Home Blog Page 5602

Uttar Pradesh: 3350 tonnes gold deposit- 5 times India’s current gold reserves, found in Sonbhadra, state govt to begin auction process soon

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Uttar Pradesh: 3350 tonnes gold deposit- 5 times India’s current gold reserves, found in Sonbhadra, state govt to begin auction process soon

After almost two decades for rigorous search, Geological Survey of India and Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Geology and Mining have discovered two goldmines having around 3350-tonne gold ore in Uttar Pradesh’s Naxalite-affected Sonbhadra area.

GSI estimated gold deposits of approximately 2943.25 tonnes in Sonpahadi, while 646.15 tonnes in Hardi field in Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh.

Gold mines found in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district.

This discovery of gold deposits is around five times the gold reserves of India, which currently stands at around 626 tonnes.

“The government is thinking of putting these deposits on lease for mining, for which a survey is being done. Gold deposits have been found at two places- Sonpahadi and Hardi field. GSI estimated gold deposits of 2,700 tonnes in Sonpahadi, while 650 tonnes in Hardi field,” KK Rai Mining Officer told news agency ANI.


The state mining department has formed a seven-member team that visited Sonbhadra on Thursday. The team will map the goldmine area and will conduct geo-tagging. The team will submit its report to the government on 22 February, after which the process of auctioning the blocks will be conducted by Yogi led State government.

According to officials, the government will start the auction process as soon as compensation payout and necessary approvals are granted. They also confirmed that the mineral-rich mines of Sonbhadra are easy to dig due to their geographical position. The mines are mostly situated on a hillock, which makes them easy to mine.

Apart from gold, officials are also exploring the possibility of rare minerals like uranium in the area.

This discovery is expected to give a big boost to the state’s revenue. Apart from providing both skilled and unskilled jobs, this will also lead to the much-needed development of the backward regions of these two districts of UP.

Update: On February 22, Geological Survey of India issued a statement saying that they never estimated the gold reserve at Sonbhadra at 3350 tonnes. They said that at the rate of 3.03 grams per tonne of ore, they had estimated only 160 kg of gold in the area, not 3350 tonnes as claimed by the state mining department. GSI said that they surveyed the Sonbhadra area in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, and results were not encouraging for major resources of gold.

Do squats for a free ticket- Indian Railway installs Fit India Squat Machine at Anand Vihar Railway Station

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Do squats for a free ticket- Indian Railway installs Fit India Squat Machine at Anand Vihar Railway Station

In an innovative measure to encourage fitness of people, Indian Railways have installed a squat machine on the platform. The machine dispenses free railways tickets if one does squats in front of it.

Railway minister shared a video of the machine on Twitter where one person was seen doing squat ups in front of the machine.


According to reports, if a person does 30 squat ups in 180 seconds in front of the machine, it will dispense a platform ticket worth Rs 10. The machine, named Fit India Squat Machine, has been installed at the entrance of the Anand Vihar Railway station. A person needs to stand on a spot marked with footprints in front of the machine and do the squats. After completion of 30 squats, the machine will dispense a platform ticket for the Railway station.

The machine is inspired by similar machines installed in Moscow. Ahead of winter Olympics in Sochi in 2013, such machines were installed at Vystavochaya station of Moscow subway system. The machines dispensed free tickets for metro rides if 30 squats are done in front of them in 2 minutes.

Squat is a strength exercise which makes the lower body muscles stronger and develops core strength. It is an important and simple exercise in improving fitness and strength of the body. The machine goes well with the Fit India Movement started by PM Narendra Modi. On the National Sports Day on 29th August in 2019, the PM had launched the Fit India Movement. The Prime Minister had said that the movement should become a national goal and its aspiration. “Success is related to fitness, success stories of all of our icons from any field of life have a common thread- most of them are fit, have a focus on fitness and are fond of fitness”, the PM had said.

Chinese Consul General in Kolkata threatens Twitter user with ‘eradication’, calls him ‘part of Coronavirus’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Chinese Consul General in Kolkata threatens Twitter user with ‘eradication’, calls him ‘part of Coronavirus’

The Covid-19, or Coronavirus as it is commonly known, is having a devastating impact on China. Entire cities have been put on lockdown and the streets are almost entirely deserted. Where life bloomed and the streets hustled and bustled with business and traffic, there only remains the eerie silence of death and desertion. Amidst the outbreak, the Chinese economy has taken a severe hit. Due to China’s critical position in the global economy as a major supplier of manufactured goods, the future for the world economy, at least for the near future, looks bleak.

