Secularism that celebrates diversity, imbibes multiple cultures and is home to all religions. That's what India has been for centuries. Now under threat, again.
Mumbai, India
Joined October 2011
- Tweets185K
- Following790
- Followers2.4K
- Likes15K
Pinned Tweet
When a government encourages scientific temper, promotes education, brings laws to punish superstition, gives voice to the downtrodden, it creates a thinking population that is aware and can bring down the same government. On the other hand...
GarvSeSecular retweeted
‘Inquilab Zindabad’ Echoes Across Jamia as 18-Day Hunger Strike Ends, Administration Approves Revival of Students’ Union
@thewire_in
GarvSeSecular retweeted
Task failed successfully.😭😭
“If you label everybody in the country... then don't you think you've actually consolidated everyone against you? That is why we say, We the People versus the BJP” — Neha Bora calls out the lazy name-calling toolkit.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
Since June, @RBI has thrown almost everything at INR: a costly FCNR(B) swap window, heavy dollar sales & curbs on hedging. Yet reserves have fallen by about $65bn in 6 weeks. @MarcellusInvest report.
Strip out gold & SDRs worth $23 bn, usable reserves drop below $600 bn -- less than 6 months of imports. RBI also owes $200bn in forward dollar deliveries. So, usable reserves $392bn.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
I tell the strange tale of a 13-year-old who joined the mob burning alive Staines & his 2 sons
I write of his long incarceration, his torment & then his conversion to Christianity
We see the frightening revival of the same hate in Odisha & central India
scroll.in/article/1096401/ha…
GarvSeSecular retweeted
In UP's Meerut, a leaked audio claims BJP leaders were allegedly pressuring BLOs to share their login credentials.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
Business World magazine has a sensational scoop based on the internal minutes of a Committee of Secretaries on Disinvestment showing how rules were changed for the controversial privatisation of IDBI Bank which was sold to Canada based Fairfax Financial Holdings at Rs 52,878 crore ($5.55 billion) at Rs 81 per share.
The internal minutes state that the initial sealed bids from Fairfax and another entity came well below the confidentially set minimum reserve price of Rs 94.42. The Fairfax bids came at Rs 75. So what do the babus do? They pull off something unprecedented but do it openly and transparently. They move to another valuation method and ask Fairfax and another bidder (strangely not named because it was later rejected by Home Ministry for security reasons!) to give new bids. This time Fairfax bids Rs 81 per share , still well below the original reserve price of Rs. 94.42. Then Fairfax says this is the final offer and it would withdraw if not accepted. The government accepts it and also gives some relief on disputed tax claims on IDBI Bank. Tax payer also makes a hefty contribution here!
The deal goes through at Rs 81 per share(the original reserve price was Rs 94.42) and the internal note strangely gives reasons why this sale was necessary for the government at this juncture- Fiscal stress on Centre due to high energy prices, lack of FDI inflows and the currency under strain because of the global energy crises!
As per Business World report the justification for change of rules and methodology for the sale of IDBI Bank came from the General Financial Rules for sale of government physical assets but not shares. Then it cites the Railway Stores Code on auctioning scrap:
"Bids lower than the reserve prices may, however, be accepted by the Depot Officer where found expedient provided the Depot Officer doing so records his reasons in writing."
In my 40 years of journalism I have not come across such justification for privatisation.
Business World's Palak Shah must be commended for this investigation.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
And to the maga nasties out here who are suggesting I am not an American since I also have a Czech citizenship and therefore I voted illegally here in Florida. I got news for you. Melania trump is also a dual citizen- of US and Slovenia.
So yes-
I can vote, I have voted and will be voting democratic as long the GOP remains a party of pedophile and rapist protectors. Among other things.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
One might imagine Madhya Pradesh’s list of proposed investments to be a serious document. But this one included a hair salon worth ₹3,000 crore, “October” at ₹200 crore, “Chikni Aatma” at ₹5 crore and a momo shop at ₹50 crore that shut two years ago.
Stay tuned for the full investigation by Prateek Goyal. Out soon on Newslaundry!
