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Houston: Petroleum minister <keyword id="19968713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hardeep-Singh-Puri" source="keywords">Hardeep Singh Puri</keyword> lauded India's economic growth under Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, saying the country has advanced from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 5th largest by 2019, surpassing the UK. Speaking at a community reception, organized by Consul General of India in Houston, D C Manjunath, at India House here, Puri emphasized Houston's pivotal role in the global energy sector, particularly in green hydrogen and aerospace. Expressing his thoughts about deepening <keyword id="22356868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-India-collaboration" source="keywords">US-India collaboration</keyword> in the clean energy sector, Puri praised India's refining capacity and initiatives in biofuel blending, aiming to boost refining capacity to 300 million metric tons per annum. He termed the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership as a cornerstone of future collaboration between the two countries. He acknowledged the political successes of Prime Minister Modi's party in the recent elections and said the country under Modi's regime has advanced from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 5th largest by 2019, surpassing the UK. The minister also pointed towards the Indian government's ambitious urban development initiatives, saying that the country has committed USD 25 billion (Rs 1.57 lakh crore) to urban schemes from 2017 to 2024. He compared this investment to constructing a new Chicago each year, illustrating the rapid expansion of urban infrastructure, including new metro systems and airports. He also noted that India's civil aviation sector is set to grow significantly, with the number of airports increasing from 74 to 150. Puri lauded Houston as a global hub for energy innovation and said events like "Howdy Modi" in 2019 showcased the strength of Indian-American relations. The minister paid tribute to the contributions of the Indian diaspora in various fields, particularly in medicine and engineering, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining cultural traditions, even while living abroad. He expressed gratitude for the warmth and hospitality received from the Indian community in Houston, acknowledging their role in enhancing India's global image.

India advanced from 10th place in 2014 to become 5th largest economy in 2019: Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri

The Ambani-Merchant nuptials, culminated in a lavish ceremony in Mumbai after a series of celebrations spanning multiple countries over the past four months. Notably absent from the Mumbai reception, however, was Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>. Reports suggest that billionaire <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> had personally invited Rahul Gandi and Sonia Gandhi for his son Anant Ambani’s wedding. These speculations arose after the businessman was seen arriving at 10, Janpath. Sources close to Gandhi, however, had firmly denied his attendance, underlining a strategic move to reassert his image as a leader connected to the common citizen. Amid the celebrations, Rahul Gandhi was seen adressing a crowd of people. Talking about the grandeur of the event being held at the Jio World Convention Centre, he sardonically remarked how all of this was happening while the public was suffering. <div type="twitter" handle="pbhushan1" handlename="pbhushan1" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1812340770860413030"></div>Further, a video of the 54-year-old Congress leader waiting for his order at a Delhi pizzeria has gone viral. And many speculate that the timing of this co-incided with some of his allies attending the Ambani event. <div type="twitter" handle="mr_mayank" handlename="mr_mayank" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1812210852042572052"></div>While Gandhi's decision to abstain is seen as a deliberate stance against what he critiques as “crony capitalism”, particularly under the current <keyword id="20360422" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA-government" source="keywords">NDA government</keyword>, some of his allies and colleagues from his party such as Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mamata Banerjee graced the occasion. Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> also attended the Ambani-Merchant reception to give his blessings to the happy couple. Andra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu was also in attendance. Read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/pm-narendra-modi-attends-anant-ambani-and-radhika-merchants-star-studded-wedding-event/articleshow/111719695.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">PM Narendra Modi attends Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's star-studded wedding event</a> Amit Malviya, the national head of the Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell, took a swipe at Gandhi's absence, insinuating that the Congress leader might be abroad, a notion that has stirred controversy in political circles. Malviya's comments also alluded to the participation of opposition leaders in the wedding festivities, contrasting sharply with their criticisms of prominent industrialists like Ambani and Adani. The <keyword id="20727512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ambani-wedding" source="keywords">Ambani wedding</keyword> saga, from its extravagant pre-wedding celebrations in Gujarat and Italy to the final celebrations in Mumbai, has been a magnet for media attention, showcasing the elite social circle of the Ambani family. While a majority of the festivities have come to an end, the event continues to attract equal parts admiration and scrutiny, particularly around the intricate web of political dynamics that surround them. Related: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/meet-the-rich-and-famous-people-in-mumbai-for-the-ambani-wedding/slidelist/111694174.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Meet the rich and famous people in Mumbai for the Ambani wedding</a>

