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Newly elected Karnataka CM, Kumaraswamy, not in favour of release of Rajinikanth starrer Kaala

OpIndia Staff
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Newly elected Karnataka CM, Kumaraswamy, not in favour of release of Rajinikanth starrer Kaala

Amidst the controversy surrounding the release of Rajinikanth starrer Kaala in Karnataka, newly elected chief minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, has said that makers of Kaala should avoid release in Karnataka. In an ‘appeal’ as a Kannadiga, he has requested the makers of Kaala to not release it in Karnataka in ‘this kind of atmosphere’.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka High Court had asked the state to provide security to the centres screening the movie. To that, Kumaraswamy said that though his government will obey the court directions but his ‘personal opinion as a Kannadiga’ was against the release of the movie in the state. Rajinikanth’s remarks that Karnataka Government should implement the order on Cauvery water in letter and spirit without getting into “technicalities of whether it is going to be an authority or a board”.

Kumaraswamy said that as an experienced person, he knows how releasing the film will not be financially viable for the distributors. He questioned distributors on ‘unnecessarily’ releasing a movie that could create controversy.

In Tamil Nadu, too, his film has run into protests for his stand on Tuticorin Sterlite protests where he blamed the anti-social elements for the violence during the anti-Sterlite rally on 22nd May which resulted in the death of 13 people in police firing. He had even asked for an ‘iron fist’ policy to crush the anti-socials.

Actor Kamal Haasan, whose statement on Tuticorin protests reminded people eerily of Kashmir uprising, slammed Rajinikanth and is reported to have said that if the protestors are anti-social, so am I. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have already branded Rajinikanth as BJP’s team B.

RSS refuses request to host Iftar at its founder’s memorial, calls it no place for parties

OpIndia Staff
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RSS refuses request to host Iftar at its founder’s memorial, calls it no place for parties

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has refused a request to host an Iftar party at its Smruti Mandir premises in Nagpur’s Reshimbagh area by asserting that, “no parties could be hosted there”, Indian Express has reported.

The news about this refusal comes just a day after Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) – the Muslim arm of RSS had hosted such a party in Mumbai. This event was already in the news with regards to it being boycotted by various Muslim groups.

With regards to the current case, Mohammad Faruq Sheikh – the convener of Muslim Rashtriya Manch had requested Rajesh Loya the RSS Nagpur Mahanagar Sanghchalak to host such a party at their Smruti Mandir premises. Smruti Mandir is the memorial of RSS founder Dr Keshav Hedgewar.

The proposal also included a promise that the party would be fully vegetarian. The RSS though declined to approve this plan by stating that it was no place to host parties.

The MRM President – Mohammad Afzal though has now accepted the decision by giving a reasoning that, “if a Muslim wants to host an Iftar party, he has to do it himself and can’t ask someone else to do it”.

Earlier though a Times of India report had claimed that the rejection had resulted in discontent between the MRM activists who had felt that holding an Iftar there would have sent a strong signal that, RSS holds a liberal attitude towards Muslims. They also called it an ideal venue for hosting such a party.

The report thus claimed that the disappointed MRM activists felt that they were being given a secondary treatment.

The RSS though might have found a way to appease them by holding an Eid Milam program at their Nagpur headquarters sometime in August, Nagpur Today has reported. This program is supposed to be organised by the MRM activists.

India-China security cooperation may soon be a reality

Anubhav
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India-China security cooperation may soon be a reality

China’s state councillor and minister of Public security, Zhao Kezhi will be visiting India in the recent future. This visit of the Chinese official will give India the opportunity to secure a bilateral-pact with China on security cooperation. A Chinese military team is also expected to visit India this month to resume the halted military-to-military talks.

During India’s Home Minister Ranath Singh’s visit to China in 2015, the two countries were scheduled to sign an ‘umbrella’ agreement on security cooperation but it could not be signed back then. Another opportunity to sign a security pact with China was lost when China’s Communist party’s politburo member Meng Jianzhu visited India in 2016.

