on Anurag Kashyap, Swara Bhaskar

Actress Kangana Ranaut has stirred the hornet’s nest by hitting out at the vicious lobby and movie mafia that had monopolised the film industry, post the untimely demise of Sushant Singh Rajput. She has been vocal about favouritism and nepotism in the industry. Since her stand against nepotism has gained popular support, the particular ‘gangs’ and their stooges have sprung up to dismiss Kangana’s claims. Kangana has been under a barrage of attacks from all sides.

In an interview with the Republic TV, Kangana Ranaut had alleged that the Bollywood industry has several ‘bootlicking outsiders’ who suck up to those that reap the benefits of nepotism. “Bootlickers face no problem in any part of the world. In Bollywood, they include the likes of Taapsee Pannu and Swara Bhaskar. When I was fighting for their rights, they stood against me,” Kangana emphasised.

She added that the kind of movies that these ‘bootlickers’ take part in fell in the category of feature films, the trend of which was started by her in 2014 with the movie ‘Queen’. “They call me extremist. They say that my experience in life is weird. They claim that I am jobless and talk against nepotism because I do not get work. And these comments are made by outsiders like Taapsee Pannu and Swara Bhaskar for whom I fight. Bootlickers indeed face no problem anywhere,” she remarked.

Her comments did not go down well with Swara Bhaskar who then mocked the ‘Manikarnika’ actress on Twitter. Bhaskar wrote, “Pather Panchali movie which gave birth to the parallel cinema in India was started in 1955 by Kangana. In 2013, she initiated the trend of feminist films with the movie Queen. But, most importantly, she got us independence in 1947. I am an ignorant yet an outsider, reaping the benefits of bootlicking “

Kangana Ranaut stumps Swara Bhaskar

Through her tweet, Swara Bhaskar suggested that Kangana has been taking ‘undue credit’ by claiming that she was the frontrunner of feminist films and parallel cinema. However, the latter then responded by conceding that while such films were made during the golden era of Bollywood, it eventually died out after the underworld turned the industry into a stinking gutter. She added that the revival of such films was indeed her initiative which began in 2014.

Kangana emphasised, “None of you were born in the golden era of Indian cinema, after Gangsters mafias and Dons took over the industry it became big stinking gutter and feminism and parallel cinema awakening happened with Queen 2014 if not please correct us when it happened?”

Kangana’s response to Anurag Kashyap

Citing a ‘dangerous’ interview that was aired just after the release of Manikarnika, director Anurag Kashyap went on a hysterical tirade against her. He claimed, “The addiction of success misleads everyone, including insiders and outsiders. See me, be like me. I have never seen Kangana make these comments before 2014. Anyone who disagrees with her now becomes a bootlicker.” He then accused her of cutting out the role of crew members and co-actors. “Everyone who worked with her before now runs away from her,” Kashyap claimed.

He added that Kangana is now alone is being exploited by fake people, while none who are close to her are being able to see what is happening with her. In a veiled ‘warning’, Kashyap wrote to Kangana that everyone is using her and even her family is not able to see and do anything about it.

She responded, “Here is mini Mahesh Bhatt telling Kangana she is all alone and surrounded by fake people who are using her, anti-nationals, urban Naxals the way they protect terrorists now protecting movie mafia.” It is notable here that Kangana had earlier spoken about how Mahesh Bhat and Javed Akhtar had tried to emotionally harass her, and also hinting that some powerful persons in the industry work actively to drive some artists to commit suicide.

Kangana Ranaut lambasts ‘movie mafia’

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut speaking to Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had opened up on the latest controversy over the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the role of the ‘movie mafia’ behind the systematic discrimination in the movie industry which could have resulted in the death of the 34-year-old actor. Earlier, the actress had called out the stooges of the movie mafia who dawn the cloak of journalists to carry out ’emotional, psychological & mental lynching.’ 

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