These days there are laud attacks on Mumbai Police and its investigation in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. His supporters demanded a CBI probe into the death of the actor citing several lapses on part of the Mumbai Police.
Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, a lawyer who leads ‘a people’s movement’ for justice, said that Sushant’s death should be treated as one of ‘mysterious death’ until facts are ascertained by CBI. He was aforesaid that the word ‘suicide came within minutes of his death and it became defining narrative on the entire media.
He said, “The normal thing is to call it a mysterious death, investigate it and after you investigate it you may come to a conclusion that it’s a tragedy, it’s abetment to suicide, or it’s a foul murder. But how Mumbai Police come to that conclusion in a few minutes?
Meanwhile in this ongoing TV debates and social media attacks Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, “There was no need for a CBI probe into the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the Mumbai police were capable of handling the matter”. The police were also examining the angle of “business rivalry” in the case, he said.
Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment in Mumbai on June 14 and what the police claimed was a case of suicide. In the initial investigation, the Mumbai police had found that the actor was under medication for depression.
Later on, Rajput’s girlfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty, in a tweet, demanded a CBI inquiry to understanding what “pressures” prompted Rajput to take the extreme step of suicide. Chakraborty said though she has “complete faith” in the government, a CBI inquiry would help bring justice to the case.
Talking to media, Deshmukh said the Mumbai police were conducting a detailed inquiry into the actor’s death and also recording statements of people concerned.
So far, the police have recorded the statements of more than two dozen people, including Chakraborty, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bollywood casting director Mukesh Chhabra and Rajput’s family members, as part of a probe into the suicide, which jolted the Hindi film industry. They have also summoned Kangana Ranaut, Mahesh Bhatt and all other concerned people in this case.
Ishkaran Singh Bhandari cited “lapses” on part of the police and other aspects that Rajput allegedly changed 50 SIM cards on his phone. He said he has written to the Mumbai Police, which is investigating the actor’s death, regarding these aspects.
Police have said they have recorded the statements of dozens of people, including his family, friends, co-stars and close aides, in the investigations ordered by the Maharashtra government into the actor’s death on June 14. Police is further investigating this case but ongoing media trails are not giving fair chance to Police and government to do its probe asserted investigating team.
These days most of the television channels have become mouthpieces to some agenda-driven political parties. One of them is Republic TV takes it to the next level. They defend BJP’s PoV more boldly than BJP MPs themselves.
People have called me both a ‘Bhakt’ and a ‘Libtard’ from the opposite end of the spectrum. Since 2014 assembly elections I voted for the BJP not because I am Bhakt but as a voter, I thought of giving them a chance to deliver what they promised. As a journalist, my duty is to question the authority and government and that I am doing quite well, but when I look at mainstream media it scares me.
Same Arnab Goswami used to be so good when he was ripping apart people from all sides including BJP. I always wanted to be one like him and I am sure he was the crush of most young generation journalists once upon a time. But now it’s not only disheartening but also disgusting to watch him live. We lost the knight-in-shining-armor of the Indian media or perhaps he never was one.
During his stint in Times Now Arnab had risen to become one of the most powerful opinion-makers in the country. His power came from the extremely successful image he had managed to create among his audience – a fearless, patriotic journalist of unshakable moral convictions. he was a journalist who rose above the fray of party politics and was ready to take on anyone on anything. The urban Indian middle class – his audience- loved him as their vigilante hero. But Arnab’s style of vigilante journalism crucially depended on painting all issues in black and white terms. This a tricky business in the real world filled with shades of grey. There is a delicate balance that one must maintain. After his move to Republic, Arnab has quickly made several false moves and upset this balance.
Republic was started with much hype around it and it lived up to its anticipations. At one point or the other, those who followed Republic TV would have felt that maybe the channel was a little biased in its approach towards news. As far as I am concerned, I was thrilled when Arnab launched his news venture but gradually the excitement settled down to dust, and later on what I realized is, in Times Now, he was the Editor-in-chief so he did whatever he wanted to uphold standards of journalism. Now coming to Republic, he is the chief investor in it. So, his view of news will change and we all need to accept that one of the main sponsors and partners is BJP leader. The channel is most popular among BJP supporters and you will find most of the right-wingers get a chance to speak on his panels and other is called for getting humiliated or attacked. Interestingly, people go there to get bashed. One can see the bipolar disorder in this anchor very clearly.