Rahul Gandhi takes dig at politicians attending Ambani wedding bash while commoners are “dying of hunger”

<keyword id="19905655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="celebrations" source="keywords">Celebrations</keyword> erupted Saturday night across cricket-crazy <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> as its <keyword id="19920398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="team" source="keywords">team</keyword> won the <keyword id="19921630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="T20-World-Cup" source="keywords">T20 World Cup</keyword>, with fans flooding the streets carrying the tricolour in their hands. Chants of 'India, India' reverberated in the air as crowds gathered at city centres in different parts of the country to cheer for the ''Men in blue". Whether it was Jammu, Hyderabad, Patna or Pune, people were seen hugging and dancing as the nation's 13-year wait for a world title ended for crores of fans of cricket, who religiously follow the game and idolise its players. Taking to X soon after India defeated South Africa in a nail-biter in Barbados, Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> said the cricketers have won the hearts of crores of Indians. "CHAMPIONS! Our team brings the T20 World Cup home in STYLE! We are proud of the Indian Cricket Team," he said on X, calling the match historic. As soon as the match ended in Barbados at around 11.30 PM IST, joyous fans flooded the streets and burst firecrackers as the cricket-loving nation revelled in the glory, with celebrations continuing for hours after midnight. In Delhi, a large number of people gathered at India Gate to celebrate the occasion. At Mumbai airport, fans were seen dancing to the beats of drums, and out on roads, many revellers climbed atop vehicles. Streets in Kolkata were lit with firecrackers and shouts and whistles of irrepressible fans. In Bengaluru, many fans wearing Team India's attire were seen dancing in pubs and outside eateries. Social media was flooded with congratulatory messages and images of celebratory scenes as the star-studded Indian team outwitted South Africa by seven runs in a see-saw final that went down to the wire. "We are very ecstatic. I was a child when we last won. My throat is sore from shouting but we will celebrate for two days," a cricket fan told PTI. In Jammu, young and old celebrated with fireworks and chants of ''Bharat Mata ki Jai". "The whole country is celebrating. It is like a Diwali for us," said a reveller. Euphoric scenes were witnessed outside the state secretariat in Hyderabad as fireworks dazzled the sky. People climbed on top trucks, cars, and other vehicles which honked cheerily. Many praised the contribution of all players of Team India and coach <keyword id="19923639" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-dravid" source="keywords">Rahul Dravid</keyword>. In an emotional message on X, one of cricket's greatest icons Sachin Tendulkar said, "Every star added to the Team India jersey inspires our nation's starry-eyed children to move one step closer to their dreams. India gets the 4th star, our second in @T20WorldCup. "Life comes full circle for Indian cricket in the West Indies. From our lows in the 2007 ODI World Cup to becoming a cricketing powerhouse and winning the T20WC in 2024. Very happy for my friend Rahul Dravid, who missed out on the 2011 World Cup win but his contribution to this T20 World Cup victory has been immense. I am so so happy for him.... "It was wonderful to see Team India excel under the guidance of this class of '96. A total team effort. Hearty congratulations to all the players, coaches, support staff, and @BCCI," he said.

