Expressing deep concern and displeasure at the unabated spread of COVID-19 across the country’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh,  the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the state to clamp a lockdown in five major cities, including the state capital Lucknow, PM Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi, and three other cities where the magnitude of the problem had touched alarming proportions.  The Yogi Adityanath government, however, chose to stick to “no complete lockdown” policy and said that they will impose “stricter” measures instead.  Earlier today, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Siddharth Verma and Justice Ajit Kumar ordered that all establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, shall remain closed till April 26 in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur, adding that “the judiciary will however, function on its own discretion”. Also read: Manmohan Singh in hospital with Covid: PM, Rahul Gandhi wish 'speedy recovery'.  The order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by a large group of persons who sought to raise the issue of ‘Inhuman Conditions at quarantine centres and for providing better treatment to Corona Positive cases’. Conveying their anguish over the prevailing state of affairs, the bench observed,  “if a popular government has its own political compulsions in not checking public movements during this pandemic, we can not remain mere passive spectators.”. “Public health is the top most priority and call of the moment and any complacency of any degree today will cause havoc to people. We can’t shirk away from our constitutional duty to save innocent people from the pandemic which is spreading due to the negligence of a few. Thus in the larger public interest, we are called upon to pass orders to break the chain of the pandemic COVID-19,” the judges said. .  They went on to add, “we are of the considered view that in given scenario of the present time if people are restrained from going outside their homes for a week in the first instance, the current chain of spread of COVID infection can be broken and this will also give some respite to the frontline medical and health workers who would pay more attention to those patients who are already admitted. They would also get some sort of much required short rest as they are getting exhausted.”.  The local administration in the five named districts have been asked to notify their respective containment zones every day in two leading Hindi and English newspapers having wide circulation in each of the districts. . Also read: 'Vaccine biggest weapon against virus': PM Modi after meeting with doctors.  "Let a copy of this order be sent to the Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh today itself to enforce our above directions forthwith from the night of 19.04.2021 till 26.04.2021 in the cities of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, and Gorakhpur. Copies of this order shall also be placed before the District Magistrates of the concerned districts”, the bench further pointed out. So what are the lockdown measures ordered by the high court?.  As per the court’s order, “all shopping complexes and malls shall remain closed till 26th April, 2021. These will include all grocery shops and other commercial shops excluding medical shops, with more than three workers . All hotels, restaurants and even the small eating points on ‘thelas’ etc. shall also remain closed .” .  All public movements on roads would remain restricted completely, subject to above directions. Movements would be only allowed in case of medical help and emergencies. The bench has directed the state government to “go robust for implementing the current vaccination programme.”. Also read: UK adds India to travel 'red list' over COVID-19 surge.  It said, “all institutions like educational institutions and other institutions relating to other disciplines and activities ,be it government, semi government or private shall remain closed including for their teachers and instructors and other staff .” The bench sought to clarify that its order with respect to educational institutions would not be limited to just five districts , but to the entire state.  .  While all social functions and gatherings including marriage functions have also been banned during the period of this lockdown, the only exception that has been made is in case of such marriages which have been fixed from before. “However, in case of already fixed marriages a necessary further permission would have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the concerned district. Gatherings would be limited to 25 persons and the district magistrate concerned shall take decision after giving due consideration to the prevailing situation of the impact of Covid 19 including notification of containment zones in the area where such marriage has to take place”, the order added.  Not only all religious activities in public  have been suspended but even all religious establishments have been directed to remain closed until  April 26. The deep concern of the High Court is further reflected in its order that goes to the extent of telling even hawkers, including fruit, vegetable, milk and bread vendors to finish their business latest by 11 am. They will have to go off the road latest by 11 am every day until April 26, the order very explicitly stated. What did UP government say?. The Yogi Adityanath government was quick to come out with a clarification on “complete lockdown”. Stricter curbs but no lockdown, it said adding that “we are aware of the seriousness of the Covid spread in UP but we do not propose to impose a lockdown. Instead we will take more strict and effective measures to prevent further spread of the virus”, said the official spokesman through a press  statement issued late on Monday. Also read: Third Phase of COVID-19 vaccination to begin from May 1 : All you need to know.  It is learnt that the state government's unwillingness to implement the court order stems from its keenness to continue with the panchayat election process. In case the court order is implemented, then teachers will have to be sent off duty across the state and panchayat elections cannot be conducted without school teachers, who are specially detailed to do election duties. The Uttar Pradesh government will submit its reply before the court on its observations. Earlier also, the state government had been under fire from various quarters for going ahead with panchayat polls, where covid norms were just thrown to the winds. But even as the government was being accused of observing double standards, the chief minister did not change the panchayat election schedule. .  .  .

{\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"quote\",\"blockLen\":6863,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cp%3EExpressing%20deep%20concern%20and%20displeasure%20at%20the%20unabated%20spread%20of%20COVID-19%20across%20the%20country%u2019s%20most%20populous%20state%20of%20Uttar%20Pradesh%2C%26nbsp%3B%20the%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/allahabad-hc-orders-up-govt-to-close-all-establishments-in-5-cities-till-april-26%22%3EAllahabad%20High%20Court%20%3C/a%3Eon%20Monday%20directed%20the%20state%20to%20clamp%20a%20lockdown%20in%20five%20major%20cities%2C%20including%20the%20state%20capital%20Lucknow%2C%20PM%20Narendra%20Modi%u2019s%20constituency%20Varanasi%2C%20and%20three%20other%20cities%20where%20the%20magnitude%20of%20the%20problem%20had%20touched%20alarming%20proportions.%26nbsp%3B%20The%20Yogi%20Adityanath%20government%2C%20however%2C%20chose%20to%20stick%20to%20%u201Cno%20complete%20lockdown%u201D%20policy%20and%20said%20that%20they%20will%20impose%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/covid-surge-lock-down-lucknow-and-4-more-cities-for-a-week-orders-hc%22%3E%u201Cstricter%u201D%20measures%20instead.%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BEarlier%20today%2C%20a%20division%20bench%20of%20the%20High%20Court%20comprising%20Justice%20Siddharth%20Verma%20and%20Justice%20Ajit%20Kumar%20ordered%20that%20all%20establishments%20be%20it%20government%20or%20private%2C%20except%20financial%20institutions%20and%20financial%20departments%2C%20medical%20and%20health%20services%2C%20industrial%20and%20scientific%20establishments%2C%20essential%20services%20including%20municipal%20functions%2C%20and%20public%20transport%2C%20shall%20remain%20closed%20till%20April%2026%20in%20Lucknow%2C%20Prayagraj%2C%20Varanasi%2C%20Kanpur%20and%20Gorakhpur%2C%20adding%20that%20%u201Cthe%20judiciary%20will%20however%2C%20function%20on%20its%20own%20discretion%u201D.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAlso%20read%3A%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/manmohan-singh-in-hospital-with-covid-pm-rahul-gandhi-wish-speedy-recovery%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EManmohan%20Singh%20in%20hospital%20with%20Covid%3A%20PM%2C%20Rahul%20Gandhi%20wish%20%27speedy%20recovery%27%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BThe%20order%20came%20in%20response%20to%20a%20Public%20Interest%20Litigation%20%28PIL%29%20moved%20by%20a%20large%20group%20of%20persons%20who%20sought%20to%20raise%20the%20issue%20of%20%u2018Inhuman%20Conditions%20at%20quarantine%20centres%20and%20for%20providing%20better%20treatment%20to%20Corona%20Positive%20cases%u2019.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EConveying%20their%20anguish%20over%20the%20prevailing%20state%20of%20affairs%2C%20the%20bench%20observed%2C%26nbsp%3B%20%u201Cif%20a%20popular%20government%20has%20its%20own%20political%20compulsions%20in%20not%20checking%20public%20movements%20during%20this%20pandemic%2C%20we%20can%20not%20remain%20mere%20passive%20spectators.%u201D%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%u201CPublic%20health%20is%20the%20top%20most%20priority%20and%20call%20of%20the%20moment%20and%20any%20complacency%20of%20any%20degree%20today%20will%20cause%20havoc%20to%20people.%20We%20can%u2019t%20shirk%20away%20from%20our%20constitutional%20duty%20to%20save%20innocent%20people%20from%20the%20pandemic%20which%20is%20spreading%20due%20to%20the%20negligence%20of%20a%20few.%20Thus%20in%20the%20larger%20public%20interest%2C%20we%20are%20called%20upon%20to%20pass%20orders%20to%20break%20the%20chain%20of%20the%20pandemic%20COVID-19%2C%u201D%20the%20judges%20said.%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BThey%20went%20on%20to%20add%2C%20%u201Cwe%20are%20of%20the%20considered%20view%20that%20in%20given%20scenario%20of%20the%20present%20time%20if%20people%20are%20restrained%20from%20going%20outside%20their%20homes%20for%20a%20week%20in%20the%20first%20instance%2C%20the%20current%20chain%20of%20spread%20of%20COVID%20infection%20can%20be%20broken%20and%20this%20will%20also%20give%20some%20respite%20to%20the%20frontline%20medical%20and%20health%20workers%20who%20would%20pay%20more%20attention%20to%20those%20patients%20who%20are%20already%20admitted.%20They%20would%20also%20get%20some%20sort%20of%20much%20required%20short%20rest%20as%20they%20are%20getting%20exhausted.%u201D%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BThe%20local%20administration%20in%20the%20five%20named%20districts%20have%20been%20asked%20to%20notify%20their%20respective%20containment%20zones%20every%20day%20in%20two%20leading%20Hindi%20and%20English%20newspapers%20having%20wide%20circulation%20in%20each%20of%20the%20districts.%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAlso%20read%3A%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/vaccine-biggest-weapon-against-virus-pm-modi-after-meeting-with-doctors%22%3E%3Cstrong%3E%27Vaccine%20biggest%20weapon%20against%20virus%27%3A%20PM%20Modi%20after%20meeting%20with%20doctors%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3B%22Let%20a%20copy%20of%20this%20order%20be%20sent%20to%20the%20Chief%20Secretary%2C%20Government%20of%20Uttar%20Pradesh%20today%20itself%20to%20enforce%20our%20above%20directions%20forthwith%20from%20the%20night%20of%2019.04.2021%20till%2026.04.2021%20in%20the%20cities%20of%20Prayagraj%2C%20Lucknow%2C%20Varanasi%2C%20Kanpur%20Nagar%2C%20and%20Gorakhpur.%20Copies%20of%20this%20order%20shall%20also%20be%20placed%20before%20the%20District%20Magistrates%20of%20the%20concerned%20districts%u201D%2C%20the%20bench%20further%20pointed%20out.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESo%20what%20are%20the%20lockdown%20measures%20ordered%20by%20the%20high%20court%3F%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BAs%20per%20the%20court%u2019s%20order%2C%20%u201Call%20shopping%20complexes%20and%20malls%20shall%20remain%20closed%20till%2026th%20April%2C%202021.%20These%20will%20include%20all%20grocery%20shops%20and%20other%20commercial%20shops%20excluding%20medical%20shops%2C%20with%20more%20than%20three%20workers%20.%20All%20hotels%2C%20restaurants%20and%20even%20the%20small%20eating%20points%20on%20%u2018thelas%u2019%20etc.%20shall%20also%20remain%20closed%20.%u201D%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BAll%20public%20movements%20on%20roads%20would%20remain%20restricted%20completely%2C%20subject%20to%20above%20directions.%20Movements%20would%20be%20only%20allowed%20in%20case%20of%20medical%20help%20and%20emergencies.%20The%20bench%20has%20directed%20the%20state%20government%20to%20%u201Cgo%20robust%20for%20implementing%20the%20current%20vaccination%20programme.%u201D%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAlso%20read%3A%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/uk-adds-india-to-travel-red-list-over-covid-19-surge%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EUK%20adds%20India%20to%20travel%20%27red%20list%27%20over%20COVID-19%20surge%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BIt%20said%2C%20%u201Call%20institutions%20like%20educational%20institutions%20and%20other%20institutions%20relating%20to%20other%20disciplines%20and%20activities%20%2Cbe%20it%20government%2C%20semi%20government%20or%20private%20shall%20remain%20closed%20including%20for%20their%20teachers%20and%20instructors%20and%20other%20staff%20.%u201D%20The%20bench%20sought%20to%20clarify%20that%20its%20order%20with%20respect%20to%20educational%20institutions%20would%20not%20be%20limited%20to%20just%20five%20districts%20%2C%20but%20to%20the%20entire%20state.%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BWhile%20all%20social%20functions%20and%20gatherings%20including%20marriage%20functions%20have%20also%20been%20banned%20during%20the%20period%20of%20this%20lockdown%2C%20the%20only%20exception%20that%20has%20been%20made%20is%20in%20case%20of%20such%20marriages%20which%20have%20been%20fixed%20from%20before.%20%u201CHowever%2C%20in%20case%20of%20already%20fixed%20marriages%20a%20necessary%20further%20permission%20would%20have%20to%20be%20taken%20from%20the%20District%20Magistrate%20of%20the%20concerned%20district.%20Gatherings%20would%20be%20limited%20to%2025%20persons%20and%20the%20district%20magistrate%20concerned%20shall%20take%20decision%20after%20giving%20due%20consideration%20to%20the%20prevailing%20situation%20of%20the%20impact%20of%20Covid%2019%20including%20notification%20of%20containment%20zones%20in%20the%20area%20where%20such%20marriage%20has%20to%20take%20place%u201D%2C%20the%20order%20added.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BNot%20only%20all%20religious%20activities%20in%20public%26nbsp%3B%20have%20been%20suspended%20but%20even%20all%20religious%20establishments%20have%20been%20directed%20to%20remain%20closed%20until%26nbsp%3B%20April%2026.%20The%20deep%20concern%20of%20the%20High%20Court%20is%20further%20reflected%20in%20its%20order%20that%20goes%20to%20the%20extent%20of%20telling%20even%20hawkers%2C%20including%20fruit%2C%20vegetable%2C%20milk%20and%20bread%20vendors%20to%20finish%20their%20business%20latest%20by%2011%20am.%20They%20will%20have%20to%20go%20off%20the%20road%20latest%20by%2011%20am%20every%20day%20until%20April%2026%2C%20the%20order%20very%20explicitly%20stated.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat%20did%20UP%20government%20say%3F%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20Yogi%20Adityanath%20government%20was%20quick%20to%20come%20out%20with%20a%20clarification%20on%20%u201Ccomplete%20lockdown%u201D.%20Stricter%20curbs%20but%20no%20lockdown%2C%20it%20said%20adding%20that%20%u201Cwe%20are%20aware%20of%20the%20seriousness%20of%20the%20Covid%20spread%20in%20UP%20but%20we%20do%20not%20propose%20to%20impose%20a%20lockdown.%20Instead%20we%20will%20take%20more%20strict%20and%20effective%20measures%20to%20prevent%20further%20spread%20of%20the%20virus%u201D%2C%20said%20the%20official%20spokesman%20through%20a%20press%26nbsp%3B%20statement%20issued%20late%20on%20Monday.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAlso%20read%3A%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/third-phase-of-covid-19-vaccination-to-begin-from-may-1-all-you-need-to-know%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EThird%20Phase%20of%20COVID-19%20vaccination%20to%20begin%20from%20May%201%20%3A%20All%20you%20need%20to%20know%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3BIt%20is%20learnt%20that%20the%20state%20government%27s%20unwillingness%20to%20implement%20the%20court%20order%20stems%20from%20its%20keenness%20to%20continue%20with%20the%20panchayat%20election%20process.%20In%20case%20the%20court%20order%20is%20implemented%2C%20then%20teachers%20will%20have%20to%20be%20sent%20off%20duty%20across%20the%20state%20and%20panchayat%20elections%20cannot%20be%20conducted%20without%20school%20teachers%2C%20who%20are%20specially%20detailed%20to%20do%20election%20duties.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThe%20Uttar%20Pradesh%20government%20will%20submit%20its%20reply%20before%20the%20court%20on%20its%20observations.%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EEarlier%20also%2C%20the%20state%20government%20had%20been%20under%20fire%20from%20various%20quarters%20for%20going%20ahead%20with%20panchayat%20polls%2C%20where%20covid%20norms%20were%20just%20thrown%20to%20the%20winds.%20But%20even%20as%20the%20government%20was%20being%20accused%20of%20observing%20double%20standards%2C%20the%20chief%20minister%20did%20not%20change%20the%20panchayat%20election%20schedule.%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3E%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"quote\",\"blockLen\":1,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3B%3C/p%3E\"}}],\"rawState\":\"<blockquote>Expressing deep concern and displeasure at the unabated spread of COVID-19 across the country’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh,&nbsp; the <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/world/allahabad-hc-orders-up-govt-to-close-all-establishments-in-5-cities-till-april-26-235051/\\\">Allahabad High Court </a>on Monday directed the state to clamp a lockdown in five major cities, including the state capital Lucknow, PM Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi, and three other cities where the magnitude of the problem had touched alarming proportions.&nbsp; The Yogi Adityanath government, however, chose to stick to “no complete lockdown” policy and said that they will impose <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/covid-surge-lock-down-lucknow-and-4-more-cities-for-a-week-orders-hc-260502/\\\">“stricter” measures instead.</a>&nbsp;Earlier today, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Siddharth Verma and Justice Ajit Kumar ordered that all establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, shall remain closed till April 26 in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur, adding that “the judiciary will however, function on its own discretion”.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/manmohan-singh-in-hospital-with-covid-pm-rahul-gandhi-wish-speedy-recovery-533898/\\\">Manmohan Singh in hospital with Covid: PM, Rahul Gandhi wish 'speedy recovery'</a>&nbsp;The order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by a large group of persons who sought to raise the issue of ‘Inhuman Conditions at quarantine centres and for providing better treatment to Corona Positive cases’.Conveying their anguish over the prevailing state of affairs, the bench observed,&nbsp; “if a popular government has its own political compulsions in not checking public movements during this pandemic, we can not remain mere passive spectators.”“Public health is the top most priority and call of the moment and any complacency of any degree today will cause havoc to people. We can’t shirk away from our constitutional duty to save innocent people from the pandemic which is spreading due to the negligence of a few. Thus in the larger public interest, we are called upon to pass orders to break the chain of the pandemic COVID-19,” the judges said.&nbsp;&nbsp;They went on to add, “we are of the considered view that in given scenario of the present time if people are restrained from going outside their homes for a week in the first instance, the current chain of spread of COVID infection can be broken and this will also give some respite to the frontline medical and health workers who would pay more attention to those patients who are already admitted. They would also get some sort of much required short rest as they are getting exhausted.”&nbsp;The local administration in the five named districts have been asked to notify their respective containment zones every day in two leading Hindi and English newspapers having wide circulation in each of the districts.&nbsp;Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/health/vaccine-biggest-weapon-against-virus-pm-modi-after-meeting-with-doctors-332141/\\\">'Vaccine biggest weapon against virus': PM Modi after meeting with doctors</a>&nbsp;\\\"Let a copy of this order be sent to the Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh today itself to enforce our above directions forthwith from the night of 19.04.2021 till 26.04.2021 in the cities of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, and Gorakhpur. Copies of this order shall also be placed before the District Magistrates of the concerned districts”, the bench further pointed out.So what are the lockdown measures ordered by the high court?&nbsp;As per the court’s order, “all shopping complexes and malls shall remain closed till 26th April, 2021. These will include all grocery shops and other commercial shops excluding medical shops, with more than three workers . All hotels, restaurants and even the small eating points on ‘thelas’ etc. shall also remain closed .”&nbsp;&nbsp;All public movements on roads would remain restricted completely, subject to above directions. Movements would be only allowed in case of medical help and emergencies. The bench has directed the state government to “go robust for implementing the current vaccination programme.”Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/uk-adds-india-to-travel-red-list-over-covid-19-surge-514317/\\\">UK adds India to travel 'red list' over COVID-19 surge</a>&nbsp;It said, “all institutions like educational institutions and other institutions relating to other disciplines and activities ,be it government, semi government or private shall remain closed including for their teachers and instructors and other staff .” The bench sought to clarify that its order with respect to educational institutions would not be limited to just five districts , but to the entire state.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While all social functions and gatherings including marriage functions have also been banned during the period of this lockdown, the only exception that has been made is in case of such marriages which have been fixed from before. “However, in case of already fixed marriages a necessary further permission would have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the concerned district. Gatherings would be limited to 25 persons and the district magistrate concerned shall take decision after giving due consideration to the prevailing situation of the impact of Covid 19 including notification of containment zones in the area where such marriage has to take place”, the order added.&nbsp;Not only all religious activities in public&nbsp; have been suspended but even all religious establishments have been directed to remain closed until&nbsp; April 26. The deep concern of the High Court is further reflected in its order that goes to the extent of telling even hawkers, including fruit, vegetable, milk and bread vendors to finish their business latest by 11 am. They will have to go off the road latest by 11 am every day until April 26, the order very explicitly stated.What did UP government say?The Yogi Adityanath government was quick to come out with a clarification on “complete lockdown”. Stricter curbs but no lockdown, it said adding that “we are aware of the seriousness of the Covid spread in UP but we do not propose to impose a lockdown. Instead we will take more strict and effective measures to prevent further spread of the virus”, said the official spokesman through a press&nbsp; statement issued late on Monday.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/third-phase-of-covid-19-vaccination-to-begin-from-may-1-all-you-need-to-know-272385/\\\">Third Phase of COVID-19 vaccination to begin from May 1 : All you need to know</a>&nbsp;It is learnt that the state government's unwillingness to implement the court order stems from its keenness to continue with the panchayat election process. In case the court order is implemented, then teachers will have to be sent off duty across the state and panchayat elections cannot be conducted without school teachers, who are specially detailed to do election duties.The Uttar Pradesh government will submit its reply before the court on its observations.Earlier also, the state government had been under fire from various quarters for going ahead with panchayat polls, where covid norms were just thrown to the winds. But even as the government was being accused of observing double standards, the chief minister did not change the panchayat election schedule.&nbsp; &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>&nbsp;</blockquote>\",\"time\":1618853697049,\"strCount\":6864,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

