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Violence During Ganesh Visarjan Processions In Karnataka Puts Congress In Spot

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The Commune
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Violence During Ganesh Visarjan Processions In Karnataka Puts Congress In Spot

The series of violent incidents during the Ganesh Visarjan procession, ahead of by-elections in Karnataka, is proving to be a setback for the Congress party and its government.

Congress leaders have confided that they are concerned about the incidents connected to stone-pelting and rioting in Nagamangala town in Mandya district, known as a Vokkaliga heartland, where more than 20 shops were burnt.

Stone-pelting and communal unrest in Davanagere City, located in central Karnataka, have also become a problem for the party.

The images of Lord Ganesh’s idol being casually carried away by police personnel during the protests in Bengaluru and the sacred idol being placed inside a police vehicle used to transport detainees have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referenced the images during an election rally in Haryana, stating, “In Congress-ruled Karnataka, even Ganpati is being put in jail.”

The BJP and Hindu organisations have since criticized the Congress government for poorly handling the situation. Home Minister G. Parameshwara’s statement downplaying the event as a “small incident” only fuelled further criticism of the party.

The BJP also objected to the police initially naming the event organizers as the first 23 accused and later adding names from the Muslim community in the FIR related to the Nagamangala case.

The death of a 23-year-old Hindu youth, Kiran, from the Badrikoppalu area of Nagamangala, who disappeared after fearing arrest in connection with the violence, is likely to complicate matters for the Congress party further. Kiran had left his village after the incident on September 11, fearing arrest.

He was admitted to the hospital on Friday and died of a brain stroke on Saturday (September 21). Kiran’s father is also under arrest. Kiran is named as the 17th accused in the case.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy visited Nagamangala and Badrikoppalu villages and launched an attack on the Congress government.

The Congress attributed the violence to police failure and suspended both the police inspector and the deputy superintendent. While the situation in Nagamangala in southern Karnataka was beginning to calm, a stone-pelting incident on a Ganesh Visarjan procession in Davanagere City in central Karnataka again placed the Congress government in a difficult position.

Two policemen were injured in the incident. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Ganesh idols and processions were taking place at over 60,000 locations in Karnataka, with only two incidents reported in Nagamangala and Davanagere.

The Congress government has filed FIRs against senior BJP leader and LoP R. Ashoka and Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje for their posts regarding the Ganesh Visarjan violence.

The Karnataka BJP has demanded an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the incident. The BJP’s Fact-Finding Committee submitted a report stating that the communal violence in Nagamangala was pre-planned.

The BJP has also criticised the Congress government after Tumakuru University issued a circular restricting students from participating in Ganesh Utsav.

Congress, which is already facing the consolidation of the influential Vokkaliga and Lingayat vote banks and suffered a setback in the Parliamentary elections, now faces the challenge of retaining its SC, ST, and OBC vote banks, which have been the party’s core strengths. This is happening at a critical time when by-elections for three Assembly seats are due.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy represents the Channapatna Assembly seat. Former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai held the Shiggaon Assembly seat, and Congress MP E. Tukaram held the Sandur seat.

In this changed scenario, the BJP is confident of winning all three seats. The party’s attacks on the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing allegations in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam and the Tribal Welfare Development Board scam, are likely to intensify.

Above all, Ganesh Visarjan processions will continue until October in the state, and the Congress is worried about the unfolding events. The grand old party is also tensed over the relationship between the government and the Governor’s office following the consent to prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah. BJP State Mahila Morcha President K. Manjula, speaking to IANS, stated, “The Congress government has surrendered law and order for the sake of appeasement and vote bank politics. The soft corner for certain communities is glaringly evident even in women’s issues and incidents of violence during Ganapati processions. This is not merely about local Hindu-Muslim differences, which could have been handled easily. There is an outside hand in the violence, and the Congress government is aware of it. The ruthless action needed to maintain law and order has not been initiated.”

–IANS

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Quad Commits To Strengthening Cooperation In Indian Ocean Region

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The Commune
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Quad Commits To Strengthening Cooperation In Indian Ocean Region

The Quad, a four-member group comprising the US, Japan, India, and Australia, has said it is committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Wilmington Declaration, released after the meeting of Quad leaders US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Delaware, recognised India’s leadership in finalising the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and supported its implementation.

Quad agreed to implement the ‘Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) to monitor and secure waters, enforce laws, and deter unlawful behaviour. To reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific, the group launched a ‘Quad Cancer Moonshot’ focussing initially on combatting cervical cancer.

The joint statement announced a ‘Quad Ports of the Future Partnership’ to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific.

Expressing concern about the coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea, the Quad sought to uphold the international order based on the rule of law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, The group said: “We are united in commitment to upholding a stable and open international system, with strong support for human rights, freedom, the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes and prohibition on the threat or use of force in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter.”

