Modi "signs" national flag, social media attacks him for "violating code"; officials take it away to check code

By Our Representative
Social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, is ripe with sharply-worded comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the allegation that he has “insulted” the national flag by signing on it. According to reports from New York, the signed flag was to be handed over by celebrity chef Vikas Khanna to President Barack Obama, whom plans to meet Modi after the latter’s visit to Silicon Valley. Khanna is said to be a four-time Michelin-starred chef. He reportedly cooked a feast on Thursday evening, which included sandalwood saffron sherbet, paneer ravioli, saffron sheermal and mango-ginger soup. Many of the dishes were from his coffee table book on festival cuisine in India, which, too, he was to present Obama.
Hitting hard on Modi, @TruthofGujarat, which has over 13,000 followers, tweeted that “after wiping his sweat using the tricolor during Yoga Day, Modi now violates flag code by signing on the tricolor.”
The twitter account, @TruthofGujarat, if managed by Pratik Sinha, son of iconic High Court lawyer Mukul Sinha, who was officially allowed to counter-question representations before the Nanavaty-Shah commission, which probed Gujarat riots. Sinha passed away last year after suffering from cancer.
Former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt (@sanjivbhatt), a whistleblower who is known to be one of the sharpest critics of Modi, tweeted “Finally, Modi becomes the first PM to sign an Indian flag in contravention of the Flag Code of India.”
Rajiv Tyagi posted on the Facebook, “Modi is the first Prime Minister to sign an Indian flag in contravention of the Flag Code of India”, even as giving a shot of a Times of India tweet which said “@narendramodi autographed the national flag for President @POTUS to be handed over to him. #ModinUSA.”

Tyagi is an ex-serviceman with Indian Air Force. He, as also all those who have gone on viral on Facebook and Twitter, criticizing Modi, have reproduced the code which says that “lettering of any kind shall not be put on the Flag”.
A celebrity, Ramesh Shrivats (@rameshshrivats), who calls himself an “armchair thinker” and whose followers include Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, tweeted, “PM Modi signs an Indian flag to be gifted to President Obama. Outrage. Opposition screams, "RESIGN, RESIGN." So, Modi signs again.”
Sanjay Hedge (@sanjayuvacha), who calls himself “lawyer and history buff”, tweeted, “Signing flag for Obama, wearing 10lakh signature suit for Obama, what black magic has Obama done for Modi to repeatedly do the unsuitable.”
The controversy broke out soom after ANI (@ANI_news) tweeted, “PM Modi autographed the Indian flag for President Obama to be handed over to him by renowned Chef Vikas Khanna” and released a photograph (pic.twitter.com/2ES9TZ6zXK).
Several journalists, covering Modi in the US, have suggested that it is a non-story, but online, there has been a lot of criticism. Aashish Mehta (@aashishSmehta) said, “Hon PM signs flag to be presented to US Pres by Chef Vikas Khanna & defies Flag code #PMSorryBolo@AamAadmiParty.”
However, top NDTV journalist Barkha Dutt (@barkhadutt), currently in the US, said, “Ridiculous Twitter controversy over PM signing flag for @TheVikasKhanna to gift to Obama. Officials have now taken flag away to check code.”

Comments

#MeToo moment in Hyderabad Urdu varsity? Two girl students seek action against authorities

Counterview Desk
Has the #MeToo movement reached Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MAANU)? It would seem so if a recent letter by newly-appointed chancellor Firoz Bakht Ahmed to MAANU vice-chancellor Dr Aslam Parvaiz is any indication. Seeking reinstatement of two girl victims of “sexual harassment and humiliation”, the letter specifically names head of the department of the Media Centre for Journalism, suspecting, the problem could be much deeper.
Text of the letter: It is a matter of utmost perturbation for me to receive the two representations from the girls studying in the MCJ (Media Center for Journalism) regarding their sexual and subsequently, mental and social harassment at the hands of Prof Ehtesham Ahmad Khan, the HOD, MCJ.
We do not know, how many girls have been exploited by him and preferred to be silent for saving their family’s honour; however, there are two brave girls who stood to the depraved advances and misuse by Prof Ehtesham and came up with written complai…

"Ineligible" funding of Sardar Statue in Gujarat: CAG tells Central PSUs, it's not a heritage CSR activity

By Our Representative
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its recent report on Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE), has qualified public sector undertakings’ (PSUs') funding the 182-metre world’s highest Sardar Statue, currently being constructed in the Narmada river downstream of the Sardar Sarovar dam as an “ineligible” corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity.

