Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading the “Justice for Ankita” campaign on September 27, 2022 Photo: Congress
Cybercrime by Copytrack of Germany
The EVM manipulation is inevitable in the 2024 Lok Sabha election for Modi to retain the PM position.
As it appears today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi is likely to win the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Those who believe that the Indian voters elect the politicians and political parties are living in a fool’s paradise.
Factors That Will Help BJP Win the 2024 Lok Sabha Election. RMN Estimates
In fact, voters have hardly any role in elections. A number of external factors influence the election results and determine the victory or defeat of a candidate.
The selective manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) is the main factor that will ensure BJP’s success in the election. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, a large-scale manipulation of EVMs happened to help BJP win.
But many opposition parties raised the issue of vulnerability of EVMs and even court cases were filed to get the EVM manipulation stopped. Since the courts and
the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot dare to take any decision that may displease Modi, the EVMs continue to help BJP in crucial elections.
Opposition political parties holding a press conference on April 14, 2019 to raise the issue of election frauds on EVMs in India. (file photo)
And the Lok Sabha election is a crucial election because emperor Modi himself contests this election. After vigorous protests by the opposition parties, it is believed that now the BJP is selectively using EVMs in some state elections and the national elections to ensure that Modi remains the PM and BJP has a fairly large footprint in most states. [ Click here to watch a related video. ]
If Modi is the PM, he can use the central agencies to topple governments in other states where his party has not won. That is why the EVM manipulation is inevitable in the 2024 Lok Sabha election for Modi to retain the PM position.
In order to win elections in areas where tampering with the EVMs is difficult, the BJP uses other tactics to deceive the voters. These include managed violence such as the Pulwama terror attack to misinform the voters that the attacks are carried out by terrorists supported by Pakistan.
The anti-Pakistan rhetoric delivered by Modi and his party before the elections is an effective tool for BJP to hoodwink the gullible voters and win elections deceptively. Moreover, Modi makes false pre-poll promises such as jobs for the jobless, corruption eradication, increased income for farmers, and so on to woo Indian voters most of whom are illiterate. Genuine voting will have an insignificant contribution in BJP’s success.
Also, bribes to voters, fake advertisements, corrupt media manipulation, communal hate campaigns to attract the majority of Hindu voters are among the other tactics that BJP will deploy to win the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Since most opposition politicians are foolish, they do not take into account these extraneous factors in their election strategies. Therefore, they will lose the election and keep cursing PM Modi until 2029 when he will again win the Lok Sabha election.
Since international efforts have failed to protect the people of Myanmar, a People’s Defence Force (PDF) has been constituted in the troubled nation.
States must do more to cut the Myanmar military’s access to revenue and arms supplies to halt its repression of the people, a report released on September 16 by the UN Human Rights Office said.
The report was requested by the Human Rights Council to follow up on earlier recommendations made by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (‘FFM’) on economic interests of the Myanmar military (the Tatmadaw).
The report reiterates the FFM’s recommendations to impose targeted financial sanctions on the Tatmadaw and its economic interests as well as arms embargoes. It asserts that such measures must respect human rights and that efforts must be
made to mitigate foreseeable socio-economic impacts. Several States continue to supply weaponry and engage in military cooperation, it states.
Since international efforts have failed to protect the people of Myanmar, a People’s Defence Force (PDF) has been constituted in the troubled nation. PDF is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG) comprising youth and pro-democracy activists who resist attacks by the autocratic military junta. Estimates suggest that PDF’s membership reached 50,000 in February 2022. [ Click here to watch a related video. ]
The PDF model of self-defence can serve as an inspiration for citizens in other autocratic nations where police and security forces attack civilians and peaceful protesters while the world community has failed to protect them. Since seizing control of State organs, the so-called State Administration Council has “failed to govern in meaningful and sustainable ways, instead continuing to repress and terrorize the Myanmar people,” the UN report says.
Photo: People’s Defence Force (PDF) of Myanmar
While some progress has been made on the FFM’s recommendations to economically isolate the Tatmadaw, there remain significant gaps, which are ever more important following the coup. Targeted measures should particularly focus on the military’s foreign currency access, said the report.
It urges the international community to step up efforts to support the people of Myanmar and to ensure the military’s financial isolation in a coordinated fashion. Appropriate sanctions should be implemented in consultation with civil society and the democratic movement, including trade unions and the National Unity Government, to calibrate their impact.
