2020 Strategic and Political Analysis-1

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 05 Nov 2020 19:16

Hope is one thing but everyone's need to play their part. That includes citizens demanding actions and reforms at all levels. Citizens need to do their part whether Modi is counting that in his plan or not.

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 05 Nov 2020 19:28

India, in specific Reliance, continues to get investments from the middle east.

The Public Investment Fund ( PIF ) invests Rs. 9,555 crore in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd
https://www.deshgujarat.com/2020/11/05/ ... tures-ltd/
....
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said: “We at Reliance have a long-standing relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PIF is at the forefront of the economic transformation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I welcome PIF as a valued partner in Reliance Retail and look forward to their sustained support and guidance as we continue our ambitious journey to transform India’s retail sector for enriching the lives of 1.3 billion Indians and millions of small merchants.”
...

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 05 Nov 2020 19:47

did someone say freedom and rights? Citizens need to compare this to how courts would open over weekend to grant bails.

High Court adjourns the interim relief plea to tomorrow, journalist Arnab Goswami to spend another night in custody after being beaten and dragged
https://www.opindia.com/2020/11/bombay- ... ouns-plea/

After arresting Arnab Goswami, Mumbai Police arrests its own police officer who probed the 2018 suicide case
https://www.opindia.com/2020/11/after-a ... cide-case/

KJo · Post by **KJo** » 05 Nov 2020 20:24

I have been watching Republic TV and the only news they show is Arnab Goswami and in a very dramatic way.
I think Arnab Goswami is now the news, instead of someone who conveys the news.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 05 Nov 2020 20:48

KJo wrote:I have been watching Republic TV and the only news they show is Arnab Goswami and in a very dramatic way.
I think Arnab Goswami is now the news, instead of someone who conveys the news.

He said "Antonio Maino" . He became the news.

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 05 Nov 2020 20:57

A bill has been introduced in Haryana to provide 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs, a bad decision in my opinion. On one hand Haryana is a important manufacturing hub for automobiles and auto ancillary suppliers, and on the other hand we are pushing for reservation and there by discouraging merit and skills. If it goes through what would stop other states from doing something similar for votes ?

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 05 Nov 2020 21:05

Every state has passed such laws, no real impact.

Zynda · Post by **Zynda** » 05 Nov 2020 21:29

Whats with this new trend of Congress/opposition ruled State Govt. withdrawing general consent for CBIs to conduct investigations. Apparently, now CBI has to seek state government permission before it can conduct investigations in their state. The reasoning by state governments is that centre/BJP is misusing CBI to carry out a witch-hunt and undermining the credibility of the organization. First state to withdraw permission was AP under CBN.

Most likely, state governments would deny permissions to any investigations which would harm either the party at is state or central level and/or politically linked cases. So, whats next? Of course State Governments would say that its own police force will conduct investigations. Well the conduct and unbiased investigation & handling by Mumbai police is all in the open to observe & conclude

sanjayc · Post by **sanjayc** » 05 Nov 2020 22:13

^^ According to news reports, the bill provides 75 per cent reservation for local candidates applying to private sector jobs in the state that pay less than ₹ 50,000 per month. it also contains a clause companies can invoke if suitable local candidates cannot be found. In such cases they may hire from outside so long as they inform the government of such a step.

kvraghav · Post by **kvraghav** » 05 Nov 2020 22:57

Aditya_V wrote:Every state has passed such laws, no real impact.

except Karnataka or am i missing something?

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 05 Nov 2020 23:19

Karnataka never passed it. Yeddi was mulling the same 75% reservation in pvt sector jobs for the locals but never went ahead.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 06 Nov 2020 00:22

like the song says:

Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana , कहीं पे निगाहें कहीं पे निशाना

they are so desperate to keep fadnavis away from the MAH CM's chair because he will do the maximum damage to these guys when he comes back

NCP wants former CM Devendra Fadnavis to be made co-accused in the suicide case along with ‘BJP worker’ Arnab Goswami, Congress cheers

NCP wants former CM Devendra Fadnavis to be made co-accused in the suicide case along with ‘BJP worker’ Arnab Goswami, Congress cheers

OpIndia Staff | 5 November, 2020

The politics around Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s arrest in an old case is getting murkier by the day. After arresting Goswami in a closed case of 2018, the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra is now dragging state opposition leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis’ name in the case. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which is a part of the state coalition government has demanded Fadnavis be made a co-accused in the 2018 case of suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik.

