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The world might’ve been impressed with Prime Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=narendra+modi">Narendra Modi’s</a> grand visit to the US, especially to the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Heres-what-PM-Modi-told-top-tech-CEOs-at-Silicon-Valley/articleshow/49123373.cms">Silicon Valley</a> where he met the world’s most important people, including <keyword id="6354630" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Mark-Zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword>, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, David Cameron and others. 
 But, it seems no matter where he goes or what he does, he will forever be unable to shake off the presumed responsibility of the <keyword id="129506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="2002-Gujarat-riots">2002 Gujarat Riots</keyword>. 
 And, to remind the world of his guilt, an activist group which goes by the name of <keyword id="3061764" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Alliance-for-Justice-and-Accountability">Alliance for Justice and Accountability</keyword> (AJA) has taken it upon themselves to send Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg bottles of hand sanitizers dedicated to every victim of the genocide. 
 
 
 A week before Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Silicon Valley and his debut Facebook Townhall Interaction where he not only met CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but also shook hands and hugged him, the AJA launched a website called ‘Zuck, wash your hands (zuckwashyourhands.com) and sent the CEO 250 bottles of <keyword id="65077" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="hand-sanitiser">hand sanitiser</keyword> to “help remove bloodstains left behind from shaking hands with Narendra Modi”. 
 
 
 Accompanied with every bottle of Purell was the name of the victim of the violence that took place when <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. More than 1,000 people were left due to the riots 
 
Talking about their campaign, a spokesperson for the group told Scroll, "The American public – and in particular, the leaders of Silicon Valley – must remember that Modi is not simply a prime minister making a trade visit, he is a man responsible for genocide." 
 
Anyone can sign up a form on this website in case they want to send Zuckerberg a sanitiser and it will be sent on their behalf. 
 
Image credit: zuckwashyourhands.com

This group is sending Mark Zuckerberg hand
sanitizers to help him remove bloodstains left behind from shaking hands with PM Modi

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (<keyword id="20255499" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ncert" source="keywords">NCERT</keyword>) will release a new syllabus and textbooks for Classes 3 to 6 while there will be no change in the <keyword id="19917193" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="curriculum" source="keywords">curriculum</keyword> and textbooks for other grades for the academic year 2024-25 commencing from April 1, according to <keyword id="19976140" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cbse" source="keywords">CBSE</keyword> officials. The NCERT has informed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) that new syllabi and textbooks for classes 3 and 6 are currently under development and will soon be released, the CBSE said in a communication sent to affiliated schools. "Consequently, schools are advised to follow these new syllabi and textbooks for classes 3 and 6 in place of textbooks published by NCERT till the year 2023," said <keyword id="20215578" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="joseph-emmanuel" source="keywords">Joseph Emmanuel</keyword>, Director (Academics), CBSE. "Additionally, a bridge course for class 6, and concise guidelines for class 3 are being developed by the NCERT for facilitating a seamless transition for students to new pedagogical practices and areas of study aligned with new curriculum framework, 2023. These resources will be disseminated to all the schools online once they are received from NCERT. "The Board will also organize capacity-building programs for school heads and Teachers to orient them with the new teaching learning perspectives as envisioned in NEP-2020," he added in the letter. In a revision of the National Curriculum Framework (<keyword id="21063963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ncf" source="keywords">NCF</keyword>) after 18 years, the Ministry of Education had last year notified the changes. The NCF had undergone four revisions in the past - in 1975, 1988, 2000, and 2005. The council is in process of preparing new school textbooks in line with the new national curriculum framework for school education (NCF-SE) 2023 as a part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. "There will be no change in the Curriculum and textbooks for other classes for the academic year 2024-25 commencing from April 1, 2024," he said. The NCF for the foundational stage (FS) was launched by the Ministry of Education in 2022 and according to the curriculum framework, the NCERT developed and collected the learning-teaching material (LTM). Toys, puzzles, puppetry, posters, flash cards, worksheets and attractive storybooks are part of the "<keyword id="21063964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jaadui-pitara" source="keywords">Jaadui Pitara</keyword>" launched by the Ministry of Education for learning at the foundational stage. In 2022, the NCERT had rationalised the syllabi of classes 6 to 12 to "reduce the content load" on students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the changes, reflected in new textbooks published last year, the council had removed chapters on Mughal courts, 2002 Gujarat riots, cold war, references of Mughal emperors, and Emergency and periodic table. While the council maintained there was no selective omission of topics, the rationalisation exercise had created a political controversy with leaders from opposition parties alleging the ruling dispensation was "erasing history". SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-12-review/articleshow/108723955.cms">OnePlus 12 review: A feature-packed device with promising battery back-up</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/jsw-group-and-saic-motors-jv-jsw-mg-motor-india-set-to-up-production-to-3-lakh-vehicles-a-year-with-a-new-car-every-3-6-months/articleshow/108647799.cms">JSW Group and SAIC Motor’s JV ‘JSW MG Motor India’ set to up production to 3 lakh vehicles a year with a new car every 3-6 months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/asus-rog-strix-scar-16-review/articleshow/108514221.cms">Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 review – powerful gaming laptop with a cool design</a>

