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Veer Savarkar’s photo found defaced at BHU, leftist student had earlier threatened to do so

OpIndia Staff
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Veer Savarkar’s photo found defaced at BHU, leftist student had earlier threatened to do so

After incidents of statue vandalism at JNU and DU, BHU has witnessed the latest act of vandalism on a photograph of Veer Savarkar. In the latest, some miscreants have defaced the photograph of Veer Savarkar in the political science department of Banaras Hindu University on Tuesday.

The incident came to light on Monday morning when students of M.A. first year reached their classroom and saw the photograph of Savarkar lying on one of the benches. The photograph had ink smeared on the nationalist leader’s face. This picture was amongst the various other pictures of several national leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar that adorned the walls of the classroom.

The photo of Savarkar had ink splashed on his face

Angry over this despicable act, the students sat on a dharna (sit-in-protest). In a letter to the Dean, the students said that they would file an FIR regarding this matter with the police on Tuesday. Calling it disrespect towards national sentiments and the hero of freedom struggle, the students demanded a speedy and effective probe into the incident.

Students letter to the Dean

The HOD who reached the spot after getting the information about the sit-in-protest has assured that a three-member committee would be constituted to probe the incident and strict actions would be taken against the culprits. He also promised that Savarkar’s photograph would be mended and put back on the classroom wall.

As tension continued to prevail in the campus, a heavy deployment of police has been made on the BHU campus to prevent fallout of the incident.

The students of the political science department of Banaras Hindu University have alleged that the left-wing members of All India Students’ Association (AISA) were behind this condemnable act as previously they had threatened to do so.

In August this year, a member of the All India Students’ Association, Ashutosh Kumar had taken to Facebook and exulted over a similar incident that took place in Delhi University wherein NSUI goons had desecrated the statue of Veer Savarkar by blacking its face and putting a shoe garland around it.

Read: NSUI goons vandalise Savarkar statue inside Delhi University campus, put shoe garland

Kumar, in his earlier post, had hurled expletives and warned that something similar was been planned for Veer Savarkar’s photo in the political science department of Banaras Hindu University. Due to this, the BHU students are reportedly convinced that AISA is behind the act.

Objectional Facebook post by AISA’ Ashutosh Kumar

Meanwhile, speaking to OpIndia, the co-convenor of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad at BHU, Abhay Pratap Singh said that even in the month of September, Veer Savarkar’s photo was removed and thrown in the classroom. They had then overlooked the matter, thinking it was a mistake. Pratap was of the belief that the leftist students, who have for long been carrying out such acts in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University (DU) are now targeting their University.

JNUSU demands protection from administrative action, blames registrar, ignores questions over halted ambulances

OpIndia Staff
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JNUSU demands protection from administrative action, blames registrar, ignores questions over halted ambulances

In a press conference organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union(JNUSU), its president Aishe Ghosh claimed that the registrar of the university has refused to meet the team appointed by the HRD for mediating between the agitating students and the administration.

Stating that their demands will continue as long as their demands are not met, Ghosh said, “Look at the high-handedness of the JNU administrators. When they can refuse to talk to the government authorities, how do you expect them to listen to the students.”

The JNUSU president also claimed that female students were groped and the police were cruel towards the students. She added that their bus was not stopped even when she wanted medical help for a fellow student.


One of the JNUSU members then asserted that the police had been atrocious against the protesting JNU students yesterday while proudly showing the scratches on his elbows after he broke the police barricade yesterday. “After I broke the police barricade, the police officials picked me up and threw me over the barricades after which I got these injuries,” he said.

Besides, the JNUSU also put forth a demand that no administrative or legal action be initiated against the students protesting against the hostel fees hike. Ghosh said that he had a meeting with the Joint Secretary of the Human Resource Development Ministry, GC Hosur, and requested him to ensure no administrative action against students.  Ghosh said, “Students are being threatened with notices on their emails for the protests. However, these protests are for a just cause and no student will pay a single rupee as a fine.”

It is notable here that the Delhi police have registered several FIRs against students over damage to public property and rioting.