Journalism is a very powerful platform through which even a minor issue can reach to masses but unfortunately, it isn’t happening so at present. These are the days where channels have a political backup and are driven by TRP ratings leading to a lack of credibility and transparency. His misplaced nationalism can verge on the comical. Once he got after a Caucasian doctor because a super-bug had been named New Delhi. Goswami argued with mad logic, was racist. The doctor explained that it was medical precedent to name a bug after the place where it originated and there was no agenda. Goswami kept shouting at him until the man got up and left. At these moments, one feels that there is a genuine loss of control that Goswami is predisposed to while on air. He is tricked by his own act, over and over again.
The first look at Goswami’s channel, Republic TV reminded me of Russia Today, the Kremlin-backed state propaganda channel that pretends not to be one. In fact, it’s worse. RT doesn’t have Russian flags waving in every frame. The ads on the Republic did. One begins to wonder about the ethics of using the national flag to push what is ultimately a big business venture, streaming live on Hotstar to millions of subscribers. This is about money and profits, not the nation. Republic harnesses a national symbol, which belongs to everyone, and yokes it to its personal end of profitability. In the commercials for Republic, the viewer is talked down to. There’s nothing about how the news delivery will be different, only a set of buzzwords to the citizen. It’s always a campaign-based topic. Always set of dos and don’ts, laid down by a man who calls himself the voice of a new India. His research on any subject is limited to some papers he holds in hand with matching panelists, selective targets, and impatient banging on the news desk. just a monologue of the anchor who keeps reminding himself that he has to declare that he knows the best on every subject, insulting of some of the panelists.
Hope the young promising journalists don’t get trapped into thinking that these Performances / Egotism is the only gateway to success.
I am sure one day the people of our country will realize the kind of damage these channels are doing to our society & destroying the Fourth Estate.
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This year August 5th would be a very curious day for all Hindu’s in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be doing Bhoomi Poojan at the site for the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya and this will be telecast live by public broadcaster Doordarshan. PM Narendra Modi inaugurating the construction of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir, will be the most historic moment in the antiquity of independent India. Almost all TV channels would broadcast the same on their respective television channels.
BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur appealed to people to recite the Hanuman Chalisa five times a day till August 5, which she believes will rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic. Let all of us together make a spiritual effort to wish people good health and end the coronavirus epidemic. Recite ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ five times a day at your home from July 25 to August 5.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad national spokesperson Vinod Bansal, said the Prime Minister will be in Ayodhya on August 5 and will be “worshipping with revered saints, scholars, trustees and other dignitaries for the grand Janmabhoomi temple of Bhagwan Shri Ram”. Such an occasion for Ayodhya has come “after 500 years”, he urged people to conduct continuous recitation of the Akhand Ramayan in all local temples. He said every household and temple in Ayodhya must celebrate Deepotsava by lighting oil lamps on the night of August 4 and 5.
Keeping in mind the social distancing requirement, a total of 200 people including 150 invitees would be allowed for the “Bhoomi Poojan”. Incidentally, August 5 will mark one year of the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the State of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories. Article 370 and the Ram temple were two ideological issues that the BJP, in the NDA’s earlier avatar under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had been forced to place on the backburner due to coalition compulsions.
When our Editor-in-Chief Dr. Vaidehi spoke to National spokesperson of Hindu Mahasabha Shri Pramod Pandit Joshi, he stated his long view on Bhoomi Poojan on 5th August at Ramjanma Bhoomi. He stated that the PM Modi is taking all undue credit, following are the excerpts from the conversation.
Hindu Mahasabha is not against the construction of Ram Mandir but we oppose the politics done by BJP in the name of Ram Mandir. It was actually Sardar Patel who met Golwalkar Guru Ji in Tihar and requested him to break Hindu Mahasabha and Guru Ji directed Vasantrao Oak who used to live in Hindu Mahasabha Bhavan to pursue Shayma Prasad Mukherjee and broke HMS and formed Jana Sangh.
