Home Blog Page 6464

Times of India publishes old photograph as image of cyclone Fani hit Bhubaneshwar Airport

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Times of India publishes old photograph as image of cyclone Fani hit Bhubaneshwar Airport

Cyclone Fani hit the eastern coast of India and coastal region of Bangladesh during the last week, causing large scale damage. In India, Odisha was the most affected area in this cyclone which the strongest tropical storm in the last 20 years. Although the death toll was low as a large number of people were moved to safer places in advance by authorities, the cyclone destroyed infrastructure and properties in the affected regions.

Photographs from the affected areas are flooding the news media and social media. In this age of camera phones, there is no shortage of photographs of such natural disasters like this. In such a scenario, it’s a surprise India’s leading media house chose to use the photograph of an earlier cyclone as that from Cyclone Fani hit Odisha.

Today the Times of India published a report titled ‘How Isro satellites tracked Fani, saved many lives’, to talk about how the ISRO satellites helped the IMD scientists to accurately predict the path and intensity of the cyclone in advance, which helped in preparing the relocation and evacuation plans. In the report, they used the photograph of Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneshwar, which is devasted by the cyclone. In the caption, they credited ANI for the photo.

But it has turned out that neither the photograph is of Bhubaneshwar airport, nor it is from cyclone Fani. A simple image search shows that the photograph belongs to the Visakhapatnam airport, and the photograph was taken in 2014, after cyclone Hudhud had made landfall in Andhra Pradesh.

India Today had published the photo on October 13, 2014 crediting PTI, while Indian Express had also included the photo in a photo gallery on cyclone Hudhud published on 14th October 2014, and credited PTI. In fact, even the Times Group publication Economics Times also had published the same photo in October 2014, but still, Times of India used that photo as an image of Bhubaneshwar airport hit by Cyclone Fani this week.

PM Modi called Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over Cyclone Fani, latter did not return calls: Officials

OpIndia Staff
-
0
PM Modi called Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over Cyclone Fani, latter did not return calls: Officials

Refuting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims that PM Modi did not call her as Cyclone Fani hit West Bengal, a top government official has said that while PM Modi did call Banerjee, she did not return the calls, twice.

“Two attempts were made by the prime minister’s staff to connect Modi with Banerjee over the phone. On both the occasions they were told that the call would be returned. On one occasion they were told that the CM is on tour,” a top government official reportedly said.

Earlier, PM Modi had tweeted that he had reached out to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on the situation due to Cyclone Fani.

The General Secretary of Trinamool Congress, Partha Chatterjee called this an attack on the federal structure.” This is an attack on the federal structure and a deviation from the Constitution. By calling the Governor he has acted as leader of BJP and not as Prime Minister. How can he deny the mandate of our people? Mamata Banerjee is the elected Chief Minister of Bengal. This is unfortunate”, said Chatterjee.

Cyclone Fani that recently hit the State of Odisha seems to have created political tensions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee has accused Modi of not trying to contact her to ask about the ground situation in the State in the wake of the cyclone. She alleged that the Prime Minister did not respect the Federal structure of the country.

The West Bengal CM said that while Modi spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the phone, he did not bother calling her.

The cyclone Fani hit the States of Odisha and West Bengal also affecting Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

“Was your party working with a crony capitalist by awarding projects over Rs 100,000 crore?” – Reliance Group hits back at Rahul Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
-
0
“Was your party working with a crony capitalist by awarding projects over Rs 100,000 crore?” – Reliance Group hits back at Rahul Gandhi

Since more than a year, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is using Anil Ambani to attack prime minister Narendra Modi. He had been alleging that Modi gave Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore from the Rafale deal, which has no logical basis.

Continuing this baseless attack, Rahul Gandhi had recently said that the fund his proposed NYAY scheme will come from “crony capitalists” like Anil Ambani. He had also invited PM Modi for a debate on various issues on jobs and corruption. He had said that he needs only 10 minutes, and he is ready for the debate anywhere, but not at Anil Ambani’s house.

