Report Wire

Tag: Greta Thunberg

  • Delhi Police opposes Disha Ravi’s bail plea, says she was a part of world conspiracy to defame India

    Stating that there isn’t any proof to hyperlink Disha Ravi with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation, the local weather activist’s counsel Siddharth Agarwal Saturday informed a Delhi courtroom that “if highlighting farmers’ protest globally is sedition, I am better in jail.”
    During a listening to on a bail plea by Ravi on the Patiala House Court, the Delhi Police had argued that the 22-year-old must be completely investigated as “she was aware of the criminality of her actions”, including that the investigation will reveal the “sinister design to defame India.”

    Responding to the arguments, the defence informed the courtroom that Disha Ravi was not a insurgent with no trigger. “There’s a cause of environment, of agriculture and interlink between them,” he mentioned.
    Further citing an allegation within the FIR that Yoga and ‘Chai’ are being focused, Disha’s counsel questioned whether it is an offence.
    The defence additionally said that no one arrested in reference to the Red Fort violence has mentioned that they have been impressed by toolkit and added that there was no proof to point out that the toolkit was answerable for the riots throughout the farmers’ march on January 26.
    Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana was listening to the bail plea of environmental activist Disha Ravi.
    Opposing the bail request, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the Delhi Police, mentioned Ravi’s custody was required to confront her as she had tried to place the blame on the opposite two accused. He additional mentioned that if the 22-year-old is enlarged on bail, the aim of the custodial interrogation could be annoyed.
    The ASG added that enormous volumes of information nonetheless should be analysed because the investigation had simply been initiated.
    During the listening to, the ASG contested that this was not only a toolkit however “the real plan was to defame India and create unrest here.” The remaining toolkit was additionally shared with the Poetic Justice Foundation – a secessionist organisation which advocates for Khalistan, he mentioned.

    He argued that the accused was making a conspiracy with the the Poetic Justice Foundation — a secessionist group which advocates for Khalistan — and had scheduled three zoom conferences with the organisation. “The PJF got in touch with Disha to device a scheme to make a criminal conspiracy on farmers’ protest as they wanted an Indian face,” he mentioned.
    “Disha Ravi was part of the Indian chapter of global conspiracy to defame India, create unrest in garb of farmers’ protest,” the police mentioned.

    Further citing elements of the toolkit which have been allegedly later eliminated by the accused, the ASG mentioned references to ‘Farmers protest cheatsheet’ and ‘Ask India’ have been eliminated and added that these sections have been hyperlinked to web sites that talked about Kashmir genocide.
    The Delhi Police additional argued that Disha making an attempt to cowl her tracks and deleting the proof “shows her guilty mind and sinister design.”
    The Delhi courtroom has reserved the order on Disha’s bail plea for February 23.
    Disha Ravi was on Friday despatched to a few days’ judicial custody in reference to the Greta Thunberg toolkit case after the police knowledgeable the Delhi courtroom that Ravi had been evasive throughout interrogation and shifted the blame on the co-accused Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob.
    Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell group of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday in reference to a protest toolkit backing the farmers’ agitation. The police has claimed that she had despatched the toolkit to teen local weather activist Greta Thunberg by means of the Telegram app, and likewise “coaxed her to act on it”.

    Denying criticisms that there have been procedural lapses in arresting the setting activist, Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Tuesday mentioned the arrest of local weather activist Disha Ravi was made in accordance with legislation which “doesn’t differentiate between a 22-year-old or 50-year-old”.
    According to the police, Ravi together with Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob and Pune engineer Shantanu created the toolkit and shared it with others to tarnish India’s picture. The police has additional claimed that the information was additionally deleted, including that Ravi’s Telegram account exhibits many hyperlinks associated to the toolkit to have been eliminated.
    Delhi Police has said that Ravi was the “key conspirator” within the formulation and dissemination of the doc and that she collaborated with pro-Khalistani group Poetic Justice Foundation to “spread disaffection against Indian state” and likewise shared the doc with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

    The toolkit on the farmers’ protest had come beneath the police scanner after Thunberg tweeted it on February 3, with the police claiming that the sequence of occasions within the farmers’ protests, together with the violent incidents on the Red Fort on Republic Day, was a “copycat” of the alleged motion plan within the doc.

    Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court yesterday, listening to arguments in a plea by Disha towards the “leaking” of her WhatsApp chats, allegedly by police, to the media, directed the police to abide by Home Ministry tips and never “rush to the press with half-baked, speculative or unconfirmed information about ongoing investigations”.

  • Greta Thunberg now tweets in help of Disha Ravi, arrested in toolkit case

    Image Source : PTI Greta Thunberg tweets in help of Disha Ravi, arrested in toolkit case. 
    Environment activist Greta Thunberg, who had lately commented on the continued farmers protest in India and shared the toolkit, on Friday tweeted in favour of local weather activist Disha Ravi.

