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Tag: India

  • Indian govt calls BBC Modi documentary ‘propaganda’

    Indian govt calls BBC Modi documentary ‘propaganda’

    The Indian foreign ministry has dismissed a BBC documentary about Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujrat riots as “propaganda”.

    The first of the two-part series was aired in the UK on Tuesday with the second part scheduled to hit airwaves a week later. The documentary tracks Modi’s first steps into politics, including his rise through the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to his appointment as chief minister of Gujrat.

    Modi was still holding the position when communal riots rocked the state, leaving more than 1,000 people dead, most of them Muslims.

    According to the documentary the inquiry team had assessed that Modi had prevented the police from acting to stop the violence targeted against Muslims, stating that he had specifically ordered law-enforcing authorities not to intervene. The documentary also features a former top UK diplomat who says that the violence had been planned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)

    Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, has termed the BBC documentary a “propaganda piece”.

    On Thursday, British PM Rishi Sunak was asked in parliament if he agreed with the report that Modi was directly responsible for the violence. In reply, Sunak defended his Indian counter-partner.

    “We don’t tolerate persecution anywhere”, the British Prime Minister said but added that “he did not agree with the characterisation” of Modi as depicted in the documentary.


  • Passenger banned for 30 days from airline after urinating on woman during flight

    Passenger banned for 30 days from airline after urinating on woman during flight

    A drunk male passenger in business class on an Air India flight from New York to Delhi allegedly unzipped his pants and urinated on a female co-passenger, earning a ban from the airline for 30 days.

    The incident took place in late November, however, the airline took notice on Wednesday after the woman wrote to the group chairman of Air India, N Chandrasekaran. She described the episode as the “most traumatic flight I have ever experienced”.

    According to the female passenger who is in her 70s, after urinating, the man allegedly kept exposing himself and didn’t move until another passenger asked him to return to his seat.

    The woman complained to the crew and told them her clothes, shoes, and bag were soaked in urine. The crew allegedly gave her a set of pajamas and slippers and told her to return to her seat which was covered in sheets but still reeked of urine

    The airline has also filed a police complaint against the man and constituted an internal committee to investigate the matter.

  • ‘Imran se mil ke dosti ka ailaan kareinge’: Gen Faiz convinced Modi to visit Pakistan in 2021, claims Javed Chaudhry

    Journalist Javed Chaudhry continues with bringing inside details of the working of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in his column. In the fourth part of the series published today, Chaudhry alleges that in 2020 the establishment had convinced Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to visit Pakistan, and former Bahawalpur corps commander Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed played a significant role in arranging the proposed trip.

    The journalist writes that in this regard Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, who was then the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) met Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and both agreed upon Modi visiting Pakistan on April 9, 2021.

    All the details of the trip had been planned out. Modi would have first visited the Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Balochistan and on his way back home he would have met Imran Khan who was Prime Minister. Chaudhry said that it was planned that “Modi would shake hands with Khan and declare peace between the two countries and opening of trade”.

    Continuing with the sensational claims, the journalist writes that both leaders would announce that there will be no interference or terrorist activities from both countries. At the time, Modi was of the view that both countries would sit together after 20 years to decide about the future of India-occupied Kashmir.

    However, this tour was cancelled because Khan—on the advice of his foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi—backed out. Chaudhry writes that Qureshi scared Khan by telling him it would give a perception to the masses that he [Khan] has compromised on Kashmir.

    Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed helped Khan in confidence motion

    According to the journalist, the establishment helped Khan throughout the confidence motion that Imran voluntarily announced he will take, right after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani defeated PTI’s Hafeez Sheikh in the senate elections. Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed ensured full numbers for PTI so Khan could win the motion. Calls and visits were made to ensure that disgruntled MNAs voted in favour of Khan.

    Moreover, the journalist writes that as per his sources, Khan advised showing leniency towards former President and co-chairman of PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the court.