Now the Reliance Group has come up with a statement strongly rebutting the allegations made by Rahul Gandhi. A spokesperson of the company reminded that during the term of UPA government, Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group was awarded projects worth over Rs 1,00,000 crore in key infrastructure sectors.

A Reliance Group spokesperson said, “the Congress Party President Mr. Rahul Gandhi, in his typical cavalier fashion has continued his campaign of calumny, disinformation, distortion and malicious lies. Yesterday, he has singled out our group chairman Shri Anil D Ambani as allegedly a crony capitalist and dishonest businessman – all obviously patently untrue statements.”

The statement said that Rahul Gandhi has attributed no basis to the claims that he has been making against Anil Ambani, and neither he has provided any credible evidence at all to justify his “derogatory and defamatory campaign”.

The spokesperson said that Reliance Group has chosen to ignore Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s comments with continuing patience and restraint, and they dismiss the Rahul Gandhi’s latest remarks as another one of his multiple untruthful utterances. The statement also notes that the Congress president is facing contempt proceedings in the Supreme Court for such comments.

The statement further adds, “We would like to remind Mr. Rahul Gandhi, that it was during the 10 year Congress led UPA regime between 2004 and 2014 that the Anil Ambani led Reliance Group was awarded projects of over Rs. 1,00,000 crores across diverse key nation building infrastructure sectors such as power, telecom, roads, metro, by a Government led by none other than Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s own political party – the Congress”.

The Reliance Group asked Rahul Gandhi to clarify whether his Congress government was supporting an alleged crony capitalist and dishonest businessman for 10 years.

The company said that it is proud to have made this contribution to the country, creating the much-needed investments and jobs, a critical backbone for a vibrant, strong and growth-oriented economy.

“The Reliance group is a proud young Indian group with over 1,00,000 employees and over 8 million strong shareholders, the largest in the world and completely dedicated to our great country – Bharat”, the statement added.

It may be noted that while Rahul Gandhi has been attacking Anil Ambani on a daily basis for over a year, the company has reacted only a few times. Earlier they had issued statements rebutting specific allegations made by Rahul Gandhi, and filed defamation suits against Congress leaders for statements made against the company. Compared to the defensive statements issued earlier, today’s statement by the company marks a change in strategy, by directly attacking the Congress president citing the projects the company was awarded by the UPA government.

Yunus harasses and assaults girls going to attend Bhagwat Geeta recital in Agra

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Yunus harasses and assaults girls going to attend Bhagwat Geeta recital in Agra

In a shocking incident that took place in village Kuthwali of Malpura station area in Agra, a boy identified as Yusuf assaulted some girls who were going to attend a Bhagwat Geeta recital as reported by Patrika. He also reportedly beat up a boy who protested. The accused was arrested but was soon let out bail.

It is alleged that the accused, who has been identified as Yunus son of Ramzani, harassed some girls who were going to attend a Bhagwat Geeta recital around 9 o’clock in the morning. A boy who came out to help the girls after hearing their cries was also reportedly assaulted and beaten up by the accused as he protested against his acts. The accused fled the spot soon after.

When the villagers came to know about the incident, they informed the police about it. The police nabbed the accused with the help of the villagers and took him to the police station where he was granted bail immediately. It is alleged that the accused Yunus along with his friends reached retried master Om Prakash’s house where the Bhagwat Geeta recital was held. The accused was reportedly carrying sticks and other weapons. He and his friends started beating up people. When people tried to stop him he fired bullets which panic among the villagers.

The villagers informed the police who reached the spot in no time. The SO reached there with the police force but the accused was able to flee. However, the police arrested the younger brother of the accused and started interrogation.

Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa says Rajiv Gandhi was also ‘India’s biggest mob lyncher’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa says Rajiv Gandhi was also ‘India’s biggest mob lyncher’

Hitting out on Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder S Sirsa today said that Rajiv Gandhi was ‘corrupt no 1’ and also ‘India’s biggest mob lyncher ever’.


