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<ul><li>Supreme Court has passed landmark judgment that will have a major impact on reservation benefits for members of the <keyword id="45041" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="dalit">Dalit</keyword> and <keyword id="188858" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Adivasi">Adivasi</keyword> communities. </li><li>Indian states will no longer be required to furnish data proving backwardness while providing reservations for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) during job promotions. </li><li>The principle of '<keyword id="125815" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="creamy-layer">creamy layer</keyword>' has been extended to include SC/ST members.</li></ul> The Supreme Court has made it easier to grant caste-based reservations to members of the Dalit community (Scheduled Castes) and Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) during job promotions. But, the apex court has also potentially made it harder for economically advanced SCs and STs to reap reservation benefits by extending the 'creamy layer' exclusion to those members. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said that Indian states would no longer be required to furnish data proving backwardness while providing reservations for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes during job promotions in the public sector. That had been a requirement since the 2006 Supreme Court judgment in the M Nagaraj Vs Union of <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> case, which made it mandatory for states to furnish 'quantifiable data' on backwardness of SCs and STs, showing insufficient representation in the government jobs in question. The <keyword id="387162" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-collection">data collection</keyword> requirement had been a huge hurdle for granting promotions to the reserved castes and promotion cases often wound up in courts, which pronounced judgments denying promotions to SC and ST candidates because of the lack of data. A five-member bench led by Chief Justice <keyword id="6355251" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="dipak-misra">Dipak Misra</keyword> <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/supreme-court-refuses-to-refer-to-7-judge-bench-its-2006-verdict-on-sc/st-job-promotion/articleshow/65960548.cms">ruled </a>that the 2006 judgment went against the 1992 judgment made by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney verdict, observing that SCs and STs are the "most backward or the weakest of the weaker sections of society" and should be presumed to be backward. What is ‘creamy layer’? However, the court also ruled that the ‘creamy layer’ exclusion will also now include members of the SC and ST community, reversing all previous Supreme Court judgments that had made an exemption for the creamy layer to be applicable to SC and ST castes. The ‘creamy layer’ principle essentially restricts the benefits of caste-based reservation to reach members of other backward castes only who are deemed to have an annual family income above ₹800,000 ($11,000) per annum for a period of three consecutive years as of 2017. The reservation benefits for the SC and ST community had thus far been based on the spirit of reversing centuries of social discrimination including 'untouchability' and many have argued that reservations shouldn’t be seen from the prism of poverty alleviation. The Supreme Court bench noted - “The whole object of reservation is to see that backward classes of citizens move forward so that they may march hand in hand with other citizens of India on an equal basis. This will not be possible if only the creamy layer within that class bag all the coveted jobs in the public sector and perpetuate themselves, leaving the rest of the class as backward as they always were.” It added, the principle “does not in any manner tinker with the Presidential List under Articles 341 or 342 of the <keyword id="441445" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Constitution-of-India">Constitution of India</keyword>.” And only “those persons within that group or sub-group, who have come out of untouchability or backwardness by virtue of belonging to the creamy layer, who are excluded from the benefit of reservation.”

All you need to know about the landmark Supreme Court verdict on reservation quotas for job promotions

