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Kya aankh maari, main bhi pichhe baitha ghayal ho gaya: Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on Rahul Gandhi’s Parliament wink

OpIndia Staff
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Kya aankh maari, main bhi pichhe baitha ghayal ho gaya: Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on Rahul Gandhi’s Parliament wink

Taking a dig on the Opposition, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma said who is even listening to them?


If Mamata Banerjee comes here and does Kathak or if Kumaraswamy (Karnataka Chief Minister) comes and sings here, who will listen to them? They (Opposition) have insulted the son of the soil Chaudhary Charan Singh, too. He was tricked into forming the government and the support was withdrawn. That is why they want a weak government to be formed. They do not want a strong government, Sharma while interacting with people in Sikandrabad, Uttar Pradesh.

He further added that the opposition will take the support of their Pappu. “Pappu! to Pappu hi reh gaye. Us din hum bhi the Parliament mein. Saamne Modiji baithe the, ek line pichhe hum bhi baithe the. Kya aankh maari main bhi pichhe baitha ghayal ho gaya. Ab woh Pappu kehta hai Pradhan Mantri banunga. To Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Pappu aur ab to Pappu ki Pappi bhi aa gayi hai. (Pappu remained a Pappu only. That day, even I was present in the Parliament, sitting right behind PM Modi. The way he winked, I was floored. Now that Pappu wants to be the Prime Minister. So Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Pappu and now his Pappi (Priyanka Gandhi) has also come (to rescue)” Sharma said.

New Zealand: Movie based on 26/11 Mumbai terror attack pulled off from theatres in the wake of Christchurch Mosque shootings

OpIndia Staff
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New Zealand: Movie based on 26/11 Mumbai terror attack pulled off from theatres in the wake of Christchurch Mosque shootings

Hotel Mumbai, a movie based on the 26/11 Terror Attacks in Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, has been pulled off from theatres in New Zealand in the aftermath of the Christchurch Mosque shootings by a White supremacist.

In a press release, Icon Film Distribution announced the suspension of the film from all New Zealand cinemas, NZ Herald reported. “After consultation with local exhibition partners, the decision was made to suspend the film out of respect for a country in mourning,” it said.

Oscar Nominated actor Dev Patel features in what has been described as an intense documentary-style thriller which depicts the terror attack in Mumbai in “harrowing” and “haunting” detail. The movie came in at number 2 at the New Zealand weekend Box Office behind Captain Marvel. It has received glowing reviews worldwide for its realistic portrayal of events.

The movie is based on the 2009 documentary Surviving Mumbai about the Mumbai attacks in 2008. The English language movie tells the story of victims and survivors of the terror attack at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. It shows how the hotel staff risk their lives to keep everyone safe as people make unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and their families.

At least 49 people were murdered in the Christchurch Mosque Shootings which occurred on the 15th of March. The terrorist live-streamed his actions on the internet as well. The terrorist, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. He will again be produced in court on April 5 where the police said he is likely to face more charges.

China’s crackdown on Uighur Muslims: Says 13,000 arrested, 1500 terror gangs dismantled since 2014

OpIndia Staff
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China’s crackdown on Uighur Muslims: Says 13,000 arrested, 1500 terror gangs dismantled since 2014

The new policy paper by China reveals that its government had reportedly arrested 13000 terrorists from its Xinjiang province and disassembled around 1500 terror gangs since 2014. China is facing criticism for imposing objectionable security measures against the Uighur Muslim population of Xinjiang province.

The arrests were made in the restive far western region of Xinjiang province, a state with a considerable Muslim population. The announcement was made in a policy paper defending staunch ‘deradicalisation’ methods adopted by China to rein in its Uighur population. The Chinese authorities claim that they have struck the right balance between compassion and severity.

The new policy paper which is titled as “The Fight against Terrorism and Extremism and Human Rights Protection in Xinjiang” is yet another attempt by China to defend its brutal policies pursued against the Uighur Muslims. The policy paper is released by the State Council Information Office and it says, “The dignity of people belonging to various ethnic groups in Xinjiang has been crushed by the influence wielded by the separatists, religious extremists, and terrorists. The increasing number of terror attacks have adversely affected the life and property of the people.”

China is facing opprobrium from the United Nations for pursuing harsh policies against the Uighur Muslim population in Xinjiang. Damning reports blaming Beijing of interning members of its Muslim population – by “re-educating” them away from their faith have emerged. It is believed that China has resorted to this measure as a response to riots and violent attacks that the government has endured recently at the hands of Muslim separatists in the Xinjiang province. In these detention centers, Muslims are allegedly compelled to unlearn their traditions, pan their Islamic practices and extend their loyalty to Xi Jinping’s Communist Party.