In addition, the leaders underscored that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. Hailing the track record of cooperation on the COVID vaccine, the group said it will focus initially on combatting cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific region.

On humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), the declaration said Quad governments pre-position essential relief supplies for the rapid HADR response.

In the event of natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific, the group concurred on launching a pilot project to pursue cooperation in airlift operations among the Quad countries. The four leaders concurred on launching a Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025, to share knowledge and experience.

The group also agreed to expand cooperation in the area of 5G and Open RAN to the Philippines and Tuvalu.

–IANS

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Vodafone Idea Finalises $3.6 Bn Deal With Global Partners To Boost India Footprint

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The Commune
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Vodafone Idea Finalises $3.6 Bn Deal With Global Partners To Boost India Footprint

Telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Sunday said it has concluded a $3.6 billion deal with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung to supply network equipment over three years and strengthen its footprint.

According to the company, the deal marks the first step towards rolling out its transformative three-year capex plan of $6.6 billion. “We have kickstarted the investment cycle.

We are on our journey of VIL 2.0, and from hereon, VIL will stage a smart turnaround to effectively participate in industry growth opportunities,” said Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea. The capex programme is directed towards expanding the 4G population coverage from 1.03 billion to 1.2 billion, launching 5G in key markets, and expanding capacity in line with data growth.

“We look forward to working closely with all our partners as we move into the 5G era,” Moondra said.

The contracts will allow the telecom player to capitalise on the latest state-of-the-art equipment to offer an enhanced customer experience. The company said the new equipment would also lead to energy efficiency gains and, thus, lower operating costs. The supplies for these new long-term awards will start in the coming quarter.

“The top priority for the company is to expand the 4G coverage to 1.2 billion Indians,” it said.

Post the recent equity raise of ₹240 billion and additional spectrum acquisition of ₹35 billion in the June 2024 auction. The company has also executed some quick win Capex while simultaneously working on concluding these long-term contracts. This will result in a 15 per cent capacity boost and increased population coverage by 16 million by September.

The company said it is also in the advanced stage of discussions with its existing and new lenders to tie up ₹250 billion of funded and ₹100 billion of non-fund-based facilities.

—IANS

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Andhra Dy CM Pawan Kalyan Begins 11-Day ‘Praschit Deeksha’ Over Animal Fat In Tirupati Laddu Prasadam

By
The Commune
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Andhra Dy CM Pawan Kalyan Begins 'Praschit Deeksha' Over Animal Fat In Tirupati Laddu Prasadam

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Sunday began his 11-day ‘Praschit Deeksha’ (penance) at a temple in Guntur district for alleged adulteration of animal fat in Tirupati laddu.

Pawan Kalyan began the ‘Deeksha’ at the Sri Dasavatara Venkateswara Swamy temple in Nambur, Guntur district, after performing puja and rituals conducted by the priests.

The actor-politician said that after the Deeksha, he would seek the blessings of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala and pray to God for the strength to cleanse the sins committed by past rulers.

The Deputy Chief Minister said he was personally pained by the use of ghee adulterated with fish oil and animals for Laddu Prasdam and hence decided to undertake the ‘Praschit Deekhsha’.

In a statement before launching the ‘Deeksha,’ the Jana Sena leader stated that the sacred Tirumala Laddu Prasadam, revered by millions, had been defiled due to the previous ruler’s depraved actions.

“It has been tainted with annual fat, a grievous sin that only those with wicked minds could commit. The failure to detect this sin earlier is a stain on the Hindu race,” he said in a statement.

“When I learned that Laddu Prasadam contained animal remains, my mind was deeply disturbed. I am filled with guilt. As someone who has always fought for the welfare of the people, it pains me that such a grave blunder did not come to my attention sooner. Every believer of Sanatana Dharma must atone for this terrible injustice done to Lord Balaji, the God of Kali Yuga. As part of this, I have decided to undertake Deeksha for penance,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also stated that only those without faith in God or fear of sin could commit such an atrocious crime. “My sorrow is further deepened by the fact that even the board members and employees of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam failed to uncover this grave sin. Even those who were aware were unable to speak out, likely out of fear of the demonic rulers of that time,” he said.

“The behaviour of the past rulers, who desecrated the sanctity and religious practices of Tirumala, which is revered as Vaikuntha Dhamam, has deeply hurt the sentiments of every follower of Hindu Dharma. The use of ghee-containing animal remains in the preparation of Laddu Prasadam has caused immense pain. Now the time has come to take firm steps to restore Dharma,” Pawan Kalyan added.

–IANS

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“Animal Fat Present In Sweets Is Common, Why Politicize?”: INDI Ally VCK MP Thirumavalavan Says On Tirupati Laddu Issue

By
The Commune
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"Animal Fat Present In Sweets Is Common, Why Politicize?": INDI Ally VCK MP Thirumavalavan Says

Even as the entire Hindu community is outraged by reports of beef and pig fat in Tirupati Laddu Prasadam, VCK head and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan trivialized the issue by saying that animal fat in sweets is common, rubbing more salt on the wound.

