EVMs and VVPATs: Why Suspicions Persist, and Won't Subside Yet  https://thewire.in/rights/evms-and-vvpats-why-suspicions-persist-and-wont-subside-yet

The discrepancy in the expansion of VVPAT, recorded as "Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail" in patent-related records, raises questions about the legitimacy and functioning of these voting systems. Moreover, do we know enough about the microcontrollers used in the EVM-VVPAT combo?

VVPAT is expanded differently in the patent-related records as “Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail” and not “Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail”.

*The Wire*‘s ‘India Black Boxed’ series.

: [Introduction] (https://thewire.in/government/introducing-india-black-boxed) 

[Part I] (https://thewire.in/economy/what-do-we-really-know-about-indias-gdp)*

[*Part II*] (https://thewire.in/economy/what-we-know-about-indias-post-covid-economy-recovery-and-rising-inequality)

*Part III*](https://thewire.in/government/comptroller-auditor-general-review-2014-2023-india-black-boxed) | [*

Part IV*](https://thewire.in/government/how-the-union-govt-is-slowly-but-surely-blurring-indias-federal-structure) | [*Part V*](https://thewire.in/politics/the-sabka-saath-sabka-vikas-hoax)

INDIA गठबंधन मजबूत होते ही, भाजपा के पैरों तले खिसकी जमीन, पूरा खेल पलटा! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zvXm7mO5wA INDIA गठबंधन मजबूत होते ही, भाजपा के पैरों तले खिसकी जमीन, पूरा खेल पलटा!

यही तो है प्यारे, चंदे का धंधा | New exposé in electoral funding  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCa8QUOAQPU Ravish Kumar Official Feb 23, 2024
कांग्रेस पार्टी ने वित्त मंत्री को पत्र लिख कर पूछा है कि क्या कंपनियों पर छापे डलवा कर उन्हें मजबूर किया जा रहा है कि वे दूसरे दल को चंदा न दें, केवल बीजेपी को चंदा दें। वैसे अभी तक जिस सरकार ने इलेक्टोरल बॉन्ड को रद्द किए जाने के फैसले पर ही कुछ नहीं कहा है, वो कांग्रेस के पत्र का क्या ही जवाब देगी। कांग्रेस ने आरोप लगाया है कि बैंकों को मजबूर किया गया है कि पार्टी के खाते से पैसे सरकार के पास पहुंच जाए। कुछ दिन पहले कांग्रेस के खाते फ़्रीज़ कर दिए गए थे।
2024 का चुनाव सामने है। विपक्ष आर्थिक रुप से कमज़ोर हो चुका है। विपक्षी दलों को राजनीतिक रुप से तोड़ दिया गया है। गोदी मीडिया विपक्ष को बराबर की जगह नहीं देता है। विपक्ष मैदान में खड़ा नज़र नहीं आए इसका सारा इंतज़ाम कर दिया गया है। चारों तरफ आपको भाजपा के ही पोस्टर औऱ प्रचार नज़र आ रहे हैं। चुनाव शुरू होने से पहले हाथ पांव बांध कर विपक्ष को तालाब में फेंक दिया गया है ताकि वह डूब जाए।

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaCW2XMwLfs  Join as we talk about our political funding investigation The News Minute
Our three-part investigative series about poll funding in India is out.

In the first part, we dropped hints about how the BJP’s financial rise has been driven by a drastic surge in donations, and how there is a pattern to that money flow in several cases. In the second installment, we revealed a long list of corporate donors which gave money to the BJP and also faced action by central agencies. And in the final part, we explored the role of electoral trusts and what India Inc’s ‘semi anonymity’ reveals.

But how did this series come about? How much time did Newslaundry and The News Minute spend trying to make this story happen? What were the editorial challenges for this collaborative project? What next? And what does this all mean for a country preparing to vote in a new government?

In this YouTube live, we will discuss the investigation and respond to all the feedback from subscribers. Moderated by Manisha Pande, the session will include Raman Kirpal and Prateek Goyal from Newslaundry and Dhanya Rajendran and Korah Abraham from The News Minute.

Part 1: Behind the BJP’s rise and rise, bonds, trusts and raids on corporates 

https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/02/21/part-2-30-firms-who-donated-rs-335-cr-to-bjp-were-also-stung-by-i-t-ed
Corporate funding of politics is a controversial subject. More so in India, where most of the money in recent years has gone to only one party. But there is a pattern to this money flow.

hese are some of the findings of Newslaundry and The News Minute’s analysis of Election Commission records, case files, and financial statements between the financial years 2018-19 and 2022-23. In some cases, donations were made during or after raids were conducted on the company and in some others, the companies that donated the money received licences or clearances.

However, in some cases, the agency action continued despite the donations.

Revdis for Corporates "J:\0data\00toread\Revdis for Corporates.pdf"

In FY21, corporate tax collections actually decreased from ₹5,56,876 crore in FY20 to ₹4,57,719 crore. This drop occurred even though both listed and unlisted companies recorded substantial net profits.

