India News

Demonetisation hasn’t ended terrorism or black money, has it?

Published

9 years ago

May 18, 2017

Demonetisation hasn’t ended terrorism or black money, has it?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Unlike in the US, India’s TV media is busy playing cheerleader for the government

Ranjona Banerji
Look at the way I’ve been treated lately, especially by the media. No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly,” said US President Donald Trump in a speech this week.

Forget the media, the internet took him on with great delight almost immediately. The assassination of Julius Caesar, Nelson Mandela’s 27 years in jail, Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, John F Kennedy’s assassination were amongst the many examples provided of politicians who had perhaps been treated a little bit worse than Trump. And even with the “great surety” of historical proof.

But it is also true that the bulk of the American media has been unrelenting in its coverage of Trump and his presidency. He has not been cut any slack and his decisions have been held up to scrutiny. And to be fair to the media, Trump and his administration have helped. From day one, when Trump boasted that his inauguration ceremony attracted more crowds than any other and Trump aide Kellyanne Conway made that remarkable defence of “alternative facts”, Trump and the media have been at loggerheads.

Other elements of society and commentators have not been far behind. America’s comedians, talk show hosts and actors have been outstanding. Alec Baldwin’s impressions of Trump and Melissa McCarthy’s take on White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, both for SaturdayNight Live, are already classic cult stuff. The more Trump rants and raves against them, the more they continue.

More seriously, the distress with Trump’s arbitrary sackings of people in important positions, his open conflict of interest, his dependence on extreme “alt-right” advisors like Steve Bannon and some members of his family, his ignorance about protocol, American history, constitutional procedure and his disdain for democracy, his connections to Russia, is palpable and real. The many problems with Trump are clear to his own party, not just the opposition. The checks and balances of the American system are straining hard to keep the ship from tilting.

How long has Trump been in office? Not even six months.

By comparison, the Indian media look like novices and invertebrates since the Modi government came to power at the Centre, three years ago in May 2014. Forget the embarrassing gushing by TV anchors during Modi’s NRI function at Madison Square Garden. Forget even the cringe-worthy spectacle of journalists falling over each other trying to get selfies with Modi during a carefully crafted Diwali event. Let’s excuse all that as a ‘honeymoon’ period, quite common in the early days of a political tenure.

Let’s instead look at the media and the last seven months. On November 8, the prime minister announced that over 85 per cent of Indian currency was being taken out of the market in order to flush out black money, clean the economy, stop terrorism and stop counterfeiting. The result of this “demonetisation” exercise was chaos. Some of the chaos was covered by our brave news channels; some woke up to the chaos after people started dying in queues.

The government then changed the gateposts and claimed that the exercise had been done to make India into a “digitised” society and reduce our dependency on cash. Even then, the media continued with ATM queues, without taking up the government’s changing claims and the success rate of any of them. The rules were changed constantly and consistently from November to March, many without much media debate.

In March, after the UP elections, demonetisation was declared a success and over. Till date, there are no figures on how much black money was caught, how much terrorism was stopped, how much counterfeiting was countered and how digitised India had become. All figures available point to the fact that several industries shut down, there have been severe job losses, terrorist incursions from Pakistan continued, politicians and businessmen have been caught hoarding new currency notes and that digitisation has started moving backwards.

The effects of this disastrous move continue to be felt but are covered only by newspapers and news websites. Television news – which drives the agenda in the Indian media – has left the story alone. The past month it has concentrated on triple talaq and its terrible effects on women and on how the opposition and/or liberals have responded to terrorist attacks and Pakistan. Any media worth its salt questions the government in charge on relentless terrorist attacks. But not ours: ours goes back to anyone who is not currently responsible and then puts them through the wringer on some manufactured idea of “nationalism”.

Some of the rightwing media in America is looking to make a scapegoat out of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and anyone else for the mess Trump is in. Is anyone taking them seriously except diehard Trump supporters? What misery for India when the bulk of the media acts like a government cheerleader.

Even now, looking for ways in which to “celebrate” three years of the Modi government, some media outlets have decided instead to look at three years of the “failed opposition”.

What a tragic testament to the loss of integrity and ethics in Indian journalism.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

12 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

India News

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

13 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

India News

PM Modi’s Saptadhara Vision: 7 streams driving India’s next growth phase

PM Modi outlined “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, identifying seven streams including manufacturing, farming, technology, defence, green energy and soft power.

Published

13 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday, outlined “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, describing seven key streams that he said can drive India’s next phase of growth and strengthen its journey towards self-reliance and development.

The seven streams identified by the Prime Minister are manufacturing, farming, technology, Gatishakti, Raksha Shakti, green and blue economy, and soft power.

Calling on the country to focus on these areas, PM Modi said the seven streams represent India’s strength and can help the country become more self-reliant.

Manufacturing as the engine of growth

PM Modi called manufacturing the first stream of Saptadhara and stressed the need to significantly strengthen the sector.

He said India needs to produce both components and complete products and should emerge as a key destination in global supply chains.

The Prime Minister highlighted cost, quality and scale as important factors for Indian manufacturers to compete globally. He also stressed the importance of attractive packaging and precision in manufacturing.

Farming and food processing

Agriculture and food processing were identified as the second stream.

PM Modi said global markets are increasingly accessible to Indian farmers and called for greater efforts to take agricultural products from farms to international markets.

He highlighted traditional foods, millets, spices, fruits and vegetables, saying these products should be developed into global brands.

Technology and innovation

Technology and innovation form the third stream of Saptadhara, according to PM Modi.

He highlighted areas such as data centres, robotics and emerging technologies, saying India should aim to become a hub for these sectors.

Referring to the country’s experience with UPI and Digital Public Infrastructure, PM Modi said India has already demonstrated its technological capabilities and must now take the next leap in next-generation communication technology.

He also spoke about the goal of Made-in-India 6G reaching across the country.

Gatishakti and faster connectivity

The fourth stream is Gatishakti, with the Prime Minister stressing the importance of speed and connectivity for India’s growth.

PM Modi called for greater emphasis on roads and expressways to support businesses and said the country needs seamless, high-speed connectivity.

He also highlighted high-speed rail connectivity between cities and port-led development as areas requiring greater focus.

Raksha Shakti and self-reliant defence

Defence is the fifth stream of Saptadhara.

PM Modi called for greater self-reliance in defence manufacturing and highlighted the need to develop advanced technologies in the sector.

He particularly stressed the importance of drone and counter-drone technology, saying India needs to invest in these areas.

The Prime Minister also said India should move beyond being a market for defence equipment and work towards becoming a global supplier by developing next-generation defence technologies.

Green and blue economy

Green energy forms the sixth stream of Saptadhara.

PM Modi called for greater innovation in green energy and said India should aim for global leadership in green hydrogen, renewable energy and energy storage while continuing to contribute solutions to global challenges.

He also highlighted opportunities in the Blue Economy, particularly in fisheries, coastal tourism and ocean technology, saying these areas can create new pathways for India’s growth.

Soft power

Soft power is the seventh stream identified by PM Modi.

He cited Yoga, handicrafts, films, animation, gaming, digital content and the creative sector as examples of India’s soft power.

The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s potential to attract global tourists and called for greater focus on the country’s tourism opportunities, including its national parks and other attractions.

With “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, PM Modi outlined a broad growth framework covering manufacturing and agriculture, emerging technology, connectivity, defence, sustainable energy, the blue economy and India’s cultural and creative influence.