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Ashutosh driving personal agenda against IBN7 with help from AAP?

OpIndia Staff
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Ashutosh driving personal agenda against IBN7 with help from AAP?

It was always rumored in the Delhi media circles that Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagarika Ghose, and Ashutosh were asked leave their jobs due to non-performance, but all of them successfully turned their professional failures into stories of personal virtues and values.

This theory is getting credence due to developments in the last few days. The latest being sacking of a senior journalist named Pankaj Shrivastava, apparently because he opposed alleged anti-AAP policy of IBN7. This issue was raised by AAP leader Ashutosh on social media as well as in a press conference.

Rajdeep Sardesai and Ashutosh
Non-performers or martyrs?

According to reports, Pankaj Shrivastava belonged to a coterie of journalists led by the then Managing Editor of IBN7 Ashutosh, who later joined AAP in January 2014.

This coterie was deriving salaries worth lakhs of rupees per month while the financial health of the channel nosedived. It should be noted that Network18, of which IBN7 is a part of, was forced to layoff journalists on more than two occasions to improve the financial health of the media group.

These layoffs happened before Network18 was acquired by Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries Limited. Most of the journalists who lost their jobs belonged to the middle or lower ranks in seniority.

However, journalists like Ashutosh or Pankaj Shrivastava, many of whom support “socialist” ideas on social forums, didn’t say a word then. In fact, they didn’t even offer to take salary cuts to save jobs of a few junior employees.

In fact, Pankaj Shrivastava is reported to have been a fulltime member of CPI(ML) in his younger days, but he didn’t even join the token protest by IBN7 employees who were asked to leave by the then management. He happily continued to draw salaries worth lakhs of rupees per month.

However, when he was asked to leave the channel earlier this week, all his “revolutionary” ideas and ideals came back to him. He immediately found support from his old mate Ashutosh, who tried to link Pankaj’s sacking to politics.

Ashutosh tweeted these to paint Pankaj as some martyr:


However, the truth is something else. According to this report published on Bhadas4Media, Pankaj Shrivastava’s performance was “zero”. It quotes an employee of IBN7, who claims that Pankaj used to visit office only to do “timepass”, which left the management with no choice but to fire him.

It should be noted that Bhadas4Media is run by a journalist named Yashwant Singh, who himself is left-leaning and consistently anti-BJP in his earlier articles on the website. The reports about Pankaj Shrivastava’s sacking have been written by Yashwant Singh himself; thus any claim that the website Bhadas4Media is also BJP or Ambani funded is not valid.

The reports on the website claim that new management, controlled by Reliance, had given six months to old employees drawing huge salaries to perform or perish, and Pankaj appears to fall in the latter category.

But with help of AAP leader Ashutosh, Pankaj is trying to prove that he is a martyr. Not only Ashutosh, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal is also reported to be helping Pankaj in advertising his claim that he was sacked for supporting AAP in IBN7.

While it is natural that AAP will make it a political issue when Delhi assembly elections are near, what is notable is how a journalist is using his contacts and colleagues to hide his professional incompetency and non-performance.

Why could this not be the case when Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagarika Ghose, Ashtosh and Nikhil Wagle ended their association with Network18? All of them too tried to give a different spin, as Pankaj Shrivastava is doing, while media circles always maintained that they were sacked for non-performance.

Interestingly, all of these journalists keep targeting Network18 periodically, as if waging personal war of grudge for having removed them from their jobs. Ashutosh has been especially consistent in doing so.

While one may argue that such attacks could benefit AAP electorally, one must ask how ethical it is of Ashutosh to drive a personal agenda through the political party he belongs to. And the bigger question is – why is AAP allowing this?

The answer might have been given by former AAP member Shazia Ilmi, who tweeted this earlier today:


What could this “quid pro quo” be? Either Ashutosh paid some money or he extended some favors to AAP as a journalist. We at OpIndia.com believe that the chances of latter could be higher.

So is Shazia hinting that Ashutosh was given Lok Sabha ticket by AAP because he used IBN7 as a propaganda channel for AAP? Apart from non-performance, was that the reason Ashutosh was asked to leave IBN7, after which he resigned and joined AAP?