As expected, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) cannot stop singing praises of the Union Budget 2024-2025 presented by Finiance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> earlier today. However, moments after <keyword id="20385790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Finance Minister">Union Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman presented the <keyword id="19955368" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-2024" source="keywords">Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament, the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> party launched a critical attack on the ruling Centre. They claimed that portions of the fiscal document had been lifted directly from their <keyword id="19977669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manifesto" source="keywords">manifesto</keyword> for the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year. <h2><keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>'s "Kursi Bachao" Budget comment</h2>Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Budget, describing it as the "Kursi Bachao" (Save the Seat) Budget, aimed at appeasing the BJP's allies and cronies. He alleged that the document was copied from the Congress party's Lok Sabha polls manifesto. "Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets," Gandhi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). <div type="twitter" handle="RahulGandhi" handlename="RahulGandhi" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815672226584166514"></div><h2><keyword id="19934649" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram" source="keywords">P Chidambaram</keyword> takes dig at the Nirmala Sitharaman</h2>Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his satisfaction over what he perceived as the government's adoption of ideas originally proposed by the Congress. "I am happy the Union Finance Minister has virtually adopted the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto," tweeted Chidambaram. He further noted his approval of the introduction of an apprenticeship scheme with allowances for apprentices, a concept detailed on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto. <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815638125168783772"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815641688922063221"></div><h2><keyword id="19897159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mallikarjun-Kharge" source="keywords">Mallikarjun Kharge</keyword> highlights 10 areas the Budget 2024 went wrong</h2>The President of the Indian National Congress Karge called the <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government" source="keywords">Modi Government</keyword> a "copycat" while going on to suggest that they could not even copy Congress' justice agenda properly. Here’s an English translation of his tweet: “The Modi Government's budget is distributing half-hearted "rewadis" to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for "progress of the country", it is a "save Modi government" budget! 1. After 10 years, limited announcements have been made for the youth who are bearing the brunt of the slogan of two crore jobs per year. 2. Only superficial talks have been held for farmers, one and a half times MSP and doubling of income - all turned out to be electoral fraud! This government has no intention of increasing rural wages. 3. There is no revolutionary scheme for Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, minorities, middle class and rural poor people like the one implemented by Congress-UPA. The word "poor" has become just a means of self-branding, there is nothing concrete! 4. There is nothing in this budget for women that would enhance their economic capacity and enable them to participate more and more in the workforce. 5. On the contrary, the government is patting its back on the back for rising inflation; it is robbing people of their hard-earned money and distributing it among its capitalist friends! 6. Less money has been spent on agriculture, health, education, public welfare and tribals than the budget allocation because these are not the priorities of the BJP. Similarly, Rs 1 lakh crore less has been spent on Capital Expenditure, so how will jobs increase? 7. Urban Development, Rural Development, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, MSME, Investment, EV scheme - only Document, Policy, Vision, Review etc. have been discussed, but no major announcement has been made. 8. Railway accidents are happening every day, trains have been stopped, the number of coaches has been reduced, ordinary passengers are troubled, but nothing has been said about the railways in the budget, there is no accountability. 9. Nothing has been said about Census and caste census, whereas this is the fifth budget which is being presented without Census! This is a shocking and unprecedented failure - which is against democracy and the Constitution! 10. On 20 May 2024, i.e. during the elections, Modi ji claimed in an interview that "We already have a 100-day action plan "... When the Action Plan was there two months ago, they should have at least told it in the budget! There is no plan in the budget and BJP is only busy in the action of cheating the public.” <div type="twitter" handle="kharge" handlename="kharge" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815669463284416605"></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111917247" title="Budget 2024: Can Lakhpati Didi Yojana’s reality inspire better focus on women?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Jairam Ramesh accuses Centre of stealing ideas from the Congress</h2>In her Budget address, Sitharaman announced that the government would provide a month's wage to all first-time employees in formal sectors. This direct benefit transfer, disbursed in three installments, will cover employees registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and amount up to ₹15,000 per individual. The eligibility limit is set at ₹1 lakh per month, potentially benefiting 2.1 crore youth across the country. Congress MP and communications in charge Jairam Ramesh also accused the Finance Minister of taking ideas from the Congress's "Nyay Patra 2024." He claimed the internship program announced in the budget was a clear adaptation of the Congress's proposed Apprenticeship Program called "Pehli Naukri Pakki." He also insinuated that this particular scheme seemed to have been come up with in haste. <div type="twitter" handle="jairam_ramesh" handlename="jairam_ramesh" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815714388340568111"></div>Ramesh critiqued the government's approach, describing it as a "festive offer" designed to capture headlines with arbitrary targets, such as the promise of one crore internships. He argued that the Congress's vision offered a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, rather than the broad and unfocused targets announced by the government. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111944393" title="Here&amp;#39;s a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government&amp;#39;s first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Ramesh also pointedly criticised the government over a special package for Andhra Pradesh, highlighting a ₹15,000 crore allocation aimed at developing Amaravati, the state's capital city and a significant project for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "Why has it taken 10 years to announce that what was already committed to in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 will be implemented?" questioned Ramesh in a post on X.

From ‘Copycat’ to ‘Kursi Bachao Budget' — Here’s what Rahul and other Congress leaders had to say about Budget 2024

The BJP crossed the halfway mark in Rajasthan with its candidates leading in over 100 seats while the Congress was ahead in 77, according to Election Commission trends available on Sunday for the assembly polls in Rajasthan. The Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) is leading on five seats while the CPI (M) and BSP on two each. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) were leading on one seat each. Independent candidates are leading in nine constituencies. Chief Minister <keyword id="49103" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ashok-gehlot" source="Orion">Ashok Gehlot</keyword>, ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Tikaram Jully, Shakuntala Rawat, Brijendra Ola, Vishvendra Singh, Mahendra Jeet Singh Malvia are among the Congress candidates who are leading whereas parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal and assembly speaker CP Joshi are trailing. Congress candidate Sachin Pilot is leading on Tonk seat with a margin of 943 votes while BJP leader and former chief minister <keyword id="6361795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vasundhara-raje" source="Orion">Vasundhara Raje</keyword> is leading in Jhalrapatan assembly seat with 7,025 votes. BJP rebels Yoonus Khan (Deedwana), Chandrabhan Singh Aakya (Chittorgarh), Ravindra Singh Bhati (Sheo) are among the nine independent candidates who are leading in initial trends. As the trends poured in, BJP candidate from Kota north Prahlad Gunjal said that the BJP is going to form the government. "Rajasthan has given the mandate and the picture will become clear in sometime," he said. When asked who will be the CM, he said, "This will be decided by the party high command. We have big leaders like Vasundhara Raje and we need not bring from outside." Gunjal is contesting against parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal. Elated over the initial trends, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said people have voted to oust Congress from the government. "People have failed the guarantees of Congress. They have voted to throw corrupt Congress out," Shekhawat told reporters here. He said that the BJP will be forming the state government with a huge mandate. Polling in 199 out of 200 assembly constituencies was held on November 25. The election in Sriganganagar's Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. Counting of votes polled in the November 25 assembly elections in Rajasthan got underway at 8 am amid tight security arrangements. A total of 36 counting centres have been set up 199 of the state's 200 assembly constituencies which went to poll. Election to the Sriganganagar's Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. As many as 1,862 candidates are in the fray for 199 seats. While 30 election districts have one counting centre, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Nagaur have two centres each. "All District Election Officers, Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police have been instructed to strictly follow the security protocol at the counting centre," CEO Gupta said. He said that three-tier security arrangements have been ensured at the counting venue and only those with authorised passes would be able to enter. "Separate counting halls have been made for each assembly seat at the counting centre, where as per the instructions of the Commission, tables have been arranged for counting of postal ballots and EVMs," he said. Incumbent Congress and its rival Congress conducted intense poll campaign and are both hopeful of forming a government. While most of pollsters predicted an edge for the BJP, three exit polls in their upper limit forecast a Congress win in the desert state.

