<p>Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, prompting the government to earmark more resources for the poor and infrastructure development.</p>

<p>In a Facebook post on the second anniversary of Demonetisation, Jaitley said in first four years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the number of income tax returns filers has gone up to 6.86 crore from 3.8 crore in May 2014.</p>

<p>By the time the first five years of this government are over, we will be close to doubling the assessee base, he said in the post titled Impact Of Demonetisation".</p>

<p>The demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November 2016, the minister said, had resulted in more formalisation (of economy), more revenue, more resources for the poor, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens.</p>

<p>He further said with the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), it is now becoming increasingly difficult to evade the tax system and the indirect tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio has gone up to 5.4 per cent post-GST, from 4.4 per cent in 2014-15.</p>

<p>Terming the criticism, that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks post demonetisation, as ill-informed, Jaitley said confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation.</p>

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<p>Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions. This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base, Jaitley said.</p>

<p>The government had on November 8, 2016, announced ban on old 500 and 1000 rupee notes, to curb black money in the system.</p>

<p>Of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8, 2016, 99.3 per cent or notes worth Rs 15.31 lakh crore have returned to the banking system.</p>

<p>This means, just Rs 10,720 crore of the junked currency did not return to the banking system.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh's Press Statement on two years of Demonetisation &amp; the devastating impact it had &amp; continues to have on the Indian economy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DestructionByDemonetisation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DestructionByDemonetisation</a> <a href="https://t.co/4d4JE8bdhY">pic.twitter.com/4d4JE8bdhY</a></p>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1060401595718918144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>After the note ban, old junked notes, called specified bank notes (SBNs), were allowed to be deposited in banks with unusual deposits coming under income tax scrutiny.</p>

<p>Jaitley said demonetisation compelled holders of cash to deposit the same in the banks.</p>

<p>The enormity of cash deposited and identified with the owner resulted in suspected 17.42 lakh account holders from whom the response has been received online through non-invasive method, he said.</p>

<p>The violators faced punitive actions. Larger deposits in banks improved lending capacity for the banks. A lot of this money was diverted to mutual funds for further investments. It became a part of the formal system, Jaitley added.</p>

<p>He said the share of indigenously developed payment system of unified payments interface (UPI) and RuPay card have reached 65 per cent of the payments done through debit and credit cards.</p>

<p>Jaitley said in 2017-18, the tax returns filed reached 6.86 crore, an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year.</p>

<p>This year, as on October 31, 2018, already 5.99 crore returns have been filed - which is an increase of 54.33 per cent compared to the previous year till this date.</p>

<p>As many as 86.35 lakh new filers were added this year.</p>

<p>Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said demonetisation and GST reflect long-term vision of the government and its ability to undertake massive structural reforms.</p>

<p>Tax filers under both direct and indirect taxes are close to getting doubled. Digital payments have risen sharply and become commonplace. Fake notes are out,&nbsp;Garg tweeted.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, prompting the government to earmark more resources for the poor and infrastructure development.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, prompting the government to earmark more resources for the poor and infrastructure development. In a Facebook post on the second anniversary of Demonetisation, Jaitley said in first four years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the number of income tax returns filers has gone up to 6.86 crore from 3.8 crore in May 2014. By the time the first five years of this government are over, we will be close to doubling the assessee base, he said in the post titled Impact Of Demonetisation". The demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November 2016, the minister said, had resulted in more formalisation (of economy), more revenue, more resources for the poor, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens. He further said with the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), it is now becoming increasingly difficult to evade the tax system and the indirect tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio has gone up to 5.4 per cent post-GST, from 4.4 per cent in 2014-15. Terming the criticism, that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks post demonetisation, as ill-informed, Jaitley said confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation. × Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions. This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base, Jaitley said. The government had on November 8, 2016, announced ban on old 500 and 1000 rupee notes, to curb black money in the system. Of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8, 2016, 99.3 per cent or notes worth Rs 15.31 lakh crore have returned to the banking system. This means, just Rs 10,720 crore of the junked currency did not return to the banking system. Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh's Press Statement on two years of Demonetisation & the devastating impact it had & continues to have on the Indian economy. #DestructionByDemonetisation pic.twitter.com/4d4JE8bdhY — Congress (@INCIndia) November 8, 2018 × After the note ban, old junked notes, called specified bank notes (SBNs), were allowed to be deposited in banks with unusual deposits coming under income tax scrutiny. Jaitley said demonetisation compelled holders of cash to deposit the same in the banks. The enormity of cash deposited and identified with the owner resulted in suspected 17.42 lakh account holders from whom the response has been received online through non-invasive method, he said. The violators faced punitive actions. Larger deposits in banks improved lending capacity for the banks. A lot of this money was diverted to mutual funds for further investments. It became a part of the formal system, Jaitley added. He said the share of indigenously developed payment system of unified payments interface (UPI) and RuPay card have reached 65 per cent of the payments done through debit and credit cards. Jaitley said in 2017-18, the tax returns filed reached 6.86 crore, an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year. This year, as on October 31, 2018, already 5.99 crore returns have been filed - which is an increase of 54.33 per cent compared to the previous year till this date. As many as 86.35 lakh new filers were added this year. Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said demonetisation and GST reflect long-term vision of the government and its ability to undertake massive structural reforms. Tax filers under both direct and indirect taxes are close to getting doubled. Digital payments have risen sharply and become commonplace. Fake notes are out, Garg tweeted.