A laboratory report revealed that beef tallow, fish oil, and palm oil were used to prepare laddus, distributed as prasad at the renowned Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. The report’s findings indicate that the ghee used to prepare the iconic Tirupati laddu prasadam during the YSRCP regime contained traces of animal fat, including beef tallow and fish oil, leading to widespread outrage and claims of disrespect toward religious sentiments.

Speaking to a reporter after hoisting a 62-foot flag of his party near Madurai, Thirumavalavan said, “In most sweets or food products, using animal fat is normal and is a common practice across the world. I don’t know why it is being politicized. If it (Tirupati Laddu) should not contain animal/beef fat, then accordingly guidelines should be framed to prevent such occurrences in the future.”

Thirumavalavan is known for his anti-Hindu politics and for spreading canards about Hinduism. He had once called temple gopurams structures with ugly figurines. In 2017, Thirumavalavan called for the destruction of all Hindu temples and building of Buddhist viharas in those places.

In a book release event held in Chennai, Thirumavalavan said, “Building a temple is a business. I am not joking. Unlike any other business, building temples is the most profitable and provides the highest income. Which other business is more profitable than the income generated by the Tirupati temple? What are the temple’s income and expenditure? People donate money to the Tirupathi temple. People pour money into the Ayyappan temple.”

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TaVeKa Vijay Dravidianizes Himself, Removes Social Media Pic With Kungumam To Look ‘Secular’

By
The Commune
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TaVeKa Vijay Dravidianizes Himself, Removes Social Media Pic With Kungumam To Look 'Secular'

After dropping his tilak/kungumam sporting picture from his party’s letter pad, Dravidianist actor and recently-turned politician Vijay changed his social media profile pictures to delink himself from Hinduism and come across as secular.

Earlier, TVK Vijay’s social media handle had a pleasant picture of Vijay smiling with a small tilak/kungumam on his forehead. The changed picture now has Vijay with a barren forehead like a typical DMK politician who doesn’t believe in God.

Previous display picture of TaVeKa Vijay
Changed display pic of TaVeKa Vijay

This is the third instance within a span of few days where Vijay has de-Hinduized himself. Earlier, in a press note informing people about his upcoming conference/meeting at Vikravandi on 27 October 2024, Vijay’s letter pad that bears his photo, apart from other details, had  something very obviously missing—the tilak—kungumam on his forehead. 

This is in stark contrast to the very first press note announcing his entry into politics back in February 2024 which had a picture of the actor with a very visible tilak/kungumam on the forehead.

Prior to that, he went to pay respects to the anti-Hindu bigot EVR (hailed as ‘Periyar’ by his followers) and hailed him as a ‘Socrates of the South’.

Vijay seems to be following the same DMK’s Dravidian Model of ‘rationalism’ by blatantly avoiding wishing Hindus for Hindu festivals such as Tamil Puthandu, Vinayakar Chathurthi, and Krishna Jayanti. In contrast, he wished for Onam, Ramzan, Easter, and secular special days such as Labour Day, Independence Day, etc.

Actions like these indicate that Vijay is also set to follow the Dravidianist ideology path and further strengthen the claims that his party is only DMK 2.0. Political observers already note that Vijay must be DMK’s proxy to cut anti-DMK votes in 2026, just like how Kamal Haasan turned out to be a vote-cutter pushing DMK to power in 2021. In that case, Vijay should consider renaming his party from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to Dravida Vettri Kazhagam.

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Ravi Shankar Prasad Criticises Rahul Gandhi For His Anti-Reservation Remarks

By
The Commune
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Ravi Shankar Prasad Criticises Rahul Gandhi For His Anti-Reservation Remarks

On Saturday, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged anti-reservation remarks.

“Rahul Gandhi’s statement about ending reservations while pleading to save the Constitution is condemnable. Congress has always been against reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and OBCs. SC, ST and OBC communities are angry with Rahul Gandhi’s anti-reservation statement,” Prasad said while joining a protest organised by the BJP’s SC/ST wing in Patna, alongside leaders like Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, cabinet minister Nitin Nabin, and other senior BJP members from Bihar.

“BJP was, is and will always be a supporter of reservation for SC, ST and OBC. The biggest supporter of SC, ST and OBC reservations is the BJP. Narendra Modi has been the Prime Minister for the last 10 years and under his leadership, the Constitution is completely safe and will always remain safe in the future,” Prasad claimed.

The senior BJP leader also accused the Congress of historically opposing reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. Prasad added that Gandhi further alienated these communities with his recent statements.

