Aanchal Gangwal, the daughter of a tea seller from a small district in Madhya Pradesh is now a flying officer of the Indian Air force. According to reports, the small-town girl from Neemuch district in the north-western part of Madhya Pradesh fought all odds to become one of the 19 women officers who were commissioned by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the combined Graduation Parade (CGP) ceremony at Dundigal in Hyderabad on Saturday (June 20, 2020).
Aanchal Gangwal awarded the President’s Plaque
The event which began at 8.45 am on June 20, saw as many as 123 air warriors being commissioned by the Indian Air Force. Aanchal Gangwal was awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in Ground Duty branches.
Fg Offr Anurag Nain was awarded the President’s Plaque & CAS Sword of Honour for standing first in order of merit in Flying branch while
Fg Offr Aanchal Gangwal was awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in Ground Duty branches.#CGP2020pic.twitter.com/tc56NwrAfp
Aanchal holds a graduate degree in Computer Science from Sitaram Jaju Government Girls College in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh and had earlier worked as a sub-inspector in the MP Police Department and a labour inspector in MP Labour Department for eight months, before joining the Air Force Academy (AFA).
MP CM Shivran Singh Chouhan congratulates Aanchal Gangwal
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken to Twitter to congratulate and bless the 24-year-old girl from Neemuch district. He wished that all the daughters of India, grow, prosper and achieve great heights like her.
रौशन थी धरती तुझसे, अब रौशन होगा आसमां भी। दुआओं पर परवाज करो, रौशन कर दो जहां भी।
अंधेरों को चीरकर फिर एक बेटी ‘आंचल’ ने रच दिया है इतिहास ऐसे ही बढ़ती रहें बेटियां, यही तो हैं हम सबका गौरव और अभिमान भी।
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) June 22, 2020
Recalling the struggles of her father Suresh Gangwal, who has been running a small tea stall at the Neemuch bus stand for a living, Aanchal said: “When I was a school kid, I had decided to be in the defence. Today as I become an officer, it still feels surreal. It is a dream come true.”
“I used to dream of this day almost every night. To stand in my uniform, in front of my father and mother, who have fought all the difficulties in their lives to get me here. However, due to Covid-19 that could not happen. But I am happy that they could see the ceremony on television,” said the IAF new recruit. Unfortunately, owing to the restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Aanchal’s parents could not attend the passing out parade at Dundigal AFA.
Aanchal calls her parents the pillars of her life
“When I told my parents that I want to be in defence, they were a little worried like any parent. But they never tried to stop me. In fact, they have always been the pillars of my life,” furthered Aanchal.
Speaking on Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria’s brief at the passing out parade that this year the newly commissioned IAF officers would be proceeding straight to their next units to shoulder their responsibilities instead of going home for a break, Aanchal said: “I am always ready to serve my motherland and see this as an opportunity to do so.”
Member of Rajya Sabha from the Congress party, Vivek Tankha, took to Twitter to inform that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has served a legal notice to online publication Firstpost for publishing an article by journalist Abhijit Majumder criticising the Congress party. Congress leader claimed that the article ‘defamatory’, ‘incendiary’ and ‘provocative’ and said that the media should ‘know the limits’ and stop ‘acting like the mouthpiece of the ruling party’.
It is not clear what was exactly ‘defamatory’, ‘incendiary’ and ‘provocative’ about the article as Tankha did not mention it in his tweet. The article only says that the Congress party is out of touch with the sentiments of the country’s masses and only concerns itself with the opinions of a deracinated elite. It is same criticism that the party has often faced in recent years.
In his article titled “China jibes: Congress plays to English-speaking social media fans as grassroots support wanes”, journalist Abhijit Majumder compares Congress with someone who is far too away from the reality and is more concerned and aware of happenings across the world than his own backyard. He points out how Rahul Gandhi’s attacks on the India-China conflict at Galwan Valley are ill-informed and just petty.
Majumder also mentions out how Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi at the All Party Meeting held by the PM in wake of Galwan Valley attack, raised questions over the efficiency of the Indian Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and the government. However, he points out, that Sonia was snubbed by NCP’s Sharad Pawar who schooled her that such issues of whether arms are carried by soldiers or not is decided based on the agreements.
More specifically, Majumder highlighted that in the wake of the conflict with China, it was only the Congress party that chose to play petty politics at a time when even its allies such as Sharad Pawar, Naveen Patnaik and even Mamata Banerjee threw their weight behind the Indian government. He also mentioned that the entire opposition showed solidarity towards the government while the Congress party stuck out like a sore thumb.
The article further mentions how Congress has strayed from ground realities and grassroot support-base and been relying heavily on Bollywood cheerleaders like Anurag Kashyap, Swara Bhasker and Anubhav Sinha. But perhaps what must have pinched Congress the most would have been the reminder that Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi and had to bank on Wayanad to get elected back to the Parliament.