New curriculum, books for grades 3-6 from 2024-25, no change in syllabus for other classes: CBSE

New Delhi [India], January 8 (ANI): The <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> on Monday quashed the Gujarat government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts involved in the case of the gang-rape of <keyword id="20101478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bilkis-bano" source="keywords">Bilkis Bano</keyword> and murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The apex court held that the judgement of May 13, 2022 (which directed the Gujarat government to consider remission of convict) was obtained by "playing fraud" on the court and by suppressing material facts. The convicts had not approached the court with clean hands, the apex court observed. Noting that the state, where an offender is tried and sentenced, is competent to decide the remission plea of convicts, the apex court held that Gujarat was not competent to pass the remission orders but the Maharashtra government. In March 2002, during the post-Godhra riots, Bano was allegedly gang-raped and left to die with 14 members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter. She was five months pregnant when rioters attacked her family in Vadodara. The Gujarat government had released the 11 convicts, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, on August 15, 2022. All the 11 life-term convicts in the case were released as per the remission policy prevalent in Gujarat at the time of their conviction in 2008. Bilkis Bano and others had approached the top court, challenging the premature release of 11 convicts. Some PILs were filed, seeking directions to revoke the remission granted to 11 convicts. The pleas were filed by the National Federation of Indian Women, whose General Secretary is Annie Raja, Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) <keyword id="20107036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="subhashini-ali" source="keywords">Subhashini Ali</keyword>, journalist <keyword id="20101481" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="revati-laul" source="keywords">Revati Laul</keyword>, social activist and professor Roop Rekha Verma and TMC MP <keyword id="19981448" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahua-moitra" source="keywords">Mahua Moitra</keyword>. The Gujarat government, in its affidavit, defended the remission granted to convicts, saying they completed 14 years of sentence in prison and their "behaviour was found to be good". The State government had said it has considered the cases of all 11 convicts as per the policy of 1992 and remission was granted on August 10, 2022, and central government also approved the release of convicts. (ANI)

Bilkis Bano case: Supreme Court quashes remission order of Gujarat government

The <keyword id="6357808" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="enforcement-directorate" source="Orion">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> has filed a case against <keyword id="60684" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bbc" source="Orion">BBC</keyword> <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> under <keyword id="88944" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="foreign-exchange-management-act" source="Orion">Foreign Exchange Management Act</keyword> (FEMA) for irregularities in foreign funding. Official sources said that the action was taken to probe irregularities of foreign funding by BBC India, diversion of funds and violation of rules under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). The move comes in the wake of searches conducted by Income Tax at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai in February this year. The broadcaster came under the radar of Indian agencies after it published a controversial documentary, 'India: The Modi Question,' which drew sharp criticism from the Indian government and tarnished the country's image. Following a survey by the <keyword id="65338" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="income-tax-department" source="Orion">Income Tax Department</keyword>, the ED had earlier also sent summons to BBC, calling for an inquiry into the matter. An officer of BBC's administrative and editorial departments is being questioned at ED's headquarters here. The government, in January, directed social media platforms to block YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary soon after it created controversy. The documentary, which questioned the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots, was widely criticized by the Indian government and several sections of the Indian public. The BBC faced allegations of spreading fake news and propaganda, and the Indian government accused the broadcaster of trying to destabilize the country. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/star-treks-william-shatner-to-lead-stars-on-mars-competition-series/articleshow/99457006.cms">Star Trek's William Shatner to lead 'Stars On Mars' competition series</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/rajasthans-beekeepers-in-the-honey-trap-of-high-costs-and-low-prices/articleshow/99457609.cms">Rajasthan's beekeepers in the honey trap of high costs and low prices</a>