    Taking to the micro-blogging web site, Greta Thunberg wrote, “Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi” Greta mentioned this whereas responding to a tweet put out by Fridays For Future, that additionally spoke out in favour of Disha Ravi.

    Earlier within the day, Disha Ravi was despatched to 3-day judicial custody by Patiala House Court in Delhi. Disha, who was arrested within the toolkit case, throughout police remand blamed different two co-accused Shantanu and Nikita, the Delhi Police knowledgeable right this moment including that she’s going to now be confronted in entrance of Shantanu as a part of the investigation.

    Disha Ravi despatched to 3-day judicial custody

    A Delhi court docket right this moment despatched local weather activist Disha Ravi, arrested for allegedly being concerned in sharing a “toolkit” on social media associated to the farmers’ protest, to three-day judicial custody.

    Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain despatched Ravi, 21, to jail after Delhi Police produced her earlier than the court docket on expiry of her five-day custodial interrogation.

    Police mentioned that her custodial interrogation was not required in the interim and the company might search her additional interrogation as soon as her co-accused — Shantanu Mukul and Nikita Jacob — be part of the interrogation. Police mentioned Ravi was evasive throughout her earlier interrogation and tried to shift blame on the co-accused.

    ALSO READ | Opinion | Disha Ravi, Nikita Jacob had been pawns in a world conspiracy to tarnish Modi

     

    Mukul and Jacob have been requested to look earlier than the investigating company on February 22, the company advised the court docket. The defence lawyer opposed the police plea and urged the court docket to launch Ravi.

    He additional mentioned that there was a fear of tampering of the proof by police because the “case diary is not properly made… and in volume form. There’s no ground to keep her in any custody, police custody or judicial custody. I (Ravi) ought to be released right now”.

    The court docket was additionally knowledgeable that the accused has moved a bail software which can come up for listening to on Saturday.

    Last Sunday the court docket had despatched Ravi to five-day police custody after it mentioned her custodial interrogation was required to probe an alleged bigger conspiracy towards the federal government of India and to determine her alleged function referring to the Khalistan motion.

    Ravi, arrested by a Cyber Cell workforce of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday, was produced earlier than a court docket right here and police had sought her seven days’ custody.

    While in search of her custody, the police had advised the court docket that the activist had allegedly edited the “toolkit” on February 3 and lots of different individuals had been concerned within the matter.

    What is a toolkit?

    A “toolkit” is a doc created to elucidate any challenge. It additionally supplies data on what one must do to handle the problem. This may embody details about petitions, particulars about protests and mass actions.

    Earlier, the Delhi Police had requested Google and a few social media giants to supply details about e mail id, URLs and sure social media accounts associated to the creators of the “toolkit” shared by Swedish local weather activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter in reference to the farmers’ protest.

    The Cyber Cell had lodged an FIR towards “pro-Khalistan” creators of the “toolkit” for waging a “social, cultural and economic war against the government of India”.

    The case towards unnamed individuals was registered on prices of prison conspiracy, sedition and varied different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

    The “toolkit” was aimed toward spreading disaffection and ill-will towards the federal government of India and creating disharmony amongst varied social, spiritual and cultural teams, the police had claimed.

    (With inputs from PTI, IANS)

    ALSO READ | Toolkit case: Disha Ravi strikes Delhi HC to restrain police from leaking probe materials to media

     
    Latest India News

  • Meet Pieter Friedrich, Greta’s useful resource particular person with Khalistan, ISI hyperlinks

    Image Source : PTI Greta Thunberg
    The “toolkit” posted by Greta Thunberg had a “foreign expert” as a useful resource particular person. This identify was additionally central to an OSINT investigation relating to info-war in opposition to India – Pieter Friedrich, in accordance with a report by The Disinfolab.
    The report titled “THE UN-ENDING WAR: From Proxy War to Info-War against India”, notes that it seems, it was an elaborate design, that was underplayed since 2007. It concerned a slew of shady firms within the US, pretend overseas consultants, and even ghost entities.
    The linkages of the mastermind might be traced again to a serious terror plot hatched in opposition to India within the Nineteen Nineties in collusion with ISI.
    While taking the quilt of Khalistan, the community works for Pakistani pursuits. The key gamers on the scene throughout the 1990 bombing plans are nonetheless round and related.
    The community was focusing on Indian pursuits on a worldwide scale, together with even Indian origin American politicians.
    The story additionally decodes how a number of the most prolific and influential folks in India – from media to journalists and intellectuals – offered a nourishing eco-system to the community in damaging Indian pursuits, as per Disinfolab.
    Disinfolab stated the identify of one of many key gamers of their story got here up within the toolkit dropped by chance by Thunberg. The toolkit had talked about a overseas professional as a useful resource level – Pieter Friedrich. It was startling. “Pieter was part of a story we were already working on since about a month in the context of info-war against India,” it stated.

