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Ladakh standoff: Congress supporters want to dismantle Statue of Unity amid call to boycott Chinese products

OpIndia Staff
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Ladakh standoff: Congress supporters want to dismantle Statue of Unity amid call to boycott Chinese products

In the backdrop of Ladakh standoff and military aggression by China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, many celebrities including education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, the inspiration behind Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots, had called to boycott Chinese products. Soon, Congress-friendly journalists and Congress supporters took to Twitter to spread misinformation and to demand that the Statue of Unity, world’s tallest statue in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, be dismantled.

The Wire columnist asked whether the Statue of Unity will be dismantled for the economic boycott of China. Many wanted to dismantle and demolish the statue while claiming that the statue was ‘Made in China’. Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, too, spread the lie that the statue was made in China.
Rajdeep Sardesai’s now deleted tweet claiming Statue of Unity was made in China

Is Statue of Unity made in China

The ‘Statue of Unity’, the tallest statue in the world built as a tribute to one of India’s greatest leaders – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – was actually constructed by the engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in India and not in China.

According to the reports, the ‘Statue of Unity’ is a three-layered statue. The first and the inner-most layer has two 127-metre-high towers made of reinforced cement concrete. The second layer has been constructed using a steel mesh. Both of these layers were made in India.

The third, which is the outermost layer, has been done using a bronze cladding, which carries intricate details of Patel’s clothes, posture and facial expressions. It is this layer of the statue which was built in China.

Most importantly, when the construction of the statue began, the builders found out that none of the 15 major bronze foundries in India was capable of building these claddings. The construction giant L&T then initiated a global tender to identify a partner to build the cladding.

Finally, the China-based Jiangxi Toqine Metal Crafts Corporation, which is the world’s largest foundry, was given the work of production of around 7,000 bronze plates and panels of various sizes.

This bronze cladding work, reportedly, forms only 9 per cent of the total value of the project. “The entire statue itself is being built in India at the site and only the bronze cladding in the form of bronze plates is being sourced from China, which constitutes a negligible amount of less than 9 per cent of the total value of the project,” the company had stated in 2015.

Secondly, according to an Indian Express report, of the total 4,076 labours working at the site of the statue in two shifts, only 200 workers were from China. The labours who worked in batches for two-three months each since September 2017, were part of a team consisting a thousand workers, who were employed for cladding work. Hence, it forms only 5 per cent of the total workforce involved in erecting the Statue of Unity.

A statue which has been built with over 95 per cent of India’s workforce and also 90 per cent of the statue’s work was done by companies belonging to India.

But Congress supporters’ dislike for Sardar Patel does not let them see beyond this.

Ladakh standoff

About 5000 Chinese army personnel, under the garb of a military exercise, diverted their movement towards the Indian side of the LAC (Line of Actual Control). The current stand-off began on May 5-6 and has been continuing all along the LAC up to Sikkim. Sources told ANI that the behaviour of Chinese troops had been reminiscent of the stone pelters in Kashmir who are funded by Pakistan. The Chinese troops came armed with sticks, clubs with barbed wires and stones in an area near the Pangong Tso lake during a face-off with Indian troops there, the source revealed.

Music composer Wajid Khan dies due to coronavirus related complications

OpIndia Staff
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Music composer Wajid Khan dies due to coronavirus related complications

Music composer Wajid Khan of the Sajid-Wajid fame passed away at 43 late night on Sunday after he was put on ventilator due to coronavirus related complications. Wajid Khan was also suffering from kidney and

Bollywood stars poured in their condolences on social media.

Wajid Khan, brother of his music composer and one-half of Sajid-Wajid duo has given hit numbers to films like Dabanng and Wanted. They made their Bollywood debut with Salman Khan’s film Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya and have given many hit songs to the superstar including films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Partner.

