As the political drama over formation of the next state government in Maharashtra continues, State Secretary of NCP Youth Ashish Mete posted a very controversial tweet regarding the matter attacking PM Modi, but later deleted it. In the tweet, Mete compared Narendra Modi with Ajmal Kasab, the lone Pakistani terrorist caught alive after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Screenshot of now deleted tweet of Ashish Mete
Ashish Mete posted the tweet in Marathi, translation of which would be, ‘even though Kasab burnt down the CST station, he had to cry because Tukaram Ombale fought with him. Just like that even after winning India, Modi is crying but Sharad Pawar with 54 seats is overpowering him’. In the shocking tweet, the NCP leader was comparing the situation of PM Narendra Modi with terrorist Ajmal Kasab who was hanged in 2012.
जिंकुन देखील भारत सारा
नरेंद्र मोदी रडला होता
कारण १०५ जागा जिंकुन सुद्धा
त्याला ५४ जागा जिंकणारा
शरद पवार नडला होता ।।
But later he deleted the tweet, and posted another tweet with the same message but dropping the Kasab reference. The new Tweet in Marathi says, ‘even after winning entire India, Modi is crying, because although he won 105 seats, Sharad Pawar is overpowering him with 54 seats.
Mete’s claim that Pawar is winning despite winning around half the number of seats won by BJP is contrary to the official position of NCP. The party has been maintaining that it has not won the mandate in Maharashtra, and the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance should form the government. Yesterday Sharad Pawar had reiterated the party position saying that the NCP-Congress alliance will not make any attempts to form a government in Maharashtra. “I don’t have anything to say yet. BJP and Shiv Sena have got the mandate of people, so they should form the government as soon as possible. Our mandate is to play the role of Opposition,” Sharad Pawar had said.
Although the results for Maharashtra assembly elections were announced on 24th October, no government has been formed yet as the winning NDA alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in a stalemate over the power-sharing formula. In the elections, BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 105 seats, its partner Shiv Sena won 56 seats, while NCP and Congress won 54 and 44 seats respectively. But Shiv Sena is insisting on a 50:50 power-sharing formula and CMs from both the parties for 2.5 years each, which BJP is not agreeing to. Therefore, it is Shiv Sena which is creating a hurdle for Devendra Fadnavis in becoming the Maharashtra CM again, not NCP.
A 7-page advisory has been issued by the Railway Police on Thursday to all its zones, asking them to strengthen security measures ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case. The Railways have reportedly cancelled the leaves of the RPF personnel and directed them to escort the trains.
The advisory encompasses important facets such as security at railway stations, platforms, yards, parking spaces, bridges, tunnels, production units and workshops and listed down all the places where violence is likely to break out or could be used as a refuge for hiding arms and explosives.
The Railway Protection Force advisory has asked officials to keep tabs on all religious structures in proximity to railway stations or within its premises, as they have a potential to become “flash points” in case communal conflagration breaks out. The guardians of such structures have been strictly ordered to not leave the places unguarded.
About 78 major stations have been identified where the footfall is high and the security cover at those installations have been scaled up. These include Mumbai, Delhi, and other big stations.
Revoking their previous order which asked the railway stations to keep their lighting at 30 per cent and save electricity when there are no trains at the station, the advisory asked the railway stations to keep the lighting at 100 per cent at all times instead.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent additional 4000 paramilitary personnel for security arrangements in Uttar Pradesh, particularly Ayodhya.
A five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi had heard the Ayodhya case on a day-to-day basis for 40 days and reserved its verdict on October 16. The court is expected to deliver its verdict on a dispute over the possession of 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya district in Uttar Pradesh before November 17, when CJI Gogoi retires.
Police forces in Uttar Pradesh and other states too have been put on alert ahead of the verdict. Section 144 has already been imposed in the areas surrounding the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.
A plush cafe in Pune, Maharashtra became famous on the internet overnight, but for the wrong reasons. Cafe BeHive located in the Hinjewadi area of Pune has been in the news ever since a woman visitor took to social media to narrate how she discovered a hidden camera inside the ladies washroom of the cafe.
One Nandini Dhingra took to her Instagram account to share her ordeal sharing an image of the hidden camera that she located inside Cafe BeHive’s washroom on November 3.
A hidden camera located in the washroom of Cafe BeHive in Pune
She wrote, “So we went to this place called BeHive Cafe in Pune. We found a camera fitted inside a women’s washroom. On addressing this issue to management, they asked us to wait outside and the camera was gone within 10 minutes.”