A night of celebrations in cricket-crazy India after T20 WC win

The counting of votes cast by 64.2 crore hopeful Indian voters during the six-week-long 18th <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> officially began at 8 AM today and it is suffice to say that the air is crackling with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Over 700 aspiring parties participated in the world’s largest democratic exercise. But the main duelling parties remain consistent with previous trends: the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) led by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> and the opposition bloc led by the <keyword id="19964138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-National-Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian National Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</keyword> (INC). Modi is shooting for a third, historic win after spending the last ten years in office, but the road ahead does not seem as smooth as anticipated. A political party in India requires at least 272 seats to cross the majority mark in the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha. The PM has audaciously declared that he is expecting a huge win exceeding 400 seats, the slogan ab ki baar 400 paar is stuck in every Indian’s head — irrespective of their political inclination. The Congress-led India bloc, on the other hand, is aiming for a relatively modest 295. On Saturday, most exit poll surveys predicted 350-370 seats for the BJP and between 107-140 seats for the opposition. However, the early trends are showing a very different picture with the INDIA bloc exceeding expectations in many states. Polls have been off the mark a few times before, but as NDA looks poised to win a third term, albeit with a few last-minute struggles, here’s a look back at the previous elections responsible for Mr Narendra Modi’s unmatchable dominance over <keyword id="20184421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-politics" source="keywords">Indian politics</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak" comment="subhead" text="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak">Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak </cmsannotation>The BJP has come a long way since 1984 when the party won just two seats. Its pro-Hindutva stance pushed it to prominence over the decades, especially in the 1990s. The BJP was in power for a considerable amount of time under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership at the turn of the century. But the kind of support that Narendra Modi has received since 2014 has been unmatched in the history of modern Indian politics. In 2014, the BJP saw a surprising landslide victory with 282 of the 543 seats. But what factors contributed to its sweeping win with a 31.3% majority? Throughout its campaigning ahead of the general elections that year, the BJP kept stressing its interest in fixing the economy and combating corruption allegedly caused by the Congress party’s rather inept governing. Modi, who called himself a chowkidar or watchman, vowed to set the government and bureaucracy to rights. He promised more jobs for young Indians and even launched a social media campaign to appeal to the younger generation. Many experts suggested that Modi created the brand “NaMo'' for himself through relentless media campaigning, something that <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> and other major political leaders could not do at the time. Additionally, he is also said to have had the support of the 45,000 country-wide RSS branches — the Hindu cultural nationalist parent of the BJP. However, after the leader had managed to comfortably settle into his new role as the Prime Minister of India, he announced the demonetisation of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series on 8 November 2016. As per a 2018 report from the Reserve Bank of India said that “the effort had failed to remove black money from the economy”. Modi was widely criticised for the way this move impacted the middle-class people of India. Despite this setback as well as criticism against his economic reforms like GST, he continued to implement bold policy changes to strengthen the core economy. His tilt towards a digital economy and seemingly tough actions against corrupt practices received widespread acclaim. He also successfully invoked a strong sense of nationalism and security in the people through the Balakot airstrike, a bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes in February 2019. And it worked! BJP came to power again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this victory being bigger than the last. The BJP won a whopping 37.36% of the vote — the highest by a political party since the 1989 general elections with 303 seats. However, similar to 2019, towards the end of his second term in 2024, joblessness appears to be on the rise and incomes of farmers continue to plummet. Amid major issues like food inflation and the threat of AI to the job market, the ruling party relied on not-so-subtle religious polarisation and a ton of welfare programmes. From being chowkidar in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been depicted to be a saint today by many of his followers. While past leaders in India have tried to hold on to their secular image, Mr Modi has been seen flouting this convention on multiple occasions, expressing that he takes pride in his religion. With crores of followers still supporting him, the PM seems to be already on a path to victory. Only time will tell if the struggles during the last phases of this year’s election will come back to haunt him. In the meantime, stay tuned to Business Insider India for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms">more updates on the Lok Sabha elections 2024</a>.

As PM Modi awaits his third big win, here’s how BJP created history during the 2014 & 2019 Lok Sabha elections