Sharat Pradhan

<ul><li>The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the state to clamp a lockdown in five major cities</li><li>The UP government planned to not impose a lockdown but go for stricter restrictions</li><li>The Panchayat election schedule in UP remains unchanged</li></ul>

Lockdown%20or%20no%20lockdown%3F%20It%27s%20Yogi%20Adityanath%20government%20vs%20court%20in%20UP%20

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Narendra Modi government’s double standards became starkly visible on Wedneday, when it announced a major decision to cancel and postpone CBSE examinations, even as the gatherings at the on-going Haridwar Kumbh mela as also convergence of people in election-bound states continues unabated. The announcement to cancel examinations followed a meeting of Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi . It was decided to postpone the class 12 exams and cancel the class 10 board exams. . Also Read | 'Class 12 students are immune to COVID?': Twitter reacts after CBSE cancels Class 10 exams. The decision has led to much panic and chaos in the student community across the country. Reports coming in here from different places reflected mixed response from the stake-holders.  . Questions were being raised, not only on the mainstream but also the social media on different yardsticks being used  in dealing with examinations viz a viz political activities like elections or the uncontrolled socio-religious gatherings at the Haridwar Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela has been drawing more than 100,000 persons daily ever since it was officially opened on April 1. According to a senior spokesman of the Uttarakhand government, more than three million people had already taken their much desired dip in the Ganga so far. And there is no denying that COVID protocols have been violated with impunity. Senior cops have been heard admitting, “the crowds are so huge and spread for miles along the banks of the Ganga that is it impossible to ensure social distancing or to compel people to wear marks.”. Also Read | Covid surge: Can't link Kumbh and Markaz, says Uttarakhand CM, explains why. About the sadhus converging at Haridwar for the mela, less said the better. Many of them consider themselves “immune” from the pandemic because they think they were in Haridwar for the holiest of holy rituals. And on days of the ‘shahi snan’ (royal dip) like Wednesday, April 14, when nearly a million people were estimated to have taken the dip at the Himalayan town of Haridwar, any kind of enforcement was impossible. At one point, speculation was rife that the widespread criticism of the blatant violation of COVID norms would prompt the Uttarakhand government to prematurely close the Kumbh Mela on April 14 itself. However, the government apparently failed to convince the ‘akharas’ of sadhus to do so. And their argument is stated to be plain and simple – there was still another ‘shahi snan’ scheduled on April 27 and the ‘akharas’ were in no mood to give up their passion to take a dip on that last auspicious day. Some sadhus were of the view that the government had already reduced the span of the Kumbh mela to just 30 days, as against the usual schedule of 2-3 months. Thus, April 30 had been mutually accepted as the closing date already. Also Read | CBSE Class 10 exam cancelled: Here is how the students will be assessed. It is another matter that Uttarakhand recorded its highest COVID spike on Tuesday (April 13) , when 1,925 persons tested positive of which 1,000 cases were reported from Haridwar alone. The Centre, which decided to cancel CBSE examinations at the drop of the hat, could not muster up the gumption to persuade the Uttarakhand government to call off the celebrations prematurely. And sure enough, no political leader is interested in any argument against crowding of people during elections. Apart from assembly elections in the five states -  West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry - where both political leaders and the public have thrown all COVID protocols to the winds, elections to local panchayats were starting in Uttar Pradesh with effect from April 15. But no political party has cared to even initiate a move for postponement of these elections. Who does not know how these grassroot level elections are bound to give rise to big gatherings in all villages where the incidence of COVID has not been that severe so far. How it plays out only time will tell. Also Read | Decision on ICSE and ISC exam soon, board says reviewing COVID situation. On the contrary, authorities find students “easy and soft” targets for its diktat on cancellation or postponement of CBSE examinations. Quite glaringly, the fate of many students has been left in a limbo. After all, government has decided to review the situation with respect to CBSE class 12 examinations on June 1. Also Class 10 students have been asked to either accept the so-called “objective criterion” that the CBSE will adopt to make the final report cards, or take a special examination on which decision would be taken later. . Over 30 lakh students on an average take the CBSE class 10 and 12 board exams every year . . Since the entire academic session (2020-2021) was conducted online as schools remained shut due to the pandemic, confusion prevails even more among both students and teachers. There is no mechanism to entertain suggestions from students. Only if they were politicians, they could have prescribed their own rules. . #CBSE #PMModi #KumbhMela #Education #BoardExam #kumbh2021 #AssemblyElection #Health #covid19 .

