This is what a section of the media won’t tell you about ‘climate activist’ Disha Ravi

February 15, 2021

Delhi Police on Sunday had arrested 21-year-old Disha Ravi on Saturday February 14 from Bengaluru, for editing and distributing the toolkit that was accidentally leaked by Swedish radical activist Greta Thunberg. The toolkit was aimed at building international pressure on the issue of the farmers’ protests, in order to force the government to withdraw the farm laws. A Delhi Magistrate on Sunday remanded her to five days of police custody.

Now, according to news reports, the police have also accessed the WhatsApp chat between the two activists.

On February 4, Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered a case against the creators of the ‘toolkit’ on farmer protests under sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting hatred among groups namely under Sections 124A, 120A and 153 A of the IPC. A Delhi court has also issued non-bailable warrants against Nikita Jacob and Shantanu, another two accused in the case.

According to reports by News18, Disha Ravi ― to deflect the charges brought against her ― had made several false statements to the Delhi police. However, when confronted with incriminating evidence from her digital devices, including her Whatsapp conversations with Greta Thunberg, Disha admitted to having been in touch with several people involved with the toolkit. Disha had also attempted to conceal details about her having been in contact with the other accused Nikita Jacob, who is believed to be currently on the run from law enforcement.

Investigations by the police also revealed that Disha had expressed her misgivings regarding the consequences of her involvement in the making of the toolkit. She had also voiced her fears of being charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a WhatsApp conversation with the Swede. After Thunberg had leaked the incriminating document on Twitter, Disha had said, “Can we just not say anything at all for a while. I am going to talk to lawyers.”

https://twitter.com/CNNnews18/status/1361235100680261632

Delhi Police are also digging into Disha’s Gmail account to unearth any emails that were exchanged between her and the other accused. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also set to begin their investigation into any possible overseas transactions made by Disha Ravi through her organisation, Fridays for Future (FFF), in the past 5 years. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) is also expected to provide support in the case, given that several links with Khalistani organisations have now surfaced.

Online meeting with Poetic Justice Foundation’s Mo Dhaliwal

As per reports, Disha Ravi and Nikita Jacob had taken part in an online meeting with Poetic Justice Foundation’s Mo Dhaliwal. Dhaliwal is a self-proclaimed ‘proud Khalistani’ residing in Canada. A close friend of Canadian MP Jagmeet Singh, he has been orchestrating several protests in Canada and elsewhere to garner support within the Sikh diaspora for the agitating farmers in India. Nikita and Disha’s meeting with Dhaliwal was to discuss and plan a ‘Twitter storm’ ahead of India’s Republic Day, when the nation witnessed an outbreak of violence by the agitators in the national capital.

In the Zoom meeting, the group of three had formulated a plan to post messages, graphics and videos ahead of Republic Day to spread propaganda against the Indian administration in the backdrop of the farmers’ protests. They had decided to give the issue greater visibility internationally, which is why they contacted celebrities, including Greta Thunberg, Rihanna, Mia Khalifa and others.

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WB BJP leader Firoze Gazi, accused of murdering BJP workers when in TMC, now attacked with bombs

The Commune

February 15, 2021

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Firoze Kamal Gazi alias Babu Master was injured after assailants threw crude bombs at the car in which he was travelling. The incident occurred in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

Gazi and his driver received splinter injuries in the attack. Both have been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata. Doctors said that Gazi is out of danger but will be kept in hospital under observation.

Gazi was on his way to Kolkata when the assailants attacked his car with crude bombs on Basanti Highway on Saturday, police said. The police added that they are investigating the matter.

Gazi had joined the BJP on December 18. He was earlier with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). During his stint as a TMC leader, Gazi was allegedly involved in the murders of BJP functionaries in Sandeshkhali in 2019, for which Gazi had been slapped with police cases under sections of the IPC related to murder and rioting.

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikary, who himself was a Cabinet Minister in the TMC government under Mamata Banerjee, visited Babu Master at hospital on Saturday evening. He alleged that criminal elements of the Trinamool Congress attacked Babu Master.

“Earlier this evening, visited my friend Babu Master in the Hospital. He was mercilessly attacked by criminal elements from the @AITCofficial; I am sure you have already seen the pictures from the dastardly attack. Stay strong! This only reflects the desperation of @AITCofficial“, Adhikary tweeted. Senior Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick denied Adhikary’s allegations on the attack.

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Woman writes to DMK chief Stalin to take action on his party office bearer who grabbed her land

The Commune

February 15, 2021

A petition has been submitted by a citizen belonging to the Poigainalloor village in Nagapattinam district, accusing a DMK office bearer named Edison of grabbing her land.

