Author: LokMarg

Behave, Or Else: Chidambaram Slams Centre At I-T survey at BBC Offices

Behave, Or Else: Chidambaram Slams Centre At I-T survey at BBC Offices

By LokMarg

Congress MP and former Union minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday attacked the Centre after the Income Tax department “surveyed” the offices of British public broadcaster BBC, saying the government has redefined press freedom as per its convenience.

Taking to Twitter, Chidambaram said, “After practically shutting down Amnesty International and OXFAM, the BBC is next in line. Shameful! Government’s message to all citizens and organisations is “behave, or else” Government’s definition of freedom of the press is ‘we are a free country, you are free to express your opinion as long as it agrees with mine’.”
The Income Tax department on Tuesday conducted a survey at BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai in view of the British public broadcaster’s “deliberate non-compliance” with the Transfer Pricing Rules and its vast diversion of profits, said sources.

Earlier this morning, I-T officials arrived at BBC offices located at the national capital’s KG Marg and Mumbai’s Kalina Santacruz for the survey.

Accordingly, the surveys have been conducted with a view to investigating BBC’s violation of the Transfer Pricing Rules and its diversion of profits.

After the IT department survey, sources in the United Kingdom government said they are monitoring the developments closely.

“We are closely monitoring reports of tax surveys conducted at the offices of the BBC in India,” the UK government sources said.

Meanwhile, BBC has said it is cooperating with the Income Tax department, which is conducting a survey at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.

“The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating,” the BBC News Press Team said in a statement.

Pertinent to mention, the development comes weeks after the BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi – “India: The Modi Question,” which caused controversy.

The Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi.

The Supreme Court had on February 3 directed the central government to produce original records relating to its decision to block the BBC documentary. (ANI)

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They Want To Convert J-K Into Hindu-Majority State: Farooq Abdullah

They Want To Convert J-K Into Hindu-Majority State: Farooq Abdullah

By LokMarg

Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, JKNC MP Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that they (the government) will give a truncated statehood after elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will come up after assembly polls and that a call on the timing of elections will be taken by the Election Commission.
“I had clearly stated that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir after elections. Process of preparation of voters’ list is nearing completion in the UT. Now, the Election Commission has to take a call on elections,” Shah, in an exclusive interview with ANI, released on Tuesday, said.

To which Jammu and Kashmir’s former CM said that he thinks they (the government) don’t want to give statehood. “They will give truncated statehood after elections,” he added.

Abdullah also alleged that the motive behind the delimitation exercise, completed in UT, is to turn J-K into a Hindu majority state.

“They think that we are fools, but we are not. We know what their intention is, if this was not their intention, they would not have done delimitation as well, as the way they did. They want that it should be converted into a Hindu-majority state,” he added.

Earlier, in an interview with ANI, Shah also said that Article 370 pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, which was abrogated by the BJP-led government in 2019, had harmed the country.

He said the way development is taking place in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism is gradually ending.

“See all the figures, there is a lot of change in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He went on to add that removing Article 370 has been on the agenda of BJP and Jan Sangh. He also referred India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the context of Article 370.

“Since 1950, it was on our agenda to remove Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Today, the way Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing development and decrease in terrorism shows that changes that are coming,” he said.

Shah said those slamming the BJP should answer in whose tenure terrorism grew in Jammu and Kashmir.

“As far as elections are concerned, do they not remember the local body polls, these were held under our rule, these did not take place for 70 years. Three families were holding sway in Jammu and Kashmir and they are making noise…Farooq Abdullah had gone to England. In whose tenure, terrorism grew, who allowed it to grow, there should be an answer,” he said. (ANI)

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Prateik Makes His Relationship Official With Priya Banerjee

Prateik Makes His Relationship Official With Priya Banerjee

By LokMarg

On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, actor Prateik Babbar made his relationship with actress Priya Banerjee official. On Tuesday, he shared the first picture with her on social media.

Taking to Instagram, Prateik shared the news with his fans alongwith a series of pictures.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cooq4cKvaV7/embed

In the first picture, the couple were seen facing the sun and posing with their backs to the camera.