According to the report, Myanmar’s military authorities are clearly prioritizing its military campaigns over the welfare of the population and economic recovery. In comparison with the previous annual Government budget, the military authorities’ 2022/23 budget increased defence spending, while reducing allocations to education, health, and social welfare.
Poverty in Myanmar has increased at least two-fold and the public health system has effectively broken down since the coup, and more than half of all school-age children have not had access to education for two academic years, the report said.
It also reported that some States and companies continue business relationships with military-owned enterprises in a number of sectors.
All businesses active in Myanmar or sourcing from the country should take steps to ensure they do not economically benefit the military, including by conducting ongoing and transparent heightened human rights due diligence, the report says.
Despite a series of investigative reports published by Mediapart about the possibility of corruption in the Rafale deal, the Indian courts have ignored the case.
The French judicial investigation into the sale of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft to India is accelerating. According to a Mediapart article on September 14, the detectives from the OCLCIFF, the anti-corruption unit of the French police, searched the headquarters of Rafale manufacturers Dassault Aviation.
Congress leaders protesting against PM Narendra Modi and the Rafale deal on February 13, 2019 (file photo). Photo: Congress
The police action that took place in February 2022 was in response to the demand from the investigating judges Virginie Tilmont and Pascal Gastineau. Mediapart says Dassault did not comment on the ongoing investigation, adding that French judges are leading an investigation into claims of corruption surrounding the 7.8-billion-euro sale to India in 2016 of 36 Dassault-built Rafale fighter aircraft.
Mediapart reporter Yann Philippin writes that four months after searching the headquarters of the French defence and aviation group, investigators were refused access by France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to classified documents related to the Rafale deal.
The French news service Mediapart which has been reporting about the Rafale corruption case had revealed in its report of November 7 last year that Indian investigating agencies deliberately ignored this case in which India’s prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi is the prime accused.
Mediapart says that detectives from India’s federal police force, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), and its colleagues from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which fights money laundering, have had proof since October 2018 that French aviation firm Dassault paid at least 7.5 million euros (equivalent to about 600 million rupees) in secret commissions to middleman in this case. But the CBI and ED decided to ignore the wrongdoing. [ Watch The Wire video of November 8, 2021. ]
As the Indian courts and judges had also turned a blind eye to the possible corruption in the Rafale deal, a French judge was appointed in July 2021 to lead a judicial investigation into alleged corruption and favouritism in the 7.8 billion euro sale to India of 36 fighter aircraft.
Mediapart an independent French online investigative journal had revealed in its report released on July 2, 2021 that the investigation was formally opened in June following a decision by the financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution services, the PNF. Parquet national financier (PNF) is a French judicial institution which is responsible for investigating serious economic and financial crimes.
Thanks to a series of investigative reports published by Mediapart in April 2021 about the possibility of corruption in the Rafale deal, the probe has been launched to examine various aspects of the deal. These include corruption, influence peddling, money laundering, favouritism, and undue tax waivers surrounding the deal. Investigative reporter Yann Philippin of Mediapart reveals that after declining to investigate the case in 2019, the PNF has decided to open it after the case was updated with details from Mediapart’s recent series of investigations. The Wire news
service published a video interview with Yann Philippin in April to learn about the Rafale case. [ Click here to watch the interview. ]
While the Rafale deal had become a hot potato in India, a French NGO named Sherpa had filed a complaint in 2018 with the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office to clarify under which conditions 36 fighter aircraft produced by Dassault Aviation were sold to India in 2016 and the choice of its Indian partner, Reliance, a group led by a close partner of PM Modi.
“This complaint follows the complaint lodged on the 4th of October 2018 by a former Indian Minister and an anti-corruption lawyer with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi, against Modi for ‘abuse of authority’ and ‘grant of undue advantages’ in connection with the sale of Rafale, and the facts revealed by Mediapart and Sherpa’s investigation,” Sherpa said in a statement about the Rafale case.
The Sherpa statement added that Anil Ambani, Modi’s close associate; Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation; and the former Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar have also been targeted in the complaint filed in New Delhi for “complicity” in the alleged crime.