Demonetisation led to formalisation of economy, expanded tax base: Arun Jaitley

<p>The man accused of plowing a rental van into pedestrians on a crowded Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-10-dead-15-injured-after-van-ploughs-into-crowd-on-toronto-sidewalk-132406">Canada's deadliest mass killing</a> in decades, left a "cryptic message" on social media before his attack, police said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Suspect Alek Minassian, 25, was charged with 10 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder in the incident.</p>

<p>One possible clue to his motive emerged on Tuesday as Facebook confirmed Minassian wrote a post before the incident that referenced an "incel rebellion." The term is shorthand used in some online message boards for "involuntary celibacy", a loose social media movement of men who blame women for their celibacy.</p>

<p>Canadian authorities have declined to say whether anger toward women had motivated the attack.</p>

<p>The post also voiced admiration for a man who killed six college students before taking his own life in California in 2014 and who cited the "cruelness of women" for his virgin status.</p>

<p>"The accused is alleged to have posted a cryptic message on Facebook minutes before" the attack, Graham Gibson, a Toronto police detective sergeant, told a news conference. The majority of the victims were women, ranging in age from their mid-20s to early 80s, Gibson said.</p>

<p>He said the question of whether the attack was driven by anger against women was "going to be part of our investigation."</p>

<p>Facebook has since deleted Minassian's account, a representative said. "There is absolutely no place on our platform for people who commit such horrendous acts," she said in an email.</p>

<p>Minassian kept his shaved head down during a brief court appearance in Canada's largest city, speaking quietly with a defence lawyer and stating his name in a steady voice when asked to do so.</p>

<p>The incident had the hallmarks of deadly vehicle assaults by Islamic State supporters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was no reason to suspect any national security connection.</p>

<p>Trudeau called on all Canadians to stand united with Toronto as flowers and scrawled messages in multiple languages piled up at a makeshift memorial in the city's north end, an ethnically diverse neighbourhood of towering office buildings, shops, restaurants and homes.</p>

<p>"We cannot as Canadians choose to live in fear every single day as we go about our daily business," Trudeau told reporters outside of parliament in Ottawa.</p>

<p>The prime minister said the incident had not changed the country's threat level or security preparations for a G7 summit in Quebec in June.</p>

<p>Minassian had briefly served in Canada's armed forces in late 2017 but asked to be voluntarily released after 16 days of training, defence ministry spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande said.</p>

<p>The suspect's two-story red-brick home in a suburb north of Toronto was a crime scene Tuesday, taped off and surrounded by police vehicles. Officers went in and out of the house.</p>

<p><strong>SOUTH KOREANS AMONG VICTIMS</strong></p>

<p>Details about the dead began to emerge on Tuesday, with a South Korean foreign ministry representative saying that two of that country's citizens were killed and one injured in the attack. The representative spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media.</p>

<p>A Jordanian citizen was also killed, said an official at the country's embassy in Ottawa.</p>

<p>The Canadian Broadcasting Corp identified one of the victims as Anne Marie D'Amico, an employee of asset manager Invesco Canada. In a statement, Invesco confirmed that one of its employees had been killed but did not name her.</p>

<p>It could be days before all the victims are publicly identified, said Ontario Chief Coroner Dirk Huyer said, adding that the extent of their injuries was making some identities difficult to determine.</p>

<p>"It ranges from scrapes and bruises to terrible injuries that I won't get into discussing here," Gibson added.</p>

<p>The attack shook the usually peaceful streets of Toronto, which recorded 61 murders last year.</p>

<p>The drama started at lunchtime on a warm spring day, when the driver drove his vehicle into the crowds. The street was soon covered in blood, empty shoes and bodies.</p>

<p>Last October, eight people died in New York when a man driving a rented pickup truck mowed down pedestrians and cyclists on a bike path. The Islamic State militant group encourages its supporters to use vehicles for attacks.</p>


Alek Minassian, the suspect, wrote a Facebook post before the attack that referenced an 'incel rebellion'. The term is shorthand for 'involuntary celibacy', a loose social media movement of men who blame women for their celibacy