And guess what, even the latest episode of Pankaj Shrivastava could be a case of “quid pro quo”. Yashwant Singh of Bhadas4Media claims that there is “fixing” between Ashutosh and Pankaj, and Pankaj could soon join AAP and fight elections.

Senior Editor at Firstpost thinks that Yoga is blind faith, Find out what blinds him

Rahul Raj
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Senior Editor at Firstpost thinks that Yoga is blind faith, Find out what blinds him

The news that Baba Ramdev will be honored with Padma awards on January 26, 2015 is already bombarded with lots of compliments, jokes and criticism. While Ramdev Fans are going gaga over it, many of the intellectual pretending journalists have gone too far to prove that their illogical criticism is justified.

An article published Firstpost today reads – “Padma Award to Ramdev is wrong: He’s a business tycoon, thanks to blind faith”. It’s written by Senior Editor of the website, Sandipan Sharma.

A casual reading of the article may make you believe that Mr. Sharma is trying his hands at satire, but then as you move to the next paragraph, you will be surprised to find how much hate the writer has for a person who is earning money and fame through imparting yoga exercises and ayurvedic medicines.

Yes, Baba Ramdev is open about his political affiliations and occasionally airs some of his regressive and old-fashioned views on some topics e.g. on homosexuality – reasons due to which he attracts hate. But is Mr. Sharma driven by these two?

The first one (political affiliation) shouldn’t be an issue for a journalist, unless the journalist is of the rival political camp. In fact, Mr. Sharma should have respect for Baba Ramdev, who is not pretending to be some “neutral” or “unbiased” public figure – something that many celebrity journalists do.

I will not make any comment on political affiliation of Sandipan Sharma as I don’t know him personally, so I would assume that his hate is due to the second reason – Mr. Sharma is one of those who love to hate Ramdev because it helps them appear “superior” in thinking.

Dr. Mukesh Batra awarded Padma Shri for Medicine
Dr. Mukesh Batra awarded Padma Shri for Medicine

However, like many Ramdev hating people, Sandipan Sharma appears confused whether he is angry because Ramdev is earning money, or because Yoga is earning money, or because “gau-mutra products” (he conveniently reduces Ramdev’s range of products to these) are selling well.

But why should any of these be any reason for concern? None of these are examples of “blind faith” as the Firstpost article tries to suggest.

I checked profiles of doctors who have been honored with the Padma awards in the past. Most of these doctors are well-established ones, who charge good money for the cure and maintain a lavish lifestyle. For example, in 2012, the CEO of the biggest mass-spamming organization in India, Dr. Mukesh Batra was awarded Padma Shri.

For your information Mr. Sharma, Yoga and Ayurved are far more scientific and effective than homeopathic medicines. I hope the Senior Editor in you feels as much disgusted and angered because a business tycoon like Mukesh Batra was given the award 3 years ago?

I have met many people who appreciate Ramdev, and none of them are consuming bhasm or gau-mutra, as the Senior Editor loves to imagine.

And what is this obsession with mutra (urine) Mr. Sharma? Our ex-PM Morarji Deasi was conferred with Bharat Ratna. He used to drink his own urine. Inspired by him, many people followed the same practice. I hope you also feel disgusted at Morarji Desai? Please do write the next article as hate really makes you write good.

In the last paragraphs, the senior editor gets more personal and sillier. He mocks faith of Bhakts in Ramdev and quotes a random example “One of his disciples, for instance, brushes his teeth daily with petrol to get rid of paan masala stains.”

It is as funny as ridiculing Salman Khan for the reason that one of his random fans walks topless on roads. A senior editor putting his opinion based on such statistics makes me feel uncomfortable.

Ramdev may have put weird and unscientific statements about homosexuality or economics, but the fact that he, as a Yoga Guru, has helped masses can’t be ignored or rejected. Unless of course, you believe that yoga itself has to be ignored and rejected, because every native Indian knowledge deserves that treatment.

