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Poll violence continues unabated in West Bengal: ANI stringer suffers serious head injury in stone pelting in Canning

OpIndia Staff
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Poll violence continues unabated in West Bengal: ANI stringer suffers serious head injury in stone pelting in Canning

Amidst multiple reports of violence, intimidation of voters, and mob violence targeting polling booths in West Bengal, a stringer (journalist) associated with news agency ANI, Bunty Mukherjee has suffered a severe head injury in a stone pelting incident in the Canning area which falls under the Jaynagar Lok Sabha constituency. The stinger was covering the seventh and final phase of polling in the area when clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers. Following the incident, Mukherjee was taken to Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata. 

Taking to X, ANI shared the details and posted, “A stringer associated with ANI, Bunty Mukherjee suffered a severe head injury when a stone pelting occurred in a clash between TMC and BJP workers in Canning, under Jaynagar Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal. The stringer was covering the last phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 today. He has been referred to Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata for treatment.

Earlier in the day, an angry mob threw EVM and VVPAT machines into a pond in the South Paraganas, causing hindrance to the polling. It is said that some of the polling agents were not allowed to sit in the polling booth, after which the mob barged into the polling station, snatched the EVM and VVPAT machines, and threw them into the pond.

The incident unfolded at booth numbers 40 and 41 in the Kultali area in South 24 Parganas district where the mob threw an EVM and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine into the pond. However, the Election Commission stated that they were reserve machines, and the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) in West Bengal informed that an FIR had been filed in this matter.

According to reports, a clash broke out between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) at Bhangar in the Jadavpur constituency. Following the violent clashes, supporters of both parties hurled crude bombs at each other. Both the parties held a protest after the Police reached the spot. They raised allegations against each other which forced the Police to resort to lathi charge, disperse the mob, and bring the situation under control. The Police have also recovered some crude bombs from the area. 

BJP has said that in several areas, voters are being intimidated to cast their votes in favour of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

In a separate incident, TMC workers heckled BJP candidate Tapas Roy after he visited some polling booths at Cossipore in Kolkata Uttar constituency. The hecklers interrupted his visit and raised ‘go back’ slogans. According to the information received, goons brutally attacked a BJP Karyakarta in booth number 25 in the Sandeshkhali, Boyermari GP area.

Taking to X, BJP leader Amit Malviya said that vigilant people foiled an attempt to capture Booth 271 in Diamond Harbour (West Bengal).

Poll violence continues unabated in West Bengal: TMC and ISF hurl crude bombs, mob throw EVM and VVPAT machines into pond in South Paraganas

OpIndia Staff
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Poll violence continues unabated in West Bengal: TMC and ISF hurl crude bombs, mob throw EVM and VVPAT machines into pond in South Paraganas

On Saturday (1st June), violence broke out in several parts of West Bengal as nine constituencies in the state are voting in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. In West Bengal, incidents of violence have been reported in all seven phases, marring the polling process in the state which has been gripped by poll-related violence for more than a decade now. In the South Paraganas, a mob threw EVM and VVPAT machines in a pond, causing hindrance for the polling and security officials. 

According to reports, a clash broke out between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) at Bhangar in the Jadavpur constituency. Following the violent clashes, supporters of both parties hurled crude bombs at each other. Both the parties held a protest after the Police reached the spot. They raised allegations against each other which forced the Police to resort to lathi charges, disperse the mob, and bring the situation under control. The Police have also recovered some crude bombs from the area. 

According to reports, an angry mob threw an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and VVPAT machine into the pond in West Bengal’s South Paraganas. It is alleged that some of the polling agents were not allowed to sit in the polling booth, after which the mob barged into the polling station, snatched the EVM and VVPAT machines, and threw them into the pond.

The incident unfolded at booth numbers 40 and 41 in the Kultali area in South 24 Parganas district where the mob threw an EVM and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine into the pond. However, the Election Commission stated that they were reserve machines, and the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) in West Bengal informed that an FIR had been filed in this matter.

A Senior EC official clarified, “The polling process has not been vitiated. Those which were kept in reserve were thrown in water. We have sought a report from the presiding officer.”  

