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Malaysia: Mahathir Mohamad loses elections for first time in over 50 yrs, had granted permanent residency to Indian hate preacher Zakir Naik

OpIndia Staff
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Malaysia: Mahathir Mohamad loses elections for first time in over 50 yrs, had granted permanent residency to Indian hate preacher Zakir Naik

On November 19, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, 97-year-old Mahathir Mohamad, lost his parliamentary seat in the Malaysian elections. Notably, Mohamad had earlier said if he lost this election, he would take retirement from politics. The people of Malaysia cast their votes on Saturday, with multiple parties contesting in closely fought elections.

As per reports, the ex-PM failed to defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat. The unofficial count of the votes has indicated that he even lost the deposit as he failed to gain at least 20 percent of the vote share. This is for the first time in more than fifty years that Mahathir has lost an election. He held the Guinness World Record for being the “world’s oldest prime minister” when he took over the position for the second time in 2018. At that time, he was just two months away from turning 93.

Mahathir has served two times as the prime minister of Malaysia for a total of 24 years. During these elections, he trailed the winner from National Alliance by at least 11,000 votes. Notably, since 1969, Mahatir had not lost a single election. This would have been his tenth term as a federal lawmaker if he had won. While speaking to Nikkei Asia, he had vowed to retire from politics if he lost his seat.

On the other hand, Prime Minister aspirant Anwar Ibrahim won the election from the Tambun constituency in northern Perak state. As per the unofficial count, he was leading with 4,100 votes. His party Hope Pact was leading in 64 constituencies, while Muhyiddin-led National Alliance was leading in 39 constituencies. The National Front was reported to be leading on 19 seats.

Mahathir Mohamad had given asylum to Zakir Naik

In 2016, when India charged Islamic preacher and terror sympathiser Zakir Naik with money laundering, he was in Malaysia. At that time, he decided to stay there. In 2019, Zakir Naik was granted permanent residency in Malaysia despite uproar from the public against him. Petitions were launched for his deportation from Malaysia but nothing worked. Mahathir Mohamad was the Prime Minister of Malaysia when Zakir Naik was given permanent residency.

In the same year, there was a bilateral meeting between Malaysia and India in Russia where India sought the extradition of Naik. However, Malaysian authorities denied receiving any such request from their Indian counterparts.

In 2020, when Mahathir was eyeing to become Prime Minister for another term, he was quoted by WION News as saying that Zakir Naik would not be safe in India. He had said that the Malaysian government favoured sending Naik to a country where “he would feel safe”.

On May 13, 2020, the Indian government sent a formal request to the Malaysian government seeking the extradition of Zakir Naik.

Notably, Naik is currently in Qatar and is expected to preach Islam on the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup that kicks off today.

Watch: Gujarat woman blesses PM Modi for beneficial schemes, says ‘May he live till there is water in the sea’

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Gujarat woman blesses PM Modi for beneficial schemes, says ‘May he live till there is water in the sea’

PM Modi is currently one of the most popular leaders in the world. Various schemes run by the BJP government in the center as well as at the state level are the key reason behind his ever-growing popularity. Another example of this popularity among the masses was seen when a video went viral on the internet in which a woman in Gujarat was blessing PM Modi for his work.

The viral video is from Gujarat and the old Gujarati woman in the video hails PM Modi for the tireless efforts he has taken to uplift the standard of living of the poor. The woman in this video said, “This government takes care of us. For Rs 1250, we get vegetables and ration for one month. May he (PM Modi) live till there is water in the sea and do good for people.”

It is notable that the schemes and initiatives undertaken by the Modi government have proved to be significant game-changers to improve the lives of the masses. Crores of Indians have benefitted from these schemes that focus on the empowerment of the people who constitute the lower sections of society.

Most of the monetary benefits under various schemes are directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries thereby ensuring zero corruption while delivering to the people. Direct Benefit Transfer, in this way, empowered the poor in the rural as well as urban parts of India and it had a positive impact on the purchasing capacities of the poor families and they could thus avail their basic needs.

Schemes like Swachh Bharat, Ujjwala Scheme, Har Ghar Jal mission, PM Awas Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, etc have assured an improved standard of living and dignity of life to the poor in the country. No wonder people, like this woman in the viral video, bless the leader who is driving this positive change in their lives.

