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NDTV journalist apologises for being uncouth and screaming at ISRO scientist after Vikram Lander lost signal

OpIndia Staff
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NDTV journalist apologises for being uncouth and screaming at ISRO scientist after Vikram Lander lost signal

Chandrayaan-2’s landing module had gone silent after Vikram the lander was merely 2 KMs from the landing surface of the moon. At 2:40 AM, ISRO chief K Sivan announced “Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed upto an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, the communications from the lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analyzed”.

During the media interaction after the mission had met with a glitch, an NDTV journalist was seen screaming at the ISRO scientist who was interacting with the media. Pallava Bagla, the NDTV journalist demanded that ISRO chief K Sivan be personally present for the media briefing. Not just this, he even went ahead to call the scientist a “junior scientist” in an effort to grandstand.

After widespread condemnation for the NDTV journalist’s uncouth behaviour, Pallava Bagla has now taken to Twitter to apologise for his conduct to ISRO scientist.

Pallava Bagla wrote, “My sincere and heartfelt apologies to Mr D P Karnik, for having inadvertently raised my voice to ask a question in the media room last night. I have sought apologies from him personally and this is to let the larger community know I have tremendous respect for ISRO”.


He further said, “I have tremendous respect for ISRO which I have often described as an ‘Island of Excellence’. Sorry, guys, my behaviour did not conform with my own standards or the organisation I work for. It won’t happen again. Pardon me @isro“. 


However, most people were not in the mood to accept his apology. The scientists were visibly distraught after Chandrayaan-2 met with a landing glitch and for a journalist to scream at the scientists because he wanted the ISRO chief to interact with the media was the epitome of arrogance and entitlement, something NDTV journalists are no aliens to. Perhaps what was worse was Bagla calling Mr D P Karnik a “junior scientist” as if the whims and fancies of NDTV journalists could only be catered to by the Chief himself.

There are no failures in science, only efforts and experiments: PM Modi to ISRO scientists

OpIndia Staff
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There are no failures in science, only efforts and experiments: PM Modi to ISRO scientists

India’s Chandrayan 2 mission saw a setback last night as the Vikram lander lost communication with mission control when it was just 2.1 kilometres away from landing on the lunar south pole. PM Modi, who had left the Mission Control venue last night after being briefed by ISRO chief, arrived in the morning today to address the scientists of ISRO.

PM Modi said to the ISRO scientists that they are the people who fight, live, win for mother India and dedicate their lives and dreams for mother India. He added that he could see the sadness in the eyes of the scientists last night and hence he had left without saying anything.


PM Modi stated that we came very close, but we still need to cover more ground in the times to come. He added, “Every single Indian is filled with a spirit of pride as well as confidence. We are proud of our space programme, our scientists, their hard work and determination which has ensured a better life not only for Indian citizens but also for people in other countries. Millions of people have access to a better lifestyle, healthcare and opportunities because of the scientists at ISRO.”

Reassuring the scientists that India will not back down after an initial setback, PM Modi added that when it comes to our space programme, the best is yet to come. “There are new frontiers to discover and new places to go to. We will rise to the occasion. To our scientists, I want to say, India is with you. You are exceptional, you have made an incredible contribution to India’s progress, you have given us your best and you will give us several more opportunities to smile”, said the PM.

“Aap log makkhan pe nahi, Patthar par lakeer kheechne wale log hain”, PM Modi said, “You ventured where no one have ventured before”. PM Modi also thanked the family members of the scientists for their sacrifices and support.

“Resilience and tenacity are central to our ethos. In our glorious history of several thousand years, we have faced a number of moments that may have slowed us, but have never vanquished our spirit. We have bounced back again and have gone on to do spectacular things. This is the reason our civilisation stands tall”, said the PM.

PM Modi further added, “I can proudly say that the efforts were worth it and so was the journey. We worked hard and travelled far, and those teachings will always be with us. We will one day look back at our journey with great satisfaction. The journey will make us stronger and better. ISRO itself is an example of a civilisation that has never called it quits.”

“Every struggle, every difficulty and every challenge teaches us something new, enables us to strengthen our efforts. Science is the best teacher of knowledge. There are no ‘failures’ in science, there are only experiments and efforts. Every effort lays the foundations of new possibilities and makes us realise the power of our limitless potential. The final phase of the Chandrayan mission may not have been as per our expectations, but please remember that the journey has been glorious and full of life.”