Padma awards are conferred to citizens of India to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs. If Ramdev has massively contributed to any of these, his haters should either change the criteria of awards or try to work on their frustrations, which blinds them from seeing the other aspect of a person.

CONTEST: Delhi Poll Predictor

OpIndia Staff
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CONTEST: Delhi Poll Predictor

Put your money where your mouth is! Predict the  results of the Delhi Assembly elections and stand to win exciting prizes. 5 most accurate entries will receive copies of @amreekandesi‘s latest book “Democrazy” AND Amazing Flipkart Gift vouchers! To help you make your mind, check our Opinion Polls summary here.

Rules:

1. Only ONE entry per person. If any person is found making multiple entries, ALL his/her entries will be disqualified.

2. Make sure the total number of seats predicted by you adds up to 70. If not, the entry will stand disqualified

3. In case of tie, earliest entry will be declared winner

4. Last date for submission of entries is 8pm, 6th February 2015.

5. Organizer’s decision will be final.

6. Results will be declared on 11th February 2015 (After Counting) at 8pm on our Facebook page. Like it to be up-to-date with any developments.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Baba on the dance floor, Baba likes to party

Guest Author
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Baba on the dance floor, Baba likes to party

For writers, comedians and people who have figured out the answer to the greatest question facing humanity right now ‘Kya aapke toothpaste mein namak aur nimbu hai‘, India is like a wet dream. A potential goldmine for pure, unadulterated, original and hilarious content. The statements that our politicians make on a daily basis; the kind of debates that erupt on social media between groups of self proclaimed liberals, intellects, pseudo-intellects, atheists, non-atheists, right wingers, left inclined, mid-center-45degreetoeast-vastukehisaabsetheek-crypto-secularists; the kind of news that make it to the headlines, give more sexual titillation to pretentious writers like me than watching Tori Black making out with Lily Carter.

These days, to get my daily dose of ‘if you know what i mean’, i just browse through India’s favourite newspaper, Youporn.com, which is littered with videos like Sakshi Maharaj-BDSM-Sambit Mahapatra, amateur AAPtard hot night out with BJP bhakt, PK supporter interracial or Nasty adventures of Sashi Tharoor. And that’s just on a lazy Monday morning.

So, it is obvious that with such eclectic taste, I nearly movie-gasmed when I saw the trailer of Messenger of God aka MSG. It featured Chewbacca (His Bollywood debut), dressed as Mithun in Disco Dancer, playing rugby, driving a Harley (What happened to Millenium Falcon?) bashing up people and crushing trees with his bare hands. Yeah, I know what you guys are thinking. How did Chewbacca manage to speak clear sentences in this movie? I think his speech therapist should have been hired by Yash Chopra, while he was still alive.

I was left heartbroken though when I found out that it is not Chewbacca who stars in the movie. No, it’s not even a guy hiding under his suit. Its a human being, the real deal and his name is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan, leader of a ‘religious-spiritual’ cult Dera Sacha Sauda. Now, I am amused at the choice of the word Insaan that he uses to establish his identity, so as to avoid the imminent confusion between him and Chewbacca and making sure that he is really but a mere mortal. This is the equivalent of Uday Chopra rechristening himself as Uday Wannabe Raj Rahul Chopra Ji Dumbfuck.

highway-love-charger-song-lyrics

Fun fact: This particular cult, Dera Sacha Sauda, was started by a guy named Beparwah Mastana. I wonder how someone with a name like that would have convinced people to join his cult. I can totally imagine his recruitment drive conversation to go something like this:

Mastana: Hey, you guy peeing on the wall. Are you stressed out in life? Let me help you.

Guy: Like how?

Mastana: I have started an organisation called Dera Sacha Sauda. We, like, meditate and stuff. If you have problems like stress, dissatisfaction at your job, complicated love life, jaadutona, patni-sautan vivaad, shighrapatan, etc., come to us. Guaranteed positive results in 10 minutes. We are also handing out freebies like a yearly supply of Shilajit, free of cost, to early-bird registrations.

Guy: Cool!! What’s your name, again?

Mastana: Beparwah Mastana.