India jumps six slots to rank 61st in Network Readiness Index 2022, ranked 3rd among lower-middle-income nations

OpIndia Staff
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India jumps six slots to rank 61st in Network Readiness Index 2022, ranked 3rd among lower-middle-income nations

India has moved up by six slots to improve its position and rank 61st as per the Network Readiness Index 2022 (NRI 2022) report prepared by a US-based Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute. In a statement issued by the Telecom Ministry, it was stated that India’s overall score has improved to 51.19 in 2022 from 49.74 in 2021.

The NRI 2022 report ranks a total of 131 economies that together account for about 95 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Network Readiness Index (NRI) report maps the network readiness landscape of 131 economies based on their performance in four areas: technology, people, governance, and impact. The country’s main strength relates to People, while Governance has the most scope for improvement.

According to the report, India ranked first in ‘AI talent concentration,’ second in ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country,’ and third in ‘Annual investment in telecommunication services,’ fourth in ‘ICT Services exports,’ fifth in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions,’ and sixth in ‘AI scientific publications.’

While India’s overall rank is 61st the country’s rank among lower-middle-income countries is 3rd. In each of the 4 pillars of the score, India’s score was higher than the average score in the group. On the other hand, India ranked 11th within the Asia and Pacific region.

According to the report, India has done particularly well in AI talent concentration, International Internet bandwidth, and Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country. On the other side, the country’s weakest indicators were Happiness, Online access to financial account, and gender gap in Internet use.

The United States ranks first on the list, with an overall score of 80.3. Singapore comes in second with a score of 79.35, and Sweden comes in third with a score of 78.91.

Singapore leads Asia Pacific, followed by South Korea and Japan. According to the NRI-2022 report, India has greater network readiness than would be expected given its income level. India is ranked third among 36 lower-middle-income countries, after Ukraine (50) and Indonesia (59). In all pillars and sub-pillars, India outperforms the income group average in all pillars and sub-pillars.

This year’s index includes 49 high-income economies, 32 upper-middle-income economies, 36 lower-middle-income economies, and 14 low-income economies. Based on the top ten performers, NRI 2022 affirms that advanced economies in Europe, parts of Asia and the Pacific, and North America are some of the world’s most network-ready societies. Specifically, 17 of the top 25 economies are in Europe (primarily Northern and Western Europe), four in Eastern and Southeastern Asia, two in Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), and two in North America (Canada and the United States).

Kerala Congress distances itself, withdraws from hosting anti-RSS Shashi Tharoor event, weeks after he contested party president elections challenging the Gandhis

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala Congress distances itself, withdraws from hosting anti-RSS Shashi Tharoor event, weeks after he contested party president elections challenging the Gandhis

On Saturday (November 20), the Youth Congress backed off from hosting a seminar on ‘Sangh Parivar and challenges to secularism’ to which Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was invited. The seminar is scheduled to be held in Kozhikode on Sunday. 

Notably, the Kozhikode district committee of the Youth Congress had invited Tharoor to speak in the seminar, however, the congress body later withdrew from hosting the event. Reports suggest that the Congress leadership has given unofficial order to the party’s local units not to host any of Shashi Tharoor’s programmes.

Although the Youth Congress Congress has stepped back, the event will still go as planned at the same venue in Kozhikode but will now be hosted by Jawahar Youth Foundation, a Congress-affiliated group. Reports also suggest that the Youth Congress is asked not to host any further events with Shashi Tharoor.

In a Facebook post, Youth Congress state unit vice-president and former legislator K S Sabarinadhan said, “Through this program, Tharoor could have highlighted the Congress’s secular stand in North Kerala.” However, I learned from the media that a directive was issued from certain quarters to change this programme.”

It is pertinent to note here that Shashi Tharoor had recently put up a fight against veteran Congress leader and a Gandhi family loyalist, Mallikarjun Kharge for the position of Congress President. Backed by the Gandhi family, Kharge secured an easy victory over Shashi Tharoor whose candidacy in the elections irked the party leadership. 