    The report notes that Info-War/psy-war is likely one of the fanciest dialogue subjects. “Yet, the consciousness about its gravity and impact in India doesn’t seem to be registering even with major stake-holders. Though we did expect it to be an elaborate design against India, their reach and depth within India and the impunity with which it was operating shocked us,” it stated.
    The story goes far again into the previous. During the turmoil of the Nineteen Eighties, a hitherto unknown Khalistani Bhajan Singh Bhinder @Iqbal Choudhary seems on the scene. He claimed his origins from Malaysia, and was working from the US. He was primarily funding the phobia community for finishing up large-scale violence in varied cities in India by way of one other terrorist Lal Singh with the assistance of Pakistan’s ISI. Indian escaped the assault by a whisker when Lal Singh bought arrested from Dadar railway station. Bhinder was ultimately additionally put in India’s Black-list until 2011, the report stated.
    The assaults had been half of a bigger conspiracy referred to as Okay-2 (Kashmir – Khalistan) which was hatched in Lahore underneath the patronage of Amir ul Azeem, the then Secretary of Jamaat–e-Islami, and being supported by a number of Pakistani institution gamers together with Choudhary Altaf Hussain, ultimately Governor of Punjab (Pakistan) and uncle of current S&T Minister of Pakistan Fawad Chaudhary.
    At the identical time, whereas within the US, Bhinder and his gang was additionally concerned in a serious trans-national drug trafficking community, and a DVD piracy community. In order to fund their drug community, they managed to take management of one of the vital outstanding Gurudwaras within the US (Fremont Gurudwara), after a bloody struggle inside it. Fremont receives tens of millions of {dollars} in contribution from devotees yearly.
    The report stated that every one this whereas Bhinder has additionally been making an attempt to obtain weapons to be despatched to India by way of Pakistan. His quest of arms nearly bought him within the police web within the US. An investigation by DEA Special Agent Tim Lum reveals that Bhinder was on the lookout for large firepower to be despatched to India. The deal nevertheless didn’t materialise, as Bhinder bought suspicious in regards to the Agent. It was an in depth name for Bhinder.
    It added that with change of millennium, Bhinder additionally modified his strategies. In early 2000, after the efforts to ship weapons to India failed, and with new media and on-line platforms mushrooming, Bhinder (or the masterminds behind him) determined to shift focus in the direction of launching an info-war in opposition to India. To this finish, he plans to arrange flimsy organisation and scouts for an acceptable ‘white face’, who might be used because the face for the info-war operations.
    “By 2006-7 Bhinder finds a young Christian Missionary Pieter Freidrich, who seemed to have a decent oratory and writing skills but was still wanting in terms of economic means. Pieter was even willing to work as a security guard, and hence the offer to become an ‘expert-activist’ would have been quite lucrative to refuse. Pieter came on board and finds a new role as an anti-Gandhi crusader,” the report stated.
    ALSO READ | Nikita Jacob, Shantanu, Disha Ravi created toolkit; despatched to Greta Thunberg on Telegram: Delhi Police
    Latest India News

  • From local weather activist to ‘Toolkit Editor’, who’s Disha Ravi?

    Image Source : TWITTER From local weather activist to ‘Toolkit Editor’, who’s Disha Ravi?
    Disha Ravi has been featured in publications internationally as a younger activist voicing her sturdy opinions in regards to the environmental disaster in India. However, the 21-year-old local weather activist from the Soladevanahalli space of Bengaluru was arrested by Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Saturday for her alleged position within the notorious “toolkit” which, in keeping with police, was behind the January 26 violence within the capital.

    Graduating from Mount Carmel College in Bengaluru, she has been repeatedly writing columns and articles in main information portals on local weather motion and is a well-known title in vital local weather boards frequented by youth activists throughout the globe.

    Disha describes herself as co-founder of Fridays For Future, India.

    ALSO READ | Disha Ravi began WhatsApp group, shared ‘toolkit doc’ with Greta: Delhi Police

    In an interview to Auto Report Africa in 2020, she is quoted as saying: “My motivation to join climate activism came from seeing my grandparents, who are farmers, struggle with the effects of the climate crisis. At the time, I wasn’t aware that what they were experiencing was the climate crisis because climate education is non-existent where I’m from. Only when I did my research, did I find out about it.”

    However, Disha’s position got here below the lens of the Delhi Police after Swedish local weather activist Greta Thunberg tweeted a toolkit doc which the police say had led to the January 26 violence in New Delhi. Though the Delhi Police didn’t title Thunberg within the FIR, it went forward to register the case in opposition to the authors of the toolkit.

    The police later described Disha Ravi as key conspirator within the doc’s formulation and dissemination and mentioned that she began a WhatsApp group and collaborated to draft the doc.

