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Elon Musk The New Owner, May Purge Absolute Indian Free Speech Censors From Twitter
Is Elon Musk picking up a bias against Indians? It would appear so if emerging dramas follow an early trend in which the world’s richest man, out on a spree to buy his favourite toys, has had bones to pick with Vijaya Gadde, a lawyer of Indian origin, even as the status of Twitter’s CEO Parag Agrawal is under a cloud after the acquisition. Vijaya, top censorship advocate at Twitter had taken decisions to keep out contentious content in 2020 and she was fiercely defended by Twitterati after the Muck onslaught. As owner of the company, Musk will have the power to fire key individuals and Parag may be the a name on that purging list even if he had picked up a reputation as a top engineer who had helped transform Twitter’s developing projects, including letting algorithms guide moderation software.  Musk’s ‘absolute free speech’ platform may be up for confrontations with India, which has been thin-skinned to the extent of being the country asking for the most tweets to be taken down. Musk’s ties to China with his Tesla electric cars, which are not being allowed free access if they are not made in India, might also put him on a collision course with India. His obsession with the number 420 places him in a piquant position with the number in India’s IPC that is to do with cheating and fraud.
Jatin_Mayadhar_bhajan
Union Government Evicts Artistes From Government Quarters, Welcomed For Six Years, Had Overstayed For Decades
A recent Union Government move to forcefully evict eminent artistes, including Padmashree awardees from government quarters located in plush localities of New Delhi, has angered the denizens of the arts and culture world. These artistes were permitted to stay for 6-year-terms but, many have even continued to stay on since the 1970s. Some of the artistes include: painter Jatin Das, Kathak dancer the late Pandit Birju Maharaj, Santoor player Bhajan Sopori, Odissi dancer and Padmashree awardee Mayadhar Raut among others. The BJP government thought it prudent to get out of the cycle of never-ending extensions and held consultations with the national artistes who were overstaying in government allotted quarters even as they simultaneously pursued legal options to secure stay orders from courts. Policy makers and lawmakers questioned whether national artistes should continue receiving such perpetual government patronage of free housing. The government thought it prudent to evict them post December 31, 2021 after serving them final eviction notices.  Observers say, if the government has a legitimate role in pursuing art and culture, it must set out broad inclusive policies and create an environment, so that, eminent artistes, researchers, scientists, writers and poets can have a special place that’s conducive to working, teaching and interacting with like-minded people. And that place does not necessarily have to be New Delhi.
MK_Stalin_Udhayanidhi
Stalin To Induct Son Udhayanidhi Into TN Cabinet On DMK Govt’s First Anniversary, May Get Dy CM Rank
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin no longer wants to continue in charade mode. Of course, party seniors and youth wing sycophants are pressuring him to anoint son Udhayanidhi, as cabinet minister with Deputy CM rank. It could well be on May 7, the first anniversary of DMK‘s storm troopers regaining power after 10 long years. The celebratory mood is evident. Even when Udhayanidhi delivered his maiden speech in the State Assembly recently, mother Durga and wife Krithika eagerly watched him from the spectator’s gallery. Having essayed hero roles in at least eight Tamil films, playing to the gallery was a cake walk. The plan to elevate him in party ranks is not just a politically astute move, considering that simmering family/palace intrigues keep rearing its ugly head regarding step aunt MP Kanimozhi, prickly uncle M K Alagiri and, a cohort of Stalin’s brothers as potential rival claimants. Simultaneously Stalin has co-opted son Udhayanidhi into the family trust and boards, Anjugam Trust, the party’s bellwether Trust Fund, Murasoli and the family brand TV channel Kalaignar TV. Once the political pecking order and the purse strings are unequivocally marked, family claimants are likely to back off. Stalin seems to have the astuteness and wisdom of his father woven into his signature style of firm handling of the party and the government. Yet another son rises.
KGF-laxmi-bomb
Not Many Takers For Bollywood Remakes, South Indian Stars Shine Pan India, Make Hay
Two distinct trends emerged from Bollywood. It has run out of original story ideas resorting to remakes of popular south Indian movies increasingly, to maintain the Hindi film industry churn. Secondly, it is a bad copycat. Two remakes Laxmmi Bomb and Bachchan Pandey, starring Akshay Kumar failed the box office collections. Latest to join the flop list is Jersey, featuring Shahid Kapur and Mrunal Thakur. Producer-director Ram Gopal Varma tweeted: “The DISASTROUS fate of the film JERSEY in Hindi signals the DEATH of REMAKES for the simple reason it has been proved multiple times, that dubbed films like #Pushpa #RRR #KGF2 are doing far better than originals, if the content is good.”  It’s very likely that no south (Indian) film with good content will sell its remake rights. Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeep rubbed it in saying Bollywood was struggling, with even its dubbed versions in Tamil and Telugu failing at the box office. Southern stars have stormed the film industry and assumed Pan India (actor) identities. One of the reasons for Bollywood taking a hit on the stories front is because most good writers have shifted to OTT platforms. It’s about time the Bollywood fraternity came together and scripted a strategy to regain eroding industry hold. Will Bollywood get its next ACIONS right?