However, Ghosh and other JNUSU members addressing the press conference reportedly ignored questions about the Ambulances being stuck due to the protest march, traffic congestion on the arterial roads of Delhi and inconvenience caused to the people commuting on the road. Republic TV has claimed that the JNUSU avoided answering questions asked by their crew and their crew were heckled by the students gathered there.


The protests that have been going on for about 3 weeks but yesterday it spiralled out of the University onto the roads of Delhi after the JNUSU called for a protest-march from college to Parliament to demand the rollback of the increased fees, along with multiple other restrictions imposed. A few days back, a soon-to-be inaugurated Swami Vivekananda’s bust in the campus was vandalised by the JNU hoodlums opposing the new fees hike and other restrictions.

There is no ‘fee hike’ in JNU: While free education may be a right, free accommodation is certainly not

Abhishek Banerjee
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There is no ‘fee hike’ in JNU: While free education may be a right, free accommodation is certainly not

For almost a week now, the nation has been transfixed at the spectacle of JNU students doing what they are best known for. Taking to the streets and protesting. This time the trigger for protests is a hike in fees at JNU. The students claim that the increased fees put a quality JNU education out of their reach.

Well, at least the students are protesting about something that actually touches their daily lives, instead of imaginary enemies such as “US imperialism” or something in Gaza. A significant improvement, I would say.

The JNU protests have resulted in a predictable war of narratives on both mainstream and social media. The (mostly) left-wing students at JNU say all they want is affordable education. They say affordable education is a moral imperative in India, given our widespread poverty. They also point out that affordable education is an important investment in the future of our country. In their support, they remind us that higher education is free in a number of highly developed countries across the world, such as Germany or Finland or Sweden and how much good it has done to them.

Read: IIT Bombay students protest against desecration of Swami Vivekananda’s statue by JNU students

The other side, consisting mostly of right-wing sympathizers, has struck back. They ask why JNU should be subsidized in the first place, especially given the reputation their student body has come to acquire. As taxpayers, they want to know whether the research at JNU is relevant and how it brings returns to our country. Research from JNU on the cultural background of fictional porn character Savitha Bhabhi, whether these were exceptions or not, does not help their cause in the public eye.

Sadly, the most important distinction has been lost in this fiery debate over JNU.

There has been no fee hike at JNU at all. None whatsoever.

Going to JNU remains free. Many if not most students actually receive a stipend for studying at JNU!

Then, what is the ruckus about? What are the JNU protests about?

Well, JNU has hiked hostel fees. Service charges and establishment charges for students to stay in their hostels.

Read: ‘Azadi’ slogans make a comeback as JNU protestors march towards parliament

Why is this being mixed up with the issues of free education? Now, go back to all those developed nations that provide free higher education. Does any of them provide free food and free accommodation for students? Of course not.

I can understand the demand for free higher education. But free board and lodging? Really? And why?

Even primary schools in India, or for that matter anywhere else, do not provide free accommodation. How can the JNU student body, consisting mostly of grown-up postgraduate students, possibly expect a free ride when it comes to board and lodging?

A simple Google search brought me to this BBC article on higher education in Germany.

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In Germany, housing can be so expensive that students groups are now building box-like basic rooms out of cheap material for students to live in.

Indeed, it is not easy being in higher education for an extended period. That is essentially the promise of higher education everywhere in the world. Early on in life, you spend some years living in hardship. At the end of it, you earn a degree that becomes your ticket to social mobility.

Why are so many JNU students involved in the protests pretending their lives should be any different? If the hostel seems too pricey, move out. Get a part-time job to pay the bills. Other students are doing this all across the world. In doing so, students are actually learning valuable life skills: how to manage finances and navigate the real world. When they step out of school, this money and people management skills will stand them in good stead.

