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Fresh meat brand Licious says that they have decided to supply only Halal meat as business policy

OpIndia Staff
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Fresh meat brand Licious says that they have decided to supply only Halal meat as business policy

Licious, a Bangalore based popular brand that supplies raw meat and ready to cook meat items, has informed that they have decided to supply only halal meat as part of business policy.

The company was responding to an email sent by an angry customer who claimed to have stopped buying from the company. The mail was sent past midnight yesterday following an outrage on Twitter where people demanded to know why most in India are forced to eat halal meat even when their religious beliefs don’t require them to. People lamented lack of choice while buying raw meat or while ordering cooked food at restaurants.

“Are you serving in gulf countries Or India? Why halal certified? Only Muslims are buying from your portal? I have stopped ordering on your portal as you are halal certified. To be halal compliant don’t know how many jamatis you have on your payroll. Be secular and Stop being part of this halal economy,” read the angry email by one Manohar.

The email was responded to by the company at 2.19 PM today (Sunday 26th April), where it was clarified that Licious had a business policy to supply only halal meat, and thus customers had no choice but to buy halal only from Licious.

Email from Licious

OpIndia was copied on the mail by the customer, and thus we too received the response in our inbox. Therefore, we can confirm that the said response is indeed from Licious, which was sent from [email protected] email id, which is listed as the contact email on the official website of the company.

We have asked Licious to clarify if their response means that they are refusing to supply non-halal meat in the Indian markets even if there is demand from customers. We will update this report when we get any response.

Halal economics

In August 2019, fast-food chain McDonald’s India found itself in a soup after it admitted on discriminating against non-Muslims as part of their business model in India. McDonald’s India had asserted that all the meat used by them is Halal meat. Since Halal guidelines mandate that only Muslims are involved in the entire slaughtering and packaging process, such business model is discriminating against other religions who are involved in the business and denying them the equal opportunity to earn.

One Harish Sharma had filed a legal notice to McDonald’s India through advocate Ishkaran Bhandari on August 26 2019. The legal notice was sent to McDonald’s India, Mr Amit Jatia (Joint Venture partner and McDonald’s India’s Managing Director) and Mr Vikram Bakshi (Joint Venture partner and McDonald’s India’s Managing Director). In October, a second legal notice was served on McDonald’s India.

As state govts take efforts to address migrant labour issue, centre decides to check the feasibility of labourer mobility across states

OpIndia Staff
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As state govts take efforts to address migrant labour issue, centre decides to check the feasibility of labourer mobility across states

On Saturday, the central government discussed the feasibility of allowing migrant labourers to move back to their home states amidst the lockdown. The government has also sought details of Indian citizens who have been stuck abroad because of the lockdown, as it is now preparing a roadmap for the post-lockdown period.

Reportedly, Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba met chief secretaries of the states on Saturday to talk about the thousands of workers, currently in migrant labour camps around India who want to return home.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also asked the states to collate numbers of the total numbers of migrant labours that are stuck because of the nationwide restrictions on movement and suggest ways to facilitate their return and quarantine afterwards.

States take the lead to address migrant issue

The BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have already initiated the process to bring back migrant labourers stranded in other states after the lockdown was imposed in March till April 14 and then extended till May 3.

In a coordinated exercise between various states, migrant labourers are being transported across the states. More than 2,000 migrants have travelled to Uttar Pradesh from Haryana. A similar number of migrants have also headed home from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh. On a smaller scale, Himachal Pradesh organised return of Kashmiri labourers stuck in the state.

“The movement of migrant labourers was organised after mutual consultation between the two state governments. They were first checked and nobody showed any symptoms. This movement will go on for four-five days,” said Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava.

Uttar Pradesh expecting 5-10 lakh migrants could return

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set up a committee and directed his officials to prepare a plan for creating at least 15 lakh jobs in rural Uttar Pradesh to meet the rush of about 5-10 lakh persons who are being expected to return to the state over the next two months.

Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said they expected 11,000 migrants to return by Sunday. 

A senior official of the UP government said that the government had reached out to other states and as soon as any of them had their logistical issues in order, UP would initiate the process to bring back workers from there as well. 

Reportedly, the state has more than 30 lakh registered unemployed persons and is expecting about 10 lakh more in the coming months. The government said that it would be able to use many of them for the several infrastructure and industrial projects that are ongoing or will be taken up in the coming days.