Majumder further writes that Congress humiliated Sanjay Jha “who defended the indefensible” for years on various platforms and relies on “aloof 3-person high command, 100-odd pravaktas, about 200 social media cell minions and a geriatric Congress Working Committee”.
However, the Congress party appears to have taken issue with such mild criticism of the manner in which it conducts its politics. It also needs to be pointed out that the party has faced such criticism a lot in recent times. Recently, Sanjay Jha had commented that the Congress party was headed for ‘political obsolescence’ if it continued with the same strategy following which he was dropped as a party spokesperson.
The Congress party has acted in quite a partisan manner during the ongoing conflict with China in Ladakh. At every turn, they attempted to undermine the position of the Indian government and the situation turned so dire, that the father of one of the soldiers who was injured during the clash at Galwan valley had to come forward and beg the Congress party to not play politics at this juncture.
That did not have too much of an impact on Rahul Gandhi as he continued on his merry run of politicking. However, certain disturbing details about the Congress party have gained great attention during these troubling times. It has now come to light that the Congress party signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Communist Party.
On the 7th of August, 2008, the Congress party and the Chinese Communist Party signed a deal to ensure the exchange of high level information and cooperation between them. On behalf of the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi signed the agreement and for the CCP, it was none other than Xi Jinping who put his signature on the agreement.
The MoU provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”. It is something that is completely unheard of and utterly bizarre. How could a political party of one country sign an agreement for cooperation and exchange of information with a political party of an enemy country?
Let alone an enemy country, such a deal between the political parties of any country would be extremely inappropriate if not downright treasonous. And worse, the conduct of Rahul Gandhi during recent conflicts between India and China have been very suspicious. For instance, his secret meeting with Chinese officials during the Doklam standoff can no longer be viewed in isolation. It has to be viewed keeping in mind that there was an MoU in place between the Congress party and China.
If it was bizarre enough that a major political party in India had an agreement in place with an autocratic regime that happens to be India’s enemy, it would be utterly inconceivable if we were told that such problematic relationships did not exist with only one country. However, as it turns, that is exactly the case as OpIndia reported recently.
Recently, Anand Sharma of the Congress party attended the launch of an ‘anti-racism campaign’ organised by the African National Congress (ANC), the governing party in South Africa. From the coverage of the event, it was quite obvious that the matter at hand was more internal rather than a global alliance against racism. The campaign was also criticised in South African media itself.
During his address, Anand Sharma went so far as to call the ANC a fraternal party of the Indian National Congress. He also called for Indians to stand up for justice and human rights, which was a bit perplexing considering the fact that the campaign was launched in light of the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Police in the US of A.
The Congress party could not escape by saying that Anand Sharma attended the event in his individual capacity as he repeatedly invoked the INC during his address. However, there is a more significant reason why the Congress cannot do so. As it turns out, the Congress party had also signed an MoU with the ANC.
And the buck does not stop there. The Congress party was also accused of funding the ANC’s election campaign as far back as in 2009. Among others accused of the same was the Chinese Communist Party. It is pertinent to note that these allegations were made merely a year after the Congress party signed MoUs with both, the CCP and the ANC.
Thus, one is forced to ask here, what was the precise agreement that was signed between INC and ANC? And if the allegations of INC helping the ANC with money for campaigning are true, did the MoU involve pledging support for the party during elections in South Africa? And if the answers are in the affirmative, as it could very well be, is the MoU that was signed between the Congress party and CCP of a similar nature? Such questions have to be answered.
There are other problematic aspects to the affair as well. For instance, when Prime Minister Modi visited South Africa in 2016, a large portion of the ANC and several Islamic organisations had protested against his visit. Were these protests with the obvious support of certain factions within the INC a return on investment the Indian National Congress had made earlier? It cannot be ruled out.
It is also pertinent to note that the Congress party was not involved in such shady dealings with only the ANC and the CCP. During the UPA regime, there were literally individuals associated with foreign funded NGOs, who as part of the extra-constitutional National Advisory Council, were drafting laws for India.
One NAC member was Harsh Mander whose links with the Italian Secret Service have been exposed by OpIndia recently. The same person is also closely associated with George Soros, who declared a war upon nationalism and nationalists, including Prime Minister Modi. Others in NAC included individuals associated with dubious organisations such as Oxfam.
Harsh Mander is not the only individual linked to the Congress party who is closely associated with George Soros. Shivshankar Menon, who served as the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India from January 2010 to May 2014 under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Crisis Group along with George Soros.
Thus, we see that the Congress party has a history of associating itself not only with individuals linked to dubious foreign agents but also with the political entities of other countries vying for political power. It is quite unprecedented. It begs the question, what purpose does it serve the Congress party in signing an MoU with the ANC and the CCP?