Read: Other premier and second-tier institutions charge students upto 20 times more than proposed JNU fees now: Report

Higher education is not an extended childhood. There is nothing wrong with expecting grown-up students to find their own room and board. There is no shame in getting your own groceries, cooking your own food and sweeping your own floors. You would think that left-wing inclined JNU students would accept this premise. Actually, why would you? Nobody loves social classes as much as comrades do…

This is also a win-win from the point of view of standards in higher education. Instead of investing huge resources building, maintaining and administering free hostels, JNU can spend all that money where it really matters. They can spend on providing tools for high-quality research, attracting high-quality scholars, buying scientific and technical equipment.

Isn’t that what students want as well? Isn’t that what the country needs?

Read: ‘F*ck BJP’, ‘Bhagwa jalega’: JNU goons vandalised soon to be inaugurated a statue of Swami Vivekananda on campus

Sensible students at JNU need to realize that this is neither punishment nor persecution. This is, in fact, a chance to grow up and learn skills they will need for their life outside of college. The education is free. They can leave campus, earn their own money and manage their own room and board.

Some of the anger from students is also about new codes of dress, restrictions on visitors and so-called curfew timings. The resentment is not surprising, considering that these students are all adults. But, if you expect the university to be a nanny, expect to be treated like a child. Rules for dressing up, rules for going out, rules for coming in and rules for bedtime. It sucks. That’s why JNU students should embrace their adult lives, with both rights and responsibilities that come with it.

‘Worst ever pedophile in French history’: Surgeon suspected of raping and abusing up to 250 children

OpIndia Staff
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‘Worst ever pedophile in French history’: Surgeon suspected of raping and abusing up to 250 children

A French surgeon, who has been imprisoned since 2017, may have sexually abused up to 250 children, investigators revealed on Monday. The surgeon stands accused of rape and sexual abuse of minors during his 30 years of practice in Western France.

Two years earlier, he was arrested after accusations were made pertaining to the abuse of four children between 1989-2017, including his neighbour’s six-year-old daughter. According to the state prosecutor in the city of La Rochelle, of the identified victims of Joël Le Scouarnec, 209 have been interviewed. Of them, 184 expressed their willingness to press charges and 181 of them asserted that they were minors when they were assaulted.

Read: Bill Clinton a paedophile? How ABC News killed Epstein’s paedophile ring story and what it says about the mainstream media

Le Scouarnec is accused of raping a young relative, sexually abusing another young relative and abusing a young patient. “250 potential victims of acts of paedophilia that do not fall under the statute of limitations were identified during the (second) investigation,” the public prosecutor, Laurent Zuchowicz said on Monday. He confirmed that the authorities were able to interview 209 victims, “several of whom had very precise memories” of the alleged abuse.

As per reports, the French surgeon recorded the names of minor boys and girls in private notebooks, in which he described sex acts and fantasies and how he abused the 250 children. The police also uncovered child pornography, dolls hidden and wigs hidden in the floor during a search of the medic’s home. Francesca Satta, a lawyer of some of the survivors said, “They remembers perfectly well what they endured but never talked about it because they were afraid.” In 2005, Le Scouarnec was sent to jail for possessing child pornography.

Read: Rotherham paedophiles received half a million pounds in legal aid from public money while their victims remain uncompensated

Details of the search had appeared in August earlier this year. “It was like descending into Hell,” one detective had said. “Even the police officers were very shocked. He describes his feelings, his pleasure.” “He claims they are fictionalised writings about his fantasies, however nauseous they are,” Thibault Kurzawa, his lawyer, had claimed. “He admits that his behaviour is inappropriate. It is almost a relief for him to have been arrested because he was in a spiral. He wasn’t able to do anything else.”

With more details coming to light, Le Scouarnec is being dubbed the worst paedophile in French history. He trial is set to begin on the 13th of January next year.

No taxes paid for Anand Bhavan: Prayagraj authorities send 4.35 crores notice to Nehru Memorial Fund

OpIndia Staff
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No taxes paid for Anand Bhavan: Prayagraj authorities send 4.35 crores notice to Nehru Memorial Fund

The Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj has sent a notice of arrears of house tax worth Rs 4.35 crores to Anand Bhavan, Swaraj Bhavan and Jawahar planetarium operated by Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, a non-profit trust headed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

According to the corporation, the notice was served on the basis that Anand Bhavan and the surrounding buildings are being used for commercial purposes and thus are required to pay increased taxes. Anand Bhavan, the ancestral residence of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, along with Swaraj Bhavan were transformed into museums, showcasing artefacts and items of the era of Independence movement in India and memorabilia related to Nehru family.