    ALSO READ | Greta below assault for utilizing her ‘bully pulpit’ to wade into political points

    “In this process, they all collaborated with pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian state. She was the one who shared the Toolkit doc with Greta Thunberg,” mentioned a senior police officer.

    The “toolkit” is a time period activists use for a marketing campaign info doc.

    However, the Delhi Police additionally mentioned that she requested Greta to take away the primary doc after its incriminating particulars by accident leaked into the general public area. This is many instances greater than the 2 traces modifying that she claims, they mentioned.

    The Delhi Police had registered an FIR on February 4 on costs of sedition, prison conspiracy and selling hatred amongst teams below Sections 124-A, 120-A and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code in opposition to the “creators” of the ‘toolkit’, which was shared by Thunberg.

    After Disha Ravi has been despatched to police remand for 5 days, sources in Delhi Police mentioned that extra arrests are possible, primarily based on the investigation of the arrested accused.

    ALSO READ | 21-year-old Bengaluru local weather activist arrested in Greta Thunberg toolkit case

    ALSO READ | Greta Thunberg’s new tweet after Delhi Police’s FIR, says ‘nonetheless stand with farmers’

    Latest India News

  • Govt pulls up Twitter: ‘differential treatment on Capitol Hill, Red Fort’

    COMPARING THE “action taken by Twitter during the Capitol Hill episode and… the disturbance in Red Fort”, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday “expressed strong displeasure” to Twitter at what it referred to as its “differential treatment”.
    “A deep sense of disappointment at seeing Twitter side not with ‘freedom of expression’ but rather with those who seek to abuse such freedom and provoke disturbance to public order, was conveyed to the Twitter representative,” the ministry mentioned in a strongly worded assertion launched after a two-hour-long digital assembly between its officers and senior Twitter executives.
    The assembly was attended by IT Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney; Monique Meche, Twitter’s vice-president, international public coverage; and Jim Baker, Twitter’s deputy common counsel and vice-president, authorized. Ahead of the assembly, Twitter, in a blogpost, had listed motion taken in opposition to accounts red-flagged by the ministry.

    “Secretary took up the issue of using a hashtag on ‘farmer genocide’ with Twitter executives and expressed strong displeasure on the way Twitter acted after an emergency order was issued to remove this hashtag and content related to that. Spreading misinformation using an incendiary and baseless hashtag referring to ‘farmer genocide’ at a time when such irresponsible content can provoke and inflame the situation is neither journalistic freedom nor freedom of expression as envisaged under Article 19 of the Constitution of India. Despite the attention of Twitter being drawn to such content by the Government through a lawful process, the platform allowed the content with this hashtag to continue, which was extremely unfortunate,” mentioned the assertion.
    “Secretary also mentioned that revelations around a certain “Toolkit” has made it evident {that a} sturdy social media marketing campaign was deliberate abroad round farmers protest. Misuse of Twitter’s platform for execution of such campaigns designed to create disharmony and unrest in India is unacceptable and Twitter should take sturdy motion in opposition to such well-coordinated campaigns in opposition to India, by compliance with the relevant legislation of the land,” it mentioned.
    Earlier this month, the Delhi Police registered an FIR on prices of “sedition”, “criminal conspiracy” and “promoting hatred” in opposition to the creators of the ‘toolkit’ on the farmers’ protest, which was shared by local weather activist Greta Thunberg.
    “Lawfully passed orders are binding on any business entity. They must be obeyed immediately. If they are executed days later, it becomes meaningless. Secretary expressed his deep disappointment to Twitter leadership about the manner in which Twitter has unwillingly, grudgingly and with great delay complied with the substantial parts of the order. He took this opportunity to remind Twitter that in India, its Constitution and laws are supreme. It is expected that responsible entities not only reaffirm but remain committed to compliance to the law of land,” the ministry mentioned.
    “The Govt. conveyed to the Twitter leadership that the manner in which Twitter officially allows fake, unverified, anonymous and automated bot accounts to be operated on its platform, raises doubts about its commitment to transparency and healthy conversation on this platform,” it mentioned.
    The assertion mentioned that the Secretary highlighted that Twitter was welcome to do enterprise in India. “Due to India’s conducive business environment, open Internet and firm commitment to the freedom of expression, Twitter as a platform has grown significantly in India in the last few years…Twitter, as a business entity working in India must also respect Indian laws and democratic institutions.”
    “Twitter leadership affirmed their commitment towards following Indian laws and rules. They also expressed their continuing commitment towards building their services in India. They have also requested for better engagement between Government of India and Twitter’s global team,” mentioned the assertion.