In the second image, the duo flaunted their matching “p b” with a heart and infinity sign emoji.

Sharing the pictures, he wrote, “p b.”

As soon as the good news was announced, the actor’s fans dropped in their comments.

Singer-actor Meiyang Chang wrote, “Now you’ve piqued everybody’s curiousity, my friend. Sweet pictures.”

Mrunal Thakur reacted with heart emojis.

Prateik’s sister Juhi Babbar Soni dropped heart eyes emojis.

Reports about Prateik and Priya’s relationship surfaced last year. However, the two neither accepted nor denied them. Prateik was previously married to Sanya Sagar. They parted ways reportedly during the lockdown after tying the knot on January 23, 2019.

Reportedly, there have been rumours about Prateik and Priya’s connection for the past year. However, they always remained tight-lipped about their relationship.

Prateik was previously married to Sanya Sagar. They parted ways reportedly during the lockdown after tying the knot on January 23, 2019.

Prateik is the son of Raj Babbar and late Smita Patil. He has two siblings named Arya Babbar and Juhi Babbar from his father’s first marriage with wife Nadira Babbar.

He made his acting debut in Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza’s Aamir Khan produced ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’ (2008).

He was recently seen in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indian Lockdown. In the film, he played a migrant worker who was affected by the COVID-19 shutdown in India.

Priya, on the other hand, has worked in a number of movies including ‘KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid’, ‘Baar Baar Dekho’, ‘Baarish’, ‘Bhanwar’ and others. (ANI)

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Ali Fazal, Guneet Meet Tom Cruise At Oscars Nominee Luncheon

Ali Fazal, Guneet Meet Tom Cruise At Oscars Nominee Luncheon

By LokMarg

Actor Ali Fazal and producer Guneet Monga along with Oscar-nominated documentary ‘All that Breathes’ director Shaunak Sen attended the Academy Nominee Luncheon in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Earlier today, Guneet, whose film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ also earned a nomination at the Oscars this year, shared a string of photos from the luncheon on social media. And what came across as a sweet surprise was one of the photos of her, Shaunak Sen and Ali Fazal with Tom Cruise.
Check it out:

Guneet’s film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ has been nominated in the ‘Documentary Short Film Category’ against ‘Haul Out,’ ‘How Do You Measure A Year?’ ‘The Martha Mitchell Effect,’ and ‘Stranger At The Gate’.

The film’s plot revolves around a family who adopts two orphan baby elephants in Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

Shaunak Sen’s directorial ‘All that Breathes’ also made it to the final nominations list at the 95th edition of the Academy Awards.

All That Breathes follows siblings Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad, who have made it their lives mission to rescue and treat injured birds, especially the Black Kites. It previously won the ‘World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary’ at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, a film gala promoting independent cinema and filmmakers, and earned the Golden Eye award for the best documentary at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.

Tom Cruise starrer ‘Babylon’ also earned quite a few nominations this year.

The Academy awards are going to be held on March 13. (ANI)

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airplane

Air India Inks Deal For 540 Airbus, Boeing Planes

By LokMarg

Air India, which will buy 250 aircraft from Airbus, has also selected Boeing for the purchase of up to 290 planes as part of its growth strategy.

US President Joe Biden hailed a “historic agreement” for Air India to purchase Boeing airplanes. France President Emmanuel Macron had earlier hailed the contract between Airbus and Tata Sons and said it marks a new stage in India and France’s strategic partnership.
“The contract that Airbus and Tata Sons signed this morning marks a new stage in India and France’s strategic partnership. Thank you @NarendraModi , for your confidence in France and our industry,” Macron said in a tweet.

Boeing said in a statement that Air India has selected up to 290 of its jets to serve its strategy for sustainable growth. It said Air India has selected 190 737 MAX, 20 787 Dreamliner and 10 777X airplanes.

The agreement between Boeing and Air India includes options for 50 additional 737 MAXs and 20 787-9s aircrafts.

Boing said when finalized, this will be its largest Boeing order in South Asia and a historic milestone in the aerospace company’s nearly 90-year partnership with Air India.