The chief tax assessment officer, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation, PK Mishra stated that the house tax notice on Anand Bhavan, Swaraj Bhavan and Jawahar Planetarium was sent around two weeks ago. He also mentioned that the letter received from the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund was forwarded to Zonal Office (four) with instructions to carry out a comprehensive survey and submit a report regarding the total pending dues.

Read: Quattrochi, National Herald, AgustaWestland, Eurofighter and Rafale: Arun Jaitley stuns Rahul Gandhi in Parliament

The Fund officials in Delhi reportedly refuted the claims of the Municipal corporation and wrote a letter to the mayor and the tax officials to review the tax notice claiming that Anand Bhavan and the surrounding structures are ‘heritage buildings’ and are thus exempted from commercial tax.

Confirming that the letter has been received, the Mayor of the city said that the documents and related files have to be studied before proceeding on the future course of action.

Read: Feroze, ‘The Forgotten’ Gandhi, finds no mention by grandchildren Rahul and Priyanka on his death anniversary

The administrative secretary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, N Balakrishnan mentioned in the letter to the mayor and the tax officials that a bill of Rs 3,000 was received by the trust in 2003-04, which was duly paid. He, however, added that in 2005, a bill of over Rs 24.67 lakh for the year 2004-05 was sent to the Fund. According to the letter, the yearly bill of Rs 12.34 lakh continued to be sent till 2013-14 but it was lessened to Rs 8.27 lakh since 2014-15.

The PMC authorities have claimed that no taxes for the buildings have been paid after 2003.

Balakrishnan has maintained in the letter that the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund which runs the Anand Bhavan, Swaraj Bhavan and Jawahar Planetarium, is a charitable trust and not involved in any commercial activities. He argued that the trust was exempted from such taxes under Section 117B of Nagar Nigam Act 1959. Lamenting that the tax collection was faulty, Balakrishnan said that the house tax was increased despite no new construction in the premises in the last 40 years, tax on vacant land was also added.

The Prayagraj head of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, Ravi Kiran, claimed that despite the matter is pending in court, the Municipal corporation sent a bill of several crores to the trust. He stated that further action will be taken after discussions with the senior authorities of the trust in Delhi.

Here are five reasons why the trailer of ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’ will anger ‘liberals’

Editorial Desk
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Here are five reasons why the trailer of ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’ will anger ‘liberals’

The trailer of Ajay Devgan’s upcoming movie Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior has been released on the 19th of November. The trailer is a marked departure from the conventional culture of Bollywood where Mughals have been glorified while Hindu warriors haven’t received their due. And it can be safely said that the movie will ruffle quite a few feathers.

Thus far, a certain narrative has enjoyed a monopoly over Bollywood. But that appears to breaking slowly ever since Narendra Modi stormed to power. Therefore, it’s quite natural that not everyone will be happy with the development. Here are five things from the trailer that will irk ‘liberals’ the most:

1. ‘Azadi’

In the times we are living in, ‘Azadi’ is a very loaded word. The word imposed itself on the political consciousness of the nation when the ‘students’ of JNU chanted extremely problematic slogans at the university in support of Kashmiri Separatism. In the Tanhaji trailer, we see that the Mughals have been portrayed as invaders while the Marathas are shown fighting for Swaraj. Thus, the subtle manner in which ‘Azadi’ has been used in the trailer as an alternative for ‘Swaraj’, which is essentially Hindavi Swarajya, is significant. It will irk some people that ‘Azadi’ has been given a new meaning.

2. Hindu Symbolism

The entirety of the trailer is overflowing with Hindu Symbolism. There appears to be very little that is ‘secular’ about it. For instance, the trailer ends with Tanhaji (Ajay Devgan) sitting on what appears to be the edge of the fort with the Kesari Dhwaj in his left hand that has ‘Om’ painted on it. The same image also appeared on a tweet that Ajav Devgan had shared on the social media platform announcing the release of the trailer.