Nandini Dhingra’ Instagram post
The woman alleged that while she questioned the management, they attempted to bribe her: “Complaining to management was of no use it seems because excellent staff there kept on making excuses about finding culprit and the phone camera but no efforts were made. On being repeatedly asked and ruckus been made in the cafe, the manager tried to bribe us by saying, ‘What do you guys want?’ The phone and the culprit dammit! Excellent support Behiveindia.”
The women also wrote that the cafe got her reviews deleted from Zomato without her permission. “This has gone to the next level. I request all of you not to ignore this message and create awareness on social media,” urged the victim.
This news created a flutter on social media with angry Twitter users criticising the cafe and questioning the safety of women in such cafes. Bollywood actor Richa Chadha calling it the limit of perversion asked others to retweet this message widely and urged that the perpetrators should be immediately brought to book.
Have deleted my previous tweet, as someone pointed out a mistake. Behive, Hinjewadi was filming women in the ladies toilet. This is the limit of perversion. They have to be brought to book. RT widely. @PuneCityPolicepic.twitter.com/sPW7lWLSYS
Meanwhile, the Pune Police taking cognizance of the issue Tweeted that since this matter falls under the jurisdiction of Pimpri Chinchwad Police, they have been informed and necessary action would be taken soon.
The looming verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi Case will potentially conclude a centuries-year old aspiration of Hindus to reclaim the land of Ayodhya. Over the centuries, numerous efforts have been made to take back the sacred site for Hindus which was under the rule of the Jihadist barbarians.
However, due to unavoidable circumstances, often a consequence of fate or misfortune, reclamation of Ram Janmabhoomi proved to be evasive. But throughout the many wars that Hindu empires have waged, the holy land of Ayodhya and the sacred sites of Mathura and Kashi always featured prominently in the plans of those who aspired for Hindavi Swarajya. In this article, we shall show that the three sites always remained in the plans of the Maratha Empire.
Maratha Plans to Take Control of Ayodhya, Prayag and Banaras
During Safdar Jung’s second war against the Pathans in 1751-52, the Marathas had cooperated with him after they were invited and after his victory at Fatehgarh, Holkar had requested that the three holy sites be handed over to the Peshwa. But at the time, the request could not be granted in its entirety. Therefore, the Empire had to satisfy itself with other riches, which they were given in plenty. Moreover, the Marathas were playing a ‘double game’ of their own. They frustrated Safdar Jung even though they were aiding him and prevented the Pathans from inevitable ruin. The objective was to ensure that only the Marathas emerged as the sole winners in this whole fight.
Historian A.L. Srivastava in his book The First Two Nawabs of Awadh describes the situation thus: In addition to acquiring karores worth booty and half the Bangash territory and their daily expenses from Safdar Jung, they exacted fifty lakhs of rupees from Ahmad Khan Bangash and Sadulla Khan Ruhella, not as war indemnity as the historian Sardesai suggests, but as price for having secured for them such favourable terms, while the Nawab Wazir “had no more than the empty gratification of having humbled the enemy.”
Book excerpt of The First Two Nawabs of Awadh
Malhar Rao Holkar, one of the generals under the Peshwa, reached Kashi with a significant army during this time. Once there, he wanted to demolish the Gyanvapi Mosque built by Aurangzeb and reconstruct the ancient Temple at the site. However, he was dissuaded from doing so by the people of Kashi who argued that the Islamic barbarians were too strong in the region and once the Marathas left, they would be massacred.
Why the Gyanvapi Mosque Survived
GS Sardesai in his book New History of the Marathas notes, “The object of the Marathas in all these undertakings was both religious and political. They particularly intended to get the holy places of Prayag and Kashi back into Hindu possession.” In the same book, he notes a letter written by a Maratha agent on the 18th of June, 1751 as saying, “Malharrao has pitched his monsoon camp in the Doab. He intended to pull down the grand Masjid built by Aurangzeb at Benares and restore the original temple of Kashi Vishveshwar. The Brahmans of Kashi feel extremely terrified at such a move for they realise the Muslim strength in these places. What the holy Ganges and protector Vishveshwar can ordain will come true. The Brahmans are going to send a strong appeal to the Peshwa against any such attempt by his Sardars.”