As the Modi government has been hiding the facts related to the Rafale deal, a Times of India article of August 21, 2020 said that the federal auditor Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report did not mention any offset deals related to Rafale aircraft purchased from French company Dassault Aviation. The article adds that India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has denied any information related to the Rafale offset deals to the CAG.
In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India had put a final break on the controversial Rafale corruption case. A bench comprising the-then Chief Justice of
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India Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S.K. Kaul, and K.M. Joseph dismissed the review petitions seeking reassessment of the judgment that had refused an investigation by the CBI into the Rafale fighter jet deal with French firm Dassault Aviation.
A petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh was seeking a court-monitored investigation into the Rafale deal. Another petition filed by former Indian ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, and lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan had demanded a review of its findings related to the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
However, the top court observed arbitrarily that the petitions lacked merits and therefore there is no need for the CBI to register a first information report (FIR) and start the inquiry.
It is important to mention here that in May 2019 a Supreme Court committee had exonerated Chief Justice Gogoi who was blamed of sexual harassment by a former woman employee of the court. Most observers believe that the so-called inquiry was a biased exercise to protect the Chief Justice and the committee did not follow the law to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work.
After giving a whimsical judgment that protected Modi and his colleagues in the Rafale case, Gogoi’s term as Chief Justice ended on November 17, 2019, and the Modi government rewarded him with a Rajya Sabha membership in March 2020.
Since Gogoi had dishonestly tried to protect Modi in the Rafale corruption case, in August 2021, a petition in the Supreme Court had challenged Gogoi’s appointment to the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the bicameral Parliament of India.
The petitioners in the Rafale case – led by lawyer Prashant Bhushan – had filed a complaint with the CBI on October 4, 2018, urging the agency to register an FIR against PM Modi and former defence minister Manohar Parrikar.
The complaint alleged that the accused have committed a range of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) over their April 2015 decision to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation. The complaint was handed over to Alok Verma, the-then director of the CBI, who was later removed from his position surreptitiously by the Modi government with the help of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), India’s top anti-corruption organization which controls CBI.
In a related development, K.V. Chowdary who had retired as the Central Vigilance Commissioner was hired as additional director on the board of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) led by Mukesh Ambani, who is a close capitalist friend of Modi. As the CVC of India, Chowdary had intervened to get all investigations against Modi dropped.
Chowdary was gifted the post of CVC in 2015 for his role in protecting Modi unscrupulously. Despite a number of corruption complaints against Chowdary, he gets off scot-free because there is no specific law to prosecute him. According to an RTI reply, four complaints were filed against Chowdary between January 2014 and August 2020.
A new CVC Sanjay Kothari who was handpicked in April 2020 was equally notorious, as he ignored the Rafale case. The office of the CVC is an utterly useless setup which mostly protects the corrupt government functionaries instead of catching and punishing them.
It is alleged in the complaint that Modi – who is a public servant – misused his position as PM of India to give undue benefit in the Rafale deal to his close associate Anil Ambani who is the Chairman of Reliance ADA group of companies and brother of Mukesh Ambani. When the complaint reached India’s top investigating agency CBI, Chowdary allegedly conspired to get CBI director Alok Verma removed from his position.
The New York Times (NYT), which is the world’s top newspaper based in the U.S., said in its article that Modi’s opaque arms deal has raised some serious questions. The article headlined “With ‘Fishy’ Jet Deal, India’s Opposition Finally Lands a Blow on Modi” appeared in NYT.
It raised questions such as why Modi renegotiated a deal for 36 fighter jets and why a company run by a wealthy family (Ambani family) was chosen to participate in the deal while it had no experience of building jets. The NYT article also asked why the costs of the planes seemed to jump so much and why Modi is not sharing more details on the Rafale deal.
Strangely, however, the Supreme Court did not find the need to explore all these troubling questions and gave a murky judgment in favor of the Modi government. The petitioners had alleged that the 2018 judgment “relied upon patently incorrect claims made by the government in an unsigned note given in a sealed cover” to the Supreme Court.
In order to see transparency in the decision-making process of the court, they had requested for an oral hearing of the petition in an open court. But instead of dealing with the case objectively, the Supreme Court judges it appears merely used their whims to dismiss it because the case targeted PM Modi. The less said about the Indian courts, the better.