Guy: And I am Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop. I work with United Nations and help frame economic policies of under-developed nations. I also opine on matters of global crisis like Angelina Jolie and her exotic baby selection.

Mastana: Are you fucking kidding with me right now?

Guy: You started it, sir.

A quick search on the Mr. Insaan revealed that he has close to 40-50 million followers, has released several music albums and has performed in over a hundred ‘rock-concerts’. One of his most popular song is called the Love Charger, and has lyrics like “I’m so lucky because you are my love charger…Billion battery when goes down, you charged up with love, so strong your power love, you are the love charger.” Just to be clear, this is not an advertisement for a vibrator.

Though the religious Guru believes that he is just a messenger of God and has been sent on earth to deliver HIS message to the people, he elaborates that he chooses to wear such garish, polka-dotted skirts and attaches Diwali light bulbs on his pubic hair infested body to connect to today’s youth. Now, unless he is popping hallucinating pills and has been living under a rock with Manishankar Aiyar, I can’t fathom which youth is being targeted. But then, the largest chunk of his followers are people from Haryana, where a guy is only allowed to make love to a sonogram. So, I see his point.

But what is the fun in being a religious guru without having some murder and rape case on you, right? True to traditions, he also faces several charges of rape, murder, and extortion. He upped his game by several notches when he forced nearly 400 of his followers for castration, which according to him, is a way to reach God. And guess what, each one of them did. They actually sacrificed their balls in anticipation of a glorious future that involved fairies whispering sweet nothings in your ears and a land where honey nectar flowed because someone said so. So, yeah, never underestimate the power of a marketing guy. Case in point: Elections, 2014.

With all of this background, I had made all the plans to watch the movie, till I heard that the Censor Board aka VHP of Bollywood, has cock-blocked its release, citing reasons that it glories a person who is accused of murder charges. Really now!! They don’t seem to be having any objections to the glorification of a similarly accused Bhai-who-cannot-be-named, whose idea of fun involves a Land Rover, some vodka and pavement dwellers. Censor board chief has also said that the film looks like an advertisement and some parts of the movie are not substantiated by logic. In a galaxy far far away, Sajid Khan is snorting stuff, pointing fingers and laughing, while writing the script of his new movie ‘Audience waalon, tumhari aisi ki taisi‘.

Well, I hope the movie gets released someday so we, the insaans, get to see Bling Baba performing miracles like taking a dump on the audience’s intellect. The movie would really be miraculous if no one while watching it, decides to choke himself with that Rs. 300 samosa or stab his own face with Nachos. As for me, I will, for now, get to my daily dose of entertainment. I heard that in today’s Newshour debate, Arnab has called in Sambit Mahapatra, Sanjay Jha and Meenakshi Lekhi. That’s what I call, Wild Things: Foursome.

(This post first appeared here)

by – Shubhkirti Sinha

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this articles are the personal opinions of the author. OpIndia.com is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability or validity of any information in this article. The information, facts or opinions appearing in this article do not reflect the views of  OpIndia.com and OpIndia.com does not assume any liability on the same.

8 people who have been disillusioned with Arvind Kejriwal

OpIndia Staff
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For some time, when AAP was in the run up to Delhi and Lok Sabha elections, it was in the news regularly for many high profile entrants. Many had left their corporate positions and taken a headlong plunge into AAP hoping for a new political discourse. But recently, the trend has reversed. AAP is now shrinking, as its leaders are slowly but surely deserting it. Even those people who weren’t officially AAP members, but were seen as sympathisers of Arvind Kejriwal are moving to other parties. We list 10 such prominent people, who have turned away.

1. Shanti Bhushan

Shanti Bhushan who is often seen as the grand old man of AAP, is the latest leader to go against the party. Yesterday, he is said to have told Economic Times that Kiran Bedi has excellent credentials and that she will provide a very honest Government. He termed the move by BJP as a “master-stroke”. This statement may prove heavily detrimental to AAP as a senior leader is supporting an opposition candidate.