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Modi government’s double standards became starkly visible on Wedneday, when it announced a major decision to <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/class-10-12-board-exams-postponed-395798/\\\">cancel and postpone CBSE examinations</a>, even as the gatherings at the on-going Haridwar Kumbh mela as also convergence of people in election-bound states continues unabated.The announcement to cancel examinations followed a meeting of Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi . It was decided to postpone the class 12 exams and cancel the class 10 board exams.&nbsp;Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/class-12-students-are-immune-to-covid-twitter-reacts-after-cbse-cancels-class-10-exams-501959/\\\">'Class 12 students are immune to COVID?': Twitter reacts after CBSE cancels Class 10 exams</a>The decision has led to much panic and chaos in the student community across the country. Reports coming in here from different places reflected mixed response from the stake-holders.&nbsp;&nbsp;Questions were being raised, not only on the mainstream but also the social media on different yardsticks being used&nbsp;&nbsp;in dealing with examinations viz a viz political activities like elections or the uncontrolled socio-religious gatherings at the <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/health/devotees-gather-at-haridwars-har-ki-pauri-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases-watch-465597/\\\">Haridwar Kumbh Mela</a>.The <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/uttarakhands-haridwar-sees-spike-in-covid-19-cases-amid-ongoing-kumbh-mela-425275/\\\">Kumbh Mela</a> has been drawing more than 100,000 persons daily ever since it was officially opened on April 1. According to a senior spokesman of the Uttarakhand government, more than three million people had already taken their much desired dip in the Ganga so far. And there is no denying that COVID protocols have been violated with impunity.Senior cops have been heard admitting, “the crowds are so huge and spread for miles along the banks of the Ganga that is it impossible to ensure social distancing or to compel people to wear marks.”Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/cant-compare-haridwar-kumbh-with-markaz-says-uttarakhand-cm-as-covid-cases-rise-655721/\\\">Covid surge: Can't link Kumbh and Markaz, says Uttarakhand CM, explains why</a>About the sadhus converging at Haridwar for the mela, less said the better. Many of them consider themselves “immune” from the pandemic because they think they were in Haridwar for the holiest of holy rituals. And on days of the ‘shahi snan’ (royal dip) like Wednesday, April 14, when nearly a million people were estimated to have taken the dip at the Himalayan town of Haridwar, any kind of enforcement was impossible.At one point, speculation was rife that the widespread criticism of the blatant violation of COVID norms would prompt the Uttarakhand government to prematurely close the Kumbh Mela on April 14 itself. However, the government apparently failed to convince the ‘akharas’ of sadhus to do so. And their argument is stated to be plain and simple – there was still another ‘shahi snan’ scheduled on April 27 and the ‘akharas’ were in no mood to give up their passion to take a dip on that last auspicious day.Some sadhus were of the view that the government had already reduced the span of the Kumbh mela to just 30 days, as against the usual schedule of 2-3 months. Thus, April 30 had been mutually accepted as the closing date already.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/cbse-class-10-exam-cancelled-here-is-how-the-students-will-be-assessed-602488/\\\">CBSE Class 10 exam cancelled: Here is how the students will be assessed</a>It is another matter that Uttarakhand recorded its highest COVID spike on Tuesday (April 13) , when 1,925 persons tested positive of which 1,000 cases were reported from Haridwar alone.The Centre, which decided to cancel CBSE examinations at the drop of the hat, could not muster up the gumption to persuade the Uttarakhand government to call off the celebrations prematurely.And sure enough, no political leader is interested in any argument against crowding of people during elections. Apart from assembly elections in the five states -&nbsp;&nbsp;West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry - where both political leaders and the public have thrown all COVID protocols to the winds, elections to local panchayats were starting in Uttar Pradesh with effect from April 15. But no political party has cared to even initiate a move for postponement of these elections. Who does not know how these grassroot level elections are bound to give rise to big gatherings in all villages where the incidence of COVID has not been that severe so far. How it plays out only time will tell.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/decision-on-icse-and-isc-exam-soon-board-says-reviewing-covid-situation-630886/\\\">Decision on ICSE and ISC exam soon, board says reviewing COVID situation</a>On the contrary, authorities find students “easy and soft” targets for its diktat on cancellation or postponement of CBSE examinations. Quite glaringly, the fate of many students has been left in a limbo. After all, government has decided to review the situation with respect to CBSE class 12 examinations on June 1. Also Class 10 students have been asked to either accept the so-called “objective criterion” that the CBSE will adopt to make the final report cards, or take a special examination on which decision would be taken later.&nbsp;Over 30 lakh students on an average take the CBSE class 10 and 12 board exams every year .&nbsp;Since the entire academic session (2020-2021) was conducted online as schools remained shut due to the pandemic, confusion prevails even more among both students and teachers. There is no mechanism to entertain suggestions from students. Only if they were politicians, they could have prescribed their own rules.&nbsp;<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#CBSE\\\" data-user-id=\\\"yZaYcoV3XBP0\\\" href=\\\"/topic/cbse\\\">#CBSE</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#PMModi\\\" data-user-id=\\\"RimmTWCKlKNg\\\" href=\\\"/topic/pmmodi\\\">#PMModi</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#KumbhMela\\\" data-user-id=\\\"wucTsYmW7waE\\\" href=\\\"/topic/kumbh-mela\\\">#KumbhMela</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Education\\\" data-user-id=\\\"pDJ4XmrPLztN\\\" href=\\\"/topic/education\\\">#Education</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#BoardExam\\\" data-user-id=\\\"n1qxeVjyd3qy\\\" href=\\\"/topic/board-exam\\\">#BoardExam</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#kumbh2021\\\" data-user-id=\\\"0AvU8NGvT7Zy\\\" href=\\\"/topic/kumbh2021\\\">#kumbh2021</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#AssemblyElection\\\" data-user-id=\\\"RP5Ad6KFROrz\\\" href=\\\"/topic/assembly-election\\\">#AssemblyElection</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Health\\\" data-user-id=\\\"2pSwu97y4loa\\\" href=\\\"/topic/health\\\">#Health</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#covid19\\\" data-user-id=\\\"S9X5iTjQfBZD\\\" href=\\\"/topic/covid19\\\">#covid19</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1618413370803,\"strCount\":5135,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>The Narendra Modi government has cancelled and postponed the CBSE board exams for Class 10 and 12 respectively</li><li>The decision has led to much panic and chaos in the student community across the country</li><li>&nbsp;The Kumbh Mela has been drawing more than 100,000 persons daily ever since it was officially opened on April 1&nbsp;</li></ul>

CBSE%20vs%20Kumbh%3A%20Contrasting%20calls%20by%20Centre%20amid%20COVID%20surge

CBSE

kumbhmela

Education

BoardExam

kumbh2021

AssemblyElection

Health

covid19

Besides abundance of self-praise, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may have received showers of praise from several quarters, including an advertorial in the Time magazine. But back home in Lucknow, what has come as a stark embarrassment to him is some sharp criticism by none other than his own cabinet colleague. . And while the state is looking at a grim Covid crisis, the pandemic extended its tentacles to the portals of the chief minister's office as well. Through a tweet, Yogi Adityanath announced today that he has tested postive for coronavirus and is in "self isolation" since Tuesday. His staff members, which includes principal secretary-cum-additional chief secretary S.P Goel, secretary Amit Singh and OSD Abhishek Kaushik, were also tested Covid positive on Tuesday. . Also read: After Ayodhya, the new bone of contention is Kashi. UP Law Minister Brijesh Pathak, who represents a local assembly constituency, late Monday evening, shot off a letter to the state’s top health authorities, lambasting them for extremely poor COVID management in the state capital here. The “highly confidential” letter addressed to Additional Chief Secretary (Health) and Principal Secretary (Medical Education) found its way to social media and has since gone viral. . It speaks volumes of the disgust of the minister with various aspects of COVID handling including non-availability of ambulance, acute difficulty in admission of patients in hospitals, deluged with rush of COVID positive cases, for whom the number of beds is grossly inadequate.  . Also read: 'How can we arrange freezers for so many bodies?' Chhattisgarh medic. The minister has gone to the extent of blaming the state machinery for the death of renowned historian and Padamshree awardee Yogesh Praveen, who waited in vain for hours to get an ambulance before finally succumbing to the pandemic. “Despite my personal intervention and my direct talk with the chief medical officer and other concerned officials, neither an ambulance could be provided to Dr Yogesh Praveen nor could he be provided any treatment following which he passed away unattended”, Pathak lamented. He has raised serious issues like a sudden and repeated ban on COVID testing by private labs and a systematic slowdown in the testing process in all government labs. He wonders why the state government was not able to ensure an adequate supply of testing kits while urging the authorities to increase the number of beds in all hospitals to meet the increasing rush of COVID patients. . Also read: The 16-year-old rivalry between Mukhtar Ansari and Yogi Adityanath. The focus of the minister was essentially on Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous northern state, largely because the city alone accounts for 25% of the state’s total COVID cases. Addition of three more districts – Kanpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj (Allahabad) takes care of 50% of the state’s overall COVID cases. UP has a total of 75 districts. Bulk of the remaining districts show extremely low occurrence, which arouses doubts and suspicion. It is clearly evident that the number of tests done in these places is abysmally low. Even some of the heavily populated districts of both Eastern and Western districts show the daily tally of fresh COVID cases only in double digits. According to insiders who do not wish to be quoted, the priority of the administration lay in keeping the numbers as low as possible, irrespective of the ground reality. . Also read: Lockdown? Maharashtra set to announce new guidelines, says minister. About shutting of private labs by the administration, it is said that the administration was unhappy with the private labs because the percentage of COVID positive cases reported by these labs was high. Sure enough, the shutting of private labs on one pretext or the other did help to bring down the number of fresh cases. What further added to the decline in the number of cases was the sudden slowdown in the COVID testing process in all government-run labs. No wonder, the most reliable of all tests - RT-PCR - which used to take 12 - 48 hours until Saturday, is now taking 2–6 day – something over which Minister Brijesh Pathak too has raised many questions. . Meanwhile, experts believe that this systematic slowdown will naturally depict a convenient drop in the daily count, thereby drawing a neat curtain over the actual spike in cases. As of Tuesday, there were 95,980 active cases in the state of which as many as 27,385 were from Lucknow alone. Significantly, with nearly 5,400 fresh cases springing up on Tuesday, Lucknow has registered the highest spike over a single day, during which the entire state registered 18,021 fresh cases. That way, Lucknow takes nearly one-third share of the day’s new cases in the entire state. Also read: India approves Sputnik V: How it works, efficacy, similarity with other vaccines. About the official statistics on the number of deaths, less said the better. As per the official press release, there were only 18 COVID deaths in the state capital, when ground reports suggested much higher casualties. The city’s only electric crematorium and the two conventional cremation grounds recorded as many as 59 bodies of which 48 were stated to be COVID. In addition, several burials were reported from the city’s main graveyards, which surely takes the toll even higher. Meanwhile, an official spokesman confirmed the state-wide COVID toll to 85. . The UP government may be basking in the glory of the kudos it has received from the prestigious Time magazine for its adept handling of COVID in the state, as also more recently by a special team of the Harvard University. Also read: Yogi Adityanath completes 4 years as CM, a fact check on his growth claims . The Time magazine praise has already been traced to an advertorial (or paid news). Sooner or later, the Harvard mystery may also get unravelled. . Now, with Yogi’s own cabinet minister having given the wake-up call, it is time for the chief minister to come to grips with the ground reality rather than continuing to pat his own back while relying on illusory data fed by mandarins, who were out to make their own brownie points. . #YogiAdityanath #UttarPradesh #Covid19 #Health #Politics #SocialMedia #India #Coronavirus .

<ul><li>Yogi Adityanath has tested positive for coronavirus today</li><li>UP minister has blamed the state machinery for the death of renowned historian Yogesh Praveen</li><li>Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday recorded the highest-ever single-day spike of 18,021 coronavirus cases</li></ul>

COVID%20surge%3A%20UP%20minister%27s%20%27confidential%27%20letter%20has%20questions%20for%20Yogi%20Adityanath

YogiAdityanath

UttarPradesh

Politics

SocialMedia

India

Coronavirus

The Varanasi district court on Thursday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to start excavations to confirm the existence of any remains of a Shiva temple deep under the Gyanvapi mosque which lies in close proximity to the world-famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the ancient town. “The prime purpose of the Archaeological Survey shall be to find out whether the religious structure standing at present at the 'disputed site' is a superimposition, alteration or addition or there is a structural overlapping of any kind, with or over, any other religious structure", the court said in its order. Also Read: The 16-year-old rivalry between Mukhtar Ansari and Yogi Adityanath. The order came as a huge surprise to all and sundry and has created much sensation owing to the controversial history of the co-existence of a mosque and temple at the site. . According to recorded history, the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17thcentury after alleged partial demolition of the much older Kashi Vishwanath temple, believed to have been built more than 2000 years ago. . The issue had been pending before the court for nearly three decades.  The case seeking restoration of worshipping rights inside the precincts of the mosque was filed way back in 1991 on behalf of the deity of Swayambhu Jyotirlanga Bhagwan Visheshwar. . The petitioners sought restoration of the entire land on which the mosque was erected. It was contended that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act did not apply in this case as the mosque was built after partial demolition of the temple, whose remains were explicitly visible at various places along the walls of the mosque. . Also Read: On death row, she may be remorseful but no ‘Shabnams’ in village where she killed 7. In 1998, the mosque management committee moved the Allahabad High Court, the proceedings in the district court. The committee contended that the matter could not be adjudicated by a local level civil court. The stay remained in place for 22 years until an application was moved by the Hindu petitioners in February 2020 to reopen the case in the lower court, on the plea that the stay granted by the High Court had outlived its validity. Significantly, that was shortly after the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief  Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi passed its verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya Ram temple case on November 9, 2019. This time the petitioners also sought restoration of darshan, pooja, aarti, bhog, and performance of rituals at 'sthan' of Lord Adi Visheshwar and of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri and other deities within this temple-mosque complex. Also Read: Yogi Adityanath completes 4 years as CM, a fact check on his growth claims. It was pointed out in the application that the jyotirlinga, present on the same complex (Kashi Vishwanath temple), was damaged in 1669 by Aurangzeb, but certain other Hindu deities continued to exist within the complex, but as part of the Gyanvapi mosque. Separate petitions were filed by different lawyers on behalf of each of the deities. One application was filed by lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri on behalf of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri as her devotee and next friend while Jatinder Singh 'Vishen' moved an application as a devotee and next friend of Asthan Lord Adi Visheshwar. Among the other petitioners was advocate Hari Shankar Jain who had been contesting major cases on behalf of Hindu deities including the Krishna Janmbhoomi in Mathura. Thursday’s order came in the long-pending case with a clear–cut direction to ASI to carry out a survey to ascertain whether there were any remains of the ancient temple underneath the mosque. The court has asked ASI to form a five-member panel which would include two members from the minority community too. #RamTemple #Ayodhya #kashi #YogiAdityanath .