Notably, Sonia Gandhi has been the President of the Congress for most part of the past two decades. In fact, the Nehru-Gandhi family has ruled the party since 1978, with the exception of brief periods between 1992 and 1998 when PV Narasimha Rao and Sitaram Kesri were in charge. Sitaram Kesri was the last non-Gandhi family leader to hold the top leadership position of the Congress party, and his departure was one of the most controversial.

Soon after taking charge as the Congress president, Kharge formed a 47-member steering committee that replaced the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Kharge however, did not include Tharoor in the committee. The move was speculated to be a punishment to Tharoor for contesting against the Gandhi family loyalist. 

Recently, Shashi Tharoor was also dropped from the party’s star campaigners list for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. 

In what was seen as Shashi Tharoor’s attempt to make a comeback in Kerala politics, the recent snub reflects that a section of the party along with the high command which anyways opposed to dissenting voices is visibly upset with Tharoor.

When asked by the media whether the rise in his stature in the party could be a cause of worry for someone in the party, Tharoor said, “I don’t fear anyone and I don’t think anyone should fear me either.”

‘Party high-command culture will expire soon’: When Shashi Tharoor advocated for the change that never came

On 30th September 2022, Shashi Tharoor in an interview with ABP News said that the expiry date of the ‘high-command’ culture has come closer. Tharoor had stated that it is time for the party’s decisions to be made from the bottom rather than the top. Earlier, every decision was from the top, which was not right, he said.

Talking about the G-23 group of senior Congress leaders and a need for internal reforms, Tharoor said, “There was no such group. It is in the minds of the media. Senior Congress leaders had written a letter. All those who were in Delhi had signed that letter. At that time only 23 people were in Delhi, so it is called G-23. Many of them have left Congress. I have always given many suggestions to the Congress high command and said that there is a need for reform within our party. I had raised questions before the G-23 as well.”

‘We owe a deep debt of gratitude to you for keeping us safe’ – Kerala couple invites Indian Army for their wedding, ADGPI shares invite

OpIndia Staff
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‘We owe a deep debt of gratitude to you for keeping us safe’ – Kerala couple invites Indian Army for their wedding, ADGPI shares invite

On November 19, the Indian Army shared an invite for a wedding in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram extended to the heroes of the armed forces by the couple. The Army’s official handle on Instagram wrote, “Indian Army conveys sincere thanks to Rahul and Karthika for the wedding invite and wishes the couple a very Happy and Blissful wedding life.”

A couple invited Indian Army heroes for their wedding in Kerala. Source: ADGPI/Instagram

In a special message to the Army personnel, the couple, Rahul and Karthika, wrote, “Dear Heroes, we (Rahul and Karthika) are getting married on November 10. We are truly thankful for your love, determination, and true patriotism towards the country. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to you for keeping us safe. Because of you, we sleep peacefully. Thank you for giving us all happy days with our loved ones. Because of you, we are getting married happily.”

“We are extremely delighted to invite you to our special day. We wish your presence and blessings. Thank you for protecting us”, the couple added extending the invitation.

The post has gone viral on social media platforms getting over 1 Lakh likes on the ADGPI post. Several Instagram users commented below the post appreciating the gesture by the couple for extending this invitation to the Indian Army.

Qatar, which got offended by Nupur Sharma’s remarks on the Prophet, invites radical preacher Zakir Naik who made same comments

OpIndia Staff
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Qatar, which got offended by Nupur Sharma’s remarks on the Prophet, invites radical preacher Zakir Naik who made same comments

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup begins in Qatar, notorious radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is accused of money laundering and delivering hate speech in India, has been invited to the country to preach Islam. According to reports, Zakir Naik has already reached Doha in Qatar ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and he will give religious lectures throughout the tournament in the country.

On Social Media, this information was shared by a number of persons and media organisations. It was shared on Twitter by Faisal Alhajri, a presenter at the Qatari state-owned sports channel Alkass. He took to Twitter and wrote, “Preacher Sheikh Zakir Naik is in Qatar during the World Cup and will give many religious lectures throughout the World Cup”

The news was also confirmed by the famous entertainment magazine ScreenMix. They wrote, “Qatar calls for the largest Islamic preacher d. Zakir Naik to deliver religious lectures during the 2022 World Cup”

Videos show Zakir Naik arriving at a FIFA World Cup venue in Qatar.