Despite all of this, the Chinese regime is trying to front a brave face even as speculations of the Covid-19 being a biological weapon run rife. The government is trying to project strength and claims that things are much better than was previously expected and the country is on its way to recovery. However, nobody is actually buying this due to China’s reputation as a totalitarian regime and also because the evidence is overwhelming that things are not as well as China would want the rest of the world to believe.

Consistent with the communist regime’s approach, the Consul General of China in Kolkata called Covid-19 “just a very bad cold” on Twitter even though it is much much worse than that while quoting a video shared by Global Times, the regime’s mouthpiece. CG Zha Liyou said on the 16th of February, “Prepared for the final battle and this preparedness scares virus!”

The tweet by the Consul General of China in Kolkata

One Twitter user, someone ostensibly from mainland China, did not buy into Liyou’s feigned optimism and registered his objection with the tweet in his reply. The user said that he/she was aware it was just a cold and hence, not afraid of it. Then, the user proceeded to say that was why it was ridiculous that ‘almost everyone in mainland’ was put under house arrest and it was even more absurd that the ‘bad cold’ had claimed the lives of 1,666 people.

Read: Fact Check: Did China seek court approval to kill 20,000 coronavirus patients to stop the spread of the infection?

The tweet was made in a sarcastic tone and mocked the Chinese government official’s forced optimism on the matter that was not convincing anyone. In response to the user’s tweet came Liyou’s unhinged reply that instantly took its place on Twitter’s Hall of Fame. The Consul General told the user that he looked like a “part of the virus” and that he will be “eradicated just like [the] virus”.

The user’s reply and the Consul General’s response

The Consul General’s response is typical of the Chinese Communist government’s conduct, which is generally overloaded with bluster. In this case, however, it appears even more ridiculous as China is suffering its worst crisis in decades. It is widely known that the Chinese regime believes in the doctrine of disproportionate response and they respond to trivial offenses with an overwhelming show of strength. However, such a strategy, while it ensures a fair bit of success, always runs the risk of blowing up on one’s face. In this particular instance, the Consul General indeed comes out of it looking like a clown.

Columnist at The Wire writes an intellectually dishonest article about alleged molester RK Pachauri

Dibakar Dutta
-
0
Columnist at The Wire writes an intellectually dishonest article about alleged molester RK Pachauri

On Monday, the left-leaning propagandist website, The Wire, published an article by senior journalist Prem Shankar Jha that eulogised ex TERI Chief and alleged molester, RK Pachauri, and attempted at image-makeover.

Screengrab of the Article

The article began by highlighting how only 10 Indians have received the much-coveted Nobel Prize and RK Pachauri happened to be one of them. The ex-TERI Chief was the Chairman of the UN’s IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) for 13 years during which the organisation received the prize. In an article originally published in 2018, the news portal, however, argued that “the Nobel prizewinners” need not be exalted too much. This article by Jha does that exact thing.

The Wire eulogises RK Pachauri and ignores all allegations of misconduct
Excerpt-1

Prem Shankar Jha wrote at length about the impact of IPCC’s “Fourth Assessment Report” that shook the world out of its “complacency” about climate change. The columnist also hailed the report, compiled under the watch of Pachauri, as the “gold standard” against which “humanity’s continuing delinquency” ought to be measured. In an attempt to unabashedly glorify the late scientist, Jha conveniently avoided mention of the errors in the said report committed by Pachauri himself.

Read: The Wire Founding-Editor has an insightful conversation about Delhi elections with a ‘former Delhi CM and Congress leader’: Here is the problem with that

The IPCC came under the scanner in 2010 for making an outlandish claim in its 2007 report that “Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035 due to global warming.” There was no proper peer-review done before putting out that finding. It was, in fact, taken from a media interview by glaciologist S I Hasnain. RK Pachauri refused to resign as the IPCC’s chief but regretted the controversial finding in the Fourth Assessment Report as a “human error.”

The journalist then stressed on the “comprehensiveness, clarity, and credibility” of the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment. He emphasised on the large team of scientists and experts to substantiate the “full proof” nature of the report. The report was criticised for over-reliance on the “output of computer climate models” over that of “hard observational science.”

The Wire eulogises RK Pachauri and ignores all allegations of misconduct
Excerpt- 2

The contentious report failed to address two key issues – the level to which our planet will warm due to human greenhouse gas emissions, and the effectiveness of climate models in projecting global warming. CATO Institute, an American libertarian think tank, observed in its Op-ed, “Whoever legislates or promulgates climate policies based upon the new report will be putting his political career in very serious jeopardy.”

The Wire eulogises RK Pachauri and ignores all allegations of misconduct
Excerpt -3

Despite severe flaws and questions surrounding the credibility of both the Fourth and Fifth Assessment Report, The Wire columnist minced no words in hailing RK Pachauri as the “catalyst” that motivated world governments to minimise the “threat of climate change” and “actively” looking for measures to reduce fossil-fuel use.