However, China had refuted the allegations stating that the ‘detention centers’ are nothing but “vocational training centers” and “campuses” for imparting skills and deradicalising those influenced by extremism. With the release of this new policy paper, China seeks to assuage the growing concerns expressed by International Organisations against the unjust measures adopted by them against the vulnerable minority groups.

The Chinese authorities have stated in the paper that due to their policies implemented since 2014, 1588 violent and terrorist gangs have been dismantled, 12995 arrested and about 2052 explosive devices impounded. It also claims that 30645 people were punished for 4858 illegal religious activities and 345,229 copies of illegal religious materials were confiscated.

Some of Manohar Parrikar’s statements that endeared him to an entire nation of over a billion

OpIndia Staff
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Some of Manohar Parrikar’s statements that endeared him to an entire nation of over a billion

Manohar Parrikar, former Defense Minister of India and Chief Minister of Goa, passed away yesterday after suffering from Pancreatic Cancer for months. True to his grit, he continued to serve the country till his last breath.

Apart from his many qualities and sterling achievements, Parrikar was also known to make comments which augmented his reputation as a no-nonsense leader and a straightforward politician. In this article, we shall look at some of his statements which ruffled a lot of feathers.

On the 26th of November, 2016, Parrikar said about Pakistan, “We don’t itch for a fight. But if someone looks at the country with an evil eye, we will gouge his eyes out and put them back in his hand. There was no firing on the border for the last three days because if they fire once, we fire twice at them. We are giving a tit-for-tat response, and when they realized it, they approached us, seeking to stop it.”

Only a few days after the first Surgical Strikes, the late Chief Minister of Goa had said, “Pakistan’s condition after the surgical strikes is like that of an anaesthetized patient after a surgery who doesn’t know that the surgery has already been performed on him. Even two days after the surgical strikes, Pakistan has no idea what has happened… If Pakistan continues with such conspiracies, we will give them a befitting reply again.”

On another occasion, Parrikar remarked, “Our soldiers sent back five terrorists yesterday. And going to Pakistan and going to hell is the same.” His approach towards the menace of terrorism as Defense Minister has been directed towards inflicting heavy costs on the enemies. He had said once, “I gave instructions to the armed forces personnel to shoot at anyone possessing an AK-47 machine gun as it is obvious they do not have any good intentions.”

The former Defense Minister was also clear in his vision that terrorist should not expect human rights. He had stated, “A terrorist coming to India with a gun should not expect human rights. If required, we will neutralize terrorists with terrorists. Our Army of 13 lakhs is not to preach peace.”

On Indian Nuclear Policy, Parrikar had made a significant remark in 2016. He had said, “Why a lot of people say that India has No First Use policy… I should say I am a responsible nuclear power and I will not use it irresponsibly… And as an individual, I get a feeling sometime why do I say that I am not going to use it first. I am not saying that you have to use it first just because you don’t decide that you don’t use it first. The hoax can be called off.”

Parrikar also had a charming sense of humour. Once, he made a witty remark about his perceived ‘Seedha-Sadha’ image. “Someone said that I am simple (seedha-saadha). I think the Defence Minister should not be straight when it comes to ensuring the safety of the country. In matters of the country’s defence, I can be wily (tedha),” he had said.

He was also aware of honesty not being the only criterion for a proper leader. He said once, “Honesty without output is of no use. It’s not that if you are honest then you can’t deliver. A simple way of living honestly is not to take any decision. When you take a decision, you have to pass through a path with thorns and nails. You have to avoid all those and take a clear, conscious decision in the interest of the nation.”

Manohar Parrikar was an epitome of integrity, honesty, nationalism and courage. Even in the face of imminent demise, he continued to serve the country with utmost dedication.

131 chartered accountants debunk the politically motivated baseless allegations of some economists and social scientists

OpIndia Staff
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131 chartered accountants debunk the politically motivated baseless allegations of some economists and social scientists

Recently, 108 economists and social scientists raised doubts on the credibility of government data. They spoke about “restoring” the “institutional independence” and integrity of statistical institutions. In response to that 131 prominent chartered accountants  have written a letter debunking the ‘award wapasi 2’ attempt. Some of the signatories on the letter include Manipal Global chairman T V Mohandas Pai, Enam founder Vallabh Bhansali, India Infoline Group Founder and CMD Nirmal Jain, Kotak AMC MD Nilesh Shah, Haribhakti & Co. Partner Shailesh Hirabhakti and Anand Rathi Group CMD, Anand Rathi.

The letter, in its entirety has been presented below:

Recently, 101 economists and social scientists alleged that economic statistics in India are in shambles. They also alleged that there is political interference in the publication of data. They opined that in the past organisations like CSO and NSSO were enjoying high credibility but are now under a cloud.