Furthermore, the only loyalty that any Indian political party should feel is towards Indian citizens. Can Indians trust a party to place their interests above all else when the Congress party goes around signing MoUs with the CCP and other political parties around the world? Can Indians be certain that the Congress party will prioritise the interests of its citizens over the its obligations to the CCP and other foreign entities?
From a national security perspective, the Indian government must investigate whether such agreements involved meddling in Indian elections by foreign elements. These are questions that the Congress party will struggle to answer in the coming days. And as unfortunate as it may appear, the Congress party could very well have undermined national sovereignty in the past and might do so again in the future.
On the 16th of August, 1946, Mohammad Ali Jinnah gave a call to fellow Muslims across India for a “Direct Action Day” on the streets of Kolkata (then Calcutta) and grandly proclaimed that we shall have “either a divided India or a destroyed India”, never mind the fact he was Indian.
The frenzy that followed was nothing India had seen before. Sword-wielding men in a state of trance went on a killing spree and nearly 10,000 people were killed and up to 15,000 wounded in a span of 3 days.
74 years later sections of New Delhi started burning on the 24th of February except for this time the war-cry was made on WhatsApp and what followed was looting, burning of homes, schools and shops and deaths of 53 people and among them, a young IB officer Ankit who was chopped 51 times. Took just 3 days
In 1947 the Muslim League championed by Jinnah was successful in axing 1/3rd of India to create a ‘Fortress of Islam’ called Pakistan. One would’ve hoped they lived happily after but that wasn’t the case. This was followed by Jinnah’s attack on Jammu and Kashmir, next came Hyderabad where the Nizam unleashed his version of Direct Action Day through the Razakars (Muslim volunteers) which resulted in as many as 40000 dead and there are other such incidents which do not find mention in our history books
So why bring back “Direct Action Day” now? Because there are too many similarities and the motives behind the two events are not very different. Both want territory for their exclusive use whatever be the cost
Muslim Leagues Direct Action Day seems to have inspired many, let’s call them Orphans who continue to hatch and take on new avatars like the now rebadged Students Islamic Movement of India also known as SIMI, the Popular Front of India (PFI) which ‘champions’ the cause of ‘Justice, Equality & Freedom’ and is alleged to have organized the anti CAA protests across the country is coincidently headquartered at Shaheen Bagh. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board an NGO which has been masquerading as the sole representative of Muslims since 1972 carried out a near-violent movement for imposing Sharia Law which the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi cheeringly obliged. The list of Orphans also includes Human Rights NGOs and famous (and very wealthy) Lawyers.
Muslim League of 1947 and their present day Indian orphans are mirror images of each other, here are some examples:
Both claim to represent minority rights (read: only Muslims)
Both hide behind ‘freedom of speech’ to wage war against their own country
Both are supported by the communists
Both find safety in educational institutions like the Aligarh Muslim University and now add JNU and Jamia
Fascinatingly both also find many friends among the Indian elite
Both believe that Indian Muslims are living under a great threat of becoming 2ndclass citizens
Both swear by the constitution, Jinnah was considered a constitutionalist and we know who invokes the Indian constitution at every debate, discussion and protest
Another interesting one is the language of protest, it is always Urdu right from Kerala to Kashmir. Doesn’t matter if Malayalees don’t speak a word of Urdu but protest banners will be in the Persian script as if Urdu is an expression of freedom
Muslim League was crystal clear in what it wanted and it wasn’t any kind of a power-sharing formula or seat reservation, they even turned down the British Cabinet Missions plan for an interim government with representatives of the League. No sir, they asked for nothing less than a Muslim only nation when they unleashed the ‘Direct Action Day’, killed, raped and got Pakistan, as simple as that!
‘Direct Action Day’ therefore is a tested formula which these deeply insecure Orphans used on the 23rd of Feb 2020 when a crowd of ~2500 gathered near the Jaffarabad metro station armed with rocks.
Preparations for ‘either a divided India or a destroyed India’ had started a couple of months earlier when on the 15th of December violent protests were kicked off simultaneously at Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and a Protest sit-in at Shaheen Bagh carefully coinciding with Amanatullah Khans hate speech.
In a few hours as if on cue the mayhem started. The planning was quite detailed and the Orphans knew who to target.
The run-up to August 1946 was not very different, protests organized by the Muslim league were a result of Congresses rejection of their demand for a separate Muslim Homeland. Living with Hindus was simply not acceptable to them. The League members had convinced Indian Muslims that they will be made slaves of Hindus if they don’t protest for a separate Muslim country
Similarly, the 2020 protests started when the Orphans thought to bring in persecuted Hindus, Sikhs and Christians under CAA would somehow impact their demography. They started spreading a bizarre rumour that Hindu Narendra Modi and Hindu Amit Shah want to strip Indian Muslims off their citizenship!
