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Congress leader AM Singhvi slams The Wire journalist for supporting regressive Islamic practices

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader AM Singhvi slams The Wire journalist for supporting regressive Islamic practices

The Wire journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani had earlier expressed her angst over Congress leader Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s tweet, in which the politician had called questioned the problematic Islamic practice of Nikah-halala while casting aspersions on the reasons tendered by Zaira Wasim for quitting Bollywood. Khanum had tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked if he approved of Singhvi’s “shameful” views.

However, censuring the Wire journalist, Dr AM Singhvi asserted that because of influencers like her supporting the regressive ideals, the state of minorities in the country will continue to remain backward.


Earlier, Dr AM Singhvi had questioned the Islamic practice of Nikal Halala, a practice legitimised by the Islamic Sharia law. This was in reference to actor Zaira Wasim’s post on her social media accounts in which she stated that acting in Bollywood had veered her away from her Islamic faith and that she is giving up her career in Bollywood to diligently pursue her faith.

Singhvi brought attention upon the regressive and archaic practice of nikah-halala among certain sections of Muslims in the country. This triggered the Wire journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani, who in no time tagged Rahul Gandhi, to seek explanation on Singhvi’s assertions.

The nikah-halala is a custom by which a woman divorced by triple talaq gets to reunite with her husband. Nikah-halala requires a woman to marry another man and consummate the marriage and then take another triple talaq in order to return to her first husband. Often, such temporary marriage is done with another male member of the husband’s family, including father and brothers of the husband.

Arfa Khanum Sherwani is often seen perpetuating the Muslim victimhood while attempting to whitewash regressiveness and fundamentalism in the community. Earlier, she had also attempted to defend SP leader Azam Khan’s shameful and misogynistic comments on actress and politician Jaya Prada.

Union Budget 2019 in numbers and charts

OpIndia Staff
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Union Budget 2019 in numbers and charts

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the financial year 2019-2020. Here are the key numbers and charts of the budget.

Where the Rupee comes from

The receipts of the central government are more or less evenly distributed among various heads. Corporate tax, Income tax and Goods and Service Tax provide 21%, 16% and 19% respectively. Borrowings and other liabilities contribute 20% of the government’s receipts.

Where the Rupee goesThe largest share of the government’s outgo is states’ share of taxes and duties, which has increased significantly due to the implementation of GST. After that, the major expenditure goes towards interest payment. Defence, central sector schemes and centrally sponsored schemes, subsidies are the major expenditures.

Here is the budget allocation for various departments and sectors:

Allocation of Budget (in Rs crore)

After interest payment and defence, the two largest expenditure heads are food subsidy and pension. Transport occupies the fifth position, given the emphasis of the Modi government on infrastructure development. Agriculture and allied activities have seen the highest increased in the budget of 75%, from 86.6 thousand crores to 1.52 lakh crores. Tax administration has seen 74% increase, as this head includes the transfer to GST compensation fund. Budget for IT and Telecom has gone up by 34%.

Two sectors that have seen a reduction in budget estimates are Energy and Commerce and Industry, which have gone down by 3% and 5% respectively.

Gujarat Rajya Sabha bypolls: Congress rebel MLA Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala crossvote

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat Rajya Sabha bypolls: Congress rebel MLA Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala crossvote

In the Rajya Sabha by-elections underway in Gujarat today, Congress rebel MLA Alpesh Thakor and Congress disgruntled MLA Dhavalsinh Zala have reportedly cross-voted. As reported by Tv9 Gujarati, Congress MLA Brijesh Merji confirmed that the duo have cross-voted.


After casting his vote, Thakor said that he has voted as per his ‘inner voice’ and that he got nothing but mental stress by being with the Congress.

He even said that he voted keeping in mind national leadership. “I have kept in mind the party which has destroyed public trust and which is anti-national before voting,” Thakor said after casting his vote for the BJP candidates for Rajya Sabha bypolls.

