In the hustle and bustle of the day, it is only natural to miss some of the biggest developments that impact the nation. The OpIndia Evening Dispatch will catch you up on the day’s event even if you have been busy thus far.
Here is the low-down:
1. Prime Minister Modi launches a scathing attack on the Congress
During his speech addressing the BJP National convention at Ramlila Maidan, Prime Minister Modi minced no words in his attack against the Congress party. He attacked the Congress for its alleged role in dubious defence deals and attempting to jeopardize National Security. Modi also referred to alleged Agusta Westland Middleman Christian Michel during his speech.
While promising measures to tackle farm distress, Modi accused the Congress party of reducing farmers to mere vote bank. He said that the Congress had allowed the distress to snowball into a national crisis.
Modi also said that the Mahagathbandhan was formed with the intent of fooling people and is only an opportunistic alliance for defeating him. He also asserted that Congress believes only in dynasty and not Democracy.
2. BSP-SP alliance announced in UP! Sordid history forgotten?
In a joint conference by SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, the SP and the BSP have declared their alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 General Elections. Only two seats have been left for the Congress, the traditional Gandhi bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareili.
Mayawati appears to have forgiven the disrespect that was meted out to her by members of her alliance partner in 1995. It is said that SP leaders had physically assaulted her and tore apart her clothes. She was then rescued by a BJP MLA from any further humiliation.
3. Congress hooligans vandalize movie theatres while Rahul Gandhi defames India in Dubai in the name of ‘intolerance’!
In an absolutely deplorable display of hooliganism, Youth Congress leaders of Kolkata created a ruckus outside Hind Inox at Central Kolkata and torn down the screen in two places as an act to stop the screening of the movie. As all of this was happening, Congress President Rahul Gandhi was busy demonizing India with his ‘intolerance’ narrative.
4. RLD Chief Ajit Singh’s shameful words for Smriti Irani, PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath
Ajit Singh speaking at an event called ‘Kisanon se Samvad-(dialogue with farmers)’ at Kosi Kalan in Mathura on Thursday went on to take a dig at PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath while resorting to a sexist slur against Union Minister Smriti Irani by calling her “Hatti-Katti gai”- a well-built cow.
“I read in newspapers these days that your cows, bulls and calves (gai-bail-bachhde) are roaming around a lot, You are locking them up in schools and colleges. People call them Modi-Yogi. Is that right?” said RLD Chief Ajit Singh. “Some people also say that a ‘hatti-katti gai’ (well-built cow) has come. Smriti Irani is also moving around,” Singh said.
5. ‘Fake News’ Propaganda
An image has been circulating on social media which claims that the UP government will distribute 5 lakh condoms during the upcoming Kumbh Mela.
To confirm the veracity of the claims, team OpIndia contacted the Director, Informations of the Kumbh Mela, Shri Shishir. He stated that the claims made by the viral news clip and the websites mentioned here are totally false. He also stated that there is no such government circular about the distribution of condoms and this is an attempt to spread malicious propaganda to defame the mega event.
In a separate incident, noted Economist S Gurumurthy has sent a legal notice to The Economist for an article that called him a ‘fixer’ who ‘gets things done in Delhi’.
6. Another case of Love Jihad
An 18-year-old girl who left her family about nine months ago to marry a man of her choice has returned to her home in Barmer. The girl had alleged that her husband, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, forced her to eat cow meat and read namaz.
The young woman had also alleged that Gulzar, a resident of Jammu Kashmiri who worked in a café in Barmer, was blackmailing her with an edited photo. She also claims that preparations were being made to sell her in Dubai.
7. Tulsi Gabbard becomes first Hindu American to run for President
After becoming the first Hindu to be elected to the US House of Representatives and swearing her oath on a Bhagavad Gita, Gabbard became the first Hindu to run for the Presidency of the USA when she announced her candidature on Twitter. Our profile of Gabbard, who doesn’t shy away from her Hindu identity, can be read here.
8. Columbia University recognises Sushruta’s contribution to Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery
In India, Hindus have always known that the “Father of Surgery” is Sushruta, an ancient Hindu physician who performed cosmetic and reconstructive surgery thousands of years ago. Now, it appears, the knowledge appears to be becoming mainstream in the academia. Read the details here.
9. URI – The Surgical Strike released yesterday. Here is the review
In a review of the Movie Uri based on the Surgical Strikes against Pakistan, Opindia Editor Nupur Sharma heaps praise on the movie that has been deemed a ‘propaganda’ movie by liberals. She writes, “This movie was bound to irk the “liberals” who demonise the Army constantly, wanted proof of the surgical strike and have a pathological hatred for anyone that doesn’t harbour the kind of toxic hatred for the current dispensation as they do.”
10. Is Rahul Gandhi the ‘progressive leader’ that media paints him as?
In his latest article, Karan Bhasin dismantles the media narrative that Congress President Rahul Gandhi is a ‘progressive’ leader. He states, “The masks are off Rahul Gandhi as he represents everything that has been wrong with the society since decades and when you scratch underneath the surface, you’d find the “regressive party of the so-called “progressive leader”.
11. Rafale pricing comprehensively deconstructed
The Rafale deal has been in the news for a very long time with Rahul Gandhi screaming “chowkidaar chor hai” and alleging a scam where there exists none. OpIndia columnist Rohit Vats analysed publicly available data to reach the conclusion that the current Rafale deal is far better than the one signed by Congress in 2007. Read the detailed analysis here.
12. Remember the time Akhilesh Yadav said he should have killed a man and NDTV crowd applauded him?
Today is their day. The much-anticipated press conference of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav sitting side by side. Promising that their big alliance will unseat Modi by denying him Uttar Pradesh. As they do that, we wonder what kind of politics would Akhilesh Yadav offer considering he once said that he should have killed a man, and the NDTV crowd had happily applauded. Read this article by our columnist Abhishek Banerjee for details.
13. 7 takeaways from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech today
Prime Minister Modi gave a rousing speech at the second and last day of the BJP National Convention. In case you missed it, here is his speech summarised in 7 quick points.
Additional Reading for the day:
1. Read the CVC findings against ousted CBI Director Alok Verma
CBI Director Alok Verma has been ousted from his post by a High Powered Committee comprising of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice Sikri (nominee by Chief Justice Gogoi) and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. The ouster was owing to the corruption charges against Alok Verma. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had submitted a report on 9th January 2019 after investigating the complaint against Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana. Read the full details here.
2. The Accidental Prime Minister movie review
The Accidental Prime Minister takes us through the ten-year journey in about two hours, acting as a ready reckoner, lest we forget. Read the full review here.
3. Missionary possible, according to Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has ruled that missionary activities are not prohibited in India. The Court was hearing a case where a doctor’s OCI was cancelled by authorities claiming that he was carrying out evangelical, medical missionary and conversion activities. Read the details here.