<keyword id="6354814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-narendra-modi" source="Orion">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> on Saturday took to social media to highlight the widespread adoption of digital payments in India, sharing a photo of a roadside tailor who has integrated <keyword id="6357120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paytm" source="Orion">Paytm</keyword> <keyword id="6361008" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="qr-codes" source="Orion">QR codes</keyword> into his sewing machine. The image was retweeted by PM Modi with the remark, “It is a common sight across India…our people have shown remarkable dexterity in adapting to tech and innovation.” <div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1565985672501927936/d-r-h241_normal.jpg" favoritecount="18971" retweetcount="3054" status="It is a common sight across India…our people have shown remarkable dexterity in adapting to tech and innovation. https://t.co/Bl8EsPEshn" createdat="1674305719000" id="1616781487898251266"></div>The tweet quickly gained traction, receiving a million views and almost 15,000 likes within a day. <div type="twitter" handle="vijayshekhar" handlename="Vijay Shekhar Sharma" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1567558193429217281/e6JbIoQ3_normal.jpg" favoritecount="695" retweetcount="49" status="Absolutely Sir !💯 Pride of our India is acceptance and embracing technology by every citizen in country. Thank yo… https://t.co/ttnGDRDeDo" createdat="1674306941000" id="1616786613979459585"></div>Fintech giant Paytm’s Founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma also responded to PM Modi’s tweet, saying, “Absolutely Sir! Pride of our India is acceptance and embracing technology by every citizen in country. Thank you for championing and guiding the change.” Paytm has played a significant role in increasing the popularity and accessibility of digital payments in the country. The company's efforts to expand its reach by partnering with small businesses and vendors, such as the roadside tailor in the image shared by PM Modi, have further contributed to the increased adoption of digital payments in India. The user who posted the picture revealed that it was taken in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad. “You have to be in Bharat to understand the scale of this transformation brought about by the policies of PM <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> government", the user captioned the image. One of the key initiatives of the Modi government has been the promotion of <keyword id="1399736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payment" source="Orion">digital payment</keyword>s through the Digital India programme. The Centre has placed a high priority on extending digital payment services to every segment of the population. In line with this objective, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, recently announced an increase in the allocation for the promotion of RuPay debit cards and low-value UPI payments to ₹2,600 crore for FY23. This is a significant increase from the initial allocation of ₹1,300 crore, which was announced in the Budget for FY22. The move is part of the government's ongoing efforts to promote digital payments across the country and bring about a digital transformation in India. “Under the said scheme, acquiring banks will be provided financial incentive for promoting point-of-sale (PoS) and e-commerce transactions using RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (person-to-merchant) for the current financial year,” the Ministry of Electronics &amp; IT said. Brokerage firms Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have said that Paytm will be a key beneficiary of this incentive scheme. India's leading digital payments and financial services company, Paytm, has played a crucial role in the advancement of the Indian government's vision of a cashless economy. The company has pioneered the use of QR codes for mobile payments and has made digital transactions accessible to all. Digital payments have played a crucial role in maintaining business continuity during the pandemic, particularly for small merchants, and promoting social distancing. In December 2022, UPI achieved a record of 7.82 billion digital payment transactions with a value of ₹12.82 lakh crore. Last week, PM Modi also initiated the transfer of approved loans of over one lakh beneficiaries under PM SVAnidhi Yojana, a special micro-credit facility for street vendors. He lauded the fact that the scheme’s beneficiaries have done digital transactions with ₹50,000 crore in a short span of time. “This feat and change is a big answer to the pessimists, who used to question the success of digital payments by street vendors,” PM Modi said. Paytm has been helping in deepening financial inclusion by onboarding street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme and helping them to accept digital payments. In 2021- 22, the company onboarded more than 35,000 Street vendors under PM SVANidhi scheme. The PM added that the SVANidhi Yojana is not just a scheme to give loans, but it is a campaign to boost the economic power of our fellow street vendors by empowering them to accept digital payments. Paytm’s work in supporting the government's efforts aligns with its mission to bring half a billion Indians into the mainstream economy through the use of digital payments and financial services. By pioneering the use of QR codes for mobile payments, Paytm has helped to remove barriers for individuals and small businesses, particularly street vendors, to access financial services and conduct digital transactions. Additionally, Paytm's active participation in the PM SVANidhi Yojana by onboarding street vendors and helping them accept digital payments has enabled them to participate fully in the digital economy. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on <a href="mailto:insiderstudios@businessinsider.in" target="_blank">insiderstudios@businessinsider.in</a>

PM Modi shares image of tailor on the street using Paytm, calls it a common sight across India

<ul><li>US President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> and Modi shared a stage together at the <keyword id="7883284" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="howdy-modi">Howdy Modi</keyword> event at Houston. </li><li>Modi highlighted the close friendship between the two leaders and the countries. </li><li>President Donald Trump on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "America's greatest, most devoted, and loyal friend" and backed him in his governance. </li></ul>Prime Minister Narendra Modi did an Alexa at the Howdy Modi rally. While addressing 50,000 cheering Indian Americans, he said "everything is fine in India' in different Indian languages. <div type="twitter" handle="PMOIndia" handlename="PMO India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134090740592627712/0Fp-U5-p_normal.png" favoritecount="43649" retweetcount="7759" status="Memorable moments from #HowdyModi when PM @narendramodi and @POTUS interacted with a group of youngsters. https://t.co/8FFIqCDt41" createdat="1569209872000" id="1175977557226926080"></div>

 <div type="Slideshow" msid="71258794" hostid="261" title="In Pics: PM Modi, Donald Trump address Houston crowd at ‘Howdy Modi’" firstImageMsid="71258835" slideCount="5"></div>

In Pics: PM Modi, Donald Trump address Houston crowd at ‘Howdy Modi’