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ner%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/yogi-adityanath-completes-4-years-as-cm-a-fact-check-on-his-growth-claims%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EYogi%20Adityanath%20completes%204%20years%20as%20CM%2C%20a%20fact%20check%20on%20his%20growth%20claims%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":255,\"data\":{\"text\":\"It%20was%20pointed%20out%20in%20the%20application%20that%20the%20jyotirlinga%2C%20present%20on%20the%20same%20complex%20%28Kashi%20Vishwanath%20temple%29%2C%20was%20damaged%20in%201669%20by%20Aurangzeb%2C%20but%20certain%20other%20Hindu%20deities%20continued%20to%20exist%20within%20the%20complex%2C%20but%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Gyanvapi%20mosque.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":487,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Separate%20petitions%20were%20filed%20by%20different%20lawyers%20on%20behalf%20of%20each%20of%20the%20deities.%20One%20application%20was%20filed%20by%20lawyer%20Ranjana%20Agnihotri%20on%20behalf%20of%20Goddess%20Maa%20Shringar%20Gauri%20as%20her%20devotee%20and%20next%20friend%20while%20Jatinder%20Singh%20%27Vishen%27%20moved%20an%20application%20as%20a%20devotee%20and%20next%20friend%20of%20Asthan%20Lord%20Adi%20Visheshwar.%20Among%20the%20other%20petitioners%20was%20advocate%20Hari%20Shankar%20Jain%20who%20had%20been%20contesting%20major%20cases%20on%20behalf%20of%20Hindu%20deities%20including%20the%20Krishna%20Janmbhoomi%20in%20Mathura.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":308,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Thursday%u2019s%20order%20came%20in%20the%20long-pending%20case%20with%20a%20clear%u2013cut%20direction%20to%20ASI%20to%20carry%20out%20a%20survey%20to%20ascertain%20whether%20there%20were%20any%20remains%20of%20the%20ancient%20temple%20underneath%20the%20mosque.%20The%20court%20has%20asked%20ASI%20to%20form%20a%20five-member%20panel%20which%20would%20include%20two%20members%20from%20the%20minority%20community%20too.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":43,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23RamTemple%22%20data-user-id%3D%22vQm3fQHpwiDS%22%20href%3D%22/topic/ramtemple%22%3E%23RamTemple%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Ayodhya%22%20data-user-id%3D%22NWBmyg0fd2YY%22%20href%3D%22/topic/ayodhya%22%3E%23Ayodhya%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23kashi%22%20data-user-id%3D%22tekTyeSazBqb%22%20href%3D%22/topic/kashi%22%3E%23kashi%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23YogiAdityanath%22%20data-user-id%3D%221mRxqLHD8glt%22%20href%3D%22/topic/yogiadityanath%22%3E%23YogiAdityanath%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"The Varanasi district court on Thursday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to start excavations to confirm the existence of any remains of a Shiva temple deep under the Gyanvapi mosque which lies in close proximity to the world-famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the ancient town.“The prime purpose of the Archaeological Survey shall be to find out whether the religious structure standing at present at the 'disputed site' is a superimposition, alteration or addition or there is a structural overlapping of any kind, with or over, any other religious structure\\\", the court said in its order.Also Read:&nbsp;<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/mukhtar-ansari-and-yogi-adityanath-remained-at-loggerheads-since-2005-316372/\\\">The 16-year-old rivalry between Mukhtar Ansari and Yogi Adityanath</a>The order came as a huge surprise to all and sundry and has created much sensation owing to the controversial history of the co-existence of a mosque and temple at the site.&nbsp;According to recorded history, the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17thcentury after alleged partial demolition of the much older Kashi Vishwanath temple, believed to have been built more than 2000 years ago.&nbsp;The issue had been pending before the court for nearly three decades.&nbsp;&nbsp;The case seeking restoration of worshipping rights inside the precincts of the mosque was filed way back in 1991 on behalf of the deity of Swayambhu Jyotirlanga Bhagwan Visheshwar.&nbsp;The petitioners sought restoration of the entire land on which the mosque was erected. It was contended that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act did not apply in this case as the mosque was built after partial demolition of the temple, whose remains were explicitly visible at various places along the walls of the mosque.&nbsp;Also Read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/on-death-row-she-may-be-remorseful-but-no-shabnams-in-village-where-she-killed-480009/\\\">On death row, she may be remorseful but no ‘Shabnams’ in village where she killed 7</a>In 1998, the mosque management committee moved the Allahabad High Court, the proceedings in the district court. The committee contended that the matter could not be adjudicated by a local level civil court. The stay remained in place for 22 years until an application was moved by the Hindu petitioners in February 2020 to reopen the case in the lower court, on the plea that the stay granted by the High Court had outlived its validity.Significantly, that was shortly after the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief&nbsp;&nbsp;Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi passed its verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya Ram temple case on November 9, 2019.This time the petitioners also sought restoration of darshan, pooja, aarti, bhog, and performance of rituals at 'sthan' of Lord Adi Visheshwar and of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri and other deities within this temple-mosque complex.Also Read:&nbsp;<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/yogi-adityanath-completes-4-years-as-cm-a-fact-check-on-his-growth-claims-294542/\\\">Yogi Adityanath completes 4 years as CM, a fact check on his growth claims</a>It was pointed out in the application that the jyotirlinga, present on the same complex (Kashi Vishwanath temple), was damaged in 1669 by Aurangzeb, but certain other Hindu deities continued to exist within the complex, but as part of the Gyanvapi mosque.Separate petitions were filed by different lawyers on behalf of each of the deities. One application was filed by lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri on behalf of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri as her devotee and next friend while Jatinder Singh 'Vishen' moved an application as a devotee and next friend of Asthan Lord Adi Visheshwar. Among the other petitioners was advocate Hari Shankar Jain who had been contesting major cases on behalf of Hindu deities including the Krishna Janmbhoomi in Mathura.Thursday’s order came in the long-pending case with a clear–cut direction to ASI to carry out a survey to ascertain whether there were any remains of the ancient temple underneath the mosque. The court has asked ASI to form a five-member panel which would include two members from the minority community too.<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#RamTemple\\\" data-user-id=\\\"vQm3fQHpwiDS\\\" href=\\\"/topic/ramtemple\\\">#RamTemple</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Ayodhya\\\" data-user-id=\\\"NWBmyg0fd2YY\\\" href=\\\"/topic/ayodhya\\\">#Ayodhya</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#kashi\\\" data-user-id=\\\"tekTyeSazBqb\\\" href=\\\"/topic/kashi\\\">#kashi</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#YogiAdityanath\\\" data-user-id=\\\"1mRxqLHD8glt\\\" href=\\\"/topic/yogiadityanath\\\">#YogiAdityanath</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1617948201546,\"strCount\":3808,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

According to recorded history, the Gyanvapi mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century after alleged partial demolition of the much older Kashi Vishwanath temple, believed to have been built more than 2000 years ago.&nbsp;

After%20Ayodhya%2C%20the%20new%20bone%20of%20contention%20is%20Kashi

RamTemple

Ayodhya

kashi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and dreaded mafia don Mukhtar Ansari have been at loggerheads since 2005, when a communal riot broke out in Mau district in the Eastern corner of UP. A prominent MP from the neighbouring Gorakhpur parliamentary seat, Yogi Adityanath also used to head the Hindu Yuva Vahini, that was also accused of inciting the riots. . Shortly after the riots, this scribe went to the riot affected areas. But when Ansari was confronted with the accusation of fuelling the clashes, he flatly denied his involvement. . Also Read | Why is BSP legislator Mukhtar Ansari wanted in Uttar Pradesh?. Interestingly, he found a very unique way to put across his argument. . “Apne-apne naam batao” (give out your names), he told his half-a-dozen-odd body-guards, who were surrounding the court-yard in his house in Mohammadabad town of Ghazipur district, where this scribe had gone along with a camera team to interview him. What came as a big surprise was that six out of the seven body-guards were Hindus. And that was where lay the catch. Pointing towards the body-guards, he shot back , “Ye woh log hain jinki wajah se hum aapke samne zinda khare hain; agar humari soch zara si bhi communal hoti toh kya hum apni zindagi ki suraksha inke haathon mein dete?” (These are the people because of whom I am standing here alive before you; if I had the least communal bent of mind, do you think I would have entrusted the safety and security of my life in their hands?). Also Read | All about Mukhtar Ansari, BSP legislator being shifted from Punjab to UP jail. Also, when asked to comment on his alleged involvement in terrorist activities (he was once booked under POTA), Ansari  took us deeper inside his home to the sitting room , with several black-and-white portraits and pictures adorned the walls. And before we could take a closer peek at the pictures, Ansari went about rattling , “ye mera khandan hai ; in tasveeron mein aapko kai jaane-mane desh ki azadi ke heroes dikhenge jinme hain humare dada Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, jinka azadi ki jung mein bara yogdaan raha aur woh Congress ke bhi bahut unche padon par aasin rahe. Inke saath aap dekhenge Brigadier Mohammad Usman, jinhe log ‘sher-e-Naushera’ ke naam se behtar jante hain kyunki Kashmir ki jung jitney ke liye unhe Mahavir chakra se nawaza gaya tha. (these are my ancestors ; you will find many well known  freedom-fighters in these pictures,  including my own paternal grandfather Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, a prominent Congress leader, who was also a close lieutenant of Mahatma Gandhi, as also my maternal grand-uncle Brigadier Mohammad  Usman, who is better known as the ‘lion of Naushera’ for which he received the prestigious Mahavir Chakra). He also boasted of his relationship with former Vice President  Dr Hamid Ansari. Significantly, Delhi’s Ansari Road in Daryaganj and Ansari Nagar , after Mukhtar’s grandfather. Also Read | Will Mamata's attempt to forge an anti-BJP united front cut any ice?. That was Mukhtar’s way of telling you , ‘my name is Mukhtar Ansari, but I am not a terrorist’ !. However, there can be no denying that he had turned out to be the black sheep of the family. And today, if all eyes were on him, as he was being brought by a controversial UP police from Punjab jail back to the Banda jail in UP, they were for all the wrong reasons. He is believed to have been avoiding his return to UP for the simple fear that he could meet the same fate as outlaw Vikas Dubey, who was gunned down in a very shoddily carried out encounter , while being brought by the UP cops from Madhya Pradesh to UP. #MukhtarAnsari #YogiAdityanath #UttarPradesh #Crime #Politics .

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%20known%20as%20the%20%u2018lion%20of%20Naushera%u2019%20for%20which%20he%20received%20the%20prestigious%20Mahavir%20Chakra%29.%20He%20also%20boasted%20of%20his%20relationship%20with%20former%20Vice%20President%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3BDr%20Hamid%20Ansari.%20Significantly%2C%20Delhi%u2019s%20Ansari%20Road%20in%20Daryaganj%20and%20Ansari%20Nagar%20%2C%20after%20Mukhtar%u2019s%20grandfather.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":80,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%3C/strong%3E%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/will-mamatas-attempt-to-forge-an-anti-bjp-united-front-cut-any-ice%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EWill%20Mamata%27s%20attempt%20to%20forge%20an%20anti-BJP%20united%20front%20cut%20any%20ice%3F%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":95,\"data\":{\"text\":\"That%20was%20Mukhtar%u2019s%20way%20of%20telling%20you%20%2C%20%u2018my%20name%20is%20Mukhtar%20Ansari%2C%20but%20I%20am%20not%20a%20terrorist%u2019%20%21\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":520,\"data\":{\"text\":\"However%2C%20there%20can%20be%20no%20denying%20that%20he%20had%20turned%20out%20to%20be%20the%20black%20sheep%20of%20the%20family.%20And%20today%2C%20if%20all%20eyes%20were%20on%20him%2C%20as%20he%20was%20being%20brought%20by%20a%20controversial%20UP%20police%20from%20Punjab%20jail%20back%20to%20the%20Banda%20jail%20in%20UP%2C%20they%20were%20for%20all%20the%20wrong%20reasons.%20He%20is%20believed%20to%20have%20been%20avoiding%20his%20return%20to%20UP%20for%20the%20simple%20fear%20that%20he%20could%20meet%20the%20same%20fate%20as%20outlaw%20Vikas%20Dubey%2C%20who%20was%20gunned%20down%20in%20a%20very%20shoddily%20carried%20out%20encounter%20%2C%20while%20being%20brought%20by%20the%20UP%20cops%20from%20Madhya%20Pradesh%20to%20UP.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":62,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23MukhtarAnsari%22%20data-user-id%3D%22ZcM59NBp7jeQ%22%20href%3D%22/topic/mukhtaransari%22%3E%23MukhtarAnsari%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23YogiAdityanath%22%20data-user-id%3D%22leobAMdwHc03%22%20href%3D%22/topic/yogi-adityanath%22%3E%23YogiAdityanath%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23UttarPradesh%22%20data-user-id%3D%228fpxFfZw7Hfa%22%20href%3D%22/topic/uttar-pradesh%22%3E%23UttarPradesh%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Crime%22%20data-user-id%3D%22EGJnITnzTXyD%22%20href%3D%22/topic/crime%22%3E%23Crime%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Politics%22%20data-user-id%3D%22ODQ1kqHlUPEu%22%20href%3D%22/topic/politics%22%3E%23Politics%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/yogi-adityanath-completes-4-years-as-cm-a-fact-check-on-his-growth-claims-294542/\\\">Yogi Adityanath</a> and dreaded mafia don Mukhtar Ansari have been at loggerheads since 2005, when a communal riot broke out in Mau district in the&nbsp;Eastern corner of UP.A prominent MP from the neighbouring Gorakhpur parliamentary seat, Yogi Adityanath also used to head the Hindu Yuva Vahini, that was also accused of inciting the riots.&nbsp;Shortly after the riots, this scribe went to the riot affected areas. But when Ansari was confronted with the accusation of fuelling the clashes, he flatly denied his involvement.&nbsp;Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/why-bsp-legislator-mukhtar-ansari-is-wanted-in-uttar-pradesh-554149/\\\">Why is BSP legislator Mukhtar Ansari wanted in Uttar Pradesh?</a>Interestingly, he found a very unique way to put across his argument.&nbsp;“Apne-apne naam batao” (give out your names), he told his half-a-dozen-odd body-guards, who were surrounding the court-yard in his house in Mohammadabad town of Ghazipur district, where this scribe had gone along with a camera team to interview him. What came as a big surprise was that six out of the seven body-guards&nbsp;were Hindus.And that was where lay the catch. Pointing towards the body-guards, he shot back , “Ye woh log hain jinki wajah se hum aapke samne&nbsp;zinda khare hain; agar humari soch zara si bhi communal hoti toh kya hum apni zindagi ki suraksha inke haathon mein dete?” (These are the people because of whom I am standing here alive before you; if I had the least communal bent of mind, do you think I would have entrusted the safety and security of my life in their hands?)Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/all-about-mukhtar-ansari-the-bsp-mla-being-brought-from-punjab-jail-to-uttar-pradesh-159857/\\\">All about Mukhtar Ansari, BSP legislator being shifted from Punjab to UP jail</a>Also, when asked to comment on his alleged involvement in terrorist activities (he was once booked under POTA), Ansari&nbsp;&nbsp;took us deeper inside his home to the sitting room , with several black-and-white portraits and pictures adorned the walls. And before we could take a closer peek at the pictures, Ansari went about rattling , “ye mera khandan hai ; in tasveeron mein aapko kai jaane-mane desh ki azadi ke heroes dikhenge jinme hain humare dada Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, jinka azadi ki jung mein bara yogdaan raha aur woh Congress ke bhi bahut unche padon par aasin rahe. Inke saath aap dekhenge Brigadier Mohammad Usman, jinhe log ‘sher-e-Naushera’ ke naam se behtar jante hain kyunki Kashmir ki jung jitney ke liye unhe Mahavir chakra se nawaza gaya tha. (these are my ancestors ; you will find many well known&nbsp;&nbsp;freedom-fighters in these pictures,&nbsp;&nbsp;including my own paternal grandfather Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, a prominent Congress leader, who was also a close lieutenant of Mahatma Gandhi, as also my maternal grand-uncle Brigadier Mohammad&nbsp;&nbsp;Usman, who is better known as the ‘lion of Naushera’ for which he received the prestigious Mahavir Chakra). He also boasted of his relationship with former Vice President&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Hamid Ansari. Significantly, Delhi’s Ansari Road in Daryaganj and Ansari Nagar , after Mukhtar’s grandfather.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/will-mamatas-attempt-to-forge-an-anti-bjp-united-front-cut-any-ice-198543/\\\">Will Mamata's attempt to forge an anti-BJP united front cut any ice?</a>That was Mukhtar’s way of telling you , ‘my name is Mukhtar Ansari, but I am not a terrorist’ !However, there can be no denying that he had turned out to be the black sheep of the family. And today, if all eyes were on him, as he was being brought by a controversial UP police from Punjab jail back to the Banda jail in UP, they were for all the wrong reasons. He is believed to have been avoiding his return to UP for the simple fear that he could meet the same fate as outlaw Vikas Dubey, who was gunned down in a very shoddily carried out encounter , while being brought by the UP cops from Madhya Pradesh to UP.<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#MukhtarAnsari\\\" data-user-id=\\\"ZcM59NBp7jeQ\\\" href=\\\"/topic/mukhtaransari\\\">#MukhtarAnsari</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#YogiAdityanath\\\" data-user-id=\\\"leobAMdwHc03\\\" href=\\\"/topic/yogi-adityanath\\\">#YogiAdityanath</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#UttarPradesh\\\" data-user-id=\\\"8fpxFfZw7Hfa\\\" href=\\\"/topic/uttar-pradesh\\\">#UttarPradesh</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Crime\\\" data-user-id=\\\"EGJnITnzTXyD\\\" href=\\\"/topic/crime\\\">#Crime</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Politics\\\" data-user-id=\\\"ODQ1kqHlUPEu\\\" href=\\\"/topic/politics\\\">#Politics</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1617724237930,\"strCount\":3653,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and dreaded mafia don Mukhtar Ansari have been at loggerheads since 2005, when a communal riot broke out in Mau district in the&nbsp;Eastern corner of UP

