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Piyush Goyal propagates fake news to attack Opposition for using Rohith Vemula for politics

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7 years ago

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Piyush Goyal propagates fake news to attack Opposition for using Rohith Vemula for politics

Belying Modi government’s oft-repeated claims of concern over fake news, officiating Finance Minister and Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal on Wednesday, June 20, used a discredited report to accuse Opposition parties IUML and Congress of using the family of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula for political gains.

A report claimed that the Dalit scholar’s mother slammed the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for making “false promises”.

Vemula’s mother Radhika, however, denied she had said so.

Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at Hyderabad University, committed suicide on the campus on January 17, 2016. His suicide triggered a massive row as the opposition parties described it as a case of atrocities against Dalits.

Addressing a press conference, Piyush Goyal said, “I was anxious after reading Rohith Vemula’s mother’s statement. For how long will some opposition parties continue playing politics over it? The family is financially unstable and fake assurance of money was made to a distressed mother for political purposes.”

“Indian Union Muslim League made fake promises to provide them (Rohith Vemula’s family) Rs 20 lakh and asked them to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident…,” Piyush Goyal said at a press conference.

“In her statement, Radhika Vemula said IUML made false promises of providing a sum of Rs 20 lakh and asked her to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident,” Goyal claimed.

He said she was asked to travel to Kerala and address the rallies for the IUML.

Lashing out at the IUML leaders, the BJP leader said: “According to his mother, the IUML gave them two cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh, out of which one bounced.”

Targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Goyal said, “I received information that even Congress president took Vemula’s family to stages and asked them to make statements. Rahul Gandhi should apologise for doing petty politics.”

Vemula’s mother Radhika, however, denied that the IUML used them for political gains. “It’s true that IUML promised to provide me with money, but they haven’t used me for political gains. It was my wish to speak against PM (Narendra) Modi and if needed I will speak again in any of their meeting,” ANI quoted Radhika saying.

She added that one of the cheques IUML sent her had bounced but the party promised to directly transfer money.  “Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) sent us two cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh out of which one has bounced. We informed them & they said they will directly provide us money so that we can buy a house,” she said, according to a report in The Indian Express.

Goyal claimed there Vemula’s mother is being pressured to retract her statements. “The statements of Rohith Vemula’s mother are all before us, I believe there was an effort made to pressure the mother to retract from what she had said, probably again on the pretext of giving her some money,” he said.

Fake news buster AltNews tore into the BJP narrative. It traced the news source to fake news website Postcard news which it called “a website at the centre of the business of circulating misinformation.”

It said the story was based on a tweet by lawyer Prashant Patel Umrao on June 18 “that Radhika Vemula, mother of Hyderabad University (HoU) student Rohith Vemula who committed suicide in 2016, said she was promised Rs 20 lakh by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in exchange for speaking against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also claimed that she only received a cheque for Rs 2 lakh that bounced as well.”

Fake news website Postcard news ran a story on similar lines, however, the only source cited for the alleged ‘Rs 20 lakh offered to speak against Modi’ was Patel’s tweet, said AltNews.

Alt News also found what looks like a newspaper clip circulating an iddentical story. “However, we could not trace its origin, suggesting that the clip might have been manufactured to resemble a Hindi daily,” said the AltNews report.

Alt News contacted Radhika Vemula who said that the claims on social media are false and completely baseless.

“Muslim League did not offer me any money to speak against Modi. Any amount of money cannot change what I feel about the current government,” she told AltNews.

In a Facebook post on June 18, Rohith’s brother Raja Vemula claimed that “someone hacked into his Facebook account” to defame his mother by saying that she accepted money from IUML, Kerala to speak against Modi.

On June 16, 2018, an article published in The News Minute quoted Radhika Vemula alleging that IUML went back on its word and used them only for political gains. One of the cheques worth Rs 2.5 lakh offered by the Muslim League bounced, she said. A day after the article was published, according to a report in News18, Radhika Vemula denied any such incident and echoed General Secretary of the Youth Wing of Kerala unit of Muslim League CK Subair’s statement that the cheque bounce was a mistake and it was rejected due to “clerical errors”.

Radhika Vemula’s conflicting statements in the past few days caused a flurry, giving a few the opportunity to spread misinformation. However, she confirmed to Alt News that IUML only offered money toward building a house.

“We were asked to look for land or property and IUML would bear the costs. We checked a few plots and informed the same to them. They sent us two cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh each as token money to hold the plot of land. However, one of the cheques had a spelling error hence, was returned when we went to deposit it in the bank. I first thought that it bounced and felt deceived, however, I was wrong as this was not the case,” said Radhika Vemula.”

AltNews said lawyer Prashant P Umrao shot to fame over the case of the disqualification of AAP MLAs in Delhi. He had in a tweet dated July 28, 2012  attributed a fake quote to senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, in which he had reportedly called for ‘killing a 1000 Hindus’. Sardesai filed a police complaint against Umrao. Subsequently, he took personal digs at the journalist by spreading fake news about his son. AltNews has on numerous occasions called out Umrao’s bluff. In 2017, he had spread fake information that a Swiss couple in U.P was attacked by members of the minority community.

As for Postcard news, AltNews report said it recently shared a fake extract from former President Pranab Mukherjee’s book. “Postcard news founder Mahesh Vikram Hegde was arrested by the Karnataka police in March for spreading fake news. Ironically, a Postcard Editor was invited by Republic TV to debate on the menace of fake news,” said AltNews.

In a damning comment, AltNews said: “Despite their infamous reputation, prominent leaders of the ruling party have not only shared posts by Umrao and Postcard News but also hailed them as crusaders for righteousness… if the likes of Umrao and Postcard News continue receiving encouraging support, disinformation will continue to be propagated as the truth.”

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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2 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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7 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

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8 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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