Enforcement Directorate files case against BBC for irregularities in foreign funds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>YouTube and Twitter blocked links to a BBC documentary about Indian PM Narendra Modi in India.</li><li>The documentary investigates Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots that killed around 1,000 people.</li></ul>Links and videos of a BBC documentary about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being blocked on YouTube and Twitter in India.The two-part documentary, "India: The Modi Question," <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0dkb144">investigates claims about Modi's involvement</a> in the 2002 riots in Gujarat where he was serving as chief minister at the time. Over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed during the violence that was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/25/india-bbc-narendra-modi-documentary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prompted by the murder</a> of a group of 59 Hindu pilgrims.Kanchan Gupta, a senior adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, <a href="https://twitter.com/KanchanGupta/status/1616745170183278592?s=20&amp;t=stVSReQ6AmOzwthPM4Heew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted on Saturday</a> that the office "issued directions for blocking multiple" YouTube videos showing the first episode of the documentary. The ministry also ordered Twitter to block "over 50 tweets with links to these YT videos," he said.<a href="https://twitter.com/KanchanGupta/status/1616745174230601728?s=20&amp;t=stVSReQ6AmOzwthPM4Heew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He tweeted</a> that the ministry is using "emergency powers under the IT Rules," introduced by Modi in 2021, and that YouTube and Twitter have complied in India.Modi is part of the BJP, or Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been India's ruling political party since 2014 when Modi took office. He has <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/25/india-bbc-narendra-modi-documentary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied contributing to the violence</a> depicted in the documentary. Gupta <a href="https://twitter.com/KanchanGupta/status/1616745166290976769?s=20&amp;t=stVSReQ6AmOzwthPM4Heew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized the documentary on Twitter</a>, calling it "hostile propaganda," and "anti-India garbage." He <a href="https://twitter.com/KanchanGupta/status/1616745189636468736?s=20&amp;t=SF4DNMs_HUqCOCNk77471A">accused the BBC</a> of having a "colonial mindset," and said the documentary was "undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India."A YouTube spokesperson told Insider in a statement that, "The video in question has been blocked from appearing by the BBC due to a copyright claim." A spokesperson for the BBC said it "has not asked Twitter to remove any content relating to the documentary. As is our standard practice, we issue Takedown Notices to websites and other file sharing platforms where the content infringes the BBC's copyright." The documentary has been broadcast only in the UK on the BBC's video on-demand service. The spokesperson said the documentary "examines the tensions between India's Hindu majority and Muslim minority and explores the politics of India's PM Narendra Modi in relation to those tensions.""The documentary was rigorously researched according to highest editorial standards. A wide range of voices, witnesses and experts were approached, and we have featured a range of opinions – this includes responses from people in the BJP. We offered the Indian Government a right to reply to the matters raised in the series – it declined to respond," the spokesperson said.Twitter did not immediately responded to Insider's request for comment.Two Parliamentary members of the opposition party All India Trinamool Congress, shared links to the documentary. Derek O'Brien's <a href="https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1616669755938852864?s=20&amp;t=4GDfBN_CzkUSKedTzHUS9w">tweet was removed;</a> Mahua Moitra <a href="https://twitter.com/MahuaMoitra/status/1617000517850517504?s=20&amp;t=qPKiHJS_Yu1rmqHMLTBJqg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared an archived link to the video</a> but it longer works. In a tweet with the link she said, "Sorry, Haven't been elected to represent world's largest democracy to accept censorship."Twitter CEO Elon Musk responded to a tweet asking him about <a href="https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-india-bbc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Intercept's article</a> on removing the documentary and said it was the first he'd heard of it."It is not possible for me to fix every aspect of Twitter worldwide overnight, while still running Tesla and SpaceX, among other things," <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1618319479662055426?s=20&amp;t=jW_EEvhz1sXUZwJcVdysig">Musk tweeted</a>.Musk has called himself "a free speech absolutist," but<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376?s=20&amp;t=aZ7-aBjX7n_ff5C0bLW9FA"> clarified in another tweet in April</a> that, "By 'free speech', I simply mean that which matches the law. I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law."