The man accused of plowing a rental van into pedestrians on a crowded Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people in Canada's deadliest mass killing in decades, left a "cryptic message" on social media before his attack, police said on Tuesday. Suspect Alek Minassian, 25, was charged with 10 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder in the incident. One possible clue to his motive emerged on Tuesday as Facebook confirmed Minassian wrote a post before the incident that referenced an "incel rebellion." The term is shorthand used in some online message boards for "involuntary celibacy", a loose social media movement of men who blame women for their celibacy. Canadian authorities have declined to say whether anger toward women had motivated the attack. The post also voiced admiration for a man who killed six college students before taking his own life in California in 2014 and who cited the "cruelness of women" for his virgin status. "The accused is alleged to have posted a cryptic message on Facebook minutes before" the attack, Graham Gibson, a Toronto police detective sergeant, told a news conference. The majority of the victims were women, ranging in age from their mid-20s to early 80s, Gibson said. He said the question of whether the attack was driven by anger against women was "going to be part of our investigation." Facebook has since deleted Minassian's account, a representative said. "There is absolutely no place on our platform for people who commit such horrendous acts," she said in an email. Minassian kept his shaved head down during a brief court appearance in Canada's largest city, speaking quietly with a defence lawyer and stating his name in a steady voice when asked to do so. The incident had the hallmarks of deadly vehicle assaults by Islamic State supporters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was no reason to suspect any national security connection. Trudeau called on all Canadians to stand united with Toronto as flowers and scrawled messages in multiple languages piled up at a makeshift memorial in the city's north end, an ethnically diverse neighbourhood of towering office buildings, shops, restaurants and homes. "We cannot as Canadians choose to live in fear every single day as we go about our daily business," Trudeau told reporters outside of parliament in Ottawa. The prime minister said the incident had not changed the country's threat level or security preparations for a G7 summit in Quebec in June. Minassian had briefly served in Canada's armed forces in late 2017 but asked to be voluntarily released after 16 days of training, defence ministry spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande said. The suspect's two-story red-brick home in a suburb north of Toronto was a crime scene Tuesday, taped off and surrounded by police vehicles. Officers went in and out of the house. SOUTH KOREANS AMONG VICTIMS Details about the dead began to emerge on Tuesday, with a South Korean foreign ministry representative saying that two of that country's citizens were killed and one injured in the attack. The representative spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media. A Jordanian citizen was also killed, said an official at the country's embassy in Ottawa. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp identified one of the victims as Anne Marie D'Amico, an employee of asset manager Invesco Canada. In a statement, Invesco confirmed that one of its employees had been killed but did not name her. It could be days before all the victims are publicly identified, said Ontario Chief Coroner Dirk Huyer said, adding that the extent of their injuries was making some identities difficult to determine. "It ranges from scrapes and bruises to terrible injuries that I won't get into discussing here," Gibson added. The attack shook the usually peaceful streets of Toronto, which recorded 61 murders last year. The drama started at lunchtime on a warm spring day, when the driver drove his vehicle into the crowds. The street was soon covered in blood, empty shoes and bodies. Last October, eight people died in New York when a man driving a rented pickup truck mowed down pedestrians and cyclists on a bike path. The Islamic State militant group encourages its supporters to use vehicles for attacks.

Anger against women reason for Toronto van attack? 

<p>Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday accused the Congress party of trivialising the power of impeachment and using it as a political tool.</p>

<p>In a scathing Facebook post, the senior BJP leader said the 114-page judgement in the Judge Loya death case authored by Justice D Y Chandrachud on behalf of the three Judge Bench of the Supreme Court "exposes every fact of the conspiracy" to generate falsehood as propaganda in the public and political space.</p>

<p>He further said Amit Shah (now BJP president) had no role in Sohrabuddin Case and it was an alleged encounter executed by some central agencies through the state&nbsp;police.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Referring to the move of Congress and six other opposition parties to impeach Chief Justice of India Deepak Misra, Jaitley said: "The Congress Party and its friends have started using impeachment as a political tool".</p>

<p>Stressing that trivialising the use of power of impeachment is a "dangerous event", he said the move is an attempt to "intimidate" a judge and send a "message"&nbsp;to other judges, "that if you don't agree with us, fifty MP's are enough for a revenge action".</p>

<p>Referring to the judgement in Loya death case, Jaitley said never ever so blatantly in the past have national political parties, a few retired judges and some senior lawyers "so closely identified themselves with the generation of falsehood that they almost come out as conspirators".&nbsp;</p>

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Jaitley said Amit Shah (now BJP President) had no role in Sohrabuddin Case and it was an alleged encounter executed by some central agencies through the State Police.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday accused the Congress party of trivialising the power of impeachment and using it as a political tool. In a scathing Facebook post, the senior BJP leader said the 114-page judgement in the Judge Loya death case authored by Justice D Y Chandrachud on behalf of the three Judge Bench of the Supreme Court "exposes every fact of the conspiracy" to generate falsehood as propaganda in the public and political space. He further said Amit Shah (now BJP president) had no role in Sohrabuddin Case and it was an alleged encounter executed by some central agencies through the state police. Referring to the move of Congress and six other opposition parties to impeach Chief Justice of India Deepak Misra, Jaitley said: "The Congress Party and its friends have started using impeachment as a political tool". Stressing that trivialising the use of power of impeachment is a "dangerous event", he said the move is an attempt to "intimidate" a judge and send a "message" to other judges, "that if you don't agree with us, fifty MP's are enough for a revenge action". Referring to the judgement in Loya death case, Jaitley said never ever so blatantly in the past have national political parties, a few retired judges and some senior lawyers "so closely identified themselves with the generation of falsehood that they almost come out as conspirators". ×