Rajasthan assembly polls: BJP surges ahead of Congress to take lead

<ul><li>The 64-year-old <keyword id="2851129" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="draupadi-murmu" source="Orion">Draupadi Murmu</keyword> will become the <keyword id="14257421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="first-tribal-woman-president" source="Orion">first tribal woman president</keyword> in the history of India.</li><li>BJP Parliament wanted the candidate from the northeast, a woman and from the Adivasi community.</li><li>She was chosen out of 20 presidential candidates.</li></ul>Draupadi <keyword id="782539" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="murmu" source="Orion">Murmu</keyword> will be the first woman tribal president of India if she wins against <keyword id="6381725" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yashwant-sinha" source="Orion">Yashwant Sinha</keyword>, former Union Minister and the joint opposition candidate in the upcoming polls. She may not only become the first tribal woman president of India but also the second woman president in the country’s history after Pratibha Patil who served as president from 2007-2012. BJP President J.P Nadda, who announced the name of Draupadi Murmu as the NDA candidate for presidential elections, said that the BJP Parliamentary wanted the candidate should be from the northeast, a woman and from the Adivasi community. It will be the first time a tribal woman is contesting to take the highest post in the country. The BJP Parliament chose her out of 20 presidential candidates. The 64-year-old Murmu was the first-ever woman Governor of Jharkhand in 2015. She hails from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district and has been a BJP legislator twice in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet. She has experience in handling diverse ministries like transport, commerce, fisheries and animal husbandry in the Odisha government. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Her political career and educational background" comment="subhead" text="Her political career and educational background">Her political career and educational background</cmsannotation> Murmu started her political career as a councilor and later she became the Vice-Chairperson of the Rairangpur National Advisory Council or NAC. In 2013, she became a national executive member of the party's Scheduled Tribe Morcha in Odisha. In 2007, the Odisha Legislative Assembly honored her with its Best MLA of the year award. Former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Rairangpur, she held the assembly seat in 2009, the year when BJD ended ties with BJP ahead of state elections. Born into a tribal family she had struggled with poverty in one of the underdeveloped districts. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ramadevi Women’s college in Bhubaneswar. She has also served as a junior assistant in the irrigation and power department in the Odisha government. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/rebel-sena-mlas-arrive-in-assam-as-maharashtra-political-crisis-continues/articleshow/92376700.cms">Rebel Sena MLAs arrive in Assam as Maharashtra political crisis continues</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/mark-zuckerberg-announced-meta-will-not-take-commission-from-creators-on-instagram-and-facebook-until-2024/articleshow/92378346.cms">Meta will not take commission from creators on Instagram and Facebook until 2024</a>

Meet Draupadi Murmu — Modi government’s pick for upcoming Presidential elections

New Delhi, Feb 1 () Expressing disappointment over the budget, the India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) on Saturday said it will hold a nation-wide protest on February 13 against the pro-corporate proposals and failure to address the problems of the farming community.
 The AIKSCC, which is a nationwide platform of more than 200 farmer organisations across the country, said the budget 2020 offers no boost to the rural sector.
 "We are very disappointed. This is clearly a Budget that has no space for farmers of this country. The Modi government is yet again communicating to farmers that it is the companies and not the farmers who matter to this government," AIKSCC said in a statement.
 There should have been measures for relief from debts, for compensation for crop loss, protection from stray animals and crop insurance. But these have not been touched, it said.
 AIKSCC has called for a nation-wide protest on February 13 against the pro-corporate proposals in the budget, failure to address the problems of rising peasant debts and secure remunerative prices from sale of crops, it added.
 According to the farmers body, total budget allocation for agriculture, irrigation and rural development was Rs 2.68 lakh crore in the 2019-20 fiscal, which has been nominally increased to Rs 2.83 lakh crore. In real terms, taking inflation into account, this amounts to zero increase.
 On raising the farm credit target to Rs 15 lakh crore for next fiscal, AIKSCC said much of this credit will go to big agri-businesses, promote sale of costly inputs and machinery of the companies. There is no support to peasants or measure to prevent their land from being mortgaged.
 No structural changes were announced to ensure that the credit goes to small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and adivasi farmers, who are left out of institutional financing, pushing them to indebtedness and suicides, it said. LUX ANS
ANS