In order to highlight corruption in the Rafale deal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used ‘chowkidar chor hai’ (PM Narendra Modi as watchman of the country is a thief) slogan extensively before the 2019 Lok Sabha election to discredit Modi for his alleged involvement in the deal.
Rahul Gandhi often called Modi a “thief” for stealing Rs. 30,000 crore (~ US$ 4 billion) in the Rafale deal which was handled by Modi in a secret manner. However,
after the shady court judgment, Rahul Gandhi and the petitioners had to willy-nilly accept that there was no corruption in the Rafale deal and Chowkidar Modi is not a chor.
But the new Mediapart articles have again brought the Rafale scandal to the center stage of increasing political corruption in India. According to a Mediapart article, in New Delhi on September 23, 2016 the French minister for defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar, watched by Éric Trappier, CEO of French company Dassault Aviation, signed one of the biggest arms deals ever concluded by the French state.
This was for the sale of 36 Rafale fighter jets – made by Dassault – to the Indian state for 7.8 billion euros. To put this sum into context it is the equivalent of the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of a country such as Benin in West Africa.
Although Mediapart has again revealed corruption in the Rafale deal, instead of allowing a transparent investigation into the case, the Modi government will dismiss the reports by saying that it is a politically motivated attempt to malign the Modi government. There is also a possibility that the Modi government will intimidate Mediapart by sending a frivolous legal notice to the journal for its Rafale corruption reports.
Earlier, as expected, the Modi government had dismissed the Rafale investigation report on April 5, saying it is a baseless report and blamed the opposition party Congress and ‘corporate rivalry’ for accusing Modi and his government. But the Modi government has not given any valid argument in its defence. [ Click here to watch a related video. ]
Since the opposition parties in India are almost extinct and the courts as well as anti-corruption outfits such as the Lokpal, CVC, and CBI are mostly complicit in state crimes, the Rafale scandal will once again be brushed under the carpet.
The Congress party, however, held a casual press conference in July last year to explain the irregularities in the Rafale deal. As Congress is a dying political outfit, it shows its opposition only through Twitter instead of holding field demonstrations or going to the courts against the Modi government’s questionable actions.
Meanwhile, a new report released by the U.S. Department of State has revealed that widespread corruption is happening at all levels of government in India. In an exclusive section, “Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government,” the report asserts that the law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials at all levels of government in India.
However, according to the report, officials frequently engage in corrupt practices with impunity while there were numerous reports of government corruption during the year.
The Morality Police, an element of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), arrests women for wearing “inappropriate” hijab and enforces other restrictions on freedom of expression.
The United States (U.S.) has condemned the tragic and brutal death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Iranian Morality Police after being detained for purportedly wearing a hijab too loosely.
“We mourn with her loved ones and with the Iranian people,” the U.S. Department of State said in a statement released on September 22.
In response to this and other human rights violations in Iran—including the violent suppression of peaceful protests—the United States has imposed sanctions on Iran’s Morality Police and senior security officials who have engaged in serious human rights abuses, pursuant to Executive Order 13553.
Meanwhile, a group of UN experts on September 22 denounced the violence directed against peaceful protesters and human rights defenders demanding accountability for Amini’s death in cities across the country by Iranian security forces.
The Morality Police, an element of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), arrests women for wearing “inappropriate” hijab and enforces other restrictions on freedom of expression.
“The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has further designated Haj Ahmad Mirzaei and Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi, both of whom are senior officials in the Morality Police,” said U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
Additionally, OFAC is designating: Esmail Khatib, Iran’s Minister of Intelligence; Manouchehr Amanollahi, the LEF commander of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province of Iran; Qasem Rezaei, the deputy commander of the LEF; Kiumars Heidari,
U S Secretary of State Antony Blinken Photo: Department of State
the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army Ground Forces; and Salar Abnoush, the deputy commander of the Basij, a paramilitary militia and a subsidiary force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to the U.S. statement, these individuals have been all involved in the suppression and killing of non-violent protesters. It adds that the Iranian government needs to end its systematic persecution of women and allow peaceful protest.
The United States says it will continue to voice its support for human rights in Iran and hold those who violate them to account.
Marcus Schmitt and his company Copytrack must be prosecuted and punished for unfair trade practices and for running a criminal enterprise that extends its tentacles in different parts of the world.