Congress using CJI Deepak Misra's impeachment as a 'political tool': Arun Jaitley

<p>Despite H Raja&#39;s denial that he was not aware of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/take-stern-action-against-those-responsible-for-vandalising-statues-home-ministry-to-states-34954">&#39;denigrating&#39; Facebook post on Periyar,</a> the DMK workers today staged a protest at Saidapet in Chennai against the BJP leader&#39;s comments on Periyar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A large number of DMK workers gathered at Saidapet in Chennai and shouted slogans against H Raja, National Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party and former MLA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raja&#39;s threat came in a post from his verified Facebook page.<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/periyar-statue-vandalised-in-tamil-nadu-one-bjp-and-one-cpi-worker-arrested-34930"> &quot;Who is Lenin? </a>How is he connected to India? How is communism connected to India? The Lenin statue was razed in Tripura. Today it is a Lenin statue in Tripura. Tomorrow, it will be the statue of caste-crazed EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu,&quot; read his post which was deleted after the fiery backlash.</p>

<p>According to news agency ANI, the BJP leader later clarified that he was not aware of the post.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;The post on my facebook page was done by one of the admins without my permission. As soon as I came to know about it, I deleted the post. We have to respond to statements and opinions, not through violence. It is not correct to deface the statue of Periyar,&#39;&#39; Raja reportedly said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>DMK MP T Siva gave an adjournment motion notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session on BJP leader H Raja&#39;s remark on Periyar and desecration of Periyar statue in Vellore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Jayakumar also condemned the BJP leader H Raja&#39;s comments on Periyar.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;We strongly condemn his comments. This is the land of Periyar, MGR &amp; Amma, we will not accept his views. If he had not withdrawn his comments, we would have taken action,&#39;&#39; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah also condemned such incidents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The recent issue of destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody&rsquo;s statue, he tweeted from his official Twitter handle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah also promised severe action against those involved in such hooliganism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party,&#39;&#39; Shah stated in another tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, BJP&#39;s Tamil Nadu president Tamilisai Soundararajan expelled R Muthuraman, party functionary who was arrested for damaging Periyar statue in Thirupathur in Vellore district.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A large number of DMK workers gathered at Saidapet in Chennai and shouted slogans against H Raja, National Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party and former MLA.

Despite H Raja's denial that he was not aware of the 'denigrating' Facebook post on Periyar, the DMK workers today staged a protest at Saidapet in Chennai against the BJP leader's comments on Periyar. A large number of DMK workers gathered at Saidapet in Chennai and shouted slogans against H Raja, National Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party and former MLA. Raja's threat came in a post from his verified Facebook page. "Who is Lenin? How is he connected to India? How is communism connected to India? The Lenin statue was razed in Tripura. Today it is a Lenin statue in Tripura. Tomorrow, it will be the statue of caste-crazed EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu," read his post which was deleted after the fiery backlash. According to news agency ANI, the BJP leader later clarified that he was not aware of the post. ''The post on my facebook page was done by one of the admins without my permission. As soon as I came to know about it, I deleted the post. We have to respond to statements and opinions, not through violence. It is not correct to deface the statue of Periyar,'' Raja reportedly said. DMK MP T Siva gave an adjournment motion notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session on BJP leader H Raja's remark on Periyar and desecration of Periyar statue in Vellore. AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Jayakumar also condemned the BJP leader H Raja's comments on Periyar. ''We strongly condemn his comments. This is the land of Periyar, MGR & Amma, we will not accept his views. If he had not withdrawn his comments, we would have taken action,'' he said. Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah also condemned such incidents. The recent issue of destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody’s statue, he tweeted from his official Twitter handle. Shah also promised severe action against those involved in such hooliganism. ''I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party,'' Shah stated in another tweet. Meanwhile, BJP's Tamil Nadu president Tamilisai Soundararajan expelled R Muthuraman, party functionary who was arrested for damaging Periyar statue in Thirupathur in Vellore district.

DMK workers stage protest in Chennai against H Raja's comments on Periyar

<p>Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs &nbsp;Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech.</p>

<p>The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: &ldquo;Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such &quot;unruly behaviour&quot;. He also told her to go to a doctor &quot;if you have any problem&quot;.</p>

<p>Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that &quot;he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial&quot;. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chowdhury said the PM&#39;s &quot;personal remark&quot; was &quot;denigrating the status of a woman&quot;.&nbsp;</p>


On Thursday, Rijiju posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post. Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech. The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: “Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.” Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such "unruly behaviour". He also told her to go to a doctor "if you have any problem". Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that "he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial". "Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai," Modi said. Chowdhury said the PM's "personal remark" was "denigrating the status of a woman".