It is notable that Zakir Naik, who is in Qatar to deliver religious sermons, holds similar views on the Islamic prophet as remarked by suspender BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Qatar had vehemently protested when Nupur Sharma had talked about Prophet Mohammad’s marriage, and it was one of the first countries to summon the Indian government over the controversy that erupted following the remarks by ex-Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

In June of this year, Qatar summoned India’s ambassador to the country and delivered protest memos expressing the Gulf nations’ strong “rejection and condemnation” of the BJP leader’s comments about the Islamic prophet. Zakir Naik had said that Prophet Mohammad had met his wife Aisha when she was six, and the marriage was consummated when her age was 9 years, quoting Islamic texts. He had even denied claims that Aisha was actually 19, not 9, saving this was a distortion by modern scholars of what was mentioned in Hadiths.

Naik is wanted by Indian police on suspicion of money laundering and hate speech in India. India barred Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation from operating, accusing him of inciting and assisting its followers in promoting or attempting to foster sentiments of animosity, hatred, or ill-will amongst religious communities and groups. After departing India in 2016, Zakir Naik fled to Malaysia.

On March 30, 2022, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notice declaring the Islamic Research Foundation an illegal association and banning it for the next five years. This organization was established by fundamentalist preacher Zakir Naik, who is accused of radicalising Muslim teenagers through his ‘religious talks.’

Zakir Naik’s Islamist preachings and its violent consequences

The radical Islamist activities of Zakir Naik have been well documented. In 2016, terrorists involved in the Dhaka blast case admitted that they were influenced by the preacher’s speeches.

In 2019, Zakir was banned from giving speeches in Malaysia after he made racist comments against Hindus and Chinese Malaysians. He was interrogated for hours in connection to the same. Zakir Naik is wanted in India in cases involving money laundering. The government of India had taken his channel, Peace TV, off the air for peddling hate propaganda.

Bangladesh: Hindu home attacked, idol vandalised by leader of youth wing of ruling Awami League party

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Hindu home attacked, idol vandalised by leader of youth wing of ruling Awami League party

On Friday (November 18) morning, the residence of a Hindu family was attacked and their puja mandap was vandalised in the Kostapara area in Bhuanpur Upazila in Tangail district in the Dhaka Division of Bangladesh.

As per reports, the home belonged to local Hindu resident Subhas Ghosh. About 10 members of his family were injured during the attack and at least 4 out of them were admitted to the Bhuanpur Upazila Health Complex for medical treatment.

Those hospitalised in the aftermath of the attack were identified as Ratan, Nikhil, Ashok, and Shanto Ghosh. On the other hand, the accused was identified as Khorshed Bepari.

Khorshed was accompanied by 7-8 people: Victim

Khorshed is said to be a leader of the youth wing (Jubo League) of the ruling Awami League. He reportedly carried out the targeted attack on his Hindu neighbour over an ongoing ‘land dispute.’ His brother Arshed Ali was also an accomplice in the attack.

While speaking about the matter, an injured Amlesh Ghosh said, “A team of 7-8 people, led by Khorshed, attacked us 3 times and vandalised our house. At least 10 family members, including women, were injured. We need justice. We are preparing to file a case with the police.”

The attack on Subhash Ghosh and his family was condemned by the Secretary of Bhuyapur Upazila of Citizen Sujan for Good Governance, Santosh Kumar Dutta.

He remarked, “I strongly condemn and protest the attack on the residences and temples of Hindus in broad daylight. The criminals, involved in the dastardly attack should be prosecuted.”

Khorshed denies involvement in the attack, cries foul

In his defence, accused Khorshed Bepari claimed that there was a dispute over the boundary of his house with Subhas Ghosh. “There were no fights or cases of assaults (on our part). They (the Ghosh family) only attacked and hurled abusive slurs at us,” he claimed.

“They are spreading lies. I am involved in politics and my job is to serve people. I cannot do such work of assaulting anyone”, Khorshed added.

The Background of the Case

According to the Bhuanpur police station Officer-in-charge, Faridul Islam, the attack was the fallout of a land dispute between two parties. Neither party filed a written complaint with the police.

