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Twitter ‘fact-checks’ BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, ignores Rahul Gandhi’s tweet

By
The Commune
-

Twitter, the Microblogging giant based out of the United States which has been accused of disproportionately targetting the non-left voices in the US through its unilateral fact-checks has now done the same in India. 

On Tuesday (December 2), it targeted BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya who three days ago had countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had shared a still photograph of a security personnel hitting a Sikh man who was protesting against the farm bill.

The still photo would lead anyone to the conclusion that the police officer had hurt the farmer, however, there is also a video of the incident wherein it is very clear the farmer was not hurt in any way. 

In the same tweet, Malviya labelled Rahul Gandhi’s image as propaganda aimed at giving a false impression and now twitter has flagged this tweet as “Manipulated Media”.

There was an immediate backlash against Twitter for failing to institute any warning on Rahul Gandhi’s tweet, and labelling Malviya’s fact-check as manipulated.

However, some news outlets have alleged that Malviya had posted a cropped video of the incident with another security personnel having hit the leg of the said protester moments earlier.

https://twitter.com/Iyervval/status/1333991602725941250

Twitter, Facebook and Google have been in the eye of the storm and twitter CEO Jack Dorsey who appeared before a Senate committee was slammed by US Senator Ted Cruz over its censorship of Hunter Biden the son of now President-elect Joe Biden stories published by the New York Post.

During the US Presidential elections, Twitter had added numerous disclaimers and restricted Donald Trump’s tweets when he had alleged electoral fraud.

In India, Twitter had cancelled handles without any notice or explanation. Scientist and Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University Dr. Anand Ranganathan and True Indology who have been countering the left through facts had their accounts suspended frequently by Twitter.  

‘Ramayan Cruise Service’ to be launched in Sarayu River in Ayodhya

By
The Commune
-

Ayodhya, the birth place of Hindu God Ram which is all set to return to its glory with the Grand Temple being constructed there will also become a happening pilgrimage centre with ‘Ramayan Cruise Tour’ on the Saryu river in Ayodhya.

It will be the first-ever luxury Cruise service on the Saryu river (Ghagra/National Waterways-40) in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. It aims to give mesmerizing experience to devotees with one-of-its-kind spiritual journeys while cruising through the famous ghats of the holy river Saryu.

The cruise will be equipped with all luxury comfort and facilities along with all essential safety and security features at par with the global standard. The interiors of the cruise and the boarding point will be based on the theme of Ramcharitmanas. The fully air-conditioned 80-seater cruise will have large glass windows for experiencing the scenic beauty of Ghats. The cruise will be equipped with kitchen and pantry facilities for the comfort of the tourists. The cruise contains bio toilets and hybrid engines system for the ‘zero effect’ on environment.

Tourists will be taken on the ‘Ramcharitmanas Tour’, of 1-1.5 hour duration, featuring an exclusively made video film of 45-60 minutes duration, based on Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas, covering the period from the birth of Lord Ram to his Rajyabhishek. The entire tour will cover the approximately 15-16 Km distance.There will be several activities and selfie points inspired by different episodes of Ramayan. The tour will be followed by Saryu Aarti, in which every member will be able to actively participate.

Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, as mentioned in in the great Indian epic Ramayan. It is also the first of the seven most important pilgrimage sites (Mokshdayini Sapt Puris) for the Hindus. Approximately, 2 crore tourists visit Ayodhya every year as per the data of UP tourism, for the year 2019. After completion of the Ram Mandir, it is to be believed that the inflow of the tourists will be increased.

The ‘Ramayan Cruise Tour’ will not only attract a large number of tourists but it will also generate direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region. Ministry of ports, Shipping and Waterways will provide all necessary infrastructural support for the smooth operation of the cruise service.

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya on December 1 chaired a review meeting for the implementation of cruise service.

Twitter suspends account of 37 handles for criticising Church

By
The Commune
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As the hastage #ChurchUnsafe4Women trended a couple of days back, micro-blogging site Twitter has reportedly suspended 37 handles that had criticized the Church.

It all started when netizens in Twitter raised the plight of women in Church as multiple reports of nuns being sexually exploited by pastors and the Church’s stoic silence has been making news for quite sometime.

Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar Franco Mulakkal, was arrested for being accused in a rape case. In another instance, a nun was found dead inside a convent in Kerala.

Several priests of Loyola College, Chennai have been accused of sexual harassment. Mary Rajasekharan, who was administrator in the college was sexually harassed by Father Xavier Alphonse, the then Director of Loyola Alumni Association. Another professor belonging to the Tamil Department, Josephine Jeyasanthi, was harassed by the head of the department Dr. S. Anthony Rajarajan. The management instead of taking action on the accused only victimized the victims by terminating from their jobs and slapping false cases against them.

