Indians angry with Google over ‘2020 Sikh Referendum’ app, accuse Pakistan

[Technics 1210]

Indians angry with Google over ‘2020 Sikh Referendum’ app, accuse Pakistan of supporting secessionist movement

Google has come under fire from Indians who have noticed an application on its Play store that promotes a Sikh secessionist movement. Indian users sunk the app with bad reviews and reports, and have accused Pakistan of backing it.

The application, named ‘2020 Sikh Referendum,’ caught the eyes of Indian users on Wednesday. The app – which has been available from Google Play since February – seems to have had modest reach, as it’s listed to have merely 1,000+ downloads

The app promotes an online secessionist campaign, launched by US-based group ‘Sikhs for Justice,’ that is calling for the creation of an independent Sikh state – so-called Khalistan. The separatist group was banned by India’s Union Cabinet this July over its alleged anti-national activities.

Indian users claimed the app has been spreading “false propaganda” against India, and called on Google to take it down. Some urged a boycott the tech giant altogether.

They flocked to the app's page, reporting it as “hateful” and accusing it of data harvesting, as well as bombarding it into oblivion with bad reviews. Another app from the same developer – the ‘Voice of Punjab’ – was targeted as well.

The app promotes an online secessionist campaign, launched by US-based group ‘Sikhs for Justice,’ that is calling for the creation of an independent Sikh state – so-called Khalistan. The separatist group was banned by India’s Union Cabinet this July over its alleged anti-national activities.

Indian users claimed the app has been spreading “false propaganda” against India, and called on Google to take it down. Some urged a boycott the tech giant altogether.

They flocked to the app's page, reporting it as “hateful” and accusing it of data harvesting, as well as bombarding it into oblivion with bad reviews. Another app from the same developer – the ‘Voice of Punjab’ – was targeted as well.

The anger against Google Play came on top of another scandal, which had further fueled allegations of Pakistani support towards the Sikh secessionist movement. Earlier this year, the two countries agreed to open a visa-free corridor for Sikh pilgrims, that would provide them access to one of their faith's holiest sites – the tomb of Guru Nanak, located in Pakistan just four kilometers away from its border with India.

While the corridor deal became a rare example of cooperation between Islamabad and New Delhi, it was marred with various scandals, the latest of which erupted on Wednesday. An official video on the corridor released by Pakistan featured a poster of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – a militant leader of Sikh secessionists, killed by the Indian army during a bloody gunfight at the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, Punjab, in 1984. The military operation, known as Operation Blue Star, resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries and ultimately led to the assassination of then-PM Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards.

The Bhindranwale poster – that also read #Khalistan2020 and Referendum2020 – sparked a very angry reaction in India. Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, accused Pakistan of having an ulterior motive to harm India using the Kartarpur corridor.

https://www.rt.com/news/472850-indian-google-sikh-referendum/

When all else fails, blame Pakistan. This is getting ridiculous, though expected from RSS-India. Perhaps the incumbent Indian government should look a little closer to home than across the border.

 

[Itachi]

Recently the quality of post is gone way low.

Here OP is posting about an app which has all total of 745 votes till now since it was released in Feb 2019. Even if i take all 745 as Indian, it represents almost 0% of Indian population where almost none even have heard about this app.

I understand this is a news from media but still an advice to OP, at least do some minimal checks before posting because PP have high standards and one has the responsibility to maintain it especially while starting a thread.

 

[Technics 1210]

Recently the quality of post is gone way low.

Here OP is posting about an app which has all total of 745 votes till now since it was released in Feb 2019. Even if i take all 745 as Indian, it represents almost 0% of Indian population where almost none even have heard about this app.

I understand this is a news from media but still an advice to OP, at least do some minimal checks before posting because PP have high standards and one has the responsibility to maintain it especially while starting a thread.

I suggest you read the OP, the article was created in Feb, but last updated, 7 Nov, 2019 18:48

:

 

[Itachi]

I suggest you read the OP, the article was created in Feb, but last updated, 7 Nov, 2019 18:48

:

And my post is from data from the playstore as of 08.11.2019.