GarvSeSecular retweeted
If only the Indian Air Force refused to be a puppet in Narendra Modi’s image-building exercises: landing fighter jets during the inauguration of expressways in UP, ferrying NEET question papers, and holding an air show in the PM’s constituency.
GarvSeSecular retweeted
INTERESTING: my colleague @ashoupadhyay asked for details from Home Ministry on how many people/organisations had been identified as ‘Dimagi Naxals’ . Answer from Home ministry? NIL!😊
“Non-Muslim villagers have contributed to more than 165 such mosques in the past nine years.”
theguardian.com/global-devel…
GarvSeSecular retweeted
The reported takeover of the Indian Air Force Sports Complex.. astonishing!
While all the facts will emerge in time, one thing is obvious: That the fawning and toadying by the IAF brass buys it no privilege in the corridors of power. When its time to show it its place... SMACK!!
GarvSeSecular retweeted
नमस्कार,
चलो दिल्ली रामलीला मार्च, लोकतंत्र को बचाने का, वोट चोरी को रोकने का, संविधान को बचाने का मार्च है।
यह किसी एक राजनीतिक पार्टी का मार्च नहीं - यह हिंदुस्तान की आत्मा का मार्च है।
सब लोग जो नरेंद्र मोदी, अमित शाह, ज्ञानेश कुमार से तंग हैं। सब लोग जो लोकतंत्र को बचाना चाहते हैं, संविधान की रक्षा करना चाहते हैं, आप सब आइए।
एक ही protest है - देश का protest है।
Don't worry about the police, don't worry about lathis - the BJP will not have the guts to try any of their antics.
Come march with us - we will walk together to protect the Constitution, to protect the Indian nation.
घबराने की जरूरत नहीं है।
I urge all student groups, regardless of your political affiliation - if you feel that India is under attack, if you feel you are under attack, your expression, your ideas, your way of thinking is under attack, come and join us.
It will be a fantastic march, and it's a march for the soul of this country.
Looking forward to seeing all of you there.
🗓️ 1 नवंबर
📍 रामलीला मैदान, नई दिल्ली
#ChaloDilli
Intact spine.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has come out in support of Jamia Millia Islamia students protesting for the restoration of their union. Details in report.
telegraphindia.com/entertain…
GarvSeSecular retweeted
I was the first person to seek the registration of an FIR regarding the crores of rupees that went up in flames at the residence of Justice Verma.
Later, I heard from important sources that the money belonged to Justice Chandrachud. Gradually, talk spread among the members of the Bar, and now it has spread like wildfire—at least in Delhi. Everyone is saying that it was Justice Chandrachud’s money, with some claiming it was ₹700 crore. There is another rumor about ₹500 crore or a similar amount recovered from the farmhouse of a female Delhi High Court judge.
These are rumors, but there cannot be smoke without fire. That is why I moved the Supreme Court for the fourth time. If Justice Verma is innocent—and many sympathize with him in Delhi, believing that although he may be corrupt, the burned money was not his but Justice Chandrachud’s—these rumors and issues still need to be addressed.
When I mentioned the matter, the Chief Justice switched off the audio and video, so no one knew what was said or transacted in court. Judges face great difficulty in such matters. For a Chief Justice, Justice Verma’s case poses a dilemma due to a sense of collegiality—or a trade-union-like mentality among judges. They tend to protect one another.
Look at the damage this causes: today, people say the safest place to keep money is a judge’s residence. There are so many allegations against judges today that people consider the political executive less corrupt by comparison. While there are no allegations against the Prime Minister, many allegations persist against the government regarding various industrial groups.
Whose failure is this? It is the failure of the press and the failure of the Bar. As the Bar, we have failed to rise to the occasion. The so-called elite and eminent lawyers in the Supreme Court are hypocrites and sycophants—self-serving individuals who care for no one else.
Common people must step forward to raise these issues. Lawyers can utilize social media for this purpose. I am not asking anyone to take to the streets—that is dangerous, and lawyers should never do so—but we must address these matters.
