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Manipur government considering legalising cannabis plantation for medical and industrial use: CM N. Biren Singh

OpIndia Staff
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Manipur government considering legalising cannabis plantation for medical and industrial use: CM N. Biren Singh

The BJP government in Manipur is considering to legalize plantation of Cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, the Chief Minister of the state informed the assembly on Friday.

Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh stated that the main purpose of legalization is to increase state revenue but the state government won’t take any decisions hastily and will research about its merits and limitations. He was replying to a question asked by Congress MLA Khumukcham Joykishan on the legalisation of the cannabis plantation.

The CM added that the government is also studying the relevant reports from other states. He also said that the govt is planning to tackle the problem of illegal poppy plantation in the state by providing alternative livelihood to the needy villagers. In this matter, he requested support from and cooperation from the members of the legislative assembly.

Manipur is not the only state which has pondered about legalization. Madhya Pradesh government has decided to allow the farming of hemp in the state for medical and industrial process. But the cultivated hemp will not be used for consumption or trading.

Read- Petition filed in Delhi High Court challenging the prohibition and criminalization of Marijuana, lists medical uses of cannabis

Uttrakhand was the first state which decided to legalize hemp for industrial purpose. Farmers need to get a licence by the excise department to grow cannabis in their fields. But the government has made it clear that farmers cannot sell their goods to private buyers.

In 2017, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi had suggested legalizing marijuana in India, citing examples like the US where marijuana is legal in several states. Her argument was that legalization can lead to curbing of abuse in the country. Echoing similar sentiments, in 2015, Biju Janata Dal MP from Odisha, Tathagata Satpathy had suggested that legalization can lead to less dependency on alcohol.

Ancient India has had instances of the use of cannabis for medical as well as substance use. A very famous tradition is the preparation of Bhang that uses cannabis in a reasonable limit. Bhang is a very famous beverage in the festival of Holi and Shivratri. Ganja smoking is also associated with Lord Shiva.

The UNODC’s World Drug report 2016 stated that the retail price of cannabis in India was US$0.10 per gram, the lowest of any country in the world. In 2015, n 2015, efforts to re-legalise cannabis in India manifested, with the holding of medical marijuana conferences in Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi by the Great Legalization Movement India.

NPR census is mandatory, state govt will finalise the additional NPR questionnaire draft: Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik

OpIndia Staff
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NPR census is mandatory, state govt will finalise the additional NPR questionnaire draft: Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik

The Maharashtra Minority Affairs minister and Senior leader of NCP, Nawab Malik has said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, that is the three-party coalition running the government of Maharashtra, will be soon finalizing the draft for centre’s additional questionnaire for the National Population Register (NPR) in the state.

On Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s statement on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Malik said that implementation of CAA is not up to states but the centre, “Maha Vikas Aghadi to finalize NPR additional questionnaire draft for Maharashtra. NPR census is mandatory in the country. NPR questionnaire was made in the year 2008 and some additional questionnaire has been drafted and given by the centre. We will examine and make a decision. We will also see what other non-BJP ruled states are planning. Then the three parties of Maha Vikas Aghadi will sit together and finalize the questionnaire.”

On Friday, addressing media after a meeting with Prime Minister Modi, CM Uddhav Thackeray had repeated his stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act. He said, “We have had a discussion on the Citizenship Amendment Act, NPR, and NRC. I have already stated my stance on these in Saamana. No one should be scared of CAA. This law is not to take away citizenship from anyone but about granting citizenship to the minorities of the neighbouring countries.” He also informed that PM Modi said that there will be no countrywide NRC.

The Maha Aghadi Alliance parties seem to be turning ideological rivals on CAA, NPR, and NRC. The Congress and the NCP are continuously standing against the CAA, NRC and NPR spreading the falsehood, favouring the protests while Shiv Sena favouring the centre’s stand on CAA and NPR, while saying that they oppose the NRC.

Geological Survey of India issues clarification on Sonbhadra gold discovery, says estimated reserve is 160 kg, not 3350 tonnes as reported by media

OpIndia Staff
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Geological Survey of India issues clarification on Sonbhadra gold discovery, says estimated reserve is 160 kg, not 3350 tonnes as reported by media

Rubbishing the news reports stating availability of around 3000 tonnes of gold in the Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on Saturday claimed that it is not a party to the information published in the media and has not estimated such vast reserves of gold deposits in the area.