    We are proud to announce that Jharkhand CM @HemantSorenJMM would be the Chief Guest of the dialogue ‘Decoding India’s inner migration’ on February 12 at 2pm.
    Register right here to hitch: https://t.co/ngDRKfgS9T pic.twitter.com/7DLIk0HZju
    — The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) February 9, 2021
    Stating that “India has a robust mechanism for protection of freedom of speech and expression”, the assertion mentioned that “freedom of expression is not absolute and it is subject to reasonable restrictions”.
    In a blogpost earlier within the day, Twitter had listed motion taken on the ministry’s notices, saying it had “suspended more than 500 accounts” and “withheld a portion of the accounts identified in the blocking orders” of the MeitY. However, it additionally mentioned that it had not “taken any action on accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists, and politicians”, because it “would violate their fundamental right to free expression under Indian law”.
    “We took a range of enforcement actions — including permanent suspension in certain cases — against more than 500 accounts escalated across all MeitY orders for clear violations of Twitter’s Rules,” it mentioned, including that it additionally “took steps to reduce the visibility of the hashtags containing harmful content”.
    “Separately, today, we have withheld a portion of the accounts identified in the blocking orders under our Country Withheld Content policy within India only. These accounts continue to be available outside of India. Because we do not believe that the actions we have been directed to take are consistent with Indian law, and, in keeping with our principles of defending protected speech and freedom of expression, we have not taken any action on accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists, and politicians. To do so, we believe, would violate their fundamental right to free expression under Indian law,” it mentioned.
    Twitter mentioned that whereas it had “temporarily” complied with a number of the “emergency blocking orders”, it later determined to revive the mentioned accounts “in a manner that we believe was consistent with Indian law”.
    “We will continue to advocate for the right of free expression on behalf of the people we serve. We are exploring options under Indian law – both for Twitter and for the accounts that have been impacted. We remain committed to safeguarding the health of the conversation occurring on Twitter, and strongly believe that the Tweets should flow,” it mentioned.
    The blogpost had irked ministry officers, who initially hinted that the assembly had been postponed. However, the assembly was again on observe by night however not earlier than the IT ministry had expressed its displeasure.
    In a pointed launch, shared first on Koo, a homegrown microblogging app, and in a while Twitter, the ministry mentioned Twitter’s blogpost was “unusual”. “Upon the request of Twitter seeking a meeting with the Govt., the Secretary IT was to engage with senior management of Twitter. In this light a blogpost published prior to this engagement is unusual. Govt will share its response soon,” it mentioned.
    On January 31, it was the hashtag “farmer genocide” which had drawn the federal government’s consideration to Twitter accounts, prompting it to ship a discover to the platform beneath part 69 A of the IT Act. The ministry had requested Twitter to dam 257 accounts, saying these handles had been “spreading misinformation” in regards to the farmers’ protest, which had the potential to “lead to imminent violence affecting public order situation in the country”.
    Twitter had responded by blocking a number of the accounts, however had later unblocked them.
    On February 4, the ministry despatched Twitter a brand new listing of almost 1,200 accounts, asking it to both droop or block them in India, sources mentioned. These accounts, the discover had mentioned, “were flagged by security agencies as accounts of Khalistan sympathisers or backed by Pakistan”.

    “Many of these accounts were also automated bots that were used for sharing and amplifying misinformation and provocative content on the farmers’ protests. However, Twitter has not yet complied with this order,” senior authorities officers had then advised The Indian Express.
    On February 8, Twitter mentioned that it reviewed each report that it obtained from the federal government “as expeditiously as possible” and took acceptable motion whereas ensuring that the platform held agency to its elementary values and dedication to guard “public conversation”. A day later, the corporate mentioned it had reached out to IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for a “formal dialogue”.
    Prasad, nevertheless, refused to satisfy them, following which the IT Secretary presided over the assembly, senior officers mentioned.

  • Greta below assault for utilizing her ‘bully pulpit’ to wade into political points