In 2017, a few months before the infamous Doklam standoff, Beijing returned India’s draft urging the Indian side to re-draft the proposal and suggested a sector-wise approach to agreements instead of an umbrella agreement in the field of intelligence, human trafficking, narcotics, and Terrorism.

India is currently deliberating China’s proposal of creating a counter-terrorism partnership. The Indian side hopes to obtain some information from the Chinese side about Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar, who was not included in the UN’s global terrorist list because of the Chinese veto.

The pact can also be fruitful in pinpointing ULFA leader Paresh Barua, who is also believed to receive support from the Chinese establishment.

In recent years, India has been successful with its diplomatic dealings with the dragon. In 2017, BRICS summit in Xiamen, China named and shamed Pakistan terror groups LeT and JeM, a long-time demand from India. This year at FATF meet, China supported India’s bid to greylist Pakistan for terror funding.

Besides terrorism, India is willing to set up a mechanism for cooperation in tackling transnational crimes,  cybercrime, and establishment of a 24×7 hotline to exchange information with China.

Rahul Gandhi ji at the airport – He proves again why he is the best

Gaurav
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Rahul Gandhi ji at the airport – He proves again why he is the best

Rahul Gandhi ji left India on May 27th for his mother’s annual medical check-up. Since that date, there has been a huge void in Indian politics. All of us missed Rahul Gandhi a lot. But today, an alleged video, allegedly showing Rahul Gandhi, allegedly at an airport, was seen circulating on social media.


There is no way to confirm whether it is Rahul Gandhi, or whether it is a recent video. But my heart says it is Rahul Gandhi because only Rahul ji Gandhi could exhibit the following features, as he has done in the video:

a. Note his attire. It is the same designer Burberry jacket which costs around Rs 70000, which we had last seen him with during his Meghalaya campaign. Rahul ji had told us that it was a borrowed jacket. See the simplicity of the man, he is continuing to keep and use, a borrowed jacket for over 6 months now. No matter that 3-4 out of those 6 months were summer months when such jackets would be useless. He still did not return it to his friend who had lent it to him. This shows that Rahulji doesn’t abandon things, unlike Modi.

b. Note his unkempt look. A shabby salt and pepper beard. Rahulji clearly believes in the maxim of “simple living, HIGH thinking”. Hence he has not shaved for many days. Another reason could be the fact that blades are not allowed as hand baggage and Rahul ji does not want to carry luggage which will unnecessarily add to the weight of the plane.

c. Rahul ji is cool and calm among the people surrounding him. He has not orchestrated a fake mob (like Modiji) thronging him and asking selfies and autographs. Rahul ji respects the fact that people have their own lives hence he has not turned on his magnetic personality. He has ensured that people can live their lives normally, although he is around.

d. Rahul ji told us that he is accompanying Sonia ji for her checkup. But no Sonia ji can be seen in the video. Why? Don’t you know? Don’t you remember Rahul ji’s most epic interview with Arnab? WOMAN EMPOWERMENT! Rahul ji believes that his mother is an independent free-spirited woman who does not need the crutches of a patriarchal son. Much wow, very amaze.

e. Rahul ji is seen sans security cover as well. No SPG no bodyguards? Because Rahul ji is not insecure (unlike Modi). Rahul ji knows very well that nothing can harm him and his politics since politics is in his pants which he kept in a drawer yesterday morning when he woke up at night.

f. Lastly, Rahul ji has shown that he has no fear. Just recently Rahul ji had faced a failed sabotage attempt when Sanghis had tried to crash his plane in Karnataka. Any ordinary person would have developed a fear of flying. But Rahul ji shows no such irrational fear, and is ready to board plane after plane.

All the above qualities can only be shown by our very own Rahul ji. No look-a-like can master all these traits of our Rahul ji. We love you Rahul ji.

Goondaism at its peak in the name of farmer protest: Videos on social media act as an eye opener

Jhankar Mohta
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Goondaism at its peak in the name of farmer protest: Videos on social media act as an eye opener

Recently, 10-day agitation to press the demands, including loan waiver and right price for crops, was launched by the farmers in large groups.

The Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that the protest by farmers in various parts of the country attempted to get media attention, triggering demands by opposition parties for his removal. He also stressed that the farmers opted for “unusual deeds” to draw media attention as they belong to organizations with only a few thousand members.

Social media was soon flooded with videos and images showing the farmers being forced to throw away fruits, vegetables, and milk by politically motivated farmer protestors and agitators. The video clearly shows that some farmers are not very happy with the protest and are showing resentment to the same.

OpIndia, however, couldn’t independently verify details, such as place and time of the videos being shot, but social media users have claimed that they are part of the ongoing farmers’ protest.

This clip clearly shows how a child looks helplessly, while few goons forcefully take away the milk can from the child and throw it on the road.


Another video on social media showing how milk is being thrown on streets in the name of protest:


Some even showed how a farmer requested fellow farmer to spare his milk cans, but the protestors not paying heed to the request, spilt the entire can of milk on the street:


Netizens sharing such videos are claiming that the Kisaan Andolan is nothing but some political goons from Congress and other parties snatching away Milk, Vegetables and throwing them on roads for just photo opportunity in an attempt to defame Modi Government.


It’s a shame how few people to fulfil their ulterior motives are using the poor farmers as guinea pigs. Netizens are making their assertions, posting pictures of people throwing and destroying vegetables and fruits who they claim from no angle look like farmers.


Indian Army veteran Col Danvir Singh Chouhan perhaps elucidated it in the best possible manner. The ones who support Prime Minister Modi don’t seem to have a problem. The ones who support the opposition do.


Many feel that this is a desperate attempt of hired goons to make a non-issue an issue and create artificial scarcity leading to price rise of consumables so that the Congress can harp about ‘bure-din’ under Modi.

Odisha’s Chandrabhaga beach gets Asia’s first blue flag certification, 12 more being developed by Environment Ministry

Sanghamitra
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Odisha’s Chandrabhaga beach gets Asia’s first blue flag certification, 12 more being developed by Environment Ministry

On World Environment Day, Odisha’s Chandrabhaga beach achieved the distinction of being Asia’s first beach to get a Blue Flag Certification. The Blue Flag Certification, according to reports, is a tag for environment-friendly and clean beaches that also possess international standard amenities for tourists.


Arvind Nautiyal, project head for the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), has reportedly informed that for a beach to achieve Blue Flag standards, it has to be clean, plastic-free and equipped with a sustainable waste management system. It should provide tourists with clean drinking water and other amenities to the tourists too. The SICOM is a government body under the Environment Ministry and works for the management of coastal areas. It has 12 more beaches of the country under its ongoing development project to achieve Blue Flag standards.

The Blue Flag standards were reportedly established by Copenhagen based Foundation for Environmental Education in 1985. After Chandrabhaga, 2 beaches in Maharashtra and one beach each from Daman & Diu, Goa, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is being developed by the SICOM for the Blue Flag standards.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik congratulated the Forest Department and other staff involved in the work. IFS officer Susanta Nanda, who is the Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority and Project Director of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZM), which oversaw the cleaning and development of the beach informed on Twitter about the certification, thanking volunteers who participated in cleaning drive.


Chandrabhaga is a scenic beach located near Konark and is a must visit place for tourists visiting the Konark Sun Temple.

Yogi Adityanath supports ‘one nation-one election’, plans to create single voters list linked to Aadhaar

Anubhav
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Yogi Adityanath supports ‘one nation-one election’, plans to create single voters list linked to Aadhaar

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his support in favour of the country holding simultaneous elections.  Simultaneous elections here connotes that the general elections and state assembly elections taking place at the same time. The reason behind his support is believed to be the expected non-delayed developmental project deliverance.

Adityanath stated that state polls, by-polls, and general elections are usually held at different times, which hampers the developmental projects due to the imposition of the moral code of conducts and the huge logistical burden that befalls with the deployment of election staff, security personnel. He said that he is in line with the Prime minister’s campaign for simultaneous elections. Adityanath is also unwilling to waste public funds on elections every five years.