2. Prashant Bhushan

Prashant Bhushan has also been conspicuous by his absence from any sort of political campaigning for AAP. A regular on TV debates, he has suddenly disappeared from the studios. He has told Economic Times, that he is busy with his PILs, that AAP is “not his primary concern” and he also conceded that there was something that “worried him“. In this case, Prashant Bhushan’s silence on TV debates and road shows, speaks louder than his words.

3. Shazia Ilmi

Shazia Ilmi, the Muslim face of AAP, also left the party soon after its disastrous performance in the Lok Sabha elections. It appeared as if she was only biding time, in AAP, and the poor results were the last nail in the coffin. Recently she joined BJP, compounding the embarrassment for AAP.

4. Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi was never a AAP member, but she was a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal during the Jan Lokpal movement. In fact till 2012, she was a strong supporter of Kejriwal, as is seen from these tweets.

k1

What might have led to her disillusionment with AAP, that she eventually decided to fight AAP politically, is something only she or Kejriwal can answer.

5. Yogendra Yadav

Yes Yogendra Yadav is a very active member of AAP as of today, but just 7 months ago, he resigned from all party posts, on the heels of the heavy drubbing AAP received in the Lok Sabha elections. It brought to light an ugly spat between him and Manish Sisodia which was brewing for some time. Eventually Yadav was pacified and brought back, but who knows, if AAP doesn’t do well in Delhi Assembly elections, Yadav might decide to finally abandon AAP.

6. Captain Gopinath

Captain Gopinath, a respected entrepreneur had joined AAP in January 2014. But within a few months, he seemed disillusioned by AAP. In his resignation letter to AAP, he mentioned that he is taking this step “because of increasing differences with the party leadership and its ways“. The AAP leadership on the other hand seemed unwilling to accept criticism, As Yogendra Yadav claimed, he did not even know when Gopinath had joined AAP.

7. Ashwini Upadhyay

Ashwini Upadhyay was one of the founding members of AAP. In November 2014 though, he switched over to BJP. he claimed AAP had adopted “corruption, crime, caste-ism and communalism” and was behaving like a regional party. Indeed, when a founder member leaves, it shows something is certainly wrong in an organization

8. MS Dhir

MS Dhir was a senior face among the AAP MLAs who got elected to the Delhi Assembly. In fact AAP honoured him with the post of Speaker of the Assembly, during it short 49 day old Government. But in November 2014, Dhir joined BJP saying “no one can trust Arvind Kejriwal“.

 

Kiran Bedi: Master-stroke or Misstep?

Gaurav
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Kiran Bedi: Master-stroke or Misstep?

BJP is a party known for its strong cadre, its ideology which allows ordinary workers to rise through the ranks and reach the summit, its natural tendency to produce state leaders. Narendra Modi, Devendra Fadnavis, Manohar Parrikar, Manohar Lal Khattar, are all graduates who have gone through the BJP school of leadership, working their way up, by winning the support of their cadre via sheer hard work and performance.

Kiran Bedi’s induction into BJP has negated all the above. By parachuting near the finish line, she has outrun many senior BJP leaders in Delhi, who were running in the race for quite some time.  Naturally, supporters of these leaders will be miffed. Granted she has given a more credible and visible face to the Delhi BJP unit as compared to the current crop , but it has come at a cost. One wonders whether Bedi could have been taken in much in advance, giving the other leaders some time to resign to their fate, especially since rumours are that Bedi was in the reckoning ever since Kejriwal resigned after his 49 day stint.

And it is also not that Kiran Bedi has been a long time BJP sympathiser, who has just been formally taken into the BJP.  As we had shown in our earlier post, Bedi was in fact a vocal critic of BJP and Narendra Modi while she was in the Lokpal movement. This can be demotivating to dedicated BJP members who have strived to uphold the party line through tough times. Bedi at best, has joined BJP at its peak, while the rest have weathered a 10 year long storm. It also plays on the mindset of the average supporter, who may have been anti-Bedi to protect the party, but now has to change his view in line with this “U-Turn”.

This move also gives off the impression that Delhi BJP unit did not have a single leader who the high command felt was worthy of being put up as their face for the elections. This “importing” of leaders is not something which BJP, a “producer” is used to. Yes, BJP did induct many rebel Congress leaders in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, but not many were drafted into important positions, undermining the importance of stalwarts.