Renuka Chowdhury moves privilege motion in Rajya Sabha

<p>On July 13, Professor Abul Mansur, a professor at Dhaka University&rsquo;s Mass Communication and Journalism department, filed a case against his colleague Fahmidul Haque. Evidently, Haque made a post in a closed group on Facebook that blamed Mansur for the delay in publications of Master course results. Mansur called this allegation false and ended up lodging a complaint at a local police station under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. That a Facebook post made by a closed group can result in a police case has caused an all round furore in Bangladesh against the ICT Act.</p>

<p>Many past supporters have come to review their initial endorsement of the Act and several Human Rights group have criticised it as anti to the fundamental rights of freedom of expression. While members of the civil society in Bangladesh have criticised Abul Mansur, they are failing to discuss the long term impact of the provision of the ICT Act on the Bangladeshi society.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Enacted in 2006 by the contemporary government of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Islamist Jamaat-E-Islami, the ICT Act allows law enforcement officials to arrest any citizen for things they post on social media or any other electronic media.</p>

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<p>The ICT Act passed in 2006 has the provisions for maximum punishment, including imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of Tk 1 crore. However, the 2006 law stipulated that police had to seek permission from the concerned authorities to file a case and arrest any person. However, the present government amended the law in 2013. With the amendment, the maximum jail term was raised to 14 years. Moreover, law enforcers were empowered to make arrests without a warrant.</p>

<p>Bangladesh&rsquo;s English language daily the Daily Star reported recently that at least 21 journalists were sued under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act in the last four months. One of Bangladesh&rsquo;s Human Rights group Odhikar said that at least 82 people have been arrested under this law between January 2014 and December of last year.</p>

<p>There are many prominent figures who have suffered from the misutilisation of the Act. Veteran Bangladeshi journalist and researcher Afsan Chowdhury was sued over a Facebook post. In a case filed under Section 57 of the ICT Act, Masud Uddin Chowdhury, a retired lieutenant general, filed a case, accusing Mr Afsan of defamation by making &lsquo;false, concocted and baseless&rsquo; comment about the ownership of Picasso restaurant co-owned by Masud&rsquo;s.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In another instance, Golam Mostofa Rafiq, the editor of a local daily in Habiganj, was arrested in June in a case filed under the same Act. A local ruling party leader filed a case against him for a report in his newspaper that stated the local Member of Parliament might not get ruling party nomination in the next election and for posting this piece on the social media. Similarly, a senior journalist of a national daily Azmal Haque Helal was sued under the law early this month for making comments against a local lawmaker on Facebook.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Two journalists were sued under the section in Bangladesh&rsquo;s Khulna district for publishing a report on recruitment tests conducted by a government office.</h5>
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<p>In June, a judge of the Manikganj court has filed a case under the controversial section 57 of the ICT Act against a reporter for reporting how a truck rented by the judge was obstructing the road and kept a child from going to the hospital. In the same month, two journalists were sued under the section in Bangladesh&rsquo;s Khulna district for publishing a report on recruitment tests conducted by a government office.</p>

<p>The list of cases where the ICT Act has been misused is long and tedious. Many international human rights organisations, including the Amnesty International, have time and again criticised the provision for being short of international standard. Amnesty International termed the clauses of the law vaguely worded and said that the Act empowers authorities to prosecute people &ldquo;in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity or security of Bangladesh&rdquo; or if action is deemed to &ldquo;prejudice the image of the state&rdquo; or &ldquo;hurt religious beliefs.&rdquo;</p>

<p>In its annual report for 2016, Article 19, a London based Human Rights group, urged the Bangladesh government to repeal Section 57 of the ICT Act and bring the law in line with international standards maintained on freedom of expression. It also urged the government to drop all cases filed under this provision against journalists and online activists.</p>

<p>Despite the concerns expressed in home and abroad, however, cases under the section continue to be filed. And things are worsening every day.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>There must be some laws to ensure that Facebooks or other social media sites are not used for making hate speeches but 14 years of jail is too much for writing something.</h5>
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<p>In every society, there must be some laws to ensure that Facebooks or other social media sites are not used for making hate speeches but 14 years of jail is too much for writing something. To resolve the situation many suggestions have been forwarded. For instance, in an interview with a national daily, Bangladeshi journalist and BRAC University professor Afsan Chowdhury suggested that if someone files a case, it should not be accepted immediately without a review. &nbsp;Mr Chowdhury also suggested that the government should form a committee to review the existing cases filed under Section 57. This looks like a very sensible suggestion but, in the long run, the Bangladesh government must think about repealing the law as per the recommendations of international rights groups before it is too late.</p>


The draconian Information and Communication Technology Act of Bangladesh is receiving all round criticism for falling short of international norms of human rights.