As reported by Hindustan Times, music composer Salim Merchant told PTI that Khan had multiple health issues and had undergone kidney transplant recently. He was infected with COVID-19 and was on ventilator since past four days. His health continued to deteriorate and he became critical and breathed his last late on Sunday. He was 43.

Two Pakistan High Commission officials caught spying using fake Indian identities, declared persona non grata

OpIndia Staff
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Two Pakistan High Commission officials caught spying using fake Indian identities, declared persona non grata

Two officials of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were caught spying by Delhi Police on May 31. They are accused of roaming around in various places using fake identities.

The two officers, Abid Hussain and Tahir Hussain, reportedly work in the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. The Delhi Police Special Cell nabbed the duo red-handed after they were found engaged in espionage activities using fake identities. It has been reported they had fake Indian passports, which they had used everywhere.

Although they are officially employed in the high commission, they were actually ISI spies sent to India. Abid and Tahir are being interrogated by Delhi Police Special Cell and central agencies.

Both the officers have been declared as persona non grata by the Indian government and will be reported to Pakistan after their questioning is over. It is being reported that they will be asked to leave the country within 48 hours.

As High Commission officials, they will be having diplomatic immunity under Vienna Convention, which means India can’t launch criminal proceedings against them for spying, and hence they will be sent back to Pakistan via Wagah border. The paperwork for deporting them is being prepared by the Minister of External Affairs.

Before this on in 2016, one Pakistan High Commission official Mehmood Akhtar was declared as persona non grata after he was caught spying in India. Akhtar was caught receiving sensitive documents. During his interrogation, Akhtar had revealed that he belonged to Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army and he had joined Pakistani spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) on deputation.

Note: This is a developing story

‘Whether it is Sharjeel Imam or Tukde Tukde gang, no free hand will be given, those who challenge Indian unity and integrity will have to suffer consequences’: Amit Shah

OpIndia Staff
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‘Whether it is Sharjeel Imam or Tukde Tukde gang, no free hand will be given, those who challenge Indian unity and integrity will have to suffer consequences’: Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah gave an interview to Arnab Goswami today, a day after the first anniversary of the second term of Modi Sarkar. During the interview on Republic TV, the architect of BJP’s dominance in electoral politics answered questions on a variety of issues. From the economy to the migrant crisis, from Palghar lynching to the border standoff with China, he answered the queries that were posed by Arnab Goswami.

On a question regarding the ‘Tuke Tukde Gang’, the Home Minister reiterated that none shall be spared. Amit Shah said that the Modi government will ensure that there are repercussions for challenging the unity and integrity of the country.

On the issue of migrant workers, Amit Shah said, “Rs 11,000 crore by the Central govt were sent to states to take care of all migrant workers in camps. While we agree that there have been some communication gaps, we must also understand that buses and trains have been ferried regularly to send these workers back home.” “41 lakh migrants were sent by buses. 3,968 Shramik Specials have been run to send back 54 lakh migrant workers,” he added.

The Home Minister said that the Indian government will not compromise with the security of the borders and neither will be Indian sovereignty compromised. He said that the border standoff with China is currently being discussed at the military and diplomatic levels. On Pakistan, he said, “India has never adopted an expansionist policy. I clearly state that whether it’s surgical strike or airstrike, violations of India’s borders won’t be tolerated and neither will attacks on India’s territory. We don’t covet anything of anyone’s.”

Amit Shah also said that the government wants to make India a hub of manufacturing. He said, “We want to make India a hub of production. If the person of the country decides that we will use only the things made in India, then our economy will get great momentum. We will move towards self-reliant India and Vocal for Local.”

Amit Shah also spoke out in favour of the abrogation of Article 370. He said that terrorism in the valley are at historic lows. He also said that Article 370 was the biggest reason for the youth moving towards separatism. On Palghar, Amit Shah said that the central government was not sitting silently and said that the High Court has taken cognisance of the matter. He said that it is a serious matter and the government will not sit silent as mute spectators.