Rahul_Priyanka_INC
Congressmen Grudge Priyanka’s PK Plan, Constant Presence At 10 Janpath, And Her Growing Domain
One thing the much-publicised engagement between poll strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) and the Congress leadership has done is demonstrated the capacity of the two sides to keep future options open. At the same time, the PK-Congress engagement pushed Congress President Sonia Gandhi to take decisions; to usher in changes — at least in election-bound states. Like revamping Himachal, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. While in Haryana, Sonia decided to completely back Bhupinder Hooda, handing the PCC to him, in Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath opted out of heading the CLP in order to prepare for the 2023 assembly battle.  Now it’s easy to see why leaders like Digvijay Singh are betting big on the Udaipur brainstorming session scheduled in May for the emergence of a rejuvenated Congress. Engagement with PK also brought to the fore the Priyanka-Rahul divide. Sources point out that it was only Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who backed PK while Rahul was less than enthusiastic.  In this context, party leaders questioned Priyanka’s dominating role over Congress matters, she was seen taking an interest beyond her limited domain of Uttar Pradesh. “She is in charge of UP. Why did she operate out of a porta cabin from 10 Janpath and not AICC? She wants her finger in every pie. Rahul has never done that,” says a miffed Himachal leader.
Umran-malik_BCCI
Great Call By The SunRisers' Marans To Retain Umran Malik In Team, With Imminent Call Up Jammu Express Is Living Indian WC T20 Dream
SunRisers Hyderabad’s prospects of advancing to the Tata IPL-15 playoffs will be known within the week or, thereabouts. It ought to have forced a win against Gujarat Titans at Wankhede Stadium the other night but caved in, to the pyrotechnic batting displayed by Rahul Tewatia and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan, to get placed 3rd on the points’ table, with five wins and 10 points. It was a skirmish that once again focused the spotlight on budding fast bowler Umran Malik, who took his first fifer in any competition. Hats off to the franchise’s conscious decision taken last December to retain the virtual unknown, from Sunjwan — a village on the outskirts of Gujjar town in Jammu Union Territory. The SunRisers’ advisors Muttiah Muralitharan and Tom Moody had articulated Malik’s retention as an investment for the future. Their decision is reaping rich rewards for the franchise owner, Kavya Maran, who proactively placed bids at player auctions for IPL-15 held in Bengaluru. Malik’s potential (he had replaced indisposed left armer T Natarajan last year) and now, after only 8 matches this IPL season, he is already primed for an India call-up because of bowling speeds at 150 kmph. He has scalped 15 batters so far from 8 IPL-15 games with a four-wicket haul and a fifer. Great call by the Marans to retain Malik at Rs 4 crore.
Congress_Meeting_INC
Thomas-Jakhar Stripped Of Posts In Cong Party, Rahul Doubted Thomas’ Anti-Modi Integrity, Official Word Says Anti-Party Activity
No one in the Congress party believes former Union Minister K V Thomas, known to have easy access to 10 Janpath, was censured by the A K Anthony headed AICC disciplinary committee only for attending CPI (M)’s meeting in Kannur, Kerala. Thomas had also hailed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as the “pride of Kerala”. In the past, Anthony himself attended functions of rival parties. What got Thomas into trouble then? Buzz is that he fell out of Rahul Gandhi’s favour as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), an office he held between 2014 and 2017. Rahul was upset that Thomas failed to bring out a single report faulting purchases made by the Modi Government when he headed PAC, any report to bolster his chowkidar chor hai campaign. Thomas makes way for Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress chose to club the disciplinary action against Thomas and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and announced the removal of both leaders from all held party posts in view of their “anti-party activities”. The joke is on the Congress leadership where Jakhar is concerned as he held no positions. A miffed Jakhar, who didn’t reply to the AICC show-cause notice, said: “I have been longer in Congress than anyone else.” His only fault, he claims, is that more MLAs backed him as CM after Capt Amarinder Singh’s exit.

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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter

Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.