Both the Muslim League and the Orphans refused to have a dialogue to discuss their issues
The Chief Minister of Bengal at the time was Hussain Suhrawardy who gave incendiary speeches, among them was a call for Jehad against Hindus, cut to 2020 where Amanatullah Khan an elected MLA for the Aam Aadmi Party openly called for “Finishing off these oppressors (Read Hindu BJP)”. Sharjeel Imam a PHD ‘Scholar’ at JNU and the current poster boy of Liberals publicly chided Muslims for being incapable of bringing life in North India to a stop!
If the Muslim League institutionalised identity politics and created religions consciousness among unsuspecting Indians then it is the Orphans who have carried this legacy forward to the extent they have made careers out of it.
Remember both Suhrawardy and Amanatullah was/is an elected representative who nonchalantly gave a clarion call to wage war against their own countrymen.
Whether it was 10,000 slaughtered men and women on the streets of Calcutta, then 2 million killed for the creation of Pakistan or 53 dead in North East Delhi. The orphans simply don’t care for human lives
Is then all lost? Maybe not. The current dispensation is unlikely to turn the other cheek.
Amidst the border standoff and escalating tensions between India and China, Nepal has reportedly erected barriers which is creating a hindrance in carrying out flood prevention work ahead of monsoon. Bihar shares 700 km-long border with Nepal. The provocative move by the landlocked country has forced the repair work, undertaken by the Bihar government to prevent floods, to cease on the river embankments. As such, the state can be severely affected by floods during the monsoon season and lead to the destruction of entire villages.
State Water Resources Minister, Sanjay Kumar Jha, told news agency ANI on Monday that the Bihar government will take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Jha informed that 18 out of 36 gates of the Gandak barrage in Valmiki Nagar are on the Nepalese side and the presence of barriers posed an impending threat to the State. He emphasised, “Yesterday also over 1.5 lakh cusecs water was released from the barrage. If the flood-fighting materials and our officers cannot go there, then, in that case, there will be a grave danger”
Nepal obstructs repair work for the first time
Reportedly, repair work has also been obstructed on the embankment of the Lalbakeya river in the Champaran (east) district of Bihar. While flood prevention work is carried out every year, it is for the first time that Nepal sought to create hindrances. The Minister has been taken aback by the behaviour of the Nepal authorities is restricting the repair work done alongside the border. “This time they are not letting it happen. In Madhubani’s Jaynagar upstream on Kamala river too they are not letting us conduct repairs,” he highlighted.
Jha also informed that the engineers and the district magistrates are in talks with the Nepal administration to resolve the issue. He stressed on the difficulties faced by the State in sending materials and officers, even though the repair work on the Nepal’s side is also done by the India Government. Jha reiterated that he will write a letter to the MEA informing them about the issue and its immediate aftermath.
Nepal initiates radio warfare against India
Nepal has started radio warfare in bordering villages of Uttarakhand. The residents of these villages can catch Nepali Radio stations that are now playing anti-India songs from the last few months. These songs mainly state that areas like Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura in Uttarakhand are part of Nepal and India should return them. Nepal has recently included these areas in its new map. These songs are played several times between shows, including news bulletins. Along with anti-India sentiment, these songs also taunt Nepalese politicians for “not doing enough” to take control of the land that “belongs” to Nepal.
The annals of the Indian Army are replete with stories of bravery and uncommon valor. And then there are stories of courage so overwhelming that it is almost impossible for the human soul to even comprehend that such men walked the face of this very earth.
On a freezing and unforgiving November night, 123 Indian soldiers – frostbitten, weary, hungry and heavily outnumbered – defied the might of the rampaging Chinese Army. On 18 November 1962, Major Shaitan Singh and men of Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, forever passed into the mists of legend.
This is a story of unimaginable sacrifice. This is a story of men pitted against impossible odds. This is the story of Indian soldiers who looked death in the eye and did not flinch. This is the story of the Battle of Rezang La.
Ladakh, 1962
In their initial assault on Indian positions in October, the Chinese had overrun border posts from Daulat Beg Oldie to Damchok, along the Karakoram Range. The defence of Chushul was the responsibility of 114 Brigade, which had a battalion less. An Infantry Brigade has 3 battalions. 114 Brigade had just 1/8 Gurkha Rifles and 5 Jat Regiment. When the danger to Chushul was realized, 13 Kumaon was rushed from Baramulla to augment 114 Brigade.
Other companies of 13 Kumaon occupied heights like Gun Hill, Gurung Hill and Mugger Hill. Charlie Company was given Rezang La, a pass 19 km away on the southeastern approach to Chushul. Rezang La was all rock, bitterly cold with bone chilling winds and the troops were not acclimatized to such extreme temperatures. The company was deployed at a height of 16,404 feet above sea level, and the main company position was defended by the 7th, 8th& 9th platoons. The surrounding mountains isolated it from the rest of the battalion.