Taking to X, the Chief Electoral Office, West Bengal wrote, “Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU, 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond. Sector Police was a little behind.”

It added, “FIR has been lodged by Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. The poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer.”

The saffron party has alleged that in several areas voters are being intimidated to cast their votes in favour of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

In a separate incident, TMC workers heckled BJP candidate Tapas Roy after he visited some polling booths at Cossipore in Kolkata Uttar constituency. The hecklers interrupted his visit and raised ‘go back’ slogans. According to the information received, goons brutally attacked a BJP Karyakarta in booth number 25 in the Sandeshkhali, Boyermari GP area.

BJP has alleged that while violent incidences have been reported in several parts of the state, the worst affected region is Diamond Harbour from where Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and heir apparent is contesting. Taking to X, Amit Malviya said that BJP workers are being intimidated, not allowed to sit in the booths, and their polling documents were destroyed. He alleged that West Bengal Police is acting like Abhishek Banerjee’s henchmen. Even the Muslims have not been spared because a large number of them are voting for CPI(M) candidate Pratikur Rahman. TMC’s ‘secularism’ dies the moment Muslims start voting against it, he added.

In another tweet, BJP leader Malviya added that vigilant people foiled an attempt to capture Booth 271 in Diamond Harbour (West Bengal).

It is alleged that in Bhawanipur, some people tried to abduct BJYM member Raghubir Singh from the BJP office.

Furthermore, the Bharatiya Janata Party said that TMC workers and policemen threatened its polling agents on Friday night. It alleged that the TMC cadre and Policemen visited their homes in the Bermajur area in Sandeshkhali and threatened them. The saffron party shared video clips and said that the women of Sandeshkhali have once again protested against the TMC government’s move to terrorise the people ahead of the last phase of elections.

In the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections, voting is underway in nine seats in West Bengal amid tight security arrangements. These constituencies include Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat (under which Sandeshkhali falls), Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar seats.

Allah will not forgive you: Maulvi Shahnawaz repeatedly raped 16-year-old after making her swear on Quran in Bihar, the minor now 7 months pregnant

OpIndia Staff
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Allah will not forgive you: Maulvi Shahnawaz repeatedly raped 16-year-old after making her swear on Quran in Bihar, the minor now 7 months pregnant

Maulvi (cleric) Qari Shahnawaz regularly sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in Madhubani, Bihar. He used to make her swear on the Quran and warned that Allah would not forgive her if she told anyone. The Maulvi repeatedly raped the minor girl for more than a year. He would force the girl to stay back after class, stuff cloth in her mouth to muffle her screams, and commit the heinous act. The Maulvi also threatened her with a knife to stop her from speaking to anybody and hence she suffered in silence out of fear. However, her family members grew suspicious after she became 7 months pregnant and the matter came to light.

According to media reports, the case pertains to the Khutauna police station area of the ​​Madhubani district where the accused, who is the head of a madrasa, was in charge of teaching the Quran, but instead chose to abuse a minor student in his class. Nobody was aware when his focus turned towards the 14 to 15-year-old girl and he made her an object of his malicious desire and lust while teaching religious verses. He used to stop her as other pupils left his class and raped her.

The mother of the underage girl stated that he scared the latter with the Quran and claimed that Allah would punish her if she informed anyone about his heinous act, in her complaint. The Maulvi frightened the girl with a knife as well. The family members noticed the visible changes in their daughter’s body and the shocking truth surfaced after an enquiry. The complainant disclosed that the perpetrator asked the adolescent’s father to send her to him as she was good at studies.

Nitish Kumar, the in-charge of the Khutauna police station, mentioned that a First Information Report has been registered and raids are being carried out to apprehend the offender. The horrifying development has angered the locals and they have demanded severe action against the cleric. The infuriated people have also locked the madrasa.

Police going door to door: BJP says Trinamool Congress is intimidating voters in Sandeshkhali

OpIndia Staff
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Police going door to door: BJP says Trinamool Congress is intimidating voters in Sandeshkhali

On the day of the last phase of polling for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress is indulging in intimidation of voters in Sandeshkhali, which has been in the eye of the storm for months due to suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

BJP said that Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government is using state machinery to influence voters of  Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, including in Sandeshkhali.