Biden said in a statement released by White House that the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through agreement between Air India and Boeing reflects the strength of the US-India economic partnership.

The US President said he and Prime Minister Narendra Mod look forward to deepening partnership even further.

“The United States can and will lead the world in manufacturing. I am proud to announce today the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through a historic agreement between Air India and Boeing. This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree,” the statement said.

“This announcement also reflects the strength of the U.S.-India economic partnership. Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges–creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens,” it added.

Air India said on Tuesday that it will buy 250 aircraft from France’s Airbus, in what is billed as the world’s largest aviation deal in history.

“We have built a very good relationship with Airbus. Today I am happy to announce that we have signed a letter of intent to acquire 250 aircrafts from Airbus,” said Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, at a virtual unveiling of the announcement in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

PM Modi said that the deal shows the “deepening ties” between India and France and reflection of India’s successes and expectations in the civil aviation sector.

He extended congratulations and best wishes on the landmark agreement between Air India and Airbus.

“My special thanks to my friend President Macron for joining us in this event. This important deal not only demonstrates the ever-deepening relations between India and France. But, are also reflections of India’s successes and expectations in the civil aviation sector,” he said.

Macron had said during the virtual deal unveiling event that the achievement shows that Airbus and all its French partners are fully dedicated to develop new areas of cooperation with India.

“We’ve achieved so much with India. We’ve historic opportunity to go much further, given the potential of Indian people,” he said.

The deal includes 40 A350 wide-body ultra-long-range aircraft. The rest will be narrow-body aircraft.

“We have significant options to increase the fleet orders once we grow,” Chandrasekaran said.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, veteran industrialist Ratan Tata, and other leaders were present during the virtual conference.

“It is a historic moment for Airbus to help script Air India’s revival,” Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said in a video conference.

Air India was looking for a remix of aircraft to boost their domestic and international network through recent orders. Soon after the divestment of the airline, CEO Campbell announced in its speech to the AI employees that the airline is going for a historic order. (ANI)

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Suppression Of Voice: Rahul On BBC Documentary

BBC: Fully Cooperating With Income Tax Survey

By LokMarg

British public broadcaster BBC News has said it is cooperating with the Income Tax department, which is conducting a survey at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.

“The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating,” the BBC News Press Team said in a statement.
The British broadcaster added, “We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.”

According to sources, IT officials were verifying certain account documents in the finance department of BBC.

Earlier this morning, Income tax officials arrived at BBC offices located at the national capital’s KG Marg for the survey. The British broadcaster’s office at Kalina Santacruz in Mumbai was also surveyed, sources said adding that the survey was limited to business premises of BBC only.

According to reports, a team of IT officials arrived at the BBC Studios office in Kalina Santacruz around 11.30 am today and a survey has been going on since then. There is no IT activity at the BBC News office at Linking road Bandra West.

It is learnt that the tax officials are conducting verification of certain account documents in the finance department of the BBC offices.

During the investigation, the mobile phones of all the employees present in the BBC office have been taken away by the Income Tax team. The data of the computer kept in the accounts and finance department was also scanned. According to sources, officials said the devices will be returned to their owners after taking a backup.

The searches come weeks after the BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi – ‘India: The Modi Question,” which caused a controversy.nuary 21, the Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi. The Supreme Court had on February 3 directed the central government to produce original records relating to its decision to block the BBC documentary. (ANI)

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This Is What SRK Gifted Gauri On Their First Valentine’s Day

This Is What SRK Gifted Gauri On Their First Valentine’s Day

By LokMarg

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan and interior designer Gauri Khan are one of the power couples in Bollywood.

It’s been over three decades since the couple exchanged vows and the parents to three children still remain one of the most loved, admired and talked about couples in Bollywood.
On Tuesday, the ‘Pathaan’ star conducted an #AskSRK session on Twitter, where he answered his fans’ questions.

Apart from responding to tweets related to Pathaan’s success and upcoming projects, the ‘King of Romance’ also addressed questions related to his personal life.

When a user about his first gift to Gauri Khan on their first Valentine’s Day, Shah Rukh said, “If I remember correctly it’s been what 34 years now… a pair of pink plastic earrings I think…”

As it’s Valentine’s Day today, one of the netizens asked SRK to reveal his first gift to Gauri on their first Valentine’s Day.