    LNG deal was ruined by Khan

    In the column, another detailed passage says that former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa admits that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz signed the best LNG deal with Qatar to ensure supplies for Pakistan during winters but it was ruined by Imran Khan.

    Chaudhry said that then-Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, asked for just three gas shipments from Qatar despite a one-time generous offer to take ‘as much as required’ amidst a looming gas crisis at home, so he could sell his own furnace oil.

    In another episode, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) caught a ship loaded with cheaply bought Iranian petrol. It was for none other than Babar. According to him, Khan was informed about it but chose to stay quiet.

    Also, prior to Nadeem’s appointment, Khan was warned by the establishment but he didnt listen.

    Babar isn’t in the country anymore but Pakistan is still paying the price of his decisions to serve his own interests, all because Imran wanted to retain him as his aide, writes Chaudhry in his column.

  • Man searches ‘how to commit a murder’ on google, before murdering his wife

    Man searches ‘how to commit a murder’ on google, before murdering his wife

    A man in India was arrested for murdering his wife after searching “how to commit a murder” on Google. As per details, Uttar Pradesh police said on Saturday that the accused, Vikas, had initially provided false information about a robbery.


    However, police found incriminating internet searches including “how to commit a murder” on the suspect’s phone.


    A few years after they were married, the two began having disputes over the suspect’s extramarital relations, leading to the plan to kill his wife.
    As per the police the suspect has been arrested.

  • Maula Jatt release in India indefinitely delayed

    Maula Jatt release in India indefinitely delayed

    akistani blockbuster The Legend of Maula Jatt will likely not get a theatrical release in India after a spokesperson for cinema chain INOX confirmed that the film’s release has been delayed indefinitely, Indian Express has reported.

    The Pakistani action film was set to release in theaters across India on December 30. However, the decision to release the film met with intense criticism by Indian politicians including the president of the cinema wing of the MNS Ameya Khopkar who wrote on Twitter that Fawad Khan’s fans might just have go to Pakistan to watch the film.

    In another tweet, Khopkar said he will not allow Maula Jatt to be released anywhere in India.

    The last Pakistani film to release in India was Bol in 2011, which also featured Humaima Malick and Mahira Khan, both of whom star in Maula Jatt too.

  • Pakistan-India to play Test series in Australia?

    Pakistan-India to play Test series in Australia?

    The Melbourne Cricket Club and the Victorian government have expressed interest in hosting a Test series between Pakistan and India at their iconic venue, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).


    Informal inquiries to Cricket Australia have been made in this regard.


    MCC CEO, Stuart Fox, revealed his intention for the series during a conversation on SEN radio on the fourth day of the second Test between Australia and South Africa.
    “Absolutely. Three [Tests] in a row would be lovely at the MCG. You’d fill it every time. We have asked,” Fox said.

    “We’ve taken that up with Cricket Australia. I know the [Victoria] government has as well. Again, it’s enormously complicated from what I can understand, amongst a really busy schedule. So I think that’s probably the greater challenge. Wouldn’t it be great that it wasn’t just Australia-centric and Victoria-centric, that we’re catering for all the countries and filling the stadium all the time. So we have asked.”

    He hoped that Cricket Australia will keep taking it up with the ICC and keep pushing for it. “When you do see some of the stadiums around the world unoccupied, I think it would be much better to have a full house and that atmosphere and celebrate the game with full houses,” he said.

    Since 2013, India and Pakistan haven’t faced off in a bilateral international cricket match outside of World Cups and the Asia Cup. Neither team has faced off in a Test match since 2007.

  • ‘Not a fixer like you’: Fahad Mustafa slams Danish Kaneria for insulting Shahid Afridi

    ‘Not a fixer like you’: Fahad Mustafa slams Danish Kaneria for insulting Shahid Afridi

    Actor Fahad Mustafa took to his Twitter handle to hit back at Danish Kaneria for his defamatory post about veteran cricketer Shahid Afridi. On December 24th, Afridi was named the interim chief selector of the Pakistani cricket team by the newly appointed PCB Chairman, Najam Sethi. His term is set to last until the end of the New Zealand series.

