‘Will work as Modi's soldier’, declares Hardik Patel, who had once said ‘will never surrender to BJP’

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June 2, 2022

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Once a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress leader Hardik Patel, who is set to join the ruling BJP in Gujarat on Thursday, posted a tweet in the morning saying he would work as a "soldier" of PM Modi and start a "new chapter". Patel is set to join the BJP at 12 pm on Thursday.

"Today, I am going to start a new chapter keeping in mind the interest of the nation, region, society and community. I will work as a small soldier in the development work of the nation being carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said in the tweet.

Elections to the 182-member House of the Gujarat Assembly are due by the end of this year.

Patel had earlier led an aggressive agitation to demand quota for the Patidar community and targeted the BJP government time and again. He was a very vocal critic of the BJP in the past. But the BJP government had slapped several cases against him, including that of sedition.

Patel, who had joined the Congress in 2019, resigned from the party recently. After that, there was speculation that he might join the ruling BJP. He had even praised the BJP's decision-making capacity and style of functioning, while severely criticising the Congress leadership.

Patel first came into the limelight in 2015 when he spearheaded the movement demanding reservation for the Patidar community in government jobs and educational institutes. Although he joined the opposition Congress in March 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha election, contesting the parliamentary election was not possible for him due to his conviction in a rioting case.

He positioned himself as a vocal critic of the BJP and kept targeting the party and its governments in the state and at the Centre for being "anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti-youth". Since he was convicted in rioting and arson cases, it affected his chances of contesting an election. However, the Supreme Court recently stayed his conviction.

Patel, who was charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), has been out on bail since 2016.

The BJP government has recently taken steps to withdraw several cases lodged against Patel and others related to the 2015 reservation agitation and the violence that broke out in which 10 persons, including a policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles damaged. 

Old videos, posts surface

Netizens meanwhile questioned if it is the same Hardik Patel, who had openly made scathing attacks against the BJP, PM Modi and Amit Shah, and is now joining the same party. Meanwhile, Hardik Patel's old tweets which he made against the BJP, PM Modi and Amit Shah stand deleted.

A video is doing the rounds where he is heard saying (in Gujarati), "I am a son of a man, I will never surrender by joining BJP. We are the son of farmer. We will fight and struggle, but we will not surrender to the BJP."

Another viral video on social media platforms is from 2017. Hardik Patel is heard saying, "We just asked for our rights, what we got in return lathicharge. Our young Patidars were killed, women were assaulted. We were cheated, Patidars were cheated. Should we forget everything and join them? No. Now it is time to take revenge."

Here are some of the other videos and social media posts from the past where Hardik Patel attacked BJP and its leaders:

*Hardik Patel has attacked PM Modi several times in the past. At an interview during India Today Conclave 2018, Hardik Patel attacked PM Modi, saying, "Khul ke virodh karta hu, zara bhi chupata nahi, dum lagakar Modi ka virodh karta hu, dadagiri se virodh karta hu (Openly and without any fear I oppose Modi, I do not hide or fear).”

*In April 2019, Hardik said, "In the last 5 years Modi ji did nothing except touring country. He is 'Publicity Minister'."

*In another instance, during the time when PM Modi's ‘chowkidar’ slogan was coined, Hardik Patel had said, "I would go to Nepal to find a chowkidar or watchman but our country needs a Prime Minister."

*On June 2, Hardik Patel will be joining the BJP at state head office Kamalam in Gandhinagar. Just 5 months back, Hardik Patel said he would break the BJP's office on some issues.

*Hardik Patel had compared Amit Shah to General Dyer many times in the past. Taking a jibe at Amit Shah in 2017, Hardik Patel said, "BJP mein sahi logo ko samman nahi diya jata, lekin jo log Amit Shah ke pairo ki juti bankar rehta hai usko aage kiya jata hai (BJP doesn’t give respect to the right people, but those who follow Amit Shah are pushed forward)."

*Hardik Patel also hit out at the BJP in October 2018, saying, "Hindu Muslim ka Chashma utar kar dekho to BJP aapko bilkul nangi aur besharam nazar aayegi (If you remove the Hindu-Muslim lense, BJP will appear shameless to you)."

*He had also attacked the RSS in January 2017. "RSS desh ko apna gyan kyu baant rahi hai. Nagpur se baithe baithe desh ko chala rahe hai aisa bhram hai RSS ko. Savidhan bada ya RSS," Hardik Patel has said.

*Another viral tweet is from December 2016, where Hardik Patel had taken another jibe at the BJP, saying, "Agar subha ka deshdrohi shaam ko BJP mein jud jaye toh usse deshbhakt kehte hai (If someone who is called a traitor in the morning joins the BJP in the evening, he is called a nationalist)."

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News Network
November 5,2024

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Washington: The race between Democratic leader Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump for the White House has been truly unprecedented as it saw drama, tragedy, political comebacks, fierce rhetoric and a historically razor-tight contest.

As the fight reaches its crescendo with the big election day just a few hours away, many political observers billed the unpredictable race for the 47th President of the US as the most consequential one in decades while appearing to project a grim picture for the country’s future under a Trump presidency.

In her final days of campaign, Vice President Harris focused on a message of hope, unity, optimism and women rights whereas Trump remained fiercely combative in targeting his Democratic rival and even suggested that he may not accept the election outcome in case of a defeat.

Overall, it has been a roller-coaster ride for both 60-year-old Harris and 78-year-old Trump.

Trump received his party’s nomination in March and formally at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July — in a historic comeback after remaining in political wilderness for months following several court cases.

In effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office on the planet after being convicted of a felony.

“Trump has made one of the biggest political comebacks since Richard Nixon’s in terms of the political struggles that he has had in the last four years,” Communication Strategist Anang Mittal said.

Just days ahead of the RNC, Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania. He suffered an upper ear injury. Minutes later, a bleeding Trump raised his fist in defiance, images that drew a lot of emotional support from his die-hard supporters.

For Harris too, it has been a dramatic ride after Biden ended his re-election campaign in July, nearly weeks after he came under severe scrutiny following his incoherent performance at a televised debate with Trump.

While dropping out from the race, Biden, 81, endorsed Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate.

Finally in August, the Democratic National Convention formally nominated Harris as the party’s candidate for the presidential election.

The presidential election will be a chance to “move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past”, she said in a powerful speech at the Convention.

If Harris wins, she will become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to become the US President.

In the overall campaign, Harris has been projecting the election as the one to protect the country’s fundamental freedoms, safeguard constitutional values and ensure women’s rights.

On his part, Trump has maintained his signature aggressive rhetoric and promising to rebuild the economy and rid the US from illegal immigrants.

However, there has been strong criticism of the Republican leader’s roadmap to repair the economy.

"Donald Trump is offering a vision of crony rentier capitalism that has enticed many captains of industry and finance,” said Joseph E Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate economist, in a column in Project Syndicate.

"In catering to their wishes for more tax cuts and less regulation, he would make most Americans’ lives poorer, harder, and shorter,” he said.

With election day just a few hours away, there is no clarity on who has a better chance of winning the race.

"The elections are very close. They (the outcome) may change on the basis of a few thousands votes here or there. I think the big issue will be voter turnout tomorrow. That will determine the outcome in certain swing states,” said Executive Director of the US chapter of Observer Research Foundation Dhruva Jaishankar.

Kapil Sharma, a non-resident senior fellow at Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programmes, also echoed similar views.

“This election is probably one of the closest elections that I can remember. I have been working in Washington for over 30 years and I don’t recall an election being this tight,” he said.

More than 78 million Americans have already cast their votes as of Sunday, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab that tracks early and mail-in voting across the US.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of Waqf properties. This demand follows findings from the Anwar Manippady committee's report, which reveals that while 54,000 acres of land are registered with the Waqf Board, approximately 29,000 acres have been misappropriated.

Capt. Chowta emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, stating, “A comprehensive probe should be conducted based on this report. Those who have illegally encroached on these properties must be held accountable.”

He challenged the Congress party, suggesting that if they genuinely care for the Muslim community and underprivileged women, their members should actively participate in the Joint Parliamentary Committee discussing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. This participation is essential to ensure that Waqf properties are used effectively for community welfare.

The MP criticized the notices served to farmers in Honvada village, Vijayapura, which stated that nearly 1,200 acres of their ancestral land was being reassigned to the Waqf Board. He expressed that this issue arose while the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working on amendments to the Waqf Act. He accused the Congress-led state government, particularly Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, of trying to enforce outdated 50-year-old notifications about Waqf properties. After the farmers raised concerns, Minister M. B. Patil clarified that the confusion was due to an error in the gazette.

Chowta alleged that Congress members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee are obstructing proceedings and causing disruptions. He expressed suspicion that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah might have instructed Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan to implement these outdated notifications regarding Waqf properties. As a result, he demanded the Minister's resignation.

He accused the Congress party of exploiting Muslim voters for the past 75 years without making substantial efforts for their welfare. Furthermore, he highlighted that the BJP is launching a campaign against land jihad, pointing out that the Waqf Board controls one of the largest land banks after the Defence and Railways sectors. Finally, he urged citizens to check the revenue records (RTC) of their land ownership to verify its status.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 5,2024

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Several videos have been circulating across social media platforms, claiming that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is shown reading the Quran in a mosque. Several posts have gone further to claim that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. The videos have attracted millions of views and sparked widespread speculation. 

Is Ronaldo Reciting the Quran?

One such video shows a man reading from the Quran, with captions like "Cristiano Ronaldo Reciting Quran." Several posts, especially on TikTok and Facebook, claim that Ronaldo has not only read the Quran but has also embraced Islam along with his wife, Georgina Rodríguez. One of these TikTok posts amassed 1.7 million likes and over 58,000 shares, adding to the viral momentum of this claim.

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Ronaldo Lookalike from Iraq

Contrary to these claims, the man in the video is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The individual is Bewar Abdullah, a well-known Ronaldo lookalike originally from Iraq, who now resides in Birmingham, U.K. Abdullah has gained fame for his striking resemblance to Ronaldo and regularly posts content online imitating the footballer.

The Reality

The viral video was initially posted by Bewar Abdullah on his TikTok account (@bewarabdullah) on July 20, 2021, with the caption "Eat Mubarek🕌 (sic)." Abdullah has a large following of 1.7 million people.

Abdullah is frequently mistaken for Ronaldo due to his resemblance, and his name appears at the end of the viral video, confirming his identity.

Abdullah’s online popularity stems from his likeness to Ronaldo, and he regularly receives invitations to events and appearances due to this.

Apart from the video, there are also widespread claims that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. However, there is no credible evidence to support this. These rumors appear to have emerged from the same viral content surrounding Ronaldo’s lookalike, without any basis in fact.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion arises from Abdullah’s close resemblance to Ronaldo and the viral nature of social media posts that often mislead viewers. The presence of Ronaldo-related hashtags and captions like "#Ronaldo #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #SaudiArabia" further fueled the speculation, making it seem more believable to the football star's global fanbase.

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