Farmers' body to stage protest on Feb 13 against pro-corporate Budget

<ul><li>In Bihar, India’s poorest state, all the parents reported “non-delivery of education” in government schools. </li><li>More than 40% of teachers in these five states are afraid that a quarter of students may drop out of school once they reopen. </li><li>A total of 1158 parents across private and government schools and 488 government school teachers across five states- Bihar, <keyword id="43945" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhattisgarh">Chhattisgarh</keyword>, <keyword id="6360371" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="jharkhand">Jharkhand</keyword>, <keyword id="6357961" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="odisha">Odisha</keyword>, and Uttar Pradesh participated in the Oxfam India study. </li></ul>Schools in India were forced to shut down in March after <keyword id="2257489" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Narendra-Modi">PM Narendra Modi</keyword> announced a nationwide lockdown to fight the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic. The government had asked schools to deliver lectures online but thousands of students were left with no means to study due to lack of access to smartphones. As many as 27 crore children in India were affected. Over 80% of parents of students studying government schools in five Indian states — Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh — said the school did not deliver any online lessons during COVID-19 lockdown, according to a survey conducted by NGO Oxfam India. In Bihar, India’s poorest state, all the parents reported “non-delivery of education” in government schools. The report states that most of the children were deprived of online education due to a lack of <keyword id="408193" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-devices">digital devices</keyword>. A total of 1158 parents across private and government schools and 488 government school teachers across five states- Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh participated in the study, which was conducted between May to June 2020. In India, only 15% of rural households have access to digital tech. Over 85% of the households in rural India — that has a population of 500 million people — do not have access to any digital device, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc, according to a 2017 survey by <a href="http://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/NSS75252E/KI_Education_75th_Final.pdf">the Ministry of Statistics</a>. Even those households which have a digital device face several problems. According to the report, 75% of parents in these five states said that they faced challenges like — low internet speed, no internet connection, and expensive data. <div type="image" title="First day of online classes for children in the state on Tuesday" msid="78126346" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;First day of online classes for children in the state on Tuesday&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> In some of the states, like Jharkhand, parents say they did not have the “right device” that can get access to online classes. Lack of online education has had an impact on both private and government schools, however, the impact on state-run schools was higher. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds will lose almost <a href="https://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/default/files/2020-09/Status%20report%20Government%20and%20private%20schools%20during%20COVID%20-%2019.pdf">“40% of their previous year’s learning.”</a> The digital divide may impact employability in the long-run and there will be a situation of under-employment, suggests Dr Akhil Shahani, Managing Director, the Shahani Group. “People will take more logistic jobs or tedious jobs just to pay their bills,” Shahani told Business Insider. Besides, when it comes to government schools, the pandemic’s ripple effect spills beyond just education delivery. “In addition to being a site of learning, a government school also provides entitlements such as Mid-Day Meals (MDM), textbooks and other learning materials,”<a href="https://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/default/files/2020-09/Status%20report%20Government%20and%20private%20schools%20during%20COVID%20-%2019.pdf"> added the Oxfam report. </a> A quarter of children may drop out of school, fear teachers Coronavirus has pushed lakhs of families in rural areas into poverty — which may in turn force children to join the workforce to reduce financial burden. More than 40% of teachers in these five states are afraid that a quarter of students may drop out of school once they reopen. According to the Oxfam report, experts estimate that ‘out of school’ children in India will double wherein marginalized social groups such as Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims will be disproportionately affected. Moreover, girls in rural areas will be more affected than boys. Many of them may even be forced to get married early. “The moment a family’s income gets impacted by a calamity, girls are the first to bear its brunt, they are always thought of as a burden and not an asset so they are the lowest priority,” Renuka, a gender rights activist with Pardada Pardadi Educational Society told <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/ongoing-crisis-may-push-adolescent-girls-into-early-marriage-or-work/">India Spend. </a> <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/School-Readiness-_post-COVID-Report_Dream-a-Dream_06.06.2020.pdf">According to another report</a>, around 320 million students in India are likely to be impacted by school closure — which may result in increasing economic and social stress, an increase in food security. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/society/news/for-facebook-and-twitter-the-changes-to-indias-it-amendment-act-is-what-the-doctor-ordered-or-not/articleshow/78121530.cms">For Facebook and Twitter, the changes to India's IT (Amendment) Act is just what the doctor ordered — or not</a>

8 in 10 parents in these five Indian states say there was no online education in government schools during the lockdown