To September 22, 2022
Dr. Barbara Slowik
Chief of Police, Berlin Police, Germany
Copy to: Law-enforcement authorities in other jurisdictions as this case pertains to a cybercrime that is spreading in different parts of the world.
Complaint of Intimidation, Extortion, and Financial Terrorism Against Marcus Schmitt of Copytrack GmbH, Dresdener Str. 31, 10179 Berlin, Germany
Complaint by: Rakesh Raman
Dear Authorities,
I am a journalist and founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation in New Delhi, India. I am a victim of intimidation and an attempt to extort money from
UNREST News Magazine by RMN News Service | October 1 15, 2022 | Page 17 of 34
me by the serial offender Marcus Schmitt who claims to be the Managing Director of Copytrack GmbH registered in Berlin, Germany at the above-mentioned address.
Cybercrime and Criminal Threats by Copytrack. Photo Created with Adobe Express Copytrack has devised a fraudulent business model to earn money unscrupulously from honest users. Therefore, Marcus Schmitt and his company Copytrack must be prosecuted and punished for unfair trade practices and for running a criminal enterprise that extends its tentacles in different parts of the world.
Please find attached a 6-page document of case details and take action immediately as described in this document. I have also published the details of this case on my news site.
Thank You Rakesh Raman
Since Modi is an illiterate and uncivilized politician, he usually does not condemn any incident in which the citizens of India face persecution or harassment.
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by RMN News Service | October 1 15, 2022 |
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While nationwide outrage and protests are being witnessed over the ghastly incident, the Congress leader said on September 27 that Modi’s BJP treats women as objects and second class citizens. "This is the truth of the BJP ideology. They (BJP leaders) respect nothing but power," he said.
“India’s women are our biggest strength. But they are being treated as ‘objects’ by the BJP. A most disgusting example is the murder of Ankita in Uttarakhand. BJP’s CM (chief minister) bulldozed all evidence to protect the accused. We will not allow the BJP to treat women as second-class citizens,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted. He also said that a country which does not respect and empower its women, cannot achieve its goals, adding that PM Modi delivers shallow slogans of saving the girl child but his BJP saves the rapists.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent outfit Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of the alleged murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading the “Justice for Ankita” campaign on September 27, 2022. Photo: Congress
Since Modi is an illiterate and uncivilized politician, he usually does not condemn any incident in which the citizens of India face persecution or harassment. His eerie silence encourages criminals to commit more crimes.
Ankita Bhandari was allegedly killed by Pulkit Arya the son of a BJP leader and two of his accomplices for refusing to provide "special (prostitution) services" to guests at his resort in Uttarakhand. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal near Rishikesh on September 24.
Currently, Rahul Gandhi is traveling across the country on foot for his Bharat Jodo Yatra or “Unite India March” which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari and will culminate in Kashmir after about 5 months and after covering over 3,500 kilometers.
In the past couple of years, I have filed almost 100 complaints, but not even a single complaint has been addressed.
To September 18, 2022
Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) / Prime Minister Office (PMO)
Government of India, North Block, New Delhi 110 001
Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, New Delhi
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Vienna International Centre, A 1400 Vienna, Austria
[ Corruption cases from India to be prosecuted under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. ]
Kind Attention: Mr. D.K. Jain, Under Secretary (VCC), Cabinet Secretariat, Room No. 207, Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi 110 001
Kind Attention: Ms. Nila Mohanan (Director), Administrative Vigilance Division-I / DoPT
Kind Attention: Mr. Rupesh Kumar, Under Secretary to the Government of India / DoPT
Dear Authorities,
I am a national award-winning journalist and founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation in Delhi. In the past couple of years, I have filed almost 100 complaints to DoPT, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and the so-called anti-corruption agencies such as the Lokpal, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Economic Offences Wing (EOW), etc. against the corrupt government functionaries, including IAS and IPS officers. But not even a single complaint has been addressed.