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, the world's largest democracy, has not explicitly condemned the invasion of <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>.</li><li>It's distanced itself from Putin, but its social-media platforms are awash with <keyword id="11919168" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="misinformation" source="Orion">misinformation</keyword>.</li></ul>Arun Pudur, the founder of an Indian software firm, has 78,000 followers on Twitter. On <a href="https://twitter.com/arunpudur/status/1499178413445513216?s=20&amp;t=UmMUEWC1tNOiM4EoB_LlHg">March 3</a>, he tweeted that the Ukrainian army had captured Indian students and was "using them as Human shields" in its fight against Russia's invasion.This misinformation racked up hundreds of likes and retweets.<div type="image" title="Screengrab of tweet claiming the Ukrainian Army held Indian students hostage" height="767" width="654" msid="90491862" hostid="261"></div>The incendiary claim, which echoed untruths <a href="https://tass.com/society/1415491?utm_source=google.com&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=google.com&amp;utm_referrer=google.com">from Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, drew a swift <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1499221560657252356">rebuttal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government</a>. The Indian government's willingness to dismiss pro-Russia misinformation about Ukraine belies how complicated its position is on the issue. It abstained on a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia. While its language on the war has hardened since the invasion, it's still the lone member of the 10 largest economies, other than China, that has yet to openly criticize Russia or join economic sanctions against the country.While India's position has been evolving, pro-Russia, pro-Modi false claims have had their uses. They can blunt criticism that New Delhi has faced domestically for its failure to evacuate the 18,000 students trapped in Ukraine sooner, at a time when Indians have gone to the polls in regional elections.Pudur, who did not respond to a request for comments from Insider, runs one of several thousands of Indian social-media accounts propagating Kremlin talking points about a conflict taking place more than 2,500 miles away. The failure to evacuate the students sooner sparked criticism of the Modi administration. In response, pro-government handles began promoting untruths that promoted New Delhi's efforts and supported Putin, according to fact-checkers.By March 9, #OperationGanga — the name of the Modi government's mission to rescue citizens from Ukraine — was the top-trending topic on Twitter in India, while #IStandWithPutin had more tweets than #StopPutinNOW. All of this played out as five Indian states voted for their legislatures through February and early March.<div type="image" title="Screenshot of a Twitter trending topics in India" height="2048" width="922" msid="90491863" hostid="261"></div>As India has come under international pressure to publicly condemn its longtime friend, Russia, pro-Modi handles have amped up efforts to defend that position, often relying on Moscow's untruths."Misinformation becomes most useful when you have to shape a new narrative, or — in the view of those peddling lies — correct a narrative," said Pratik Sinha, the cofounder of Ahmedabad-based fact-checking platform Alt <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">News</keyword>, which has busted many of the false claims."The government doesn't mind if it has to issue a denial later. By then, their narrative has taken hold."India's official position on the conflict has evolved. Before the invasion, its public statements emphasized a desire for a peaceful resolution and respect for "legitimate security concerns of all countries," a rhetorical concession to Russian President <keyword id="11899444" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vladimir-putin" source="Orion">Vladimir Putin</keyword>'s claims.Since February 25, though, its statements have instead underscored the need to respect the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of all nations. Modi has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice since the start of the war, and India is sending humanitarian aid to Kyiv.Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, the director of the Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation think tank, told Insider that India's position was becoming "harsher and harsher toward Moscow" because "Russia has put India in a tough spot, and India isn't happy about that." India's willingness to counter Kremlin misinformation seemingly reflects this growing distance, even if it embarrasses pro-government social-media handles.Earlier this month, as the students trapped in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine pleaded for help from Modi, the Indian embassy there asked them to leave the besieged city within a specified window of time. Soon, a flood of tweets claimed Modi had managed to stop the war altogether for a few hours to enable the evacuation."India paused a war for 6-8 hours just to get Indians out - a war that nobody, not the US, not the EU, has been able to stop," the <a href="https://twitter.com/Iyervval/status/1499102818547822594?s=20&amp;t=ikywqzwfvSlbvGXxmn9xfQ">defense analyst and self-described "theologian of the Indian right" Abhijit Iyer-Mitra</a> tweeted, garnering nearly 10,000 retweets.<a href="https://twitter.com/mvmeet/status/1499217585766043650?s=20&amp;t=wmKL2ZQv_cJOK4B5r2mslA"></a><div type="image" title="Screengrab of false tweet claiming India 'paused the war in Ukraine for 6-8 hours'" height="341" width="614" msid="90491864" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://twitter.com/mvmeet/status/1499217585766043650?s=20&amp;t=wmKL2ZQv_cJOK4B5r2mslA">Mahesh Vikram Hegde,</a> the founder of an online platform called Postcard News and an emphatic Modi supporter, tweeted: "That's the power of Modi."<div type="image" title="Screengrab of false tweet saying Indian PM Narendra Modi negotiated a ceasefire in Ukraine." height="502" width="620" msid="90491866" hostid="261"></div>Official handles of the BJP, Modi's ruling political party, <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4Maharashtra/status/1499392091247419393?s=20&amp;t=V1qll1cG5LhjPCcCVsZ31g">further amplified the claim</a>. Hours later, India's foreign ministry called it "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZQiMmoICg&amp;t=1268s">absolutely inaccurate</a>."On March 14, Alt News busted another fake claim that <a href="https://www.altnews.in/no-these-arent-pak-and-turkish-students-who-used-indian-flag-to-escape-ukraine/">Turkish and Pakistani students</a> waved Indian flags to ensure safe passage. In February, it also busted a claim an <a href="https://www.altnews.in/air-india-flight-in-war-tone-ukraine-no-misinfo-believed-to-be-true/">Air India plane had braved Ukrainian airspace</a> alone to rescue them.Alt News identified more than 100 accounts that shared a fake image purporting to show this, including one called "Modi Once More" and another that said it showed "the power of new India."<div type="image" title="Screengrab of a tweet showing a screengrab of a map of Ukraine and one plane entering its airspace" height="885" width="605" msid="90491869" hostid="261"></div>At the time, Modi and his colleagues <a href="https://twitter.com/rssurjewala/status/1497805182180093953?s=20&amp;t=K1SYuTj8tLJAU2SGWdSUzA">were facing accusations from the opposition</a> of focusing on election campaigns and ignoring the trapped students.Srijit Das, a fact-checker with another anti-misinformation platform, Boom Live, told Insider that political leaders were trying to help Modi by encouraging the spread of pro-India misinformation about Ukraine."When the government was facing severe pressure from all across the country, some political leaders and party workers were actively working on their gadgets to distract people," Das said.The false claims aren't limited to India's evacuation effort. As India walks a diplomatic tightrope over the conflict, pro-Modi handles have continued to push pro-Russia misinformation justifying the invasion and underplaying the severity of the crisis. Footage from a climate-crisis protest was used to suggest that the <a href="https://twitter.com/PirateHeartArt/status/1498678466321035266?s=20&amp;t=0FFElVUry8M31EgYKQBGmg">war is a hoax.</a>Pudur has repeated unsubstantiated assertions that the <a href="https://twitter.com/arunpudur/status/1501401233319690240?s=20&amp;t=ZoAc2-2rGyrdQfMzo8CFdQ">United States provoked the invasion by funding dangerous biolabs</a> in Ukraine.The pro-Russian slant of misinformation doesn't surprise Somdeep Sen, an international-affairs analyst at Roskilde University, Denmark, who noted the majority of India's military equipment is sourced from Russia, forcing it into a tactical balancing act.Sen said the Indian government was on "the wrong side of history" over its response to the invasion of Ukraine but added that Modi's muscular nationalism prevented it from allowing "any narrative that indicates the folly of India's position on Russia." Alt News' Sinha said fact checks — and official denials from the foreign ministry — rarely reach as many people as the viral spread of misinformation."In reshaping the narrative, those spreading disinformation are winning," he said.