745 reviews. Go and check. That's what I advised.

 

[Technics 1210]

And my post is from data from the playstore as of 08.11.2019.

745 reviews. Go and check. That's what I advised.

Naaah, you got owned by your own words, again.

Damage control mode does not suit you.

Admit you did not read the OP and move on.

Your numbers mean nothing. Number of votes is not the same as number of times read.

:

 

[Itachi]

Naaah, you got owned by your own words, again.

Damage control mode does not suit you.

Admit you did not read the OP and move on.

Your numbers mean nothing. Number of votes is not the same as number of times read.

:

Are you stating that, if one watches a post, a video or an app, that person automatically accepts or rejects the target of that entity?

 

[Technics 1210]

Are you stating that, if one watches a post, a video or an app, that person automatically accepts or rejects the target of that entity?

No, I am saying that the PROPAGANDA is out there for ANYONE to read and make there own mind up.

You judge the validity of an article by the number of *likes* or *votes*. Now stop pretending 100s of Millions of RSS followers have not heard about this in India - this is how Propaganda works.

Basically you are sandbagging now. My advise, give up on this thread, and next time read the OP before coming in all guns blazing.

 

[Hornbill]

Indians angry with Google over ‘2020 Sikh Referendum’ app, accuse Pakistan of supporting secessionist movement



https://www.rt.com/news/472850-indian-google-sikh-referendum/

When all else fails, blame Pakistan. This is getting ridiculous, though expected from RSS-India. Perhaps the incumbent Indian government should look a little closer to home than across the border.

If you were closing following the kartarpur corridor thread you wouldn't have started this thread

 

[Technics 1210]

If you were closing following the kartarpur corridor thread you wouldn't have started this thread

If you clicked the article in the OP you will see tweets from yesterday.

The point was not about the corridor, the point was about RSS-India blaming Pakistan for just about everything.

 

[Itachi]

No, I am saying that the PROPAGANDA is out there for ANYONE to read and make there own mind up.

You judge the validity of an article by the number of *likes* or *votes*. Now stop pretending 100s of Millions of RSS followers have not heard about this in India - this is how Propaganda works.

Basically you are sandbagging now. My advise, give up on this thread, and next time read the OP before coming in all guns blazing.

You too have victim mentality. I have already showed the stats. If someone disagrees, then he or she can check himself or herself for validation.

In the other hand, it seems like your agenda to bring RSS, hindutva out of nowhere and start manipulating without any real grounds. It is a symptom of victim mentality.

 

[Technics 1210]

You too have victim mentality. I have already showed the stats. If someone disagrees, then he or she can check himself or herself for validation.

In the other hand, it seems like your agenda to bring RSS, hindutva out of nowhere and start manipulating without any real grounds. It is a symptom of victim mentality.

So you agree the article is propaganda from RSS. Sweet.

So now you have fled from semantics, you have resorted to character assassination. great, keep it up, I never claimed any sort of mentality, you did.

Yes I will bring RSS where relevant. RSS is a dangerous ideology, and on the doorstep of Pakistan.

If only you had clicked and read the article.

Have a great weekend!

:

 

[Itachi]

If you clicked the article in the OP you will see tweets from yesterday.

The point was not about the corridor, the point was about RSS-India blaming Pakistan for just about everything.

Aren't you blaming RSS for anything that isn't convenient for you?

 

[Hornbill]

If you clicked the article in the OP you will see tweets from yesterday.

The point was not about the corridor, the point was about RSS-India blaming Pakistan for just about everything.

It's just not the RSS is blaming Pakistan, Punjab CM from Congress is doing the same and he isn't doing it without any valid reason.

 

[Itachi]

Yes I will bring RSS where relevant. RSS is a dangerous ideology, and on the doorstep of Pakistan.

hence proved. When one goes into driving his agenda mixed with victim mentality, everything seems relevant.

 

[Technics 1210]

It's just not the RSS is blaming Pakistan, Punjab CM from Congress is doing the same and he isn't doing it without any valid reason.