We will file a petition in the court for our rights to conduct the Bhumi Poojan, we are the party to the case from its very beginning along with Nirmohi Akhada, though the Mahant of Nirmohi Akhada Swami Dinendra is part of the trust, we are totally ignored despite being part of the whole movement. In 1989 Sheelanyas was already done by N D Tiwari and Butta Singh, so what is the point of doing it once again. We will oppose it by boycotting as though we being the party and part of the case, our 6 saints were framed by the Sunni Central Waqf Board in 1962 accusing us of keeping idols in the Babri masjid. By keeping us politically aside, we are being ignored. We only demand that the Bhoomi Poojan be done by the Nirmohi Akhada only and if not then by no one else.
Only if you work under RSS, they (BJP) will accept else they will oppose and hence they fear the growth of Hindu Mahasabha.
In 1996, BJP had offered HMS a proposal of fighting elections on our issues in lieu of 7 seats. We agreed for it but when elections were near, they started bargaining and came down to 1 seat of Muradabad Dinesh Chandra Tyagi but even that was not given.
When a delegation under Tyagi’s leadership went to meet Atal Ji, he made him wait and then allowed the delegation in without him. He told the members that if BJP needs to be kept alive and strong, this ghost of HMS needs to be buried, these were his words.
BJP played a wicked game and pursued Vikram Savarkar and he declared that HMS will not divide Hindu Vote Bank and will not contest elections against BJP. They have bribed our top people at different times to keep us divided.
They even pre-managed the Ram Mandir issue to sideline and finish Hindu Mahasabha.
Dinesh Tyagi who was earlier a RSS Pracharak who entered HMS in 1990 is the main culprit.
Once a very powerful organization, the Hindu Mahasabha formally Akhil Bharatiya Hindu MahaSabha, the oldest political party in India now shrunk to its size. The organisation was originally called Sarvadeshik Hindu Sabha (Hindu Assembly for the entire country). In 1921, it changed to the present name Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha. The organization was formed to protect the rights of the Hindu community, after the formation of the All India Muslim League in 1906. Later on, Hindu Mahasabha encouraged and helped to establish branches of the RSS in western Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab and other places. They hoped to use the RSS as a youth wing, which the Sangh refused. To achieve its goal of organizing the Hindu society, the RSS wanted to have friendly relations with the Hindu Mahasabha, which was ideologically closer to it than the Congress party, Arya Samaj and Sanatan Sabha. With the time differences started growing between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha they don’t stand each other on several issues, including their approach to Mahatma Gandhi and his way of thinking, and their relationship soured over a period of time. After independence most of the Hindu Mahasabha leaders joined RSS or Jana Sangh, now BJP.
A letter written by Godse to Hindu Mahasabha leader Veer Savarkar, blaming the RSS for wasting the energy of Hindu youth, is one documentary evidence that the Sangh is relying on to distance itself from the charge of being involved in the murder. RSS’s decision to join the Civil Disobedience Movement started by Gandhi in 1930 made Hindu Mahasabha breakneck. Dr KB Hedgewar, the founder of RSS, stepped down from the post of Sarsangh Chalak and led the Forest Satyagraha in Pusad. He, along with 300 RSS workers, were arrested and imprisoned for a year. We can read in Hindu Mahasabha leader Dr BS Moonje’s diary, where he wrote that RSS workers were being carried away by Gandhian movement. The RSS, the ideological font of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, was banned four times, including in 1948 after Gandhi’s killing. With the spotlight back on the RSS-HMS links, the Sangh cites several reasons – its refusal to back an agitation against the Nizam of Hyderabad or join the battalion raised by the British government ahead of World War II, setting up a Hindu militia and Ram Sena for cleaving its ties. Once RSS and the HMS were as close as the RSS and the BJP now or the RSS and the Jan Sangh earlier. The Janata Party split because it asked the Jan Sangh members to quit membership of the RSS. Instead of doing that, they formed the BJP; that is the degree of closeness they had. Later on, even the RSS vehemently denies that Godse was a Sangh member, his family has claimed otherwise.