The%2016-year-old%20rivalry%20between%20Mukhtar%20Ansari%20and%20Yogi%20Adityanath

MukhtarAnsari

Crime

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s letter to leaders of all prominent opposition parties across the country is being interpreted in many ways. Surely, the attempt was rather late in the day. While some see it as a reflection of Mamata’s fading confidence in the face of fighting the might of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has left no stone unturned to re-write the political destiny of West Bengal, others find it as an initiative to make her mark in national politics. Also read: West Bengal elections phase 3: Voting begins in 31 constituencies. Whatever be the actual reason for her sudden call even to those parties that are currently pitted against TMC in poll-bound West Bengal, the message is loud and clear that Mamata has taken the lead to mobilise support against a seemingly invincible  BJP. . Her call could be triggered by her own insecurity at the hustings as she is struggling to retain the Nandigram seat where she is facing a challenge from none other than her own one-time protégé Suvendu Adhikari who switched loyalties to the BJP.  The manner in which the top BJP leadership has sought to corner  Mamata only proves the determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his second-in-command Amit Shah to establish a BJP rule in that state where it could not even dream of a foothold until about seven years ago. Ironically, it was none other than Mamata who ushered the saffron brigade into the precincts of West Bengal while she was then battling to oust the deeply entrenched CPM from power. She might have been at loggerheads with the same Congress, whose top leadership she was trying to now woo. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is among the most prominent opposition leaders to whom Mamata has addressed the letter. Today, she is busy moving heaven and earth to retain her hold over the state, in the face of unprecedented odds. Perhaps, West Bengal is witnessing a communal divide that it has not seen since the partition days in 1947. And it is not just some lumpen element that is indulging in this Hindu-Muslim hate politics that is being played openly on the streets of Bengal. Such a campaign is being led by the likes of prime minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, among other rabble-rousing speakers like Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Modi himself made it a point to label Mamata as “anti-Hindu” because she refused to chant “Jai Shree Ram” at an event where some BJP supporters raised cries of the favourite Hindutva slogan to which Mamata took offence. She argued that it was not the BJP's party event but an official function. However, in the bargain became clearly evident that she definitely eroded her own support base but also sort of proved Modi right. A sustained campaign by the Hindutva brigade only ended up proving Modi right.  Eventually, Mamata was compelled to issue repeated clarifications about herself being a Hindu.  More recently, she was heard declaring her “gotra” so that she could convince her own electorate that she was a “shandilya” Brahmin.  . It may be a little too late in the day to be seeking support from the opposition parties at this juncture when a part of the 8-phased poll is over. Yet, there can be no denying that Mamata’s letter to the opposition leaders is also aimed at making them introspect on the urgent need to put up a united front against the BJP juggernaut. Mamata’s apprehension that the BJP leadership is out to establish a “one-party authoritarian rule” in the country also does not appear to be too far-fetched. That is the reason she has gone ahead appealing even to the ‘not-so-like-minded’ parties and even to such outfits which cannot see eye to eye between themselves. It is most unlikely that such a message would go unheeded. It would make the opposition realize that the very foundations of democracy are under threat. Therefore, a call for unity needs not be taken with a pinch of salt. Clearly, it is the need of the hour. And Mamata’s bid to remind other opposition parties about it deserves appreciation. It need not be looked at with suspicion or with contempt. Mamata’s call for unity might have been triggered by an instinct for survival yet there can be no denying that at the end of the day she was talking about protecting democracy and its fundamental values that were being trampled and eroded with impunity. It was therefore no surprise when she openly went about imploring Muslims to see that their vote does not get split to the advantage of BJP. Surely, that is a strong message to  the Congress which continues to enjoy the support of a small section of the minority community. Also read: EC slams Mamata Banerjee: Get your facts right, it doesn't suit a CM. It may not be appropriate to equate Mamata with Jai Prakash Narayan, who raised a potent force of otherwise ideologically opposed political parties to fight the might of Indira Gandhi in the mid-seventies. Yet, it would be unfair to dismiss the initiative on the suspicion that she was aspiring to emerge as one. Let her be in the shoes of a Raj Narain, a Jagjivan Ram or Chandrashekhar or for that matter a Biju Patnaik, even if she could not be exalted to the position of an Atal Behari Vajpayee or a Morarji Desai. Surely, that would lend some hope in the direction of preserving the fundamental democratic norms and values. #MamataBanerjee #NarendraModi #Politics #WestBengalElection2021 #TrinamoolCongress #WestBengal .

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tion%3D%22%23MamataBanerjee%22%20data-user-id%3D%22LMdWDJPhBJGM%22%20href%3D%22/topic/mamatabanerjee%22%3E%23MamataBanerjee%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23NarendraModi%22%20data-user-id%3D%222Mx5OKBUbZfx%22%20href%3D%22/topic/narendramodi%22%3E%23NarendraModi%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Politics%22%20data-user-id%3D%22ODQ1kqHlUPEu%22%20href%3D%22/topic/politics%22%3E%23Politics%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23WestBengalElection2021%22%20data-user-id%3D%22HZsosNN9ZTPW%22%20href%3D%22/topic/westbengalelection2021%22%3E%23WestBengalElection2021%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23TrinamoolCongress%22%20data-user-id%3D%22eDKwojqulCon%22%20href%3D%22/topic/trinamool-congress%22%3E%23TrinamoolCongress%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23WestBengal%22%20data-user-id%3D%22yG1sNdfk6RZ5%22%20href%3D%22/topic/westbengal%22%3E%23WestBengal%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s letter to leaders of all prominent opposition parties across the country is being interpreted in many ways.Surely, the attempt was rather late in the day. While some see it as a reflection of <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/mamata-banerjee-asks-if-pm-modi-is-god-or-superhuman-over-poll-victory-claims-606922/\\\">Mamata</a>’s fading confidence in the face of fighting the might of Prime Minister <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-says-mamata-banerjee-will-have-to-leave-west-bengal-with-taka-maar-company-432457/\\\">Narendra Modi</a> who&nbsp;has left no stone unturned to re-write the political destiny of West Bengal, others find it as an initiative to make her mark in national politics.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/west-bengal-elections-phase-3-31-constituencies-to-decide-fate-of-205-candidates-239021/\\\">West Bengal elections phase 3: Voting begins in 31 constituencies</a>Whatever be the actual reason for her sudden call even to those parties that are currently pitted against TMC in poll-bound West Bengal, the message is loud and clear that Mamata has taken the lead to mobilise support against a seemingly invincible&nbsp;&nbsp;BJP.&nbsp;Her call could be triggered by her own insecurity at the hustings as she is struggling to retain the <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/mamata-banerjee-reacts-to-pm-narendra-modis-second-seat-dig-says-will-win-nandigram-130906/\\\">Nandigram</a> seat where she is facing a challenge from none other than her own one-time protégé <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/suvendu-adhikari-the-man-bjp-picked-to-challenge-mamata-banerjee-189725/\\\">Suvendu Adhikari</a> who switched loyalties to the BJP.&nbsp;&nbsp;The manner in which the top BJP leadership has sought to corner&nbsp;&nbsp;Mamata only proves the determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his second-in-command <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/49-mamata-banerjees-nandigram-amit-shahs-score-for-bjp-in-bengal-polls-so-far-185850/\\\">Amit Shah</a> to establish a BJP rule in that state where it could not even dream of a foothold until about seven years ago.Ironically, it was none other than Mamata who ushered the saffron brigade into the precincts of West Bengal while she was then battling to oust the deeply entrenched CPM from power. She might have been at loggerheads with the same Congress, whose top leadership she was trying to now woo. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is among the most prominent opposition leaders to whom Mamata has addressed the letter.Today, she is busy moving heaven and earth to retain her hold over the state, in the face of unprecedented odds. Perhaps, West Bengal is witnessing a communal divide that it has not seen since the partition days in 1947. And it is not just some lumpen element that is indulging in this Hindu-Muslim hate politics that is being played openly on the streets of Bengal. Such a campaign is being led by the likes of prime minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, among other rabble-rousing speakers like Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Modi himself made it a point to label Mamata as “anti-Hindu” because she refused to chant “Jai Shree Ram” at an event where some BJP supporters raised cries of the favourite Hindutva slogan to&nbsp;which Mamata took offence. She argued that it was not the BJP's party event but an official function. However, in the bargain became clearly evident that she definitely eroded her own support base but also sort of proved Modi right.A sustained campaign by the Hindutva brigade only ended up proving Modi right.&nbsp; Eventually, Mamata was compelled to issue repeated clarifications about herself being a Hindu.&nbsp;&nbsp;More recently, she was heard declaring her “gotra” so that she could convince her own electorate that she was a “shandilya” Brahmin.&nbsp;&nbsp;It may be a little too late in the day to be seeking support from the opposition parties at this juncture when a part of the 8-phased poll is over. Yet, there can be no denying that Mamata’s letter to the opposition leaders is also aimed at making them introspect on the urgent need to put up a united front against the BJP juggernaut. Mamata’s apprehension that the BJP leadership is out to establish a “one-party authoritarian rule” in the country also does not appear to be too far-fetched. That is the reason she has gone ahead appealing even to the ‘not-so-like-minded’ parties and even to such outfits which cannot see eye to eye between themselves.It is most unlikely that such a message would go unheeded. It would make the opposition realize that the very foundations of democracy are under threat. Therefore, a call for unity needs not be taken with a pinch of salt. Clearly, it is the need of the hour. And Mamata’s bid to remind other opposition parties about it deserves appreciation. It need not be looked at with suspicion or with contempt.Mamata’s call for unity might have been triggered by an instinct for survival yet there can be no denying that at the end of the day she was talking about protecting democracy and its fundamental values that were being trampled and eroded with impunity. It was therefore no surprise when she openly went about imploring Muslims to see that their vote does not get split to the advantage of BJP. Surely, that is a strong message to&nbsp;&nbsp;the Congress which continues to enjoy the support of a small section of the minority community.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/factually-incorrect-ec-on-mamatas-claims-about-presence-of-outsiders-at-nandigram-polling-booth-200918/\\\">EC slams Mamata Banerjee: Get your facts right, it doesn't suit a CM</a>It may not be appropriate to equate Mamata with Jai Prakash Narayan, who raised a potent force of otherwise ideologically opposed political parties to fight the might of Indira Gandhi in the mid-seventies. Yet, it would be unfair to dismiss the initiative on the suspicion that she was aspiring to emerge as one. Let her be in the shoes of a Raj Narain, a Jagjivan Ram or Chandrashekhar or for that matter a Biju Patnaik, even if she could not be exalted to the position of an Atal Behari Vajpayee or a Morarji Desai. Surely, that would lend some hope in the direction of preserving the fundamental democratic norms and values.<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#MamataBanerjee\\\" data-user-id=\\\"LMdWDJPhBJGM\\\" href=\\\"/topic/mamatabanerjee\\\">#MamataBanerjee</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#NarendraModi\\\" data-user-id=\\\"2Mx5OKBUbZfx\\\" href=\\\"/topic/narendramodi\\\">#NarendraModi</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Politics\\\" data-user-id=\\\"ODQ1kqHlUPEu\\\" href=\\\"/topic/politics\\\">#Politics</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#WestBengalElection2021\\\" data-user-id=\\\"HZsosNN9ZTPW\\\" href=\\\"/topic/westbengalelection2021\\\">#WestBengalElection2021</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#TrinamoolCongress\\\" data-user-id=\\\"eDKwojqulCon\\\" href=\\\"/topic/trinamool-congress\\\">#TrinamoolCongress</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#WestBengal\\\" data-user-id=\\\"yG1sNdfk6RZ5\\\" href=\\\"/topic/westbengal\\\">#WestBengal</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1617677480471,\"strCount\":5440,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>TMC supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to leaders of all prominent opposition parties</li><li>Some see it as a reflection of Mamata’s fading confidence in the face of the fight against PM Narendra Modi</li><li>Others interpret it as her initiative to make her mark in national politics</li></ul>