Madhya Pradesh started preparations to bring back stranded labourers

Madhya Pradesh, which estimates that nearly one lakh of its migrants are stranded in a different state, has begun its preparations to get them back first from neighbouring Gujarat and Rajasthan.

By Saturday night, 98 buses carrying 2,400 workers from Gujarat were expected to reach Alirajpur and Jhabua in MP, while 600-odd workers from Rajasthan were to reach Sawai Madhopur.

MP Additional Chief Secretary ICP Keshri said it will take some days before all workers return, but the work is in progress.

Rajasthan to allow movement of labourers

The Rajasthan government has also notified that migrant workers will now be able to go out of the state. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the labourers in other states can come back in a phased manner.

Ashok Gehlot said the state government wants to send all migrants workers to their homes safely and expected their support. “If anyone violates rules, there will be strict action,” the chief minister said.

The comments came after Gehlot addressed a high-level meeting on this issue from his residence through video conference.

Rajdeep Sardesai lies that Punjab government received only Rs 71 crore from the centre to fight coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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Rajdeep Sardesai lies that Punjab government received only Rs 71 crore from the centre to fight coronavirus

Controversial journalist Rajdeep Sardesai on Saturday took to Twitter to falsely claim that Punjab government has got only Rs 71 crore from the Modi government to fight the Chinese pandemic coronavirus.

Taking to Twitter, Rajdeep Sardesai claimed that Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said to him that centre had given the state just Rs 71 crore as an aid to fight the coronavirus battle.

Calling it ‘crazy’, Rajdeep Sardesai not only batted in favour of the Congress-ruled Punjab but also lobbied on behalf of the Punjab government to open up liquor sales to boost excise revenue.

Rajdeep Sardesai also shared his knowledge on dealing with the epidemic, by claiming that the coronavirus crisis cannot be fought without funds from the centre. During his interview, Rajdeep Sardesai did not even care to fact-check the Punjab Minister on his claims regarding aid from the centre.

Punjab government has received more Rs 247 crore from the centre

The Union government has already released its share of the first instalment of State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for the year 2020-21, amounting to Rs 11,092 crores to augment funds available with the state governments. Out of the funds, the Punjab government has received Punjab Rs 247 crore from the total share contrary to claims of Rajdeep Sardesai and Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal.

The SDRF is the primary fund available with state governments for responses to notified disasters to meet the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims. The central government contributes 75% of SDRF allocation for general category States and Union Territories and 90% for special category States.

As SDRF funds are majorly contributed by the Union government, the funds received by the Punjab government to fight the coronavirus can be categorically classified as an ‘aid’ from the centre.

Further, the Union Finance Ministry has transferred its share of Rs 823.16 crore from Central Taxes and Duties in April.

Addition to that, the Punjab government has also received Rs 638.25 crore from post-devolution Revenue Deficit grant from the centre. The centre has also transferred more than Rs 1.2 lakh crore as GST compensation to Punjab government.

Rajdeep Sardesai and Punjab minister brazens out

As netizens pointed out that Rajdeep Sardesai had resorted to peddling fake news, the controversial journalist responded to them by claiming Punjab Minister had stated to him the state had only got Rs 71 crore from the centre.

Rajdeep further claimed that the remaining money centre given to Punjab was ‘business-as-usual’ as it was distributed according to the constitution, which mandates devolution of share of central taxes and it is not related to coronavirus.

However, both the Punjab Minister and Rajdeep Sardesai are deliberately silent on the Rs. 247.50 crores received by the state government from the centre from the Disaster Management fund.

Delhi riots preplanned, Umar Khalid and his associates arranged for firearms, gave provocative speeches: Read FIR details

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi riots preplanned, Umar Khalid and his associates arranged for firearms, gave provocative speeches: Read FIR details

Delhi Police Crime Branch in its FIR dated 6th March 2020 states that the anti-Hindu riots that took place in North East Delhi between 24-26 February during the visit of US President Donald Trump were preplanned. The FIR copy states that as per an informant, the anti-Hindu riots conspiracy was hatched by ex-JNU student Umar Khalid and his associates who are linked with two groups. As part of the conspiracy, Umar Khalid gave provocative speeches at two different locations and appealed to people to take to streets during the visit of US President Donald Trump so that the propaganda that minorities are oppressed in India can be internationalized.