NCP calls Arnab Goswami a BJP worker
NCP Spokesperson Umesh Patil claimed that Naik’s family was pressurised to close the case by the Home Ministry which at that time was under BJP leader and then-CM Devendra Fadnavis. Referring to the allegations made by Naik’s wife and daughter in a press conference held yesterday, Patil said, “From the press conference of Naik’s family, it has become clear that pressure was put on them to sign papers related to the closure of the suicide case. Since at that time, the Home Ministry portfolio was with then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he should be made a co-accused in the case. The police officials who tried to pressure Naik family should also be made co-accused”.

He said that the NCP has sought investigation in the entire episode as the Naik family has alleged that they were made to sign papers in the office of a joint commissioner of police. He questioned as to why the accused (Arnab Goswami) was not arrested when he was specifically named in the suicide note of Naik.

Patil further attacked BJP for supporting Arnab Goswami and called Goswami a “BJP worker”. He said, “In Uttar Pradesh when a journalist wrote an article, she was charged under the Atrocities Act. BJP leaders and ministers never came forward to support her. Similarly, several journalists have been arrested in the country but BJP never took their side”.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik described Arnab Goswami’s arrest as “Part II of India’s Most Wanted Anchor”

Shiv Sena raised questions on the investigation in suicide case
Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe also raised questions on the investigation of the suicide case and demanded action against ‘guilty’ police officers. “There is a need for a proper investigation into the allegations made by the Naik family. It seems there was pressure to suppress the facts and prevent the arrest of the three accused. If the police officers were found guilty, action should also be taken against them”, Gorhe said.

Congress termed Arnab Goswami’s arrest as a true tribute to Naik
State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant described Arnab Goswami’s arrest as “true tribute to Anvay Naik” and accused the previous BJP-led government of suppressing the case for two years. “For two years, the Devendra Fadnavis-led government suppressed the case. Threats were given and pressure put on Nail family. Therefore, Congress demands that an investigation be conducted to find the other culprits in the case”, Sawant said. He alleged that special treatment was being given to Goswami as his statement was recorded in Mumbai and not in Alibaug. Sawant alleged that Naik family was threatened with dire consequences and was pressurised to withdraw the case.

Arnab Goswami dragged, beaten, arrested in a 2018 case that was closed earlier
After being manhandled at his residence by Raigad police cops who came to arrest him at his house yesterday in relation to a two-year old closed case, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has filed a plea before the Bombay High Court challenging his arrest by the police. Mumbai Police have started re-investigation in the 2018 closed case of interior designer Anvay Naik’s suicide on the direction of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Apart from this, a fresh FIR was registered against him alleging that he had assaulted a female cop when he was being dragged out his house by Mumbai police. A similar FIR was registered against his wife, son and two others on the allegations of assaulting cops who came to arrest him.

90 per cent payment made to interior designer’s company: Arnab Goswami in his HC plea
Goswami has claimed in his petition that ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, the firm that owns and operates Republic TV, had paid 90% of the dues to deceased Anvay Naik’s company Concorde Designs Pvt. Ltd. (CDPL) over two years ago. He further said that ARG Outlier media Pvt Ltd made several attempts for complete and final settlement of all claims but the absence of shareholders or directors in CDPL rendered the attempts unsuccessful. He said that the entire amount due to CDPL was transferred to CDPL’s bank account in July 2019 but it was reverted because the account was inoperative.

In his plea, Goswami denied having any direct involvement with the deceased interior designer and contended that his interaction with the deceased regarding the payments was strictly professional in nature. For the reasons provided in the plea, he further contended that a case of abetment of suicide under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code was not made out against him.

“It is a settled principle of law that to attract ingredients of abetment, the intention of the accused to aid or instigate or abet the deceased to commit suicide is necessary. In the present case, by no stretch of imagination can it be said that there existed an intention to aid, instigate or abet the deceased to commit suicide on the part of the petitioner…”, the petition read. It was further contended in the petition, “Moreover, for the provisions of section 306 to be attached, the direct involvement of the accused in the abetment of suicide is necessary. In the present case, the petitioner did not have any direct involvement with the abetment. Merely because a person has been named in the suicide note, one cannot jump to the conclusion that he is an offender under section 306 of the IPC”.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 06 Nov 2020 00:54

during/after any elections in India, there is always some prime afghan maal available for free to the nutters and here is the proof of some weed fuelled tweets

house niggers always more faith in their white skinned masters and many presstitutes want the paper ballots back because the only way for the commies and naxals to win is through violent booth capturing and blatant rigging

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 06 Nov 2020 00:57

Aditya_V wrote:Every state has passed such laws, no real impact.