Right now we are talking. The evidence supporting your claim? A mere few comments/tweets? Any hard concrete evidence?

It's no surprise, when you have a right-wing nationalist government, there will be an uprising. On top of this, it is no surprise, that politicians makes fallacious claims to advance their careers or for electioneering purposes.

The reality is that Indian Government has blamed much on Pakistan this year, and all proven to be false accusations in the public domain.

 

[Technics 1210]

hence proved. When one goes into driving his agenda mixed with victim mentality, everything seems relevant.

Still going on? Come back when you have read the article. The article content mentions RSS.

Maybe you should stick to discussing phones, no wait. )

 

[Hornbill]

Right now we are talking. The evidence supporting your claim? A mere few comments/tweets? Any hard concrete evidence?

It's no surprise, when you have a right-wing nationalist government, there will be an uprising. On top of this, it is no surprise, that politicians makes fallacious claims to advance their careers or for electioneering purposes.

The reality is that Indian Government has blamed much on Pakistan this year, and all proven to be false accusations in the public domain.

I'm not going to waste my time by debating with you, my posts were not based on any conspiracy theories if you were closing following the news you would have understood it too

 

[Technics 1210]

I'm not going to waste my time by debating with you, my posts were not based on any conspiracy theories if you were closing following the news you would have understood it too

A euphemism for you have no evidence.

Thought as much.

Enjoy your conspiracy theories. Be sure to vote for the article in the OP.

:

 

[Hornbill]

A euphemism for you have no evidence.

Thought as much.

Enjoy your conspiracy theories. Be sure to vote for the article in the OP.

:

brother you won

 

[Technics 1210]

brother you won

This was not about winning or losing, it was not a match.

The fact is you posted in this thread without reading the article in the OP. Made bold claims, could not provide evidence to substantiate your claims. Made an excuse. Fled. And now return with some compensation psychology.

So next time, save the emotive rhetoric. I get it, champ.

 

[PakLFC]

What goes around comes around. If India can demolish article 370 illegally in IoK then Pak can do whatever it wants as well. India can consider Pak opening Kartarpur and 2020 referendum as payback! Pak must use this Kartarpur opening as a great opportunity to harm India. There you go I said it!

 

[Hornbill]

.

 

[Hornbill]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...tm_term=referendum+2020+app+google+play+store
Just look at the top left side of the screenshot lol

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

India's cyber army to the rescue! Well you can't knock their patriotism, even if they do just end up raising awareness about some app that no one would have given a second thought if they hadn't kicked up a fuss.

 

[Hornbill]

Media got what they wanted they should thank the lame developers

 

[Itachi]

Still going on? Come back when you have read the article. The article content mentions RSS.

Maybe you should stick to discussing phones, no wait. )

The app has 3 screenshots in the playstore.

the screens has Jazz and Mobilink as the network providers. So where does Jazz and Mobilink provides network?

Take the third one.

It shows sign up page which by default chooses Pakistan as the default country.

The developer has submitted these screenshots while applying for publishing. Still no ties to Pakistan?

 

[Technics 1210]

India's cyber army to the rescue! Well you can't knock their patriotism, even if they do just end up raising awareness about some app that no one would have given a second thought if they hadn't kicked up a fuss.

This.

The story is a non story. It's a flop, but lo and behold the RSS Cyber Army have made an issue out of it. Though unsurprisingly people believe this stuff as evident by some responses in this thread.

 

[Technics 1210]

The app has 3 screenshots in the playstore.

the screens has Jazz and Mobilink as the network providers. So where does Jazz and Mobilink provides network?

Take the third one.

It shows sign up page which by default chooses Pakistan as the default country.

The developer has submitted these screenshots while applying for publishing. Still no ties to Pakistan?