    Image Source : PTI International little one rights activist Greta Thunberg
    International little one rights activist Greta Thunberg has come below assault for utilizing her “bully pulpit” to wade into political points, such because the farmers’ protest in India. Mohinder Gulati, Former Chief Operating Officer, United Nations Sustainable Energy for All, has written a letter to Thunberg, which can also be marked to the United Nations Secretary-General.
    “I had admired your courage, commitment, and capturing the global imagination on climate justice when you stood up at the 2018 UNCCC. As Chief Operating Officer of United Nations Sustainable Energy for All until 2015, I was deeply involved with global advocacy and building consensus for Sustainable Development Goal-7 and Paris Climate Agreement. When I heard you in 2018 and 2019 my heart warmed up since we had been advocating that the youth would drive the change for a better future, and you emerged as a torch bearer of that trust,” Gulati mentioned within the letter to Thunberg.
    “However, I am writing to you with some disappointment that you have started using your well-earned bully pulpit to wade into political issues, such as farmers’ protest in India, which may not be as simple and as straightforward as you may have been led to believe,” he added.
    “You are doing a great service to the cause of climate change, an existential threat to humanity that needs to be addressed urgently. We need global consensus for implementation of the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals,” Gulati mentioned.
    “Walking into the thicket of local political issues, often mired in a battle with corrupt and vested political interests, would undermine your ability to keep the moral high ground to exhort world leaders into action for a sustainable future. I would urge you not to expend your political and moral capital on controversial local political issues. I am sending a copy of this letter to the United Nations Secretary-General H.E. Antonio Guterres for his information,” Gulati mentioned within the letter.
    Gulati mentioned within the letter that there are different sturdy vested pursuits benefiting from the established order. The authorities procures massive portions of wheat and rice for the general public distribution system and pays a pre-announced minimal assist worth (MSP). Out of about 210 Mt of wheat and rice produced within the nation, the federal government procures about 85 Mt on the market to the poor at one-tenth of the procurement worth. About 52 per cent of this procurement is constituted of solely three states – Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh – the hub of agitating farmers, he added.
    “More than 90 per cent of the farmers in the rest of India do not benefit from this system. Normally, the market price is lower than the MSP. This is what creates a great opportunity for the broker mafia. Brokers and politicians purchase wheat and rice from farmers in other states at a lower price (about 60 per cent of MSP) and pay them in cash, bring it to government procurement stations in Punjab, Haryana and UP, sell it at a higher price (MSP) and get paid by cheque. This is counted as their agriculture income which is tax-exempt,” Gulati mentioned.
    “So these brokers, often politicians or campaign financiers, not only earn the huge arbitrage but also convert the cash (generally crime money) to legitimate tax-free income. New laws would bring in transparency and make it difficult to legitimise crime money. No wonder the farmer agitation is so well-funded. I feel the innocent farmers may not even know the source of this questionable ‘philanthropic’ funding. I wonder if you would support a system of legitimising crime and corruption money in the hands of corrupt politicians and their cronies,” Gulati mentioned.
    Gulati added that farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and part of Uttar Pradesh have a professional apprehension which must be addressed via dialogue and never intransigence of both get together. India has ample establishments of Parliament, courts, media, and public opinion to permit peaceable protests and open dialogue to unravel its myriad issues of poverty and improvement.
    “I am sure, eventually a satisfactory solution would be found not only for the agitating farmers of a few states but also for the remaining 90 per cent farmers of India who would stand to gain from the new laws,” he added.
    Gulati mentioned that farmers demanded, and regrettably the federal government of India agreed, to withdraw penalties for burning crop residue. Indian farmers, largely round Delhi within the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, burn about 100 million tons (Mt) a 12 months of crop residue which generates 140 Mt of CO2, 12 Mt of different noxious gases and 1.2 Mt of particulate matter, choking a inhabitants of about 50 million within the space, he added.

    “Smog in Delhi forces young children to skip school and stay indoors, 2.2 million children suffer irreversible lung damage. Your embassy in Delhi can inform you how they gasp for air during that period. Do you support farmers’ demand to let them continue to burn crop residue and add to emissions?” Gulati requested Thunberg.
    Gulati mentioned that yearly in India, about 67 million tonnes of meals is wasted, which has been estimated to be round $14 billion and will feed 100 million individuals. Up to 40 per cent of the meals produced in India is wasted, in keeping with the United Nations Development Program, and about 21 million tons of wheat (2.5 Mt GHG) e equal to gross annual manufacturing of Australia – is wasted yearly.
    FAO estimates present that two-thirds of meals is wasted in post-harvest transportation, storage, processing, and distribution earlier than it reaches the buyer. If meals wastage was a rustic, it could be the third-largest emitter after the US and China, Gulati mentioned.
    Embedded carbon within the wasted meals in India is about 60 Mt of CO2 equal. India desperately must modernise its agriculture, strengthen market linkages, and spend money on the entire provide chain, he added.
    “This cannot, and should not, be done by the governments and should be left to a competitive, efficient, and well-regulated private sector. Do you support India to continue with the current archaic systems and waste food that could feed 100 million hungry every year?” Gulati requested Greta.
    Gulati mentioned {that a} extreme water disaster is looming massive in India. About 85 per cent of irrigated agriculture in India is determined by groundwater. India extracts about 230 km3 of groundwater yearly of which 90 per cent of groundwater is used for irrigation.
    Gulati mentioned 50 years in the past, farmers in Punjab and Haryana valiantly rose to the problem of meals insecurity and began rising rice in a semi-arid agro-climatic zone to feed the nation. It has come at a really heavy environmental value of extreme depletion of groundwater, deteriorating water high quality, extreme use of chemical fertilisers, and cancer-causing pesticides.
    “India is now food surplus and needs to create incentives to make agriculture less resource-intensive and demand-driven. Agitating farmers want the government to lock into the current system of growing resource-intensive and chemical-ridden agriculture. Do you support that?” Gulati requested Greta.
    On corruption-controlled agriculture markets, Gulati mentioned, “You may not be aware but the current system forces farmers to sell their produce through government-established market yards where they have to pay a brokerage of about 2 to 3 per cent and market tax of about 5 to 6 per cent. Market committees collect this tax supposedly for ‘rural development’, but they are controlled by politicians, and their accounts are not audited for years.”
    “The revenue is often swindled by corrupt politicians controlling these committees. The new laws give a choice to the farmers to either continue to sell in the existing market yards or sell to anyone anywhere in the country and that too without paying any tax,” Gulati added within the letter to Greta.
    ALSO READ | Greta Thunberg’s new tweet after Delhi Police’s FIR, says ‘nonetheless stand with farmers’
    Latest World News