Hardly makes it any less dumber

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 06 Nov 2020 03:16

Never, ever, ever should we return to paper ballots. Infact, make EVM even more foolproof.
So many enemies in the weeds in India itself. Funny thing is that the US which was at the forefront of regime change and nation creation/obliteration has been struck by the same disease. Yes the election is legitimate on paper but the war of ideas - the same war that led to the Soviet dismantling, has now come home to roost. Some processes will be irrerversible.

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 06 Nov 2020 04:43

Jaritaji, the danger is technology and left's utter, total dominance on media (paper, TV, social media platforms) and communication. The level of censorship, financial control (demonetizing content on social media), the invention & prevalence of fake "fact checkers" (the irony!) like the ones run by that Jihadi Zubair in India we've seen over the last 5 yrs is both scary and mindboggling. It will be 10x times worse when India goes to poll in 2024. Everyone has a smartphone today thanks to cheap dataplans, use of messaging apps like whatsapp are very popular which will be used to push a narrative, suppress counter-narrative and pre-determine electoral outcome. If this can happen in US with a relatively strong nationalist ecosystem, i wonder what's in store for India where there's not even a 'semblance of nationalist ecosystem.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 06 Nov 2020 05:21

Funny, in the US elections thread you claim massive fraud due to fake paper ballots, manual counting errors etc and here you say technology is the danger when EVM are mentioned. Hmmm.....

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 06 Nov 2020 05:31

I spoke of big tech - google, facebook, amazon, twitter etc. censoring nationalist voices and setting a preset narrative, not standalone EVM boxes, that much should have been clear even with your desperate attempt to troll everywhere.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 06 Nov 2020 05:34

You're right, I should have dropped it when you offered Rudy Juliani's rants as evidence. I'll stop now.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 06 Nov 2020 08:30

Ambar wrote: Everyone has a smartphone today thanks to cheap dataplans, use of messaging apps like whatsapp are very popular which will be used to push a narrative, suppress counter-narrative and pre-determine electoral outcome.

For social media accounts, a good step will be to mandate a yearly renewal using a +91 India issued SIM card. Extending this requirement to Twitter, Facebook and the like will provide a tool to cut down on foreign origin interference. Accounts can be required to be flagged with where they were last verified from once this is available.

m_saini · Post by **m_saini** » 06 Nov 2020 08:41

Ambar wrote:Jaritaji, the danger is technology and left's utter, total dominance on media (paper, TV, social media platforms) and communication. The level of censorship, financial control (demonetizing content on social media), the invention & prevalence of fake "fact checkers" (the irony!) like the ones run by that Jihadi Zubair in India we've seen over the last 5 yrs is both scary and mindboggling. It will be 10x times worse when India goes to poll in 2024. Everyone has a smartphone today thanks to cheap dataplans, use of messaging apps like whatsapp are very popular which will be used to push a narrative, suppress counter-narrative and pre-determine electoral outcome. If this can happen in US with a relatively strong nationalist ecosystem, i wonder what's in store for India where there's not even a 'semblance of nationalist ecosystem.

I think something like this might help

The EU is about to announce new rules for Big Tech — and there’s not much they can do about it

The Digital Services Act, due to be presented in early December, is expected to overhaul the management of content on platforms like Google and Facebook and is the first of its kind since 2000. Broadly, the EU wants to make tech giants more responsible for the content on their platforms, and to ensure that competitors have a fair chance to succeed against the big firms.

“The new rules will … require digital services, especially the biggest platforms, to be open about the way they shape the digital world that we see. They’ll have to report on what they’ve done to take down illegal material,” she said.