‘Muslim Lives Matter’ trends on social media, demands for ‘protests’ in India along the lines of violent riots in USA being made

OpIndia Staff
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‘Muslim Lives Matter’ trends on social media, demands for ‘protests’ in India along the lines of violent riots in USA being made

The USA has seen unprecedented riots in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an African American, by the Police. The ‘protests’ after the death escalated into full-fledged riots, arson, vandalism and looting. Stores, both big and small, were ransacked by thugs and the Police was helpless before them. Soon, the national guards had to be deployed to get the situation under control. Under such circumstances, ‘Muslim Lives matter’ is trending on Twitter.

In the wake of the outbreak of protests, a consortium of Indian ‘intellectuals’ are busy trying to incite the sentiments of Muslims. They want Muslims to take to the streets for this so-called ‘Muslim Lives Matter’ protests. Ashok Swain, a professor from Sweden, was quite open about it and stated it explicitly.

He is not the only one making such calls. Numerous accounts on social media are calling upon Muslims to ‘rise up’ because ‘if we not now then we are done for’. The hashtags #MuslimLivesMatter and #Muslim_LIVES_MATTER are being trended on twitter, drawing a false equivalence between Muslims in India and African Americans in the USA.

Source: Twitter

Even the students of Jamia Milia Islamia who are accused of involvement in the anti-CAA riots that gripped the national capital after the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act are being glorified by such individuals who appear to believe that the murder of innocent African Americans by the Police in USA is equivalent to prosecuting those accused of inciting violence legally.

Mohammed Zubair, who is the co-founder of the Islamic propaganda outlet Altnews, has also been attempting to equate Muslims in India with Black Americans in the USA.

Rana Ayyub, too, equated the deaths due to vigilantism in India with police brutality in the USA. While cow smuggling is a rampant malice that is perpetuated in India, that has horrible consequences including the murder of innocent, it cannot be equated with police brutality in the USA, which is the murder of innocent men and women by those in uniform.

Furthermore, the professional fake-news peddler, who has earned quite a lot of fame in western circles due to her willingness to spread propaganda against the Indian ruling establishment, claims that Donald trump in the United States and the BJP in India enable ‘hate crimes’ against African Americans in the USA and Muslims in India respectively, both of which are completely deluded claims to make.

All of this is geared towards inciting a new cycle of violence in India and helping absolve the ones of guilty of fuelling the first spell of riots of all their sins. A deliberate propaganda campaign has been launched so that if any riots occur in the near future, then it can be justified as an uprising against a brutal Indian regime by ‘oppressed Muslims’.

The circumstances of African Americans in the USA and Muslims in India cannot be equated in any manner whatsoever. Muslims in India have always been treated more than equally by the Indian Constitution with a plethora of minoritarian policies even after the country was partitioned due to demands made by Indian Muslims in the 1940s for the creation of a separate Islamic state.

The African Americans, on the other hand, have gained no such privileges. Furthermore, their ancestors were brought in as slaves by Whites centuries. Indian Muslims do not have a history of slavery at all. Therefore, drawing such false equivalences is a gross distortion of history.

Woman ‘protestor’ poops on an overturned police car in middle of riots in America. Watch the video (or maybe not)

OpIndia Staff
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Woman ‘protestor’ poops on an overturned police car in middle of riots in America. Watch the video (or maybe not)

Following the brutal killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis in Minnesota, United States, large scale protests have erupted across the country. But soon the protests descended into violence, rioting, arson, looting in various parts of the country, which is very similar to the violent protests spearheaded by the far-left group Antifa. Videos have emerged showing the ‘protestors’ vandalising and looting retail stores across the country.

Now a very bizarre form of protest has emerged, where a woman was seen defecating on a police vehicle, an act video recorded and photographed by onlookers in the area. The incident happened in Salt Lake City in Utah, where the protests against George Floyd murder have turned violent.