A large contingent of police has been deployed at the crime scene to avoid further flareup and prevent any law and order situation. Faridul Islam alleged that he has so far received no written complaint from any side. “Necessary action will be taken on receipt of a complaint,” he added.

Earlier, Khorshed’s family had filed a case against Subhas Ghosh over the land dispute but it was dismissed by the court on Thursday (November 17). A day later, the accused got into a heated argument with the Ghosh family and attacked them with sharp weapons.

Opindia has documented several such cases of persecution and ill-treatment meted out to the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. Given the country’s poor track record of dealing with human rights violations of the Hindus, such attacks remain a routine affair.

Karnataka: Blast in autorickshaw in Mangaluru an ‘act of terror’, DGP confirms, probe on with central agencies

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Blast in autorickshaw in Mangaluru an ‘act of terror’, DGP confirms, probe on with central agencies

On Saturday, November, 19, an auto-rickshaw exploded under mysterious circumstances in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s coastal town. Soon after, the DGP of Karnataka resorted to Twitter to announce that the explosion was not an accident but an ‘act of terror.’

“It’s confirmed now,” said the Director General of Police (DGP) in a tweet. “The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies.”

Visuals from the site show the auto-rickshaw blowing as it came to a stop on a road near a building under renovation. According to accounts, a passenger was carrying a plastic bag that caught fire and spread throughout the vehicle. As per sources cited by the Times of India, the autorickshaw included the remnants of a pressure cooker and objects like a gas stove burner.

The Mangaluru Police Department stated that they are conducting a comprehensive investigation and examining the contents of the passenger’s luggage in the auto. A forensics team has taken samples from the scene.

“Around 5.15 pm, fire was spotted in an autorickshaw. The driver has said that fire was spotted inside a bag carried by the passenger. The driver and the passenger suffered burn injuries. We have shifted them to a hospital,” said Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar.

Coimbatore car blast

A 25-year-old man died on October 23 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, after an LPG cylinder in a vehicle exploded in the communally sensitive Kottaimedu region. Following the incident, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai asserted that it was not an accident, but rather a planned terror attack with ties to the Islamic State.

It is notable that earlier it was thought to be a simple cylinder blast case, but later terror angle emerged in the incident, after which the case was handed over to the NIA. The deceased in the Coimbatore blast was identified as Jamesha Mubin, a resident of Kottaipudur, near GM Nagar in Ukkadam. 

OpIndia has reported how Jamesha Mubin and his accomplices planned the Easter blast in Sri Lanka-style bombings and how they are allegedly linked to the Islamic State and the mastermind of 1998 serial blasts in the city.

NIA’s most wanted Pro-Khalistan terrorist Rinda dies in Pakistan, was linked to the Punjab RPG attack

OpIndia Staff
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NIA’s most wanted Pro-Khalistan terrorist Rinda dies in Pakistan, was linked to the Punjab RPG attack

On November 19, senior state police and intelligence officials reportedly said that Gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda died in a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. He was named in at least ten terror cases in Punjab. Reports suggest he was undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment allegedly triggered by a drug overdose.

Other reports have suggested that the Davinder Bhambiha mafia group has claimed responsibility for his death as he allegedly turned against its members. Rinda was wanted by Punjab Police in at least 24 crimes related to homicide, contract killing, robbery, extortion and more. He was recently named in the Faridkot murder case where Dera Sacha Sauda disciple Pardeep Singh Kataria was shot dead by six assailants in broad daylight. His role was also suspected in the murder of Hindu leader Sudhir Suri who was killed last month.

There was a cash reward of Rs 10 lakhs announced by the National Investigation Agency for any information on Rinda. Interpol had also issued a Red notice against him. According to The Sunday Express, a dossier on Rinda noted, “He is the most wanted A+ category gangster of Punjab. Besides this, he is also involved and wanted in many cases by police forces of Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Haryana and West Bengal.” On August 18, 2017, a lookout notice was issued against Rinda. On May 5, 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation issued a Red Corner notice against him, just four days before the Mohali RPG attack.