Sandeshkhali, which has been in news for months, in the Basirhat subdivision of Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, is voting in the seventh phase of Lok Sabha Election 2024 on June 1.

BJP’s Social Media head Amit Malviya posted on X, “In a midnight operation, WB Police, on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee, is going door to door in Bermajur, which is in #Sandeshkhali, and intimidating BJP booth agents.”

Malviya added, “Women are being threatened and abused. Their voter cards are being snatched and they are being told not to sit in the booths tomorrow. Power has been shut in the entire area. Local TMC goons are guiding the police. There is no woman cop accompanying them, as should have been the case, if this was a legitimate exercise.”

The BJP IT Cell head highlighted that they are providing security to their workers, and asked Election Commission of India to look into the matter urgently.

BJP candidate from Basirhat, Rekha Patra, also attacked Trinamool Congress saying that they were stopped from casting their votes in last 2 elections. She told ANI, “We have not been able to vote since 2011, but today I am confident that we will be able to cast our votes in the elections, with the blessings of God and Modiji. This is why we are heading to the booth to vote.”

Rekha Patra said, “TMC’s atrocities are not new, they have been doing it since 2011. We have tolerated this for a long time, and we can tolerate it for just one more day. The entire public of Basirhat will respond to them.”

Osman Pushparaja Gerard, handler of the 4 ISIS terrorists caught in Gujarat, arrested by Sri Lanka Police in Colombo

OpIndia Staff
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Osman Pushparaja Gerard, handler of the 4 ISIS terrorists caught in Gujarat, arrested by Sri Lanka Police in Colombo

The handler of four Sri Lankan ISIS terrorists, who were arrested from Ahmedabad Airport last month, has been taken into custody by Sri Lankan Police Intelligence on Friday, May 31. 46-year-old Osman Pushparaja Gerard was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka had launched a high-level investigation with the participation of two main intelligence branches of the police, the CID and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), and other military intelligence services to nab the accused.The Lankan CID had also announced a reward of Rs. 2 million for information leading to the arrest of Osman, suspected of being an ISIS coordinator.

Sri Lankan security forces think that the 46-year-old acted as a handler of the four Sri Lankans who were arrested at Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat for suspected links with the banned Islamic State (ISIS) outfit. Following the arrest of the 4 Sri Lankan nationals in India, Sri Lankan authorities launched an investigation and have so far arrested 6 individuals in the case, including Osman.

Earlier, on May 20, the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of Gujarat Police arrested the four ISIS terrorists at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. According to the local police, all the arrested terrorists are residents of Sri Lanka, and are associated with the Islamic State.

The 4 arrested ISIS terrorists are Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris, and Mohammad Razdin. Gujarat DGP Vikash Sahay said, “Information was received that 4 people, namely, Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris and Mohammad Razdin. These 4 people are Sri Lankan nationals and are active members of the banned terror outfit Islamic State. All four of them are completely radicalised by the ISIS ideology and they are going to come to India to commit a terror attack.”

Initial investigation by ATS has revealed that the Islamic State terrorists traveled from Sri Lanka to Ahmedabad via Chennai. The Gujarat ATS arrested them before they could reach their intended target.

It has also been uncovered during the initial investigation that these terrorists were awaiting orders from their handlers who were expected to deliver them weapons to aid in their intended attack. The ATS has also recovered encrypted chats from the terrorists’ phones.

Pune Porsche Accident Case: After father and grandfather, mother of minor accused also arrested

ANI
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Pune Porsche Accident Case: After father and grandfather, mother of minor accused also arrested

The mother of the Minor accused in the Pune car accident case, which took the lives of two IT professionals who were travelling on a bike on the night of May 19, has been arrested on Saturday, a police official said.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed the arrest, stating, “The mother of the minor accused has been arrested in the case.”