“They’ll have to tell us how they decide what information and products to recommend to us, and which ones to hide, and give us the ability to influence those decisions, instead of simply having them made for us. And they’ll have to tell us who’s paying for the ads that we see, and why we’ve been targeted by a certain ad.”

uskumar · Post by **uskumar** » 06 Nov 2020 08:49

Cyrano wrote:You're right, I should have dropped it when you offered Rudy Juliani's rants as evidence. I'll stop now.

What is clear from us election is that socialmedia is real and powerful threat to democracy. Selective sensorship, pushing certain news stories and curtailing others are name of the game. Think about how close elections in most States where. You don't have to influence 10 or 20 percent to change the results. 10000 votes in a state will do the trick.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 06 Nov 2020 11:38

uskumar wrote:
Cyrano wrote:You're right, I should have dropped it when you offered Rudy Juliani's rants as evidence. I'll stop now.
What is clear from us election is that socialmedia is real and powerful threat to democracy. Selective sensorship, pushing certain news stories and curtailing others are name of the game. Think about how close elections in most States where. You don't have to influence 10 or 20 percent to change the results. 10000 votes in a state will do the trick.

+1.

Wonder how it is that Trumpwa is unable to tweet about the election?

Coz Big tech has muzzled his tweets using some 'fact-checking' or 'anti-misinformation' pretext.

Big Tech is now THAT powerful and brazen. The micro-level individual data they have on every amar-akbar-anthony makes them even scarier for democracy, privacy, civil liberties, the works.

I see no way other than nation-states clamping down with heavy regulation including data-localization requirements and anti-trust action plus the deliberate promotion of competing platforms.

Any attempt by India to do such under a Biden presidency would ignite a firestorm of indignation and pushback from both DC and silicon valley for sure.

Only. Sigh.

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 06 Nov 2020 16:42

Push back will have to be if India wants to maximize Modi and co opportunity. Big tech is entering in all areas and collecting data on Indians. WhatsApp has recently introduced payment services. The same Google that would not ship Hindi fonts by default in Android has been collecting audio samples in all major spoken languages. The big tech can choose to share their analysis of all the collected data with their chosen political party. And, of course there's ability to censor. Not only tweets or Facebook posts. Companies like Google without any explanation just turn off your accounts under terms violation without any recourse. All your data gone in a second.

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 06 Nov 2020 16:48

279 people reported missing in Shirdi since 2017: Bombay HC suspects human trafficking
https://www.opindia.com/2020/11/279-peo ... ing-angle/
...
The involvement of human trafficking gangs is being suspected in this case by the High Court.

The data submitted before the court stated that of the 71 people reported missing from Shirdi in 2017, 51 were found and whereabouts of 20 people, including Deepti, are not known. 13 of the 82 reported missing persons in 2018 are yet to be found and 14 of the 88 reported missing in 2019 remain untraced. In 2020, only 18 of the 38 missing were found.

“We find it quite alarming that in 2017, 71 people went missing. In 2018, the numbers rose to 82. In 2019, it further rose to 88 and in 2020, in a matter of two months and three weeks, 38 people went missing,” the court observed.
...
In its observation, the court added, “We are convinced that the Shirdi police station has hardly taken any efforts and which indicates that the head of the Ahmednagar police department may have failed in his duties,”.
...

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 06 Nov 2020 17:27

Many years back I heard Shirdhi was the place to go to for abortions.

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 06 Nov 2020 19:28

Hopefully, Indian citizens are taking notes about how GJ operated under Modi while UPA was at the center and how UPA states are operating while BJP is at the center. What Modi was called and refer to compared to someone referring to italian queen and penguins. How courts operate normally where everyone gets a bail at midnight and even SC opened on off day to prevent arrests.

I have noticed many comments on inactivity of BJP. While that's true, so far people have not been cross comparing similar events. Especially ones involving courts. The fear seem to have seeped in.

Indian citizens need to cross compare hounding of Modi by UPS and how GJ BJP govt behaved to what's going on in MH, KL, RJ, WB to realize what's real fascism looks like.

Arnab Goswami to spend another night in custody as the hearing gets postponed to Saturday: Here is what Harish Salve said in court
https://www.opindia.com/2020/11/hearing ... igh-court/

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 06 Nov 2020 19:32

After DL, PJ, WB and OR, it is now BJP run state Karnataka's turn to ban firecrackers on Diwali. Karnataka has one of the highest automobiles per household ratio in the country wants to pretend 4 hrs of bursting crackers on Diwali is more harmful than breaking lakes to construct buildings, multiple cars per household , rampant deforestation and lung choking diesel trucks and buses many of which are owned by MLAs and MPs through their transport companies. GJ government on the other hand has come out in support of fireworks on Diwali during these depressing times of covid. Its only a matter of time before they'll push for banning of diyas or keeping Ganesh vigrahas at home as well.