The petitioner Rani*, accused Thomas Alva Edison, a Union Secretary of the Keezhaiyur constituency in Nagapattinam, of encroaching upon her land. She alleged that Edison illegally occupied her land by threatening her with his political clout.

In her petition to MK Stalin, she stated that her 39.5 cents of land situated in Keezhaiyur had been illegally grabbed by a DMK party member and asked if Stalin could help get her land back. However, it is not clear if the DMK chief has acted on it or atleast taken cognizance of the complaint.

Meanwhile, the DMK chief has promised that he would resolve all the complaints and demands of the people within 100 days if he comes to power.

Taking jibes at the DMK chief, AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan posted on Facebook and satirically asked him why he thought he had to wait until he came to power to solve the woes of the citizens, while he could take action on his party men immediately.

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White House lawyers tell Meena Harris not to use her aunt’s name to boost her brand

The Commune

February 15, 2021

The new White House under President Joe Biden has instructed Meena Harris, the niece of Vice-President Kamala Harris, to stop using her aunt’s name to promote her brands.

In a report published in the New York Post, White House lawyers have made it very clear to Meena Harris to stop using her aunt to promote her personal business ventures.

As per the report, the Vice President’s aides are becoming increasingly concerned over the ethics of Meena’s promotions. “Some things can’t be undone…That being said: Behaviour needs to change”, a White House official has been quoted as saying.

According to the LA Times, White House ethics lawyers “told Meena that she could no longer produce clothing or write new books with her aunt’s name or likeness.”

This instruction will now hurt Meena’s business ambitions and she is yet to clarify whether she is collecting royalties over her book named “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea” which contains the VP’s name and likeness on the front cover.

Under the ethics rule, Meena is not allowed to have profit in the name of her aunt.

Meena Harris has taken full advantage of her relationship and even launched sweatshirts with her aunt’s quotes like “I’m Speaking” which have sold like hot cakes.

Even after Meena Harris was warned by the White House lawyers, she flew to the Biden-Harris inauguration on a private jet along with a Biden donor and posted about it on Instagram.

But what is now bothering the new Biden administration even more are her comments on the farmer protests.

In a tweet Meena Harris said she was “outraged” by “paramilitary violence against farmer protesters” in New Delhi, when in fact it was the protesters who had unleashed violence in Delhi, attacking security personnel with swords, stabbing cops and trying to run them over with their tractors.

The US Vice President’s niece, when faced with a barrage of criticism, called her detractors a “mob of angry misogynists” and continued her rant against India in subsequent tweets as the Joe Biden administration took a more measured view of the issue and even welcomed moves aimed at “improving the efficiency of Indian markets” and attracting “greater private sector investment” in agriculture.

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World’s oldest beer factory unearthed in Egypt

The Commune

February 15, 2021

Pottery basins which archaeologists say had been used to heat up a mixture of grains and water to produce
beer, in Abydos, Egypt, image provided February 13, 2021. Image Credits: AP

An archaeological excavation by American and Egyptian archaeologists has uncovered what is believed to be the world’s oldest beer factory. Over eight huge units, each of which was 20 metres in diameter and 8 ft in depth, were discovered during the excavations.

Mostafa Waziri, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the factory was found in Abydos, an ancient burial ground located in the desert west of the Nile River, more than 450km (280 miles) south of Cairo. The factory apparently dates back to the reign of King Narmer, who is widely known for his unification of ancient Egypt at the beginning of the first dynastic period (3150 BCE – 2613 BCE), Waziri said.

With its vast cemeteries and temples from the earliest times of ancient Egypt, Abydos is known for monuments honouring Osiris, ancient Egypt’s god of the underworld and the deity responsible for judging souls in the afterlife. The necropolis had been used in every period of early Egyptian history, from the prehistoric age to the Roman times.

Several discoveries have been announced by the Egyptian government over the last few years, in hopes of attracting tourists. The country’s major GDP contribution is from the Tourism sector, and it was heavily hit by the pandemic. It was earlier also affected by the protests and dissent against the ruling government by Egypt’s citizens.

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Indian and Saudi armies to hold first ever joint bilateral military exercise in Saudi Arabia

The Commune

February 15, 2021

Feature Image: General MM Naravane in Saudi Arabia in December 2020

After the first official visit by the Indian Army Chief of Staff General MM Naravane to Saudi Arabia in December 2020, the armies of both countries are going to undertake a joint bilateral military exercise, reports WION.

It is quite likely that both countries reached this agreement when the Indian Army Chief had visited the Headquarters of Royal Saudi Land Force, the Joint Force Command Headquarters and King Abdul Aziz Military Academy.

The Indian contingent will be travelling to Saudi Arabia for the exercises in the next financial year when the coronavirus pandemic is expected to have diminished.

India and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed long diplomatic relations since 1947. Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth-largest trade partner and India imports around 18 per cent of its crude oil requirement from the Kingdom.