Hindutva is the political ideology that wants to establish a Hindu nation in India. Savarkar as well as Hedgewar (founder of RSS) proliferated Hindu nationalist ideology against the composite nationalism of Gandhi and Congress. However, the ideologies were very different from each other. Politically, they both believed in strengthening the nation, acquiring arms, fighting imperialism etc. But the basis was very different. While Golwalkar’s nationalism was based on Hindu spiritualism, Savarkar believed in reason, science and technology. Savarkar was a modernist. Golwalkar believed in the superiority of Hindu spiritualism over western materialism. Savarkar also distinguished between the Hindu nation and the secular state, of which people of all religions can be a part of. Golwalkar dismissed territorial nation for the cultural nation, in order to be a part of which, people of all religions must embrace the traditions of Hinduism, if not convert to it. They both propounded “Shuddhi” and “Sangathan” movements for reconversion into Hinduism. On the same lines were the differences in social ideologies. Savarkar denounced the caste system as divisive and was also critical of superstitious practices, oppression of women. Golwalkar, on the other hand called the caste system as a scheme of employment insurance without state intervention, due to its functional specialization. So, while Savarkar worked on this modernist agenda, RSS evolved into an anti-western society.
Also, Savarkar was a worshipper of political power and understood its importance for change. Golwalkar wanted to develop a very strong nation state but at the same time, he wanted to stay away from political power. The Mahasabha promoted the principles of Hindutva, a Hindu nationalist ideology developed by its pre-eminent leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The Mahasabha identified India as “Hindu Rashtra” (Hindu Nation). Although it broadly supported the Indian National Congress in its efforts to attain national independence, it criticized the Congress commitment to non-violence, civil disobedience and secularism, as well as its efforts to integrate Muslims and engage in dialogue with the separatist All India Muslim League, which the Mahasabha deemed to be appeasement. In 2015, Vice President of All India Hindu Mahasabha, VP Sadhvi Deva Thakur said Muslims and Christians must undergo sterilization to restrict their growing population which was posing a threat to Hindus. In April 2015, the General Secretary of the Hindu Mahasabha, Munna Kumar Shukla claimed that it is not illegal to attack a church and it does not violate any law. He requested the NDA government to give legal and administrative protection to the Hindus who attack churches. He justified his claim by saying that churches were only conversion factories. Shukla also promised the Mahasabha would give protection and awards to those who marry Muslim girls and attack churches. He also said that Taj Mahal would meet the same fate as Babri masjid as it was a Shiva Temple. Whereas PM Modi came to power stating, “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” as he refrained from associating with extreme fringe elements.
Still all, these right-wing organizations were against any type of minority appeasement and believe that all get the fair share according to its population. Savarkar himself set the record straight: “Myself and Jinnah are not the birds of the same feather because I stand for equality and no concessions while Jinnah is for more and more concessions for Muslims and doesn’t stand for equality.” Both hate Indian National Congress and Gandhi. They didn’t participate in any of Indian independence movement against British. Whereas RSS, had sympathy with Muslim league as both thought that Hindu and Muslim were very different entity and must grant an autonomy state where they can live independently according to their religious way of life. Well, Muslim league got what they wanted but Hindu Mahasabha was against the division of India. With the Hindu Mahasabha’s move to observe November 15 as “Balidan Diwas” — the date Nathuram Godse was hanged in Ambala jail in 1949 for Gandhi’s assassination, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has had to distance itself once again from Godse. The Hindu Mahasabha called the RSS a “traitor” for criticizing its decision to commemorate November 15. RSS snipped the Ayodhya ram mandir issue from Mahasabha-Up until the formation of the VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad), religious organization of RSS). The Hindu Mahasabha had been leading political forums for religious leaders interested in Hindu communalist politics. The Mahasabha had enrolled in its ranks Mahant Digvijay Nath, the religious head of Gorakhnath mutt of UP and one of the most cunning sadhus of the twentieth century. He was the one who had spearheaded the conspiracy to plant the idol of Lord Ram in Babri masjid in 1949. Abhiram Das, who actually planted the idol, was also a local leader of the Hindu Mahasabha. VHP persisted and gradually started gaining roots, first among Shaiva sadhus and monastic orders centered at Haridwar and nearby areas and later — once the RSS outfit associated itself with the Ram Janmabhoomi – Babri masjid issue among the Vaishnava sadhus of Ayodhya. Kumbh Mela’s played a key role in the VHP’s endeavor. Yet, the VHP’s success in roping in sadhus to work for the political project of Hindutva was marginal until the BJP was formed in 1980. The Bajrang Dal is a religious organization that forms the youth wing of the VHP. Meanwhile the Hindu Mahasabha split within and RSS gained political power. Hindu Mahasabha which used to contest on 5 seats remained with one seat and gradually none. Their political fate was compromised by RSS and BJP’s power dominance. Now Hindu Mahasabha lost its narrative because their own people breached their ideology and preferred to be on the payroll of BJP.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the youth to share stories of valour of soldiers during the Kargil war. The Prime Minister made the remarks during his monthly “Mann ki Baat” programme on Sunday, which also marks the 21st anniversary of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’.