PM Modi asserted that throughout the journey, the entire nation has been proud and happy. Even now, our orbiter is moving around the moon in all its glory, without a glitch.

PM Modi reminded the scientists that it is due to their efforts that India is now among global space powers. “It was you who have reached Mars on their first effort. It was our Chandrayan that informed the world that there is water on the moon. We had launched over 100 satellites together. When ISRO has an entire encyclopedia of success, a couple of setbacks cannot take us out of trajectory”.

PM Modi cited a phrase from the Upanishads, “Vayam Amrutasya Putrah (we are the children of immortality) and there are no failures for us.” PM Modi added that being satisfied or dejected by results is against the very nature of science. He added that continuous efforts are the inherent quality of science and science even searches for new opportunities for fresh efforts from every result. He emphasised that this inherent quality is in the blood of the scientists and that is why the nation trusts and feels proud of them.

PM Modi concluded by saying that he has not come there to advise them but has come to seek inspiration from the stalwarts who turn dreams into realisation and disappointments into victories. PM Modi’s full address at ISRO headquarters can be accessed here.

Watch: ISRO Chief K Sivan breaks down after Vikram Lander loses contact, PM Modi embraces and consoles him

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: ISRO Chief K Sivan breaks down after Vikram Lander loses contact, PM Modi embraces and consoles him

n the wee hours of the night, the nation sat glued to their television sets in anticipation. Chandrayaan-2’s landing module had gone silent after Vikram the lander, went silent when it was merely 2 KMs from the landing surface of the moon. At 2:40 AM, ISRO chief K Sivan announced “Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed upto an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, the communications from the lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analyzed”.

Moments before K Sivan made the announce, one could see the Prime Minister pat Sivan on his back. The stress was palpable on the faces and drooped shoulders of thee scientists who were awaiting a successful landing after 45 days of Chandrayaan’s travel.

After the moon landing glitch, ISRO Chief K Sivan could be seen breaking down, with moist eyes and a heavy heart. At that moment, Prime Minister Modi can be seen embracing K Sivan and consoling him.


Not just the ISRO Chief, even Prime Minister Modi appeared visibly upset as he consoled K Sivan, the ISRO Chief who had, along with his team, worked tirelessly for months to ensure Vikram lands on the lunar surface.

In his address to the nation, PM Modi had said we will rise to the occasion and reach even newer heights of success. He said, “To our scientists, I want to say – India is with you.”

PM Modi had earlier tweeted, “India is proud of our scientists! They’ve given their best & have always made India proud. These are moments to be courageous, & courageous we will be! Chairman ISRO gave updates on Chandrayaan-2. We remain hopeful & will continue working hard on our space programme”.

As ISRO loses contact with Vikram Lander, NDTV journalist arrogantly yells at scientist

OpIndia Staff
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As ISRO loses contact with Vikram Lander, NDTV journalist arrogantly yells at scientist

In the wee hours of the night, the nation sat glued to their television sets in anticipation. Chandrayaan-2’s landing module had gone silent after Vikram the lander, went silent when it was merely 2 KMs from the landing surface of the moon. At 2:40 AM, ISRO chief K Sivan announced “Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed upto an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, the communications from the lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analyzed”.

Moments before K Sivan made the announce, one could see the Prime Minister pat Sivan on his back. The stress was palpable on the faces and drooped shoulders of thee scientists who were awaiting a successful landing after 45 days of Chandrayaan’s travel.

While the nation congratulated ISRO and the Prime Minister told the scientists that India’s resolve to touch the moon has only become stronger and that, after every setback, there is a new dawn, an NDTV journalist decided it was time to arrogantly scream at the scientists who were already going through enough.


In the video that has now gone viral, a journalist can be heard screaming arrogantly at the scientist who was interacting with the press. The journalist questions the scientist and asks why the ISRO chief was not present at the press meeting as it is a tradition that ‘when something goes wrong, the ISRO chief interacts with the media’. Taking his arrogance to the next level, he then says that the ISRO chief should be interacting with the media and “not someone junior”.

The scientist interacting with the press looks visibly distressed at the journalist’s uncouth behaviour.

It was later revealed that the journalist who was displaying uncouth behaviour was Pallava Bagla from NDTV.