In a notification released by the GSI, it said that the GSI Northern region had carried out several explorations to determine reserves of gold but the results were not encouraging that suggested major resources for gold in Sonbhadra, UP.


“The exploration was carried in the Field Season 1998-99 & 1999-2000 and the report has been handed over the DGM UP for further and necessary action. In the report, the GSI has estimated a probable category resource of 52806.25 tonnes of Ore with 3.03 grams per tonne gold (average grade) for a strike length of 170m in Sub-Block-H, Sonapahari area, Sonbhadra district, UP,” the notification issued by Geological Survey of India said.

Director General of Geological Survey of India, M. Shridhar told media, “Such data was not given by anybody from GSI. GSI has not estimated such kind of vast resource of gold deposits in Sonbhadra district”.

“We share our findings regarding any resources of ore after conducting survey with the state units…. We (GSI, Northern Region) had carried out work in that region in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. The report was shared with UP DGM for information and further necessary action,” he added.

Furthermore, it mentioned that the mineralised zone having an average grade of 3.03 grams per tonne of gold is tentative in nature and the total amount of gold that can be extracted from the total reserve of 52806.25 tonnes of ore is approximately about 160 Kg and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in the reports.

A joint press conference as called by DGM UP has also been organised by the GSI and DGM Uttar Pradesh to issue a clarification regarding the misleading figures of gold reserves found in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra.

Earlier, many media outlets published reports stating that a massive 3000 tonnes of gold reserves had been discovered by the GSI in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. Media reports had quoted district mining officials of UP for that number.

Pakistan offers honorary citizen to West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy for bringing international cricket back to the country

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan offers honorary citizen to West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy for bringing international cricket back to the country

The West Indies’ veteran cricketer Darren Sammy is all set to become an honorary citizen of Pakistan next month. The Pakistan government is said the be conferring the former West Indian captain for his role in bringing international cricket back to the country, the PCB announced on Saturday.

Sammy who is currently leading Peshawar Zalmi in the fifth Pakistan Super League season will be given the honorary citizenship and Pakistan’s highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Haider, on March 23 by President Arif Alvi.

“President of Pakistan Arif Alvi will confer the highest civilian award and honorary citizenship to Darren Sammy on March 23 for his invaluable contribution to cricket in Pakistan,” read a Twitter post by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday.


Javed Afridi, the owner of Peshawar Zalmi, said that they had requested the Pakistan President to grant honorary citizenship to Sammy because of his services to Pakistan cricket.

The West Indies’ right-handed batsman and a fast-medium bowler has been attached with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) since its inception. In fact, in 2017 he agreed to go to Lahore and play in the PSL final after the majority of the foreign players declined to play in the country due to security concerns.

Because of this, the Pakistan Government believes that Sammy played an important role in helping the PCB bring back international cricket to the country.

Darren Julius Garvey Sammy is a Saint Lucian cricketer who played international cricket for the West Indies. He is a two time T20 World Cup-winning captain. He plays as a right-handed batsman and a fast-medium bowler. Sammy is the only captain to have won World T20 twice. On 5 August 2016, Sammy was informed he was being dropped as T20I captain of West Indies. Sammy now plays in the Pakistan Super League as the captain of Peshawar Zalmi.

Sammy would be the third international cricketer to get honorary citizenship of a country as before him Australian Matthew Hayden and South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs were given honorary citizenships by the St Kitts government after the 2007 World Cup.

Over 250 shops closed and roads blocked since December: Shaheen Bagh protest cause loss of Rs 150 crores, per reports

OpIndia Staff
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Over 250 shops closed and roads blocked since December: Shaheen Bagh protest cause loss of Rs 150 crores, per reports

250 Retail stores and commercial outlets have been shut for the past two and a half months, owing to the protests at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), reported News 18.

This has affected approximately 3000 workers and resulted in a loss of ₹150 crores worth of business transactions. Members of the market association said that most workers suffered job losses due to a lack of business activities.

A senior member of the market association expressed his desire to meet the interlocutors and inform him about the financial impact of these protests on the lives of the shop owners and the staff. He also mentioned that negotiations with the agitators bore no results.

He added, “This is a fight between the protesters and the government, but we are bearing the brunt. All we want is that someone should also think about us and the protesters should be shifted to somewhere else.”