SRK took notice of the tweet and replied, “If I remember correctly it’s been what 34 years now… a pair of pink plastic earrings I think…”

Shah Rukh first met Gauri in 1984, when he was all of 18, while Gauri was just 14. He bumped into her at a party where she was dancing with her friend. After Gauri spoke to him for ‘more than three seconds’, he felt ‘encouraged’ and wanted to date Gauri.

After dating for a couple of years, the two tied the knot on October 25, 1991.

Six years after their wedding, Gauri and Shah Rukh welcomed their first son, Aryan Khan, on November 13. Shah Rukh and Gauri’s daughter Suhana Khan was born on May 22, 2000, while their youngest, son AbRam Khan, was born on May 27, 2013, via surrogacy. (ANI)

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Adani Enterprises Posts Rs 820 Cr Profit In Third Quarter

Adani Enterprises Posts Rs 820 Cr Profit In Third Quarter

By LokMarg

Adani Enterprises (AEL) on Tuesday posted Rs 820 crore profit after tax for the quarter ended December 2022. The firm had incurred a Rs 12 crore loss in the year-ago period.

The company said its total income rose 42 per cent year-on-year to Rs 26,951 crore in the reviewed quarter. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) jumped 101 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,968 crore, according to a statement from the company.
The company in the statement said the Nacelle facility in Mundra will be operational and commercial assemblies shall start from the first quarter of FY24. It also said an agreement was signed for new engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) project of irrigation of Rs 3,246 crore in Madhya Pradesh.

In terms of arterial roads, provisional commercial operation date (COD) was received for third Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) project at Mancherial. The company also said a letter of authorisation (LoA) was signed with Pelma Mine with capacity of 15 MMT in the state of Chhattisgarh. It also added AMG Media Networks also completed the acquisition of NDTV.

“Over the past three decades, as well as quarter after quarter and year after year, Adani Enterprises has not only validated its standing as India’s most successful infrastructure incubator but has also demonstrated a track record of building a core infrastructure business,” said Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group.

The Chairman said, “Our fundamental strength lies in mega-scale infrastructure project execution capabilities, organisational development and exceptional O&M (operations and maintenance) management skills comparable to the best in the world. AEL’s exceptional resilience and capacity to build highly profitable core sector business indicate how our strategy of harnessing the diverse strengths of the Adani portfolio of companies is creating consistent long-term value for all our stakeholders.”

Gautam Adani said, “Our success is due to our strong governance, strict regulatory compliance, sustained performance, and solid cashflow generation. The current market volatility is temporary; and as a classical incubator with a vision of long-term value creation, AEL will continue to work with the twin objectives of moderate leverage and looking at strategic opportunities to expand and grow.” (ANI)

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Ban RSS Also So That No One Promotes Religious Superiority: DMK’s Elangovan

Ban RSS Also So That No One Promotes Religious Superiority: DMK’s Elangovan

By LokMarg

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Tuesday said that similar to a ban on the Popular Front of India, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should also be banned in India so that no one is able to spread “religious superiority” in the country.

“Ninety per cent of Muslims do not support PFI. They are doing what RSS is doing. RSS should also be banned. Then no one would try to promote religious superiority in the country,” Elangovan said.
The DMK leader was responding to an interview of Amit Shah in which the Union Minister claimed that the Popular Front of India (PFI)was spreading radicalism in India and by banning the outfit, the central government has saved India.

“The PFI did not speak about religious superiority. Neither did they ask people to convert to Islam. They are Muslims. And this is their (BJP’s) natural hatred towards Muslims. This was the reason behind banning the PFI. There may be some radicals in the PFI and it’s okay to take action against them. It is quite funny on behalf of Amit Shah to say that by banning the PFI they have saved India,” said the DMK leader.

Elangovan pointed out that India has regressed in comparison to where it was in the year 2014.

“I think Modi and Amit Shah’s country is Gujarat. Whatever they see happening there, they think that it is happening elsewhere in the country. They should come out of Gujarat and talk to people,” Elangovan added.