Therefore, please find attached a 21-page document including exhibits and case links to resolve these cases and streamline the corruption prevention, investigation, prosecution, and conviction processes. This representation has been filed on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal of Govt of India under Complaint No. DOPAT/E/2022/13931 dated 18.09.2022. Thank You | Rakesh Raman
Russia and Ukraine have carried out a surprise prisoner swap involving nearly 300 people, the largest since Moscow’s invasion began nearly seven months ago. Those released include prisoners of war from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Morocco, some of whom had been sentenced to death after being captured in Ukraine and accused of being mercenaries. Read More
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made his first public appearance since returning from a trip to Central Asia, quashing unfounded rumors of a “coup” that sparked a frenzy of speculation ahead of a key Communist Party meeting. Xi on September 27 visited an exhibition in Beijing showcasing China’s achievements over his decade in power, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Read More
The Indian government has banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) a controversial Muslim group for five years for allegedly having links with terror groups. The ban, announced on September 28, comes amid a crackdown on the organisation authorities have twice raided its offices across several states and arrested many of its leaders. The PFI, which denies the allegations against it, has held nationwide protests against the raids in recent days. Read More
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, already widely considered Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, was named prime minister by his father the king by royal decree on September 27. The prince, often referred to as "MBS," was previously defense minister within Saudi Arabia's government. King Salman bin Abdulaziz also promoted his second son, Prince Khalid, from deputy defense minister to defense minister. Read More
Debashish Roy Chowdhury, one of the authors of the recently published and highly acclaimed book To Kill A Democracy: India’s Passage to Despotism, says that India is “an elective despotism” and Narendra Modi is a “despot”. Read More
As central banks across the world simultaneously hike interest rates in response to inflation, the world may be edging toward a global recession in 2023 and a string of financial crises in emerging markets and developing economies that would do them lasting harm, according to a comprehensive new study by the World Bank. Read More
The Allies say Russia has it in its hands to end the conflict and it must immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine.
The North Atlantic Council has condemned the plan to hold so-called “referenda” on joining the Russian Federation in the Ukrainian regions partly controlled by the Russian military.
As the UN General Assembly reaffirmed in its resolution “Aggression against Ukraine” adopted on 2 March 2022, the Council said no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal.
According to their statement of September 22, NATO Allies say they do not and will never recognize Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea Sham referenda in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine have no legitimacy and will be a blatant violation of the UN Charter, they asserted. The statement adds that NATO Allies will not recognize the regions’ illegal and
Official Portrait of NATO Allies. Photo: NATOillegitimate annexation as these regions belong to Ukraine. They call on all states to reject Russia’s blatant attempts at territorial conquest.
These Russian decisions, including a partial military mobilization, are a further escalation in Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. The Allies say they continue to reject Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and Russia bears full responsibility for the war, the immense suffering its aggression is bringing upon the Ukrainian people, as well as the cost of its war including for the Russian people now being mobilized.
The Allies say Russia has it in its hands to end the conflict and it must immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine. “We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and for Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence.
NATO Allies remain resolute in providing political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s aggression,” the NATO said in its statement.
NATO says it is a defensive Alliance and will continue to strive for peace, security, and stability in the whole of the Euro-Atlantic area while it stands united to defend and protect every inch of Allied territory. Courtesy: NATO
The AAP leaders who are embroiled in serious cases of corruption including the liquor mafia case and school construction scam of hundreds of crores of rupees have asked for an investigation of LG Saxena.
The Delhi High Court, in its interim order, has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Delhi chief minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal to remove the defamatory social media posts such as tweets on Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena. In its order of September 27, according to an NDTV report, the court has also restrained
AAP leaders from publishing comments against the LG on the alleged Khadi scam while the lawsuit is underway.
LG Saxena had filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court seeking an interim injunction against AAP and asked the court to restrain AAP and its members from issuing public statements pertaining to allegations of corruption and money laundering against him.
According to a September 22 report in The Indian Express, the court had reserved the orders in the application for the interim injunction after hearing both the parties.
Earlier on August 31, Vinai Saxena had said he will take legal action against AAP politicians who have been repeatedly making “highly defamatory and false” corruption allegations against him. Now, according to The Indian Express, he has filed a defamation suit against the AAP and its members Atishi, Durgesh Pathak, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Jasmine Shah, and Sanjay Singh.
Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lt. Governor (LG) of Delhi. Photo: LG Office (file photo)The AAP has accused Saxena of corruption and demanded his resignation and arrest. In a series of media interactions on August 29, AAP alleged that after the demonetization announcement in 2016, Saxena tried to launder Rs 1,400 crore as the chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). However, the AAP leaders could not give any evidence of corruption by Saxena.