YouTube and Twitter are blocking links and videos sharing a BBC documentary in India about its prime minister

<ul><li><keyword id="2201" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kangana-Ranaut">Kangana Ranaut</keyword>’s Twitter account, KanganaTeam, has permanently been suspended.</li><li>The move came after the Bollywood actress rolled out tweets addressing the alleged violence in West Bengal, one which involved Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</li><li>Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have been cracking down on posts critical of the government and Modi ever since netizens have become more critical of India’s handling of the second COVID-19 wave.</li></ul> Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut’s Twitter account has been suspended — permanently this time — after she made a series of comments about the alleged violence that occurred in West Bengal. One of her tweets was calling for President’s Rule to be implemented in the state after the Mamata Banerjee-led <keyword id="43826" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trinamool-Congress">Trinamool Congress</keyword> (TMC) won the state elections over the weekend. <div type="image" title="kangana tweet" msid="82385824" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Kangana Ranaut&amp;#39;s tweet on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with respect to the West Bengal elections&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> But the tweet that seems to have kicked Twitter’s regulations in action is one where Ranaut urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "tame" Banerjee using his "Virat Roop" from "early 2000s" in Bengal. "We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behaviour that has the potential to lead to offline harm. The referenced account has been permanently suspended for repeated violations of Twitter Rules specifically our Hateful Conduct policy and Abusive Behaviour policy. We enforce the Twitter Rules judiciously and impartially for everyone on our service," a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement. <div type="twitter" handle="AnkitLal" handlename="Ankit Lal 🏹" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1383162756770058241/v33oT2zt_normal.jpg" favoritecount="237" retweetcount="50" status="I don't think @KanganaTeam will remain suspended forever. Most likely she will be asked to delete the tweet and l… https://t.co/GdNIzPYZub" createdat="1620112444000" id="1389478418224345091"></div> Many believe it is a veiled reference to the Gujarat riots of 2002, at a time when the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the state's chief minister, in which at least 1,000 Muslims were killed, according to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4536199.stm">official estimates</a>. Other sources <a href="http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/4127/1/hpsacp17.pdf">estimate</a> the death toll to be in excess of 2,000. While Modi has been acquitted of the charges against him in the case, the memory of 2002 Gujarat riots is still an issue raised by his detractors. The reference — even if it was a veiled one — to the riots coming from Ranaut, who is a known supporter of Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was ironic, to say the least. <div type="image" title="Screenshot (872)_edited" msid="82385896" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rahul Puri is the managing director of Mukta Arts and the head of Academics at Whistling Woods International&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <div type="image" title="Screenshot (874)_edited" msid="82385917" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Founder of Policy Brief Case&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Not Kangana Ranaut’s first time getting banned from Twitter" comment="subhead" text="Not Kangana Ranaut’s first time getting banned from Twitter">Not Kangana Ranaut’s first time getting banned from Twitter</cmsannotation> The actress was also penalised by the Jack Dorsey-led social media platform earlier this year after Ranaut made a hateful comment against the Amazon Prime Video series Tandav. The tweet said it was “time to take [the makers’] heads off” because the show allegedly hurt religious sentiments. <div type="image" title="kangana tandav_edited" msid="82386020" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Kangana Ranaut&amp;#39;s tweet about Amazon Prime Video webseries Tandav&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Indian right is uncomfortable with Twitter and Facebook" comment="subhead" text="The Indian right is uncomfortable with Twitter and Facebook">The Indian right is uncomfortable with Twitter and Facebook</cmsannotation> The current dispensation in India has been uncomfortable with the alleged liberal bias of the social media giants like Twitter. “Twitter is no longer pretending to be a neutral platform… So, there is clearly a need [sic] for regulating them. However, every curb brings its own wrinkles. Our own first amendment is a good example,” said <a href="https://twitter.com/sanjeevsanyal/status/1266283515978510343">Sanjeev Sanyal</a>, India’s Principal Economic Advisor, in reaction to Twitter’s punitive actions against certain White supremacists’ accounts in the US after the brutal killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The banning of Ranaut one more time may further fuel this mistrust on Twitter. However, it is important to remember that Twitter has also been forced to take down tweets and block accounts that have been critical of the current administration under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Facebook was seen <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/facebook-blocks-posts-tagged-resignmodi-ahead-of-polling-in-the-last-phase-of-west-bengal-assembly-elections-calls-it-a-mistake/articleshow/82307728.cms">blocking posts with the #ResignModi hashtag</a>. “We temporarily blocked this hashtag by mistake, not because the Indian government asked us to, and have since restored it,” a Facebook company spokesperson said after the fact. Twitter was also seen taking down or restricting access to over 50 tweets flagged off by the government through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), according to disclosures made on the <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/">Lumen Database</a>. This move from Twitter has come a day before the decision of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/facebooks-oversight-board-will-announce-its-decision-on-the-future-of-donald-trumps-banned-account-on-wednesday/articleshow/82376161.cms">Facebook Oversight Committee</a> on whether the blocking of Donald Trump’s page was legally tenable. Twitter has no independent committee like that of Facebook looking into such complaints. Still, the future course of action by any platform, as well as the public discourse on the limits of free speech on social media, may be benchmarked against Facebook’s decision on Trump’s ban tomorrow on May 5. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/ipl-2021-suspended-by-bcci-as-several-players-test-covid-positive/articleshow/82384544.cms">IPL suspended as more players contract COVID-19 ⁠— BCCI bites the bullet mid-way through the season</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/coders-are-coming-up-with-new-ways-to-check-for-covid-19-vaccination-slots-on-cowin/articleshow/82383284.cms">Indian coders are working around the CoWIN app to help people bag the elusive vaccine slots</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/govt-slashing-customs-duty-and-cess-on-oxygen-concentrators-remdesivir-injections-and-covid-19-vaccines/articleshow/82372585.cms">To get more oxygen concentrators, Remdesivir injections and COVID-19 vaccines, India temporarily lifts customs duty and cess on imports</a>