EDIT : After Hindus pushed back on this hypocritical dictate by the Karnataka govt. Yeddi has now backed down and has requested people to use "eco friendly" crackers and celebrate responsibly.

https://twitter.com/CMofKarnataka/statu ... 2718760960

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 06 Nov 2020 22:15

the SC has weighed in on arnab's notice issued by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Secretary and summoned him personally

The Secretary has been asked to remain personally present for the next hearing and to explain why contempt of court action should not be initiated against him.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/natio ... urt-166939

#CJI: We issue notice to the Secretary of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, to show cause as to why contempt should not be issued against him in terms of Article 129 of the Constitution of India, returnable in 2 weeks.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 06 Nov 2020 22:34

looks like many aghadis have exceeded their briefs, overestimated their privileges and used their so called rights to trample upon the settled fundamental rights of others

SUPREME COURT SUMMONS MAHARASHTRA ASSEMBLY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONTEMPT, "INTIMIDATING" ARNAB GOSWAMI

06 Nov, 2020 ,

The Supreme Court on Friday summoned Vilas Athawale, Assistant Secretary, Maharashtra Vidhan Mandal Sachivalaya for allegedly intimidating Republic TV Editor, Arnab Goswami which the court observed was done with the object of deterring Goswami from moving the Supreme Court.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde took strong exception to a letter written by the Secretary to Goswami on October 13 in which Goswami was allegedly berated for producing before the Supreme Court, the minutes of proceedings sent to him by the Speaker and Privileges Committee of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in relation to a breach of privilege motion.

CJI Bobde said that such attempts to prevent citizens from exercising their rights under Article 32 would amount to serious interference with the administration of justice. The Secretary has been asked to be personally present in court for the next hearing and explain why contempt of court action should not be initiated against him for the October 13 letter.

The Bench which also copmrosed Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian observed that the letter was in the teeth of Article 32 and amounted to a threat to prevent Goswami from moving the Supreme Court.

"The officer says how did you file this notice in the Supreme Court. How dare he? No one can be stopped from approaching this Court,"

CJI Bode said.

The Assistant Secretary in his letter to Goswami had stated that though the Republic TV Editor was informed that the proceedings relating to breach of privilege motion initiated by Maharashtra Assembly against Goswami were confidential, he had presented the same before Supreme Court in breach of confidentiality.

"You have knowingly breached the notice of assembly and it amounts to breach of confidentiality," the October 13 letter from secretary to Goswami said.

The Court noted that such statements made in the letter are unprecedented and has the tendency to bring the administration of justice into disrepute.

"The intention of the officer seems to be to intimidate the petitioner because he moved the Supreme Court and to threaten him with penalty for doing so. The officer would have been well advised that the right to approach this Court under Article 32 is itself a fundamental right", the court said.

Goswami had approached the Supreme Court challenging the September 16 privilege motion sent to him by the Maharashtra Assembly for his criticism of the government inaction in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case.

The 60-page privilege notice against Arnab Goswami was sent after motions were moved against him by the Shiv Sena in the both Assembly Houses in Maharashtra.

A privilege motion can be moved if an individual or authority violates or disregards any of the privileges, powers, and immunities of the House concerned or members of the House or Committee. What amounts to breach of privilege or contempt is decided by the House, which also decides the punishment.

In his response to the privilege notice, Goswami had released a statement on his channel, Republic TV stating that he would continue to question Uddhav Thackeray and elected representatives, and that he has decided to contest the notice.

The Supreme Court had issued notice in Goswami's plea on September 30.

When the case came up for hearing on Friday, Senior Counsel Harish Salve, representing Goswami, brought the October 13 letter to the notice of the court.

"My client has been warned that he will spent Diwali in jail. Please stay the Assembly notice. I don't want him to get bail in suicide case (abetment to suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik for which Goswami is currently in judicial custody) only to be hauled up by the (Maharashtra) Assembly," Salve submitted.