Benaras, Allahabad, Ayodhya: The Peshwa’s Letters
The three places again find mention in a letter to Dattaji Shinde by Peshwa Balaji Rao in 1759. The message was conveyed through Ramaji Anant, the ‘manager’ of the Scindias. He says in the letter, “There are two or three undertakings to be achieved in connection with Shuja-ud-Daulah. Take Benaras, Ayodhya and Allahabad bad from him. He had promised to Dada (in 1757) to cede Benaras and Ayodhya but the case of Allahabad is still under discussion. If a settlement on the last question can be easily reached, make it.”
Another letter a few months later between the same set of correspondents mentions the Holy sites with the exception of Ayodhya. It says, “Camp at Delhi for this monsoon and proceed eastwards later. While in Delhi, arrest that corrupt Antaji Mankeshwar and send him to Pune at once. While proceeding eastwards, make sure that Meerut province is enlisted under the domain of the government (emperor of Satara OR the Pune executive). If Antaji cooperates and turns himself in, make his son a hazaari sardar (chief of 1000 horses). Remember that Najib is a traitor and half Abdali. Do not waste time negotiating with him. If possible unite Shuja and Surajmal against Najib and acquire at least 30 lakhs from the spoils for us. But ensure that Jat and Shuja do not become too friendly with each other. Hence keep the Mughal Vazir as friend.”
The Peshwa then adds, “Finally, I repeat, keep the Mughal vazir as your friend as far as possible, above all others. Only if he starts reneging the contract, then replace him with Shuja in exchange of good profit. But take charge of Kashi, Mathura and Prayag in our hands at all costs.”
Thus, we see that the Peshwa was very concerned with the reclamation of the Hindu Holy Sites.
Why couldn’t the Marathas complete the Reclamation Project?
Thus, we see that between 1751 to 1759, reclamation of the sacred sites was indeed a priority for the Marathas. And there’s sufficient indication that Sadashiv Bhau who led the Maratha forces in the third battle of Panipat received instructions regarding the same as well. However, the defeat that the Marathas suffered at the war in 1761 thwarted their plans and although they sprung back from the defeat within the next ten years, the balance of power had altered significantly with the rise of the British.
It is important to understand here that the Marathas projected their power from the Deccan. Therefore, at that point of time, they did not exert control over the Gangetic Plain. @ArmchairPseph, a Twitter handle with significant knowledge on these matters, argues that control over this region was essential towards the reclamation project. He says, “In the North, the Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal still held out versus the Marathas. Thus, given the Maratha armies were based further South, while they could project power into the Gangetic plain, reclaiming the sacred sites on a secure basis was not yet possible. They did not control the state structure, and thus would be unable to protect the reconstructed temples as well as Hindus in the sacred cities once their armies withdrew back to their bases. Thus, securing the Gangetic plain was necessary before the sacred sites could be reclaimed.”
And as the incident in Kashi demonstrated, Malhar Rao Holkar had to restrain himself from levelling the Gyanvapi as the Marathas did not exert enough influence in the region. If they pursued any such actions, Hindus in the region would have suffered. Even if the three sacred sites had been transferred to the Peshwa, until Maratha power in the region had been consolidated, they wouldn’t have been free to pursue their preferred policies. Thus, although reclamation of the sites was certainly in their minds, circumstances weren’t favourable for it.
Ahilyabai Holkar
That religion figured prominently in the political outlook of the Marathas is most evident, perhaps, from the glorious reign of Ahilyabai Holkar, the daughter-in-law of Malhar Rao Holkar, who became a ruler by her own right in Malwa 1767 as the power of the Peshwas declined significantly post the third battle of Panipat. It was she who built the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, as it stands today, in 1780.
The Ramachandra temple in Puri, Hanuman temple in Rameshwaram, Shri Vaidyanath temple in Parli Vaijnath and the Sarayu Ghat in Ayodhya, Kedarnath, Ujjain and numerous other sites have the unalterable mark of Ahilyabai Holkar. The Somnath Temple, which has suffered numerous blows over the years, was restored by all the Maratha Confederates in 1783 with significant contribution from her.
The Marathas never reached a point where they could reclaim the sites without adverse consequences for Hindus as well as their own political power and the tides of time have flown by since then. For them, Ram Janmabhoomi remained a dream unfulfilled. And thus, after all these years, we stand at the precipice of history with the potential of realizing an elusive goal that has evaded our ancestors for centuries.
On Thursday, Rajasthan police arrested two Indian Army personnel who were involved in a honey-trap, posted at Pokhran in Jaiselmer district, for allegedly leaking classified and sensitive information via Facebook and Whatsapp.
The two soldiers, namely, Lance Naik Ravi Verma and Sepoy Vichitra Behera, who has been taken into custody by the Indian intelligence agencies at Jodhpur railway station had reportedly been caught in a honeytrap by Pakistan’s ISI.