The spread of Ukraine misinformation on Indian Twitter has made its government's difficult position on Russia more bearable

Trolls have been having a field day ever since Bollywood veteran <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> started sharing posts related to COVID-19. The iconic actor is yet again being trolled on social media after he posted a fake #9pm9minutes satellite image of India. Amitabh on Monday took to <keyword id="6354616" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>, where he re-tweeted a picture, which he claimed was a satellite picture of India during the #9pm9minutes activity planned by PM <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, had appealed to the nation to switch off all lights of houses on April 5 at 9 PM for 9 minutes. Read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/amitabh-bachchans-fake-pic-deepika-padukones-insta-update-and-other-ways-in-which-bollywood-adhered-to-9-min-at-9pm/articleshow/75002854.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Amitabh Bachchan’s fake pic, Deepika Padukone’s Insta update and other ways in which Bollywood adhered to 9 min at 9pm</a> Bachchan shared the photo by captioning it: "The World sees us.. we are ONE.." Moments after the actor's tweet went viral, social media users started trolling him for sharing yet another "fake <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> forward" on social media. One user wrote: "Koi phone lelo sir ke hath se (please someone take away the phone from sir's hand)." Another wrote: "Whatsapp ruined the celebs by unmasking them and exposing their superlative levels of stupidity." A user said: "Seriously?" A <keyword id="690840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netizen">netizen</keyword> requested him to "uninstall whatsapp". "You need to quit those whatsapp groups and stop following some handles," another tweeted. This is not the first time Big B has been trolled over his twitter posts. He was earlier criticised for sharing a video where he claimed flies can spread COVID-19. Also, during the Janta curfew announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Big B had tweeted to support the contention that vibrations from clapping and blowing conch shells would reduce or destroy the potency of the coronavirus because it was "amavasya". The theory was heavily panned on social media. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/topic/coronavirus">Coronavirus News and Updates</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/how-to-check-coronavirus-symptoms-at-home/articleshow/74960334.cms">What are the Coronavirus symptoms and how to check for them at home</a>

Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan trolled for posting fake satellite image of 9pm9minutes

<keyword id="5652234" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pushkar-Singh-Dhami">Pushkar Singh Dhami</keyword> will be the new chief minister of <keyword id="44522" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> following his election on Saturday as the leader of the BJP legislature party in the hill state where assembly polls are due next year. The 45-year-old will be the youngest chief minister of the state and replaces <keyword id="1498654" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tirath-Singh-Rawat">Tirath Singh Rawat</keyword>, who resigned on Friday night within four months of taking charge from <keyword id="2253089" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trivendra-Singh-Rawat">Trivendra Singh Rawat</keyword>. Dhami will be sworn in on Sunday, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters after a legislature party meeting at the state BJP headquarters where he was a central observer. "My party has appointed a common worker, son of an ex-serviceman, who was born in the border district of Pithoragarh to serve the people. "We'll work on people's issues with the cooperation of all. I will carry forward the work done by my predecessors," Dhami, a two-time MLA from Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district, said. As Dhami takes over less than a year ahead of the next assembly elections, his biggest challenge lies in leading the BJP to another victory and retaining power in Uttarakhand, where the party has been plagued by factionalism. Changing chief ministers twice in a short span has not helped the party's image, with the opposition Congress accusing it of causing "political instability" and betraying the people. "We accept the challenge and we will take forward the party and serve the people," Dhami said when asked whether taking over as CM just months ahead of assembly polls will be an uphill task. The chief minister-elect thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in him and said that he will work with everyone's cooperation. Dhami's name was proposed by outgoing chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat and Pradesh BJP president Madan Kaushik and seconded by a number of MLAs, including former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Tomar told reporters outside the state BJP headquarters here. No other name was proposed for BJP legislature party leader, Tomar said. Soon after his unanimous election as the BJP legislature party leader, Dhami headed for the Raj Bhawan along with a number of MLAs and the central observers to stake his claim to form the government. The BJP had replaced Trivendra Singh Rawat with Tirath Singh Rawat on March 10, hoping to go into the assembly polls with the new face, but he too was asked to step down as the Constitution required him to get elected as a member of the state assembly within six months of his appointment as CM and there seemed an increasing uncertainty over the Election Commission holding bypolls at this stage. The opposition Congress hit out at the BJP leadership, saying instead of ushering in development, it has thrown Uttarakhand into the throes of political instability and betrayed its people by repeatedly changing chief ministers. Starting with Nityananad Swami, the BJP will have eight chief ministers in the state, senior Congress leader <keyword id="180100" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harish-Rawat">Harish Rawat</keyword> said, and added that in the latest four and a half years of the BJP's rule in Uttarakhand, there will be three chief ministers. "The BJP's high drama in Dehradun is an insult to the people of Uttarakhand. The prime minister had promised to give a double-engine government, but the state only received different chief ministers and no development," Harish Rawat, a former chief minister, said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the BJP has betrayed the people and Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and BJP chief J P Nadda are responsible. "This is BJP's example of lust for power, political instability, sharing fruits of power and failure of leadership. Instead of serving the people of Uttarakhand, they tried to distribute power, and <keyword id="2238662" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi">PM Modi</keyword> and J P Nadda are responsible for this. The BJP has brought Uttarakhand to such a turn where power means only sharing its fruits and nothing else," he alleged. Ending days of speculation about a change of guard in the state, Tirat Singh Rawat on Friday handed over his resignation letter to Governor Baby Rani Maurya past 11 pm, hours after returning from <keyword id="66" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> where he was summoned by the top BJP leadership on Wednesday. The names of nearly half a dozen MLAs were doing the rounds as probables for the top job, including Chaubattakhal MLA and cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat and Khatima MLA Pushkar Singh Dhami. Interacting with reporters at his official residence after returning from the Raj Bhawan, Tirath Singh Rawat said, "I thought it was appropriate to resign as the state was facing a constitutional crisis under the provisions of section 151 A and 164 of the Representation of People Act." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-is-working-on-a-new-app-to-let-you-store-your-medical-records/articleshow/84059948.cms">Google is working on a new app to let you store your medical records</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/battlegrounds-mobile-india-official-download-link-how-to-update-bgmi-rewards/articleshow/84058116.cms">Battlegrounds Mobile India launched officially – here’s how to update, claim rewards and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/failure-to-pivot-covid-19-blues-force-amazon-backed-shuttl-to-look-for-a-buyer/articleshow/84056797.cms">Failure to pivot, COVID-19 blues force Amazon-backed Shuttl to look for a buyer</a>