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="2627105" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Betaal">Betaal</keyword>" is a new horror series on <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> about a group of Indian soldiers and indigenous civilians trying to defeat British colonial zombies. </li><li>The show premiered in late May and contains timely messages about gender and imperialism, though it's gotten mixed reviews. </li><li>Director and co-writer <keyword id="455115" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Patrick-Graham">Patrick Graham</keyword> told Insider that he envisioned the show as a tongue-in-cheek "hate letter to England" and their colonizing past. </li><li>And co-writer <keyword id="1431621" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Suhani-Kanwar">Suhani Kanwar</keyword> said that the show's strong and relatable female characters came from her own experiences with sexism in the Indian film and <keyword id="6355065" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TV">TV</keyword> industry. </li></ul>With bloodthirsty zombies, an ancient curse, and gruesome deaths, Netflix's new horror series "Betaal" is a must-watch for horror fans. But the show isn't just about vicious reanimated corpses and the struggles of the fictional Counter-Insurgency Police Department (CIPD) to defeat them. There are also messages about colonialism, gender roles, and police brutality hidden beneath the bloody plot points. Even though it premiered in late May, here's why you shouldn't sleep on the quietly revolutionary new Netflix series "Betaal."<div type="image" title="betaal 2 netflix" height="2016" width="2688" msid="76520751" hostid="261"></div><h2>'Betaal' focuses on a group of Indian soldiers and civilians as they try to escape from colonial-era British zombies</h2>The central conflict of the show starts between the soldiers from CIPD and the villagers of Adivasi. The corrupt CIPD has been sent to Adivasi to excavate a tunnel dating back to colonial India that runs through the nearby mountain Betaal. Not only would this displace the villagers, but the villagers also warn that doing so would release an evil spirit called Betaal. Of course, because this is a horror show, the villagers are ignored. Things quickly take a turn for the worse for the CIPD officers when they discover the construction has released British colonial zombies who are out for blood.The villagers and CIPD squad must face off against the reanimated colonizers and defeat Betaal over the show's four episodes. <div type="image" title="patrick graham BTS betaal" height="2331" width="3108" msid="76520755" hostid="261"></div><h2>Writer and director Patrick Graham called the show a tongue-in-cheek 'hate letter to England' and the memory of the British empire</h2>The references to colonialism in "Betaal" are pretty obvious from the start. A British lieutenant in the East India Trading Company is revealed to have sacrificed his son and the remains of his regiment in order to harness the powers of the Betaal and become emperor of India.And in fighting the Betaal and his zombie army, the CIPD and other survivors are, in a way, recreating the battles between Indians and British soldiers hundreds of years before. According to Graham, himself a white British man, he wanted the show's portrayal of colonialism to be a stern rebuke to those in Britain who might be nostalgic for the days of empire while also centering the Indian experience. "Even in the most liberal English person, you often find this kind of glimmer of nostalgia, even though it was just a series of terrible atrocities," he told Insider. "And you can see in British fiction, a lot of the time they're still making stuff which glorifies the empire." "I like the idea of making 'Betaal' my hate letter to England because Britain might be in their false delusion that they have a glorious past, but no one else thinks so — and particularly not the Indian population," Graham said. "I was kind of hoping — I'm not sure if I quite managed it — that the show would be almost like a cathartic experience," he continued. "With people experiencing this band of Indian soldiers just decimating these undead British troops in the same way that it might be fun to watch the Nazis getting shot in 'Inglourious Basterds.'" <div type="image" title="betaal 3" height="2331" width="3108" msid="76520757" hostid="261"></div><h2>Co-writer Suhani Kanwar used the show to give voices to female and indigenous characters, in addition to touching on issues like colonialism</h2>Kanwar told Insider she was interested in exploring India's "postcolonial identity" in the show and said her collaboration with Graham allowed her to re-examine the decades-old story of the Betaal. "Of course I'm aware of the fact that he's literally a foreign gaze, but he brought me this myth of the Betaal, which we grew up with over here," Kanwar said. "It's just part of our childhoods, it's everywhere. But what Patrick made me do is relook at it.""And now in my adulthood, when I've revisited the story, it's actually a story of moral and ethical conundrums," she added. According to Kanwar, a key part of the story for her was the role the indigenous villagers play, especially as they're confronted and murdered by law enforcement. "I was thinking about police brutality, about this obsession that we have with ideas of national security. Who are we attacking? What are we defending?" Kanwar said of her mindset during writing the interactions between the CIPD and the villagers. "We give those armed forces special powers. We give them immunity and we hope that what will happen will develop the nation, but tribal people are paying for it," she said.<div type="image" title="suhani kanwar betaal_edited 1" height="900" width="1200" msid="76520760" hostid="261"></div><h2>The strong female characters in 'Betaal' were a result of Kanwar's experience with sexism</h2>While some horror movies feature women as mere victims, there are unforgettable female characters in "Betaal," including Ahlu, the CIPD lieutenant; Puniya, a ruthless and resilient villager; and little Saanvi, a young girl who proves to be the key to defeating the Betaal. Kanwar told Insider that her experiences as a woman in the film and TV industry led her to create such memorable women characters. "It's coming from a very conscious place. I wish I could say it's organic, but it's been an adrenaline rush and kind of wish fulfillment to write these characters, Puniya especially," Kanwar said of her mindset while writing the show's female characters.According to the screenwriter, when she attended film school in Bombay, things were much different for women than they are today. "You come in with your youthful optimism, of joining the workforce in film," Kanwar explained. "But the odds are stacked against you. The system is designed to keep you out and you feel that discrimination every step of the way." "The only way to be a writer a few years ago was to be able to 'write like a man' in Bombay. But that is changing, I am very happy to report," Kanwar said. "The playing field is much wider. It's much more level. And I can actually write characters like Puniya, like Saanvi, like Ahlu." <div type="image" title="betaal trailer" height="1436" width="1915" msid="76520762" hostid="261"></div><h2>Despite the engaging plot and timely undertones, most Indian critics weren't fans of 'Betaal'</h2>"'Betaal' routinely undermines its own timely themes with an over-reliance on needless gore, cheap jump scares, and plot contrivances," Rohan Naahar <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/betaal-review-shah-rukh-khan-s-netflix-zombie-show-is-dead-on-arrival/story-7utjRc9n4OwqOGlk0O93rJ.html">wrote in his review for the Hindustan Times</a>, while reviewer Poulomi Das <a href="https://silverscreenindia.com/streaming/reviews/betaal-review-an-awful-netflix-zombie-horror-that-has-nothing-to-say/">said the show</a> "somehow manages to be too long, repetitive and needlessly convoluted, stretching its one-line plot, glaringly under-written, way too thin." Naahar and Das weren't alone in their dislike for the show — numerous other critics from India also <a href="https://www.filmcompanion.in/streaming/betaal-netflix-review-deafening-and-dead-foray-into-zombie-horror-shah-rukh-khan/">slammed "Betaal" in their reviews</a>. Graham and Kanwar had their own thoughts on why the show was received negatively in India. "They might not be familiar with this kind of genre, but I think there's so much more stuff at play," Graham told Insider. "I think that they might have an issue with Netflix, because it's seen as like an American entity that's coming in and trying Westernize certain things. They probably see the show isn't as a kind of Western show."But Graham was adamant that "Betaal" isn't a Western show, despite what critics might say. "I'm the only Westerner working with a crew of hundreds of Indian people. And I had an Indian co-director and an Indian co-writer Suhani — we both came up with the story together," Graham said. "So it's very much an Indian story for an Indian audience, and it's an Indian show first and foremost." Kanwar, for her part, didn't have a clear explanation as to why critics had such an intense dislike for show. "I wish I had an answer to that question," she said when asked by Insider about the critical response. "I guess all I can do is write about things that I care about and that interest me. I want to keep writing stories about interesting women because I've been waiting so long to do this, and I finally can." <h2>Overall, if you're a fan of horror, 'Betaal' is worth a watch</h2>Whether you're a hardcore horror fan or just in need of a new show to binge, the compelling plot and social commentary of "Betaal" make it worth a watch. All four episodes of "Betaal" are currently streaming on Netflix, and you can watch the trailer below.