Despite such serious accusations, in films and television shows and web series, it is always the Hindu sages who are shown as the sexual predators portraying them in a bad light.

In light of this, the trend, #ChurchUnsafe4Women saw around 95,000 tweets coming from 2500 Twitter handles. Twitter unilaterally blocked some of those accounts that had trended the hashtag.

The Church has suffered reversals since the current government introduced new laws to regulate funds given by foreign entities. There are also cases of embezzlement and using foreign funds for their conversion activities.

Twitter users whose account has been suspended showed a list of the pending rape cases against the higher authorities of Church and by suspending the accounts, Twitter’s claim as a neutral social media platform is now being questioned.

Banned twitter handles are: @prashasksamiti, @hinduPS, @Jaysundvasia, @sangthit_hindu, @sashakt_hindu, @shudra_hindu, @IN_CharlieHebdo, @Saaho_Sher, @balvir26singh, @PanditPawandev, @raman_jaiswal1, @ramankumar108, @riyazz30, @_Priya_Jaiswal, @deepakmth77, @SanatanBest, @The_real_pravin, @Indresht10, @Mithlesh56274424, @aayog_purush, @Being_Rao14, @kuwar456441, @RupeshS01070866, @Raomangalsingh1, @tejsingh123456, @LalanRoy91, @LalanVB, @districtofgod, @indrapalbjp, @Injugalmeena, @perfect_kesari, @pk_waghmare, @Bhaveekpatel, @akshayspeaks1, @HumoursArts, @prashantpareek7, @Hindu_Ashok1, @Pushkar80092174, @auUVZ0ewafJOg15, @manishhindu_19

Trends in FPI, FDI and Corporate Bond Market deflates rhetoric peddled by propagandists, India’s growth story continues

By
The Commune
-

COVID-19 has drastically affected the investment climate in all economies of the world, causing a sharp decline in the demand and supply equilibrium everywhere. India has been no exception to this unprecedented economic shock.

However, propagandists masquerading as economists and public policy experts have been taking to the columns of top international media like New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street etc., to paint a negative picture about India.

But their propaganda has been punctured with the recent numbers of Foreign Portfolio Investments (FPI), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Corporate Bond Market.

These numbers indicate that the investment sentiment in the Indian economy has been buoyed by the frequent and active intervention of the Government of India despite being hit by a world-wide pandemic. The trends in FPI, FDI and Corporate Bond Market flows underline the beliefs of investors in the strength and resilience of Indian economy.

In the last two months (October and November 2020), FPI inflows have witnessed a significant resurgence which has primarily been by equity inflows resulting in the highest ever FPI inflows for a month for India. As of 28th November 2020, FPI inflows stood at ₹62,782 crore. Of this, equity inflows amounted to ₹60,358 crore while FPI net investment in debt and hybrid was to the tune of ₹2,424 crore. The highest inflow in total FPI investment was witnessed on 12th November, marking a single day peak of ₹11,056 crore.

In the equities segment, the inflows in November 2020 is the highest amount of money invested ever since FPI data has been made available by the National Securities Depository Ltd.

FPI flows are known to be less resilient and more sensitive to changing market conditions. Investment through the FPI route are therefore gauged through the metric of net inflow and outflow. In October and November 2020, India saw large inflows through FPIs.

Source: NSDL

With respect to FDIs inflows into India during the second quarter of financial year 2020-21 (July, 2020 to September, 2020) have been US$ 28,102 million, out of which FDI equity inflows were US$ 23,441 million or ₹174,793 crore. This takes the FDI equity inflows during the financial year 2020-21upto September 2020 to US$30,004 million which is 15% more than the corresponding period of 2019-20. In rupee terms, the FDI Equity inflows of ₹224,613 crore are 23% more than the last year. August, 2020 has been the significant month when US$ 17,487 Million FDI equity inflows were reported in the country. Both FDI equity inflows and total FDI inflows into India have shown a secular rise over the years, with 2019-20 the year with the highest FDI in the last six years. The measures taken by the government on the fronts of FDI policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business have resulted in increased FDI inflows into the country.

Total FDI Flows (US$ Million)

Year (Financial) FDI Equity Inflows Total FDI Flows

2014-15

 29737 45148

2015-16

 40001 55559

2016-17

 43478

60220
2017-18 (P) 44857

60974

2018-19 (P)

 44366

62001
2019-20 (P) 49977

74390

(Source: DPIIT)

In H1 FY21, the total corporate bond issuances amounted to ₹4.43 lakh crore, 25% higher than ₹3.54 lakh crore in the same period last year. The narrowing spread with GSecs stands testimony to the improved risk perception of corporate bonds. Further, the cost of funds also moderated for both the Government and the corporate, on the back of RBI’s monetary easing and liquidity infusion, thereby bringing down yields in the various segments of the debt markets.