Several people took to social media to express their ire at that behaviour displayed by the NDTV scribe.


In fact, some even pulled out a clip of Pallava Bagla displaying his ignorance while interviewing the ISRO chief.


In the video, it can be seen that Pallava Bagla was asking the ISRO chief how many astronauts are being sent up with Chandrayaan-2 and the ISRO chief patiently explains to Bagla that this is an automatic, unmanned mission and no astronauts are going to be sent up to space.

Ahmedabad based Assamese scientist excluded from NRC because he didn’t apply, journalists use it to propagate fake news

OpIndia Staff
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Ahmedabad based Assamese scientist excluded from NRC because he didn’t apply, journalists use it to propagate fake news

On September 3, North East based news portal NENow posted one news saying that Prominent scientist from Assam Jitendra Nath Goswami, who is an advisor of the Chandrayaan II Mission, and his family has been excluded from the recently published NRC in Assam.

Today this news has been widely circulated by several journalists, most of whom are against the NRC, to point out how flawed the NRC is.

India Today journalist exclaimed ‘wow, seriously’, while sharing the news.


Controversial journalist Suhasini Haidar also declared that “Chandrayaan advisor and family also off NRC list”.


Journalist Saikat Datta went one step ahead, claiming that Dr Jitendra Nath Goswami has been declared an illegal immigrant, as his name is missing from final NRC.


Trinamool Congress propagandist Garga Chatterjee declared that the advisor has been made non-citizen by anti-Bengali NRC.


Such messages were posted by many users on Twitter, who wanted to spread the message that even an ISRO advisor was not spared by the evil NRC, by quoting the NENow story. But all of the chose to deliberately ignore the details mentioned in the story.

According the report they are quoting, Goswamy told the media house, “We have been living in Ahmedabad for last 20 years. Perhaps we failed to do whatever was required for inclusion of our names in the NRC”. He also said that “we live in Ahmedabad and have voting rights in Ahmedabad. Since I have no plans to go back to Assam, I don’t think it will matter much”.

This quotes by Goswami himself shows how journalists are spreading misleading information. The National Register of Citizens is only applicable for residents of Assam, it is not yet applicable in rest of India. And for someone’s name to be included in it, they were required to complete certain formalities and documentation. Now Dr Goswami himself has said that he is living in Ahmedabad for 20 years, he is a voter in that city, and he has no plan to return to Assam. Therefore, he didn’t do what was required for inclusion of their names in NRC.

Jitendra Nath Goswami is the brother of Hitendra Nath Goswami, the speaker of the Assam Assembly. He has also informed media that his scientist brother did not apply for inclusion of his and his family members names in the NRC. “He is now a permanent resident of Gujarat where he along with his family has voting rights. My brother didn’t apply for inclusion of his name in the NRC list. Actually, he didn’t show any interest to apply for the NRC,” Hitendra Nath Goswami was quoted in an India Today report. The report confirmed that Jitendra Nath Goswami had opted not to apply for inclusion of their names in the NRC list.

Just because Dr Goswami’s name is not in NRC, he is not declared illegal as Saikat Datta claims, because is not residing in Assam. By that logic, as names of every Indian outside Assam are excluded from NRC, all of them should be declared illegal immigrant, but that is not the case.

Like all other government identification documents like Aadhaar card, Passport etc, people in Assam needed to apply for NRC and complete the formalities. If one does not apply for the same, their name will not be there in the NRC, just like they will not be issued Aadhaar or Passport if they do not apply. This does not show any flaw in the process, it just means that the person was not interested in the process.

Before working as an advisor in the Chandrayaan II mission, Dr Jitendra Nath Goswami was the chief Chief Scientist of Chandrayaan-I, and was also the developer of this project. He is also associated with the Mangalyaan mission of ISRO. He had served as a director of Physical Research Laboratory situated at Ahmadabad, Gujarat from 2005 to 2014.

It is interesting to note that while journalists from mainland India are trying to focus on people excluded from NRC, even focusing on persons who deliberately excluded themselves, people in Assam, including all political parties, are criticising the NRC alleging that it includes too many illegal immigrants. The governments at state and the centre were aware that there were flaws in the NRC, and they had applied for re-verification of data and extension of NRC publication with the Supreme Court. But the apex court refused both, and therefore a flawed NRC was published. Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sharma has alleged that legacy data, based on which the NRC is prepared, was tampered with, which led to the inclusion of many illegal immigrants in the NRC.