Army Sources: Two Indian Army personnel including Lance Naik Ravi Verma and Sepoy Vichitra Behera have been arrested by Rajasthan Police after they were virtually honeytrapped by Pakistani intelligence operatives over social media. (1/3)
Confirming that both have fallen prey to a honeytrap, Umesh Mishra, Additional Director General of Rajasthan Intelligence said that both have been detained and investigation has been initiated after strong evidence was found. “We have detained two army jawans for their involvement in spying activities. They were deployed at an army unit in Pokhran. They were honey-trapped by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI and were sending information across the border through different social media platforms” ADF police (Intelligence ) Umesh Mishra said.
The agencies are enquiring about the handlers modus operandi and their purported links with India. During investigations, it has emerged that the two personnel were involved with one Facebook ID with the name of ‘Seerat’ that was posing as a woman to honey-trap the two jawans.
Army Sources: In the investigation, it has emerged that the two personnel were involved with one Facebook ID with the name of ‘Seerat’ that was posing as a woman to honey-trap the two jawans. (2/3) https://t.co/JNs4sqzoKu
Lance Naik of 12 Guards, Ravi Varma of Madhya Pradesh and cook Vichitra Behera, Odisha resident, lived alone in Pokharan. They got introduced to the woman on Facebook. According to the information, both the soldiers who were honey-trapped for the last year and a half had been sending sensitive information to Pakistan through Facebook and WhatsApp.
Even while the woman Pakistan ISI handler was in Pakistan she managed to trick the jawans as she firstly used VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) with a strong Punjabi accent and secondly she called the soldiers from an Indian number, which allegedly misled the accused personnel and deliberated them from sparing tactical information.
Some of the information was regarding army deployment, equipment and manoeuvres etc. in lieu of which the jawans received a sum of Rs 5000 in their respective accounts, investigations have revealed.
The Army has, however, decided to remain tight-lipped on this case of honey-trap. “We don’t have anything to say on this,” said Col. Shombit Ghosh, PRO defence, South Western Command.
‘Honey Trapping’ is a commonly used technique practised for very long by spy agencies to extract sensitive information. In July, Army jawan Ravinder allegedly leaked information regarding weapons used by his unit and their specific locations to a foreign woman via Facebook. He had also allegedly received money from the said woman in the past.
According to reports, 13 serving and retired defence personnel had been arrested for allegedly spying for the ISI or being part of its espionage racket in recent years.
In June, the Army intelligence has issued an advisory to army personnel against an Instagram profile ‘Oyesomya’ who is suspected of being an enemy spy trying to target army officers and special forces’ troops.
In another case, Rajasthan Police had arrested one Army jawan on charges of espionage in Jaiselmer. After interrogations, it was revealed that he was in touch with the Pakistani ISI operatives through social media.
In December, the Intelligence Bureau had said that Chinese and Pakistani girls being used by ISI to ‘honey trap’ Indian officials. Last year, an engineer working at the Brahmos Aerospace facility was also booked for alleged leaking of information to suspected individuals via social media.
Taking a cue from the legendary character of Tara Singh of the Bollywood film Gadar, controversial Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has written a letter to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, stating that even if central government does not give him permission, he will go to Pakistan.
Sidhu seeks permission from central government for visiting Kartarpur corridor
Sidhu had applied for permission for visiting Pakistan for the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor. Sidhu lamented in the letter that despite sending repeated reminders for seeking permission to travel to Pakistan, he has not received any communication from the External Affairs Ministry.
“The delay and no response is a hindrance to my future course of action. I categorically state that if the government has any inhibitions and say no then, as a law-abiding citizen, I will not go. But if you do not respond to my third letter, then I will proceed to Pakistan like millions of Sikh devotees go on eligible Visa,” Sidhu said.
This reminds one of the resolute determination exhibited by Tara Singh from the movie Gadar, in which actor Sunny Deol, playing Tara Singh, travels to Pakistan against significant odds to get his wife(Ameesha Patel) back to India. Ameesha Patel is held up in Pakistan against her wishes by her family who is attempting for her re-marriage in Pakistan. In the pursuit to get his wife back, a tenacious Tara Singh scares the bejesus out of thousands of Pakistanis by uprooting a hand-pump and consequently thwacks scores of Pakistanis trying to stop him from taking his wife back to India.