Why horror fans shouldn't sleep on 'Betaal,' Netflix's quietly revolutionary new series

<ul><li>Angry <keyword id="8308705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="twitter-users-are-leaving">Twitter users are leaving</keyword> the platform for alleged caste-based biases. </li><li>They are instead joining the open source social media platform <keyword id="1541215" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mastodon">Mastodon</keyword>.</li><li>The platform was created by German coder Eugen Rochko in 2016 and has a tagline – Social networking, back in your hands. </li></ul><keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> is in trouble again. This time around, its Indian users are leaving the platform join Mastodon – an open source social media platform. A large number of users are suspending their accounts and accusing Twitter of discrimination. A much lesser known Mastodon is gaining from the anger. The open source platform allows users to create their own communities through their own servers. Mastodon is a decentralised platform, not owned by anyone. As it doesn’t allow advertising, monetizing, or venture capital, the platform accepts donations. The platform was created by German coder Eugen Rochko in 2016 and has a tagline – Social networking, back in your hands. It allows users to publish text, images, links, videos etc. It also promises a safer social media environment. “Twitter forces you to choose between two extremes, a protected account and a fully public account. If you have a public account, all your tweets are visible to everyone and infinitely shareable. Mastodon realizes that it’s not something you might always want though,” the <a href="https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2018/07/cage-the-mastodon/">website quotes Rochko.</a> So Mastodon has four options instead – fully public, unlisted (appearing to your followers and anyone looking at your profile, but not on public timelines), private (appearing only to your followers and people mentioned in it) and direct (appearing only to people mentioned in it). What went wrong with Twitter Twitter India is alleged of showing bias based on caste. Multiple prominent accounts of <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/what-mastodon-and-why-scores-twitter-users-are-migrating-it-111951">Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi (DBA) communities have suspended their accounts. </a> The movement started after the account of a senior columnist Dilip C Mandal was restricted by the social media giant. Though he got his account back, <keyword id="68160" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="twitter-users">Twitter users</keyword> began pointing out the disparity on the social media platform. "There's been a lot of discussion this week about Twitter's perceived bias in India. To be clear, whether it's the development of policies, product features, or enforcement of our rules, we are impartial and do not take action based upon any ideology or political viewpoint," Twitter India said in a statement. The social media giant further added that in its training, they extensively cover topics such as religion and caste to provide teams with necessary local context they need to evaluate content. Regarding the verification process, Twitter India said their public verification process is closed. “While we are reviewing the entire program, on a limited case-by-case basis we do verify public figures who are active in the public conversation,” the company said. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/twitter-accused-of-discriminating-sc-st-and-obcs/articleshow/71917669.cms">Twitter accused of discriminating against SC, ST and OBCs</a>

Twitter India users are leaving to ‘create their own social media’ platform on Mastodon

<keyword id="6354814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-Narendra-Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> made a bold move and declared Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes as void starting midnight. 
 In his address to the entire nation, Modi said the decision was taken to clamp down on <keyword id="6356023" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Black-Money">black money</keyword>. 
 
He urged Indians to bear with temporary hardships in the implementation of the new rule. 
 
"We are No 1 in rate of economic growth. Despite some progress, India still ranks at No 76 in world rankings for perception of corruption,” said Modi. 
 
Modi said persons holding old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit these notes in their bank or post office accounts from November 10 till close of banking hours on December 30, 2016 without any limit. 
 
He also made other important points during his address to the nation. 
 
Here’s the full text of his speech 
 
 
My dear citizens 
 
I hope you ended the festive season of Diwali with joy and new hope. Today, I will be speaking to you about some critical issues and important decisions. Today I want to make a special request to all of you. You may recall the economic situation in May 2014 when you entrusted us with an onerous responsibility. In the context of BRICS, it was being said that the “I” in BRICS was shaky. Since then, we had two years of severe drought. Yet, in the last two and a half years with the support of 125 crore Indians, India has become the “bright spot” in the global economy. It is not just we who are saying this; it is being stated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. 
 