In a video that have gone viral on social media, a white woman in a sleeveless top and panty is seen climbing onto an overturned police car on the street. While the person recording the scene or someone nearby was wondering what is she going to do, she suddenly drops her panty and squats on the police car. After that, she starts to defecating on the car, as narrated by the person speaking on the video. This causes a frenzied reaction from protestors present in the spot. Seconds later she also pulls her top up to expose her breasts, generating loud cheers from the onlookers.

Warning: Explicit visuals in the below video

The narrator in the video can’t hide his excitement while witnessing such a wild act on the street. He also wondered how the woman will wipe herself, and then he shouted ‘I am dead’, after he saw that the woman was helping herself with a piece of paper, perhaps a poster, to clean up. ‘This is crazy, this is crazy, this is Utah man, this Utah’, the man exclaims.

Soon after the incident, the hashtag #PoopingForJustice also started doing the rounds on Twitter, and people posted images of the incident with this hashtag.

Salt Lake issued citywide curfew until Monday after protests turned violent on Saturday. Violent protestors hurled bottles, rocks and other projectiles at riot police and SWAT members, who responded with less-than-lethal force, firing several bean bag rounds at demonstrators, according to reports. Several police officers were injured in the mob attack. The car on which the woman defecated was also smashed and overturned by protesters.

Jharkhand: Hindus allege cow slaughter on Eid, police call it rumour

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Hindus allege cow slaughter on Eid, police call it rumour

In Jamri village of Rajepur police station area in Chatra, Jharkhand, Hindus have accused some Muslims of killing cows and then throwing beef in a well. Violence erupted between the two sides over the matter. On 27 May, as soon as the police received information of the same, they reached the spot and controlled the situation. SP Rishabha Jha also reached the village and took stock of the situation. After that, on the same day, both sides went to different police stations and submitted the memorandum.

The FIR lodged by Hindus does not mention beef or cow slaughter, but the memorandum submitted by them (which has been accessed by OpIndia) states that Younus Mian had hidden ‘prohibited meat’.

Chatra police say that due to the rumor in the village, a situation of tension was created, which the police took over in time. The incident took place on Wednesday (May 27, 2020), when Vipin, a young man in Jamri, informed his companions that two cows had been killed by local Muslims. The religious sentiments of Hindus were hurt by the talk of cow slaughter and they protested there. He then learns that the beef has been thrown into the well.

What do Hindus say?

In this regard, we spoke to Deepak Kumar, who submitted a complaint on behalf of the Hindu side, who said that he was angry at the cow slaughter by Muslims. He said that cow slaughter was committed on the night of 26 May at Rajepur police station area in Chatra district. When we asked him how he came to know that Muslims had committed cow slaughter, he told that he was informed by Vipin Rajan. Vipin is currently in jail in this case. Vipin had seen and heard something, which made him think that cow slaughter had happened.

Vipin Rajak is a member of Bajrang Dal and his residence is where this incident happened. Deepak told that he first reported this to the administration, after which police also reached the next morning. The Hindus allege that the police cracked the case and went away. Police say that no beef was found there and it was just a rumor. Vikas Paswan, SHO of Rajepur, has called it a rumor.

Hindus allege it is a cow bone

While Deepak Kumar says that there were three other people with him, who thought it appropriate to go there and see if there was beef in the well. When they were looking into the well, about 200 Muslims (according to the memorandum submitted to the police) came with sticks and swords and started shouting. They say that they were all sitting at a distance of 100 meters from the well, when the mob attacked them.

Deepak further told that the four of them were in no mood for fight and quarrel and they had just gone to see but the Muslims started beating them. Deepak has stitches in his head. Vipin was beaten as well, who is currently in jail. Deepak told that those people were furious with Vipin and were talking about cutting him. In order to save him, Deepak was also hit with sticks on his head, he says.

After this Deepak, Vipin and his associates informed the Hindus of their village. In response to the attack by Muslims, they were pelted with stones. Deepak said that in the meantime the police reached there and both sides were chased away from there. The Hindu and Muslim sides filed separate cases. The Hindu side also admitted that the administration took action to reduce the immediate tension and imposed additional curfew in Jamri by deploying additional police forces.