Pakistani hospitals denied any such death

The Pakistani government operates two hospitals in Lahore that are Jinnah Hospital and Services Hospital. Both hospitals have denied any such death in the last two days. Few media houses reported he had died in a military hospital. Indian Express reported that they contacted Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore. An official informed them that a 33-year-old man identified as ‘Mohammad Usmaan’ had died in the hospital due to a drug overdose. However, the official reportedly denied anyone named Rinda or Harvinder Singh Sandhu was admitted or died on their premises.

Rinda was associated with the terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International. He provided crucial support to Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to smuggle weapons and drugs into Punjab from Pakistan. A senior Punjab Police official said Rinda was also named as the mastermind behind the RPG attack on intelligence headquarters in Mohali, Punjab, in May this year.

Hindustan Times quoted a top state police official saying the exact reason behind his death was unknown. Calling Rinda’s death a ‘huge relief’ for Punjab, he said, “Though the exact reason behind his death is not known yet, the information we are getting from the central agencies is that Rinda, a heroin addict, was undergoing treatment for drug-overdose at a hospital.”

The possibility of ISI’s hand cannot be overruled

He further added ISI’s hand in Rinda’s death could not be ruled out. He said, “He died on Friday. ISI could also be behind his death as in recent times he was not sharing a cordial relationship with BKI’s head Wadawa Singh Babbar.”

Rinda was originally from Tarn Taran, Punjab. In 2008, Rinda was arrested for the first time following a scuffle within his family. During his time in prison, Rinda came in contact with criminals and later shifted to Nanded, Maharashtra, after his release. A few years down the line, he got in touch with pro-Khalistan terror groups that provided him security cover and using fake documents, he escaped to Pakistan in 2020.

Another official was quoted by HT saying, “After another face of Khalistani terrorism enjoying, Harmeet Singh PhD, was killed near Lahore in 2020, there were inputs that the ISI was using Rinda to the fulfil its goals. Rinda has strong and old contacts in Punjab and has become Pakistan’s key hand for Punjab plans.”

Security agencies cautious with reports

A senior police official was quoted by the Indian Express suggesting that the reports could be false. He said, “In the past, there were reports that Pakistan-based terrorist Harmeet Singh, PhD had died. Six months later, we realized he was very much alive as we analyzed his activities and call details. He died sometime later.”

Liger starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday under ED scanner over allegations of converting black money into white

OpIndia Staff
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Liger starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday under ED scanner over allegations of converting black money into white

On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned producer Charmme Kaur and director Puri Jagannadh regarding the finances of their most recent movie, Liger starring Vijay Devarakonda and Ananya Panday. According to reports, the ED summoned Puri and Charmme to inquire about further concerns regarding the funding for the movie.

Numerous media sources state that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is concentrating on the movie’s financial trail in light of possible Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) breaches. One of the most eagerly awaited movies of 2022, Liger, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday, failed to connect with fans and performed terribly at the box office.

Congress leader Bakka Judson complained in August that politicians had invested money in Liger to turn their illegal funds into legitimate funds. Sleuths from ED started an investigation after receiving the complaint. According to reports, Puri Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur, the makers of Liger, were called by the ED 15 days ago. They appeared before the ED on November 17 and were questioned for around 12 hours.

On August 25, 2022, the movie Liger, starring Vijay Deverakonda, Ananya Panday, Ramya Krishnan, and Mike Tyson in significant roles, was released in theatres. The multilingual movie tanked at the box office. To promote the Hindi version of the film, Karan Johar was engaged.

Boycott calls for its association with Karan Johar

Notably, prior to its release, Liger had also faced tremendous boycott calls by Netizens. The internet community had called for the Telugu movie “Liger” to be boycotted for a number of reasons, but mostly because Karan Johar is involved with it. The trend started after Vijay supported actor Aamir Khan and his latest box office failure, Laal Singh Chaddha.

In an interview with India Today, Vijay stated, “When you decide to boycott a film, you are not only affecting Aamir Khan, you are affecting thousands of families who lose work and livelihoods. Aamir Sir is someone who pulls the crowd to the theatres. I am not sure why this boycott call is happening, but for whatever misunderstanding, this is happening, please realise you are not affecting Aamir Khan alone but the economy.” Vijay Devakonda starred in the movie ‘Arjun Reddy’ which was later made into Hindi as ‘Kabir Singh.’

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