Yogi Adityanath revealed that the Uttar Pradesh government has already constituted a team under the health minister Siddarth Nath Singh in this regard. He also plans to create a single voter’s list which is to be linked to the Aadhar card. So, when one turns eighteen he or she is automatically added to the list and deceased voters will automatically be deleted from the voter list. This way voter impersonification will also be curbed. The state has already sent a proposal to the Centre in this regard, the Chief Minister added.

Earlier, we have reported on how this idea can be actualized with a few altercations in 2019 when the law commission and the Election commission declared that they would meet to discuss the issue on 16th May.

Bhupendra Yadav has written to the Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states on this specific issue of simultaneous elections or as Prime Minister Modi calls it ‘One Nation-One Election’. Yadav has advised the C.M’s to take the opposition leaders into confidence to reach a consensus regarding this issue, which could very well change Indian Polity.

The NITI Aayog has also presented their recommendations in this regard, The central government has sought the opinion of the Election Commission for the same.

Sermoniser-in-chief, Rajdeep Sardesai, amusingly asks fellow journalists to ‘save integrity’

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Sermoniser-in-chief, Rajdeep Sardesai, amusingly asks fellow journalists to ‘save integrity’

Page 3 news is typically referred in a derogatory manner because it majorly consists of gossip or absurd news items. The Hindu so far has been an exception to Page 3 culture. Until today, when they came very close to becoming a Page 3 tabloid! Because of this news literally on Page 3!

I couldn’t stop laughing looking at the headline – of all people, Rajdeep asking others to save integrity! However, the headline is not the only hilarious thing in that article. Rajdeep Sardesai, the Senior Journalist with India Today who is known to do fluff interviews of Mamata Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi and the Yadavs and who once proudly proclaimed that he is anti-national, has once again managed to expose his own hypocrisy. I would like to, therefore, discuss Rajdeep’s thoughts

He said the cheapest way of broadcasting news is to hold debates in studios.

Dear reader, do you know what Rajdeep does every single day? At 9 PM, on India Today, he holds a debate. So, by his own definition, every single day he practices the “cheapest way of broadcasting”. Every single day. And yet here he is, delivering sermons at the Press Club of Hyderabad!

Mr Sardesai said news should focus on education, health, environment, science and technology.

Rajdeep Sardesai has been in this business for a very very long time. He has been the Editor-in-Chief of CNN-IBN for a few years too. This means he had the considerable clout to focus on “education, health, environment, science and technology”. Would he be willing to accept a simple challenge, and give us details of shows he has hosted on the above topics? Or what percentage of time did CNN-IBN spend on these topics, when he at the helm?

A couple of years back, he got a chance to interview the HRD minister of the country. He went so unprepared and got badgered by the minister, that this interview will be taught at journalism schools on how not to conduct an interview! My point is that when the opportunity threw up to talk about “education”, he screws up badly. And yet here he is, delivering sermons at the Press Club of Hyderabad!

Journalists should be objective, but presently journalists are being asked to take sides, Mr Sardesai said.

This is a serious allegation. Who has “asked” journalists to take sides?! People have only asked them to openly tell whose side they are taking. What irks people is that Rajdeep (and his friends) don’t come out openly and say that they take sides! They live in this make-believe world that they are the most “objective” people on this planet. All you need to do is watch Rajdeep’s show for a week to understand the hypocrisy in his statement. And yet here he is, delivering sermons at the Press Club of Hyderabad.

Mr Sardesai said, “We have to change what is considered news. Even good news is news. We should help build a better India”.

Boy o boy, what a realization this has been! We must again go back to the basic question – how many of his debates are centred around “good news”? How many shows has he conducted around “good news”. How much has he contributed to “a better India”? Why can’t he take the lead and start using his broadcasting slot for “good news”? If he thinks TRPs won’t come, why can’t he send one tweet a day, write one blog a week, do one video a month on some “good news”? Instead of showing the way, here he is, delivering sermons at the Press Club of Hyderabad.

