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.

The 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.

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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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'Ring of fire' solar eclipse on June 21

News Network

June 20,2020

New Delhi, Jun 20: A rare celestial event, annular solar eclipse, which is popularly known as the "ring of fire" eclipse, will be visible this Sunday in India.

It will be the first solar eclipse of this year takes place on the summer solstice, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

While people living along the path annular eclipse passing through Anupgarh, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Jakhal, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Dehradun, Tapowan and Joshimath will be able to see the annular phase, people in rest of India can witness a partial eclipse, said the Ministry of Science and Technology.

When Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow falls on the surface of the Earth. The Sun is entirely covered by the Moon for a brief period. Those places that are engulfed by the dark, dense umbral shadow of the Moon experience the total solar eclipse. In the regions that plunge into the soft diffused penumbral shadow of the Moon experience the partial eclipse.

"Annular solar eclipse is a particular case of the total solar eclipse. Like the total solar eclipse, the Moon is aligned with the Sun. However, on that day, the apparent size of the Moon happens to be a wee smaller than the Sun. Hence the Moon covers the central part of the Sun, and the rim of the Sun appear like a 'ring of fire' in the sky for a very brief moment" explains Samir Dhurde of The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune.

During the solar eclipse, the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun by 1 per cent, the expert said.

Allying rumours that the eclipse will mark the end of coronavirus, Aniket Sule, Chairperson, Public Outreach and Education Committee of the Astronomical Society of India, said: "Solar eclipse is caused when the Moon comes in front of the Sun for a short time. As seen from Earth eclipses occur somewhere in the Earth 2 to 5 times a year. Eclipses do not impact microorganisms on Earth. Likewise there no danger in eating of stepping out during an eclipse. No mysterious rays come out of the Sun during an eclipse."

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ED summons Anil Ambani for Yes Bank money laundering probe

News Network

March 16,2020

New Delhi, Mar 16: Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been summoned by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said on Monday.

They said Ambani was asked to depose at the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai on Monday as his group companies are among the big entities whose loans went bad after borrowing from the crisis-hit bank.

The officials said Ambani, 60, has sought exemption from appearance on some personal grounds and he may be issued a new date.

Ambani's group companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that turned NPAs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in a March 6 press conference that the Anil Ambani Group, Essel, ILFS, DHFL and Vodafone were among the stressed corporates Yes Bank had exposure to.

Officials said promoters of all the big companies who had taken large loans from the beleaguered bank which later turned bad are being summoned for questioning in the case to take investigation forward.

Ambani's statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) upon deposition, they said.

Kapoor, 62, is at present in ED custody after he was arrested by the central probe agency early this month.

The ED has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering "proceeds of crime" worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned NPA.

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Women's college issues dress code, prohibits burqa

Agencies

January 25,2020

Patna, Jan 25: JD Women's College in Patna has issued a direction to the students to follow the prescribed dress code on the campus while stating that wearing a 'burqa' in college is prohibited.

"All students have to come to college in the prescribed dress code, every day except on Saturday. Students are prohibited from wearing 'burqa' in college", reads a notice signed by the Principal and Proctor of the college.

The college administration has also imposed a fine of Rs. 250 for violation of the norm.

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I think this college management will allow girl students to wear tight jeans + t-shair and miniskirts but is not allowing a girl to cover her body. Are we in ancient days where humans had no dress to cover themselves or in the time of Nair kings in kerala who restricted ladies of low caste from covering their chest.