The two were also not present at the Balaram Palace Resort where the Gujarat Congress MLAs were whisked away ahead of voting. The two of them have also tendered their resignation from the Assembly.

As per reports, about 15 more Congress MLAs are yet to cast their vote for the two Rajya Sabha seats. The bypolls were necessitated after Smriti Irani and Amit Shah vacated their Rajya Sabha seats after they were elected from Amethi and Gandhinagar respectively. BJP has fielded External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Juglalji Thakor while Congress candidates are Chandrika Chudasma and Gaurav Pandya. The counting of votes will begin at 5 pm today.

Gorakhpur: Minor victim of gang rape attempts suicide, accused Mudassir, Akhtar and Safayat absconding

OpIndia Staff
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Gorakhpur: Minor victim of gang rape attempts suicide, accused Mudassir, Akhtar and Safayat absconding

A victim of gang rape in Gorakhpur has attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison after the traumatic experience. She was reportedly raped on the night of 1st July. The girl is reportedly a minor.

According to the case registered with the Police, one of the accused named Mudassir had coaxed her into accompanying him on his bike and then kidnapped her. He then managed to take her to a secluded place where he raped her with his friends Akhtar and Safayat Ali. The father of the girl filed a complaint with the Police on Thursday after which a case was registered. All the accused are absconding.

The girl had consumed poison on that very night itself. She was rushed to a primary healthcare centre by her family which then referred her to the BRD Medical College. Her condition is said to be critical.

The girl also asserted that the kidnappers attempted to marry her off in a Temple. However, she somehow managed to escape and reached home. The accused reportedly lived in the same neighbourhood as the victim and were known to her. Communal tensions are prevailing in the area as the accused and the victim are from different communities.

The Police has registered a case against the three accused under sections 363, 366, 376 and other relevant sections of the POCSO Act. Sunil Kumar Gupta, SSP, has assured that the guilty will soon be apprehended by the Police.

Tamil Nadu: MDMK chief Vaiko convicted in 2009 sedition speech made in support of LTTE

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: MDMK chief Vaiko convicted in 2009 sedition speech made in support of LTTE

In a setback to MDMK Chief V Gopalaswamy or Vaiko, a special court has convicted the 75-year-old leader in a sedition case filed against him in 2009 by the DMK government.

According to the reports, MDMK chief Vaiko has been held guilty of sedition over his comments at the launch of his book. Judge J Shanthi held the senior Tamil Nadu leader guilty of sedition under section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.

“India will not remain one country if the war against the LTTE in Sri Lanka is not stopped,” Vaiko had said during the launch of his book ‘Naan Kuttram Saatugiren’. He was charged with speaking against India’s sovereignty. The MDMK chief gave a speech that was in support of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terror group. It was at a time when the Sri Lankan civil war was at its peak.

However, a petition was filed to suspend the conviction enabling an appeal against the order. The conviction sentence was then stayed for a month.

Earlier in 2002, Vaiko was also arrested by the then Jayalalitha government and had spent 1 year in prison under POTA charges.

Interestingly, the conviction comes at a time when the Vaiko was all set to return to the parliament after 15 years. Vaiko, who was once considered the political heir of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, was named the party’s candidate from Tamil Nadu for Rajya Sabha polls on July 18.

Ironically, the case was filed in 2009 by the DMK government, which has now extended its support to MDMK chief Vaiko. A three-time Rajya Sabha member from DMK in the past, Vaiko was also elected twice from Sivakasi.

Is budget se gareeb ko bal milega, yuva ko behtar kal milega: PM Modi hails the 2019 budget as a balanced one

OpIndia Staff
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Is budget se gareeb ko bal milega, yuva ko behtar kal milega: PM Modi hails the 2019 budget as a balanced one

Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, presented her maiden budget in Parliament today. While presenting the first of the Narendra Modi government 2.0 in the Lok Sabha, FM said that the central focus of all programmes of the Narendra Modi government is “Gaon, Garib and Kisan”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation after the presentation of the budget by Sitharaman called the 2019 budget a balanced one. “This is a budget for new India,” he added.