Circumstantial evidence at best. Any Indian could have purchased a Pakistan mobile SIM and picked up a signal on the Indian side of the border, and send the images via Whatsapp to the company based responsible for the app, in the USA. [In the article - READ IT]. Or then of course, doctoring the image itself. The incumbent Indian government are known as photoshop kings.

https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/modi-photoshop-fail-329295-2016-07-14

https://teekhimirchi.in/2014/11/10-hilarious-photoshopped-bjp-publicity-pictures/

 

[Itachi]

Circumstantial evidence at best. Any Indian could have purchased a Pakistan mobile SIM and picked up a signal on the Indian side of the border, and send the images via Whatsapp to the company based responsible for the app, in the USA. [In the article - READ IT]. Or then of course, doctoring the image itself. The incumbent Indian government are known as photoshop kings.

https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/modi-photoshop-fail-329295-2016-07-14

https://teekhimirchi.in/2014/11/10-hilarious-photoshopped-bjp-publicity-pictures/

Even a pakistani android user would disagree with you on this.

Playstore doesn't work the way that you are describing. When you publish an app, you'll have to submit your application along with the screenshots of your build. These screenshots are not user submitted. A developer already requires to submit the pictures upon releasing it to public. if there is any doctrination, the developer would have to do it by himself.

But anyways, what i see here is extreme level of paranoia. I hope you will come out of it because as of now, it seems like you are blaming india for everything that is wrong in your perspective. May god guide you.

 

[Technics 1210]

Even a pakistani android user would disagree with you on this.

Playstore doesn't work the way that you are describing. When you publish an app, you'll have to submit your application along with the screenshots of your build. These screenshots are not user submitted. A developer already requires to submit the pictures upon releasing it to public. if there is any doctrination, the developer would have to do it by himself.

Like I said, READ the article. The App was uploaded from the USA.

You have been off form today, what up bud?

 

[Itachi]

Like I said, READ the article. The App was uploaded from the USA.

You have been off form today, what up bud?

Should i take RT as gospel of truth? Because even if it was (hypothetically speaking) uploaded from a USA server, the screenshots uploaded by the developer (NOT USER SUBMITTED), goes back to pakistan.

 

[Technics 1210]

Should i take RT as gospel of truth? Because even if it was (hypothetically speaking) uploaded from a USA server, the screenshots uploaded by the developer (NOT USER SUBMITTED), goes back to pakistan.

Here we go, back to square one. Now arguing the credibility of RT.

Never mind the fact that the Indian government have been caught red handed photo shopping images in the past. I guess the thought never occurred to you that the developer was Indian, based in the USA, using images that are either doctored, or captured on the Indian side of the border, to create fake news. Never happened before has it?

In either case, you believe the OP. Did you vote for the article then?

 

[KingKhanWC]

We need a similar app for Kashmir.

I will download this one tonight.

 

[mustang]

Some of the comments here really make me wonder what those people do for a living given the lack of basic analyses. Indians are known to be drama kings but there are also basic statistics from app stores that are publicly available.

745/1,000,000,000 = 0.0000745% - 0.0000745% is not a high enough statistical data to make a generalized claim that majority in that population set act in a certain way. I think the flaw also rests with the click-bait type article.

The point that many Indians would concur with downvoting this is true if/when they are exposed to this in the first place. Fact is that only 0.0000745% were exposed to this (prior to this clickbait article) and the rest were not. So whipping up a frenzy with a dramatized comment based on a clickbait article seems to be an unnecessary drama.

 

[Itachi]

Here we go, back to square one. Now arguing the credibility of RT.

Never mind the fact that the Indian government have been caught red handed photo shopping images in the past. I guess the thought never occurred to you that the developer was Indian, based in the USA, using images that are either doctored, or captured on the Indian side of the border, to create fake news. Never happened before has it?

In either case, you believe the OP. Did you vote for the article then?

If someone is caught red handed, then call it out. No issues.

In this case, the developer in question uploaded the pictures which links back to Pakistan.

 

[Technics 1210]

In this case, the developer in question uploaded the pictures which links back to Pakistan.

BJP have been called out, again READ.

So let me get this straight.

You believe the OP despite making a song and dance of some 750 votes out of a BILLION invalidating the OP, and then ask - should I take RT as gospel of truth?

So which is it? Do you accept the OP as Gospel truth, or not?