Meanwhile, days after the Porsche car crash case that has sent shockwaves across the country, retired IAS officer Arun Bhatia has written a letter to the Chairman of Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (MHRC) seeking the transfer of Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar from the city.

Bhatia has also requested the human rights body to investigate the conduct of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar since he “represents the police force in the city”.

The appointment of the doctor as Chief Medical Officer based on a politician’s recommendation should be investigated and the Health Secretary punished, Bhatia stated in the letter.

Bhatia has also asked for a report from the police regarding the step-by-step sequence of events and reasons for delay and lapses in the investigation process which must be obtained and brought into the public domain immediately.

“The present Police Commissioner cannot be relied upon to do this,” he mentioned. The retired civil servant accused the Police Commissioner of shielding the crime and his corrupt officials.

“To cap this scandal the court released on bail the seventeen-year-old who had emerged from a pub to take the wheel instead of placing him in a remand home”, he said.

Earlier on Friday the court sent the father and grandfather of the accused minor involved to judicial custody for 14 days.

Also, the Pune Police Crime Branch on Friday filed a production application for the father of the minor accused before the Pune District Court in the first FIR wherein charges of 120B were added.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Hurt and saddened by behaviour of Arvind Kejriwal, attempts made to portray me as villain and Bibhav as hero: Swati Maliwal takes on AAP

ANI
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Hurt and saddened by behaviour of Arvind Kejriwal, attempts made to portray me as villain and Bibhav as hero: Swati Maliwal takes on AAP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal hit out at the party on Friday alleging that an attempt was made to portray her as a “villain” and Delhi Chief Minister’s aide Bibhav Kumar as a “hero” after she made assault allegations against him.

“I am very hurt and saddened by the behaviour of Arvind Kejriwal. I and my entire family are in trauma because I have been working since 2006. I have been working since I had no position or prestige. There were no governments in the two states then. I have been working since then, with passion, selflessness, and honesty,” AAP leader Maliwal told ANI.

Maliwal alleged victim-shaming by the party adding that her character was “maligned” and she was left “alone in the entire battle.”

“But the truth is that when I was being beaten badly….in Arvind Kejriwal’s drawing room, he did not come. No one came to save me. And an out-of-court trial was conducted in which I was declared guilty. To date, he neither rang me nor came to meet me and he has not helped me anywhere. The entire party and he are standing with Bibhav Kumar at this time. So in such a situation, I am very sad because Arvind Kejriwal, who expresses his views on every issue, did not consider it necessary to support me on my issue, to take a stand for me, or to talk about my issue,” Maliwal said.

“Bibhav Kumar beat me up very badly in Arvind Kejriwal’s drawing room, and as soon as I filed a complaint in this matter, the entire party’s resources and leadership were used against me. Every day I was victim-shamed, my character was maligned,” Maliwal told ANI on Friday.

She further pointed out that Bibhav Kumar accompanied Kejriwal during his visit to Lucknow and Amritsar for campaigning in Lok Sabha polls.

“As soon as Delhi Police arrested Bibhav Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal himself and the entire party took to the streets to protest against his arrest. An attempt was made to portray that he is the hero and I am the villain,” the AAP MP said.

Maliwal expressed confidence in the judiciary in the matter and said, “Today I have been left alone in this entire battle just because I have filed a complaint against Bibhav Kumar. I am fighting this battle alone and I will continue to fight till the end. Because I know that what I have said is the complete truth. In this entire battle, my only hope is from the court for justice.”

Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Tiz Hazari court remanded Bibhav Kumar in 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal.

Kumar was produced before the court after the three-day police custody granted on May 28 ended on Friday. He was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 18, in connection with the case.

Maliwal lodged a complaint with the Delhi police against Bibhav Kumar on May 14, a day after the alleged assault took place. A day later, Bibhav Kumar lodged a counter-complaint with the police, accusing Maliwal of gaining ‘unauthorised entry’ into the CM’s Civil Lines residence and ‘verbally abusing’ him.