“Ye desh ko samridh aur jan jan ko samarth banane wala budget hai. Is budget se gareeb ko bal milega, yuva ko behtar kal milega” (This budget will lead the country towards prosperity and make every citizen competent. This budget will provide strength to the poor and a better future to the youths of the country), said PM Narendra Modi.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the budget proves India is moving in the right direction. He also called it a green budget for its provisions on water, electricity and travel.

He said that the middle class will progress with this budget. Development work will expedite, the tax structure will simply and infrastructure will modernize.


Calling this budget ‘one of hope’ PM Modi said that this budget for a ‘New India’ also has a roadmap to transform the agriculture sector of the country.


PM Modi assured that the Budget 2019 was only a trailer of the ‘New India’ to come.

Haren Pandya murder case: Supreme Court restores conviction of the 12 accused

OpIndia Staff
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Haren Pandya murder case: Supreme Court restores conviction of the 12 accused

Today, the Supreme Court restored the conviction and sentenced the 12 people accused of murdering former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya in 2003. The verdict was delivered in a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on the appeals filed by the CBI challenging the acquittal of the accused by Gujarat High Court in 2011.

The bench also dismissed a fresh PIL filed by NGO ‘Centre for Public Interest Litigation’ (CPIL) and imposed costs of Rs 50,000. The NGO claimed that there was fresh evidence in the murder case against senior Gujarat police officers and politicians. 

Pandya was shot dead on 26 March 2003 in Ahmedabad near Law Garden when he had gone for a morning walk. The CBI claimed that this was done to avenge the 2002 communal riots in the state.

In June 2007, a special POTA (Prevention of Terrorist Activities) court had convicted the 12 accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment. However, the Gujarat High Court acquited all of them in 2011 stating that the investigation was “botched” and “misdirected”.

Then CBI had in 2011 itself filed an appeal questioning the acquittal of the Gujarat High Court as erroneous. On January 31 this year, the Supreme Court had reserved the verdict on the appeals.

Prior to Pandya’s killing the 12 accused were also earlier convicted in another case by a special POTA court for attempting to murder prominent VHP and Hindu to avenge the 2002 riots. An attempt was made on the life of a local VHP leader Jagdish Tewari on March 11, 2003.

CBI claimed that the two incidents were part of a single conspiracy to spread terror in the state. The accused were arrested on the basis of deposition of main accused Asghar Ali. The other accused are Mohammad Rauf, Mohammad Parvez Abdul Kayum Sheikh, Parvez Khan Pathan alias Athar Parvez, Mohammad Farooq alias Haji Farooq, Shahnawaz Gandhi, Kalim Ahmeda alias Kalimullah, Rehan Puthawala, Mohammad Riaz Sareswala, Aniz Machiswala, Mohammad Yunus Sareswala and Mohammad Saifuddin.

The agency had also claimed that these men were illegally sent to Pakistan and were trained by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.

The attempt of several people to accuse Narendra Modi to have murdered Haren Pandya has been exposed now and vindicated by the Supreme Court. Ever since his death, the biased sections of the media and self-styled secularists have implied that the Narendra Modi Government got him killed.

Haren Pandya who was a former minister in the Gujarat Government of the BJP resigned from the Cabinet in August 2002. He was subsequently murdered on 26 March 2003.

Tamil Nadu: Five minor arrested for destroying 25 idols and sculptures at temple in Tiruvarur district

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Five minor arrested for destroying 25 idols and sculptures at temple in Tiruvarur district

The Tamil Nadu police have arrested five minor boys for allegedly breaking 25 cement idols and sculptures at the Periyanayaki Amman temple in Tiruvarur district, reported The Times of India.