Deepak said that even before this kind of incident has happened, when many of his friends were jailed by the police. They told that they were somehow rescued by raising money. They ask, how long will they continue to save their people by spending money in this way? At the same time, Deepak also accused the police of bias, saying that the inmates of the Muslim side in jail are getting facilities like phone etc. while Vipin is suffering.

Another villager Suman Saurabh told that the water of the well had turned red, after which Hindus lodged objections and protested. Hindus suspect that beef was indeed thrown in the well. He said about the incident that cow slaughter was done on account of Eid whereas in Jharkhand there is a provision of punishment on cow slaughter. He said that cows were killed in a dilapidated house. It was alleged that when he went to the police with his complaint, the police told him to bring evidence.

Suman further explained that the cow bone, etc., was covered up with straw. In order to bring out the truth, the Hindus tried to take it out of the well with a bucket, etc., after which the attack took place. Suman says that the Hindus were falsely accused of strangulation, molestation and robbing a woman’s chain. He said that nowadays there is a government of Hemant Soren in Jharkhand, whose stance is problematic in such matters.

Copy of FIR filed by Hindu side

Villagers have accused the police of suppressing the case. The Hindu side also spoke of the siege of Rajepra police station in Chatra as they say that out of the 97 accused named, only 1 has been arrested. Suman asked why the police is running from the truth? Why is the well not being searched?

What do Muslims say?

Local Muslims say that they neither hid beef nor committed cow slaughter. A local journalist told Opindia that the Muslims accused the Hindus of going there and hanging out. According to the FIR copy, the Muslim side alleges that the accused had gone there with the intention of looting and before they could do anything else, the police arrived on time and saved their lives. An accusation has also been made of looting a chain from the neck of a woman.

Accusations of hostage and assault: copy of FIR lodged by Muslim side

What does police say in Chatra cow slaughter case?

Station in-charge Vikas Paswan said that there has not been any allegation of beef in the well. If this happens, then the police will investigate it in the well. He called it a mere rumor. He told Opindia that the police had verified everything by going to the village and then taking action. So far, information on the presence of beef or cow slaughter has not been confirmed. SP Rishabh Jha says that due to the alertness of the police, a major incident was averted.

Police has informed that flag march was carried out with SAT, JAP and District Police personnel in the entire village so that peace can be restored. The SP has appealed that people should not pay attention to rumors and avoid rumors. At the same time, he has also warned of action against those who spread rumours. He said that in this case neither an innocent will be allowed to be trapped nor any guilty will be spared by the police.

SP Jha has said that if anyone has any information on the matter, then they should immediately provide it to the police, the police will take further action. Police have not found any animal or its meat yet, according to officials.

Rajdeep Sardesai tries to mock Sonam Wangchuk by peddling fake news that Statue of Unity is Made in China, deletes it: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Rajdeep Sardesai tries to mock Sonam Wangchuk by peddling fake news that Statue of Unity is Made in China, deletes it: Read details

On Friday, Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh based innovator and education reformist, took to his Youtube channel to urge fellow Indians to boycott Chinese products, in the wake of the recent military standoff between India and China at the LAC (Line of Actual Control) in Ladakh.

Following the call for a boycott of Chinese products by Wangchuk, many celebrities, including Bollywood actors Milind Soman and Arshad Warsi supported his movement and took a stand not to buy Chinese products anymore.

Incidentally, a section of ‘Indians’ seems to be hurt by these boycott calls against China and have resorted to bat in favour of Chinese. However, propagating pro-Chinese propaganda, some so-called influential voices in the media not only mocked this anti-China stand narrative but also indulged in peddling fake news to discredit the movement.