FIR copy from March 2020 on Delhi anti-Hindu riots

The FIR alleges that as part of the conspiracy, Umar Khalid and his associates fielded women and children at numerous roads in order to incite a riot. The FIR states that firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles, stones and catapults and other devices to hurl these with have been recovered from homes in areas such as Maujpur, Jaffarabad, Chand Bagh and Gokulpuri. As per the FIR, crowd was gathered from outside of Delhi where one Danish son of Khalid of Bhajanpur is named as co-conspirator. As part of the conspiracy, on the night of 23rd of February, the road underneath the Jaffarabad metro station was blocked with the help of women and children so that people in the vicinity are further harassed and consequently, tempers flare which could be used to orchestrate the riots.

The FIR also states that the schools in which children from the minority community studied in the affected areas were evacuated prior to the riots in a premeditated manner. The FIR also alleges that one Danish, a resident of Bhajanpura, was tasked with the responsibility of gathering mobs from two separate places for the riots.

The Delhi Riots

Massive communal riots broke out in the national capital during Donald Trump’s visit to India. The riots cost huge losses to life and property. Over the course of the investigation, the role of Radical Islamist organization PFI and others came to the fore. Home Minister Amit had promised on the floor of the Parliament that a thorough investigation into the matter would be carried out and the guilty would be punished. OpIndia ground reports revealed how some Muslim women rained down acid from the terrace and how slingshots were used to hurl petrol bombs. Eyewitnesses also told OpIndia that the rioters were prepared and how women and children were also armed to attack Hindus.

Jharkhand: Former Chief Minister Raghubar Das meets the fruit-seller booked for writing ‘Hindu’ on the banner, assures no case will be registered

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Former Chief Minister Raghubar Das meets the fruit-seller booked for writing ‘Hindu’ on the banner, assures no case will be registered

Ex Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Raghubar Das today took to social media to inform that he met the fruit-seller who was booked by Jharkhand Police for having “Hindu” written on his banner.

Das said that he met the fruitseller while maintaining the social distancing guidelines issued amidst coronavirus outbreak and also had a word with the authorities. “We have assured them of all possible help. Also talked to the police officers and there will not be any case on the fruit vendors,” he tweeted.

Jharkhand Hindu fruit sellers

On Saturday, a group of fruit sellers in Jamshedpur were booked by the city police for writing Vishwa Hindu Parishad ki anumodit Hindu fal Dukan” which translates to “Hindu fruit shop approved by Vishwa Hindu Parishad”. In addition, the banners of the shop also carried the photos of Hindus deities- Lord Shiva and Lord Rama along with the phone numbers of the shop owners.

However, wearing one’s identity on their sleeves did not sit well with the Jamshedpur police which acted on a complaint raised by one Twitter user, Ahsan Razi, about the overt manifestation of religion by the shop owners. The police reached the spot and got the banners removed.

The Jamshedpur Police took to Twitter to inform about the developments made in the case. Taking cognisance of objection raised by a Twitter user, Jamshedpur police removed the banners put up by the fruit-sellers and has initiated punitive action against them. The concerned fruit-sellers have been charged under Section 107D of the Indian Penal Code. This section deals with action against persons who are “likely to commit a breach of the peace or disturb the public tranquillity or to do any wrongful act that may probably occasion a breach of the peace or disturb the public tranquillity”.

Jamshedpur Police faces social media backlash

Following Jamshedpur Police’s action, netizens took to social media to show their disproval.

Many pointed out how many hotels also have ‘Muslim’ in their hoarding and no one seems to have taken legal action against them.

As many Twitter users have pointed out, there are many shops, mainly eateries, which mention names of religions. In every city and town in the country such shops can be seen. There are many eateries saying they are Muslim Hotel, Jain Hotel etc, and nobody objects to such nomenclature.

India Today comes up with infographic suggesting that Delhi is most aggressive in Coronavirus testing, Ahmedabad Commissioner shows how that is misleading

OpIndia Staff
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India Today comes up with infographic suggesting that Delhi is most aggressive in Coronavirus testing, Ahmedabad Commissioner shows how that is misleading

On Saturday, Indian Today Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal continued his obsession with flawed data as he came up with another infographic to show which states were most ‘aggressive’ when it came to coronavirus testing.

The infographic posted by India Today’s controversial Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) stated that Delhi had conducted more number of tests compared to any other states in the country. Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan followed Delhi in carrying out tests while West Bengal stood at the last position in carrying out aggressive testing.