Twitter cracks down on Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut — here's why it's significant in the debate over free speech on social media

The United States is now concerned over reports of religiously-motivated killings, coerced <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=religious+conversions">religious conversions</a>, and actions restricting the right of individuals to change religious beliefs in India. 
 
On Wednesday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Secretary+of+State+John+Kerry+">Secretary of State John Kerry</a> has released the International Religious Freedom Report for 2014 in Washington. 
 
Taking a broader view of the religious incidents and violations, the report, however, gave a thumb up to the Indian authorities as they "continued to enforce laws designed to protect "religious sentiments" and minimize the risk of religious violence, which some argued had the effect of limiting freedom of expression related to religion." 
 
According to the report, the local non-governmental organization (NGO) reported over 800 religiously-motivated attacks in the year 2014. Police arrested <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Christians+and+Muslims+">Christians and Muslims</a> for alleged "coerced conversion" of Hindus. 
 Moreover, in <keyword id="6355554" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Madhya-Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</keyword>, the Shivpuri district administration has arrested four Hindu Dalits for converting to Islam. Six out of 29 state governments enforced existing "anti-conversion" laws, as per the report. 
 Pointing indirectly to the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> as well as the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> governments, the report said that hundreds of cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 Gujarat riots are still pending in courts. 
 
"The Nanavati-Mehta Commission on the 2002 riots in Gujarat ultimately released its final report on November 18. Some NGOs called into question the impartiality of the findings." 
 
The report said the Gujarat government expanded the number of Muslim-majority areas in Ahmedabad designated legally "disturbed". 
 
Authorities included the neighborhoods of Gulberg Society and Naroda Patiya, two areas worst affected by the 2002 riots. 
 
The designation requires residents to obtain government permission to sell real estate in affected areas through March 31, 2018. NGOs said that, while the intent of the law was to stop the forced sales of properties in areas that experienced communal violence, the law has led to communal isolation by limiting areas where Muslims may sell property. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Religious Freedom Report: US concerned over recent religious incidents in India

The <keyword id="6356037" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="white-house">White House</keyword> followed the elections in the world’s biggest democracy with utmost curiosity. But this curiosity was not about where India, as a country, would head. Instead, it was about the direction the Indo-US relations would get under the new Indian leadership. <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was denied the US visa for his alleged dubious role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Since then, the White House has cautiously maintained distance from him. Following Modi’s landslide victory, US <keyword id="2540" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="President">President</keyword> <keyword id="28185" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barrack-Obama">Barrack Obama</keyword> congratulated him and also invited him to visit the US. 
 
The US Officials sent out a communiqué, stating they looked forward to ‘working together’ with India’s next Prime Minister. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes tweeted, “After the largest democratic election in history, US congratulates the BJP for its victory and looks forward to working closely with new government”. 
 
This gesture assumes significance in the wake of the recent strains in the Indo-US relations over the Khobragade episode. 
Since Modi is a thorough professional when it comes to politics and trade relations, the issues of denial of visa or the Khobragade episode should not hamper the bilateral relations. 
 