In this effort for development, our motto has been ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas’: We are with all citizens and for development of all citizens. This Government is dedicated to the poor. It will remain dedicated to them. In our fight against poverty, our main thrust has been to empower the poor, and make them active participants in the benefits of economic progress. 
 
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, 
 
the Jan Suraksha Yojana, 
 
the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana for small enterprises, 
 
the Stand-up India programme for Dalits, Adivasis and Women, 
 
the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme for gas connections in the homes of the poor, 
 
the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana to protect the income of farmers, 
 
the Soil Health Card Scheme to ensure the best possible yield from farmers’ fields, 
 
and the e-NAM National Market Place scheme to ensure farmers get the right price for their produce 
 
—these are all reflections of this approach. 
 
In the past decades, the spectre of corruption and black money has grown. It has weakened the effort to remove poverty. On the one hand, we are now No. 1 in the rate of economic growth. But on the other hand, we were ranked close to one hundred in the global corruption perceptions ranking two years back. In spite of many steps taken, we have only been able to reach a ranking of seventy-six now. Of course, there is improvement. This shows the extent to which corruption and black money have spread their tentacles. 
 
The evil of corruption has been spread by certain sections of society for their selfish interest. They have ignored the poor and cornered benefits. Some people have misused their office for personal gain. On the other hand, honest people have fought against this evil. Crores of common men and women have lived lives of integrity. We hear about poor auto-rickshaw drivers returning gold ornaments left in the vehicles to their rightful owners. We hear about taxi drivers who take pains to locate the owners of cell phones left behind. We hear of vegetable vendors who return excess money given by customers. 
 
There comes a time in the history of a country’s development when a need is felt for a strong and decisive step. For years, this country has felt that corruption, black money and terrorism are festering sores, holding us back in the race towards development. 
 
Terrorism is a frightening threat. So many have lost their lives because of it. But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money? Enemies from across the border run their operations using fake currency notes. This has been going on for years. Many times, those using fake five hundred and thousand rupee notes have been caught and many such notes have been seized. 
 
Brothers and sisters, 
 
On the one hand is the problem of terrorism; on the other is the challenge posed by corruption and black money. We began our battle against corruption by setting up an SIT headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, immediately upon taking office. Since then 
 
• a law was passed in 2015 for disclosure of foreign black money; 
 
• agreements with many countries, including the USA, have been made to add provisions for sharing banking information; 
 
• a strict law has come into force from August 2016 to curb benami transactions, which are used to deploy black money earned through corruption; 
 
• a scheme was introduced for declaring black money after paying a stiff penalty; 
 
My dear countrymen, 
 
Through all these efforts, in the last two and a half years, we have brought into the open nearly 1 lakh 25 thousand crore rupees of black money belonging to the corrupt. Honest citizens want this fight against corruption, black money, benami property, terrorism and counterfeiting to continue. Which honest citizen would not be pained by reports of crores worth of currency notes stashed under the beds of government officers? Or by reports of cash found in gunny bags? 
 
The magnitude of cash in circulation is directly linked to the level of corruption. Inflation becomes worse through the deployment of cash earned in corrupt ways. The poor have to bear the brunt of this. It has a direct effect on the purchasing power of the poor and the middle class. You may yourself have experienced when buying land or a house, that apart from the amount paid by cheque, a large amount is demanded in cash. This creates problems for an honest person in buying property. The misuse of cash has led to artificial increase in the cost of goods and services like houses, land, higher education, health care and so on. 
 
High circulation of cash also strengthens the hawala trade which is directly connected to black money and illegal trade in weapons. Debate on the role of black money in elections has been going on for years. 
 
Brothers and sisters, 
 
To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the five hundred rupee and thousand rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight tonight, that is 8th November 2016. This means that these notes will not be acceptable for transactions from midnight onwards. The five hundred and thousand rupee notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements will become just worthless pieces of paper. The rights and the interests of honest, hard-working people will be fully protected. Let me assure you that notes of one hundred, fifty, twenty, ten, five, two and one rupee and all coins will remain legal tender and will not be affected. 
 
This step will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against corruption, black money and fake currency. To minimise the difficulties of citizens in the coming days, several steps are being taken. 
 
1. Persons holding old notes of five hundred or one thousand rupees can deposit these notes in their bank or post office accounts from 10th November till close of banking hours on 30th December 2016 without any limit. 
 
2. Thus you will have 50 days to deposit your notes and there is no need for panic. 
 
3. Your money will remain yours. You need have no worry on this point. 
 
4. After depositing your money in your account, you can draw it when you need it. 
 
5. Keeping in mind the supply of new notes, in the first few days, there will be a limit of ten thousand rupees per day and twenty thousand rupees per week. This limit will be increased in the coming days. 
 
6. Apart from depositing your notes in your bank account, another facility will also be there. 
 
7. For your immediate needs, you can go to any bank, head post office or sub post office, show your identity proof like Aadhaar card, voter card, ration card, passport, PAN card or other approved proofs, and exchange your old five hundred or thousand rupee notes for new notes. 
 
8. From 10th November till 24th November the limit for such exchange will be four thousand rupees. From 25th November till 30th December, the limit will be increased. 
 
9. There may be some who, for some reason, are not able to deposit their old five hundred or thousand rupee notes by 30th December 2016. 
 