According to India Today’s DIU, Delhi carried out 1513 tests per one million population while Andhra Pradesh carried out 915. Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal, which has been receiving a lot of criticism for its way of handling the coronavirus cases, tested only 82 people per one million population.

Although the numbers are correct, as they have been provided by the states themselves, it is misleading to compare them. The reason for the same is, most tests in India are being done on the basis of symptoms and known contacts. Means, mostly those persons are being tested who have shown symptoms of Coronavirus, or who had come to contact of Coronavirus patients or high-risk groups like Tablighi Jamaat.

Further, the ‘aggressive’ testing in Delhi also resulted from the fact that more number of cases were detected, especially after Tablighi Jamaat positive cases began to emerge resulting in more screening tests rather than pre-emptive tests in Delhi. After the Tablighi Jamaat event was over in mid-March, many members stayed back in Delhi, which had resulted in huge spike in the numbers. Therefore, Delhi has tested more because it had more Coronavirus suspect cases. It is not that Delhi randomly tested more people per million and found positive cases, but it is the other way around, as the city had a high number of suspects who needed to be tested.

Secondly, Delhi is a small city-state, while others are large states with vast rural areas. Till now, the Coronavirus infection has been concentrated in urban areas, which can be seen in the high number of cases in big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad etc. Therefore, compared to states, the cities have a much higher rate of Coronavirus testing.

Vijay Nehra, the Commissioner of Amdavad Municipal Corporation, responded the India Today’s DIU to point out the misleading data. According to Nehra, Ahmedabad city alone had conducted 3250 tests per million, which is more than the Delhi numbers.

Nehra’s contention is that the entire process of classification of states along with the national capital was itself flawed. The logical comparison of data should have been between major cities across the country rather than states as the latter comprises much more population than cities such as Delhi.

The relatively large population of states will expectedly throw up fewer numbers when compared to Delhi as it is much easier to test in the national capital as against the hinterlands of the states. While in other states, the virus has not spread much to the rural areas, so there is no need to test on these places, which brings down the per million test number for Coronavirus testing.

The most embarrassing moment in this matter, however, was not for Rahul Kanwal, but for another journalist – Sheela Bhatt. Sheela Bhatt, who is the treasurer of controversial Editors’ Guild of India, took to Twitter to display her ignorance and inability to comprehend the basic data.

Reacting to Nehra’s response to Rahul Kanwal, Bhatt asked that how can testing data of Ahmedabad be higher than Gujarat leaving netizens at a shock to see the blatant stupidity of the journalist. According to Bhatt, the Coronavirus testing numbers for Ahmedabad cannot be higher than Gujarat.

Sheela Bhatt perhaps thought 3250 tests per million meant it was the total number of positive cases, which would automatically mean that it had more than entire Gujarat state as the average testing ratio per million is at 615.

However, netizens were quick to react to the ignorance of the journalist and asked how could someone be a journalist with such a low-level understanding of data.

Netizens explained how the data can be higher for Ahmedabad compared to Gujarat as a whole. The testing rate is the ratio of test performed per million across the concerned region and Ahmedabad is testing more, leading to higher numbers.

India Today’s complex relationship with data

India Today seems to be having has a tough relationship with the truth and facts lately. Just a few days back, the network was caught peddling fake data pertaining to Telangana not having an adequate number of PPEs. Telangana Minister KT Ramarao had schooled Rahul Kanwal then by citing official data to prove that the data published by India Today was incorrect.

Similarly, Rahul Kanwal was also exposed by several social media users after the journalist was caught peddling fake data to claim India Today was the most-watched channel in the country. The netizens had published BARC data and had tagged Rahul Kanwal to expose his false claims, leaving the journalist further humiliated.

Coronavirus lockdown: “Chandan Yatra” of Puri Jagannath Temple to be held without devotees, uncertainty looms over the Rath Yatra

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus lockdown: “Chandan Yatra” of Puri Jagannath Temple to be held without devotees, uncertainty looms over the Rath Yatra

On Sunday, the festivals of “Chandan Yatra” and “Akshaya Tritiya” would reportedly be held at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, without any presence of devotees due to the lockdown imposed in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak. The rituals would be conducted by selected priests and servitors within the premises of the temple. The decision regarding the same was taken on Friday night by the Jagannath Temple Committee.