Disputing government data is routine for experts around the world. However, it is unusual for a particular set to come together to discredit all data and long-standing institutions of eminence. The appeal seems even more devious as the data in respect of GDP, poverty alleviation, ease of doing business are being duly published even by international agencies including World Bank, IMF and many others. The international data and independent agencies have clearly confirmed the data being published by government agencies.

The appeal is also alleging suppression of data which is ‘inconvenient for the government’, while conveniently ignoring that the opposition and media are already playing their respective roles to the fullest in India. Changing of GDP base year is a regular feature. Instead of taking issue with specific areas, a general bunch of allegations has been made, which leaves one guessing about the motivation of the signatories. The allegations appear choreographed and resemble the previous “Award Wapsi” drama, which too was enacted just before a crucial state election. A political tendency is being developed to disown institutions. Even facts reported by the Armed Forces are being questioned against the national interest.

Between 1960 to 2014 India had been left behind by all its peers from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, South Africa and Sri Lanka in economic growth. None of these economists or social scientists ever made an appeal in those 54 long years that India is on a slow track and is being left behind. Now when India has become the fastest growing economy in the world they are worried about the credibility of data. Is it their intention to scare Foreign Investors by creating doubts on the credibility of data?

Read also: Former babus and how they help Congress: Simple example of the ‘ecosystem’ PM Modi talked about

Some Indian banks indulged in massive evergreening of loans between 2008 to 2014. Equity markets were correctly predicting massive under reporting of NPAs for years and majority of PSU banks were trading below book value for years. Yet none of these eminences made an appeal to give credible NPA data. This raises doubts as to their true intentions, and one ponders whether this concern emanates from the upcoming elections.

In their letter, while there has been no detailed proof for the allegations, a reference has been made about revision in GDP series post change in the base year to 2011/12 and the non-publication of NSSO labour force survey.

It may have skipped their mind but the base years of the National Accounts Statistics series have been changed in Aug 1967, Jan 1978, Feb 1988, Feb 1999 and 2006. Such base year changes are made to ensure that data reflects the transition as well as the disruptions in an economy. The rebasing exercise which led to the change in GDP growth rates – the base year was changed from 2004-05 to 2011-12 – was set in motion by the UPA. The methodology for this was also approved by the UPA; that the numbers came out under NDA is just a coincidence.

The new GDP series introduced is compliant with the United Nations guidelines in System of National Accounts-2008 for the first time. It takes information for the corporate sector and has better estimates of the unorganised sector on unincorporated enterprises, as well as data on sales and service taxes. Evidently, a methodology in compliance with the United Nations Standard is shambolic as per the distinguished signatories.

In a large country like India errors and omissions can happen while collecting and tabulating data. It may be recalled that a few decades back while calculating the price of iron ore was not revised for years, and later when the omission was corrected it resulted in a huge spike in inflation. Data revisions are part of a healthy practice to balance between timeliness and accuracy. For example, all data sources have their bases changed at periodic intervals as well as a provisional and final data. E.g. The GDP data is normally revised five times before the final numbers are released. The five revisions happen as First Advance, Second Advance, Provisional, First Revised and Second Revised. Final GDP is revised after all these revisions, and this takes about three years. Such revisions are not statistics in shambles but a reflection of robustness of the process within the limitation of size and scale of data collection.

The fast pace of roads built, railway tracks laid, rural homes built, start ups hitting the skies, the huge number of jobs created in services, deep and held back transformational reforms like GST unleashed, formalisation of the economy through demonetisation, loopholes and leakage in money transfer to the poor being plugged through Jan Dhan Bank Accounts and Aadhaar, the tremendous increase in market capitalisation, direct and indirect tax collection increase, ease of doing business-rank jumping from 142 to 77, India’s FDI inflow overtaking China, reduced interest rate on bank borrowings, the steep increase in tractor sales as a proxy indicator of agricultural development, introduction of insolvency and bankruptcy code leading to settlements of more than Rs 3 lakh crore, ‘big boy’ NPAs recognition and public auction of the same, a scandal free government etc. – all of these have been conveniently ignored by our friends while writing their letter imputing motives. All this has helped India become the sixth largest economy in the world, the fastest ever jump, in the last 5 years. And if there is any doubt regarding this then the signatories are welcome to take this up with the World Bank – an international agency backing this claim.

Most independent professionals have no doubt about the remarkable progress India has achieved in last 5 years. We also believe that India is poised to move on a higher growth trajectory provided such politically motivated attempts to discredit India and dent its credibility and progress is appropriately countered.

We appeal to the professionals around the world to come together to present the true picture of India and counter baseless allegations with political motivations.