Tara Singh uprooting handpump in Pakistan in film Gadar – Ek Prem Katha
Meanwhile, MEA has said that Kartarpur inauguration is a historic event and should not highlight one individual. Responding to question on Sidhu’s reminder, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that they cannot afford to focus on an individual traveller.
Sidhu has displayed remarkable alacrity in desiring to visit Pakistan. Even during the foundation stone ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, Sidhu champed at the bit of visiting Pakistan as soon as he received an invitation for the same from Pakistan PM Imran Khan. This was against the wishes of Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh, who had advised him to not visit Pakistan, claiming it might be a ruse by Pakistan to revive Khalistani terrorism. However, Sidhu did not heed his advice and enthusiastically proceeded to Pakistan.
Update: According to the latest report, at last the union government has granted political clearance to Sidhu.
Sources: Political clearance has been granted to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu to travel through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 9th November. pic.twitter.com/vVfQexF5hz
News agency ANI reported that the Ministry of External Affairs has granted Navjot Singh Sidhu political clearance to travel through Kararpur Sahib Corridor on 9th November.
The governor of Andhra Pradesh Biswabhusan Harichandan has ordered an investigation into the alleged ‘job scam’ that was supposedly done by an outsourcing agency on the claim of offering jobs in Raj Bhavan.
The Andhra government had tasked the outsourcing agency M/s Sumathi Corporate Services Pvt Limited with the responsibility of recruiting staffs for the Protocol department on an outsourcing basis. But it soon came to the fore that the agency had collected large sums of money from the job seekers while assuring them that their jobs will be permanent.
The press release stated that a complaint was received by the Raj Bhavan authorities that illicit demand for money was made and collected by the supervisors of the outsourcing agency M/s Sumati Corporate Services Pvt Ltd in collusion with some protocol staff and other people for placing their services in the newly formed Raj Bhavan as Attenders, Receptionist, Office Sub-ordinate, etc.
The press release further added that the committee led by the Secretary to Governor have come to the conclusion that money has been demanded and collected from 9 outsourcing employees by the supervisory staff in connivance with some other people insuring them permanent jobs in the Raj Bhavan vacancies.
According to the sources, the agency had allegedly garnered bribes of Rs 70,000 to Rs 5 lakh for the jobs. In totality, Rs 17.85 lakhs was collected from 9 members for posts of receptionists, attenders, helpers and assistants.
The Governor has directed the Police Commissioner of Vijaywada Dwaraka Tirumala Rao to initiate immediate legal and criminal action against the agency and individuals responsible for this illegal act.
Police are conducting a probe into the alleged job scam. It has registered cases against the culprits under different sections of the IPC including 408, 420, 384, 506 and 120(B).
The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has decided to sack seven Provincial Police Service (PPS) officers on charges of corruption. As per reports, there were charges of corruption on these officers.
Reportedly, the Yogi Adityanath government dismissed all the seven officers after the findings of the screening committee report and they were given mandatory retirement. The order for the retirement of these officers, all above the age of 50, was issued on Thursday.
The officers who are forced to retire for their involvement in corrupt activities are – Arun Kumar, (Assistant Commandant of 15th Battalion PAC Agra), Vinod Kumar Rana, (Deputy Superintendent of Police Faizabad), Narendra Singh Rana, (Deputy Superintendent of Police Agra) and Ratan Kumar Yadav, (Assistant Commandant of 33rd Corps PSC of Jhansi), Tejveer Singh Yadav, (Assistant Commandant of 27th Corps PAC Jhansi), Santosh Singh, (divisional officer Moradabad) and Tanveer Ahmed Khan, (Assistant Commandant 30th Vahini, Gonda).
Earlier, Chief Minister Adityanath had warned on several occasions that officers who do not perform or have been found guilty of corruption are free to quit or will be compulsorily retired.
Yogi Adityanath’s government in Uttar Pradesh has been strict over action against corruption and inefficiency that had struck the state for decades. In the drive against corruption, the UP government had warned over 400 corrupt officials of severe punishment and decided to give early retirement to around 200 employees. Nearly 200 employees in 29 of the 72 departments were sacked by July this year.
In an earlier incident, the Uttar Pradesh government had registered FIR against more than a dozen policemen. In June this year, an FIR had been lodged against a dozen other cops over charges of corruption and misbehaviour. The cops were also suspended from duty, according to a statement released by the DGP headquarters in Lucknow.
According to the Public Relation Officer (PRO) to Uttar Pradesh DGP, nearly 192 cops have been suspended, 400 transferred, 40 booked and a probe has been ordered against 400 policemen on the basis of complaints received through social media.