Multiple FIRs have been lodged against Prateek Hajela, the Coordinator of Supreme Court-monitored NRC, alleging that he deliberately excluded “genuine Indians” from the list. Senior Congress leader and former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi also wrote to the Chief Justice of India, requesting to review the NRC. He has alleged that Prateek Hajela did not discharge his duty efficiently.

Bangladesh to UN aid agencies: Support relocation of Rohingyas to Bhasan Char island or leave the country

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh to UN aid agencies: Support relocation of Rohingyas to Bhasan Char island or leave the country

Bangladesh has informed the United Nation that if the aid agencies do not support the government’s move to relocate around 1 lakh Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char island, the agencies will be asked to leave the country. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, in an interview with DW, said that the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are overcrowded and some of them need to be relocated to the newly constructed dwellings on the currently uninhabited island on the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh is completing the construction of 1440 buildings on Bhasan Char island, each building meant for 16 families. The rows of identical houses made with concrete blocks and steel with red roofs are almost ready, with a group four buildings around a pond. The housing complex also will have 120 cyclone shelters, built to protect the residents from strong cyclones. These buildings will also function as hospitals, schools, community centres, aid agency offices etc.

The Bhasan Char Island is a new island, formed only twenty years ago from silts. Apart from being hit by cyclones, the island also gets flooded during high tide. To protect from that, a flood barrier has been constructed around the housing complex. The constructions started in 2018, and most of the works have been already completed.

The decision to construct the housing complex on the island was taken after more than 7 lakh Rohingya refugees has entered Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017. Bangladesh government had settled them in makeshift camps in the coastal town of Cox’s Bazar. The camps made of corrugated metal sheet and tarpaulin are overcrowded, and the entire refugee area has become a hotbed for crimes like murder, abductions and rape. Located near the water, the camps also face regular landslides.

Rohingyas are also increasingly getting involved in crimes, and conflicts with local Bangladeshis are increasing, creating a huge headache for police. With no sign of the refugees going back soon, the government decided to shift some of them to the recently emerged island, which is around 30 km from the mainland.

At present, houses for around 1 lakh people are nearing completion, and the Bangladesh government wants to start the process of relocating. But refugees, and aid agencies working for them, are refusing to shift to the island. Refugees cite the danger of flooding in island for their refusal. They also don’t want to shift to an isolated island from crowded mainland.

But Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has alleged that aid agency workers are instigating the refugees to refuse to relocate. He says that the agencies working in Cox’s Bazar stay in five-star hotels, and they don’t want to move to another place. He added that government is identifying international NGOs who are politicising the Rohingya issue.

He said that Bangladesh will relocate the refugees even if the UN agencies don’t support the move. Rohingyas have refused to go back to Myanmar unless their demands are not met, and so far, Myanmar has accepted only one demand, providing safety, security and mobility. Demands such as granting citizenship to Rohingya, punishment for people involved in the Rohingya massacre, recognizing Rohingya as an ethnic group, and allowing them to return to their own homes have not been met.

The minister said that UN has to agree to the relocation plan or it can take the refugees with them, adding that already some of these people are getting involved in criminal activities. He said that already the number of refugees is double the number of local citizens in the area. That is why the government can force their relocation, he added.

Momen said that Bangladesh is willing to send the Rohingyas to anywhere, to anyone who wants to take them. Saying that they can’t afford to keep the refugees forever, he added that even the Bhasan Char is a temporary arrangement.

He said that UN is not helping Bangladesh much in this regard. “Why don’t these UN aid agencies work in Myanmar? They should go to Myanmar, especially to Rakhine state, to create conditions that could help these refugees to go back to their country. The UN is not doing the job that we expect them to do”, The foreign minister said.

When asked if Bangladesh will expel the UN agencies if they don’t support the relocation plan, he said that they will do that if necessary. He also asserted that Bangladesh has the capability to relocate 1 lakh refugees to Bhasan Char without the support of the UN.

He also refuted the allegations that the island is unsafe, saying that they have built embankments and beautiful houses there. “If we tell Bangladeshi people to go there, they would definitely go there”, he added.