List of Signatories:

1. ABL Srivastava, Former MD, NHPC
2. AK Sabat, Partner, AK Sabat & Co.
3. Aastha Jain Aggarwal, Partner, VGM & Co.
4. Adesh Gupta, ex CFO, Rashi Industries Ltd.
5. Ajay Bahl, Founder & Partner, AZB Associates
6. Akhilesh Jain, Independent Director, Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd.
7. Amarjit Chopra, Former President, ICAI
8. Amit Jain, MD, GTI Capital Advisory (India) LLP
9. Anand Rathi, CMD, Anand Rathi Group
10. Aniket Talati, Council Member ICAI, Ahmedabad
11. Anil Bhandari, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
12. Anil Gupta, Member Advisory Board, BVSS
13. Anil Saxena, ex CFO, Religare
14. Anil Sharma, Independent Director, UCO Bank
15. Anil Sharma, CFO, Heidelberg
16. Anuj Goyal, Council Member ICAI, Ghaziabad
17. Anup Dhanda, Director (Finance), Orient Craft
18. Anoop Joshi, Group CFO, SRF Ltd.
19. Ashok Batra, Author – Indirect Tax and GST
20. Avineesh Matta, Independent Director, IRCON & Former President, All
India CA Society
21. BR Somani, Former CFO, Jaipuria Group
22. B Thiagarajan, Founder & Partner, B. Thiagarajan and Co.
23. Bhagwan Das Gupta, Former Chairman NIRC, ICAI
24. Bimal Jain, Author and Expert – Indirect Tax and GST
25. Binu Nanda, Gambhir Nanda and Associates
26. Chandrashekhar Chitale, Council Member ICAI, Pune
27. DC Garg, Partner, D C Garg & Co.
28. DK Aggarwal, Vice President, PHD Chamber of Commerce
29. DS Rawat, Author & Partner, Bansal & Co.
30. Dayaniwas Sharma, Council Member ICAI, Hyderabad
31. Deen Dayal Aggarwal, Independent Director, Bank of Maharashtra
32. Deepak Gupta, Former Council Member, ICAI
33. Dheeraj Khandelwal, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
34. Dinesh Gupta, Partner, OP Tulsyan & Co.
35. Dinesh Kumar, CFO, Wizcraft
36. Dinesh N Jain, Vice President, Finance Sanden Vikas India Pvt Ltd
37. Durgesh Kabra, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
38. GV Krishna, Independent Director, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
39. Girish Ahuja, Author – Direct Tax
40. Gurmeet Grewal, Author – Accounts
41. Hans Raj Chugh, Council Member ICAI, Delhi
42. Harish Choudhary Jain, Chairman NIRC, ICAI
43. Jashan Arora, Director, Master Capital
44. Jay Chhaira, Council Member ICAI, Surat
45. Jayant Gokhale, Former Council Member, ICAI
46. KG Somani, Former President, ICAI
47. KM Agarwal, Former President, ICAI
48. Kapil Gupta, Former Chairman NIRC, ICAI
49. Kemisha Soni, Council Member ICAI, Indore
50. M Devaraja Reddy, Former President, ICAI
51. MK Aggarwal, General Secretary, Shri Agrasen International Hospital
52. MM Chitale, Founder, Mukund M Chitale & Co
53. MP Vijay Kumar, Council Member ICAI, Chennai
54. MR Venkatesh, Author & Commentator
55. Mahesh Baboo Gupta, Independent Director, Punjab National Bank
56. Mangesh Kinare, Former Council Member, ICAI
57. Manmohan Khemka, Partner, SAMYNK & Co.
58. Manoj Fadnis, Former President, ICAI & CAPA
59. Manoj Kumar Anand, Partner, M K Anand & Associates
60. Mitil Chokshi, Partner, Chokshi & Chokshi
61. Mukesh Patel, Former Member, Task Force on Direct Tax Code
62. Mukesh Singh Kushwah, Former Council Member, ICAI
63. N Nityananda, Economic Analyst, Federation of Karnataka CCI
64. Naresh C Maheshwari, Former President, ANMI
65. Nihar Jambusaria, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