The Bahujan Samaj Party has rejected Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad’s appeal to party president Mayawati to join hands with him to fight the Bhartiya Janata Party.
Reportedly, a senior party functionary termed a letter written by Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad to Mayawati as a ‘ploy to create confusion among Dalits’. He added that the BSP has already launched an awareness campaign in the Dalit-dominated areas in Uttar Pradesh to counter the Bhim Army’s propaganda.
Reportedly, the state and district unit leaders of the party have been directed to make the party cadres aware of Chandra Shekhar’s alleged plan to divide Dalits at the BJP’s instance.
The BSP leader said that Mayawati was the tallest Dalit leader who had not only devoted her life to the uplift of Dalits but also the members of the community considered her as their role model.
Mayawati had already stated that if the Bhim Army leadership or other Dalit organizations were really interested in the empowerment of the community, they should work under the banner of the BSP to take forward the movement launched by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram, he added.
After his release from his arrest over the agitations during the Ravidas Temple incident, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad had extended a hand of friendship towards BSP supremo Mayawati asking her to come together to fight against the BJP.
Chandrashekhar, who refers to Mayawati as ‘Bua’ or aunt, had written an open letter to Mayawati asking her to join him in a discussion over strengthening the Bahujan movement to fight the incumbent BJP government for its alleged anti-Dalit policies.
In a four-page letter addressed to the BSP chief, Chandrashekhar had written about the important “political turn” the country is allegedly going through, where “communal and casteist powers are rampant.”
“The BJP has formed government in 2014 and then in 2019 and it is a clear indication that its power has increased. Barring South India, the BJP is in a strong position elsewhere, even in Uttar Pradesh which was considered as a stronghold of Bahujan movement once,” the letter read.
Just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati had lashed out at Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Twitter calling him a BJP mole. She had alleged that Chandrashekhar contesting from Varanasi seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is a BJP conspiracy to divide the Dalit vote and take advantage.
Mamata Banerjee on 7th November had raised a hue and cry and questioned the Modi government over why the JEE-Main exam is conducted only in Gujarati. She asked the Modi government to explain why only Gujarati was being allowed and not other regional languages. Now, the National Testing Agency, which is an Indian government agency that has been approved by the Union Council of Ministers to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions, has issued a clarification and busted Mamata Banerjee’s propaganda.
In a Tweet, Mamata Banerjee had said, “I love Gujarati language. But, why have other regional languages been ignored? If Gujarati has to be there, then all regional languages including Bengali must be there…. Unless this issue is decided gracefully, there will be strong protests all around as sentiments of people who speak other regional languages would be deeply hurt due to this injustice”. In an overdramatic tweet, she had further said, “Our country is India, which is home to so many religions, cultures, languages, creeds and communities.… However, maligning all regions and regional languages is the intention of the government at the Centre…. Why injustice is being meted out to them?”.
However, Mamata Banerjee’s outburst has now been exposed to be mere propaganda. The National Testing Agency has clarified that JEE-Main started in 2013 with an idea of all states admitting their engineering students through this test. The NTA clarification said:
“The request was sent to all the States in the year 2013 itself. Only the Gujarat State agreed to admit their candidates in State Engineering Colleges of Gujarat through JEE (Main) and requested that the JEE (Main) paper be made available in the Gujarati language. Further, in 2014 Maharashtra State also opted for admitting the Engineering candidates in the State Engineering Colleges through JEE (Main). The Maharashtra State requested to provide the question paper in the language of Marathi and Urdu”.
Further, the clarification read:
In the year 2016, both these States withdrew the admission to the State Engineering Colleges through JEE (Main). Therefore, the translation in Marathi and Urdu language was stopped. However, the translation of JEE (Main) question paper in the Gujarati language continued on the request of Gujarat State. None of the other States has approached NTA to provide the JEE (Main) question paper in any other Indian National Language.
Essentially, the NTA has clarified that while Mamata Banerjee is insinuating bias of the Modi government against all regional languages other than Gujarati, the truth is that Mamata Banerjee herself never agreed to the JEE-Main request for the exam to be conducted in Bengali or any other language that might be needed for the state of West Bengal.
In fact, multiple media reports have indicated that NTA may discontinue Gujarati as a regional language for JEE Main altogether and hold the examinations only in English and Hindi from 2021 onwards.
“The advisory committee of the JEE-Main has decided to drop Gujarati as a medium for question papers from January 2021. The questions will be available in Hindi and English only,” The Telegraph quoted an official of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