    While reacting to the news, Danish posted an unpleasant picture of Afridi and made a jibe at Shahid’s selection. Fahad was quick to respond to his post, by saying that “And clearly he is not a fixer like you.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=votNCjjDXxI&t=253s

    A year ago, Fahad hit back at Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhosle on Twitter after he targeted Waqar Younis for his religious statement.

    Harsha tweeted, “For a person of Waqar Younis’ stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up the sport and to hear this is terrible.”

    However, Mustafa took to Twitter and responded to the commentator, “It’s equally hard to see Muslims being portrayed as terrorists in almost every Bollywood movie for the longest. I can’t imagine how difficult and embarrassing it must be for Muslims in India to watch themselves being ridiculed like that.#stophypocrisy.”

    On the work front, the Jawani Phir Nahi Aani star was last seen in Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad opposite Mahira Khan.

    Mahira Khan & Fahad Mustafa wrap up Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad with a picture worth a thousand words
  • BJP legislator calls for ‘killing Muslims’, urges people to keep knives at home

    BJP legislator calls for ‘killing Muslims’, urges people to keep knives at home

    BJP Member of Indian Parliament Pragya Singh Thakur, while addressing a public gathering has urged her followers to sharpen the knives they have at home. The MP, representing Bhopal Parliamentary segment in Madhya Pradesh, told the community to at least keep the knives in their homes sharp, as everyone has the right to protect themselves.


    “Keep weapons in your homes. At least keep the knives you use to cut vegetables sharp. Don’t know what situation will arise when. Everyone has the right to protect themselves. If someone infiltrates our house and attacks us, it is our right to respond to them. Just like how knives cut vegetables, it will also chop mouths and heads,” she said in the video.

    Although it is not clear who she was referring to as enemies, Twitter users are pointing out that she is referring to Muslims as enemies.

    “Terror case-accused @BJP4India MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur calls for killing of Muslims during her speech in Karnataka on Sunday during Hindu Jagarana Vedike’s event, Indian journalist Anusha Ravi Sood wrote in a tweet.

    https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1607327871030157313
  • Principal booked in India for making students recite Iqbal’s ‘Lab pe aati hai dua’

    Principal booked in India for making students recite Iqbal’s ‘Lab pe aati hai dua’

    A principal of a government school in India’s UP state has been booked for making students recite Allama Iqbal’s poem “Lab pe aati hai dua ban kay taamna meri”.


    The principal Nahid Siddiqui was booked after a video of a student reciting the poem went viral on social media. The First Hand Information (FIR) alleged that a “religious prayer” was recited at the government school in a bid to convert the students.


    The school principal has also been suspended by the Education Department. The School has 265 students enrolled in Classes 1 to 8.


    Prominent Indian Journalist Rana Ayyub while sharing the screenshot of the news report wrote, “The principal was suspended for singing this song ‘Ho Mera Kaam Garibon Ki Himayat Karna Dardmando Se Zaifon Se Mohabbat Karna.’ Me, my siblings sang it. Your hate will kill you from within you bigots.”

  • Problem solved: Google can now read your doctor’s bad handwriting

    Problem solved: Google can now read your doctor’s bad handwriting

    If you can’t read what your doctor wrote, you are not alone. Many tech firms have attempted to solve this age old problem with little to no success. Well now, we finally have a solution.

    Google is having a go at translating those unfathomable texts.

    On Monday, the search giant announced at its annual conference in India that it is working with pharmacists to explore ways to decipher doctors’ poor writing.

    The feature is currently a research prototype and not ready for the public yet.

    Once it’s launched, Google will allow its users to either take a picture of the prescription given by their doctor or upload one from the photo library. Once the image is processed, the app deciphers the scribbles and will tell you what’s written on the prescription.