Reportedly, the minor boys were caught by the police after they broke into the temple to steal iron rods within the figures, which could then be sold off to purchase alcohol. The incident occurred before the consecration ceremony at the temple was supposed to take place.

The idols which were destroyed included those of Lord Murugan, Periyanayaki, Kala Bairava, while sculptures which were damaged were those of different animals.

The accused minor youths are currently being held at a juvenile home in the town of Thanjavur.

Budget 2019: Startups and investors can do away with ‘Angel Tax’ by filing requisite declarations

OpIndia Staff
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Budget 2019: Startups and investors can do away with ‘Angel Tax’ by filing requisite declarations

In a major relief for the budding entrepreneurs and investors, the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Budget 2019 speech announced exemption of scrutiny for Angel tax for Startups and investors who have filed their returns.

Finance Minister N Sitharaman said, “To resolve angel tax issue, startups who file requisite declarations will not be subjected to scrutiny in valuation.”


One of the most dreadful issues faced by new entrepreneurs pertains to Angel Tax. Angel Tax is a 30% tax that is levied on the funding secured by startups from an external investor. However, this 30% tax is imposed when startups obtain angel funding at a valuation higher than its ‘fair market value’. It is considered as income to the company and therefore taxed. Angel Tax was first introduced in 2012, with the purpose of keeping money laundering in check.

Angel Tax had suddenly made a reappearance last year when several startups reportedly received notices from the I-T department demanding them to clear their taxes on the angel funding they raised, and in some cases, exacting a fine for not paying Angel Tax.

The bone of contention for many new-age entrepreneurs had been the issue of “fair market value”. Entrepreneurs argued that there were no objective means to measure a company’s “fair market value”. According to them, investors pay them a premium for the concept and the business potential at the initial stage, hoping that the idea would take the market by storm and astronomically increase their valuation. However, tax officials appear to be evaluating the value of the startups based on their net asset value at one point.

With this move, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeks to develop a conducive environment for the startups to proliferate, unencumbered from the tyranny of Angel Tax. She has placed special emphasis on reviving the entrepreneurial spirit amongst the youth in the country by announcing several other beneficial moves such as launching a special channel for startups, designed and executed by the startups and promote the entrepreneurial culture.

Dhoni should play for another 1-2 years says Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga

OpIndia Staff
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Dhoni should play for another 1-2 years says Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga

Sri Lankan legend and pace bowler Lasith Malinga feels that MS Dhoni should play for another one or two years as there lot of cricket left in him.

He also said that Dhoni’s experience in handling youngsters has a vital role to play in the future.

Fans and several former cricketers including Tendulkar and Ganguly baffled with MS Dhoni’s approach and criticized him for his lack of intent during his knock against England.

Talking to ANI, Malinga said, “I think MS (Dhoni) should play for another one or two years. He is the best finisher in the last ten years. I don’t think anyone can beat him in the future. He has to give his experience and situation handling to all the young players. They (India) have good experience in past captain, MS Dhoni. I think that’s why they are a successful team. I think they are good enough to beat any team in this competition.”

Maling also talked about the bowing yorkers with accuracy in a tense situation. Malinga is known for bowling yorkers in the death overs and has taken 3 ODI hat-tricks, including one in World Cup in which he took four wickets in four balls.

“The thing is anyone can bowl yorkers, slower ones, and good length balls. But the idea is to have accuracy. How many times can you hit the same spot? Then comes analyzing the game. The handling of the situation is what counts, and then comes the application,” Malinga explained.

Maling has high praise for Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who played a lot of cricket with him for Mumbai Indians.

“I saw him (Bumrah) in 2013 and spent time with him. He was hungry to learn, and he learned quickly. Hunger to learn is fundamental. Bumrah has shown the character in a short period,” he said.

Both India and Sri Lanka will play against each other on Saturday, in their last group game. India has qualified for the semis while Sri Lanka placed at number 6 in the points table.

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