While speaking at Georgetown University, Rahul Gandhi suggested that reservations might be re-considered only once equal opportunities are available across the country. The SC/ST wings of the BJP gathered outside the party’s office in Patna, accusing Rahul Gandhi of disrespecting the Constitution and alleged that the BJP leaders said ‘Rahul Gandhi mocked the Indian democracy on foreign soil’.

–IANS

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Atishi Sworn-In As Delhi CM, Becomes Youngest Leader To Hold Top Post

By
The Commune
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Atishi Sworn-In As Delhi CM, Becomes Youngest Leader To Hold Top Post

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi took the oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Saturday. Lt Governor (LG) Vinay Kumar Saxena administered the oath of office and secrecy to Atishi and her cabinet ministers at the Raj Niwas. Before the swearing-in ceremony, all the ministers met AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Atishi is the third woman to become Delhi CM and the youngest to hold the top post. Her succession to post follows Kejriwal’s resignation as the CM after his bail in the liquor policy scam by the Supreme Court. Atishi, who represents Delhi’s Kalkaji constituency, was unanimously chosen as the Delhi CM at the AAP legislature party meeting on September 17. Apart from Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain, who were part of the outgoing Kejriwal government, were sworn in as ministers. One post remains vacant.

Mukesh Ahlawat is a new entrant in the Atishi cabinet. He is a first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra and also the only Dalit face. His elevation will enhance the AAP government’s outreach to backward communities. Before the swearing-in, Ahlawat told IANS that there was some sadness within the party because of Kejriwal’s resignation, but despite the setbacks, he will remain the party’s sole leader.

The swearing-in ceremony remained a low-key affair, as the party didn’t engage in either showing strength or making big boasts about the new AAP government taking oath ahead of Assembly elections. Atishi was also one of the senior ministers in the erstwhile Kejriwal government, holding multiple portfolios. She was also seen as ‘filling in the gap’ in the absence of Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

In the outgoing Kejriwal government, Atishi held 13 portfolios, including finance, revenue, PWD, power, and education. Rai held the environment, development, and general administration departments, while Bharadwaj looked after the health, tourism, and urban development departments. Gahlot was in charge of transport, and Hussain of food and civil supplies.

–IANS

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Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh To Be Next IAF Chief

By
The Commune
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Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who has led the MiG-29 upgrade project team in Russia and been involved in flight-testing of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, has been appointed the next chief of the Indian Air Force, an official statement said on Saturday. Presently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he will succeed Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, who demits office on September 30.

Born on October 27, 1964, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984. During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in various command, staff, instructional, and foreign appointments. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College, and the National Defence College, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot with over 5,000 hours of flying experience on various fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. Air Marshal Singh has commanded an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base during his career. As a test pilot, he led the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow.

He was also the Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he was tasked with flight testing the Light Combat Aircraft. Among his key staff appointments are serving as the Air Defence Commander at the South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command. Before assuming the charge of Vice Chief of the IAF, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.

–IANS

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Rahul Gandhi Defends His Remarks On Sikhs; BJP Says ‘Don’t Use The Community For Your Political Agenda’

By
The Commune
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Rahul Gandhi Defends His Remarks On Sikhs; BJP Says 'Don't Use The Community For Your Political Agenda'

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, facing strong backlash over his recent comments on Sikhs in the US, defended his remarks on Saturday and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of manipulating his statement for certain political motives. He also accused the ruling party of ‘silencing’ his voice by blatantly distorting the ‘truth’.

The Congress MP took to social media, shared a video clip from the September 10 address and asked: “Is there anything wrong in what I said?”

“The BJP has been spreading lies about my remarks in America. I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad — is there anything wrong in what I have said? Shouldn’t India be a country where every Sikh — and every Indian — can freely practice their religion without fear?” wrote the Congress MP on X.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly hit back at Rahul Gandhi for these charges. Party spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa slammed the Congress MP for first peddling false anti-Sikh rhetoric on foreign soil and then brazenly defending the ‘indefensible’ remark.

Sirsa, in a video message, said that the only time when the Sikhs felt threatened was during the Congress regime, led by his ancestors. “I must tell him that there was only once in the history of Independent India, when Sikhs were forced to cut their hair, stop wearing ‘kadas’ and ‘turbans’ and conceal their identity. This happened in 1984 under the Congress regime. Many gurdwaras were locked while many others demolished, Sikhs were prohibited from visiting gurdwaras,” Sirsa said.

Issuing a sharp rebuttal to his charges, Sirsa said: “Today, even Rahul Gandhi has the freedom to visit the gurdwaras. Despite Rahul’s parents and grandmother’s direct hand in the massacre of the Sikhs, he can visit any gurdwara without any restriction and offer prayers.” Manjinder Sirsa also warned Rahul Gandhi against making the Sikhs a ‘tool’ for his political propaganda and said that he must refrain from brazenly peddling lies and fake narratives for scoring political points.

–IANS

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