As disinformation related to COVID-19 is spreading faster than the virus itself, micro -blogging platform Twitter feels that its work has never been more critical and its service has never been in higher demand than ever before globally, including in India. The power of a uniquely open service during a public health emergency is crystal clear, says Mahima Kaul, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia at Twitter, adding that they are continuing to review the rules in the context of COVID-19 and considering ways in which they may need to evolve to account for new behaviours. Since introducing its updated policies on March 18, Twitter has removed more than 2,400 tweets containing misleading and potentially harmful content. "Our automated systems have challenged more than 3.4 million accounts targeting manipulative discussions around COVID-19. We will continue to use both technology and our teams to help us identify and stop spammy behaviour and accounts," Kaul told IANS. Twitter has received positive response to its efforts in curbing COVID-19 related fake news and misinformation in India. The efforts include an events page dedicated to COVID-19 information called "Coronavirus Tweets from Indian authorities", which is essentially a timeline of tweets from verified Indian officials and bodies such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi (@narendramodi), Health Minister Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan), the official Citizen Engagement Platform of the Government of Indian (@mygovindia, Press Information Bureau (@PIB_India) and other state and Central ministers, as well as public health agencies. "Every account holder in India can see this page on the top of their home timeline. If someone has their settings set to Hindi, then they will see the same page with Hindi Tweets. The timeline also lets people track developments around the latest social distancing and healthcare information," informed Kaul. The platform recently onboarded the <keyword id="210071" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Health">Ministry of Health</keyword> &amp; Family Welfare (@MoHFW_INDIA) to <keyword id="3295433" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-Seva">Twitter Seva</keyword> to help Indians with a speedy resolution to their health-related queries. "This public service is allowing the Ministry to communicate effectively and at scale with the public, especially in crisis situations like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The dedicated account @CovidIndiaSeva establishes a direct channel between the Government and citizens to provide access to authoritative health and public information," Kaul elaborated. She said that <keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> is regularly working with trusted partners, including public health authorities, researchers, NGOs, and governments to keep improving its fight against COVID-19. "To tackle misinformation related to COVID-19, we have broadened our definition of harm and expanded our safety rules to address content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources with the intent to influence people into acting against recommended guidance," said Kaul. The company has also increased its use of machine learning and automation to take a wide range of actions on potentially abusive and manipulative content. "Additionally, we're continuing to review and require the removal of Tweets that do not follow the Twitter Rules - half of which we catch before they're ever reported to us. We continue to remain vigilant," Kaul added. Twitter is releasing a new endpoint into Twitter Developer Labs to enable approved developers and researchers to study the public conversation about COVID-19 in real-time. Tweets by people on the service will be made available to researchers and developers for free. According to Kaul, the data will help research the spread of the disease, understand the spread of misinformation, crisis management, emergency response, and communication within communities. "As we've said on many occasions, our approach to protecting the public conversation is never static. That's particularly relevant in these unprecedented times. We intend to review our thinking daily and will ensure we're sharing updates on any new clarifications to our rules or major changes to how we're enforcing them," Kaul told IANS.

Twitter's systems have checked more than 3.4 million accounts for manipulating COVID-19 discussions

<keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>, the micro-blogging service based in San Francisco, has appointed Taranjeet Singh as the new country director for its operations in India, its fastest growing market in daily active users in the last quarter. With Twitter's quarterly earnings exceeding what was expected, he said that the revenue totalled $208 million, a 2% year-on-year increase. This has made India’s growth five times than the global average. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Heres-how-to-get-verified-on-Twitter/articleshow/58329010.cms">Here's how to get verified on Twitter</a> Singh would be looking at an integrated business strategy and cross-functional efforts so that he can further grow India as a market in terms of audience and revenue, so that brands can ensure maximum returns for the budgets they spend on Twitter. With India’s cost per engagement (CPE) down by 86%, advertisers are getting far more returns on their investments. The lower CPEs are a result of constant improvement on advertising products, especially videos. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitter-CEO-and-his-colleagues-donate-1-5-million-to-fight-Trump-visa-ban/articleshow/56953663.cms">Twitter CEO and his colleagues donate $1.5 million to fight Trump visa ban</a> Over the last quarter, videos have shown a 43% rise in consumption. With some key people leaving Twitter last year, there has been a need to realign responsibilities, which is being done by keeping in mind a common goal. For this purpose, several teams are built in India, like a content partnership team, a sales account management video teams, a brand strategy team etc. <keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> also brought on board a new India head of business development recently. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitterseems-to-know-the-real-reason-behind-Indias-population-control-issues/articleshow/53155952.cms">Twitter seems to know the real reason behind India’s population-control issues</a> Talking of Twitter Lite for India, Singh told <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/india-became-our-number-one-market-in-daily-users-twitters-new-india-director-taranjeet-singh/articleshow/58601906.cms">ET</a>that it would ensure that Twitter is available to anyone who uses a smartphone, so that the audience can grow in the mobile-first market that India is. Singh said that Twitter is also working on initiatives like 'Startup India', and focuses on a younger and a far more evolved audience, aware about the world’s happenings. Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitter-trolls-were-part-of-the-reason-why-Salesforce-walked-away-from-a-deal/articleshow/54905903.cms">Twitter trolls were part of the reason why Salesforce walked away from a deal</a> For its Indian customers, Twitter is in talks with several ministries as well, so that people can know what’s happening around them via Twitter first. (Image source DNA)

India is the number one market in daily users, says Twitter's new India director Taranjeet Singh

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51808833.cms" /> 
The much-hyped launch of the 'Start up India, Stand up India' initiative of the Indian government is being followed up by a hotline especially meant for socially active entrepreneurs. 
 The helpline has been set up on micro-blogging site Twitter and is aptly called the "<keyword id="3295433" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Twitter-Seva">Twitter Seva</keyword>" service. It will come of use to entrepreneurs who seek funding, support or government assistance of any kind. Micro blogging site Twitter will be roped in for the service, which would probably debut on April 21. 
 
A team of officials from the ministry of commerce and industry will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Next-week-onwards-register-your-start-up-with-in-one-day/articleshow/51628303.cms">help start-ups</a> get connected to various stakeholders such as venture capitalists and incubation centres, and will also help them in tackling any issues with government clearances. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Tech-giants-from-around-the-globe-are-in-India-to-listen-to-pitches-from-several-Indian-start-ups/articleshow/51776241.cms">Tech giants from around the globe are in India to listen to pitches from several Indian start-ups</a> 
 
It is the success of citizen engagement initiatives of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/RailwayMinistry-Joins-Facebook-Twitter/articleshow/38003100.cms">Railway and power ministry on Twitter</a> that has inspired this one-of-a-kind helpline. 
"It is a very active grievance redressal mechanism through social media because most of the entrepreneurs that the ministry caters to are already online, so using Twitter to solve their problems makes sense," said a government official on the condition of anonymity. 
 
The source also added that as of now, the process is manual where officials from the ministry, including the union minister for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman, would manually scan the tweets, direct complaints to the relevant authorities and revert with solutions. 
 
"Through this initiative with Twitter, a full blown software will be developed which will automate the whole process, working out a mechanism where grievances are automatically routed in real time to the concerned person, who works on it and feeds it back to the person," said the official. 
 
<a href="http://searchsaltlake.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/twitter.jpg">Image source</a>

You can now tweet to the government for your start-up related issues

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/35421633.cms" />NEW DELHI: In the last nine months, he made millions in India run through an entire gamut of emotions: anger, aversion, pluck, mirth, amazement and much more. In all these speeches, <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> looked like a man in control of his emotions. But on Tuesday, after being elected leader of the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> parliamentary party — in other words, the PM elect — he choked with emotions. Modi wept. 
 