“Today on behalf of all countrymen, I salute those brave hearts and their mothers. I urge the youth to share throughout the day, stories of valour of our soldiers and the sacrifices of their mothers during ‘Kargil vijay’,” said the Prime Minister. He also urged people to visit the website – www.gallantryawards.gov.in – saying they will get to know a lot about the braves and their valour. “When you share these with friends, they will also get inspired,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he had the privilege to visit Kargil at that time. “The entire world witnessed the strength and valour of India’s brave forces. At that time, I too had the privilege of visiting Kargil and witnessed the bravery of our soldiers. That is one of the most precious moments of my life,” he said.
“Today people are remembering ‘Kargil vijay’. People are paying homage to the bravehearts through a hashtag on social media #COURAGEINKARGIL,” he said. July 26 is celebrated as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.
Amid the backdrop of the faceoff between China and India in the Galwan Valley, the anti-Chinese sentiment among the buyers and sellers have started to show its effect as the demand of locally produced Rakhi’s has increased. During every Raksha Bandhan festival China alone used to contribute about Rs 4,000 crore business. But this year, India has filled that vacuum with our swadeshi products.
A trader from Kalbadevi Mumbai said, “People are refusing to buy Chinese rakhi’s due to strains between India and China. Women are preferring India-made rakhi’s to Chinese rakhi’s. The locals also intend to boost the Indian economy by buying local rachi’s”.
Another trader Sajjad Shaikh from Crawford market in Mumbai told Afternoon Voice, “Till last year people used to ask for fancy but reasonably priced Rakhi, this year the moment they step into the shop, they themselves volunteer saying, not to show Chinese Rakhi”.
A street side Rakhi vendor said, “Clients are refusing to buy Chinese rakhis. Their first question is whether the rakhi is Chinese or not. Local handmade rakhis are sold in big quantities. Comparatively little costlier but people don’t mind spending”. This year we have got rakhis from Jaipur, Gujrat and Kolkata. Less people are stepping out due to Covid-19. During COVID pandemic, small scale Indian Rakhee makers got good orders”.
According to marketers, buyers are showing interest in local products and are willing to pay a higher price for Rakhi’s made in Indian sourced materials instead of China sourced products. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) announced in its press statement that “‘Rakhi’ products from China worth an estimated Rs 4,000 crore will take a hit ahead of the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival to be celebrated on August 3. In the last few years, China-made Rakhi’s and other products essential for making Rakhi’s such as foam, pearls, drops, thread, decorative thali etc. have captured a significant share in the Indian market,”. CAIT further stated that as per an estimate, about 50 crore Rakhi’s are sold every year in India, amounting to about Rs 6,000 crore, out of which China’s exports alone are valued at about Rs 4,000 crore.
Radha Shere a housewife, said, “I used to buy Chinese rachis but now I am buying only India-made Rakhi. No Indian should boost the economy of a country that is a menace to us? Made in China products should be banned by all of us, the country that attacks our soldier brothers needs to learn its lesson.”
Meanwhile, The Government of India amended the General Financial Rules 2017 to enable imposition of restrictions on bidders from countries which share a land border with India on grounds of defence of India, or matters directly or indirectly related thereto including national security, an official statement said. The Department of Expenditure has, under the said Rules, issued a detailed order on public procurement to strengthen the defence of India and national security, it said. “The new provisions will apply to all new tenders. In respect of tenders already invited, if the first stage of evaluation of qualifications has not been completed, bidders who are not registered under the new Order will be treated as not qualified,” it said.