Pushkar Singh Dhami to be the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand replacing Tirath Singh Rawat

<keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> blocked posts tagged #ResignModi amid raging criticism of the <keyword id="26362" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government">government</keyword>'s handling of the <keyword id="8764262" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid">COVID</keyword> crisis, but restored it hours later calling it a mistake. The blocking on Wednesday, Facebook said, wasn't at the behest of the government. Facebook isn't the first social media company to censure posts critical of government handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Twitter had removed or restricted access to several critical posts on orders from the government, which called it fake news. "We temporarily blocked this hashtag by mistake, not because the Indian government asked us to, and have since restored it," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. It however did not elaborate. According to reports, a hashtag calling for the resignation of Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was blocked on Facebook for hours on Wednesday. Users searching the hashtag were given a message that said such posts were "temporarily hidden here" because "some <keyword id="45859" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="content">content</keyword> in those posts goes against our Community Standards". Facebook periodically blocks hashtags and posts for a variety of reasons. Some of the blocks are done manually and some are automated. The blocking of posts tagged #ResignModi came ahead of polling in the last phase of West Bengal assembly elections. The Modi government has drawn a lot of flak in domestic and international media for handling of the second wave of COVID infections, which on Thursday crossed 1.8-crore mark. India reported 3,79,257 new COVID-19 cases and 3,645 new deaths - the deadliest day so far for any country hit by the <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword>. The US government has told its citizens to leave India as soon as possible. Social media timelines are filled with SOS calls with people looking for oxygen cylinders, medicines, hospital beds, plasma donors and ventilators. Organisations across the spectrum have come forward to support the fight against the COVID pandemic. Just a few days back, Twitter and other social media platforms removed about 100 posts and URLs after the government asked them to remove content that was critical of the handling of the current medical crisis or spreading fake news around the pandemic. Reports citing Lumen database, an independent research project studying cease and desist letters concerning online content, suggested that more than 50 posts - including those by a Member of <keyword id="6354721" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, MLA and filmmakers - were removed by Twitter on government request. Government sources had said the social media platforms were asked to remove the posts and URLs (uniform resource locators) to "prevent obstructions in the fight against the pandemic" and disruption of public order due to the said posts. They had added that the order was issued in view of the misuse of social media platforms by certain users to spread fake or misleading information and create panic about the pandemic in the society "by using unrelated, old and out of the context images or visuals, communally sensitive posts and misinformation about COVID-19 protocols". SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-vaccine-india-needs-a-separate-queue-for-second-dose/articleshow/82304003.cms">India may end up wasting millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses if there is no separate queue for second shots</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/if-you-have-just-recovered-from-covid-19-experts-say-you-dont-need-to-join-in-on-the-rush-for-vaccination-immediately/articleshow/82302460.cms">If you have just recovered from COVID-19, experts say you don't need to join in on the rush for vaccination immediately</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/atlassian-says-its-employees-only-need-to-come-into-the-office-4-times-a-year-under-its-new-team-anywhere-policy/articleshow/82304516.cms">Atlassian says its employees only need to come into the office 4 times a year under its new 'Team Anywhere' policy</a>

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The spread of Ukraine misinformation on Indian Twitter has made its government's difficult position on Russia more bearable

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Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan trolled for posting fake satellite image of 9pm9minutes

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Pushkar Singh Dhami to be the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand replacing Tirath Singh Rawat

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Facebook blocks posts tagged #ResignModi ahead of polling in the last phase of West Bengal assembly elections — calls it a 'mistake'

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