Thus, once again it has been proved that Indian economy runs on the strength and economic prowess of hardworking Indians and not arm-chair commentators of economy.

Amazon supports Christian missionary organization violating Indian laws

By
The Commune
-

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon.com with the same products, prices, and shopping features as the latter the only difference being that Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to a charitable organization of one’s choice.

While that may come across as a noble thing to do, Amazon lists only Christian missionary organizations that consumers can support. Some of these organizations are even problematic.

Mid India Christian Mission (MICM), is one such organization that was recently caught violating Indian visa laws, which has been exposed by Mission Kaali, an initiative that exposes Christian missionaries in India.

MICM was started by one Vijai Lall in 1969. Vijai Lall was a 2nd generation Indian Christian. It was headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA until 2011. Now it is headquartered in Fresno, California, USA. Vijai Lall’s son David Lall is now the president of MICM. David Lall’s wife Sheela is the vice president. David and Sheela’s son Vivek, who is in the US, is also part of MICM along with his white American wife.

His father Samuel Lall (changed from Prem Lall) was converted as a young boy after being raised in a Christian orphanage. The whole story is available on MICM’s History page.

MICM works primarily in Madhya Pradesh, the state where the Lall family hails from. Apart from building ‘child care homes’, built schools and training centers, they have also done church planting extensively in Madhya Pradesh. They recently posted that they have planted their 50th church in Madhya Pradesh. In all their endeavours, the just have one aim declared by themselves –“bring people to Jesus”.

MICM has partnered with Cross City church in Fresno, which has sent over American missionaries to illegally convert vulnerable people in Madhya Pradesh for which there exists video proof of one James Corrao.

There is also proof that MICM has established its presence in Udaipur, where Cross City missionaries have also gone.

Realizing that they could be kicked out by the government any day, they tell foreign missionaries not to post pictures on social media showing them baptising vulnerable people.

In their website, they give instructions to show how to support MICM through Amazon Smile. They had declared that they had earned $51 from purchases made on Amazon, but this information has been scrapped off from the page after Mission Kaali’s expose.

It should also be noted, that MICM has blocked Indian origin IP addresses from accessing their website, a move that is increasingly being employed by Christian missionaries to stay away from the radar of whistleblowers. One would need to be outside of India or use a VPN to access it.

It is clear that whatever visa people belonging to MICM hold in India, they are in violation of the terms and conditions of the visa. A tourist visa can only be used for non-business purposes, such as tourism or visiting family and friends. Even if one holds a missionary visa, the person cannot use it for proselytizing activities and can only join a missionary organization approved by the Government of India for which the organization must receive a certificate indicating it is compliant with the Foreign Contributions Regulatory Act.

With MICM openly admitting to concealing evidence that they violate the FCRA, the organization invites action to be taken against it.

Mission Kaali has now filed a complaint with the Home Ministry to take action.

Citizens can file complaints against organizations involved in illegal proselytization activities with the Ministry of Home Affairs at this link. Click here for a guide on how to file complaints against such individuals or organizations.

 

Nine-legged exotic species of octopus found by Japanese fisherman

By
The Commune
-

A rare nine-legged octopus was discovered off the coast of Japan by a fisherman on Tuesday. This hardly-found species with an extra tentacle had been caught by a fisherman in the Shizugawa Bay of Minamisanriku in Japan. He had taken it for boiling to prepare dinner when he had noticed this unusual protrusion.

This was one of the four octopi that the fisherman caught. Although the octopus did not survive the boiling water, it is now being showcased after being preserved in alcohol at the Shizugawa Nature Center in Japan.

Biologists are hypothesizing that since octopuses have the ability to regrow severed limbs, this could have been a result of one such incident and the appendage could have been an extra. “(This octopus) is a phenomenon demonstrating the diversity of nature. I want to leave this for posterity and use it to get more people to know about the abundant nature of Shizugawa Bay. I hope it becomes an opportunity for people to learn about the abundant mysteries of the ocean,” Abe, a biologist at the Shizugawa Nature Center was quoted by The Mainichi.

Another rare octopus was discovered in September on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound – but this one had seven legs. An outdoorsman said he came across the unusual sea creature on Whidbey Beach early on the morning of August 29, when the tide was still out.

Bridge for reptiles to cross the road built in Uttarakhand

By
The Commune
-

The forest department Uttarakhand has built the first-ever reptile bridge called the Eco Bridge across the two-lane Kaladhungi-Nainital Highway. This has been aimed at helping reptiles cross the road. this bridge was built at a cost of 2 lacs over a period of 90 days using bamboo, jute and grass.