The Wire report also failed to address how RK Pachauri as the TERI Chief was also a member of boards of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) that heavily contribute to greenhouse gases.

TERI had secured business contracts from ONGC in March 2008 during his tenure where he was in a position to make decisions for both the companies. Pachauri was accused of “conflict of interest” but he dismissed all such claims.

The article that attempted to whitewash his image, following Pachauri’s demise, also failed to address the sexual harassment case against him. A young female researcher who worked under Pachauri had accused him of making sexual advancements towards her. This prompted his resignation from the post of TERI chief.

Read: RK Pachauri, the new Tejpal?

A 1400-page charge sheet was filed against Pachauri by the Delhi Police in 2016 and the Saket Court formally directed to frame charges against the internationally acclaimed climate activist in 2018.

The article by The Wire columnist seems to absolve Pachauri of all allegations of misconduct by portraying him only as an “undisputable crusader of climate change”. As such, the article is intellectually dishonest and superfluous, to say the least.

Shiv Sena demands memorial in Ayodhya for martyrs of Ram Janmabhoomi movement, accuses BJP of taking credit for the Ram Mandir

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Shiv Sena demands memorial in Ayodhya for martyrs of Ram Janmabhoomi movement, accuses BJP of taking credit for the Ram Mandir

The Shiv Sena, the alliance partner of the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra, has interestingly raised a demand for a memorial in Ayodhya on the lines of Amar Jawan Jyoti as a ‘tribute to martyrs who laid down their lives for Ram Temple’.

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena demanded the construction of a memorial for all those who were ‘martyred’ during the Ram Mandir movement.

“Many were martyred for Ram Mandir. Like Amar Jawan, names of these martyrs should be written in the same way as Amar Jawan Jyoti. For these martyrs, a memorial should be built on the banks of Sarayu,” the Sena wrote in Saamana.

The editorial said that tributes should be paid to workers of the Shiv Sena and other Hindu organisations who worked for Ram Mandir. “Many were martyred on the banks of Sarayu river…it was filled with blood,” the Sena said.

In its editorial, the Sena remembered the sacrifice made by Shiv Sainiks while storming Babri Masjid, and accused BJP of taking credit for the construction of Ram Mandir. “Those were Shiv Sainiks who reached the tomb of Babri. However, Shiv Sena never took political advantage of it,” the editorial said, but added that politics will happen over the issue.

“After the Supreme Court decision, the process to build the Ram Mandir has gained momentum. A trust has been made and by 2024, the temple will be made. This will definitely benefit the BJP,” the Shiv Sena said.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Shiv Sena wrote that issues like Pakistan and the surgical strike will not work for the 2024 General elections and so, Ram Mandir will be a selling point. “Many in the trust are close to the BJP. PM Modi will be monitoring the work,” the editorial said.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith shares Lollywood poster featuring herself and Bushra Bibi where latter is shown doing ‘black magic’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith shares Lollywood poster featuring herself and Bushra Bibi where latter is shown doing ‘black magic’

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former wife Jemima Goldsmith took to Twitter to share a poster wherein his current wife Bushra Bibi seen doing black magic as he sits in the Prime Minister’s office.

Jemima Khan’s tweet mocking Bushra Bibi

In the tweet posted on 17th February 2020, one can see the Lollywood (what film industry in Lahore, Pakistan is fondly called) film poster featuring Jemima Goldsmith herself along with Bushra Bibi who is shown looking into a crystal ball and perhaps doing black magic. The caption on it reportedly reads “What kind of magic did you do?” In subsequent tweets, which were later deleted, Goldsmith corrected that it was magic spell and not black magic and that she found the poster amusing.

Read: Will Imran go to UN again and complain about Islamophobia after these memes about his wife having pet jinns?

It is notable here that supernatural claims and rumours about Bushra Bibi are quite common in Pakistan. Bushra Bibi is known as ‘Pinky Peerni’, a living saint-woman with special powers. Her family from the Wattoo clan in Pakistan’s Pakpattan are the worshippers of the ‘Baba Farid’ shrine n Pakpattan.

In a recent article in Vanity Fair, a senior Pakistani media person was quoted as saying that Imran Khan had consulted Bushra Bibi for spiritual guidance to become PM and he used to give her two vats full of cooked meat as fees. The meat was for Bushra Bibi’s two jinns, the article had stated.

The article had also mentioned that Bushra Bibi, married and a mother of five children, had dreamed years ago that Imran Khan will one day become the PM of Pakistan if he marries the ‘right woman’. She had reportedly tried to get Khan married to her sister and her daughter before finally deciding that she herself was the ‘right woman’.