No suitable winter clothing, underarmed and unprotected
The biting cold and the howling winds were accompanied by snowfall. Lack of protective winter clothing made the vigil more treacherous. And to add to the already impossible situation, Charlie Company was “crested to artillery”. This meant that there was an intervening feature, which did not allow Charlie Company the cover and protection of Indian Army’s artillery.
Charlie Company was without cover, without support and on its own.
In the very early hours of 18 November, the Chinese Army attacked the 7thand 8th platoon.
At 0500 hrs, Charlie Company opened up with rifles, machine guns and mortars. The retaliation was so ferocious that hundreds of Chinese lay dead. The first wave of the Chinese Army was repulsed.
At 0540 hrs, Charlie Company came under intense artillery and mortar shelling, and under the cover of this fire, about 350 Chinese attacked 9thplatoon. The platoon, true to their training, held their fire till the last moment. When the Chinese were a mere 90 meters away, the 9th platoon opened up with all their weapons. Their fire was devastating and hundreds of Chinese dead bodies littered the “nullahs”. The second wave of the Chinese Army was repulsed.
Impossible odds
Major Shaitan Singh moved from platoon to platoon, firing at the enemy and encouraging his men. He ignored the grave danger to his life and kept fighting. They say that he fought like a man possessed, completely oblivious to his own safety.
For the Chinese, this horrific rate of casualties was not sustainable. They changed tactics. 9th platoon was brought under withering MMG fire and under the cover of this fire, 400 Chinese attacked 8th platoon from the rear. This attack was stopped at the platoon barbed wire fence. Simultaneously, a heavily armed assault group of 120 Chinese attacked 7th platoon from the rear. The 7th platoon responded with mortars and rifle fire. There were heavy casualties on both the sides.
By now, the strength of 7th and 8th platoon was severely depleted.
When the Chinese again assaulted the 7th platoon, our soldiers rushed out of their post and engaged the Chinese in hand-to-hand combat. The Chinese brought reinforcements.
Out of ammunitions, they fought with their bare hands
The entire 7th and 8th platoon of Charlie Company was martyred. There were no survivors. 9th platoon was very severely depleted and out of ammunition. So, the survivors fought the heavily armed Chinese with their bare hands. Naik Ram Singh, a wrestler, killed many Chinese soldiers with his bare hands before he was shot in the head.
Major Shaitan Singh was constantly fighting, moving from platoon to platoon, encouraging his men and leading from the front. During the course of the battle, he was critically injured by MMG fire. While being evacuated, the Chinese started firing at him and the two soldiers who were accompanying him. Not wanting his soldiers to be killed in such a manner, he ordered them to leave him with his weapon and rejoin the fighting.
They repulsed seven attacks by the Chinese
Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon, repulsed seven attacks by the Chinese before the entire company was martyred in combat.
On 21 November 1962, a unilateral ceasefire was declared between China and India.
When the Indian Army visited the Charlie Company location after the war, Major Shaitan Singh was found holding his weapon. He had died fighting. The nursing assistant was found dead with bandages and a syringe in his hand. The mortar section commander was found dead, holding a mortar round. He kept firing till his position was overrun and he was killed. Out of the thousand mortar rounds that Charlie Company had, all but 7 had been fired.
Out of the 123 soldiers of Charlie Company, 114 were martyred and 6 were captured by the Chinese Army and kept as PoWs. They later miraculously escaped.
Param Veer Chakra
For conspicuous bravery and heroism beyond the call of duty, Major Shaitan Singh Bhati was posthumously awarded a grateful nation’s highest gallantry award, the Param Veer Chakra. The company was also awarded 8 Veer Chakras and 4 Sena Medals for exceptional bravery. Charlie Company was later re-designated as “Rezang La Company”.
I am from the Kumaon Regiment and I have studied the battle of Rezang La in detail. After all these years I still wonder what motivated Major Shaitan Singh and the entire Charlie Company to so willingly embrace martyrdom. It is unheard of, in the annals of modern warfare.
I don’t know if Rezang La was strategically important or not, but in those dark days of the winter of 1962, for an army facing reverse after reverse, Rezang La somehow became a matter of national honor. This was where the Indian Army dug in and said “thus far, and no further”. Rezang La was not just about “izzat”. Somewhere along the way, it became “zidd”.
Naam, Namak, Nishan
122 Ahirs from Haryana, led by Major Shaitan Singh Bhati of Jodhpur, fought for “Naam, Namak, Nishan” at -30 degrees centigrade. In freezing, inhuman cold, clothed in thin sweaters and jackets, wet canvas shoes, badly equipped and armed with Second World War vintage .303 rifles, they fought against an enemy who was far better equipped and armed.
When they were out of ammunition, they fought with their bayonets. When their bayonets broke, they fought with their bare hands. These young men from Haryana had probably never seen mountains so high. Most saw snow for the first time. But it is also true that the mountains of Ladakh had never seen such grit.