A case was filed against Bibhav Kumar and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case based on Maliwal’s complaint. Bibhav was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 19.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

ANI-PTI row: Mohammed Zubair lies about ANI sharing a video without crediting PTI; Army clarifies it shared the video with ANI and other media outlets

OpIndia Staff
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ANI-PTI row: Mohammed Zubair lies about ANI sharing a video without crediting PTI; Army clarifies it shared the video with ANI and other media outlets

A controversy erupted earlier today when news agency PTI accused ANI of stealing its intellectual property and posting its photos and videos without providing due credit. 

The matter pertains to a video shared by ANI on 30 May 2024 at 10 PM. The video was from an awards ceremony, with Major Radhika Sen receiving the prestigious 2023 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. 

The same video, without the ANI logo, and other pictures from the awards ceremony were also shared by the official X account of the Indian Army minutes after the ANI’s post.

Hours after ANI posted the video, PTI accused ANI of sharing its intellectual property without authorisation.

However, this was enough for self-described ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair to train his guns on ANI and target the news agency with false allegations.

Mohammed Zubair targets ANI over the video, falsely claims ANI picked up video from the Indian Army handle

Peddling disinformation, dog-whistling against assertive Hindu voices, spreading lies, and targeting entities that don’t share his pathological hatred towards the BJP and PM Modi have long been the forte of Mohammed Zubair. Therefore, when controversy erupted over a video of awards bestowed upon Army personnel at the United Nations Headquarters posted by ANI with claims that it was an intellectual property of PTI, Zubair quickly pounced to target ANI, claiming that ANI picked up the video from the Indian Army handle without giving credits to PTI, without verifying his claims with either the ANI or the Indian Army. 

“The Army shares images and Video with credits to PTI. @smitaprakash’s ANI picks up the video from the Indian Army Handle, Adds the ANI logo to the video and shares it without giving credit to PTI. This is just one example, They’ve been doing this for years. Many videos from PMO have ANI watermarks,” Zubair tweeted. 

Mohammed Zubair targets ANI with half-truth

It is hilarious that Zubair claims ANI “picked up” the video from the Indian Army handle even though ANI posted the video well before the Indian Army shared it on X, formerly Twitter. ANI’s tweet was posted at 10:00 PM while the Indian Army shared the video 28 minutes later at 10:28 PM.

As allegations of publishing content got levelled against ANI, the news agency rubbished them and revealed that it got the video from the Army. In a fresh tweet quoting the video, ANI posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp chat with a person, presumably an Army officer, who had sent pictures and videos from the event to an ANI news reporter. 

“All videos and pictures of the above event were provided to ANI officially by the Indian Army for further syndication (no additional attribution instructions provided),” ANI tweeted. 

Meanwhile, as controversy erupted, the Indian Army posted a tweet crediting PTI for photos and the video at 1:06 PM on 31 May 2024. It may be noted that the Indian Army credited PTI hours after it had shared the pictures on its X page and not in the original post, which means that the Army was perhaps not aware of PTI having their rights.

Indian Army credits PTI hours after posting the video and pictures on SM; admits they had shared them with media outlets, including ANI

Nevertheless, as the controversy escalated further, the official X account of the Indian Army posted a new tweet, almost 19 hours after posting the pictures and the video, clarifying the disinformation being peddled online over the matter.

The Indian Army admitted to having received the photos and the video from the awardee officer on the evening of 30 May 2024. The Army further added that the pictures and the videos were shared with all media houses, including ANI, besides being put out on its social media platforms. The Army also said that when it learnt that photos and video were provided to the awardee officer by PTI, due credits were given to PTI. 

As evident from the above tweet, the Army admits to being unaware that the photos and the video were provided to the awardee officer by PTI at the time of sharing them online. The Army posted the pictures and the video originally at 10:28 PM on 30 May 2024 without crediting PTI. The Army credited PTI only several hours later, at 1:06 PM today, presumably after learning that the video and the pictures were provided to the awardee officer by PTI. Therefore, Zubair is lying when he claims that the Army shared images and a video with credits to PTI. Hence, it can be concluded that when ANI posted it at 10 pm yesterday, it was not aware the video was owned by PTI and posted it as a clip provided by the Army.