Gujarat BJP MLAs, youth leader "incited" attack on North Indians: Cong releases video

Counterview Desk
Senior Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil, currently in charge of Bihar and national spokesperson, All-India Congress Committee, has sent a legal notice to chief minister Vijay Rupani threatening criminal case and civil defamation suit for accusing him with "baseless statement" that he was responsible for attacks on north Indians in Gujarat.

29th "NRC-related" suicide in Assam, as Nirod Baran Das takes his life by hanging on a fan

By Our Representative
Reporting 29th case of National Register of Citizens (NRC)-driven suicide in Assam, one of India’s human rights campaign sites has said that, on October 20, tragedy struck Kharupetia town in Darrang district of Assam, when a retired school teacher and advocate Nirod Baran Das “took his life by hanging himself to a fan in his home.” The report adds, “The NRC process has so far claimed over two dozen such lives in the past four months alone.”

"Highly irregular" for PSUs to fund Sardar Statue under Corporate Social Responsibility

Counterview Desk
In a letter to I Srinivas, secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, former secretary (economic affairs), Ministry of Finance, EAS Sarma, has raised questions on the funding of the Sardar Patel statue in South Gujarat by Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSUs) relying on the Comptroller and Auditor General report (No 18/2018).

Murder of Tamil Nadu teenage Dalit girl: "Stoic silence" despite #MeToo movement

Counterview Desk
Brinelle D'souza, who is with the Centre for Health and Mental Health, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, has prepared a strong statement to protest the brutal murder of 13-year-old Rajalakshmi. "Other than a few media reports, this gruesome killing has not caught national attention despite a very vibrant #MeToo campaign currently underway", regrets D'souza.

Post-MJ Akbar resignation: #MeToo movement and fears of backlash

By Sheshu Babu*
For the last few days, #MeToo movement has picked up momentum and many women are coming out with horrific tales of severe harassment in their past lives. They are not afraid anymore to expose famous persons including those at ministerial levels. As a senior journalist Neeraja Chowdhury opined (“An exit, a beginning”, October 18, 2018, indianexpress.com), "The #MeToo revelations are like the eruption of a volcano which was imminent, given the journey working women have covered. It was not easy to make public what they had gone through,and take on powerful men.”

World Bank clarifies: Its 26th rank to India not for universal access to power but for ease of doing business

By Our Representative
In a major embarrassment to the Government of India, the World Bank has reportedly clarified that it has not ranked India 26th out of 130 countries for providing power to its population. The top international banker’s clarification comes following Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal’s claim that India has “improved to 26 position from 99” in access to electricity in just one year.

Bank account frozen, raid on Amnesty office: Govt of India "treating" human rights NGOs like criminal enterprises

By Abhirr VP*
Amnesty India’s bank accounts have been frozen by the Enforcement Directorate, effectively stopping its work. Amnesty India is thus the latest target of the government’s assault on civil society in the country. The accounts of Greenpeace India were frozen earlier this month.

60 ex-civil servants seek release of CAG reports on Rafale, demonetisation before 2019 polls

Counterview Desk
As many as 60 retired civil servants have asked President Ram Nath Kovind to expedite the release of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports on demonetisation and the Rafale deal. The letter, signed mainly by former Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service and Indian Police Service officers, regrets that the status of the audit is "unclear”. According to them, “An impression is gaining ground that CAG is deliberately delaying its audit reports on demonetisation and Rafale deal till after the May 2019 elections so as not to embarrass the present government”.

Counterview

Search This Blog