66. Nilesh Shah, MD, Kotak AMC
67. Nilesh Vikamsey, Former President, ICAI
68. Nirmal Jain, Founder & CMD, India Infoline Group
69. PP Parekh, Former Independent Director, Bank Of Baroda
70. PS Prabhakar, Managing Partner, Rajagopal & Badrinarayan
71. Pankaj Goel, CMD, Express Builder
72. Pankaj Periwal, Former Chairman NIRC, ICAI
73. Parmod Bindal, Independent Director, Steel Authority of India Ltd.
74. Pawan Kumar Sharma, Former Council Member, ICAI
75. Prafulla P Chhajed, Partner, Mayur and Chhajed
76. Prakash Agiwal, Partner, Agiwal & Associates
77. Prakash Sharma, Council Member ICAI, Jaipur
78. Pramod Boob, Council Member ICAI, Jaipur
79. Pramod Jain, Council Member ICAI, Delhi
80. Pramod Kapur, President, All India CA Society
81. Prasanna Kumar, Council Member ICAI, Visakhapatnam
82. Praveen Sharma, Director, Kingdom of Dreams
83. R Bupathy, Former President, ICAI
84. Raj K Agarwal, General Secretary- Executive Committee, BVSS
85. Rajender Arora, NICASA Chairman, NIRC
86. Rajendra Kumar, Council Member ICAI, Chennai
87. Rajesh Sharma, Council Member ICAI, Delhi
88. Rajib Sekhar Sahoo, Partner, SRB & Associates
89. Rakesh Makkar, Former Chairman NIRC, ICAI
90. Raman Mangla, Former Chairman NIRC, ICAI
91. Ranjeet Agarwal, Council Member ICAI, Kolkata
92. Ravi Kaushal, Former Sr VP, Airtel
93. SB Zaware, Former Council Member, ICAI
94. S Ravi, Managing Partner, Ravi Rajan & Co.
95. Sanjay Agarwal, Former Council Member, ICAI
96. Sanjay Bansal, Practicing CA
97. Sanjay Kapoor, Former Independent Director, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
98. Sanjeev Maheshwari, Former Council Member, ICAI
99. Sanjeev K Chaudhary, Former Council Member, ICAI
100. Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
101. Savmit Grover, Founder and Partner, Savmit Grover & Associates
102. Shailesh Haribhakti, Partner, Haribhakti & Co.
103. Shriniwas Joshi, Council Member ICAI, Mumbai
104. Shweta Jain, Managing Partner, Shweta Jain & Co.
105. Sripriya Kumar, Author & Former Council Member, ICAI
106. Subhash Aggarwal, CMD, SMC Group
107. Sudhir Malik, Expert Smart City
108. Sumantra Guha, Former Council Member, ICAI
109. Sumit Binani, Chairman EIRC, ICAI
110. Sunil Bhargava, Financial Consultant
111. Sunil Goyal, Former President, ICAI
112. Sunil Gupta, Co-Chair, Indo European Business Forum
113. Sunil Talati, Former President, ICAI
114. Suresh Jain, Group CFO, English Indian Clays Ltd.
115. Suryanarayana Simhadri, Independent Director, Rashtriya Chemicals &
Fertilizers Ltd.
116. Sushil Goyal, Council Member ICAI, Kolkata
117. Sushil Kaushik, CEO, Nunhems India Pvt Ltd (BASF)
118. TV Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global
119. VC Darak, Former Council Member, ICAI
120. V Murali, Former Council Member, ICAI
121. Vaibhav Jain, Partner, Mehra Goel & Co.
122. Vallabh Bhansali, Founder, Enam
123. Vijay Goel, Independent Director, Indian Bank
124. Vijay Mantri, Co-Promoter and Chief Mentor, Buckfast Financial Advisory
Services Private Limited
125. Vikas Khemani, Former CEO, Edelweiss
126. Vinay Gupta, Partner PVRN & Co.
127. Vinod Jain, Convenor, National Economic Forum
128. Vinod Rastogi, CA, Tanzania
129. Vinod Somani, Partner, KG Somani & Co.
130. Vivek Kumar, ex ED, HUDCO
131. Yamal A Vyas, Independent Director, Gujarat State Seeds Corporation Ltd.