  • Will probe if celebrities had been compelled to tweet on Rihanna: Maharashtra Congress chief

    The Maharashtra authorities has ordered a probe into the tweets of Bollywood stars and sportspersons who used the social media platform to specific their opinion after the Ministry of External Affairs responded to pop star Rihanna on her remark about farmers’ protest.
    Many celebrities together with Sachin Tendulkar, Akshay Kumar and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar had rallied across the authorities on social media utilizing hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda following tweets by pop singer Rihanna and local weather activist Greta Thunberg backing farmers.
    Addressing a press convention, Congress chief Sachin Sawant expressed suspicions that the BJP authorities might be behind the sequence of tweets by the Indian celebrities. Mentioning sportspersons Sachin Tendulkar and Saina Nehwal and Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, Sawant stated the posts seemed suspicious with regard to its timing and that these celebrities may have been pressured by the Modi authorities.
    “There was a series of tweets after MEA’s response to Rihanna’s tweet. If a person opines on their own, it’s fine but there’s scope of suspicion that BJP could be behind this…Spoke to Home Minister Deshmukh. He has given orders to the Intelligence department to probe,” stated Maharashtra Congress basic secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

    #WATCH | There was sequence of tweets after MEA’s response to Rihanna’s tweet. If an individual opines on their very own, it’s nice however there’s scope of suspicion that BJP might be behind this…Spoke to HM Deshmukh. He has given orders to Intelligence dept to probe: Congress’ Sachin Sawant pic.twitter.com/kutYYJjxqG
    — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2021
    He additional stated that these celebrities have the best to non-public opinion and if they’re underneath any type of strain, then the problem must be probed.
    “There is a similar pattern in these tweets by celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and sportspersons Sachin Tendulkar and Saina Nehwal. This shows that there was some communication between the celebrities and the ruling party leaders. There needs to be an investigation to check if these national heroes were pressurised by the BJP for such advocacy on the social media. If so, these celebrities need to be given more protection,” he stated.
    Recently, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had requested Tendulkar to be extra cautious whereas talking on farmers’ points. “I would suggest to Sachin (Tendulkar) that he should be careful while speaking on the issues related to other fields,” Pawar advised reporters.

    The tweets from these celebrities got here after the MEA termed the social media hashtags and feedback by overseas entities as “neither accurate nor responsible”.

  • Sachin Tendulkar must be cautious about talking on farmers: Sharad Pawar

    NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday mentioned cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar must be extra cautious whereas talking on farmers’ points.
    Many celebrities together with Tendulkar and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar rallied across the authorities on social media utilizing hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda following tweets by pop singer Rihanna and local weather activist Greta Thunberg backing farmers.
    When requested about celebrities like Tendulkar and Mangeshkar reacting to the continued agitation by farmers towards the three new farm legal guidelines on the borders of Delhi, the NCP chief mentioned that individuals had responded strongly. “I would suggest to Sachin (Tendulkar) that he should be careful while speaking on the issues related to other fields,” Pawar instructed reporters.
    He alleged the Union authorities was defaming the continued agitation of farmers by calling them “Khalistanis” or terrorists. “These agitators are farmers who feed our country. Therefore, it is not right to call them Khalistanis or terrorists,” the previous Union agriculture minister mentioned.

  • Toolkit expose has revealed lots: EAM Jaishankar

    Image Source : PTI “It has revealed a lot. We’ve to wait & see what else comes out,” EAM S Jaishankar on toolkit being uncovered.
    Amid the continuing agitation and tweets by worldwide celebrities over farmers protest, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar whereas talking on the toolkit matter mentioned that its expose has revealed lots.

    “It has revealed a lot. We’ve to wait and see what else comes out. There was a reason why Foreign Ministry reacted to statements which some celebrities gave out on matters on which they obviously didn’t know very much,” the EAM minister mentioned.

    Earlier on Friday, the Delhi Police requested Google and a few social media giants to supply details about electronic mail ids, URLs and sure social media accounts associated to the creators of a “toolkit” shared by teen local weather activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter in reference to the farmers’ protest.