The AAP leaders who are embroiled in serious cases of corruption including the liquor mafia case and school construction scam of hundreds of crores of rupees have asked for an investigation of LG Saxena.
With a Twitter hashtag #LG_Saxena_Chor_Hai (LG Saxena is a thief), AAP politicians
– who are trying to divert attention from their own corruption investigations – allege that Saxena forced two KVIC employees to change banned currency notes during the demonetization exercise.
However, Saxena refuted the AAP allegations and said that Kejriwal runs a shoot and scoot party to blame others without any evidence and Kejriwal apologizes when faced with legal action.
An LG office statement of August 31 asserted that Saxena has taken a serious view of these false and defamatory allegations made by AAP leaders and has decided to take legal action against them.
Meanwhile, a number of protesters organized a demonstration on September 21 at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site to demand the resignations of Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
The protesters - who belonged to the farmers’ union of Delhi BJP - allege that Kejriwal and Sisodia are involved in a multi-crore rupees liquor scandal which is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Now, the CBI has started making arrests in this case, as some of the close accomplices of Sisodia have been arrested.
Witnesses provided the Commission with consistent accounts of ill-treatment and torture carried out during unlawful confinement.
Based on its investigations into events in the regions of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.
NATO Foreign Ministers held an extraordinary virtual meeting on Friday (7 January 2022) to discuss Russia’s continued military build up in and around Ukraine. Photo: NATO (file photo)
The Commission has documented violations, such as the illegal use of explosive weapons, indiscriminate attacks, violations of personal integrity, including executions, torture and ill-treatment, and sexual and gender-based violence. It also found that the rights of children have been violated.
On a visit to Ukraine in June 2022, the Commission observed first-hand the damage that explosive weapons with wide-area effects caused to residential buildings and infrastructure in populated areas, including schools and hospitals. A number of the
attacks that the Commission investigated were carried out without distinguishing between civilians and combatants.
“We were struck by the large number of executions in the areas that we visited,” Erik Møse, chair of the Commission, said. “We are concerned about the suffering that the international armed conflict in Ukraine has imposed on the civilian population.”
He added that the Commission is currently investigating executions in 16 towns and settlements, and has received credible allegations regarding many more such cases. Common elements to these crimes included the prior detention of the victims and visible signs of execution, such as hands tied behind backs, gunshot wounds to the head, and slit throats.
Witnesses provided the Commission with consistent accounts of ill-treatment and torture carried out during unlawful confinement. Some of the victims reported that after initial detention by Russian forces in Ukraine, they were transferred to the Russian Federation and held for weeks in detention centres, where they were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
The investigation into sexual and gender-based violence has shown that some Russian Federation soldiers committed such crimes. The age of victims of sexual and gender-based violence ranged from four to 82 years.
The Commission has also found that children were exposed to repeated explosions, violations, forced displacement and separation from family members, as well as other violations.
In the four areas where the investigation was conducted Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy the Commission processed two incidents of ill-treatment against Russian Federation soldiers by Ukrainian forces. While few in number, such cases continue to be the subject of the Commission’s attention.
The Commission visited 27 towns and settlements and has interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses. Its investigators inspected sites of destruction, graves, places of detention and torture, as well as weapon remnants, and consulted a large number of documents and reports.
Politicians, bureaucrats, police, and judges have formed a criminal gang in India. The following cases depict how they collude with criminals and commit crimes and corruption with impunity while the ordinary citizens are suffering. Click the following links for details.
Cabinet Secretariat Case
Ministry of HomeAffairs (MHA) Case
Prime Minister Office (PMO) Case Delhi Lokayukta Case
DoPTCase CBI Case
Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Case Supreme Court Case
Delhi Govt Case Delhi Petitions Committee / CVC Case
NHRC Case School Education Case
Environmental Crime Case Lokpal Removal Case
Judicial Corruption Case RCS Corruption Case AAPCorruption Case Widehouse Scandal
NHRC Case at UN HRC IAS Group Corruption Case CPGRAMS Cases PGMS Cases
IAS Corruption Record UNCAC Petition Delhi Police Case DoPTProcesses
In the course of its investigation, the Commission met with Government authorities, international organizations, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders. The United Nations Human Rights Council created the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to investigate violations and abuses of human
rights, violations of international humanitarian law, and other crimes that may have been committed in the context of the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
The Commission is required to present its findings and recommendations, including on accountability of those responsible for the violations to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2023. Before then, the Commission will submit a report to the General Assembly in October 2022. The Commission comprises Erik Møse (chair), Jasminka Džumhur and Pablo de Greiff.