He requested the court to take suo motu cognizance of the letter and seek an explanation from the Secretary on why the same would not amount to contempt of court.

"We have serious questions about what this letter means. We have serious questions about the intent of the author of the letter. We have not see this in a court like this. You cannot threaten people and say 'how dare can you provide assembly notice to the Supreme Court'," CJI Bobde told Senior Counsel AM Singhvi who was representing the State of Maharashtra

The Court went on to issue show cause notice to the Secretary while also protecting Goswami from arrest in the matter.

"Issue notice to Respondent no. 2 to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt under Article 129 of the Constitution. Notice returnable in two weeks. Contemnor shall remain present. In the meanwhile, the petitioner shall not be arrested in pursuance of the present proceedings," the court ordered.

The case will be heard again after Diwali vacation of Supreme Court.

sanjayc · Post by **sanjayc** » 06 Nov 2020 22:47

Ambar wrote:After DL, PJ, WB and OR, it is now BJP run state Karnataka's turn to ban firecrackers on Diwali. Karnataka has one of the highest automobiles per household ratio in the country wants to pretend 4 hrs of bursting crackers on Diwali is more harmful than breaking lakes to construct buildings, multiple cars per household , rampant deforestation and lung choking diesel trucks and buses many of which are owned by MLAs and MPs through their transport companies. GJ government on the other hand has come out in support of fireworks on Diwali during these depressing times of covid. Its only a matter of time before they'll push for banning of diyas or keeping Ganesh vigrahas at home as well.

EDIT : After Hindus pushed back on this hypocritical dictate by the Karnataka govt. Yeddi has now backed down and has requested people to use "eco friendly" crackers and celebrate responsibly.

https://twitter.com/CMofKarnataka/statu ... 2718760960

Just shows how stupid some BJP leaders really are. Do they even comprehend their voter base? There is also that clueless health minister Harshvardhan dude who starts breathing fire on crackers before Diwali, riling up Hindus.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 06 Nov 2020 23:48

this would be a good joke, if it weren't for the fact that it was actually a political travesty that came true both times and from the slippery duo of a father and son.

mera Bharat mahan onlee

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 07 Nov 2020 03:08

worth a watch!!

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Nov 2020 05:24

changes are being made, possibly as a result of the jehadis tipping their hand after shaheenbagh and the bangalore riots

jhatka meat is being advertised openly in some cities, dilli and bangalore one knows for sure.

the need to spike the halal trade is also picking up. Companies wilfully not taking cognizance of age old majority practices must be told off in no uncertain terms that taking for granted the huge majority of their customers by the forcible imposition of halal only products will cost them dearly.

no need for non muslims to follow or use the unsolicited and non mandated "religious" practices when safeguarding and sanitizing their food chains and as also the food preparation/handling of allegedly halal safed food products.

to see atta, rice and wheat grain in commercial bulk/retail packaging being labelled as halal is truly mystifying and one wonders about the true intent behind such a certification. Or are the punjab farmers trained to cut rice and wheat stalks during harvest in a particular islamic way

jobs in the general food industry are slowly and increasingly being usurped, dominated and also monopolized by muslims imposing halal norms. The need is there to liberate these jobs by not applying halal procedures indiscriminately as also where not absolutely needed.

In a democracy, everyone should be allowed their own preferences and no non acceptable procedures should be imposed on another.

restaurants are prominently and conspicuously advertised as using only halal cut meat when the overwhelming majority of their customers are non muslims.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 07 Nov 2020 09:20

S Gurumurthy
@sgurumurthy
·
21h
Ban on BJP Vel Yatra by TN Govt. Stalin leads thousands in Coimbatore. Kanimozhi thousands against governor. ADMK working committee meeting brings 1000s. Corona virus will not touch them. It will hit only Vel Yates. Edappadi will not get a single Muslim/Christian vote by this ban

https://twitter.com/sgurumurthy/status/ ... 78208?s=20

'Every party has realized (or has long known) that alienating (nay face-spitting) Hs carries no electoral consequences. Why blame BJP alone then?', would be the chankian BJP bhkat retort. And would they be wrong?

In the above example, ADMK has at least the fig leaf of an excuse that they have periyarist roots, hence hounding Hs is their birthright. Wonder what BJP's excuse might be. Oh wait, naive H sentiments and Qs are hardly worth acknowledging, far less responding to even if with insincere excuses. Only.