These brave 122 fought against 3000 attacking Chinese and counted over 1300 enemy dead before embracing martyrdom.
The Rezang La memorial in Ladakh
Today, a memorial stands at Rezang La, honoring the memory of those heroes. It reads:
“How can a man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers
And the temples of his Gods.”
To the sacred memory of the Heroes of Rezang La, 114 Martyrs of 13 Kumaon who fought to the Last Man, Last Round, Against Hordes of Chinese on 18 November 1962.
– Built by All Ranks 13th Battalion, The Kumaon Regiment.
Disclaimer: 13 Kumaon and 11 Kumaon are both pure Ahir Battalions. There are other battalions in the Kumaon Regiment that have a mix of Kumaonis, Ahirs and a few other ethnicities. Some other battalions are pure Kumaoni, where the soldiers are from the Kumaon Region. My battalion (17 Kumaon) is a pure Kumaoni Unit with 100% troops from the Kumaon Region. However, in case of all infantry regiments of the Indian Army (including Kumaon), the officers are from all over the country.
Singer Sonu Nigam on Monday took to Instagram to further expose the ‘Music Mafia’ of the film industry and the media nexus within. He also took on T-Series supremo Bhushan Kumar and asked him not to mess with him.
Taking on the T-Series chief Bhushan Kumar, Nigam said that he has messed with the wrong person. Nigam said, “Now I have to take your name Bhushan. You are not alone. You have messed with the wrong person.” He alleged that Bhushan used to come to his house for help. He begged him to Deewana album with T-series. Sonu Nigam alleged that he also helped Bhushan to meet Smita Thackeray and Bal Thackeray.
In the video, Sonu Nigam made explosive allegations that Bhushan sought his help to save himself from gangster Abu Salem. “Remember Marina Kunwar? And the allegations she made? Why did she say this and why did she back out? Media knows. I have her video. If you mess with me, I will upload her video on my YouTube channel. Don’t mess with me,” he said.
#MeToo allegations on Bhushan Kumar by Marina Kunwar
In 2018, Marina Kunwar came out publicly during an interview with Aaj Tak, where she accused Bhushan Kumar and Sajid Khan of sexually harassing her. At that time, it was alleged that the media did not cover the case and Marina’s story was thrown under the carpet.
In her #MeToo allegations, Kunwar had alleged that she was meeting Kumar for a video of singer Honey Singh’s song. She says that even though Kumar was getting late, he called her to his office to meet him. “Maybe it was his trick to show that he’s a nice person and not a bad guy,” she alleges. She further accused that he met her in a white Swift car with blackened windows and took her to an office-cum-home. “He didn’t even take a second or try to convince me and tried to molest me. I feel bad saying on media like how Sajid showed me his private part and Bhushan Kumar also didn’t wait a second and just undressed himself. Is a woman created just for this? To be used. And no one believes us,” she alleged.
“I would’ve rather become a porn star, which is more respectable,” she said in her interview with Aaj Tak.
In the past few days, Sonu Nigam has posted series of vlogs revolving around problems faced by actors, singers, and other artists in the film industry, especially those who do not have any godfather or family support.
The controversy revolving around Sonu Nigam and Bhushan Kumar
A few days ago, he released a video in which he claimed that there is a “music mafia” in the music industry that is bigger than the movie mafia. He accused two big “music giants” of running the “music mafia.” Many users had then commented on that video that he might be talking about Bhushan Kumar.
Sonu Nigam was upset over a report Time of India has published alleging it a press release on his last video where he exposed nepotism in the music industry. Sonu said that no one approached him to include his views in the said report. He added that he knows how press releases work and TOI has just copy-pasted a press release sent by T-Series claiming Nigam’s views on nepotism in the music industry stand null and void.
The uncalled aggression shown by China at the Indian border near eastern Ladakh at the time of Covid-19 pandemic has created widespread anguish among the concerned citizens of our country. To express the resentment towards China, many celebrities and also renowned education reformist Sonam Wangchuk called for a boycott of Chinese products. This appeal resonated with the opinion of our citizens and motivated a Jaipur based start-up to make an app named “Remove Chinese app” which detects and deletes the Chinese app from a smartphone.
This app crossed 1 million download mark within few days of its launch. But very soon this app is delisted from Google play store and made Indian citizens, who are protesting against China in their own way of boycott, feel powerless. When AMUL which is the most shining example of the success of Indian cooperative societies, posted an advertisement to support new policy of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” in its typical pun-filled style, its Twitter account was blocked briefly. We have such crippling dependency on foreign companies in every sphere including social media that even we are unable to express our solidarity towards National cause and in case if we try, we are arm twisted and rendered option less. In such situations, we wish to have our own Indian companies to fall back upon.