In a video released on Twitter, Sirsa said that whatever Prime Minister Modi said yesterday is not wrong. “Indeed Rajiv Gandhi’s life came to an end as one of the most corrupt politicians. Not just a corrupt politician but also a murderer who killed thousands of innocent Sikhs by putting burning tyres around their necks, got so many sisters raped. He died as a murderer. It won’t be wrong to say that not only was Rajiv Gandhi a corrupt politician but also a mob lyncher who led a call to the biggest bloodshed in India,” Sirsa said.

BJP Delhi Spokesperson Tajinder Bagga also shared a video clip of a rally where Rajiv Gandhi could be heard saying whenever a big tree falls, the earth shakes a little. “Jab bhi koi bada ped girta hai, to dharti thodi hilti hai,” Rajiv Gandhi had said which is believed to be a justification of the anti-Sikh riots which took place following Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.


Last year, Congress President had said that Congress was not responsible for the pogrom. 1984, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the country was gripped with fear as frenzied mobs, spearheaded allegedly by Congressman, massacred Sikhs, because Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Several eye-witness accounts indicted Congress leaders.

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, BJP Delhi spokesperson, in his inimitable style decided to respond to Rahul Gandhi’s statement by putting up posters with pictures of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi referring to him as ‘Father of Mob Lynching’.


Many Congress leaders like Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar were accused of leading the mob against the Sikhs. Despite that, these leaders continue to be associated with the grand old party. Congress leader Kamal Nath, who was also accused of leading a violent mob attack on Gurdwara Rakabgunj on November 1, 1984, in which the mob had burnt two Sikhs, a father and son alive, was made the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

‘Bofors ka dalal kaun hai? Rajiv Gandhi,’ How the Opposition back in the late 80s chanted ‘Rajiv Gandhi Chor Hai’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Bofors ka dalal kaun hai? Rajiv Gandhi,’ How the Opposition back in the late 80s chanted ‘Rajiv Gandhi Chor Hai’

With only three phases in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections remaining, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi has suddenly become a topic in the elections. It all began with prime minister Narendra Modi saying yesterday that Rajiv Gandhi died as Bhrashtachar number one, referring to Rahul Gandhi constantly labelling the PM as a chor.

While the opposition parties and left-liberal media constantly accuses the current Modi government to be a fascist regime without freedom of speech, the fact is that the PM and the government is constantly being attacked, labelled a thief by the very same people without any fear of retaliatory action from the government. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and all Congress leaders keep saying chowkidar chor hai, where chowkidar means PM Modi. Rahul Gandhi had even attributed this comment to the Supreme Court.

This comes in sharp contrast to how the Congress party had reacted when Rajiv Gandhi was called a chor. In 1988, a journalism professor was arrested by police, assaulted by Congress workers, for a question asked in an examination that referred to an anti-Rajiv Gandhi slogan popular at that time. Pradeep Krishnatray was the head of journalism department at the Sagar University, and the entrance test for journalism degree of the university at that year included that question which asked, “Which station of All India Radio had broadcast the sentence – ‘Rajiv Gandhi Chor Hai’?”

On May 27, during a live programme of Patna Radio Station, a girl was asked to tell a joke, and she had said, Gali Gali Mein Shor Hai, Rajiv Gandhi Chor Hai. This was a slogan used by the opposition parties during the Rajiv Gandhi government after the Bofors scam was exposed.

The question in the entrance examination created a huge reaction, with a group of youth Congress workers storming into the journalism department of Sagar University, and abusing and beating Pradeep Krishnatray. They had also painted his face blacked and paraded him around the campus.

The University authorities had charge-sheeted Krishnatray for asking the question and started an inquiry. After that, the police had taken up the case. The professor was arrested by police for indecent behaviour and insult. Not content with assaulting the professor, the Congress workers had also demanded that Krishnatray should be sacked immediately, although the vice-chancellor had refused to do so without a probe. The teachers of the university had rallied behind Krishnatray, boycotting class protesting the hooliganism of Congress workers. This had forced the police to arrest the culprits who had assaulted the professor.