On Sunday, veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, known for his notorious history of peddling fake news, took to Twitter to mock Sonam Wangchuk for his call for boycotting Chinese products. In doing so, Rajdeep Sardesai tried to be cheeky and claimed that he could well lead a life without Chinese apps such as TikTok, however, tried to take a dig at Modi government by asking what will they do against ‘Made in China’ Statue of Unity.

In doing so, Rajdeep Sardesai went on to claim that the ‘Statue of Unity’ built by the Modi government in Kevadia, Gujarat was in fact ‘Made in China’ and not built in India. According to Rajdeep Sardesai, the ‘Chinese-built’ statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel should also be boycotted.

Fact-checking Rajdeep Sardesai’s claims

The ‘Statue of Unity’, the tallest statue in the world built as a tribute to one of India’s greatest leaders – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – was actually constructed by the engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in India and not in China, as claimed by Rajdeep Sardesai.

According to the reports, the ‘Statue of Unity’ is a three-layered statue. The first and the inner-most layer has two 127-metre-high towers made of reinforced cement concrete. The second layer has been constructed using a steel mesh. Both of these layers were made in India.

The third, which is the outermost layer, has been done using a bronze cladding, which carries intricate details of Patel’s clothes, posture and facial expressions. It is this layer of the statue which was built in China.

Most importantly, when the construction of the statue began, the builders found out that none of the 15 major bronze foundries in India was capable of building these claddings. The construction giant L&T then initiated a global tender to identify a partner to build the cladding.

Finally, the China-based Jiangxi Toqine Metal Crafts Corporation, which is the world’s largest foundry, was given the work of production of around 7,000 bronze plates and panels of various sizes.

This bronze cladding work, reportedly, forms only 9 per cent of the total value of the project. “The entire statue itself is being built in India at the site and only the bronze cladding in the form of bronze plates is being sourced from China, which constitutes a negligible amount of less than 9 per cent of the total value of the project,” the company had stated in 2015.

Secondly, according to an Indian Express report, of the total 4,076 labours working at the site of the statue in two shifts, only 200 workers were from China. The labours who worked in batches for two-three months each since September 2017, were part of a team consisting a thousand workers, who were employed for cladding work. Hence, it forms only 5 per cent of the total workforce involved in erecting the Statue of Unity.

A statue which has been built with over 95 per cent of India’s workforce and also 90 per cent of the statue’s work was done by companies belonging to India, Rajdeep Sardesai’s claim of ‘Statue of Unity’ being a China-made is just blatant misinformation.

As netizens pointed out to the naked propaganda of the pro-Congress journalist, the ‘journalist’ was quick to delete his tweet.

Congress supporters, Islamists attack Sonu Sood over conspiracy theory that he is a BJP stooge for arranging buses for migrants after he meets Maha Guv

OpIndia Staff
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Congress supporters, Islamists attack Sonu Sood over conspiracy theory that he is a BJP stooge for arranging buses for migrants after he meets Maha Guv

Actor Sonu Sood is now under fire just days after being showered with praises for arranging for buses for migrant workers from Mumbai. Reason? He met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyar at Raj Bhavan on Saturday, May 30.

Sood reportedly briefed the Governor regarding his ongoing work to help the migrants reach their home state. The Governor, too, appreciated his efforts in the time of coronavirus pandemic.

Soon, he was attacked by Congress supporters who rushed to float conspiracy theory that Sood was actually a BJP agent doing the good work he has been doing to make the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena government look bad.

He was also compared with Anna Hazare, who started the India Against Corruption movement which eventually led to creation of Aam Aadmi Party.

He was also made out to be a villain because he was praised by Union Minister and how other BJP leaders reached out to him and helped him with his work.

It may be noted here that BJP leaders have been working across political lines and helping out. BJP Delhi spokesperson Tajinder Bagga has been helping migrants from other states stuck in Delhi with ration since the lockdown started. Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, too lauded his efforts.

Similarly, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also applauded his efforts.

No one floated theory of him joining the BJD, though.