Also, whatever Kiran Bedi’s charisma might be, she is no Harshvardhan. Harshvardhan was seen as a clean face, a respected figure, who even the opposition didn’t go after much. Bedi also has a clean image, but there some unanswered questions, some of which Karan Thapar raised. Her loyalty to the party is certainly in question since she has been only a recent supporter, and that too from the time BJP was well into its ascension. This comes off as opportunism and one wonders whether she will stick to BJP through tougher times.

But Bedi does bring with her immense general goodwill. Her feat of being the first IPS woman officer, her image as a no-nonsense, tough task master, her clean image all add to her positives. She played a major role in the Lokpal movement, and has been involved in social work for a long time. Some people say that her never becoming the Police Commissioner, or not winning certain awards, shows that her service record wasn’t satisfactory, but it can also be argued that she didn’t get these posts, which are often politically motivated, because she steadfastly refused to play ball with her Political overlords. This is broadly in sync with the “tough” image Modi enjoyed during the Lok Sabha elections, and may work in her favour.

BJPs’ electoral success depends more on Bedi’s acceptability in her own party than her acceptability among the public. It is understood in political circles that the main reason for BJP not forming a state Government in Delhi for 15 long years is infighting. One fears that with Bedi’s parachute entry, BJP may lose yet another chance, probably its best, to stake claim for the post of Delhi CM.

-With valuable inputs from @IndianTweeter

Disgrace, Duality and Dirt behind the Kashmiri Pandits’ cleansing

Rahul Raj
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Disgrace, Duality and Dirt behind the Kashmiri Pandits’ cleansing

25 years back, on a cold gloomy 19th January night, crowds gathered in mosques across the valley, threatened Kashmiri Hindus of rape, murder and torture, and disgracefully forced them to become refugee in their own country.

Events followed by that night had nothing to bring respite or respect:

In next few days, lakhs for Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their home

In next few months, hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits were brutally killed

In next few years, the count of exodus raised to 350,000.

In next few years, thousands of refugees strugging in camps died in silence

In next two decades, Kashmir witnessed ‘CLEANSING’ of this ancient ethno-religious community

Duality intrigues – whether it a social duality, a philosophical duality, a mathematical duality, a scientific duality, or any other kind of duality. It tosses some very complex questions to the observers, forces them to swing around conflicting answers, and shrewdly traps the observer as an object of new observations.

kashmiri-pandit

Like many other social dualities, events related to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandit have also placed many ideologies, especially of the left-liberalism, on intricate positions of ideological seesaws. Unlike right-wing supporters, left-liberals have always advocated and boasted that they consider welfare of people above welfare of state, that they see nationalism, religion and racism as an instrument used by the ruling class to rule the working class, that they want victims in Kashmir to get their rights. Irony is – their definition of human above state, equality above religion and liberty above nation slides from one side of the seesaw to other when condition of Kashmiri Muslims are replaced by conditions of Kashmiri Pandits.

For years, left-liberals have empathized with the demands of Kashmiris, who want a separate nation for them, for them to cherish the concept of homeland; they have stood for demilitarization of Kashmir on the grounds of liberty and freedom; they have emphasized plight of human life due to social inequalities. Sadly, every time their spectrums of human values change whenever Kashmiri Pandits are discussed. Suddenly the political instrument – Instrument of Accession – becomes more important than the misery of human life.

Ruins left after Kashmiri Pandit exodus
Ruins left after Kashmiri Pandits exodus

Political parties have left no stone unturned to exploit opportunities in the valley. Nationalists, humanists, rhetorics, demagogue, sympathizers, activists, etc. have created controversies to remain in the limelight. Religious fanatics of both sides have put arguments and propaganda to prove that how the other side is responsible for it. Apologists have created multiple theories and arguments to moderate the real impact of the tragedy, primarily because they find highlighting Hindu Extremists in Godhara is fine, but highlighting Muslims in Kashmiri Pandit exodus is communalism.