Also in 2017 during Doklam face-off between Indian and Chinese troops, there were incidences of boycotting Chinese products by Indian citizens. But such a phenomenon of calls for a boycott is short-lived and easily fades away because of two reasons. First, it is based on pessimistic and reactionary sentiments of our citizens towards a hostile country like China in the current situation and not on the foundation of a structured plan to promote Indian products and companies. Second, in many cases, Indian companies do not offer a comparable option like in the case of Mobiles, Internet Search Engine, and Social Media Platforms. For example, the Indian mobile phone market is totally dominated by Chinese companies to the extent that messages of boycotting Chinese products are shared on Chinese mobiles.
Our efforts should be established on the constructive sense and long term plan of promoting Swadeshi products and Swadeshi companies, may it be anything, salt or software, printing paper or planes, tissue paper or tractor, household appliances or mobile apps. The need to support Swadeshi is imperative not only for an economic reason but also for National security and stability as foreign companies keep sensitive data in servers located abroad which may be compromised on the request of their respective govt. Turning towards Swadeshi will be the only and correct way in the direction of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local.
For most of the youngsters, the first picture which comes to mind after hearing the word Swadeshi is Gandhi, Charka and Khadi. These three symbols, in today’s times, do not fully represent the spirit of Swadeshi.
Firstly, Though Mahatma Gandhi led the second phase of Swadeshi movement, the first phase of Swadeshi mass movement which boycotted British goods as a sign of protest was started in 1905 when Lord Curzon announced the partition of Bengal. Second, the symbol of Charka now no longer does full justice to the representation of gamut of Indian Industries, small or big, cottage or corporation, which need to be promoted. During the struggle of independence, Charka as a tool of manufacturing represented the need for self-sufficiency instead of depending on imported clothes manufactured in the mills of Britain.
But now in the 21st-century imports which undermine our economic self-reliance and decimate local industries includes Mobiles, Networking devices, medical equipment, Computer/Mobile processor Chips, toys etc. Thirdly, at that time Khadi was an iconic product which was selected to ameliorate the plight of weavers who were losing their livelihood because of imports. Khadi was a representative product of the Swadeshi movement and definitely not the only product of the movement. Swadeshi Movement played an important role in the National struggle of freedom but after independence, it was reduced to spiritless perfunctory govt. the scheme which limited itself to merely selling of Khadi Clothes by govt. owned stores where few citizen shops on 15th Aug and 26th Jan. Today we need to rejuvenate the Swadeshi movement in its truest spirit.
In the current challenging time of COVID–19, there is pressing need of creating Aatmanirbhar Bharat and of being Vocal for Local as appropriately appealed by PM Modi. Promoting Swadeshi products and Swadeshi companies will pave the way to achieve it.
To impart a fitting identity, iconic status and distinguished reputation to Swadeshi products and companies, we need a unique official symbol for Swadeshi to which all Indians can connect and feel proud about and most importantly through which we can promote and patronize Swadeshi. The way Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011 mandatorily labels the vegetarian food with a green dot inside a green square and help the customer to easily select vegetarian food; similarly, Swadeshi symbol/mark will allow easy distinction and selection of Swadeshi products.
The symbol of International Day of Yoga launched in 2015 helped in popularizing Yoga across the world. The manner in which unique graphic symbol of Rupee introduced in the year 2010 highlighted the growing importance and clout of Indian economy at global level, the same way, a symbol for Swadeshi will enhance the brand value and influence of Indian products not only in the domestic market but also for exports. The benefits of Swadeshi symbol will be double-pronged, one – it will provide an identity point behind which Indians can rally to support the national cause and second – buying product bearing Swadeshi symbol will instil the feeling of belongingness among Indian Diaspora.
It would not be unnatural to ask that when we have a symbol for “Make in India” then why there is a requirement of a symbol for Swadeshi. The answer lies in the fact “Make in India” is to promote manufacturing in India irrespective of it by Indian or foreign company for the purpose of employment generation and reducing costly imports whereas promoting Swadeshi is one level ahead and more holistic which develops the Indian companies and eliminate the dependency on foreign enterprises. “Make in India” scheme is open to all foreign companies including China-based which pump back lion’s share of profit to their countries and oblige to their respective govt. in various matters.
The selection of official Swadeshi symbol can be done by the means of open competition inviting entries from the citizens of India. Once symbol finalized, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade can be made nodal agency giving permission for using Swadeshi symbol. All MSMEs owned by Indian citizens may be allowed to use the Swadeshi symbol by default; it will support the revival plan of MSME. For large corporations, permission to use Swadeshi symbol may be granted by SEBI in cases where promoters and the majority of shareholders are Indian citizens or Institutions. Creating separate incentivized category on GeM portal for Swadeshi mark bearing items can be deliberated upon. Access to subsidized loan can be provided to Swadeshi mark bearing companies. Tax benefits can be extended to NRIs investing in Swadeshi companies.