A Pulitzer Prize winning report on Priyanka Gandhi’s aeroplane trip by Mausambi Singh

Rahul Roushan
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A Pulitzer Prize winning report on Priyanka Gandhi’s aeroplane trip by Mausambi Singh

It was just another day for me in the office of Headlines India when I was researching for an article on India’s foreign policy by looking at Priyanka Gandhi’s photographs juxtaposed with those of Indira Gandhi. My phone rang before I could finish my first mug of coffee. It was a call from Priyanka Gandhi’s office. They asked me if I could join Priyanka for her flight from Delhi to Lucknow.

I couldn’t believe my ears. This was the biggest scoop of the election season and I was handpicked for it! Ghosh!

I immediately said yes and asked for flight details so that I can book my tickets. Priyanka’s office informed me that I shouldn’t bother as they will send the tickets. I was almost in tears. No one cares for us like they do. In the last five years, journalists were routinely forced to buy tickets even though chartered planes of ministers and big leaders went vacant.

Soon the ticket arrived in my inbox and there was another pleasant surprise. It was not a chartered plane but a common commercial airliner. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was taking an IndiGo flight. She will be walking and talking among the aam aadmi. I felt a lump in my throat.

Well, the IndiGo flight may not have a business class, but Priyanka Gandhi had already sent a message that she had class and she meant business. How could someone not miss this symbolism? Surely not an independent journalist like me.

I immediately proceeded to complete web check-in and booked myself a middle seat at 7B. I’m not only independent, I’m neutral, so I always book middle seats, neither window nor aisle, neither left nor right. I wish the biased journalists at Republic TV who question an independent leader like Mani Shankar Aiyar could understand these nuances. But when you are busy shouting, how will you get time to think and reflect?

At airport, I was among the first one to reach the boarding gates. I hoped to catch Priyanka chatting with common people there while waiting to board the flight, but she was not there. Maybe due to security reasons. But I could sense her presence. I could see that people were smiling at each other. Last time I had seen such scenes in Delhi was in 2015 when Arvind Kejriwal had swept the assembly elections. I asked a few people to smile more for my video report.

After everyone was settled in, Priyanka walked into the plane in the end. She clearly made sure that common men didn’t face any problems due to her boarding. She walked tall with her handbag that she kept in overhead cabin by herself, despite having four assistants and two bodyguards. The simplicity floored everyone.

Once she put her bag and smiled at the cabin, her assistant told her something pointing towards me. She smiled again, this time at me. I felt goosebumps. And I’m sure everyone felt the same. I remember the lady on the aisle seat in my row had immediately asked the air hostess for a blanket.

Boarding was completed. Priyanka was sitting alone in an emergency row with window seat 13A. She confidently acknowledged having understood the emergency directions given by the air hostess. It was another symbolism that can’t be missed. She was ready to take the risk alone and help common man in case evacuation is needed.

Once the flight was in air and seat-belt sign was switched off, I went to have a quick interview with Priyanka. She was still having her seat-belt on. Yet another powerful symbolism, this time laden with political message to Narendra Modi over Pulwama and Pakistan – that Priyanka doesn’t lower her guards just because everyone else thinks safety measures are no longer needed. Our borders with Pakistan will be more secure – the message was loud and clear.

I asked her some tough questions if she had pre-booked her in-flight meals and if there were some offline YouTube videos in her mobile that she could watch while in air. She calmly answered all the questions. A real leader is one who is not afraid of tough questions.

It was not a normal flight. I could see that passengers were going to the toilet more frequently than often. Perhaps it was just an excuse to catch a glimpse of Priyanka Gandhi, whose presence assured them that things were under control.

Whenever the captain ended any announcement with Jai Hind, Priyanka would smile. Just what we need today, a benign assuring display of patriotism, not an ugly vande mataram shouting jingoism.

The captain also announced that they feared some turbulence. The plane crew and air hostesses immediately skittered away, guys near the toilet ran back to their seats without peeing, but Priyanka sat there in her seat, composed, reassuringly.

I can’t forget those scary 19 seconds when the turbulence did take place. There were strange jerks. It felt as if the plane was being hit by gau-rakshaks. A 3-year-old boy was crying loudly out of fear, an old Muslim lady had started reading duas. I was scared too. The worst thoughts were coming to my mind e.g. will I die without getting this article on Priyanka Gandhi published?

However, even in such trying times, Priyanka was not screaming or looking for any divine help. She was sitting calm and composed. She didn’t even ask her bodyguards and assistants – who were seated in rows 12, 13 (D/E/F only), and 14 – to help her. Everyone was amazed. Perhaps those 19 seconds were a divine signal by the god, showing us who stands out from the rest in 2019.

Last night when Priyanka tweeted revealing how her grandmother Indira Gandhi would recount to her stories of Joan of Arc, asking her to be fearless, I could connect the dots. Who I saw in those 19 seconds was an Indian Joan of Arc – fearless and ready to lead us for bigger battles.

It is amazing how much we owe to this family. Jawaharlal Nehru gave us scientific temper, due to which we fly in aeroplanes today, Rajiv Gandhi brought computers allowing us to web check-in from home, while Indira Gandhi asked us to be fearless like Joan of Arc so that turbulences don’t bother us.

Priyanka Gandhi in an Indigo flight symbolized the best of the three generations. It is now up to us to choose the best.

~ written Mausambi Singh, Deputy Editor, Headlines India.

