Eye on Dalits, PM Modi launches Bhim pay app

December 31, 2016

New Delhi, Dec 31: With his gaze fixed on UP and the larger Dalit constituency, PM Narendra Modi launched on Friday an app whose acronym Bhim (Bharat Interface for Money) beamed a political message to the socially disadvantaged.

pmThe app, which seeks to ensure easy, fast and secure digital transactions, saw Modi invoking Dalit icon B R Ambedkar several times at an event here as he argued digitalisation would empower the poor -rather than disadvantage them, as maintained by some demonetisation critics.

The acronym is reminiscent of pro-Dalit outfit BSP's "Jai Bhim" slogan and carries an association with Dalit movements. Apart from challenging BSP in the UP polls, the move seeks to counter the flak BJP received over violence against Dalits in some of the states it rules and also the Rohith Vemula suicide. The mantra of Dr Ambedkar was to work for uplift of the poor. And the biggest power of technology is that it can empower the poor," Modi said as he extolled the app's feature that allows a thumb print to activate it. Earlier, use of a thumb impression for legal purposes was a sign of illiteracy (angutha chhaap) but technology and the new app could turn this into an instrument of personal empowerment, the PM said. "Your thumb is your bank now. It has become your identity now."

The political application of Bhim was all too evident as the launch of the app comes just before the crucial assembly elections in UP where BJP is struggling to detach the Dalits from BSP chief Mayawati. The social enlargement Modi had in mind seemed to be an attempt to expand the constituency beyond the party's more traditional catchment of upper castes to the less well-off OBCs and SCs.

Addressing the gathering of party workers and officials, Modi recalled Ambedkar as an economist and even went on to utter "Bahujan Hitay Bahujan Sukhay".

"The RBI was born on principles he (Ambedkar) wrote in his thesis. How the federal structure should run economically. The Finance Commission that was formed for this purpose was a result of his principles. If there is one person whose contribution stands out in India's economic framework, it is Babasaheb Ambedkar's," Modi said.

"No matter how far a country has gone, even for them, they have to go to Google, ask Google Guru what is Bhim. At first, they will see Bhim from Mahabharat. If they dig deeper, they will find Bharat Ratna Bhimrao Ambedkar. This was the goal of his life, to empower the poor. And this is what the app will do. This is the poor's treasure. This will empower the poor, farmers, tribal people," the PM said.

Arguing that Bhim app will bring Ambedkar centrestage, Modi said, "Be it a smartphone or feature phone of Rs 1,000-1,200, Bhim app can be used. There is no need to have internet connectivity .One only needs a thumb" Modi's dedication of the app to Ambedkar is a part of his strategy over the past year to seek to position BJP as being truly mindful of his legacy . He has repeatedly attacked Congress for ignoring and even downplaying Ambedkar in comparison with Nehru-Gandhi leaders.

BJP and Sangh Parivar have tried to appropriate a piece of the Dalit icon's legacy as the Modi government accelerated construction of an Ambedkar memorial in Delhi.

BJP government in Maharashtra decided to buy the London flat where Ambedkar stayed and the Sangh Parivar celebrated the birth centenary of the framer of the Constitution on a big scale through the year.

But BJP suffered setbacks because of Hyderabad Central University student Rohith Vemula's suicide and the atrocity committed by gau rakshaks on Dalits at Una in Gujarat. But the incidents have not fazed BJP and Sangh Parivar as only on Thursday, the government relaxed guidelines to facilitate the constriction of Ambedkar memorial in Mumbai. The government also plans to announce the mega draw of Rs 1 crore under "Lucky Grahak Yojana" and "DigiDhan Vyapar Yojana" on April 14, the birth anniversary of Ambedkar.

Comments

Skazi
 - 
Sunday, 1 Jan 2017

In India Feku is acting like BHIM and Arjuna ....But, but Google and You tube have placed Modi in the list of top 10 CRIMINALS of the world ....

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Agencies
August 4,2020

Ayodhya, Aug 4: Ramarchan puja begins at Ram Janmabhoomi site ahead of the foundation laying ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Ramarchan Puja is a prayer to invite all major gods and goddesses ahead of Lord Ram's arrival.