    The Cyber Cell unit of the Delhi Police had on Thursday lodged an FIR in opposition to “pro-Khalistan” creators of the “toolkit” for waging a “social, cultural and economic war against the Government of India”.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Anyesh Roy mentioned a letter has been written to Google and different entities searching for info from them about individuals who created these accounts and uploaded these paperwork together with the toolkit on social media.

    Police mentioned they’ve sought particulars in regards to the electronic mail ids, area URLs and sure social media accounts talked about within the “toolkit”.
    This doc was uploaded by way of Google doc and shared in a while Twitter.

    As of now, we’re ready for particulars from the involved entities and primarily based on info offered by them, we’ll proceed with the investgation additional, Roy mentioned.

    A senior police officer mentioned that the unique doc will assist the investigators in figuring out the creators of the “toolkit” and the one who has shared it.

    ALSO READ | Farm legal guidelines defined: Time to finish misconceptions and break deadlock

     

    He mentioned the doc in query was created, edited and pushed by sure folks and it is very important establish them since there may be an “element of conspiracy”.

    The case in opposition to unnamed individuals have been registered on prices of legal conspiracy, sedition and numerous different sections of the Indian Penal Code, police mentioned.

    According to a senior Delhi Police officer, preliminary investigation has urged the doc’s hyperlink with a pro-Khalistan group, named ”Poetic Justice Foundation”.

    He mentioned contemplating the unfolding of occasions previously few days, together with the violence on January 26, it has revealed “copycat execution” of the motion plan talked about within the ”toolkit” which was additionally aimed toward waging “a social, cultural and economic war against the Government of India.”

    According to police, the toolkit has a specific part which says — digital strike by way of hashtags on or earlier than January 26, tweet storms on January 23 onwards, bodily motion on January 26 and watch-out or be a part of farmers march into Delhi and again to borders.

    The doc ”toolkit” was aimed to unfold disaffection and ill-will in opposition to the federal government of India and creating disharmony amongst numerous social, spiritual and cultural teams, the police added.

    (With inputs from IANS)

    ALSO READ | Bhindranwale flag in Chakka jam protest? Watch video

     

     
    Latest India News

  • Farmers protest: Delhi Police writes to Google, seeks knowledge on ‘toolkit’ after R-Day violence

    Image Source : PTI Farmers hoist flags on the Red Fort in the course of the Kisan Gantantra Parade on January 26 amid the 72nd Republic Day celebrations, in New Delhi.
    The Delhi Police on Friday wrote to Google searching for particulars of the ‘toolkit’ doc that was shared on social media relating to the farmers protest, ANI reported. The police have approached a number of platforms searching for registration particulars and exercise log of the account by way of which the doc was uploaded.

    Details of e mail IDs, one Instagram account, and one URL have additionally been sought by the Delhi Police. Investigating the ‘toolkit doc’ uploaded on a social media deal with, the Delhi Police consider it scripted the January 26 violence within the capital.

    Over 300 social media handles below scanner after R-Day violence

    Over 300 social media handles are additionally below scanner. This means the Delhi Police have a brand new entrance to deal with now, the digital social media accounts and the probe has gone ‘International’.

    “The intention of the creators of the tool kits appears to create disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups and encourage disaffection and ill-will against the government of India. It also aims at waging social cultural and economic war against India,” Delhi police stated in a press release.

    Preliminary enquiry has revealed that the ‘toolkit’ in query seems to have been created by a pro-Khalistani Organisation “Poetic Justice Foundation”.

    ALSO READ | ‘People in a selected state misinformed’: Tomar blasts opposition for deadlock over farm legal guidelines

     

    “A section of the documents titled “prior motion” delineates the following action plan, digital strike-through hashtags on or before 26th January, Tweets storm 23rd January onwards, Physical action on 26th January, Watch-out or join farmers’ march into Delhi and back to borders,” it stated.

    R-Day occasions copycat execution of the toolkit motion plan, belives Delhi Police 

    The police consider that the unfolding of occasions previous few days together with the violence of twenty sixth January has revealed copycat execution of the ‘motion plan’ detailed within the toolkit.

    Though the Delhi police consider it to be an “international conspiracy” to defame the nation it shunned naming anybody into the FIR registered below sections 124-A, 153-A, 153 and 120-B IPC and could be investigated by the Cyber Cell.

    This signifies that the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police which is already investigating varied social media handles throughout the county for January 26 violence from posting pretend or malicious info to violent posts has now expanded its attain and has a further duty of tackling the overseas handles on Twitter and Facebook.

    (With inputs from IANS)

    ALSO READ | Chakka Jam: Farmers say no stir in Delhi-NCR, however police put together to keep away from Jan 26 violence re-run

     
    Latest India News