Each Indian heart which takes pride in seeing the Indian Flag furling high will definitely feel proud in owning a good quality product bearing Swadeshi symbol, may it be car or mobile. And it will be a proud moment for the whole nation when we will see rockets made by ISRO and IAF fighter planes made by HAL soaring high in the sky with shining Swadeshi symbol on it.
In order to get quick fame, delinquent teenagers are nowadays going overboard, making offensive and violent videos on the Chinese social media app, TikTok. In one such incident, four youths in Bazarkhala area of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh allegedly burnt the Indian national flag and raised anti-national slogans to make a TikTok video go viral.
Police have arrested one of the accused, who is a minor, and are in the lookout for the other three, who fled when locals tried to intervene and catch them.
Arrested minor admitted of burning the India flag and raising anti-national slogans to make TikTok video go viral
An FIR, under stringent IPC sections 124 (A), 153 (A), 504, 505 (1) (B) (2), 352, 325, 506 and Rashtriya Gaurav Insult Prevention Act 2, has been registered in Bazarkhala police station, against the accused. During interrogation, the minor admitted of burning the India flag and raising anti-national slogans. He said that they were doing so to make the video go viral on the popular Chinese social media app.
Officer-in-charge Brijendra Singh said that on Sunday evening a man named Ravikant Singh, a resident of Rajajipuram, was cycling near Tikait Rai Talab in Bazarkhala, Lucknow when he saw four youths burning the national flag and raise anti-national slogans. When Ravikant Singh confronted the four youths, they attacked him. Seeing the commotion, another man named Rupesh Gupta intervened. Ravikant and Rupesh managed to catch the minor boy while the other three fled. A crowd also gathered there shortly and took the minor to Bazarkhala police station, where the police took him into custody and lodged a complaint against all the four youths based on Ravikant Singh’s complaint.
Media reports say arrested minor was a former local SP leader’s nephew, police denies the claim
Many media reports have quoted Bazarkhala officer-in-charge, Vijayendra Singh as saying that the arrested minor in the nephew of a former Samajwadi party leader. However, when OpIndia got in touch with the Bazarkhala police station, police denied the claim. Police confirmed that one minor youth has been arrested in connection to the case, while the search is on for the other three absconding persons.
According to reports, many people from a particular community gathered outside the Bazarkhala police station and demanded that the minor, who they claimed was the relative of a former Samajwadi Party leader, be released immediately. Seeing the crowd swell, the police called for additional force as they feared that the arrest might lead to communal tensions, however, police refused to give in to the demand of the crowd and sent the arrested minor to a juvenile home.
According to the News 18 report, Inspector Brijendra Singh said that police have received information about the three absconding accused and their search has been expedited.
Downgrading of Chinese app – TikTok
The Chinese social media app has been recently receiving severe backlash over its misuse by anti-social elements for inciting violence and crimes.
A social media user named Faizal Siddiqui had also shockingly recreated a disturbing scene of an acid attack, leaving social media users angry. A complaint was also registered against the ‘TikTok influencer’ for promoting acid attack as a means to avenge lost love by jilted lovers.
Last month, a Bench of Justice S.K. Panigrahi of the Odisha High Court had reportedly slammed TikTok for promoting disturbing content and pornography.
The Delhi Police in its status report submitted to the Delhi High Court has asserted that Safoora Zargar was responsible for the violence that broke out at the national capital. The status report was filed in response to a bail plea filed by the Jamia Milia Islamia University student. She was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The Delhi Police has also maintained that pregnancy cannot be grounds to award Safoora Zargar a bail. “It is respectfully submitted that till date 39 deliveries have taken place in Delhi prison in last 10 years,” the Police said adding that the Jamia student was not entitled to any kind of special treatment.
It was also claimed that the Jamia student imperilled national security. “The applicant/ accused was not only disposed towards creating turmoil to severely undermine public order and imperil national security but erode and frustrate the civil compact which holds our polity together,” the status report said.
The status report stated, “The applicant/ accused combined with the other accused weaved a web of actions animated by an unlawful object of creating terror and disaffection. And notwithstanding her maintaining stealth and secrecy about her real designs the available circumstantial evidence clearly demonstrates that a protestation of innocence is phony, her actions are neither licit nor legitimate and she is clearly culpable of criminal wrongs or grave magnitude deserving no indulgence from this court.”
The Delhi Police also informed the Court that the case against Safoora Zargar was made out from the statements that have been recorded thus far, which are corroborated by the admissions she has made herself and extensive documentary evidence.
“It is also extremely crucial to note here that direct evidence is not always available of a conspiratorial design and mere absence of a contemporaneous record does not even remotely suggest the absence of a case against the applicant/ accused because she stands clearly implicated by the evidence which stands unearthed by the investigation which is continuing even now and further trails of criminality is being unearthed,” it added.
