News18 Daybreak | Cyber Expert Alleges EVM Hacking in 2014 General Elections and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For
What to Watch Out For
BJP President Amit Shah embarks on a series of rallies in West Bengal days after mega oppn rally
Three days after Trinamool Congress’ mega opposition Rally, the Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah will be addressing a series of ralies in West Bengal starting from today’s in Malda district. The party had earlier scheduled to take out a ‘Save the Democracy’ Rath Yatra but was denied permission by the Supreme Court who cited law and order issue. Subsequently, controversy erupted after the Malda magistrate denied clearance for Shah’s helicopter to land because of “upgradation work at the airport”. Permission was later issued after the BJP’s general secretary wrote to the magistrate asking him why state government helicopters were being allowed to land. Shah, who was just dismissed from AIIMS after being treated for swine flu, will also be addressing rallies in Jhargram, Bhirbhum, Nadia and South 24 Parganas districts.
World Economic Forum begins in Davos in Switzerland today
The World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of more than 100 heads-of-states and the top executives of the 1,000 foremost global companies, will begin today in Davos in Switzerland. This year, the delegation from India includes Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Andhra Pradesh minister Lokesh Nara, Punjab minister Manpreet Badal and corporate giants Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani, Sanjiv Bajaj, N Chandrasekaran, Sajjan Jindal, Anand Mahindra, Sunil Mittal, Nandan Nilekani, Salil Parekh, Azim Premji. The theme of this year’s event will be 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution'. Read News18.com exclusive interview with IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath from Davos.
Delhi court to hear MJ Akbar defamation case against journalist over sexual harassment charges
The hearing of the defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani who had accused him of sexual harassment will take place in a Delhi court today. Last year, Ramani’s Twitter post about an editor (later revealed to be MJ Akbar) inviting her to his hotel room for a job interview and asking her to sit on the bed with him, triggered a flurry of allegations from multiple women. Following this, the former editor of Asian Age resigned as the Union minister on October 17.
Rescue teams in Meghalaya to pull out the body of miner day after govt assures apex court that efforts will not be abandoned
The Navy rescue teams in Meghalaya are expected to pull out the body of one of the 15 miners who got trapped in an illegal mine in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills. According to officials, in an image captured by the underwater ROV the deceased is seen wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans in. The Navy on Monday had sought the state government’s approval to suspend the operation following which the Centre and the state governments assured the Supreme Court that the rescue efforts will not be abandoned. Family members of the victims from Lumthari and Chirang, Assam will be present at the site along with forensic experts and health officials when the body is brought to surface.
What You May Have Missed
US-based Indian cyber expert claims that EVMs rigged general elections in 2014
In a press conference held by the Indian Journalists’ Association in London on Monday, a US-based Indian cyber expert- Syed Shuja claimed that the EVMs that were used in 2014 general elections had been hacked. Shuja, who was addressing the conference via Skype from the US, said that he was a part of the team working for Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) from 2009-2014. ECIL along with Bharat Electronics manufacture the voter machines.
Shuja in the conference went onto claim that the hacked machines were used to rig the 2014 general elections, which seated the BJP as the ruling party in the country. According to the cyber expert, his team was killed by Border Security Forces after they tried to use the information to as leverage over a BJP MLA and the incident was later covered up as a case of ‘communal violence.
Another shocking allegation made about the death of Maharashtra BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who Shuja claimed was killed after he wanted to come forward with the “truth” of the hacked EVMs.
The Election Commission slammed the claims saying that machines were tamper proof and were produced under “very strict” supervisory and security conditions. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in a tweet also came down on the claims saying, “After Rafale, the non-existent loan waiver to 15 industrialists – the next big lie – EVM hacking.”
Opposition party leaders including Mamata Banerjee, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Chandrababu Naidu have however acknowledged the ‘worrying claims’, with Bharadwaj and Naidu even calling for a roll back to the paper ballots.
Lingayat seer Shivakumara Swamiji passes away at 111 years
111-year old Siddaganga seer Shivakumara Swamiji passed away on Monday morning after age-related ailments. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, deputy CM G Parmeshwara and Karnataka BJP chief BS Yedurappa were among those who thronged to the Siddaganga mutt following the death of the Lingayat seer. The CM announced a three-day state mourning and a one-day holiday for all schools, colleges and government jobs. The last rites will take place today afternoon.
Special Report: Shibu Soren’s JMM, Congress Work on Election Math and Chemistry to Challenge BJP in Lok Sabha Battle
Shibu Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morchi recently made the headlines after it aligned with the opposition parties including the Congress in Jharkand with his son and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren even attending the ‘United India’ anti-BJP rally. Shibu Soren has played a significant role in the history of the state, leading the Jharkhand movement for a separate state for the tribal population of south Bihar. Read Sumita Pande’s special report about what this alliance means for the JMM, a state with a 12-year long BJP rule and the tribal and non-tribal electorate.
CBI seeks Centre’s sanction to prosecute P.Chidambaram in the INX media case
The CBI has sought the sanction of the Centre to prosecute former Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media case. The Congress leader for the irregularities in the deal, which was granted foreign investment clearance in 2007 when he was the Finance Minister in the UPA-led government. Although, the Chidambaram’s was not listed as an accused in the FIR registered by the agency officials have said that his name may figure in the final report. The former Union minister’s son Kartik was arrested earlier for alleged irregularities in clearing foreign investment proposals to the tune of Rs 305 crore, and later released on bail.
Karnataka Congress suspends MLA JL Ganesh after fellow MLA filed assault report
Congress in Karnataka suspended MLA JN Ganesh after another MLA Anand Singh lodged an FIR against claiming that Ganesh had attacked him in the resort where 76 Congress MLAs were put up. Singh told the police that Ganesh had accused him for not helping him financially during the elections and proceeded to beating him with a stick and threatening to kill him. The 76 MLAs had been camping out in the resort amid fear of poaching attempts by the BJP in the state.
Eight dead and one injured after boat carrying pilgrims capsizes near Karwar
A boat carrying 26 pilgrims from Kurumagada island in the Arabian sea to Rabindranath Tagore Beach near Karwar capsized on Monday afternoon. Eight people are feared to be dead and one person missing. Rescue and search operations are underway and so far 17 people have been rescued.
PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi surrenders Indian passport to Antigua to avoid extradition
Diamantaire Mehul Choksi has surrendered his Indian passport to Antigua in an effort to avoid extradition to India. The chairman of the Gitanjali group had sought refuge in Antigua after he along with nephew Nirav Modi were accused of scamming the Punjab National Bank of Rs 13500-crore. The two fled India last year soon after the scam was reported to the CBI.
On Reel
Ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, one of things that will be keenly watched is Modi govt's final budget which is expected to be presented on February 1. What Is An Interim Budget And Why Does It Matters For the Modi Govt? News18.com explains.