Only.

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 07 Nov 2020 11:58

Any national governing system based on universal sufferage is a tragedy of gargantuan proportions and sooner rather than later will collapse under its own weight. Universal sufferage means universal mediocrity.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 07 Nov 2020 12:36

Ambar wrote:A bill has been introduced in Haryana to provide 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs, a bad decision in my opinion. On one hand Haryana is a important manufacturing hub for automobiles and auto ancillary suppliers, and on the other hand we are pushing for reservation and there by discouraging merit and skills. If it goes through what would stop other states from doing something similar for votes ?

Jobs have to exist before such reservations start having effect.

Absent new industrial jobs these reservations are meaningless.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Nov 2020 13:08

Pratyush wrote:
Ambar wrote:A bill has been introduced in Haryana to provide 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs, a bad decision in my opinion. On one hand Haryana is a important manufacturing hub for automobiles and auto ancillary suppliers, and on the other hand we are pushing for reservation and there by discouraging merit and skills. If it goes through what would stop other states from doing something similar for votes ?
Jobs have to exist before such reservations start having effect.

Absent new industrial jobs these reservations are meaningless.

does this mean that all other states will now have the right to exclude 75% of haryanvis from private jobs in their states.

one would probably understand if they said that skill development courses in haryana, funded by the haryana govt will be 75% reserved for locals.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Nov 2020 13:45

there is no justification whatsoever for the politically convenient sinecure appointment of "retired judges" to technical bodies like the NGT.

this particular body, among many others of such left leaning ilk, has been crudely politicized by its own needlessly activist organisational heads from the day one of its very inception

the mindless ban on crackers during the nation wide festivities of deepavali is motivated and has crude socio religious connotations that are not only unjustified but is also a deliberate "in your face" provocation using the age old sickular tactics of appeasement.

The firecracker ban captures perfectly everything that is wrong with governance in India and no, it is not only one political party that should be blamed

The firecracker ban captures perfectly everything that is wrong with governance in India and no, it is not only one political party that should be blamed

Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal, Goa, Delhi and now Karnataka has banned firecrackers during Diwali. The NGT wants Diwali firecrackers banned in 122 cities.

6 November, 2020
K Bhattacharjee

And then they banned firecrackers during Diwali. This is the major headline that every newspaper in the country should ideally carry but in probability, they will not. The organised campaign against firecrackers during Diwali is finally coming to fruition and we are slowly but surely progressing towards a nationwide firecracker ban.

Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal, Goa, Delhi and now Karnataka has banned firecrackers during Diwali. The NGT wants Diwali firecrackers banned in 122 cities. The reason given for it is either the Coronavirus crisis or pollution, however, that is flexible and varies region to region depending on circumstances at hand. When the primary objective is banning firecrackers, any reason can be invented to suit the objective.

It is pertinent to note that the air quality has been bad for days now due to stubble-burning in Punjab and other states. No government has done absolutely anything to solve that problem. Political parties are hesitant to act because it might dampen their prospects in the next elections. Under such circumstances, firecrackers are very easy scapegoat.

It has to be understood here that the reasons have not been invented in order to convince us, the masses, of the necessity of a firecracker ban. The elites do not expect us to be convinced at all and neither are they serious about convincing us. If they were, they would have at least bothered to come up with half plausible reasons.

The Coronavirus is not a plausible reason to ban firecrackers and neither is pollution. There is no solid evidence to suggest that firecrackers are the driving force behind pollution and it is laughable to assert that the coronavirus surge is linked to bursting crackers during Diwali. Anyone who saw the crowds at rallies during the Bihar elections could not seriously believe that crackers are the greater health hazard during a pandemic.

Furthermore, it should also be clear that this is not a Congress issue or a BJP issue. Every political party basically agrees on banning crackers during Diwali. There is no point pretending that Rajasthan would not have banned firecrackers if the BJP was still in power. Karnataka and Goa do have a BJP government and yet, they banned it anyway. Therefore, it has to be very clear in the minds of Indians that the problems with Indian governance are far too serious to be cured merely by voting alone.