(the article is a work of satire inspired from a real news report below)

Congress Telangana crisis: Congress youth leader burns party flag, 8th MLA announces defection to TRS

OpIndia Staff
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Congress Telangana crisis: Congress youth leader burns party flag, 8th MLA announces defection to TRS

As Lok Sabha elections are approaching fast, The Telangana Congress is witnessing an exodus of its legislative members to ruling camp of Telangana Rashtra Samiti, endangering its opposition status in the assembly as its strength has come down to 11 from 19 MLAs. On Sunday, its 8th MLA, Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, announced defection to TRS after meeting with state CM K Chandrashekar Rao.

“All-round development of Kothagudem constituency is important to me. KCR ji has assured me to comprehensively develop it”  Rao, who represents Kotaguden constituency, was quoted by reports. Before Rao, MLAs Atram Sakku, Rega Kantha Rao, Haripriya Naik, Ch Lingaiah, P Sabita Indra Reddy, D Sudhir Reddy, Upender Reddy have announced support to TRS.

Not only MLAs, but many other party leaders disenchanted with its leadership are also joining TRS. Congress youth leader Krishank Manne burned the party flag and other campaign materials to express his disproval with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President UK Reddy, for not “recognising” his work. He has also written an open letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi accusing state leaders of making money and not contributing to party in any manner.


With the defection of its 8th MLA, Congress party can lose the status of the principal opposition party in the state’s assembly, as it is mandatory to have 10% members in the house to retain status. Losing the status will strip Leader of opposition Mallu Bharti, the benefits which are equivalent of a cabinet minister.

There are speculations that 4 more Congress MLAs are in talks with TRS to defect. If that happens, the MLAs may not get disqualified as per provisions of the anti-defection law. The law mandates defection of at least two-thirds MLAs to gain recognition as a separate block and gain eligibility to pledge support to any party without having to resign from the assembly.

Congress party has been continuously alleging CM KR Rao of exercising undemocratic and unconstitutional measures to wipe out opposition from the state. The party also plans to meet Governor ESL Narasimhan on Monday to submit a memorandum in this regard.

In the last assembly elections of Telangana, Congress fought in alliance with Telegu Desam Party, Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI), to combat the incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samithi CM KC Rao. The alliance, named Prajakutami, had failed miserably with Congress getting 19 seats out of 100 it had contested, and TDP getting relegated to two seats. The other alliance partners had drawn a blank. Due to this, CM KC Rao was back to the throne with a thumping majority of 88 seats.

Not only in Telangana, Congress party is having a hard time to save its leaders from going to other parties, in other states also. Earlier this month, leader of opposition in Maharashtra assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil’s son Sujay Vikhe Patil joined the BJP. It was followed by reports of 7-time MLA Kalidas Kolambkar leaving Congress and joining BJP.

Another setback to Congress had come in the form of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s closest aide Tom Vadakkan joining the BJP, citing disenchantment with the party over its stand over Pulwama attack.

Indian Muslims: Look at Congress manifesto to know if they stand by you

Ashish Shukla
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Indian Muslims: Look at Congress manifesto to know if they stand by you

Election Commission, as per news, has now mandated that the manifestos of political parties must be declared 48 hours before voting. (The 2019 General Elections kick off in seven phases on April 11).

It’s important for Indians, especially the Muslims, to look at Congress’ manifesto closely and understand that the grand old party has never, not now, and certainly would not stand by India’s largest minority.

Congress had nominated only 27 Muslim candidates in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections—a paltry 5.6 per cent of its total candidates.

This wasn’t true only of the remote-controlled Manmohan Singh’s government of UPA 1 and UPA 2 between 2004-2014 – even under Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, very few Muslim candidates were nominated by the Congress in Lok Sabha polls.

Must Muslims must not be aware that the Congress manifesto in recent assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh had promised to build gaushalas (cow shelters), medical usage of gaumutra (cow urine) and cow dung. It had promised to promote Sanskrit language and the Ram Van Gaman Path (Lord Ram’s route during his exile from Ayodhya) and protect India’s sacred rivers through laws.

Nothing is wrong with the resolution but only if Muslims remember that in the previous assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh in 2013, Congress had a whole section on “Minority Community” in its manifesto. It had promised to provide special economic assistance to madrasas, new laws against communal violence and the implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendations.

Sachar Committee is an interesting moment of reflection. It was commissioned by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005 to evaluate the status of Muslims in the country. Formed under former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Rajinder Sachar, and six other members (but for one, four were Muslims and one Christian) it gave a forceful report in support of Muslims, even going to the extent of devoting a good chunk on the supposed growth of Muslim population in India.

Sachar Committee found that Muslims constituted only 2.5 per cent of the Indian bureaucracy even though they were (then) 14% percent of the population. It stated the “backwardness” of Muslims and impediments in assimilating them in the economic, political and social mainstream of the country. Damningly, Sachar Committee concluded that the conditions facing Indian Muslims were below that of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. (a passing query: Why committee on just one minority, what about others?)