Read: Confusion whether all Islamists of Shaheen Bagh agree to open a tiny stretch of road, partially ending their illegal occupation

Kashif who sold interior designing products at Shaheen Bagh had to close down his shop within a few days of its inauguration. He has been unable to pay for his house and shop rent. A store manager in a Commerical showroom, Shabbir Ahmed, had been sitting at home penniless for the past 2.5 months. He earlier earned between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000.

Shabbir stated, “CAA and NRC matters are in Supreme Court. Everyone should respect the words of the Apex court and should shift the protest to somewhere else. I support anti-CAA protests but not at the cost of my living and now our condition is getting worse day by day.”

Harpreet Kumar has a similar story. The protests at Shaheen Bagh, the new mecca for Anti-CAA demonstrations, have rendered him jobless. His father is a farmer in a village in Rai Bareilly district and the only earning member of the family. Kumar has been forced to leave Delhi and shift to his village for a new job.

Read: Shaheen Bagh Islamists put seven conditions to SC-appointed interlocutors to end their illegal occupation of public road: Here is what they are

One of the protestors who firmly believe that he is saving the Indian Constitution by blocking roads said that he was concerned about the job loss but the “interest” of 200 people could be “sacrificed” for preserving the rights of 135 crore people.

Shaheen Bagh is not short of people with bizarre arguments at their disposal. When a 4-month-old child died due to cold weather, one of the protestors said, “Allah ki bacchi thi, Allah na bula liya.” The protests at Shaheen Bagh fuelled by Islamic supremacy has also caused unprecedented traffic woes for daily commuters, besides job losses.

Messages with ‘Free Kashmir’, ‘End Occupation’ and demanding revocation of CAA, NRC, NPR scrawled on blackboards in TISS

OpIndia Staff
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Messages with ‘Free Kashmir’, ‘End Occupation’ and demanding revocation of CAA, NRC, NPR scrawled on blackboards in TISS

Amidst the annual festival of the School of Social Work, Sameeksha, a platform for field realities, contemporary issues and emerging social paradigms, shocking anti-CAA and Free Kashmir messages were found scribbled on the blackboards in the social work building in the prestigious institute of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS).

The messages on the various boards ranged from demanding the Independence of Kashmir to the annulment of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Other demands include revocation of CAA, NRC and NPR. There was also a poster that ‘End Occupation’, leading one to believe that the students who put the posters up believe that India is ‘illegally occupying’ Kashmir.

One of the blackboards read a saying from German-American philosopher H Arendt-“Citizenship is the right to have rights”, with the added message of repealing CAA and NRC.

Messages in TISS

Another one called for the liberation of Jammu and Kashmir and termination of the blockade while demanding the end of the occupation. It read “Free Kashmir, End Blockade, End Occupation”.

202 days was also written on the board, signifying the number of days since the Article 370 was abrogated and the union of territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integrated with the Union of India.

Messages in TISS

One of the blackboards read the famous quote by Bertolt Brecht- “In the dark times, Will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing, About the dark times”.

Along with the quote, the board was scrawled with demands to repeal CAA, NRC and NPR, Trans Bill, UAPA and Data Bill. The demand for “Free Kashmir” was also written on the board.

Messages in TISS

In one of the boards, several pictures of Azadi printed on them with the number of days elapsed since the abrogation of Article 370 were pasted on it.

It appears that ever since Kashmir is freed from the clutches of Article 370, certain students in TISS have taken the efforts of getting leaflets of Azadi and other contentious stuff with the number of days since the annulment pasted on the board.

Messages in TISS

It is pertinent to note that the blackboards in the above pictures are inside the Social Work building, implying that the professors of the Institute were well aware of the fact that their institute was used to promote seditious and secessionist anti-India propaganda.

In the aftermath of the enactment of the CAA, the anti-CAA protests that erupted in the financial hub of the country, Mumbai, saw widespread participation from some of the on-duty staff and faculties of the TISS.

The TISS administration had then rapped staff and faculties attending anti-CAA protests on the knuckles and issued a notification to its faculties informing them that absence from duty on account of protests against the Government of India will be deemed as unauthorised leave. The circular from TISS has come at a time when anti-CAA protests have turned into riots.