India’s real GDP growth surpasses all estimates and grows by 8.2% in 2023-24, PM Modi says “This is just a trailer of things to come”

ANI
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India’s real GDP growth surpasses all estimates and grows by 8.2% in 2023-24, PM Modi says “This is just a trailer of things to come”

India’s gross domestic product (GDP) surpassed all expectations and stood at 7.8 per cent in the January-March quarter. The full-year 2023-24 GDP has been revised upwards to 8.2 per cent from the second advance estimate of 7.6 per cent, according to data released on Friday by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

This surge marks an improvement from the 7.0 per cent growth recorded in the preceding fiscal year, showcasing the resilience and strength of the Indian economy amidst evolving global dynamics.

According to the press release, sector-wise analysis further illuminates the economic landscape, with real gross value added (GVA) experiencing a growth rate of 7.2 per cent in 2023-24, compared to the 6.7 per cent growth observed in 2022-23.

The manufacturing sector has emerged as a key driver of this growth, witnessing a surge of 9.9 per cent in 2023-24, a stark contrast to -2.2 per cent growth registered in the previous year.

In addition to the annual estimates, the release also provided Quarterly Estimates of GDP for the Fourth quarter (January-March) of 2023-24, offering insights into the economy’s performance in the final quarter of the fiscal year.

In Q4, both Real GVA and Real GDP showcased robust growth, with rates reaching 6.3 per cent and 7.8 per cent, respectively. These figures underscore the economy’s resilience and steady momentum amidst global uncertainties and challenges.

The provisional data reveals that real GDP soared to Rs 173.82 lakh crore in 2023-24, compared to Rs 160.71 lakh crore in the previous fiscal year.

This translates to a growth rate of 8.2 per cent, showcasing the economy’s buoyancy. Similarly, real GVA has climbed to Rs 158.74 lakh crore, marking a notable 7.2 per cent growth from the previous year.

In Q4 of 2023-24, real GDP surged to Rs 47.24 lakh crore, indicating a robust growth rate of 7.8 per cent. Concurrently, real GVA reached Rs 42.23 lakh crore, with a growth rate of 6.3 per cent. These figures depict the economy’s steady momentum, underscoring the resilience across sectors.

The estimates rely on a meticulous methodology, employing benchmark-indicator methods and leveraging a plethora of data sources.

Key indicators such as the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), financial performance of listed companies, and advance estimates of crop production play pivotal roles in the estimation process.

Additionally, inputs from various sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and services are meticulously analyzed to provide accurate insights into the economic landscape.

The next release of quarterly GDP estimates for the April-June period of 2024-25 (Q1 2024-25) is scheduled for August 30.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Every time corrupt leaders from AAP are jailed, party cries ‘mistreatment’, but here is how Tihar jail comes under Delhi govt administration

Shraddha Pandey
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Every time corrupt leaders from AAP are jailed, party cries ‘mistreatment’, but here is how Tihar jail comes under Delhi govt administration

On the 30th of May, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal claimed that his weight decreased sharply during a month in Tihar jail after he was arrested in the Delhi Liquor Scam case. Kejriwal claimed that his body weight dropped by 7 kgs suggesting that he might be suffering from a “serious disease”. Tihar Jail authorities, however, soon busted Kejriwal’s lies and gave details of Kejriwal’s body weight on 6 different days from 1 April to 9 May, which show his weight fell from 65 kg to 64 kg, which had gone up to 66 kg in between.

After his weight loss lies were busted, the Delhi Chief Minister came up with the “torture” claim. On the 31st of May, Kejriwal alleged that attempts are being made to ‘silence’ him adding that he was ‘tortured’ inside jail. He also accused the jail authorities of denying him insulin injections.

“They have made several attempts to silence me but they have not been successful. When I was in jail, they tortured me in different ways. They stopped my medicines. I have been a diabetes patient for 20 years, and every day I take insulin injections. In jail, they stopped my insulin injection. If the sugar is high for such a long period, it can affect the liver and kidneys. I have no idea what they wanted, or why they did what they did. I was in jail for 50 days, I lost six kg weight…I am still not gaining weight, doctors say this could be a sign of some big underlying medical condition,” Kejriwal said.