The festival of Akshaya Tritiya marks the beginning of the chariot construction for “Rath Yatra.” It is organised, each year, at the Rath Khala while the Chandan Yatra is held in a sacred tank in Puri. According to researcher Bhaskar Mishra, images of deity are floated on a boat and is held for 42 days in two different phases.

But, due to the lockdown restrictions and the Coronavirus pandemic, the temple authorities have decided to organise the rituals for the two festivals within the temple premises. It is important to mention that the temple had been closed for devotees ever since the lockdown on March 22.

The Shankaracharya of the Jagannath Temple, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, had also made it clear that while alternate arrangements can be made, the centuries-old-tradition cannot be stopped. The temple authorities had thus met the district collector to decide about the place within the temple premises where the rituals could be organised.

Uncertainty about Rath Yatra of Jagannath Temple

The fate of the annual Rath Yatra that is organised every year for the past 284 years is shrouded in obscurity. The festival that draws over a million devotees and spectators are scheduled to take place on June 23 this year. The temple authorities have said a decision on whether or not it can be conducted this year will be taken after the Coronavirus lockdown is lifted on May 3. Reportedly, chariot construction can only begin after all restrictions are removed.

Puri Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb said, “It is up to the Central and state governments to take a call on whether to hold only a token Rath Yatra, in the presence of just servitors (priests) and officials, or none at all. We shall wait for the revised guidelines to be issued after the lockdown is lifted on May 3 before deciding on the issue.”

Pre-emptive lockdown in Odisha

Keeping in view the coronavirus scare, Odisha government had earlier decided to extend the lockdown until April 30, becoming the first state to extend the lockdown which was scheduled to end on 14th April. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik had requested the central government not to start train and air services till April 30. He had also said that all educational institutions will remain shut till June 17.

Odisha TV has quoted CM Naveen Patnaik as saying: “During the ongoing lockdown period amid COVID-19 crisis, your discipline and sacrifice have provided us the strength to fight coronavirus. We have decided to extend the lockdown period in Odisha till April 30, said CM Naveen Patnaik”.

Andhra Pradesh: 40 new cases of Coronavirus come to light in Vijayawada after 2 ‘bored’ truck drivers play cards with friends and neighbours

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: 40 new cases of Coronavirus come to light in Vijayawada after 2 ‘bored’ truck drivers play cards with friends and neighbours

On Saturday, 24 people were diagnosed with the Wuhan Coronavirus in the Krishna Lanka locality of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh after a ‘bored’ truck driver decided to play cards with his friends and neighbours. The women in the neighbourhood also played tambola by flouting lockdown guidelines.

Similar violation of social distancing guidelines by another ‘bored’ truck driver in Karmika Nagar of Vijayawada resulted in 15 people contracting the deadly infection. This has led to 40 new live cases of the Chinese virus in the city in just 2 days.

While appealing to people to adhere to social distancing norms, Krishna district Collector A Md Imtiaz stated that the cause of Coronavirus infection in 40 individuals in the two localities of Vijayawada was due to the failure in maintaining a physical distance. As of April 25, the Chinese virus has infected 1,016 people and claimed 31 lives in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Coronavirus Scare in Andhra Pradesh

At least 40 children in the 3-17 years age group have been tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh, as per a report in The Indian Express. The report says that all these children have contracted the disease from infected family members who have been to the Tablighi Jamaat events in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz.

The report in IE quoted health department officials saying, “All the children contracted the virus from family members who attended the Tablighi Jamaat meeting at Delhi’s Nizamuddin in March. “The jamaat returnees were unaware that they were infected, and inadvertently passed it on to their family members, among them are several children,”

Among the 475 active cases are also 124 women. The officials have stated that in some cases, 1 infected family member who had been to the Nizamuddin Markaz had passed on the virus to all the women in the family, mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and grandmothers.

Pakistan: Doctors protest against PPE shortage as 150 medics diagnosed with Chinese coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Doctors protest against PPE shortage as 150 medics diagnosed with Chinese coronavirus

Irked over the acute shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the country, the Grand Health Alliance of doctors and nurses in Punjab have been protesting against the Pakistani Government since April 16.

Reportedly, 150 medics, including 160 doctors have been diagnosed with the Wuhan Coronavirus in the Islamic Republic. Moreover, the Chinese virus has claimed the life of 3 doctors. The demonstrators have demanded complete isolation of the infected medics in private hospitals, besides compulsory screening at hospitals for 7 days for doctors who are working amidst the pandemic.