Also, there is a 2.6 million-strong Indian community that lives and works in Saudi Arabia, making it the largest Indian expatriate community in the region.

After Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, the relationship between the two countries has further strengthened. The visit of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to India in February 2019 cemented the ties between the two nations in various fields.

Saudi Arabia has identified India as one of the Kingdom’s eight Strategic Partner Countries under ‘Vision 2030’. The oil-rich Kingdom also made the announcement to invest $100 billion in India as bilateral ties move in an upward trajectory.

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Kerala nun found dead in quarry pond near her convent

The Commune

February 15, 2021

The lifeless body of a 44-year-old nun was discovered in a water-filled quarry close to the St Thomas Convent she was staying at Vazhakkala in Kochi on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Jaseena Thomas, a local of Koruthodu in Mundakkayam in Kottayam district, stated police. A case of unnatural death has been registered.

The body was discovered at around 4 PM on February 14 in an abandoned granite quarry. The deep, waterlogged quarry, which has long been deserted, is situated right behind the convent.

Missing since breakfast

“Because the nun was discovered missing from St Thomas Convent since around 11 AM on Sunday, the convent authorities informed us. Later, several residents of the convent formed a search party and found her body floating in the water within the quarry,” stated an officer with the Thrikkakara police.

Jaseena had been missing since breakfast at around 10 AM in the morning. She did not join the other nuns in their prayers, as she complained of a headache. At 1 PM, when her roommate went to invite her for lunch, Jaseena was not in her room. The residents of the convent then searched the premises and found her missing. They enquired with Jaseena’s parents who informed them that they had not heard from her either. It was then that the convent informed the police.

Even as the police were conducting their enquiries, the convent informed them that Jaseena’s body had been found in the quarry. The police and the fire services immediately reached the spot and retrieved the body. The police also sealed off the room used by the deceased.

‘Mental instability’, say convent authorities

Authorities at the convent claimed that Jaseena suffered from a history of ‘mental instability’ for the past ten years.

However, her relatives, who reached the convent by 9 PM, denied Jaseena having any mental issues. They also denied knowledge of the nun being under any prescription drugs, to explain her alleged psychiatric episodes.

Jaseena joined the convent, which houses as many as twelve nuns, in 2018. According to media reports, Jaseena had been working in Kusumagiri Hospital for the past three years. Kusumagiri Hospital is a mental health clinic run by Christian missionaries.

Cases of nuns dying under mysterious and suspicious circumstances is common in the Communist-ruled state of Kerala. In one such incident, the body of 21 year-old nun Abhaya was found in a well at the St. Pius Convent in Kottayam, Kerala. It was only 28 years after Abhaya’s death, in December last year, that the perpetrators – a priest and a nun – were sentenced by the court. Abhaya had chanced upon her killers having sex in the convent, which is why they killed her.

Other nuns who died in similar circumstances over the years in Kerala are Divya P. Johnny, Susan Mathew and Stella Maria. Since 1987, more than twenty cases of nuns found dead in wells have been reported from various convents in Kerala.

Citing the track record of Christian convents in the state, the public expects closer scrutiny and vigilance from the investigators, to bring the culprits to book.

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Chennai’s seniors citizens can now travel for free in MTC buses

The Commune

February 15, 2021

The Corporation of Chennai has called for eligible senior citizens of Chennai to produce the relevant documents and obtain tokens for free bus travel at their nearby bus stations. This is in light of the recent announcement by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) which states that free travel tokens for senior citizens will be distributed on city buses from the 15th of February.

The scheme, which provides free bus travel to senior citizens over the age of 60, was launched in 2016 by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. The project, which was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, has now been re-implemented.

Accordingly, eligible senior citizens of the city of Chennai are advised to come with the relevant documents and obtain tokens for free bus travel at their nearest bus stations. Senior citizens over 60 years of age residing under the jurisdiction of the Chennai Municipal Corporation can obtain the required tokens for 6 months at the rate of 10 tokens per month, by showing proof of age and proof of residence at the Municipal Corporation bus stands and workshops.

The following are the list of areas where this can be availed by the respective senior citizens:

Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, Manthaiveli, The Nagar, Saitai, Central Workshop, Chrompet – 1, Alandur, Ayyappanthangal, Vadapalani, KK Nagar, Adambakkam, Anna Nagar, Ambattur Estate, Avadi, Ayanavaram, Thandayar Pettai-1, Ennore, Vyasarpadi, Madhavaram, Padiyanallur, Central Railway Station, Broadway, Pallavaram, Tambaram Maps, Kindi Estate, Poonamallee, Velachery, Coimbatore, Ambattur Odi, Villivakkam, Perambur, Tiruvottiyur, Sungachavadi, Vallalar Nagar, MKP Nagar, Chengunram, Chemmancheri, Saitai, Besant Nagar.