Confusion whether all Islamists of Shaheen Bagh agree to open a tiny stretch of road, partially ending their illegal occupation

OpIndia Staff
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Confusion whether all Islamists of Shaheen Bagh agree to open a tiny stretch of road, partially ending their illegal occupation

Confusion looms at Shaheen Bagh-Kalindi Kunj road in southeast Delhi, which the Shaheen Bagh women ‘protestors’ have illegally captured to carry out their anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda in the name of anti-CAA protests since December 15 2019. Police seem to be confused whether or not these Islamic ‘protestors’ have agreed to open a tiny stretch of road, partially ending their illegal occupation.

Although it was reported that the road has been opened, now it emerges that there is a conflict between two groups in the protestors regarding opening the road. Even Delhi police are not sure whether all protesters agree to open the road.

Delhi police DCP South East was quoted by ANI as saying: “A little earlier today, Road No. 9 was reopened by a group of protestors, but later it was closed by another group. Again, a group of protestors have reopened a small stretch, however, still there’s no clarity if all protestors have consent on this”.

This was in response to reports that celebrations are underway as protestors open Noida-Kalindi Kunj Road via Road No. 9 (Okhla road).


The stretch of Shaheen Bagh to Kalindi Kunj road which is about two to three kilometres has commercial centres housing shops and restaurants. The road ends at Atlanta Water Park. The Shaheen Bagh-Kalindi Kunj road is parallel to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway which is used by a large number of commuters between Delhi and Noida.

Even as protesters claimed that all the roads that are close to Shaheen Bagh-Kalindi Kunj were open, their illegal occupation, for the past over two months, has been causing severe discomfort to commuters.

Read- Late night drama at Shaheen Bagh: To speak to the media, or not to speak

These arrogant Muslim ‘protestors’ have surprisingly been treating the public space as their private property and refuse to budge even though SC-appointed interlocutors have been trying to negotiate with them for the last four days.

Now, according to reports, the ‘protestors’ of Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda in the name of anti-CAA protests, have put up seven conditions to the Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors to decide on vacating the protest site, which they have illegally occupied since December 15, 2019.

The sheer arrogance of these anti-India protestors at Shaheen Bagh to put up conditions to vacate the public road comes three days after the failure of talks between the protestors and the SC-appointed interlocutors.

A two-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph had directed senior advocates, Sadhana Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde, to act as interlocutors and convince the Shaheen Bagh protestors to relocate to an alternative place. The order came at the backdrop of two petitions filed in the apex court, seeking clearance of Shaheen Bagh area and the Kalindi Kunj Road.

Muslim supporters paint graffiti on Jamia wall demanding to free radical Islamist Sharjeel Imam

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim supporters paint graffiti on Jamia wall demanding to free radical Islamist Sharjeel Imam

Even after the police of five states have held Sharjeel Imam, the radical Islamist behind the Jamia Nagar violence and Shaheen Bagh protests, guilty under the sedition and various other laws, his Muslim supporters have been demanding his release. They have now painted Graffitis on Jamia walls demanding to free him.

The poster apparently painted by one Meer Faisal has captioned: “Chakka Jam is not sedition”, and has a picture of the radical Islamist. It reads: “Sharjeel is voice of dissent, you can’t silence it”.

Sharjeel imam’s wall Grafitti

This picture was shared on Facebook by user Jamia News, which claims to be an independent platform for the Jamia fraternity to share their news and views, with a caption which read: “Sharjeel Imam Graffiti On Jamia Wall”. “if Muslims can save themselves..they will automatically save the country” -Sharjeel Imam

Jamia News Facebook post

Prior to this, posters reading ‘Stop Vilification’ and ‘Solidarity with Sharjeel Imam’ had appeared in support of the Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam.

Sharjeel Imam, the radical Islamist behind the Jamia Nagar violence and Shaheen Bagh protests had yesterday been brought to Guwahati by Assam police, ironically through the very ‘chicken’s neck’ that he wanted to ‘cut off’ from the rest of India.

Read- From The Wire to everything else, the Anatomy of an Islamist: Into the mind of Sharjeel Imam, mastermind of Shaheen Bagh

As per reports, Imam was handed over to the Assam police on Wednesday by Delhi’s Patiala House Court. A team of Assam police then brought him by train to Guwahati on Thursday night. The police team had been camping in Delhi for the last few days. Some Tihar jail officials also accompanied Imam to Guwahati.