Jemima Goldsmith, however, later deleted her tweet. Jemima and Khan got married in 1995 and were together for nine years before parting ways in 2004.

Ultra-left wing ‘protestor’ Amulya Leona charged with sedition for shouting pro-Pakistan slogans in Bengluru, sent to 14-day judicial custody

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Ultra-left wing ‘protestor’ Amulya Leona charged with sedition for shouting pro-Pakistan slogans in Bengluru, sent to 14-day judicial custody

Amulya Leona, the ultra-left wing ‘protestor’ who had raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday at an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally in Bengaluru, has been booked under sedition case of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to the reports, the Karnataka police has sent Amulya to 14-day judicial custody. A case under Section 124A (Offence of sedition) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against Amulya shortly after she raised Pakistan Zindabad slogan at Asaduddin Owaisi’s rally.

Soumendu Mukherjee, the Additional commissioner of police (West) said women police officers are questioning Amulya, who is from Chikkamagaluru district. She was produced before a magistrate past midnight and was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

“We’ve directed the event organizers and others concerned to appear before police for questioning,” he said.

A ruckus had erupted on Monday at AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Bengaluru on Thursday. Ultra-left wing ‘activist’ Amulya had burst onto the stage to shout pro-Pakistan slogans while Owaisi was present on it.

Following the incident, Amulya’s father Waji Noronha said he did not approve of his daughter’s activities. “I had been cautioning her. The government should take action against her,” he added.

Amulya Leona was also part of the group that had heckled journalist Mahesh Vikram Hegde at an airport in January. They had attempted to coerce Hegde into singing “Vande Mataram” and prove his patriotism “for the country”.

Ram Mandir trustees meet PM Modi, extend invitation for foundation stone laying ceremony

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Ram Mandir trustees meet PM Modi, extend invitation for foundation stone laying ceremony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the holy city of Ayodhya to attend the foundation laying (Bhoomi Pujan) ceremony of the proposed Ram temple, said the Ram Mandir Trust members after meeting the PM in New Delhi on Thursday.

According to reports, the trustees of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invited him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of the proposed Ram Temple in Ayodhya on an auspicious date in April.

As per the Economic Times report, even though PM Modi did not commit anything during the meeting, the trustees said they were hopeful that Prime Minister Modi and other senior ministers such as Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath would grace the occasion.

“PM Modi himself announced the setting up of the trust in Parliament and said Lord Ram is in his heart. So we are very hopeful,” said a trustee.

The date of the ceremony will be decided by the trustees in the next meeting of the trust in Ayodhya on March 3 or 4. The expected date for the foundation stone laying ceremony will be either on the auspicious day of Ram Navami on April 2 or Akshaya Tritiya on April 26.

Four of the trustees, including its newly nominated president Nritya Gopal Das, general secretary Champat Rai, treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj and R Parasaran, met the PM at his residence.

PM Modi had invited the trustees for a courtesy meeting after the trust held its first meeting in Delhi a day earlier. “We have given the PM an invitation to come for the ceremony in Ayodhya,” Nritya Gopal Das said.

Watch: Congress leader and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha spotted attending a wedding in Lahore

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Watch: Congress leader and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha spotted attending a wedding in Lahore

Congress leader and Bollywood veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha was recently caught on camera while attending a wedding in Lahore, Pakistan.

In a video shared by Pakistan-based Instagram channel “The Spotlight Moments”, Sinha was captured on camera while sitting next to Pakistani actress Reema Khan at a qawwali night. As per reports, Shatrughan Sinha was attending a wedding in Pakistan.

Read: Jaitley wishes luck to Congress on accepting Shatrughan Sinha, says ‘our problem is now yours’

The former BJP MP quit the party after he was denied ticket from the Patna Sahib constituency during the 2019 general elections. He later joined Congress and contested unsuccessfully from Patna Sahib.

Poetic justice? Sharjeel Imam passes through the very Chicken’s Neck he wanted to cut off, lodged in an Assam jail

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Poetic justice? Sharjeel Imam passes through the very Chicken’s Neck he wanted to cut off, lodged in an Assam jail

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


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.

Nabaneet Mahanta, Additional DCP (crime) in Guwahati has informed that Imam was immediately produced in a court. The Assam police had requested for a 4-day remand of Imam and they were granted the same.

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

As per reports, Sharjeel’s brother Muzammil Imam had alleged yesterday that Sharjeel was brought by the Assam police in a ‘secretive manner’ and his family is worried about him.

Read: Into the Islamist’s mind: The role of educated Muslims in Sharjeel Imam’s ‘Plan of Action’

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.

1...5,6015,6025,603...7,580Page 5,602 of 7,580