You've tied yourself in a nice little web or words there.

 

[Itachi]

BJP have been called out, again READ.

So let me get this straight.

You believe the OP despite making a song and dance of some 750 votes out of a BILLION invalidating the OP, and then ask - should I take RT as gospel of truth?

So which is it? Do you accept the OP as Gospel truth, or not?

You've tied yourself in a nice little web or words there.

You are confused. And I don't know why it's like a "winning" or validating oneself for you. Let me clarify.

1. 750 Indian out of 1 billion is almost 0%. Hence, I disagree with the "Indians are angry" title and overall perception that the article made.

2. This 750 number isn't coming from RT (the article) rather its the stats from playstore which could be validated by anyone by playstore api.

3. The developer has close links with Pakistan since he is the one who uploaded the screenshots of the initial build. Hence, your rants about image doctrination has no relevance.

4. If BJP has been called out, start a thread and I'll reply there. This thread is about this app. So let's stick to the subject and not detail it.

 

[Technics 1210]

You are confused. And I don't know why it's like a "winning" or validating oneself for you. Let me clarify.

1. 750 Indian out of 1 billion is almost 0%. Hence, I disagree with the "Indians are angry" title and overall perception that the article made.

2. This 750 number isn't coming from RT (the article) rather its the stats from playstore which could be validated by anyone by playstore api.

3. The developer has close links with Pakistan since he is the one who uploaded the screenshots of the initial build. Hence, your rants about image doctrination has no relevance.

4. If BJP has been called out, start a thread and I'll reply there. This thread is about this app. So let's stick to the subject and not detail it.

My question was simple, do you believe in the OP or not. Quit stalling, it is a Yes or No question.

 

[Itachi]

My question was simple, do you believe in the OP or not. Quit stalling, it is a Yes or No question.

I already answered in no. 1

About u turn, I'll let other ppers to decide.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Looks like India is going to lose Punjab now and it will be an independent country called Khalistan ...

 

[big_gamer007]

Some of the comments here really make me wonder what those people do for a living given the lack of basic analyses. Indians are known to be drama kings but there are also basic statistics from app stores that are publicly available.

745/1,000,000,000 = 0.0000745% - 0.0000745% is not a high enough statistical data to make a generalized claim that majority in that population set act in a certain way. I think the flaw also rests with the click-bait type article.

The point that many Indians would concur with downvoting this is true if/when they are exposed to this in the first place. Fact is that only 0.0000745% were exposed to this (prior to this clickbait article) and the rest were not. So whipping up a frenzy with a dramatized comment based on a clickbait article seems to be an unnecessary drama.

Only sensible post in this thread, what an irrelevant thread and people arguing over it lol. Drama queens

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Some of the comments here really make me wonder what those people do for a living given the lack of basic analyses. Indians are known to be drama kings but there are also basic statistics from app stores that are publicly available.

745/1,000,000,000 = 0.0000745% - 0.0000745% is not a high enough statistical data to make a generalized claim that majority in that population set act in a certain way. I think the flaw also rests with the click-bait type article.

The point that many Indians would concur with downvoting this is true if/when they are exposed to this in the first place. Fact is that only 0.0000745% were exposed to this (prior to this clickbait article) and the rest were not. So whipping up a frenzy with a dramatized comment based on a clickbait article seems to be an unnecessary drama.

The correct phrase is of course drama queens. Why not just use it? By substituting kings in there, you have merely drawn attention to some insecurity about using the term queens.

 

[Hitman]

Looks like India is going to lose Punjab now and it will be an independent country called Khalistan ...

How about we both apply for a visa there in 2021 to enjoy Punjab Da Lassi together

 

[mustang]

The correct phrase is of course drama queens. Why not just use it? By substituting kings in there, you have merely drawn attention to some insecurity about using the term queens.

Perhaps you also want me to use terms like "baying" on Indians and Americans (and any other non-muslims y'all hate) like you do ... insinuating them to be dogs while also claiming to be neutral in other threads?

Please follow the standards yourself before getting on a pedestal to preach.