Will%20Mamata%27s%20attempt%20to%20forge%20an%20anti-BJP%20united%20front%20cut%20any%20ice%3F

MamataBanerjee

NarendraModi

WestBengalElection2021

TrinamoolCongress

WestBengal

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is busy patting his own back on the completion of four years in office. Not only are all major newspapers across the country overflowing with huge advertisements proclaiming UP’s success story under Yogi, but umpteen hoardings emboldened with tall claims of his achievements over the past four years are visible at every few metres along the main roads and thoroughfares in the state capital as well as other key cities across Uttar Pradesh. Also read: Isn’t Akhilesh Yadav emulating the BJP in dealing with the media?. To the extent that Yogi was the first BJP leader to complete four years in office as CM, it is surely a big achievement. But claims like, “jo dashakon mein nahi ho paya, who char saal mein kar dikhaya” (what could not be done in decades has been achieved in four years) surely appear to be highly exaggerated. . And to showcase his “achievements," he declared, “in the last four years, UP has emerged as the growth engine of the country. We aim to make the state India's biggest economy in terms of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)," while releasing a ‘development booklet’ on completion of his four years. Also read: We will fight with you: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi tells protesting farmers in Meerut. “A new Uttar Pradesh has emerged in these four years”, the chief minister claimed, while adding, “from the World Health Organization to the global media, Uttar Pradesh’s COVID19 combat strategy has been appreciated by everyone.” What he has skillfully avoided was the fact that all the praise that was showered on him in the international media was an advertorial in the Time magazine, which carried a three-page “paid news” in one of its recent issues. . Referring to the “transformation” that the state was purported to have undergone over the past four years, Yogi Adityanath said,  “in 2017, when we formed the government, there were many villages without roads, schools or any development works. In some tribal villages, people didn’t even have voting rights. We ensured that they were not deprived of any of the basic amenities & rights.”  . The chief minister has been making all kinds of claims about making UP a prized destination for entrepreneurs by ensuring ease of doing business, even though the ground reality is far from that. Rampant corruption at all levels is what deters entrepreneurs from venturing into what is the country’s most populous and therefore the politically crucial state. And despite being widely seen as an upright and honest politician, there is little that he has been able to do about curbing corruption. While there can be no denying that ‘one district-one product’ scheme launched by the Yogi government, was unique in many ways , how much difference it made to the economy of artisans engaged in such products was not known. . Yogi further claimed, "unemployment has come down. Investment has increased, per capita income has increased. PM implemented MSP in 2018. Record purchase on MSP Rs 66000 crore has been transferred through direct bank transfer  to farmers. The government’s claim of providing government employment to more than four lakh persons too appears to be a rather tall order. Among his other achievements was, “1.27 lakh crore paid to sugarcane farmers in the past 4 years .”. While ignoring the increasing number of rapes and crimes against women, organized crime, murder and extortion, he sought to blow his trumpet that,” there were no riots in the state over the past 4 years.” Interestingly, that claim stands belied by the official crime data, furnished in reply to a question in this regard in th national parliament. The Union Minister of state for Home Hansraj Ahir had declared in the parliament  that Uttar Pradesh reported 195 communal incidents in 2017 alone – that was then the highest in the country. Also read: 'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else...': Khap's new diktat in UP. If the chief minister’s data were to be believed, there was a drop of 45%  in rape cases,19% drop in murder and 66% drop in cases of dacoity in the state. How his police have apparently fudged these figures is very interesting – the comparisons have been drawn between the current figures and that of a particular year when these figures were particularly high. The desperation of the government to conceal the true data of heinous crime in general and rape, in particular, had been blatantly visible when the government moved heaven and earth to twist facts to underplay the infamous gangrapes involving BJP leaders in both Unnao and Hathras. Even in the rape case involving former BJP MP Swami Chinmayanand, the official machinery is alleged to have coerced the coerced the young law student victim to withdraw the charges against the saffron clad leader. Therefore, the loud announcements made by Yogi Adityanath on his completion of four years in office can only be taken with a huge pinch of salt. (Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are personal. They do not reflect the opinions or views of Opoyi). #YogiAdityanath #BJP #UttarPradesh #Politics .

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o%20the%20economy%20of%20artisans%20engaged%20in%20such%20products%20was%20not%20known.%26nbsp%3B\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":366,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Yogi%20further%20claimed%2C%20%22unemployment%20has%20come%20down.%20Investment%20has%20increased%2C%20per%20capita%20income%20has%20increased.%26nbsp%3BPM%20implemented%20MSP%20in%202018.%20Record%20purchase%20on%20MSP%20Rs%2066000%20crore%20has%20been%20transferred%20through%20direct%20bank%20transfer%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3Bto%20farmers.%26nbsp%3BThe%20government%u2019s%20claim%20of%20providing%20government%20employment%20to%20more%20than%20four%20lakh%20persons%20too%20appears%20to%20be%20a%20rather%20tall%20order.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":99,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Among%20his%20other%20achievements%20was%2C%20%u201C1.27%20lakh%20crore%20paid%20to%20sugarcane%20farmers%20in%20the%20past%204%20years%20.%u201D\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":538,\"data\":{\"text\":\"While%20ignoring%20the%20increasing%20number%20of%20rapes%20and%20crimes%20against%20women%2C%20organized%20crime%2C%20murder%20and%20extortion%2C%20he%20sought%20to%20blow%20his%20trumpet%20that%2C%u201D%20there%20were%20no%20riots%20in%20the%20state%20over%20the%20past%204%20years.%u201D%20Interestingly%2C%20that%20claim%20stands%20belied%20by%20the%20official%20crime%20data%2C%20furnished%20in%20reply%20to%20a%20question%20in%20this%20regard%20in%20th%20national%20parliament.%20The%20Union%20Minister%20of%20state%20for%20Home%20Hansraj%20Ahir%20had%20declared%20in%20the%20parliament%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3Bthat%20Uttar%20Pradesh%20reported%20195%20communal%20incidents%20in%202017%20alone%20%u2013%20that%20was%20then%20the%20highest%20in%20the%20country.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":84,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20read%3A%3C/strong%3E%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/khap-is-back-with-a-new-diktat-and-a-warning-in-up%22%3E%3Cstrong%3E%27Say%20no%20to%20shorts%2C%20jeans%2C%20and%20skirts%20or%20else...%27%3A%20Khap%27s%20new%20diktat%20in%20UP%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":857,\"data\":{\"text\":\"If%20the%20chief%20minister%u2019s%20data%26nbsp%3Bwere%20to%20be%20believed%2C%20there%20was%20a%20drop%20of%2045%25%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3Bin%20rape%20cases%2C19%25%20drop%20in%20murder%20and%2066%25%20drop%20in%20cases%20of%20dacoity%20in%20the%20state.%20How%20his%20police%20have%20apparently%20fudged%20these%20figures%20is%20very%20interesting%20%u2013%20the%20comparisons%20have%20been%20drawn%20between%20the%20current%20figures%20and%20that%20of%20a%20particular%20year%20when%20these%20figures%20were%20particularly%20high.%20The%20desperation%20of%20the%20government%20to%20conceal%20the%20true%20data%20of%20heinous%20crime%20in%20general%20and%20rape%2C%20in%20particular%2C%20had%20been%20blatantly%20visible%20when%20the%20government%20moved%20heaven%20and%20earth%20to%20twist%20facts%20to%20underplay%20the%20infamous%20gangrapes%20involving%20BJP%20leaders%20in%20both%20Unnao%20and%20Hathras.%20Even%20in%20the%20rape%20case%20involving%20former%20BJP%20MP%20Swami%26nbsp%3BChinmayanand%2C%20the%20official%20machinery%20is%20alleged%20to%20have%20coerced%20the%20coerced%20the%20young%20law%20student%20victim%20to%20withdraw%20the%20charges%20against%20the%20saffron%20clad%20leader.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":144,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Therefore%2C%20the%20loud%20announcements%20made%20by%20Yogi%20Adityanath%20on%20his%20completion%20of%20four%20years%20in%20office%20can%20only%20be%20taken%20with%20a%20huge%20pinch%20of%20salt.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":114,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ci%3E%28Disclaimer%3A%20The%20views%20expressed%20in%20this%20article%20are%20personal.%20They%20do%20not%20reflect%20the%20opinions%20or%20views%20of%20Opoyi%29%3C/i%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":45,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23YogiAdityanath%22%20data-user-id%3D%221mRxqLHD8glt%22%20href%3D%22/topic/yogiadityanath%22%3E%23YogiAdityanath%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23BJP%22%20data-user-id%3D%22cqfihWqpWO59%22%20href%3D%22/topic/bjp%22%3E%23BJP%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23UttarPradesh%22%20data-user-id%3D%22IIhc25IH8ZUl%22%20href%3D%22/topic/uttarpradesh%22%3E%23UttarPradesh%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Politics%22%20data-user-id%3D%22ODQ1kqHlUPEu%22%20href%3D%22/topic/politics%22%3E%23Politics%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is busy patting his own back on the completion of four years in office. Not only are all major newspapers across the country overflowing with huge advertisements proclaiming UP’s success story under Yogi, but umpteen hoardings emboldened with tall claims of his achievements over the past four years are visible at every few metres along the main roads and thoroughfares in the state capital as well as other key cities across Uttar Pradesh.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/isnt-akhilesh-yadav-emulating-the-bjp-in-dealing-with-the-media-386999/\\\">Isn’t Akhilesh Yadav emulating the BJP in dealing with the media?</a>To the extent that Yogi was the first BJP leader to complete four years in office as CM, it is surely a big achievement. But claims like, “jo dashakon mein nahi ho paya, who char saal mein kar dikhaya” (what could not be done in decades has been achieved in four years) surely appear to be highly exaggerated.&nbsp;And to showcase his “achievements,\\\" he declared, “in the last four years, UP has emerged as the growth engine of the country. We aim to make the state India's biggest economy in terms of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP),\\\" while releasing a ‘development booklet’ on completion of his four years.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/we-will-fight-with-you-congress-leader-priyanka-gandhi-tells-protesting-farmers-in-meerut-674277/\\\">We will fight with you: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi tells protesting farmers in Meerut</a>“A new Uttar Pradesh has emerged in these four years”, the chief minister claimed, while adding, “from the World Health Organization to the global media, Uttar Pradesh’s COVID19 combat strategy has been appreciated by everyone.” What he has skillfully avoided was the fact that all the praise that was showered on him in the international media was an advertorial in the Time magazine, which carried a three-page “paid news” in one of its recent issues.&nbsp;Referring to the “transformation” that the state was purported to have undergone over the past four years, Yogi Adityanath said,&nbsp;&nbsp;“in 2017, when we formed the government, there were many villages without roads, schools or any development works. In some tribal villages, people didn’t even have voting rights. We ensured that they were not deprived of any of the basic amenities &amp; rights.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The chief minister has been making all kinds of claims about making UP a prized destination for entrepreneurs by ensuring ease of doing business, even though the ground reality is far from that. Rampant corruption at all levels is what deters entrepreneurs from venturing into what is the country’s most populous and therefore the politically crucial state. And despite being widely seen as an upright and honest politician, there is little that he has been able to do about curbing corruption.While there can be no denying that ‘one district-one product’ scheme launched by the Yogi government, was unique in many ways , how much difference it made to the economy of artisans engaged in such products was not known.&nbsp;Yogi further claimed, \\\"unemployment has come down. Investment has increased, per capita income has increased.&nbsp;PM implemented MSP in 2018. Record purchase on MSP Rs 66000 crore has been transferred through direct bank transfer&nbsp;&nbsp;to farmers.&nbsp;The government’s claim of providing government employment to more than four lakh persons too appears to be a rather tall order.Among his other achievements was, “1.27 lakh crore paid to sugarcane farmers in the past 4 years .”While ignoring the increasing number of rapes and crimes against women, organized crime, murder and extortion, he sought to blow his trumpet that,” there were no riots in the state over the past 4 years.” Interestingly, that claim stands belied by the official crime data, furnished in reply to a question in this regard in th national parliament. The Union Minister of state for Home Hansraj Ahir had declared in the parliament&nbsp;&nbsp;that Uttar Pradesh reported 195 communal incidents in 2017 alone – that was then the highest in the country.Also read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/khap-is-back-with-a-new-diktat-and-a-warning-in-up-453438/\\\">'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else...': Khap's new diktat in UP</a>If the chief minister’s data&nbsp;were to be believed, there was a drop of 45%&nbsp;&nbsp;in rape cases,19% drop in murder and 66% drop in cases of dacoity in the state. How his police have apparently fudged these figures is very interesting – the comparisons have been drawn between the current figures and that of a particular year when these figures were particularly high. The desperation of the government to conceal the true data of heinous crime in general and rape, in particular, had been blatantly visible when the government moved heaven and earth to twist facts to underplay the infamous gangrapes involving BJP leaders in both Unnao and Hathras. Even in the rape case involving former BJP MP Swami&nbsp;Chinmayanand, the official machinery is alleged to have coerced the coerced the young law student victim to withdraw the charges against the saffron clad leader.Therefore, the loud announcements made by Yogi Adityanath on his completion of four years in office can only be taken with a huge pinch of salt.(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are personal. They do not reflect the opinions or views of Opoyi)<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#YogiAdityanath\\\" data-user-id=\\\"1mRxqLHD8glt\\\" href=\\\"/topic/yogiadityanath\\\">#YogiAdityanath</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#BJP\\\" data-user-id=\\\"cqfihWqpWO59\\\" href=\\\"/topic/bjp\\\">#BJP</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#UttarPradesh\\\" data-user-id=\\\"IIhc25IH8ZUl\\\" href=\\\"/topic/uttarpradesh\\\">#UttarPradesh</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Politics\\\" data-user-id=\\\"ODQ1kqHlUPEu\\\" href=\\\"/topic/politics\\\">#Politics</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1616211737513,\"strCount\":5078,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>Major newspapers in India are overflowing with huge advertisements proclaiming UP’s success story</li><li>Hoardings have also been installed with tall claims of CM Yogi Adityanath's achievements</li><li>He has claimed that in the last four years, UP has emerged as the growth engine of the country</li></ul>