“Journalism in the Country faces several challenges including corrupt content, misuse of technology, lack of credibility and faulty business model of news production apart from lacking journalists with integrity”, Mr Sardesai pointed out

That’s quite a loaded statement! The first example that comes to mind when “misuse of technology” is mentioned, is how Sagarika Ghose faked an entire interview with Sri Sri (& Rajdeep was editor in chief at that time). “Lack of credibility” will arise if you openly lie about being beaten up, when the truth is that it was you beat up people. Normal citizens like me will see “corrupt content”, when you get a chance to interview Sonia Gandhi and ask her about Indira Gandhi’s role in the kitchen.

These are just recent examples. We can go back to the cash for votes days too, but I don’t want to delve any further. Sermoniser-in-chief, Rajdeep Sardesai, is simply awesome at giving advise but ranks very poor when it comes to following them. Page 3 seems to have been the apt place to place this news!

On World Environment Day, meet the Padma awardee who has planted more than 1 crore trees

Shashank Bharadwaj
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On World Environment Day, meet the Padma awardee who has planted more than 1 crore trees

This is a story of a man who was ridiculed by his fellow villagers. They called him mentally unstable and was often made fun for carrying plant saplings and seeds all the time. But now, he is the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award. This is the story of Ramaiah Daripalli, a resident of Reddipalle village in Khammam district of Telangana.

In a report by Hindustan Times, Ramaiah said, “Planting saplings is not just a hobby for me, but a passion. Wherever I found a spot of barren land in my area, I planted a tree. My objective is to see that every sapling that I plant survives. Even if one plant wilts and dies, I feel as if I have lost my life.” He is also known by other names as ‘Chettu (Tree) Ramaiah’ and ‘Vanajeevi (Forester) Ramaiah’ in Reddipalle village.

Ramaiah used to collect the saplings and seeds and carry it wherever he travelled. He has travelled to various places and planted the seeds and saplings. It is estimated that he has planted more than a million trees all across the area. “I don’t exactly remember the number of trees I have planted over the years. I believe in action and not in just preaching,” he said. Ramaiah claims the number of saplings he planted would have easily crossed 10 million or almost one tree for every third citizen of the state of Telangana.


His house is covered with placards, banners and boards related to environmental conservation. He said that how others made fun of him for carrying saplings everywhere. His wife said that he used to pedal for long distances to plant the saplings. Ramaiah carries a scarf which says “Vriksho Rakshati Rakshitaha” (Save trees and they will save you) whenever he sets out to plant saplings.

Ramaiah and his wife had sold their three-acre land to gather enough to purchase seeds and plant saplings. They have also received a lot of gift saplings. Ramaiah studied only till 10th grade but says he is an avid book reader.

Speaking about receiving the Padma Shri, he told, “My responsibility has gone up with the Padma Shri. I will continue this campaign till my last breath. I will be happy if I am able to inspire at least one crore people so that each of them plants one tree each.” Ramaiah has also several awards from both state and national institutions for his work towards tree plantation. Last year in June, on Telangana formation day, the government awarded him a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

The government has managed to democratise Padma awards and truly find heroes of the country to honour.

Three accused of procuring money from Pakistan to fund terrorism in Kashmir convicted by Delhi Court

OpIndia Staff
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Three accused of procuring money from Pakistan to fund terrorism in Kashmir convicted by Delhi Court

The Delhi Patiala House Court convicted three of the four accused in a case registered against them by the NIA in 2011 for procuring money through hawala channels from Pakistan to fund terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.


District Judge Poonam Bamba convicted Mohd Sadiq Ginai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga who had pleaded guilty to various charges under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. In April this year, the NIA has filed a case against Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin’s son Syed Shahid Yusuf under section 120-B of the IPC and 13, 17, 18, 20, 21, 38 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, for funding terrorism in the valley. The Delhi High Court rejected his bail plea on the matter.

The NIA has also been cracking down on terror funding by separatists in the valley. The agency has been probing Hurriyat leaders for receiving funds from Pakistani terror outfits and the ISI to foment trouble in Kashmir. Last year, it had conducted raids against separatist leaders in many locations across Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana. Separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law was also detained by the NIA in connection with the terror funding probe. 7 Hurriyat leaders were also arrested by the NIA for receiving funds from Pakistan to promote terrorism. In a similar vein, NIA has also been investigating funding sources of Naxals.

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