Civil servants need to learn technology to enable digital transformation to usher their countries and societies into the digital age.
As the world is at the cusp of digital transformation, the World Bank Group (WBG) in its GovTech Maturity Index: The State of Public Sector Digital Transformation report reveals that almost half of 198 countries do not have a strategy to improve digital skills.
The WBG believes that the civil servants’ lack of understanding in the tech domain impedes efficient digital transformation and calls for further investment in their development in the public sector.
Also, a report published by UNESCO, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Competencies for Civil Servants, underlines what civil servants need to learn to enable digital transformation to usher their countries and societies into the digital age.
With the accelerated development and use of digital technologies, the stake is high to develop not only technical expertise, but also adapt cultural, organizational and
Courtesy: United Nations Human Rights Councilmanagement practices that foster experimentation, iteration and innovation in the public sector.
“Indeed, because civil servants design and implement public policies, they must understand and be able to tap into the potential of artificial intelligence and data,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.
In other words, they must be empowered to digitally transform institutions, understand data collection concerns and propose policies that take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies, while navigating the many risks and challenges they can bring.
According to UNESCO, civil servants need not become technical experts. Rather, they need to understand new technology trends and develop a basic understanding of the societal implications of technologies to direct digital transformation and governance initiatives. Digital planning and design, data use and governance, digital management and execution are three essential competency domains that civil
Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO. Photo: UNESCOservants need to acquire depending on the digital transformation needs of their countries.
Nested within these competency domains are competencies, such as data-driven policy making, respecting legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks and agile execution, which empower civil servants to adapt and develop digital strategies and action plans for the trustworthy, inclusive and human rights-centric implementation of AI technology.
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Donate: You can click here to donate to RMN News Service.The editor of The Unrest news magazine Rakesh Raman is a national award-winning journalist and founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation. Besides working at senior editorial positions with leading media companies, he was writing an exclusive edit-page column regularly for The Financial Express (a daily business newspaper of The Indian Express Group).
Nowadays, for the past 12 years, he has been running his own global news services on multiple news sites. He runs various environment protection, education awareness, and anti-corruption campaigns, and publishes digital magazines and research reports on different subjects.
Earlier, he had been associated with the United Nations (UN) through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a digital media expert to help businesses use technology for brand marketing and business development.
At present, Rakesh is associated with the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project as a Country Expert for India to provide expert research inputs on multiple topics pertaining to democracy and governance. The V-Dem Project is managed by V-Dem Institute under the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Currently, he is also working as an editor for Wikipedia, which is a free online global encyclopedia.
Recently, he has launched a comprehensive research project to compile an exclusive research report on corruption in India. Its working title is “India Corruption Research Report 2022 (ICRR 2022)”. He has also launched a nationwide campaign to introduce social democracy in India in order to build an egalitarian society in which all citizens could enjoy equal rights, opportunities, freedoms, and access to justice.
In his anti-corruption activities, he participated in a global petition led by Germany-based international organization Transparency International to call for the
UN General Assembly Special Session against Corruption, UNGASS 2021, to direct all countries to set up central, public registers of beneficial ownership.
He runs a community-driven anti-corruption social service “Clean House” to help the residents of Delhi raise their voice against the growing corruption and injustice in housing societies where millions of people suffer because of rampant corruption and lawlessness. He has also formed an environment protection group called Green Group in New Delhi, which is the most polluted national capital in the world.
As Rakesh has been facing constant threats including death threats for his editorial and anti-corruption work, the Paris-based international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) that defends freedom of journalists has urged the Indian government to save him from threats and persecution. You can click here to download and read his full profile.
THE UNREST news magazine is being published by RMN Foundation, which is the humanitarian initiative of RMN News Service. It is being circulated among different UN agencies, government departments, leading global politicians, international political organizations, colleges / universities, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, social activists, and others in India and abroad. As the founder of RMN Foundation and editor of RMN News Service, I am managing this project independently without any financial or other support. RMN News Service is looking for sponsors and collaborators across the world who can help it expand the content creation activity around this editorial initiative
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