Mahesh Bhagchandka, one of the trustees of Ashok Singhal foundation as Yajman in the puja said, "This is being conducted at the temporary seat of Ramlalla. The pooja will be conducted in four phases."

Speaking about the third and fourth phases, he said: "In the third phase, Dashrath, father of Lord Ram with his wives will be worshipped and then all three brothers of Lord Ram - Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan with their wives. Lord Hanuman ji will too be worshipped. Whereas in the fourth phase, Lord Ram will be worshipped."
Meanwhile, security has been heightened in Ayodhya ahead of the foundation laying ceremony.

Temples across the city is decorated with lights, diyas and flowers ahead of the grand event. Patna's Mahavir Mandir Trust is preparing over 1.25 lakh 'Raghupati Laddoos' for the occasion. Thes laddoos will be distributed as 'prasad' to devotees.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple during his visit to Ayodhya to take stock of the preparations for the 'bhoomi pujan'.
He along with officials also visited 'Ram ki Paudi' to inspect the arrangements ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5. 

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News Network
June 30,2020

Srinagar, Jun 30: On the deadly attack at Karachi Stock Exchange on Monday morning, a Kashmiri social activist and journalist warned that the incident is a stark reminder to all those in Pakistan supporting Jihad and attacked Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan for ignoring development agenda in Balochistan.

Yana Mir, the editor-in-chief of The Real Kashmir News, said, "Karachi Stock Exchange attack is a reminder to all those in Pakistan supporting Jihad. Remember @imrankhan that Youth is restless and they want development agenda. These young boys of BLA are also looking for a life which is settled and peaceful. Wake up Imran Khan and you Kashmiris also. Pakistan is going to finish you. Open your eyes."
Four heavily armed terrorists attacked the busy Pakistan Stock Exchange building in Karachi with grenades today, killing four security guards and a police officer before being shot dead in an exchange of fire, authorities said.

The terrorists, who arrived in a car, stormed the Karachi Stock Exchange building by firing indiscriminately and lobbed grenades at the main gate of the multi-storey building situated in the city's high-security commercial hub.

Balochistan is a well-known region rich in natural resources but the Balochis have always been deprived of basic facilities. No hospitals are available in Balochistan. If there are some then medical facilities and equipment are not available in hospitals. The education system is pathetic and similar is the case with the infrastructure: the roads, water system, agriculture and almost all fields of life.

It is pertinent to mention that enforced disappearances and abductions by the Pakistani military establishment have also been carried out regularly and for innumerable times in Balochistan. Leaders, activists, and vocal members of various student organizations have been detained by the security forces and kept in confinement. While others have been shot dead.

This crime against humanity has been going on for so long and so systematically in Balochistan that it has come to be considered as a normal state of affairs in the province. Many social and human rights activists have flagged the issue of oppression by the Pakistani establishment before the United Nations and other international agencies.

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, an entity established by the Pakistani government, about 5,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been registered since 2014. Most of them are still unresolved.

Independent local and international human rights organisations put the numbers much higher. Around 20,000 have reportedly been abducted only from Balochistan, out of which more than 2,500 have turned up dead as bullet-riddled dead bodies, bearing signs of extreme torture.

Before being elected as Prime Minister, Imran Khan had admitted in multiple interviews about the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agencies in enforced disappearances as well as extrajudicial killings and vowed to resign if he was unable to put an end to the practice, holding those involved responsible. But times have passed and only reports are available to narrate the true story.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Jun 5: Meerut Police on Thursday claimed that around 13,500 mobile phones in the country are running on the same IMEI, the number used to identify the device.

A case of fraud has been registered against the mobile phone manufacturing company and its service center, the police said.

The matter surfaced, after police personnel gave his mobile phone to the staff at cybercrime cell for examination, as the new phone was not working properly despite being repaired, Meerut SP (city) Akhilesh N Singh said.

The cyber cell found that around 13,500 other mobile phones are also running on the same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) as that of the police personnel's phone, the superintendent of police said.

He said the matter is a serious security issue.

Prima facie it appears to be negligence on part of the mobile phone company and criminals can use it to their advantage, Singh said.

He said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law at a Medical police station and a team of experts has been called to look into the matter.

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