On July 13, Professor Abul Mansur, a professor at Dhaka University’s Mass Communication and Journalism department, filed a case against his colleague Fahmidul Haque. Evidently, Haque made a post in a closed group on Facebook that blamed Mansur for the delay in publications of Master course results. Mansur called this allegation false and ended up lodging a complaint at a local police station under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. That a Facebook post made by a closed group can result in a police case has caused an all round furore in Bangladesh against the ICT Act. Many past supporters have come to review their initial endorsement of the Act and several Human Rights group have criticised it as anti to the fundamental rights of freedom of expression. While members of the civil society in Bangladesh have criticised Abul Mansur, they are failing to discuss the long term impact of the provision of the ICT Act on the Bangladeshi society. Enacted in 2006 by the contemporary government of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Islamist Jamaat-E-Islami, the ICT Act allows law enforcement officials to arrest any citizen for things they post on social media or any other electronic media. With the amendment, the maximum jail term was raised to 14 years. × The ICT Act passed in 2006 has the provisions for maximum punishment, including imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of Tk 1 crore. However, the 2006 law stipulated that police had to seek permission from the concerned authorities to file a case and arrest any person. However, the present government amended the law in 2013. With the amendment, the maximum jail term was raised to 14 years. Moreover, law enforcers were empowered to make arrests without a warrant. Bangladesh’s English language daily the Daily Star reported recently that at least 21 journalists were sued under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act in the last four months. One of Bangladesh’s Human Rights group Odhikar said that at least 82 people have been arrested under this law between January 2014 and December of last year. There are many prominent figures who have suffered from the misutilisation of the Act. Veteran Bangladeshi journalist and researcher Afsan Chowdhury was sued over a Facebook post. In a case filed under Section 57 of the ICT Act, Masud Uddin Chowdhury, a retired lieutenant general, filed a case, accusing Mr Afsan of defamation by making ‘false, concocted and baseless’ comment about the ownership of Picasso restaurant co-owned by Masud’s. In another instance, Golam Mostofa Rafiq, the editor of a local daily in Habiganj, was arrested in June in a case filed under the same Act. A local ruling party leader filed a case against him for a report in his newspaper that stated the local Member of Parliament might not get ruling party nomination in the next election and for posting this piece on the social media. Similarly, a senior journalist of a national daily Azmal Haque Helal was sued under the law early this month for making comments against a local lawmaker on Facebook. Two journalists were sued under the section in Bangladesh’s Khulna district for publishing a report on recruitment tests conducted by a government office. × In June, a judge of the Manikganj court has filed a case under the controversial section 57 of the ICT Act against a reporter for reporting how a truck rented by the judge was obstructing the road and kept a child from going to the hospital. In the same month, two journalists were sued under the section in Bangladesh’s Khulna district for publishing a report on recruitment tests conducted by a government office. The list of cases where the ICT Act has been misused is long and tedious. Many international human rights organisations, including the Amnesty International, have time and again criticised the provision for being short of international standard. Amnesty International termed the clauses of the law vaguely worded and said that the Act empowers authorities to prosecute people “in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity or security of Bangladesh” or if action is deemed to “prejudice the image of the state” or “hurt religious beliefs.” In its annual report for 2016, Article 19, a London based Human Rights group, urged the Bangladesh government to repeal Section 57 of the ICT Act and bring the law in line with international standards maintained on freedom of expression. It also urged the government to drop all cases filed under this provision against journalists and online activists. Despite the concerns expressed in home and abroad, however, cases under the section continue to be filed. And things are worsening every day. There must be some laws to ensure that Facebooks or other social media sites are not used for making hate speeches but 14 years of jail is too much for writing something. × In every society, there must be some laws to ensure that Facebooks or other social media sites are not used for making hate speeches but 14 years of jail is too much for writing something. To resolve the situation many suggestions have been forwarded. For instance, in an interview with a national daily, Bangladeshi journalist and BRAC University professor Afsan Chowdhury suggested that if someone files a case, it should not be accepted immediately without a review. Mr Chowdhury also suggested that the government should form a committee to review the existing cases filed under Section 57. This looks like a very sensible suggestion but, in the long run, the Bangladesh government must think about repealing the law as per the recommendations of international rights groups before it is too late.