He was attacked for being ‘upper caste Hindu’.

Soon, Congress machinery also started the ball rolling.

Some even cautioned that they should go slow on complimenting him because what if he ends up joining the BJP.

On Sunday, another theory was floated that since he helped All India Banjara Seva Sangh President Shankar Pawar, who had once had his picture clicked with PM Modi, in getting the migrants home, he is definitely a BJP stooge. In 2017, his son, Sunny Pawar, had fought the Thane polls as BJP candidate.

Clearly, helping a man whose son contested on a particular political party ticket in a municipal elections over two years prior, is a stepping stone for any Bollywood actor’s political journey. <sarcasm>

Sonu Sood helping migrants reach home

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has been arranging for buses for migrant workers who have been stuck in other parts of the country to their home towns when the lockdown was announced amid coronavirus outbreak. He has arranged for hundreds of buses and sent thousands of migrant workers home. However, now all his good work is under a cloud of doubt by the a certain section on social media over conspiracy theories on his political leanings.

Media reports that TRAI has recommended moving to 11-digit mobile number system, TRAI says it is fake news

OpIndia Staff
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Media reports that TRAI has recommended moving to 11-digit mobile number system, TRAI says it is fake news

Several media houses reported yesterday and on Friday that TRAI has recommended changing the mobile phone numbers in the country from the current 10 digit numbers to 11 digit numbers. But now it has emerged that it was fake news, and media houses misinterpreted a guideline by TRAI to claim that the country is moving to an 11 digit numbering system for mobile numbers.

In a news report titled, “Add a 0 Before Dialling a Mobile Phone Number, Says TRAI”, NDTV had claimed that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended switching from 10 to 11-digit mobile numbers in view of the increasing number of mobile users. As per the report originally published on May 29, the switch from the existing 10-digit number numbers would provide an additional capacity of 10 billion numbers.

The report claimed that TRAI is moving to a 11 digit mobile number system with 9 as the first digit. It also claimed that the existing mobile numbers will also change as the digit 0 will be added before them.

Similarly, India Today also reported that TRAI wants to change the 10-digit phone numbers into 11-digit numbers. Quoting the recommendations for developing a “Unified Number Plan” released by TRAI, the report says that one of the major recommendations mentioned in the release is changing the 10 digits to 11 digits for regular mobile numbers. It said that the existing mobile numbers could have an additional zero and the new mobile numbers could start with a new digit in future.

Economic Times also reported that TRAI has proposed 11-digit mobile numbers to meet future needs. The report said that the telecom regulator has suggested using 11-digit numbers for mobile phones, instead of 10 digits, to ensure adequate numbering resources for user base growth in the future.

“With the current policy of allotment after 70% utilisation, this would suffice till India has seven billion connections. This could mean liberal allocation to service providers and administrative ease,” the Economic Times report quoting the TRAI recommendation to the telecom department said.

Similarly, the same was reported by several other media houses like Hindustan Times, Times Now, Business Today etc.

What is the Truth?

In a press release by TRAI Secretary SK Gupta categorically rejected the claims made by NDTV in its news report. The apex telecom regulation body reiterated that several media houses had misreported its recommendation about an 11-digit numbering scheme. It assures users that the country will continue to have the existing 10-digit mobile numbering system.

Clearing the fuss around the 11-digit numbering system, TRAI stated that it had recommended adding a prefix ‘0’ while making a call from a fixed line to a mobile number and vice-versa. It revealed that the small change would provide an additional 2544 million numbering resources. TRAI further clarified, “The introduction of a dialing prefix for a particular type of call is not akin to increasing the number of digits in the telephone number.” The Telecom Authority of India has stated that the recommendations suggest only a ‘minor addition’ to the existing dial system.

NDTV has now updated its report with the following text in its footnote – “TRAI has clarified that mobile numbers will continue to be ten digits, but you have to dial a 0 when calling from landlines.” But the reports published by other media houses are still present as they were.

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