Dr. Salman Haseeb who is the Chairman of the Grand Health Alliance that the protest by the doctors would continue until their demands were met. He informed that the protesting doctors would continue their agitation even throughout the month of Ramzan. “The doctors who died of coronavirus in the line of duty should be given the status of Shaheed (martyred) and their families given financial benefit”, Haseeb emphasised.

While Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Punjab Health Minister, has accused the medics of demanding hefty incentives, the Chinese virus has infected more than 12,700 people and has claimed 269 lives.

Doctors beaten and jailed in Balochistan

On April 6, over 50 doctors who were protesting in the city of Quetta in Balochistan, Pakistan against the lack of protective gear for fighting the Wuhan Coronavirus were beaten and arrested by the police. A group of 100 medics and paramedics, demanding basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and goggles, took out a rally near Quetta’s main hospital. They, then, proceeded to demonstrate outside the residence of the Chief Minister.

The cops initially resorted to lathi-charge after a few of the protestors tried to enter the CM’s residence. As such, a scuffle broke out between the health workers and the police. 53 of them were arrested and held up for hours for ‘violating the law.’ They were released only after the Balochistan provincial government stepped in.

Coronavirus in Pakistan

As per worldometers, Pakistan has reported 12,723 coronavirus cases till April 26, 2020. Of these, 2,866 have recovered while 269 have lost their lives.

Internet breaks into memes galore as rumours of death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un gain momentum

OpIndia Staff
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Internet breaks into memes galore as rumours of death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un gain momentum

As the rumours about death of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un after a possible botched up heart surgery gains momentum on social media, netizens flooded the Internet with memes and jokes over his sister Kim Yo Jong as possible new Supreme Leader of North Korea.

Some even compared her to former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. And when everyone has brought out the their dark side in their humour, how can the Ghana Pallbearers be far behind. The lockdown indeed seems to have brought forward the dark side of everyone. Netizens also trended ‘KimJongUndead’ hashtag with their memes. The lady in question in Ri Chun-hee, news presenter in North Korea who has an extremely dramatic way of presenting news. Here she is speaking on nuclear tests carried out by North Korea.

She had cried when she presented death of Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong II.

Kim Jong Un death rumours

There have been reports about rumours about death of Kim Jong Un after a surgery gone bad. Kim Jong Un had recently missed the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on 15 April. This raised speculations and rumours about his health conditions as, reportedly, only three days prior to the event, Kim Jong Un, underwent heart surgery. It is one of the biggest events of the year as it marks the birth of the nation’s founder, Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim II-Sung.

Kim Jong-un has never missed the event, and it seemed very unlikely that he would simply choose not to turn up. Inevitably, his absence prompted speculation and rumours, none of which is easy to substantiate.

North Korea’s state media reported on April 11 that Kim attended a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and reported the next day that Kim “inspected a pursuit assault plane group”, however the state daily had not revealed the date of that visit.

The first report of illness

An anonymous source told the Daily NK, a Seoul-based website that gathers information from informants inside the isolated nation, that they understood he had been struggling with cardiovascular problems since last August. However, his health reportedly “worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu”. This was, reportedly, because of excessive smoking, obesity and overwork. This led to a chain of reporting by international media on a single-sourced story.

Later some reports emerged that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the US were monitoring the claim. Post this news, rumours started brewing as US media reported that Kim Jong Un was “gravely ill” post-surgery.

North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un:

North Korea tightly controls any information surrounding its leader, who is treated almost like a deity there, and gathering intelligence out of the country is hardly possible.

Kim, believed to be 36-year-old, took power upon his father’s death in December 2011 and is the third generation of his family to rule the country.

Known to be a heavy smoker, Kim has been shown in state media in recent months appearing at military drills and riding a white horse on the country’s revered Mt. Paektu, where state propaganda says his grandfather used as a guerrilla base to fight Japanese colonial occupiers.

In 2014, Kim Jong Un disappeared for 40 days from early September, which had also sparked a torrent of speculation then, including that he had been ousted in a coup by other political grandees. Then he re-appeared, pictured with a cane. State media at the time admitted he was suffering from an “uncomfortable physical condition”, but did not address rumours that he was suffering from gout.

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