The other point to be noted is that firecrackers are bad only during Diwali. When crackers are burst during New Year celebrations or on Christmas, they do not cause any pollution at all. Similarly, no pollution is caused when firecrackers are burst while celebrating victories in elections; by the same parties that have banned crackers during Diwali. Pollution causing firecrackers are only to be found during Diwali.

The firecracker ban highlights the extent of rot that persists in the governance system of our country. Every action of the government is geared towards a demonstration of authority, not efficiency. The governments do not even bother to pretend that there are valid grounds for their action. They just pass the order and people are expected to follow it because the alternative is state-sanctioned persecution.

The inadvertent consequence of such an approach is that citizens do not feel invested in the governance of their country. When the state does not show the faintest bit of concern for the culture and traditions of its citizenry, then why should the ordinary citizen feel anything but a ‘Chalta Hai’ attitude? Why should an ordinary citizen be bothered if the state does not give a damn about what is important to him?

For a country to be great, it is of paramount importance that its citizens feel invested in its future. Governance in India gives every decent individual a million reasons to not give a damn. If an Indian citizen today does not give two hoots about the direction in which the country is headed and only cares about securing the lives of his family, then the lion’s share of the blame must go to the manner in which the country is governed.

The firecracker ban has absolutely nothing to do with public health. If public health was the primary concern, then alcohol and tobacco would have been banned a long time ago. A disproportionate amount of violent crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol and yet, how many states have bothered to ban it?

In fact, during the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic, the governments rushed to open up liquor shops which undoubtedly exacerbated the spread of the virus. Public health was not a concern then because taxes were more important. But now, the lives of hundreds and thousands of those employed in the firecracker industry will be destroyed but the state just could not be bothered to give a damn.

It is a remarkable joke that has been played on those who have invested in the firecracker industry. The distress can be gauged from the comment made by one shop owner in Delhi selling firecrackers. “Due to the sudden ban, we have to face losses of approx Rs 15-20 lakhs. Earlier the government said green cracker can be sold and gave us licence. We had already purchased the stock,” the vendor said.

And it can be safely said that he is not the only one. Businessmen across the country are facing the prospect of similar losses due to the ban. Imagine the extent of the depravity for a moment. Throughout the year, vendors were assured that they could sell green crackers and they made investment based on that assurance. They were even provided a licence. Now suddenly, they have banned it and the vendors do not have a ground underneath their feet.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, has requested Rajasthan and Odisha to lift the firecracker ban as it would adversely impact the lives of a great many in his own state. Without any conclusive evidence on potential harm, the Indian State has left million of people in the lurch. It is the brainchild of policymakers who wish to come across as virtuous individuals without actually performing any actions that merit praise.

When demonetization was implemented, millions suffered but they endured the hardship because they were told that it was for the noble cause of fighting corruption. When the GST was implemented, small businesses did suffer in the short term but they endured it because they were told it would be good for the country in the long run. Likewise, on numerous other issues, citizens endured hardships because they were told that it would benefit the country. They suffered in silence for the greater good.

But it cannot be a one-sided relationship. As of this moment, Indians are in an abusive relationship with the Indian state. The citizens endure hardships when they are told they would help the country through their actions but as it is with all things, there are certain limits that must not be crossed and people should not be taken for granted. If the state decides to go down that path, there lies nothing but chaos and anarchy.

The firecracker ban also demonstrates that whether be it democracy or autocracy, the masses do not really have a say in matters of governance. Democracy only gives us the illusion of choice. For instance, the masses are overwhelmingly in favour of celebrating Diwali with firecrackers but governments decided to ban it anyway. Conversely, the masses were overwhelmingly against allowing the entrance of women at Sabarimala but the state decided to help faithless atheists desecrate it anyway.

The truth of the matter is, the ban on firecrackers perfectly illustrates the pathetic governance that has come to symbolize our country. And it it safe to say that if current trends hold without any radical transformation, there will never come a time when Indians could really hope to aspire to greatness.

Deluded quick-fixes to long term problems are the hallmarks of mediocrity and until Indian governance wakes up from its Kumbhakarna slumber and shrugs off the cobwebs of mediocrity it has drowned itself in, India will never ever be a great country. The only reason India has not devolved into a cesspit of chaos and anarchy is because there are good men and women in governance whose integrity keeps the system from collapsing into itself. But only the Gods know how long this orgy of mediocrity could carry on.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Nov 2020 15:34

@via the Hindu