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8 day old baby ‘kidnapped’ by monkeys in Thanjavur

The Commune

February 15, 2021

Representational Image

In a strange but unfortunate incident, a baby girl ― who was barely 8 days old ― was kidnapped by monkeys in Thanjavur, and sadly, did not survive.

Twin girls were born to a family in Thanjavur about 8 days ago. On Saturday, Bhuvaneswari, the mother of the two infants, had laid the children to sleep and had gone about doing her chores.

Monkeys entered the house by means of a broken tile on the roof. They had deftly jumped in through the gap, and had started wreaking havoc in the house. The animals caught Bhuvaneswari by surprise, who screamed when she noticed their presence. The monkeys then left the house.

It was only several minutes after they had left that Bhuvaneshwari noticed that her children had gone missing. A search party to find the infants ensued soon after. Her neighbours had come to help and reportedly retrieved one baby from the roof. Sadly, the other child was nowhere to be found. A few days later, the police found the infant lying dead in a water body nearby. Following this, the local police have initiated an investigation to look into this bizarre incident.

According to the reports, Thanjavur forest ranger G Jothikumar has sent a team to find and cage the monkeys. The district forest officer also said that such kind of incidents rarely happen in the area.

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Delhi police arrest 21 year-old ‘climate activist’ from Bengaluru in Greta Thunberg ‘toolkit’ case

The Commune

February 15, 2021

Delhi police on Saturday arrested Bengaluru-based climate activist Disha Ravi in connection with the Greta Thunberg ‘toolkit’ case.

Thunberg, a Swedish radical activist fighting for extreme action to be taken to halt climate change on Earth, had shared a ‘toolkit’ on social media platform Twitter with instructions on how to build international pressure on the Indian government to force it to repeal the farm laws.

Disha Ravi is one of the founders of the ‘Fridays For Future’ campaign in India. She was arrested from her house in the Soladevanahalli police station limits in Bengaluru by a Special Cell of the Delhi Police. A Delhi Magistrate on Sunday remanded the accused to five days of police custody.

According to the police, Disha Ravi played an important role in spreading the “toolkit” that was shared to Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg to show support for the farmers agitating near the national capital. The police said that her custody was necessary to probe an alleged larger conspiracy against the government of India and to ascertain her involvement, if any, in the Khalistan movement.

Inside the courtroom, Disha Ravi broke down during the hearing and admitted to the judge that she had edited only two lines as she wanted to support the farmers’ protest. Duty Magistrate Dev Saroha allowed the Delhi Police to quiz Ravi for five days.

While seeking her custody, the police told the court that the activist had allegedly edited the “toolkit” on February 3 and many other people are involved in the matter. According to the police, Disha Ravi is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Document and a key conspirator in document’s formulation and dissemination. She started a WhatsApp group and collaborated to make the Toolkit document. She worked closely with others to draft the Document. In this process, they all collaborated with the Poetic Justice Foundation, a pro-Khalistani organisation based in Canada, to spread disaffection against the Indian State. Disha Ravi was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg. Later, the police allege, she also asked Greta to remove the main document after its incriminating details were accidentally released into the public domain. The police also informed the court that they have recovered the mobile phone of the activist.

Earlier, the Delhi Police had asked Google and some social media giants to provide information about email ID, URLs and certain social media accounts related to the creators of the “toolkit” shared by Thunberg and others on Twitter in connection with the farmers’ protest. The Cyber Cell had lodged an FIR against “pro-Khalistan” creators of the “toolkit” for waging a “social, cultural and economic war against the government of India”. The case against unnamed persons was registered on charges of criminal conspiracy, sedition and various other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The “toolkit” was aimed at spreading disaffection and ill-will against the government of India and creating disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups, the police had claimed.

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The Commune

This is what a section of the media won’t tell you about ‘climate activist’ Disha Ravi

Online meeting with Poetic Justice Foundation’s Mo Dhaliwal

WB BJP leader Firoze Gazi, accused of murdering BJP workers when in TMC, now attacked with bombs

Woman writes to DMK chief Stalin to take action on his party office bearer who grabbed her land

White House lawyers tell Meena Harris not to use her aunt’s name to boost her brand

World’s oldest beer factory unearthed in Egypt

Indian and Saudi armies to hold first ever joint bilateral military exercise in Saudi Arabia

Kerala nun found dead in quarry pond near her convent

Missing since breakfast

‘Mental instability’, say convent authorities

Chennai’s seniors citizens can now travel for free in MTC buses

8 day old baby ‘kidnapped’ by monkeys in Thanjavur

Delhi police arrest 21 year-old ‘climate activist’ from Bengaluru in Greta Thunberg ‘toolkit’ case

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