Yogi%20Adityanath%20completes%204%20years%20as%20CM%2C%20a%20fact%20check%20on%20his%20growth%20claims

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav may be fighting his biggest political battle against the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), but when it comes to dealing with the media, he does not hesitate to display the same arrogance that is often visible with many BJP leaders. What happened at his infamous press conference in Moradabad on Thursday, amply demonstrated how he instinctively emulates his sworn political adversaries, who unseated him from power in 2017. What became starkly visible at the press conference was Akhilesh’s intolerance to questions by the media. There is no denying that just as the media began to raise issue after issue, Akhilesh got increasingly uncomfortable and finally lost his cool. The video recording of the press conference clearly shows how Akhilesh took offence to the barrage of questions being asked by the local mediapersons. “Tum toh BJP wale ho” (You are a BJP supporter) he is seen angrily telling one of the reporters. And no sooner he blurted that out, his party men pounced on scribes and left no stone unturned to rough up a few and prevent anyone from crossing the threshold.    . Akhilesh’s intolerance has been on the rise particularly since he was voted out of power. Is that a reflection of the frustration of a political leader, who had received power on a platter from his father? That was precisely what was being discussed in Lucknow’s political circles. “Akhilesh may be very critical of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, but his behavior was apparently no different from him when he sought to reprimand the media for asking questions”, remarked a senior Congress leader here. Also Read | Criticised for doing Twitter politics, Akhilesh Yadav makes a comeback. While the UP CM rarely holds press conferences, it is not unusual for him to express his displeasure over any probing question.  . However, the UP government was quick to take advantage of Akhilesh’s misdemeanor by registering a criminal case against him under various sections of IPC. The Moradabad police also readily booked two journalists in a counter FIR lodged by the Samajwadi Party Moradabad District chief Jaiveer Singh Yadav. And the IPC sections invoked by the complainant were clearly more stringent than the laws invoked in the state’s FIR against Akhilesh, his security personnel, and some party workers. Interestingly, Akhilesh has reacted quite sharply to the FIR as well. “Today the BJP government has lodged an FIR against me; don’t be surprised if tomorrow they put it up on hoardings in the state capital”, the SP president said in a tweet issued on Saturday. And ironically, he went on to add, “this is a sign of the government’s frustration as they know that they are now on a losing wicket and will be voted out of power at the next assembly election.”. While the FIR and counter FIR may take their respective legal courses, fact remains that even as all politicians proclaim themselves to be ardent democrats they invariably love to be surrounded only by their own captive media, which simply laps up whatever they say and refrain from asking questions. #AkhileshYadav #UttarPradesh #Journalism #BJP #SamajwadiParty .

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Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav may be fighting his biggest political battle against the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), but when it comes to dealing with the media, he does not hesitate to display the same arrogance that is often visible with many BJP leaders.What happened at his <a href=\\\"Akhilesh Yadav, 20 SP workers booked over alleged assault on journalists in Moradabad\\\">infamous press conference in Moradabad on Thursday,</a> amply demonstrated how he instinctively emulates his sworn political adversaries, who unseated him from power in 2017.What became starkly visible at the press conference was Akhilesh’s intolerance to questions by the media. There is no denying that just as the media began to raise issue after issue, Akhilesh <a href=\\\"Akhilesh Yadav, 20 SP workers booked over alleged assault on journalists in Moradabad\\\">got increasingly uncomfortable and finally lost his cool.</a>The video recording of the press conference clearly shows how Akhilesh took offence to the barrage of questions being asked by the local mediapersons. “Tum toh BJP wale ho” (You are a BJP supporter) he is seen angrily telling one of the reporters. And no sooner he blurted that out, his party men pounced on scribes and left no stone unturned to rough up a few and prevent anyone from crossing the threshold. &nbsp; &nbsp;Akhilesh’s intolerance has been on the rise particularly since he was voted out of power. Is that a reflection of the frustration of a political leader, who had received power on a platter from his father? That was precisely what was being discussed in Lucknow’s political circles. “Akhilesh may be very critical of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, but his behavior was apparently no different from him when he sought to reprimand the media for asking questions”, remarked a senior Congress leader here.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/criticised-for-doing-twitter-politics-akhilesh-yadav-makes-a-comeback-254598/\\\">Criticised for doing Twitter politics, Akhilesh Yadav makes a comeback</a>While the UP CM rarely holds press conferences, it is not unusual for him to express his displeasure over any probing question. &nbsp;However, the UP government was quick to take advantage of Akhilesh’s misdemeanor by registering a criminal case against him under various sections of IPC.The Moradabad police also readily booked two journalists in a counter FIR lodged by the Samajwadi Party Moradabad District chief Jaiveer Singh Yadav. And the IPC sections invoked by the complainant were clearly more stringent than the laws invoked in the state’s FIR against Akhilesh, his security personnel, and some party workers.Interestingly, Akhilesh has reacted quite sharply to the FIR as well. “Today the BJP government has lodged an FIR against me; don’t be surprised if tomorrow they put it up on hoardings in the state capital”, the SP president said in a tweet issued on Saturday. And ironically, he went on to add, “this is a sign of the government’s frustration as they know that they are now on a losing wicket and will be voted out of power at the next assembly election.”While the FIR and counter FIR may take their respective legal courses, fact remains that even as all politicians proclaim themselves to be ardent democrats they invariably love to be surrounded only by their own captive media, which simply laps up whatever they say and refrain from asking questions.<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#AkhileshYadav\\\" data-user-id=\\\"JvElVFeu4H9q\\\" href=\\\"/topic/akhilesh-yadav\\\">#AkhileshYadav</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#UttarPradesh\\\" data-user-id=\\\"IIhc25IH8ZUl\\\" href=\\\"/topic/uttarpradesh\\\">#UttarPradesh</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Journalism\\\" data-user-id=\\\"ciWzhENzlyy8\\\" href=\\\"/topic/journalism\\\">#Journalism</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#BJP\\\" data-user-id=\\\"cqfihWqpWO59\\\" href=\\\"/topic/bjp\\\">#BJP</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#SamajwadiParty\\\" data-user-id=\\\"WnGvYuFo9lXW\\\" href=\\\"/topic/samajwadi-party\\\">#SamajwadiParty</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1615716363728,\"strCount\":3179,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>A video recording of a press conference clearly shows how Akhilesh took offence to the barrage of questions</li><li>“Tum toh BJP wale ho,” (You are a BJP supporter) he is seen angrily telling one of the reporters</li><li>Akhilesh’s intolerance has been on the rise particularly since he was voted out of power</li></ul>

Isn%u2019t%20Akhilesh%20Yadav%20emulating%20the%20BJP%20in%20dealing%20with%20the%20media%3F

AkhileshYadav

Journalism

SamajwadiParty

Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Thirteen years after she and her lover hacked seven members of her own family to death, while she is awaiting her turn to go to the gallows, 37-year old Shabnam may now be repenting for her sins. But fact remains that no home in the quiet Bawankheri village of Amroha district in Western Uttar Pradesh has since named any daughter, Shabnam. Such is the contempt and hatred for the young woman, whose defiant, brutal, and cold-blooded crime left no room for clemency at any level. Her mercy petition was rejected by then-President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015 itself.  . Now, when her death warrant is about to be signed, she has moved yet another mercy appeal to President Ram Nath Kovind, whose response is awaited. And even as this appeal has been made through her minor 12-year old son, there is very little hope of her getting a reprieve from the jaws of death. In her hanging, she would go down in history as the first woman to be hanged since India got independence in 1947. Also Read | Who is Shabnam Ali, the first woman to be hanged in Independent India. People in Bawankheri have neither forgotten nor forgiven Shabnam and her boyfriend Saleem, who became an equal partner in the gory crime. It was on the fateful night of 14/15 April 2008 that the Shabnam-Saleem duo chose to indulge in the slaughter game that left not only Shabnam’s mother Hashmi, father Shaukat, brothers Anees and Rashid,  sister Anjum, cousin Rabia but even her 7-year old nephew Arsh dead inside her own house. The reason for the bloodbath was not far to seek. Shabnam’s family was opposed to her relationship with Saleem, who was not only a married man but also a socio-economic mismatch for the woman’s family. Then 25, Shabnam was a post-graduate in English and Geography, while Saleem was a class V pass, working as a daily-wager in a factory. According to police records, Shabnam and Saleem decided to elope and get married. So she decided to mix some sleeping pills in the dinner that the family ate on the evening of April 14, 2008.  . But two of the family members woke up, so Shabnam picked up the ax in the house and attacked them. Their loud screams woke up the others who tried to put up some resistance. But being partially in a daze on account of the overdose of sleeping pills, none could overpower Shabnam, who went about hacking every member of the family, one after the other.  . According to the police, the screams went unheard by other villagers as Shabnam’s house was in one corner of the village. Initially, Shabnam chose to stage a huge drama by wailing and howling, which drew the attention of the villagers. She found it convenient to plead innocent and sought to blame it on robbers, who she alleged, raided her house and killed everyone. She claimed that she was in the bathroom, so she went unhurt. Also Read | UP government throws open doors to provide free coaching to civil service, IIT aspirants. When the investigating team realized that nothing was stolen from the house, their needle of suspicion pointed towards Shabnam. And no sooner than the cops discovered that unmarried Shabnam was pregnant, they interrogated her further following which she confessed about her illicit relationship with Saleem. “Inquiries from other villagers revealed that her father and other family members were opposed to the relationship, which led the police to grill her further. Eventually, she blurted out the truth and confessed murdering seven members of her family”, a senior official at the police headquarters told OPOYi here Thursday. Shabnam’s call records confirmed her being in constant touch with Saleem, who also readily confessed his involvement in the multiple murder.  . Also Read | Priyanka Gandhi's religious outreach with 'mission UP' in focus. Eight months after she was jailed, Shabnam gave birth to a boy, and named him Taj. He grew up in jail where he was allowed to stay with the mother until he was six. Subsequently, a family from Bulandshahr decided to adopt him. The police confirm that now 12-year old Taj is a class VI student in a reputed Bulandshahr school and is living happily with his foster parents. The foster parents, whom Taj addresses as “choti mummy” and “chote papa”, took him to meet his mother in Rampur jail, after her mercy petition was turned down by the President. It was then that her remorse became visible as she sobbed and sobbed, while repeatedly hugging her little boy.  . Preparations are afoot in Rampur jail to shift Shabnam to the Mathura prison, which is equipped with 150- year old gallows for women. Hangman Pawan has been specially called to carry out the task. Saleem remains in Agra jail where he would be hanged. "Even as nearly 13 years have passed, the memories of that gory night continue to haunt the villagers of Bawankheri," says Furqaan, former gram pradhan (village head). “Everyone in this village despises the very name Shabnam, who is a blot on us; no girl in the village has been named Shabnam in all these years”, he said, while adding, “the earlier she is hanged, the better; she must pay for her most foul deed.”. #ShabnamAli #Crime #CapitalPunishment #UttarPradesh #RamnathKovind .