Interestingly, AAP MP Sanjay Singh had last month claimed that there is a threat to Kejriwal’s life in Tihar Jail after a scuffle between two groups of inmates. Singh alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched against Arvind Kejriwal.

“When I say that Arvind Kejriwal’s life is in danger, a conspiracy is being hatched against him and they are playing with the life of Arvind Kejriwal, no one believes it. Who will be answerable if such an incident happens with Arvind Kejriwal in jail? They [BJP] are vicious and dangerous people,” Sanjay Singh, who is out on bail in a Delhi liquor scam said.

It is pertinent to note that AAP is repeating the same script it performed during former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain’s incarceration. In May last year, Arvind Kejriwal and several AAP leaders criticised the Tihar Jail authorities and the Central government for alleged ‘mistreatment’ meted out against Satyendar Jain inside the jail after his health deteriorated. However, a senior Tihar Jail official said Jain’s health could be deteriorating due to his “food habits and stress levels”.

The Aam Aadmi Party supremo, however, blamed the Bhartiya Janata Party and its “ego” for Jain’s poor health condition and said, “People of Delhi can see the ego and injustice of the BJP government. People and God are with us in this struggle. This battle against cruelty, injustice and dictatorship will continue. We are the followers of Bhagat Singh.

Interestingly, while Aam Aadmi Party was claiming that Satyendar Jain was being ill-treated in Tihar Jail, Several videos emerged from within Tihar Jail in 2022 featuring Satyendar Jain getting VIP treatment. Some of these videos showed him receiving massages, some depicted him conducting “darbar” (a court-like gathering), and others showed him eating food from outside. In one video, he was even seen sitting with the suspended jail superintendent.

After the release of these videos and the court’s strict approach, VIP treatment in the jail was discontinued. Satyendar Jain accused jail officials of threatening him. Recently, Jain requested to be shifted to a different cell, citing concerns about isolation. Following this, two inmates were shifted to his neighbouring cell while adhering to the rules. After the incident came to light, a show-cause notice was also issued to the Tihar Jail superintendent.

Is BJP ‘torturing’ jailed AAP leaders through Tihar Jail authorities? Who runs Tihar Jail?

The Aam Aadmi Party in its desperation to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government of vendetta politics against the AAP and its leaders by ‘torturing’ them in Tihar Jail, has been lying through its teeth. While AAP claims that the Modi government is tormenting and trying to silence Kejriwal through Tihar Jail’s administration, the jail does not even come under the Central government.

In fact, Tihar Jail comes under the Delhi government’s Prisons Department. According to the official website of Tihar Prisons, “Till 1966, the administrative control of Delhi Jails was with the Government of the state of Punjab. The same was transferred to the Delhi Administration, Delhi in 1966.”

Source: tiharprisons.delhigov.in

It now raises the question before AAP leaders that even as Tihar Jail’s administration comes under the Delhi government why are they claiming that the Central government is conspiring against Kejriwal or mistreating him and Satyendar Jain? Even if they feel that there is a threat to Kejriwal’s life or he was being ‘tortured’ in jail, how is the Central government to be blamed for it and not the AAP government in Delhi?

Interestingly, in March last year, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj while addressing a crowd boasted that there is nothing to worry about in going to jail since jails in the national capital come under the Delhi government.

“The jail belongs to the Delhi government, there is no problem in going to jail, some of our leaders are in jail, there is a lot of fun in jail…” Bharadwaj said.

Now, how can jails ‘belonging’ to the Delhi government with the Aam Aadmi Party in power ‘torture’ the Delhi CM in Tihar Jail at the BJP-led Central government’s whims? Even if for argument’s sake it is assumed that there is indeed a threat to Kejriwal’s life or he is being ‘tortured’ inside the jail, isn’t it the Delhi government and Kejriwal’s own failure?

Conspicuously, the AAP leaders including CM Kejriwal are blatantly lying and misleading the people to garner support and sympathy and to polish Kejriwal’s farcical ‘modern-day Bhagat Singh’ image.

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