Even apart from that, the background music has odes to Maa Bhavani. An important female character can be heard saying that she will not wear any footwear until the Bhagwa flies at the Kondhana fort again. At one point in the trailer, Saif Ali Khan who is playing the negative lead in the movie asks Tanhaji who has been captured, “So it means you are you mad?” Tanhaji replies, “Every Maratha is mad, for Swaraj, for Shivaji-Raje, for Bhagwa.” Furthermore, Tanhaji’s shield is seen engraved with the Trishul, which is a weapon with Mahadeva and Maa Durga. All of this will make certain people squirm.

3. Kauravas and Pandavas

The movie also invokes the Mahabharata, a Dharmayuddha, as a reference that can be seen in the trailer. Tanhaji’s son can be heard saying that the strength of the enemy camp is huge. Tanhaji, in response, asks, “Who won between the Kauravas and the Pandavas?”

Read: When Bollywood starts asking ‘Kaun Jaat Ho?’

It a significant moment as it puts the battle between the Mughals and the Marathas in the context of a Dharmayuddha. In reality, it was one as Shivaji-Raje dreamt explicitly of Hindavi Swarajya.

4. Ghoonghat and Janeu

Kajol features as Tanhaji’s wife in the movie playing the character of Savitribai Malusare. She looks stunning in traditional Maratha attire. She says at one scene, “When Shivaji-Raje uses his sword, the Ghoonghat of women and the sacred thread of the Brahmin is protected.”

Among all the scenes in the trailer, this is the one that will anger liberals the most. In the Left-Liberal Clown World, the ghoonghat and the Janeu are considered symbols of oppression. Vast sections of Periyarites and Ambedkarites share similar notions about the Janeu. Thus, when Savitribai Malusare says those words in a movie that glorifies the valour of the Marathas, it will undoubtedly cause a lot of heartburn.

Kajol’s words also remind one of the legendary poet Kavi Bhushana’s iconic words, “काशी कर्बला होती मथुरा मदीना होती, शिवाजी न होते तो सुन्नत होती सब की”. Kavi Bhushana said that if it weren’t for Shivaji-Raje, India would have turned into an Islamic State.

5. “The Surgical Strike that shook the Mughals”

The movie is littered with political undertones that are very relevant to our present times. Apart from the manner in which ‘Azadi’ has been used, it becomes most obvious with calling Tanhaji’s attempt to capture Kondhana a ‘surgical strike’ on the Mughals. In our times, the term ‘Surgical Strike’ has gained massive popularity after the Indian Army smashed terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied territory in response to a terrorist attack on Indian soil.

Read: ‘Uri’: A tale of valour, indomitable will and triumph over life which was bound to upset the usual suspects

Thus, the movie invokes Kauravas and Pandavas as well as puts Tanhaji’s valour in the context of India’s current turmoil with Pakistan. Set in the seventeenth century, the trailer shows that the movie has tied the Marathas with ancient Hindu Civilization and simultaneously, tied the Marathas with political themes in the current year. Thus, we see a continuity of the Hindu Civilization from the Maharabhata to the Indian state, a continuity that liberals have always struggled hard to deny.

In 2016, two teenagers got radicalised, converted to Islam, pledged allegiance to ISIS and tried to blow up Eiffel Tower for their wedding

OpIndia Staff
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In 2016, two teenagers got radicalised, converted to Islam, pledged allegiance to ISIS and tried to blow up Eiffel Tower for their wedding

In 2016, 16-year-old Sara and 20-year-old Thomas met over the Internet. The two had recently converted to Islam over the internet without knowledge of their parents. The two met at a dating site for Muslims and were planning to get married on 11th February 2017. Except, Sarah and Thomas wanted to blow up the Eiffel Tower on their wedding as jihadi attack.

Sara, who lived in Montpellier, is a Gothic teenager converted to Islam. Thomas lived in Clapiers, north of Montpellier, and converted to Islam after setbacks in his professional life. After their online romance, they decide to bring it to real life and Thomas rented an apartment below Sara’s. They announce on Facebook that they plan to do a Nikah.