However, his stance on India’s bilateral relationships, especially with respect to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and China, are somewhat viewed with scepticism. But his tough stance on national security should not be of much concern to the US, which is all set to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. 
 
Working with Modi on improving bilateral relations is more of an exigency for both nations. President Obama’s final term in his office will end in January 2017 and Modi will face the people’s verdict in 2019. 
 
The western countries have been facing economic downturn for the last few years, while India’s economy, by and large, has remained unaffected by the global slowdown. 
 
The countries, looking to have trade relations with India, will have to now realign their strategies, rather than treating India as a pool of human resources. 
 The European Union and the Australian government have long reached out to Modi. So did the <keyword id="6361754" type="COUNTRY" weightage="40" keywordseo="United-Kingdom">United Kingdom</keyword>. Modi realises his energising aspects for voters, such as the ‘majority’ agenda of Hindutva etc, will not go a long way. He is more than willing to promote trade and usher in economic growth to create opportunities. With the US acknowledging this, hopefully, diplomacy will now speak a different language - the language of mutual benefit. 
 
Image: Thinkstock

Indo-US Ties: The Road Ahead

From a polarising figure to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is popularly called as NaMo, has built his own brand with a lot of hard work. 
 
He has sailed in choppy waters with aplomb and today, Modi is the most popular brand in India. The margin of his popularity, relationships, growth and achievements is much higher than his competitors. He is a leader who has been able to connect with global leaders as well as the common man. 
 
Modi, who can also be referred to as the CEO of our country, has taught us innumerable things on becoming a brand. 
 
So, on his 65th birthday, we jot down seven lessons that can be learnt from his life. 
 
1. Optimism &amp; self confidence: His journey from a tea-seller to a leader of world’s largest democracy teaches us about self-confidence and optimism. His life has inspired and has given very important message to three generations - youth, middle aged and old aged-that family background, elite education and age cannot act as a roadblock to one’s dream to achieve something extraordinary in life. 
 
2. Resilience: Modi drew flak from all quarters during 2002 Gujarat riots, both nationally and internationally. Many business leaders questioned favorable environment for businessmen in Gujarat, and countries like the US revoked his visa. During 2014 general elections, few key leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies were not in favor of his selection as the Prime Ministerial candidate. But, he came out strong from tough situations and surprised everyone with the results. 
 
3. Develop faith: Modi is often criticized for his foreign tours and his government has been through a roller-coaster ride on several issues including black money, Lalit Modi row, Vyapam scam, etc. Still, through counter-attacks and speeches, Modi has instilled a faith in the common man. Also, by pitching India as the best place to invest and highlighting the positives, he has also lead business honchos, worldover, to invest in India. Highlight positives and show your strengths. If you have confidence in yourself, everyone else will also show the same in you. 
 
4. Nurture relationships: NaMo himself has been putting continuous efforts to nurture relationships with various global leaders. The US President Barack Obama attended Republic Day function, Columbia University Professor Jagdish Bhagwati has lauded Modi's Gujarat model of development in his book, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, India’s golden voice Lata Mangeshkar, business tycoon Ratan Tata and many other influential leaders have praised NaMo for his work. 
 
5. Think Different: Ditch the traditional methods and do something offbeat to connect. During the 2014 parliamentary elections, Modi engaged with his target audience using different technologies and innovative campaigns. Through webcasts, data analytics, digitization, 3D holograms, social media, etc, Modi was omnipresent. His ‘chai pe charcha’ campaign was a hit. 
 
6. Communication and keep in touch: It’s not that NaMo, who is an excellent communicator, forgot his audiences after elections. His monthly address ‘Mann ki baat’ is still a rage among Indians. Modi’s speeches are articulate and well-crafted which also touch an emotional nerve. Communication is one of the best tools, which can really build a brand. 
 
7. Vision &amp; knowledge: Modi has great insights on challenges faced by public, his knowledge on historic and cultural facts are also remarkable. Most importantly, he has a vision to make India an efficient and modern country that thrives in various industries and fields. He wants to turn India into world’s manufacturing hub and his ‘Make in India’ initiative has already garnered lot of steam. It is important to targets and a vision and tread of that path. 
 
(Author of this article is Harsh Pamnani, who is a former Senior Manager of TiE Mumbai and an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur) 
 
(Image: PIB)

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