Eknath Gaikwad appointed as Acting President of the Mumbai Congress, replacing Milind Deora

OpIndia Staff
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Eknath Gaikwad appointed as Acting President of the Mumbai Congress, replacing Milind Deora

The Congress Party on Friday approved of former Lok Sabha MP Eknath Gaikwad’s appointment as the Acting President of the Mumbai Congress. In a letter, duly signed by AICC General Secretary, KC Venugopal, it has been mentioned that Gaikwad, a three-time MLA from Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, and a former minister in the Maharashtra government would replace Milind Deora, who had earlier resigned from the post of Mumbai party chief.

It also said, “The party appreciates the contribution of the outgoing president of MRCC, Milind Deora.”

 

The Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had earlier announced the appointment of Gaikwad as the working president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC).  On July 26, Venugopal in a statement had said: “Hon’ble Congress President has approved the proposal for appointing Shri Eknath Gaikwad as the working president of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee.”

The letter signed by Venugopal then said that Gaikwad’s appointment has been approved by outgoing Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Soon after Gaikwad appointed as chief of MRCC, Milind Deora in a statement has said: “I wish E Gaikwad my best on his appointment as Working President of MRCC. He is one of Mumbai Congress’ most experienced leaders. I’m certain his experience and connect with people will be of great value to party in upcoming assembly elections and beyond.” He also hoped that party will also take a decision on the post of Mumbai Congress President at the earliest.

Milind Deora, who was appointed as Mumbai Congress president just weeks before the Lok Sabha polls had resigned from the post owing to the party’s loss in five of the six seats it contested in the city in the Lok Sabha polls. The post was lying vacant since then.

Ending a month-long drama, Rahul Gandhi had on July 3, publicly announced his resignation from the post of Congress President. He posted a self-contradictory, four-page letter on Twitter reiterating his decision to step down from the post of Congress president and also taking responsibility for the election results.

Before putting down his paper’s the Congress prince had expressed his angst over Congress leaders being nonchalant with the poll rout and not owning up the responsibility of the loss. Following this, mass-resignation had rocked the Congress Party. Many Party bigwigs like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Indian Youth Congress Chief, Keshav Chand Yadav had resigned from their respective posts taking responsibility of the poll debacle. Moreover, veteran leaders like Kamal Nath had also offered to resign from the post of the Chief Minister and that of the Chief of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).

First in India: Jagga and Balia, conjoined twins born with brains fused, separated successfully by doctors at AIIMS

OpIndia Staff
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First in India: Jagga and Balia, conjoined twins born with brains fused, separated successfully by doctors at AIIMS

The first successful craniopagus conjoined twin separation surgery from India, where both the children survived, was performed by doctors at AIIMS over two years. The two children from Odisha, Jagga and Balia, who were joined by the head, are now finally ready to go home.

The surgery employed all modern technology such as 3D print model technology for brain and skull model development, venous bypass, staged surgeries among others. While Jagga is normal, Balia cannot speak yet and would need prolonged rehabilitation.

“He will get better over the years, but Balia is unlikely to be 100% normal, ever. How can we even expect that? The brains of the both the children were never fully formed. Luckily for Jagga, he had a proper blood circulation in the brain. We had to put in a venous graft for Balia to maintain blood supply. Even then some parts of his brain are likely to atrophy or die off,” Dr Deepak Gupta, head of the surgical team and a paediatric neurosurgeon at AIIMS-Delhi, said. Dr. Gupta added that when the twin first came to the hospital in July 2017, not only were their skulls connected, their brains were fused too and they shared the circulatory system.

Craniopagus twinning is the rarest of form congenital abnormalities, accounting for just 2–6% of all conjoined twins. Mortality in such twins are very high, and only 25% Craniopagus twins survive after birth.

The doctors were congratulated by Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan. He stated, “It is such a great coincidence that Jagga and Balia will reach home on 7th September and Chandrayaan II will also touch the moon on the same date. It’s not only India’s scientists that are doing India proud, it is the commendable determination and commitment of the doctors also that is making India proud. This rarest of the rare surgery is one such shining example. It can be called “AIIMS Delhi Jagga and Balia craniopagus surgery”.”