If this stage has been crossed, ordinarily the tenders will be cancelled and the process started de novo, it said, adding that the order will also apply to other forms of public procurement. It does not apply to procurement by the private sector.
Boycott Chinese goods once again became the prime agenda and Indians on social media following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China a few months ago and also violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley. Some Indian users on social media have been calling for the ban of Chinese apps.
Well, the boycott takes us back to the British era, when India’s nationalist movement called for a boycott on English goods, it seems like we are heading back to the past. But can we really afford to boycott China? The idea of boycotting Chinese products is good but right now what we need is infrastructure for Swadeshi products. It may not be possible to boycott China products overnight. But in some capacity people have already started disowning Chinese goods. The question is how long they can do it? Boycott of Made in China products will lead to boycott of majority of products from US or European brands because even for those products most of the raw material goes from China. People need to think for the long run, is it practically possible to boycott Chinese products or is it just an emotional reaction as happened previously? If yes then how do we find replacement of Chinese products as they are used in API, mobile phones, Raw material? If we stop importing Chinese products, will it affect China or India more? People are only focused on removing Chinese apps but they don’t understand how deep is the market penetrated by Chinese products. Would a boycott of Chinese imports serve any economic benefit to India? Or would this grand experiment in self-sufficiency be futile as seen in pre-reform India? Do middle-class Indians really have an option if they want to boycott Chinese smartphones? Indian Government has passed the order of banning some Chinese apps in India, but look at those popular apps from Paytm to Swiggy and how it has become a vital part of our survival, the government could not dare to ban those apps. The Modi government is banning apps but permitting China products in India. If you look back, time and again China attacked us, we asked people to ban them and again we forgot what we decided. Till the next attack makes headlines we continue pleasing ourselves with Chinese apps. And when we talk about boycotting China, do we mean to boycott Chinese goods, or snap entire two-sided ties with the country?
The top startups in India, which include names such as Paytm, Zomato, Swiggy, Udaan, BigBasket, LensKart, CarDekho, and many others, count Chinese investors among their largest backers. In fact, according to reports, Chinese investors have pumped in $3.9 billion in 2019, up from $2 billion in 2018. In the process, they have surpassed the USA to emerge as the biggest backers of the country’s digital economy. Not just that, a think tank named Gateway House had earlier this year reported that Chinese technology investors have put in an estimated $4 billion into Indian startups. According to the same report, 18 of India’s 30 unicorns are now Chinese-funded. Apart from Paytm, Ola, BigBasket, some of the other Indian tech companies that have Chinese investors include Byju’s, MakeMyTrip, Zomato and Swiggy. If we decided to snap ties with China, what happens to these investments? And if the Chinese investors were to withdraw their money from these firms, who would replace this funding? Not just that, these startups also employ a big chunk of India’s population. What happens to them? However, this $13 billion constitutes less than a fifth of our total imports from China, which added up to roughly $70 billion in 2018-19.
Export- Rs. 1.17 lakh crore. This is what India earned from China, which constituted 5.08% export share in India’s total exports. On the other hand, Import – Rs. 4.92 lakh crore. This is what China earns from India, and it constitutes 13.69% import share in India’s total imports. The total trade between the country adds up to Rs. 6.09 lakh crore, with trade balance with China adding up to Rs. (negative) 3.74 lakh crore, which means import is higher than export. How then do we become ‘Atma-Nirbhar’? There seems to be no way that we can completely rid ourselves of imports from China. Not to forget the huge cross-border investment inflows between the countries.