If Muslims were in a worse state than Dalits, what was Congress doing in most of the 70 years it held India’s reins? The truth is, even in 2014, Congress nominated very few Muslims in critical states like Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu (Do you understand the Congress dilemma on AAP now? One might demand more and the other less Muslim candidature).

The photo-ops of Rahul Gandhi as a Hindu in recent times bear no repetition. In assembly elections in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi lost no opportunity to visit temples and present himself as a janeudhari Shiv-bhakt. Rahul Gandhi’s soft Hindutva politics is lost on no one.

If nothing else, Muslims of this country should look at the scenario in Uttar Pradesh. Even an avowed Muslim-supporting Samajwadi Party isn’t afraid of Congress for their vote banks. They know a hypocrite party like Congress wouldn’t cut into their Muslim base in the state. They have dropped them with impunity, nudged, of course, by Mayawati’s BSP.

So my Muslim brethren, look at Congress manifesto closely this time. Soft Hindutva or Muslim protectors? Or none but the goal of power? You would have your answers.

Congress misleading people by leaving 7 seats for SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP, it can field candidates in all 80-seats: Mayawati

OpIndia Staff
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Congress misleading people by leaving 7 seats for SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP, it can field candidates in all 80-seats: Mayawati

After failing to tie-up with the SP-BSP alliance, Rahul Gandhi led Congress party seems to have faced another embarrassment ahead of the Lok Sabha election as BSP supremo has rejected Congress party’s offer of not fielding candidates at seven Lol Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

On Monday, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the Congress party and clearly stated that her party is having no alliance with Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, a day after the Congress had left seven seats for the leaders of the SP, BSP and RLD, who are part of Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. The party had said that they will not field Congress candidates against Mulayam Singh, Dimple Yadav and Akshay Yadav of SP, Chaudhury Ajit Singh and Jayant Chaudhary of Rashtriya Lok Dal, BSP Supremo Mayawati, while the seventh name was not announced, which was speculated to be Akhilesh Yadav.

In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said, “BSP once again clears that it has no understanding or an alliance with Congress in any part of the country including Uttar Pradesh. Our people should not get misled by the words of Congress.”

“Congress is free to field its candidates in all 80 seats which means the alliance is able to defeat BJP on its own. Congress should not mislead people,” said Mayawati.


Meanwhile, the SP-BSP alliance has stood by their decision to not field any candidate in Amethi and Rae Bareli seats. While Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is the sitting MP from Amethi, Rae Bareli is held by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and Ajit Singh led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) had joined together to take on the NDA, which had secured 73 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The SP-BSP-RLD ‘Mahagathbandhan’ has agreed on a seat share formula with SP contesting on 37 seats while BSP is set to contest from 38 seats. RLD will be contesting from three seats – Baghpat, Muzzafarnagar and Mathura.

 

West Bengal: Chinese national arrested for flying camera-drone over Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Chinese national arrested for flying camera-drone over Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial

A Chinese National was arrested in Kolkata on Sunday for flying a drone over Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial and near Fort William headquarters of Army’s Eastern Command.

34-year-old Li Zhiwei who is reportedly from China’s Gudong was detained by the CISF posted at Victoria Memorial along with two women accompanying him. They were taken to Hastings police station. He was then produced in Bankshall court that remanded him in police custody until March 25. However, the two women who were with him were released.

The Chinese consulate in Kolkata has been informed about the incident.

The Victoria Memorial lies within a three-kilometre radius of the high-security zone around Fort William, the headquarters of the Army’s Eastern Command.

A senior police officer of Kolkata police said, “On March 16, Chinese national Li Zhiwei (34) entered the Victoria Memorial along with an iPhone and a drone camera. He was detained by CISF personnel while he was flying drone on the premises. They brought him to Hastings Police Station and submitted a letter of complaint. Later the police arrested him and launched an investigation.”

According to legal experts, though one can own a drone in India but cannot fly it without a number of permissions from authorities. And flying a drone in restricted areas, like the Chinese citizen did, leads to a serious offence.

Li has been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servants), 268 (public nuisance), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and section 11A of the Aircraft Act 1934, which deals with punishment for non- compliance with Section 5A of the act.

Section 5A deals with the prohibition of the use of aircraft except under the authority of and in accordance with a licence. If convicted, he can be jailed for two years.

The Police have, however, said it was possible that he did not know the rules and added that they were questioning him to find out why he operated the drone. It is possible that the Chinese national did not know that the entire maidan area where Victoria Memorial is located is army property, and used the drone to take photographs of the monument as a tourist.

Meanwhile, the army had sought a report from the police about the images captured by the drone.

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