Why should Kashmir belong to only some people who were born there, but it mustn’t belong to others? Why is the killing of Kashmiri Pandits less painful than killings of other Kashmiris? Why should the thrown-out Kashmiri Pandits not even claim their homes, but the remaining others should get a separate land? There are many questions, discussions and concerns, but sadly, between light is a wave or light is a particle, light is losing itself in the darkness of society.

With leaders like Ashutosh, who needs Opposition

OpIndia Staff
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With leaders like Ashutosh, who needs Opposition

Ashutosh, ex-journalist in Reliance owned CNN-IBN, and now a prominent leader of AAP is someone who is very active on Social Media. He has over 7000 tweets (after reducing the tweets he has deleted) and over 2.5lac followers. But are these followers his fans for his tweets? or people who just find his tweets “enjoyable” on a different level altogether. Here are some of his tweets, which might have put AAP on the back foot:

1. For Ashutosh, “Freedom of Press” is more important than the lives of policemen and success of Anti-Terror Operations

a1

Today morning, Ashutosh tweeted the above 2 tweets. They are in response to Arun Jaitley’s statement that Government may consider framing norms for Media reports on anti-terror operations. It may be remembered that this is primarily in response to the 26/11 Terror attacks, where Media was giving virtual running commentary, which could have eventually helped the Terrorists in knowing the location of Indian anti-terror forces. To any normal person, national security is paramount, but for Ashutosh, media should be allowed to report whatever they want, even if people may lose lives thanks to it.

2. “Thoda Communal hona padega”

A2

On 17th January, just 1 day after ex AAP leader, Shazia Ilmi, joined BJP, Ashutosh tweeted the above tweet. It was soon deleted for unknown reasons, but by then alert social media users had saved screenshots. While the target of the above “sly” tweet is not known, it was definitely politically incorrect. Was he referring to Shazia Ilmi who had just joined BJP, and implying that she wasn’t true to her faith? We will never know the answer to this question

3. Wide Angle

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This tweet was from when Ashutosh hadn’t joined AAP. Considering that he was working in the media, one would imagine he understood camera angles better. This wasn’t the best angle for the picture is all we can say.

4. Merry Christmas?

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No comments needed, Ashutosh got a good reply from this Twitter user.

5. On 17th January 2015, Ashutosh flaunted his “Sources” in BJP/RSS. Just after 2 days, when he was basking under the information given by his sources, BJP gave him a hard blow. Even his sources in BJP/RSS are giving him a good lesson.

2015-01-19_23-28-30

Get well soon Sir! We really feel sorry for you.

Mega Opinion Polls Combo- Delhi Assembly Polls 2015

OpIndia Staff
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Mega Opinion Polls Combo- Delhi Assembly Polls 2015
ChannelPartnerDateSample SizeVote Share AAP %Vote Share BJP %Vote Share INC %Vote Share Others %Seats AAPSeats BJPSeats INCSeats Others
ABP NewsAC Nielsen10/11/201465282638NANA184651
News XC Voter12/11/20142447394411NA283741
ABP NewsAC Nielsen15/12/2014640927382411174571
India TodayCicero18/12/20144273363916NA283741
Economic TimesTNS22/12/201471134046NANA234520
TV2426/12/2014NANANANANA392353
India TVC Voter12/01/20154238404211NA293551
India TodayCicero12/01/201544593640168283741
ABP NewsAC Nielsen15/01/2015641431352410283480
News Nation19/01/2015319539
3515NA333151
Zee NewsTaleem19/01/2015NA3544147293740
The WeekIMRB29/01/2015405537391112293641
Hindustan TimesC-Fore29/01/201571473838149333340
India TVC Voter28/01/201580644045105283750
ABP NewsAC Nielsen02/02/2015NA353318NA352960
Hindustan TimesC-Fore03/02/201535784037158372940
Economic TimesTNS03/02/2015326049435NA383020
India TodayCicero03/02/2015397243.535.513NA412252

*Only those opinion polls have been included which have declared projected seats.