In Bangladesh a Facebook post can land you in jail for 14 years

<p>With a recent spate of attacks on African students in India, issues of racism have to come to fore.&nbsp;It somehow stems from the fact that &quot;fairness&quot;&nbsp;is related to beauty according to &quot;Indian standards&quot;. From advertisements to cinema, the popular narrative in the country&nbsp;reinforces&nbsp;the concept of &quot;white&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;fair skinned&quot;, &nbsp;&quot;dull&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;black skin&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taking a dig at Bollywood actors who support the narrative blatantly or via endorsements, Indian actor Abhay Deol on Facebook went all out against the issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement on Facebook, he posted:&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="325" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515373161815085&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>He ridiculed the idea of &#39;white beauty&#39; usually overplayed in&nbsp;fairness cream advertisements:&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="596" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515328945152840%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>Deol highlighted how it&#39;s an issue with the Indian mindset for both male and female. Fairness cream ads have a similar take on fair men and the notion is not just limited to a &quot;fair&quot; skinned woman:&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="463" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515332058485862%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>King Khan himself could not save himself from Abhay Deol&#39;s wrath:&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="677" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515344418484626%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>Continuing with his sarcastic posts, Deol throws light on how fairness cream&nbsp;change their dialogue according to geography and reinforce stereotypes:&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="513" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515337878485280%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="493" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515342155151519%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>And finally, he doesn&#39;t shy from ridiculing&nbsp;our beloved star Deepika Padukone for endorsing a &#39;&#39;2-in-1&quot; FAIRNESS CREAM&quot;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="512" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAbhayDeol%2Fposts%2F1515333611819040%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>Abhay Deol candidly&nbsp;points out that, &quot;You have to stop buying into the idea that a particular shade is better than others. Unfortunately, if you look at matrimonial ads you will see how entrenched in our psyche this belief is. We even use the word &#39;dusk&#39; to describe the colour of someones skin!&quot;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


From Shahrukh Khan to John Abraham, Abhay Deol spared no one in his recent Facebook posts

With a recent spate of attacks on African students in India, issues of racism have to come to fore. It somehow stems from the fact that "fairness" is related to beauty according to "Indian standards". From advertisements to cinema, the popular narrative in the country reinforces the concept of "white" and "fair skinned", "dull" and "black skin". Taking a dig at Bollywood actors who support the narrative blatantly or via endorsements, Indian actor Abhay Deol on Facebook went all out against the issue. In a statement on Facebook, he posted: He ridiculed the idea of 'white beauty' usually overplayed in fairness cream advertisements: Deol highlighted how it's an issue with the Indian mindset for both male and female. Fairness cream ads have a similar take on fair men and the notion is not just limited to a "fair" skinned woman: King Khan himself could not save himself from Abhay Deol's wrath: Continuing with his sarcastic posts, Deol throws light on how fairness cream change their dialogue according to geography and reinforce stereotypes: And finally, he doesn't shy from ridiculing our beloved star Deepika Padukone for endorsing a ''2-in-1" FAIRNESS CREAM" Abhay Deol candidly points out that, "You have to stop buying into the idea that a particular shade is better than others. Unfortunately, if you look at matrimonial ads you will see how entrenched in our psyche this belief is. We even use the word 'dusk' to describe the colour of someones skin!" (WION)

Actor Abhay Deol takes a dig at fairness cream ads; Deepika, SRK are you listening?

<p>As military tensions along the India-Pakistan border heighten and diplomatic relations between the two South Asian nations worsen, a post by an Indian Bride for her Pakistani friend has gone viral on social media.</p>

<p>Journalist Purvi Thacker, who is getting married in December, wanted her Pakistani friend Sarah Munir to attend her wedding in India, but the cross-border tensions between the two countries have led to Munir&rsquo;s visa application being denied.</p>

<p>The bride-to-be shared in a social media post that she is &ldquo;heartbroken&rdquo; that her best friend, who is also a journalist, would not be able to be a part of her &ldquo;biggest day&rdquo;.</p>

<p><br />
&ldquo;Sarah has visited India and I have visited Pakistan, where we have stayed with each other&#39;s families. Her ammi and abbu are like my own and her family and siblings are like my own and we have visited mosques, churches and temples together. It&#39;s not until our respective countries/governments remind us that it is unusual for us to be doing those things together that we think of each other as &lsquo;Pakistani&rsquo; or &lsquo;Indian.&rsquo;&rdquo;, Thacker&rsquo;s post read.</p>

<p>Thacker has also appealed to India&#39;s foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in a tweet.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hoping social media and human connections can help <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMunir1">@SarahMunir1</a> and me!<br />
Cc <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj">@SushmaSwaraj</a> <a href="https://t.co/tCjoYYkFk9">pic.twitter.com/tCjoYYkFk9</a></p>
&mdash; Purvi Thacker (@purvi21) <a href="https://twitter.com/purvi21/status/793460232957616128">November 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Munir, meanwhile, appealed to Pakistani actors to &nbsp;retweet her &nbsp;ordeal.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheMahiraKhan">@TheMahiraKhan</a> Hey Mahira. I know ur a big advocate of rising above petty differences. If u could pls retweet, it would be a big help! <a href="https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi">https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi</a></p>
&mdash; Sarah Munir (@SarahMunir1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMunir1/status/793606740940099584">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/AliZafarsays">@AliZafarsays</a> Hey Ali. I know ur a big advocate of rising above petty differences. If you could pls share this, it would be of huge help! <a href="https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi">https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi</a></p>
&mdash; Sarah Munir (@SarahMunir1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMunir1/status/793607145929531397">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Since her post on Tuesday night, the hashtag&nbsp;#GetSarahToIndia is gaining traction.</p>

<p>In one of their blogs, Thacker and Munir write that they became friends in 2011 in New York where they attended the Columbia Journalism School together.&nbsp;</p>