In a ‘diary’, Sarah had written how she had found a ‘brother’ who was likely to marry her. Since she had lost her virginity before marriage, the only way she could have ‘washed off her sins’ was to join a land which was in control of Islamic State.

Read: ‘Islam convert’ stabs four at police headquarters in Paris

In February 2017, investigators found 71 gms of TAPT, powerful but highly unstable explosive, in Thomas’ home. Thomas and Sara’s social media presence were investigated, including social media app Telegram, which is one of the preferred platforms for jihadis because of encryption.

On 9th February 2017, Sara and Thomas were spotted purchasing acetone and hydrogen peroxide. A day prior to that, they had released a video where Thomas had pledged allegiance with the ISIS. The couple had planned that Thomas will kill himself in the suicide attack at Eiffel Tower and Sara would then emigrate to a country under ISIS occupation as a ‘widow of a martyr’.

Investigators swung into action and on 10th February located the apartment Thomas had rented out. According to Le Parisien, the planning of the attack was discovered when Sara confided in a woman cyber-police personnel who was working undercover. Sara had asked her confidante to help her in succeeding in this ‘magnificent project’ which would be like in the ‘United States in 2011’. She cited a well-known Belgian jihadist and said, “What does it matter if your body is blown up into pieces, Allah will resurrect you”.

Thomas had been under house arrest at his father’s home in the Ardennes from December 2015 to December 2016. It was an administrative action taken under the post-terrorist state of emergency of 13 November 2015, after he unsuccessfully tried to leave for the Iraqi-Syrian zone.

Once they were taken in custody, Sara said she knew she was going to marry someone who would kill people. She said she was proud of what he was going to do, i.e. blow up the Eiffel Tower. She wanted to be the widow of a man ‘who would go down in history’. They had thought of other places as targets too, like the Louvre, but zeroed in on Eiffel Tower.

Read: Sri Lankan suicide bomber’s wife was a devout Hindu who was converted and radicalised, reveals a report by Tamil media

Thomas and Sara, aged 23 and 18 now, are now referred to Juvenile Assize Court for “criminal terrorist criminal conspiracy” and “making explosives in connection with a terrorist enterprise,” reports Le Parisien. A third suspect, one 33-year-old Malik, will also be presented before the court as their ‘mentor’. Three other suspects will also be present who were allegedly involved in a parallel terrorist project.

Malik was to bring the final fatal blow to the Eiffel Tower while others would help in diverting attention and some would shoot the security personnel who would intervene. Sara was to then be taken to her ‘sisters’ and flee.

Thomas had thought the project would be tough, but decided to go ahead with it to woo Sara, with whom he was very much in love.

If they are charged, the couple faces 30 years of criminal imprisonment. Thomas, still in love, wrote to Sara about the engagement and his desire to continue the relationship. He does not want to live in France but wants to move to Saudi Arabia. Sara seems to have ended her relationship with Thomas from her side and graduated with honors. Her mother says that she regrets what happened. Sara’s mother says Sara is now involved in humanitarian work and is trying to build a future, with the support of educators, psychologists and her family. She says religion is no longer a great importance in her life.

The Hindu and Sonia Gandhi’s NAC member Jean Dreze join hands to spread lies about Modi govt’s maternity schemes

S. Sudhir Kumar
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The Hindu and Sonia Gandhi’s NAC member Jean Dreze join hands to spread lies about Modi govt’s maternity schemes

“Maternity scheme reaches only one-third of beneficiaries”, screamed a headline in The Hindu today. One-third = 33% in normal parlance. And right in the middle of that story, The Hindu puts a graph. The graph tells us “Only about 61% of mothers enrolled received their total entitlement of INR 6000”.

Article in The Hindu

It is therefore quite natural for one to get curious to understand if the headline is dubious or the graph is. So I read the whole story, but I was further confused. Because the report uses many numbers (perhaps to confuse the reader). For example, they write that the “scheme failed to reach at least 49% of all mothers who would have delivered their first child”, and therefore “the scheme was able to benefit only 31% of its intended beneficiaries”.