Merchants of Doom

Guest Author
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Merchants of Doom

Modi ji always said that he will promote industrial growth and especially manufacturing, under his Make in India campaign. True to form. there is a new small-scale industry in town. The industry of outrage. The industry of fear-mongering. The industry of spreading so many lies that it all starts appearing to be true. Because he who shouts loudest is the one who is right, in this modern world.

I picked up the newspaper today morning and went to the editorial page, hoping for another exciting Chetan Bhagat piece on what young Indian men or women want. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be. Instead, i read three other columns, all by famous writers or opinion makers.

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First was by Shobha De. This one had her comparing the horrible attack on the French satire publication that resulted in a dozen dead people with the protest against writer Perumal Murugan, whose book has offended some Hindu people. Whether that outrage is justifiable or not is debatable as always, but i would think his mentioning a real temple and a real community and implying that childless woman from said community engage in a religious ritual where they can mate with strangers might actually be grounds for defamation, unless it is fact. Anyway, Shobha ji is not happy that our Prime Minister has not spoken against this attack on democracy and is wondering why he is silent when such grave offences are being committed.

“In Perumal’s case, the attackers had the temerity to enter his home. How different was this attack from the one in Paris? Both involved perceived offences to religious beliefs. And the victims in both instances wielded nothing more ‘dangerous’ than pens and pencils”

How was Perumal’s case different from the Paris attack? How about, he wasn’t shot dead point-blank, for one?

She signs off with “Be afraid. Be very afraid” — is that the unambiguous message being sent out?” For yes, a book gaining notoriety and instantly climbing on top of the bestseller charts on Amazon is making me wet my pants in fear.

The next one I read was by Aakar Patel, another distinguished gentleman whose articles seem to have a viral nature, for he has a distinctive writing style intended to be strongly offensive, if also insightful. This one was a call to the Congress to revive itself before the evil right-wingers destroy this country.

“This is being washed away by the mainstreaming of a nasty and angry ideology that is replacing the receding Congress. It is represented in Parliament by assorted sadhus and sadhvis whose venom is explained away by the Prime Minister as their rustic innocence.”

His column almost implied that the BJP didn’t win the elections, or is going on winning state after state, but that it is all the fault of a passive Congress that is letting them win. Yes, way to discredit the intelligence of the Indian voter.

I was in for more. The next one I read was from a man I greatly respect, Swaminathan S Aiyar, whose column Swaminomics is among the few places where one can find sanity. This week he wrote about the 25 year ‘anniversary’ of the Kashmiri Pandits being viciously chased away from their homes in Kashmir. Incidentally, I recently read Rahul Pandita’s excellent book ‘Our Moon Has Blood Clots’ which was a first-person account of what all transpired during that time, and beyond. Excellent read, if a bit gut-wrenching.

Sir had a different take this year. That even though Kashmiri Pandits were chased away and killed in hundreds (or thousands), THAT wasn’t the real tragedy. The bigger tragedy  was that Muslims were chased away from Jammu.

I nearly slammed my head into the table as I read this.

“The ethnic cleansing of Pandits from the valley was more one-sided than that of Jammu Muslims in 1947. Yet in sheer numbers and horrors, the Jammu episode was much worse. We have forgotten what happened then because it is politically and morally inconvenient.”

Why now are we comparing 1947 with 1990? In 1947, millions died on both sides as they fled their homes from India to Pakistan and vice-versa. Why bring it up to try to lessen the impact of what was done to Kashmiri Pandits in the 90s, with countless people butchered like animals, their women raped, their children orphaned, the ones who got away left to struggle in pathetic ‘refugee’ settlements setup for them. Refugees in their own country, after having lost their life’s possessions.

My fingers shake as I write this. Not sure if it is because of the cold or the deep sense of dismay I feel.

What has become of modern India? Why is everybody suddenly a troll? Why must one side’s misery be downplayed by saying that the ‘other’ side suffered more? Why must any good work being done by this clearly popular government (landslide victory and all that) be tried to silenced in meaningless controversies and lame attempts at creating outrage?

What hope does progress have if the so-called opinion makers are so hell-bent on keeping us ill-informed and perennially outraged?

– by Amreekan Desi (First published in Amreekan Desi Blog)
[Image courtesy: CNN]

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