<p>People from both India and Pakistan have shown their support to the two South Asian journalists</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/purvi21">@purvi21</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMunir1">@SarahMunir1</a> - No bride should have to get married without her best friend. Sharing the joy &amp; the tears. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetSarahToIndia?src=hash">#GetSarahToIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/uLsvvCv4rG">https://t.co/uLsvvCv4rG</a></p>
&mdash; Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) <a href="https://twitter.com/fifiharoon/status/793506888776310784">November 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">An Indian woman (<a href="https://twitter.com/purvi21">@purvi21</a>) appeals to the govt to allow her Pakistani best friend a visa for her wedding. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetSarahToIndia?src=hash">#GetSarahToIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/juFhqTAbxu">pic.twitter.com/juFhqTAbxu</a></p>
&mdash; Jaskirat Singh Bawa (@JaskiratSB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaskiratSB/status/793492996905848833">November 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Borders are marked on the land, not hearts! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetSarahToIndia?src=hash">#GetSarahToIndia</a></p>
&mdash; Muna Moini (@Muna_m89) <a href="https://twitter.com/Muna_m89/status/793579587473211392">November 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetSarahToIndia?src=hash">#GetSarahToIndia</a> - borders, bestfriends, lovers and reunions <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj">@SushmaSwaraj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAQuery">@MEAQuery</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Help?src=hash">#Help</a> <a href="https://t.co/qto3q1tnir">https://t.co/qto3q1tnir</a></p>
&mdash; Prithvi Hirani (@PrithviHirani) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrithviHirani/status/793578311066742784">November 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;But we are hoping this story has a silver lining and we hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While bureaucracy and red tape has done its best to instill a sense of division and frustration, everyone in the virtual space and on social media has embraced us and showered us with prayers, support, love and good wishes.&rdquo; their blog reads.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Purvi Thacker wanted her Pakistani friend Sarah to attend her wedding, but her visa was denied because of cross-border tensions

As military tensions along the India-Pakistan border heighten and diplomatic relations between the two South Asian nations worsen, a post by an Indian Bride for her Pakistani friend has gone viral on social media. Journalist Purvi Thacker, who is getting married in December, wanted her Pakistani friend Sarah Munir to attend her wedding in India, but the cross-border tensions between the two countries have led to Munir’s visa application being denied. The bride-to-be shared in a social media post that she is “heartbroken” that her best friend, who is also a journalist, would not be able to be a part of her “biggest day”. “Sarah has visited India and I have visited Pakistan, where we have stayed with each other's families. Her ammi and abbu are like my own and her family and siblings are like my own and we have visited mosques, churches and temples together. It's not until our respective countries/governments remind us that it is unusual for us to be doing those things together that we think of each other as ‘Pakistani’ or ‘Indian.’”, Thacker’s post read. Thacker has also appealed to India's foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in a tweet. Hoping social media and human connections can help @SarahMunir1 and me! Cc @SushmaSwaraj pic.twitter.com/tCjoYYkFk9 — Purvi Thacker (@purvi21) November 1, 2016 × Munir, meanwhile, appealed to Pakistani actors to retweet her ordeal. .@TheMahiraKhan Hey Mahira. I know ur a big advocate of rising above petty differences. If u could pls retweet, it would be a big help! https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi — Sarah Munir (@SarahMunir1) November 2, 2016 × .@AliZafarsays Hey Ali. I know ur a big advocate of rising above petty differences. If you could pls share this, it would be of huge help! https://t.co/e6jSpmgjyi — Sarah Munir (@SarahMunir1) November 2, 2016 × Since her post on Tuesday night, the hashtag #GetSarahToIndia is gaining traction. In one of their blogs, Thacker and Munir write that they became friends in 2011 in New York where they attended the Columbia Journalism School together. People from both India and Pakistan have shown their support to the two South Asian journalists Hey @purvi21 & @SarahMunir1 - No bride should have to get married without her best friend. Sharing the joy & the tears. #GetSarahToIndia https://t.co/uLsvvCv4rG — Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) November 1, 2016 × An Indian woman (@purvi21) appeals to the govt to allow her Pakistani best friend a visa for her wedding. #GetSarahToIndia pic.twitter.com/juFhqTAbxu — Jaskirat Singh Bawa (@JaskiratSB) November 1, 2016 × Borders are marked on the land, not hearts! #GetSarahToIndia — Muna Moini (@Muna_m89) November 1, 2016 × #GetSarahToIndia - borders, bestfriends, lovers and reunions @SushmaSwaraj @MEAQuery #Help https://t.co/qto3q1tnir — Prithvi Hirani (@PrithviHirani) November 1, 2016 × “But we are hoping this story has a silver lining and we hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While bureaucracy and red tape has done its best to instill a sense of division and frustration, everyone in the virtual space and on social media has embraced us and showered us with prayers, support, love and good wishes.” their blog reads. (WION)

Indian bride-to-be posts viral Facebook status after Pakistani bridesmaid's visa gets rejected

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