Under Modi, the tax burden has shifted from corporates to common people. Personal income tax collections increased by 117% while corporate tax collections increased only by 28% in the 10 years t

Monetisation is just a hoax: Through the National Monetisation Pipeline, the government is leasing out Rs.6 lakh crore worth of physical assets like railway lines and stations, telecom systems, power transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines, roads, bridges, ports etc to private entities. These so-called ‘leases’ that will run for up to 40 years are in effect, this is an outright sale disguised as a lease

किसान की गोली से मौत | अक्रामक हुआ आंदोलन | ये कदम सरकार को भारी पड़ेगा | योगेंद्र यादव Interview  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg4K4S9MQvU 

किसानों का ऐलान: काला दिवस, ट्रैक्टर मार्च | Farm Unions announce next steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi3b2gr0cJI Ravish Kumar Official Feb 22, 2024
खिनौरी बॉर्डर पर नौजवान किसान शुभकरण सिंह की मौत के बाद किसान जत्थेबंदियों ने दो दिन के लिए दिल्ली कूच स्थगित कर दिया है। किसान माँग कर रहे हैं कि पंजाब पुलिस हरियाणा के मुख्यमंत्री और गृहमंत्री के ख़िलाफ़ FIR दर्ज करे, और अमित शाह समेत तीनों के इस्तीफ़े की माँग की है। 21 फ़रवरी को शंभु बॉर्डर और खिनौरी बॉर्डर पर 170 से अधिक किसान घायल हुए हैं, हरियाणा पुलिस के 6 पुलिसवाले भी घायल हुए हैं। संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा ने प्रदर्शनकारी किसानों के साथ तालमेल कर आक्रोश दिवस और ट्रैक्टर मार्च की घोषणा की है। 14 मार्च को किसान दिल्ली में महापंचायत करेंगे। जिस दिल्ली की राह में किसानों के लिए इतने काँटे बिछा दिए गए, उसी दिल्ली में महापंचायत की घोषणा कर किसानों ने काँटों-कीलों के तंत्र को अपनी तरफ़ से चुनौती दे दी है

 For the love of art: A testament to the truth
 https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2024/02/for-the-love-of-art-a-testament-to-the-truth  by Ishaan Rajabali Freedom of expression is more important than ever in times of conflict and misinformation.

How does canceling exhibitions or concerts help the situation? Much of the powerful anti-war, anti-establishment art that has influenced generations of artists and creators would be lost if a boycott was instituted during every international conflict...In an era of conflict, rife with propaganda and misinformation, anti-establishment art becomes a powerful form of protest, helping institute a legacy for future generations and telling a story of courage and determination..

Of course, if art or cultural expression urges discrimination or cruelty and could actually lead to violence, it should be questioned. For example, the 2022 Indian film “The Kashmir Files,” which claimed to expose conspiracies about the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the region, received criticism for its clouding of facts and Islamophobic tone. The director defended the film even when videos of audience members spouting anti-Muslim rhetoric spread like wildfire on social media... In an era where patriotism is eschewed for nationalism, when freedom of expression needs to be carefully preserved “People who enjoy waving flags don’t deserve to have one.”

Parth MN @parthpunter https://twitter.com/parthpunter/status/1760349414059614296?t=NJVS94K53Yul-yV4gPuRfw&s=08
In 2011, Maharashtra had 1368 govt hospitals. It's dwindled to 586 in 2021. In 10 years, the number of Maharashtra's govt hospitals came down by 57%.

We're back to where we were in 1980.

Source of data:  Economic Survey of Mahrashtra - Maharashtra at a glance see point 17,  https://mls.org.in/PDF2023/BUDGET/ESM_2022_23_Eng_Book.pdf#page=15

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m60UCe6usaE

Rural workers in MP, Gujarat get the lowest daily wages: RBI data https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/rural-workers-in-mp-gujarat-get-the-lowest-daily-wages-rbi-data-9032716/  by George Mathew : November 19, 2023  Wage growth for agricultural and non-agricultural labourers remained subdued during 2022-23, averaging 5.8 per cent and 4.9 per cent.. According to data compiled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in MP, male agricultural workers in rural areas got a daily wage of just Rs 229.2 while in Gujarat, which claims to be a model state, it worked out to Rs 241.9 in the year ended March 

For 25 working days in a month it amounts to just around Rs 5,730 in MP and Rs 6,047 in Gujarat.  https://peoplesdemocracy.in/2023/1126_pd/mp-gujarat-pay-lowest-kerala-pays-highest-daily-wages-workers 

The average daily wages in 2021-22 of the agricultural workers in other poorly-paid states include Uttar Pradesh - Rs 309.3; Odisha – Rs 285.1; Maharashtra (the most industrialised state) – Rs 303.5.

Kerala: 764.3 per day The other comparatively higher paid states include Jammu & Kashmir – Rs 550.4, Himachal Pradesh – Rs 473.3, Tamil Nadu – Rs 470 per day.