India imports not just consumer goods from China, but also industrial goods that are crucial for key manufacturing sectors. Moreover, more than 100 Chinese firms have a presence in India. Chinese state-owned companies have bagged huge projects here. Some of these include Sinosteel, Shougang International, Baoshan Iron & Steel, Sany Heavy Industry, Chongqing Lifan Industry, China Dongfang International, and SinoHydro Corporation. In telecom especially, three Chinese firms namely Xiaomi, Vivo and OPPO have a 50% share of the mobile handset market. China sells us some very crucial machinery that adds to domestic manufacturing and exports. The point really is that in today’s world, supply chains are deep and complicatedly interlaced – it is just not possible for any country to not trade with the largest manufacturer in the world (China accounts for 28% of global manufacturing) and yet grow its income and share of global trade. There is no doubt that if India wants to increase its overall prosperity, it will have to grow its external trade – not trading with a country manufacturing 28% of the world’s goods is just not feasible. One can also approach Indian consumers. And a question that has to be answered is – how does it benefit India if its citizens are forced to buy the same or inferior quality goods at a higher price? If we take the telecom sector for instance, we are currently seeing a situation where BSNL and MTNL are planning to revise their tenders to exclude Chinese suppliers – it is a given that in those circumstances, costs will go up and these companies will become even less competitive than before.
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Lashing out at the Yogi Adityanath government over the killing of a lab technician in Kanpur, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded that President’s Rule be imposed in the state. He also announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the technician.
The lab technician, who was kidnapped last month, was killed within a week of being held captive and the body was thrown in a river, police said “The news of death of man kidnapped in Kanpur is saddening. Government remained inactive after warning. Now the government should give at least Rs 50 lakh to the aggrieved family. SP will give Rs 5 lakh to the family,” the SP president said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Where are those with ‘divya shakti’ (divine power) and his ‘bhayotpadak’ (fear creating) ‘prabhamanda’ (aura) and his ‘gyan mandali’ (those giving him feedback)” Yadav tweeted with a hashtag “#PresidentRuleInUP”.
कानपुर से अपहृत इकलौते बेटे की मौत की ख़बर दुखद है. चेतावनी देने के बाद भी सरकार निष्क्रिय रही. अब सरकार 50 लाख का मुआवज़ा दे.
सपा मृतक के परिवार को 5 लाख की मदद देगी.
अब कहाँ है दिव्य-शक्ति सम्पन्न लोगों का भयोत्पादक प्रभा-मण्डल व उनकी ज्ञान-मण्डली.#PresidentRuleInUP
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday suspended four police personnel, including an Additional SP and a Circle Officer, for laxity in the probe into the case.
The government also said Additional Director General (ADG-Police Headquarters) B P Jogdand will probe whether ransom was paid by the family of the lab technician or not.
No action will be taken against dismissed deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress for now, said the Rajasthan High Court on Friday after the faction’s appeal against assembly speaker CP Joshi disqualifying them.
The court said there will be “status quo” until it decides on the rebels’ petition against disqualification notices. A verdict on the disqualifications was delayed after the court accepted the Pilot faction appealed to add the central government as a party to the case that raises the legality of lawmakers switching sides or quitting parties, said media reports.
The Supreme Court refused on Thursday to stop the High Court from delivering the verdict that is likely to decide the fate of Congress government in Rajasthan, saying the “voice of dissent” cannot be suppressed in a democracy. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot indicated that he is preparing for a floor test as he met the Governor last evening.
The High Court has asked Joshi to defer action against the rebels. No court can ask him to do that, Joshi had argued in the Supreme Court on Thursday, but there was no decision on it.
The Supreme Court, which heard the case through video-conferencing, said the issues raised in the Speaker’s petition required “prolonged hearing” as it involved a “larger question” related to the democracy and how it will survive. But the court said the high court’s ruling would be subject to its final decision.
“Rajasthan High Court has made Centre a party in the case against Congress, in the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and MLAs against disqualification notice. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent Centre in the court,” said Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi.
Earlier, the court asked Speaker Joshi to defer the proceedings pending before him on the disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs of his faction and put off the verdict on the matter till July 24.
The Centre has asked all states to avoid large congregation of people, and ensure social distancing and wearing of masks while celebrating the Independence Day amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In an advisory, the Home Ministry said COVID-19 warriors like doctors, health and sanitation workers should be invited in the ceremony as a recognition of their noble service in the fight against the pandemic.
It said some people who recovered from the infection might also be invited.
“Therefore, all programmes should be organized in a way that large congregation of people is avoided and technology is used in a best possible manner for celebration befitting the occasion,” the advisory said.
The events organised could be web-cast in order to reach out people at large, who are not able to participate, it said.