Enter Jean Dreze, the famed member of Sonia Gandhi’s NAC, to help clear this confusion. The Hindu published an op-ed by Jean Dreze today itself– “The mother of non-issues”.

Read: Former Sonia’s man Jean Dreze holds a meeting without permission despite Model Code of Conduct, released after being detained

This op-ed article expands vastly on the study, graph and dubious headline of the earlier article. Let me summarize the numbers presented in both articles so that we get clarity on the dubious headlines.

  1. Jean Dreze estimates that the annual number of births in India is = 270 lakhs (2.7 crores)
  2. Jean Dreze then tells us that a “little less than half would be first births.”
  3. The report tells us that “a little less than half” = 123 lakhs (1.2 crores) first births.
  4. Both Jean Dreze’s op-ed and the article tell us that the Maternity scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, is intended to benefit all the 1.2 crore mothers!
  5. And in this 1.2 crores, the government was only able to reach a paltry 60 lakh mothers.
  6. Voila, the scheme has reached only 60 lakh mother (50%). Full instalments paid to only 38 lakhs (31%).

It didn’t occur to both the eminences writing the articles and the editors editing the articles that all the 1.2 crore mothers in the country would not be eligible for the scheme? I wonder why John Dreze and his ilk want the government of India to give Rs. 6000/- to mothers who can afford and get good medical care?

Read: The Hindu Chairman doubles up as judge, gives clean chit to Chidambaram at a Congress event, says ‘no evidence’ against him

Without even reading through the central government notification, I could easily tell that this scheme will be applicable to poor families only. A cursory reading of the guidelines of the ministry already tells us that both state and central government employees aren’t eligible for this scheme. In the two years that this scheme was implemented, it has reached 80 lakh mothers already!

The PMMVY scheme provides assistance of INR 2000 in three instalments. The scheme is primarily aimed at “Providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentive s so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child”. So in case, the baby is stillborn after the mother receives the first instalment, she is still eligible for the second and third instalment the next time she gets pregnant.

With all this information at hand, the truth is this:

  1. More than 90% of the mothers who enrolled for this scheme have received at least 1 instalment so far.
  2. More than 60% of the mothers who enrolled for this scheme have received *all three*installments so far.
  3. The Hindu provided a platform to dubious number extrapolators only to show the Narendra Modi government in a bad light.

These dubious extrapolators were called “researchers” and “development economists” by The Hindu. These “researchers don’t stop here. We are told by them that “Given the stipulated conditions, the scheme brings under its ambit 23% of all births and pays full benefits to a mere 14% of all births”.

Read: ‘The Hindu’ must apologise for carrying an article that insults martyrs of Indo-China war

Now, it is but natural for you to think if INR 6000/- is enough support. Of course not. That’s why we have “Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan” which provides “timely and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month.” Free of cost. That’s why we have free health screening camps at Anganwadi centres twice a year. That’s why we have Anganwadi centres in the first place too! We also have a “Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme” for working mothers!

The PMMVY scheme, that has been central to these two articles today, is solely aimed at providing financial assistance for firstborns only. The scheme, as intended, is reaching out to the beneficiaries. Jean Dreze complains about having to submit Aadhar details –“Aside from filling a long-form for each instalment, women have to submit a series of documents” He conveniently forgets that the linking of Aadhar has helped in the elimination of corruption at the middle-men levels! It is really amusing to see this ilk often complaining about the need to link Aadhar as the rightful means for beneficiaries to get their money!

While Jean Dreze is upset that this amount still isn’t in line with what he proposed in the Food Security Act, I love the ending paragraph of his op-ed though. He tells us that Odisha government’s scheme (Mamata) is awesome because – “88% of those eligible for Mamata benefits had applied, and 75% had received at least one of the two instalments.” If it’s awesome that Odisha could reach 75%, what adjective should we use for Government of India, which has reached >90% of the intended beneficiaries?.