It is reported that the police will interrogate him for the next few days, probably at different locations.

It may be recalled that the former JNU student and a columnist with leftist propaganda website The Wire, Sharjeel Imam had been arrested by Delhi Police from Bihar’s Jehanabad, for his seditious statements inciting Muslims for a war against India.

Cases were lodged against Imam in Assam after a video of him inciting a Muslim crowd to wage a war against India and ‘cut off Assam’ and the entire North East from India had gone viral. Simultaneous cases were lodged against him in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Delhi police have mentioned Imam’s name as one of the instigators behind the Jamia Nagar violence on December 15. After hiding for days, Imam was finally nabbed by Delhi police in Bihar’s Jehanabad on January 28.

“Governance must be left to the elected representatives”: Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at Judicial conference at Supreme Court

OpIndia Staff
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“Governance must be left to the elected representatives”: Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at Judicial conference at Supreme Court

While addressing the International Judicial Conference in New Delhi, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said that governance must be left to the Legislature while delivering judgments must be left to the Judiciary. He added that terrorists and corrupt people do not have the “right to privacy.”


Prasad said that the resolution to global challenges can only be achieved through the “conventional regulatory mechanism of being governed by the rule of law.” The Union Law Minister emphasised that “populism” should not undermine “settled principles of law.” He also highlighted the disturbing trend of unleashing smear campaigns against the judges on social media in case of unfavourable judgments. Ravi Shankar Prasad stressed the importance of an independent Judiciary.

While inaugurating the conference at the Supreme Court, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Supreme Court for striking a balance between development and the environment. Referring to the recent judgments, Modi said that the country accepted the apex court’s decisions “wholeheartedly.”

He talked about “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and said that women had the right to vote in this country ever since independence. Modi emphasised how the BJP-led government worked towards the upliftment of women through commissions in the military.


The Prime Minister highlighted his government’s mammoth achievement of repealing 1500 archaic laws, ensuring the rights of transgenders and the disabled, ending triple talaq and India’s economic progress in the last 6 years. Narendra Modi also talked about Mahatma Gandhi’s commitment to “truth” and “service.”

He added how the three pillars of the Constitution (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) has resolved various challenges by respecting each other’s jurisdiction and dignity.

Ruling BJD launches protests after AIIMS Bhubaneswar issues notification asking employees to use Hindi language

OpIndia Staff
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Ruling BJD launches protests after AIIMS Bhubaneswar issues notification asking employees to use Hindi language

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has protested against the directive of the AIIMS Bhubaneswar authorities to its employees to speak and write in Hindi in the institution, accusing the centre of imposing Hindi in the state at the cost of Odia.

Chief of Parliamentary party, Pinaki Mishra affirmed that the BJD will lodge a strong protest against Union Health Minister Dr. Harshavashdhan for this directive of AIIMS authorities imposing Hindi on the employees. Mishra said, “We would not like to allow anybody sidelining our mother tongue, particularly by any institution that is working for the people of our state. We will insist on Odia being used since our people are familiar with it and that will make their task of availing services at AIIMS easier.”

AIIMS Bhubaneswar had issued a notice on Thursday asking the employees to sign in, as well as write names and subjects in all files in the Hindi language. The notice was read as, “All the officers in administration, academic section, hospital administration, finance and accounts are hereby informed to do their work in Hindi and it should be ensured that the staff members working with them are doing their work in Hindi as per Official Languages Rules, 1976. Discussions may be in Hindi in all administrative meetings and the minutes are to be prepared in Hindi as far as possible.”

the AIIMS Bhubaneswar directive

The employees of AIIMS Bhubaneswar were directed to write at least 30 per cent of their notes and drafts in Hindi and write at least 55 per cent of all correspondence in Hindi, to fill up all bi-lingual forms used in offices in Hindi, reply to all letters in Hindi.

Saptagiri Ulaka, a congress MP from Koratpur too had protested against the directive saying it was another attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi at the cost of regional language Odia.

Read- Punjab government issues order making Punjabi language mandatory for all state govt signboards

Dillip Dashsharma, President of Utkal Sammilani, a body promoting Odia language said that the directive of AIIMS authorities is an insult to Odia language as it is one of the 22 languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

He said, “Every language must be given respect and no one should force any language on anybody. Rather, the Odia language should be made compulsory as per the Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Act.”

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