Pradeep Krishnatray didn’t say anything against Rajiv Gandhi, the department under him had merely asked a question relating to a-anti-Rajiv Gandhi slogan. While today government-run TV channels like Rajya Sabha channel openly run anti-government propaganda, at that time government-run All India Radio inadvertently transmitting an anti-government slogan in a live programme was a big issue. This was also an important piece of trivia for journalism students, that’s why it was asked in the entrance examination for the journalism course, but the Congress workers wanted the scalp of the head of the department just for this.

In fact, back in the day, “Rajiv Gandhi Chor Hai” was a very popular campaign run by the opposition.


One of the most used chant at that time was ‘Gali gali mein shor hai, Rajiv Gandhi chor hai’. In fact, if reports are to be believed, when V P Singh, who resigned as the Defence Minister to lead the Opposition onslaught on Rajiv Gandhi, would ask the crowd, “Bofors ka dalal kaun hai?” Crowd would yell back, Rajiv Gandhi.

Two Indian diplomats locked up and harassed at Gurudwara in Pakistan: Reports

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Two Indian diplomats locked up and harassed at Gurudwara in Pakistan: Reports

India has lodged a complaint with the Pakistani authorities regarding the two Indian diplomats who were allegedly locked up and harassed at Gurudwara near Lahore, Pakistan on April 17.

Reportedly, Indian authorities submitted a demarche to Pakistan’s Foreign Office recently. The demarche raised concerns about the security of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. A separate note verbal was also sent to the Pakistan authorities on April 25, regarding the harassment meted out at the two Indian diplomats on the April 17.

The two Indian diplomats had gone to the Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Sahib in Farooqabad near Lahore for doing consular work in order to facilitate the travel of Sikh pilgrims. 15 Pakistani intelligence officers reportedly misbehaved with the diplomats. They were locked in a room, their bags were searched and they were being questioned.

There have been several incidents in the past where Indian diplomats have been harassed while trying to facilitate the travel of Sikh pilgrims to the several gurudwaras in the Punjab province. Pro-Khalistani groups have also reportedly confronted the Indian pilgrims.

India had raised the issue of harassment of its diplomats in March as well. Following the Pulwama attacks and the subsequent Balakot air strikes, at least 6 incidents of harassment of India’s Naval advisor in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Captain Peter Varghese, was reported by the mission to Pakistan government.

India has also previously complained about the deliberate power cuts during the harsh winters in Pakistan. In November, just a day after India decided to develop and build the Kartarpur corridor, Indian diplomats were blocked from meeting the Sikh pilgrims at Gurudwara Sacha Sauda and Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.

Celebrities get together to show support for PM Modi, Boney Kapoor, Sapna Chaudhary, The Great Khali present

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Celebrities get together to show support for PM Modi, Boney Kapoor, Sapna Chaudhary, The Great Khali present

A get together of people from the field of art and cinema was organised at the BJP headquarters in Delhi today seeking their support. A number of celebrities from the film industry participated came to participate in the event to show their support for Prime Minister Modi.


Among the celebrities who attended the event were Wrestler The Great Khali, producer, and husband of veteran actress late Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, artist Sapna Chaudhary, actor Manoj Joshi, actor and former Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Gajendra Chauhan and Poonam Dhillon.


Recently famous Bollywood actor Sunny Deol had joined the BJP and is contesting from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency against sitting MP Sunil Jakhar. BJP also found a supporter in the ‘Queen’ of Bollywood Kangana Ranaut while urging people to exercise their voting rights said that now the country is getting independence in the true sense of the word and earlier the country was a slave to the Italian government (making a veiled reference to previous Congress governments).

PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi saying “Your father’s life ended as Bhrashtachari No. 1”, rattles Congress leaders

OpIndia Staff
-
0
PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi saying “Your father’s life ended as Bhrashtachari No. 1”, rattles Congress leaders

At a rally in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, PM Modi countering Rahul Gandhi’s incessant allegations on the Rafale deal said, “Your father was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘Bhrashtachari No. 1′ (No. 1 corrupt person)” on Saturday.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUz0-HdgWSA?start=840]

He was referring to the Bofors scandal that came to light during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure. Allegedly, Rajiv Gandhi and others received huge kickbacks from the artillery gun deal of the Swedish Defence manufacturer Bofors.

PM Modi had accused Rahul Gandhi of having only one objective of tarnishing his image. “By hurling abuses, you cannot dissolve the 50-long year of Modi’s tapasya (struggle) in dust,” the prime minister said.

“By tarnishing my image and by making me small, these people want to make an unstable and a weak government in the country,” he added. This comes a day before Rahul Gandhi’s constituency of Amethi is going for the polls.

Meanwhile, the Congress leaders have taken offence to PM Modi’s statement and have been outraging on Twitter. Rahul Gandhi jibed at PM Modi by saying “Your Karma awaits you”.


 

“Mr Modi has crossed all limits of propriety and decency by defaming a man (Rajiv Gandhi) who died in 1991,” wrote P. Chidambaram.

Priyanka Vadra had claimed that Rajiv Gandhi had died for the people of Amethi and that PM Modi was insulting the martyrdom of the former Prime Minister.


Congress leaders, P. Chidambaram and Randeep Surjewala, attempted to counter PM Modi’s claim by saying that the Supreme court had dismissed CBI’s appeal but failed to mention that the CBI hasn’t been stopped from continuing its investigations. As reported by OpIndia, new information regarding the Bofors scam has left many unanswered questions of the Gandhi families involvement in the scams.

Amethi: Man dies after being turned away for holding Ayushman Bharat card; hospital said “Yeh Yogi aur Modi ka hospital nahin”

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Amethi: Man dies after being turned away for holding Ayushman Bharat card; hospital said “Yeh Yogi aur Modi ka hospital nahin”

Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate for Amethi Smriti Irani today shared a video on Twitter where a man is recounting how his uncle died after Sanjay Gandhi Hospital allegedly turned them away because they were holding an Ayushman Bharat card.


In the video, the man says in Hindi that they took their relative, an old man, to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where they admitted him but when they took the Ayushman Bharat card, the hospital authorities allegedly said that this (Sanjay Gandhi Hospital) is Congress’ hospital, Rahul Gandhi’s hospital. “This is not Yogi or Modi’s hospital. Ayushman card is not valid here,” the hospital authorities allegedly said.

When Irani enquired about the old man’s health, he replies that he passed away on 26th itself.

The man then says one Dr Siddharth at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital turned away the ailing man and refused the treatment because of Ayushman Bharat card. He says that they pleaded to the doctor but he didn’t budge and suggested they could take the old man with them.

The Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Amethi was under the lens in 2017 too when the BJP alleged that the hospital’s guesthouse was being misused by the family and the party to hold political meetings when Rahul Gandhi is in Amethi.

Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest state-sponsored welfare scheme in the world, which aims to provide health insurance coverage to more than 10 crore poor families in the country. As per the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data, 8.03 crore rural households and another 2.33 crore urban households will be covered under this scheme.

Through Ayushman Bharat, the Modi Government aims to provide financial protection (Swasthya Suraksha) to 10.74 crores poor, deprived rural families and identified occupational categories of urban workers’ families (approx. 50 crore beneficiaries). The number of beneficiaries is almost equal to the population of Canada, Mexico and the US taken together. The pace of implementation by the Modi Government has been particularly impressive as nearly one-fifth of beneficiary families (2.05 crore) have already been given e-cards under the scheme, which offers a benefit cover of Rs. 5,00,000 per family per year. It covers medical and hospitalization expenses for almost all secondary care and most of the tertiary care procedures.

The most ambitious project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ayushman Bharat has been receiving admiration from across the world. The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ayushman Bharat and called it a “great commitment”.

1...6,4636,4646,465...7,669Page 6,464 of 7,669