10. They can go to specified offices of the Reserve Bank of India up to 31st March 2017 and deposit the notes after submitting a declaration form. 
 
11. On 9th November and in some places on 10th November also, ATMs will not work. In the first few days, there will be a limit of two thousand rupees per day per card. 
 
12. This will be raised to four thousand rupees later. 
 
13. Five hundred and thousand rupee notes will not be legal tender from midnight. However for humanitarian reasons, to reduce hardship to citizens, some special arrangements have been made for the first 72 hours, that is till midnight on 11th November. 
 
14. During this period, government hospitals will continue to accept five hundred and thousand rupee notes for payment. 
 
15. This is for the benefit of those families whose members may be unwell. 
 
16. Pharmacies in government hospitals will also accept these notes for buying medicines with doctors’ prescription. 
 
17. For 72 hours, till midnight on 11th November, railway ticket booking counters, ticket counters of government buses and airline ticket counters at airports will accept the old notes for purchase of tickets. This is for the benefit of those who may be travelling at this time. 
 
18. For 72 hours, five hundred and thousand rupee notes will be accepted also at 
 
• Petrol, diesel and CNG gas stations authorised by public sector oil companies 
 
• Consumer co-operative stores authorised by State or Central Government 
 
• Milk booths authorised by State governments 
 
• Crematoria and burial grounds. 
 
These outlets will have to keep proper records of stock and collections. 
 
19. Arrangements will be made at international airports for arriving and departing passengers who have five hundred or thousand rupee notes of not more than five thousand rupees, to exchange them for new notes or other legal tender. 
 
20. Foreign tourists will be able to exchange foreign currency or old notes of not more than Rs 5000 into legal tender. 
 
21. One more thing I would like to mention, I want to stress that in this entire exercise, there is no restriction of any kind on non-cash payments by cheques, demand drafts, debit or credit cards and electronic fund transfer. 
 
Brothers and sisters, 
 
In spite of all these efforts there may be temporary hardships to be faced by honest citizens. Experience tells us that ordinary citizens are always ready to make sacrifices and face difficulties for the benefit of the nation. I see that spirit when a poor widow gives up her LPG subsidy, when a retired school teacher contributes his pension to the Swacch Bharat mission, when a poor Adivasi mother sells her goats to build a toilet, when a soldier contributes 57 thousand rupees to make his village clean. I have seen that the ordinary citizen has the determination to do anything, if it will lead to the country’s progress. 
 
So, in this fight against corruption, black money, fake notes and terrorism, in this movement for purifying our country, will our people not put up with difficulties for some days? I have full confidence that every citizen will stand up and participate in this ‘mahayagna’. My dear countrymen, after the festivity of Diwali, now join the nation and extend your hand in this Imandaari ka Utsav, this Pramanikta ka Parv, this celebration of integrity, this festival of credibility. 
 
I am sure that all political parties, all governments, social services organizations, the media and indeed all sections of the society will take part in this with enthusiasm and make it a success. 
 
My dear countrymen, 
 
Secrecy was essential for this action. It is only now, as I speak to you, that various agencies like banks, post offices, railways, hospitals and others are being informed. The Reserve Bank, banks and post offices have to make many arrangements at very short notice. Obviously, time will be needed. Therefore all banks will be closed to the public on 9th November. This may cause some hardship to you. I have full faith that banks and post offices will successfully carry out this great task of national importance. However, I appeal to all of you to help the banks and post offices to meet this challenge with poise and determination. 
 
My dear citizens, 
 
From time to time, based on currency needs, the Reserve Bank with the approval of the Central Government brings out new notes of higher value. In 2014, the Reserve Bank sent a recommendation for issue of five thousand and ten thousand rupee notes. After careful consideration, this was not accepted. Now as part of this exercise, RBI’s recommendation to issue two thousand rupee notes has been accepted. New notes of five hundred rupees and two thousand rupees, with completely new design will be introduced. Based on past experience, the Reserve Bank will hereafter make arrangements to limit the share of high denomination notes in the total currency in circulation. 
 
In a country’s history, there come moments when every person feels he too should be part of that moment, that he too should make his contribution to the country’s progress. Such moments come but rarely. Now, we again have an opportunity where every citizen can join this mahayajna against the ills of corruption, black money and fake notes. The more help you give in this campaign, the more successful it will be. 
 
It has been a matter of concern for all of us that corruption and black money tend to be accepted as part of life. This type of thinking has afflicted our politics, our administration and our society like an infestation of termites. None of our public institutions is free from these termites. 
 
Time and again, I have seen that when the average citizen has to choose between accepting dishonesty and bearing inconvenience, they always choose to put up with inconvenience. They will not support dishonesty. 
 
Once again, let me invite you to make your contribution to this grand sacrifice for cleansing our country, just as you cleaned up your surroundings during Diwali. 
 
Let us ignore the temporary hardship 
 
Let us join this festival of integrity and credibility 
 
Let us enable coming generations to live their lives with dignity 
 
Let us fight corruption and black money 
 
Let us ensure that the nation’s wealth benefits the poor 
 
Let us enable law-abiding citizens to get their due share. 
 
I am confident in the 125 crore people of India and I am sure country will get success. 
 
Thank you very much. Thanks a lot. 
 
Namaskar. 
 
Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

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