This highway which is the main route to Nainital is adjoining a forest area and is heavily dominated by tourists. The forest houses many different kinds of reptiles and animals, and the constant movement of traffic frequently crush the moving animals. The forest department believes that was the construction of the new bridge, even leopards can cross the route with ease.

Ramnagar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Chandra Shekhar Joshi said that the bridge, which will be monitored by four camera traps, will be studied as a model by the Forest Department. “This is a dense forest, and elephants, leopards, deer, and blue bulls move in this area. Drivers can see them from some distance and slow down or stop, but they rarely do so for snakes, lizards, monitors, or squirrels,” said a forest official.

The DFO said that boards were being put up to create awareness of the need to protect reptiles. Forest staff would patrol the area to ensure tourists do not try to use the bridge for selfies, he added.

Department of Posts to deliver Sabarimala ‘Swamy Prasadam’ to devotees across the country at doorstep

By
The Commune
-
Congress Sabarimala ghee missing

Department of Posts has decided to deliver Sabarimala ‘SwamyPrasadam’ to devotees across the country at their doorstep.

Keeping in view devotees across the country, Department of Posts conceptualized and developed a comprehensive booking and delivery package for the delivery of “Swami Prasadam” of Sabrimala Temple at the doorstep of the devotees using the vast network of postal department covering every nook and corner of the country.

Kerala Postal Circle entered into an agreement with Travancore Devaswom Board for this purpose creating a tailor made product. The devotees can now book the Swami Prasadam from any post office in India by paying only ₹450/-for each packet of prasadam. The packet contains one packet of Aravana, AadiyaSishtam Ney (ghee), Vibhooti, Kumkum, Turmeric and ArchanaPrasadam. A devotee can book upto ten packets at a time. As soon as Prasadam is booked under speed post, a message with the speed post number will be generated and intimated to the devotee via SMS. The devotee can track the movement of the Prasadam by logging in to India Post website.

This service was launched all over India with effect from 6th of November 2020. There has been tremendous response from the public for this service. Around 9000 orders have already been booked all over India till date and the same is increasing day by day.

Sabarimala temple has been opened to the devotees, for this year’s “Mandalam season pilgrimage” from 16th November, 2020. Due to the prevalent COVID -19 pandemic situation the pilgrims had to follow strict protocols for visiting the shrine. Only very limited number of devotees were allowed per day to visit the shrine this season. A substantive number of devotees were not able to fulfil the COVID protocols for getting the darshan of Lord Ayyappa due to the strict restrictions imposed for pilgrimage during this season.

Top US companies lobby against bill against forced labour goods from China’s Xinjiang

By
The Commune
-

Top US companies like Nike and Coca-Cola are lobbying Congress against passing a bill that will potentially prohibit broad categories of goods that were made by means of forced labour in China, particularly the Uyghur Muslim minorities, who have, for long, been facing oppression in China.

This bill is all set to be sanctioned to become a law by the leaving Trump government or the incoming Biden government, having received a vast majority of votes in favour of it since September.

Called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the bill is being opposed by major companies like Nike, Coca-Cola and Apple Inc. It should also be noted that as per a report issued in March this year, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China had listed Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Campbell Soup Company, Costco, H&M, Patagonia Tommy Hilfiger and several others as companies suspected of ties with forced labour in Xinjiang.

Xinjiang produces vast amounts of raw materials like cotton, coal, sugar, tomatoes and polysilicon, and supplies workers for China’s apparel and footwear factories. Human rights groups and news reports have linked many multinational companies to suppliers there, including tying Coca-Cola to sugar sourced from Xinjiang and documenting Uighur workers in a factory in Qingdao that makes Nike shoes.

World’s loneliest elephant finds a new home in Cambodia

By
The Commune
-

Kavan, the Asian male elephant who recently made the headlines on account of being the loneliest elephant of the world has finally found a home in Cambodia. He was greeted on his arrival in Cambodia on Monday (November 30) by chanting Buddhist monks and was then sent on his way to a wildlife sanctuary.

Legendary American singer Cher was instrumental in his relocation from Pakistan to Cambodia. Cher spent several days in the Pakistani capital to visit Kaavan before the trip to a 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre) Cambodian wildlife sanctuary, with Prime Minister Imran Khan personally thanking the 74-year-old star. “My wishes have finally come true”, Cher said in a statement thanking her charity Free The Wild.

Kavan, a 1985 gift from Sri Lanka to Pakistan, had been living in the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with his partner Saheli, who died in 2012. The zoo fell on hard times and conditions got so bad that a court in the Pakistani capital ordered the zoo closed in August.

The loss of his mate Saheli took a toll on Kaavan’s mental health. Elephants are social animals that thrive on the company of other elephants, and he would spend his days throwing his head from side to side, a stereotypical sign of boredom and misery in an elephant.

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TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
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