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\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":100,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%3C/strong%3E%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/up-government-throws-open-doors-to-provide-free-coaching-to-civil-service-iit-aspirants%22%3E%3Cstrong%3E%20UP%20government%20throws%20open%20doors%20to%20provide%20free%20coaching%20to%20civil%20service%2C%20IIT%20aspirants%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":772,\"data\":{\"text\":\"When%20the%20investigating%20team%20realized%20that%20nothing%20was%20stolen%20from%20the%20house%2C%20their%20needle%20of%20suspicion%20pointed%20towards%20Shabnam.%20And%20no%20sooner%20than%20the%20cops%20discovered%20that%20unmarried%20Shabnam%20was%20pregnant%2C%20they%20interrogated%20her%20further%20following%20which%20she%20confessed%20about%20her%20illicit%20relationship%20with%20Saleem.%20%u201CInquiries%20from%20other%20villagers%20revealed%20that%20her%20father%20and%20other%20family%20members%20were%20opposed%20to%20the%20relationship%2C%20which%20led%20the%20police%20to%20grill%20her%20further.%20Eventually%2C%20she%20blurted%20out%20the%20truth%20and%20confessed%20murdering%20seven%20members%20of%20her%20family%u201D%2C%20a%20senior%20official%20at%20the%20police%20headquarters%20told%20OPOYi%20here%20Thursday.%20Shabnam%u2019s%20call%20records%20confirmed%20her%20being%20in%20constant%20touch%20with%20Saleem%2C%20who%20also%20readily%20confessed%20his%20involvement%20in%20the%20multiple%20murder.%20%26nbsp%3B\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":75,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%20%3C/strong%3E%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/priyanka-gandhi-all-set-to-take-the-final-plunge-into-up-politics%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EPriyanka%20Gandhi%27s%20religious%20outreach%20with%20%27mission%20UP%27%20in%20focus%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":371,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Eight%20months%20after%20she%20was%20jailed%2C%20Shabnam%20gave%20birth%20to%20a%20boy%2C%20and%20named%20him%20Taj.%20He%20grew%20up%20in%20jail%20where%20he%20was%20allowed%20to%20stay%20with%20the%20mother%20until%20he%20was%20six.%20Subsequently%2C%20a%20family%20from%20Bulandshahr%20decided%20to%20adopt%20him.%20The%20police%20confirm%20that%20now%2012-year%20old%20Taj%20is%20a%20class%20VI%20student%20in%20a%20reputed%20Bulandshahr%20school%20and%20is%20living%20happily%20with%20his%20foster%20parents.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":289,\"data\":{\"text\":\"The%20foster%20parents%2C%20whom%20Taj%20addresses%20as%20%u201Cchoti%20mummy%u201D%20and%20%u201Cchote%20papa%u201D%2C%20took%20him%20to%20meet%20his%20mother%20in%20Rampur%20jail%2C%20after%20her%20mercy%20petition%20was%20turned%20down%20by%20the%20President.%20It%20was%20then%20that%20her%20remorse%20became%20visible%20as%20she%20sobbed%20and%20sobbed%2C%20while%20repeatedly%20hugging%20her%20little%20boy.%20%26nbsp%3B\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":250,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Preparations%20are%20afoot%20in%20Rampur%20jail%20to%20shift%20Shabnam%20to%20the%20Mathura%20prison%2C%20which%20is%20equipped%20with%20150-%20year%20old%20gallows%20for%20women.%20Hangman%20Pawan%20has%20been%20specially%20called%20to%20carry%20out%20the%20task.%20Saleem%20remains%20in%20Agra%20jail%20where%20he%20would%20be%20hanged.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":414,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%22Even%20as%20nearly%2013%20years%20have%20passed%2C%20the%20memories%20of%20that%20gory%20night%20continue%20to%20haunt%20the%20villagers%20of%20Bawankheri%2C%22%20says%20Furqaan%2C%20former%20gram%20pradhan%20%28village%20head%29.%20%u201CEveryone%20in%20this%20village%20despises%20the%20very%20name%20Shabnam%2C%20who%20is%20a%20blot%20on%20us%3B%20no%20girl%20in%20the%20village%20has%20been%20named%20Shabnam%20in%20all%20these%20years%u201D%2C%20he%20said%2C%20while%20adding%2C%20%u201Cthe%20earlier%20she%20is%20hanged%2C%20the%20better%3B%20she%20must%20pay%20for%20her%20most%20foul%20deed.%u201D\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":67,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23ShabnamAli%22%20data-user-id%3D%22kTEBIeRorWZu%22%20href%3D%22/topic/shabnamali%22%3E%23ShabnamAli%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Crime%22%20data-user-id%3D%22EGJnITnzTXyD%22%20href%3D%22/topic/crime%22%3E%23Crime%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23CapitalPunishment%22%20data-user-id%3D%22iFr6mXA95Q3F%22%20href%3D%22/topic/capital-punishment%22%3E%23CapitalPunishment%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23UttarPradesh%22%20data-user-id%3D%22IIhc25IH8ZUl%22%20href%3D%22/topic/uttarpradesh%22%3E%23UttarPradesh%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23RamnathKovind%22%20data-user-id%3D%22dUW8zeBcscdU%22%20href%3D%22/topic/ramnath-kovind%22%3E%23RamnathKovind%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"Thirteen years after she and her lover hacked seven members of her own family to death, while she is awaiting her turn to go to the gallows, 37-year old Shabnam may now be repenting for her sins. But fact remains that no home in the quiet Bawankheri village of Amroha district in Western Uttar Pradesh has since named any daughter, Shabnam.Such is the contempt and hatred for the young woman, whose defiant, brutal, and cold-blooded crime left no room for clemency at any level. Her mercy petition was rejected by then-President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015 itself. &nbsp;Now, when her death warrant is about to be signed, she <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/up-death-row-convict-shabnam-ali-files-fresh-mercy-petition-to-governor-anandiben-patel-131724/\\\">has moved yet another mercy appeal to President Ram Nath Kovind</a>, whose response is awaited. And even as this appeal has been made through her minor 12-year old son, there is very little hope of her getting a reprieve from the jaws of death. In her hanging, she would go down in history as the first woman to be hanged since India got independence in 1947.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/who-is-shabnam-ali-the-first-woman-to-be-hanged-in-independent-india-365956/\\\">Who is Shabnam Ali, the first woman to be hanged in Independent India</a>People in Bawankheri have neither forgotten nor forgiven Shabnam and her boyfriend Saleem, who became an equal partner in the gory crime.It was on the fateful night of 14/15 April 2008 that the Shabnam-Saleem duo chose to indulge in the slaughter game that left not only Shabnam’s mother Hashmi, father Shaukat, brothers Anees and Rashid, &nbsp;sister Anjum, cousin Rabia but even her 7-year old nephew Arsh dead inside her own house.The reason for the bloodbath was not far to seek. Shabnam’s family was opposed to her relationship with Saleem, who was not only a married man but also a socio-economic mismatch for the woman’s family. Then 25, Shabnam was a post-graduate in English and Geography, while Saleem was a class V pass, working as a daily-wager in a factory. According to police records, Shabnam and Saleem decided to elope and get married. So she decided to mix some sleeping pills in the dinner that the family ate on the evening of April 14, 2008. &nbsp;But two of the family members woke up, so Shabnam picked up the ax in the house and attacked them. Their loud screams woke up the others who tried to put up some resistance. But being partially in a daze on account of the overdose of sleeping pills, none could overpower Shabnam, who went about hacking every member of the family, one after the other. &nbsp;According to the police, the screams went unheard by other villagers as Shabnam’s house was in one corner of the village.Initially, Shabnam chose to stage a huge drama by wailing and howling, which drew the attention of the villagers. She found it convenient to plead innocent and sought to blame it on robbers, who she alleged, raided her house and killed everyone. She claimed that she was in the bathroom, so she went unhurt.Also Read |<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/up-government-throws-open-doors-to-provide-free-coaching-to-civil-service-iit-aspirants-466328/\\\"> UP government throws open doors to provide free coaching to civil service, IIT aspirants</a>When the investigating team realized that nothing was stolen from the house, their needle of suspicion pointed towards Shabnam. And no sooner than the cops discovered that unmarried Shabnam was pregnant, they interrogated her further following which she confessed about her illicit relationship with Saleem. “Inquiries from other villagers revealed that her father and other family members were opposed to the relationship, which led the police to grill her further. Eventually, she blurted out the truth and confessed murdering seven members of her family”, a senior official at the police headquarters told OPOYi here Thursday. Shabnam’s call records confirmed her being in constant touch with Saleem, who also readily confessed his involvement in the multiple murder. &nbsp;Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/priyanka-gandhi-all-set-to-take-the-final-plunge-into-up-politics-297654/\\\">Priyanka Gandhi's religious outreach with 'mission UP' in focus</a>Eight months after she was jailed, Shabnam gave birth to a boy, and named him Taj. He grew up in jail where he was allowed to stay with the mother until he was six. Subsequently, a family from Bulandshahr decided to adopt him. The police confirm that now 12-year old Taj is a class VI student in a reputed Bulandshahr school and is living happily with his foster parents.The foster parents, whom Taj addresses as “choti mummy” and “chote papa”, took him to meet his mother in Rampur jail, after her mercy petition was turned down by the President. It was then that her remorse became visible as she sobbed and sobbed, while repeatedly hugging her little boy. &nbsp;Preparations are afoot in Rampur jail to shift Shabnam to the Mathura prison, which is equipped with 150- year old gallows for women. Hangman Pawan has been specially called to carry out the task. Saleem remains in Agra jail where he would be hanged.\\\"Even as nearly 13 years have passed, the memories of that gory night continue to haunt the villagers of Bawankheri,\\\" says Furqaan, former gram pradhan (village head). “Everyone in this village despises the very name Shabnam, who is a blot on us; no girl in the village has been named Shabnam in all these years”, he said, while adding, “the earlier she is hanged, the better; she must pay for her most foul deed.”<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#ShabnamAli\\\" data-user-id=kTEBIeRorWZu href=\\\"/topic/shabnamali\\\">#ShabnamAli</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Crime\\\" data-user-id=\\\"EGJnITnzTXyD\\\" href=\\\"/topic/crime\\\">#Crime</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#CapitalPunishment\\\" data-user-id=\\\"iFr6mXA95Q3F\\\" href=\\\"/topic/capital-punishment\\\">#CapitalPunishment</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#UttarPradesh\\\" data-user-id=\\\"IIhc25IH8ZUl\\\" href=\\\"/topic/uttarpradesh\\\">#UttarPradesh</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#RamnathKovind\\\" data-user-id=\\\"dUW8zeBcscdU\\\" href=\\\"/topic/ramnath-kovind\\\">#RamnathKovind</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1613712037901,\"strCount\":5132,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>Shabnam's mercy petition was rejected by then-President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015, now she has moved another mercy appeal to President Kovind</li><li>People in Bawankheri have neither forgotten nor forgiven Shabnam and her boyfriend Saleem</li><li>It was on the fateful night of 14/15 April 2008 that the Shabnam-Saleem duo chose to indulge in the slaughter game, killing Shabnam's family</li></ul>

On%20death%20row%2C%20she%20may%20be%20remorseful%20but%20no%20%u2018Shabnams%u2019%20in%20village%20where%20she%20killed%207%20

ShabnamAli

CapitalPunishment

RamNathKovind

In a landmark step, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will present a paperless annual budget for its term’s final year (2021-22), before the state Vidhan Sabha on Thursday. The government, which will shortly complete its fourth year in office, is stated to be the first state government in the country to go for a paperless budget. It is another matter that even though both expenditure and revenue of the state have been actually on the slide, yet the projections continue to be higher and higher in every successive year. However, what has become the scoring point is not just the fact that the country’s most populous state has the biggest budget in comparison to any other state in the country, but also that for the first time in history, the projections of the budget will be available to every legislator with a click of the mouse on everyone’s iPad. The UP CM is understood to have taken a cue from the centre where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken major initiatives to introduce a paperless budget. Also Read| UP government throws open doors to provide free coaching to civil service, IIT aspirants. Significantly, the state government made it a point to not only equip each of the 404 MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly or Vidhan Sabha) and 100 MLCs (Members of the Legislative Council of Vidhan Parishad) with iPads, but also provide them 4-day training to use these. Every member was asked to purchase his iPad directly from the market, with a cap of Rs. 50,000 that would be reimbursed to them by the state government. That will mark the end of the old era when piles of printed material were handed over to all members of both the houses as well as to the media covering the proceedings. The state’s finance department has developed an app through which the budgetary provisions would be made available to the media this time. The details would also be uploaded on the state legislature website, from where the common public would have easy access to the budget. The budgetary provisions will also be made available on large LED screens, which have been specially installed the house to complement the budget speech to be read out by finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna tomorrow. Also Read: Priyanka Gandhi's religious outreach with 'mission UP' in focus. It was the COVID-19 era that give huge fillip to E-governance in the state. According to an official spokesman, the UP chief minister was now all set to also start E-cabinet meetings in the state. “The day is not far when the proceedings of the state cabinet would also become paperless”, he added. Yogi Adityanath has often been heard emphasising on the need for more and more e-governance at the bureaucratic level too as he feels that it could go a long way in curbing corruption and reducing public interface with government offices and functionaries. #YogiAdityanath #Budget2021 #UttarPradesh #ClimateChange .  .

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a landmark step, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will present a paperless annual budget for its term’s final year (2021-22), before the state Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.The government, which will shortly complete its fourth year in office, is stated to be the first state government in the country to go for a paperless budget.It is another matter that even though both expenditure and revenue of the state have been actually on the slide, yet the projections continue to be higher and higher in every successive year.However, what has become the scoring point is not just the fact that the country’s most populous state has the biggest budget in comparison to any other state in the country, but also that for the first time in history, the projections of the budget will be available to every legislator with a click of the mouse on everyone’s iPad. The UP CM is understood to have taken a cue from the centre where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken major initiatives to introduce a paperless budget.<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/education/up-government-throws-open-doors-to-provide-free-coaching-to-civil-service-iit-aspirants-466328/\\\">Also Read| UP government throws open doors to provide free coaching to civil service, IIT aspirants</a>Significantly, the state government made it a point to not only equip each of the 404 MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly or Vidhan Sabha) and 100 MLCs (Members of the Legislative Council of Vidhan Parishad) with iPads, but also provide them 4-day training to use these. Every member was asked to purchase his iPad directly from the market, with a cap of Rs. 50,000 that would be reimbursed to them by the state government.That will mark the end of the old era when piles of printed material were handed over to all members of both the houses as well as to the media covering the proceedings. The state’s finance department has developed an app through which the budgetary provisions would be made available to the media this time. The details would also be uploaded on the state legislature website, from where the common public would have easy access to the budget.The budgetary provisions will also be made available on large LED screens, which have been specially installed the house to complement the budget speech to be read out by finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna tomorrow.Also Read: <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/india/priyanka-gandhi-all-set-to-take-the-final-plunge-into-up-politics-297654/\\\">Priyanka Gandhi's religious outreach with 'mission UP' in focus</a>It was the COVID-19 era that give huge fillip to E-governance in the state. According to an official spokesman, the UP chief minister was now all set to also start E-cabinet meetings in the state. “The day is not far when the proceedings of the state cabinet would also become paperless”, he added. Yogi Adityanath has often been heard emphasising on the need for more and more e-governance at the bureaucratic level too as he feels that it could go a long way in curbing corruption and reducing public interface with government offices and functionaries.<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#YogiAdityanath\\\" data-user-id=\\\"leobAMdwHc03\\\" href=\\\"/topic/yogi-adityanath\\\">#YogiAdityanath</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Budget2021\\\" data-user-id=\\\"LMrVmO3JtYIG\\\" href=\\\"/topic/budget-2021\\\">#Budget2021</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#UttarPradesh\\\" data-user-id=\\\"IIhc25IH8ZUl\\\" href=\\\"/topic/uttarpradesh\\\">#UttarPradesh</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#ClimateChange\\\" data-user-id=\\\"C0xNZaGtjALI\\\" href=\\\"/topic/climate-change\\\">#ClimateChange</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;\",\"time\":1613583383197,\"strCount\":2916,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

<ul><li>The government will be the first state government in the country to go for a paperless budget</li><li>For the first time in history, the projections of the budget will be available to every legislator with a click&nbsp;</li><li>The state government organised a four-day training session to teach MLAs, MLCs to use iPads</li></ul>

sharatpradhan

Sharat Pradhan

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Yogi government to go for a paperless budget on Thursday