Orthodox vs Jacobites in Kerala: Body of BSF Jawan not allowed inside Piravom church, funeral turns chaotic

OpIndia Staff
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Orthodox vs Jacobites in Kerala: Body of BSF Jawan not allowed inside Piravom church, funeral turns chaotic

The feud between the Jacobite and the Orthodox faction over the ownership and entry into Churches in Kerala seems to be getting worse over the period of time. Recently, the two factions once again came face to face after the Orthodox faction did not allow funeral rites of a BSF Jawan belonging to the Jacobite faction in Ernakulam on Monday.


As per a report in The News Minute, the family of Benoy Abraham, a recently martyred BSF jawan became the victim of this ongoing tussle between the two factions after the funeral rites of the jawan, hailing from Piravom of Ernakulam district in Kerala witnessed chaotic scenes as relatives of the jawan, who belong to Jacobite faction, tried to take his body inside the St Mary’s Church in Piravom.

Abraham died on Saturday in Rajasthan after the truck he was travelling in hit a private bus.

The church is at present under the control of Orthodox faction of the Malankara Church following a Supreme Court order. Though the Jacobite faction can bury their deceased in the St Mary’s church cemetery, the Orthodox faction claims the right to conduct funeral rites and hence, the jawan’s family were reportedly denied funeral service at the church.

Read: Kerala: Daughter blackmailed to join Orthodox Church to ensure decent burial ground for Jacobite Christian mother

Following the ensuing tussle between the two factions, the police officials posted at the church asked the family to leave. After the jawan’s wife pleaded with the police that they let her husband’s body be kept inside the church for a few minutes, the police allowed the family to do so. The funeral rites were eventually held in another church belonging to the Jacobite faction.

“As per the SC order, St Mary’s Church, which was earlier under the aegis of Jacobites is now under the Orthodox faction’s control. The funeral rites of the jawan were held in another church on Monday. But as per the request of the jawan’s family through police mediation, the priest of St Mary’s Church agreed to bury his body at the church’s cemetery. But things went out of control as the Jacobite faction forcibly tried to carry the body inside St Mary’s Church,” an official at Piravom police station told The News Minute.

This is, however, not the first time. There have been several such cases of fights over burials of believers between the two factions. In such instances, the bodies of the deceased are kept frozen for days together as the family struggles to get them buried.

Earlier this month, a 91-year-old deceased woman was denied burial rights after a difference of opinion erupted between the members of the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Jacobite Syrian Church over their right to conduct the rituals of the deceased.

Read: Kerala: Orthodox-Jacobite Church fight over burial ritual, family donates body to Ayurveda medical college

Reportedly, the police officers and revenue officials blocked the funeral procession 100 metres from the church after the Orthodox faction opposed the burial at the church cemetery.

MHA responds to question about Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar, says no formal recommendation needed for it

OpIndia Staff
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MHA responds to question about Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar, says no formal recommendation needed for it

Responding to the Lok Sabha question raised by the BJP MP from Mumbai North, Gopal Shetty, about the steps taken by the government to confer Bharat Ratna upon great revolutionary Veer Savarkar, the Home Ministry said, “no formal recommendation for granting Bharat Ratna is required, the decision is taken from time to time”.


Shetty had sought details of steps taken by the government to confer Bharat Ratna on freedom fighter Veer Savarkar and whether the government has received representations from the public representatives over it.

Nityanand Rai from the Ministry of Hime Affairs issued a reply saying, “Recommendations for Bharat Ratna are routinely received from several quarters, however, no formal recommendation for this award is necessary. The decision regarding the award of Bharat Ratna is taken from time to time.”

In the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP had proposed Bharat Ratna for Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar. The election manifesto released by the Maharashtra BJP unit said that it will ask the NDA government at the centre to confer the highest civilian award of the country on Savarkar.

Read: The real reason why Congress opposes a Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar is much more fundamental than mere politics

Congress, on the other hand, was derisive in condemning BJP’s demand to grant Savarkar a Bharat Ratna. Congress leader Manish Tewari said, “If on the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this government thinks of conferring Bharat Ratna on Veer Savarkar, then all I can say is God save this country.”

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