He further said, “The doctors did an excellent job over the last 2 years and two months. Despite multiple complications, the surgeries were successful. I still believe picture is not over yet. It’s just the beginning. The twins still have a long journey to cover. They will be rehabilitated, and the time is also ripe for them to go to school. I think they have the blessings of Lord Jagannath and He will take care of them.”

India gifts solar panels worth $1 million to the United Nations headquarters in New York

OpIndia Staff
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India gifts solar panels worth $1 million to the United Nations headquarters in New York

In a bid to reaffirm its commitment to combat Climate change, India has gifted solar panels to the United Nations as a goodwill gesture. The gifted solar panels are installed on the roof of the Conference Building at the United Nations headquarters. The panels are powered up to reach a maximum of 50 KW of generation power. A green roof also has been installed on the building as part of the gift from India.


The Conference Building at the UN headquarters faces the East River, and it is located between the iconic Secretariate Building and the General Assembly Building of the UN.


India has contributed $1 million for installing the solar panels on the UN building in New York City. In September last year, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin had tweeted saying that India was the first responder to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for climate action.


He had said that India was funding the solar project at the United Nations headquarters to reduce carbon footprint & promote sustainable energy. While handing over the contribution, Akbaruddin had said,  “It is my hope that installing solar panels at UN Headquarters would set in motion enhanced solar energy cooperation at the international stage.”


India has been a frontrunner in propounding the Paris agreement on Climate change and has set itself ambitious targets to play its part in mitigating global warming. The International Solar Alliance was formed on the initiative of the Modi government in 2016. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 122 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, and receive plenty of sunlight.

With the US showing little interest in honouring the Paris agreement, the world is looking up to India to carry the baton of climate change and spearhead the campaign to protect the environment. India has been a staunch proponent of harnessing the renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, which hitherto hasn’t been utilised to the fullest. The recent endowment of solar panels to the United Nations is a move in this direction.

Why do you want to destroy the Delhi Metro? SC slams Kejriwal govt over free Metro rides to women

OpIndia Staff
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Why do you want to destroy the Delhi Metro? SC slams Kejriwal govt over free Metro rides to women

The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi on Friday over its proposal of providing free metro rides for women.

Questioning the financial implications of this proposal, SC asserted that the State government should refrain from spending taxpayers’ money in sops. “Must properly use public money and should refrain from giving free sops to people,” observed Justice Arun Mishra while hearing the petition filed by petitioner MC Mehta, who has opposed the Delhi government’s move.

The bench, which is monitoring the construction of the fourth phase, said that DMRC will run into heavy losses and maintenance, facilities will suffer. The apex court said, “You (Delhi government) will make travel free and the Central government will have to pay for it. Why do you want to destroy the Delhi Metro?”

Notably, the Delhi Metro Corporation is jointly owned by Union Government and Delhi Government with 50 per cent share each.

Noting that losses on this count will run up to Rs 1,500 crore per annum, the bench said that as a result, DMRC may not remain a profitable venture. “DMRC annual revenue is between 6000 and 7000 crores. Its loss for last year was 100 crore. If free sops are given, there would be a direct loss of Rs.1500 crore per annum and DMRC cannot pay its long term debt obligations on time, its expansion would get hampered and its facilities and maintenance would come down,” observed the court.

Going by its old habit of offering populist subsidies just before elections, Kejriwal government had on June 3 proposed that women in Delhi will be allowed to travel free of cost in all DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses, cluster buses and metro trains in Delhi. He said that this has been to ensure that women can have safe travel experience and access modes of transport which they were not able to do so due to high prices.

Arvind Kejriwal added no subsidy will be imposed on anyone for this scheme and added that those women who can afford to pay, they can purchase the tickets. Taking a leaf out of PM Modi’s, ‘give it up scheme’ for LPG subsidies, he said that Delhi govt will encourage those who can afford to not avail this scheme so that others can benefit.

AAP’s dole of free Metro rides to women was shunned by former Delhi Metro chief, E Sreedharan, popularly known as ‘Metro Man’, who in his letter to the Prime Minister dated June 10 wrote: “One shareholder cannot take a unilateral decision to give concession to one section of the community and push Delhi Metro into inefficiency and bankruptcy.”

Urging the Prime Minister to “not agree” with Kejriwal government’s decision, Sreedharan had then said that once the scheme is implemented by August-September, it would put an additional burden of around Rs 700-800 crore in the current financial year.

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