“The country is going back. The economy is in a poor state. The value of Indian currency has depreciated. There is no development. I don’t know how Amit Shah has claimed that development happened in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule,” said the DMK spokesperson.

Reacting to Amit Shah’s statement about no political competition to BJP, the DMK leader said, “Except for Gujarat, they lost elsewhere. They lost the Delhi Municipal Corporation Election, lost in Himachal Pradesh and almost all the by-elections. How can they say that there is no competition?” he added.

In an exclusive interview with ANI earlier, Shah had said, “I feel that in 2024 there is no competition and everyone in the country is moving ahead with PM Modi.”

In the same interview, Shah also said, “We have banned PFI successfully…PFI promoted radicalism and religious bigotry. They were in a way trying to prepare raw materials for terrorism. So many documents have been found which show that their activities were not good for the country’s unity and integrity.”

The government had in September last year banned PFI and its associates for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for “terror links”. (ANI)

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BBC Is ‘Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation’ In The World: BJP

BBC Is ‘Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation’ In The World: BJP

By LokMarg

Any media organisation functioning in India will have to follow the rules and regulations of the country, the BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said on Tuesday, amid the ongoing ‘survey’ operations on BBC offices by the IT department.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Bhatia said, “Income Tax department lawfully carried out raids at the BBC office. The IT department is no longer the ‘caged parrot’ as the Supreme Court had said about government institutions during the Congress rule.”
He also attacked the BBC, saying that some ‘sections’ can’t digest India’s growing heft on the world stage.

“The BBC has become the most ‘Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation’ in the world. Unfortunately, BBC’s propaganda and Congress’ agenda are on the same lines. Today, India is attaining great heights under PM Modi’s leadership and some sections do not like this. The BBC has all rights to do journalism in India, but they will have to abide by the law of the land,” Bhatia said.

The BJP spokesperson further referred to several instances when BBC allegedly insulted Indian sentiments.

“In one of its programmes, the BBC referred to a terrorist operating in Kashmir (slain LeT commander Burhaan Wani) as a charismatic young revolutionary. What kind of journalism is this? You (BBC) are working in India but trying to sabotage our Constitution. In another report, it said Holi is a ‘filthy’ festival. What do you (BBC) know about our festivals? In another report, they insulted our icons saying that Mahatma Gandhi failed to liberate India in 1946,” Bhatia said.

He further attacked the Congress citing the ban on BBC imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“BBC should also remember what UK’s longest serving Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said about them. She said the BBC is ‘Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation’. Also, the Congres should remember that Indira Gandhi, too, had put a ban on the BBC. India is a country that provides opportunities to every organisation to work under its laws, provided they don’t have a hidden agenda and are not spewing venom against the country,” Bhatia added.

He also attacked Congress and other Opposition parties over their comments on the ongoing survey at BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.

“My question to the Congress and other Opposition parties is that when the survey (at BBC offices) has not even come to any logical conclusion, on which basis are they standing with the ‘anti-national’ forces? Why can’t they wait patiently for the report? Why is it that the Congress always stands with China, BBC, and even terrorists?” Bhatia added.

Earlier in the day, the Income Tax department started ‘survey’ operations at the India offices of the British public broadcaster, in both Delhi and Mumbai, sources informed.

According to sources, the IT officials were verifying certain account documents in the finance department of BBC.

Income tax officials arrived at BBC offices located at the national capital’s KG Marg for the survey. The British broadcaster’s office at Kalina Santacruz in Mumbai was also surveyed, sources said adding that the survey was limited to the business premises of BBC only.

According to reports, a team of IT officials arrived at the BBC Studios office in Kalina Santacruz around 11.30 am today and the survey is going on since then. There is no IT activity at the BBC News office at Linking road Bandra West.

It is understood that the tax officials are conducting verification of certain account documents in the finance department of the BBC offices.

During the investigation, the mobile phones of all the employees present in the BBC office have been taken away by the Income Tax team. The data of the computer kept in the accounts and finance department was also scanned. According to sources, officials said the devices will be returned to their owners after taking a backup. (ANI)

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