<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/lok-sabha-elections-2014/news/Full-text-of-Narendra-Modis-speech-in-Central-Hall-of-Parliament/articleshow/35420762.cms">Read full text of Narendra Modi's speech in Central Hall of Parliament</a> 
 
Before him, his senior L K Advani had wept. In fact, he triggered the emotions in Modi. Years from now those present at Parliament's historic Central Hall on Tuesday, may or may not remember what Modi said. But few, if any, will ever forget the moment when tears welled up in the BJP leader's voice and eyes revealing a carefully concealed softer side. 
 
Responding to Advani's speech where he had said that Modi had done the party a kripa (favour), he said, "Advaniji ne ek shabd kahaa. Main Advanji se prarthna karoonga ki woh iss shabd ka istmaal na kare. Unhone kaha ki Narendra bhai ne kirpa ki (Advaniji said that I have done a favour to BJP. I will request him not to use this term)." 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/shK1CAivJis" width="420"></iframe> 
 
At this juncture, the BJP leader broke down. He paused to sip water and took a moment to gather himself before continuing. 
 
"Kya ma ki seva kabhi kirpa ho sakti hai? Katai nahin ho sakti hai. Jaise Bharat meri ma hai waise hi BJP bhi meri ma hai. Aur isliyee beta kabhi ma par kirpa nahin karta, sirf samarpit bhav se ma ki sewa karta hai (Can a son do any favour by serving the mother? Not at all. Like India, BJP is also my mother. A son never does any favour. He only serves his mother in a dedicated manner)," he said. 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/35421550.cms" /> 
 
Like a gifted artist who makes the audience sway with the emotion, Modi appeared to be making others emotional. Some like Ravi Shankar Prasad were tearful. 
 
It was evident right from the very beginning that it was day of emotional drama. While entering the Parliament building, Modi knelt and placed his forehead on the green carpeted steps like a devotee before a temple. "This is the temple of democracy," he said later. 
 At the start his speech, Modi was overcome up with feelings while talking about former BJP <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>, who is unwell. "Had Vajpayeeji been well, his presence would have been 'sone par suhaga' (icing on the cake)." 
 
Throughout the speech, Modi underlined the power of the pause during speech. Emotions aside, he not only displayed his command over the Hindi language but also spoke like a man in total control and command of everything he surveys. 
 
<keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> reactions after Modi's speech 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Having lunch in the Central Hall of Parliament with all the elected BJP members! All of us quite emotional after hearing Modiji's speech!
	— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) <a href="https://twitter.com/dreamgirlhema/statuses/468676576083595264">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		After many, many years, it feels like India has got a Prime Minister, and not a puppet. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ModiTakesCharge&amp;src=hash">#ModiTakesCharge</a>
	— Abhilash (@talkabhilash) <a href="https://twitter.com/talkabhilash/statuses/468685127313149954">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		After hearing modi speech yest I can see a new era of responsibility has begun not only for them but for every indian to shape a new india
	— Subhash Ghai (@SubhashGhai1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SubhashGhai1/statuses/468945244156076032">May 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Emotional start to a tough journey , All the best Mr. Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ModiTakesCharge&amp;src=hash">#ModiTakesCharge</a>
	— Neha Sharma (@reinventlife24) <a href="https://twitter.com/reinventlife24/statuses/468685134682550272">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ModiTakesCharge&amp;src=hash">#ModiTakesCharge</a> trending worldwide! This man has something powerful in hus name. A true leader seen by the Indians.
	— Jay Pitroda (@GujjuSRKian) <a href="https://twitter.com/GujjuSRKian/statuses/468685141590560768">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Narendra Modi cries in Central Hall of Parliament. Made all of us emotional too. Afterall it's victory of good over evil <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ModiTakesCharge&amp;src=hash">#ModiTakesCharge</a>
	— Momee Borah (@RazorSharp_24) <a href="https://twitter.com/RazorSharp_24/statuses/468683912084848640">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Proud to witness dis day whn Modiji bows dwn at d staircase of Central Hall of Parliament! We hv nvr seen any PM doing dis! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23moditakescharge&amp;src=hash">#moditakescharge</a>
	— SOUMYAJIT SADHU (@I_SOUMYAJIT) <a href="https://twitter.com/I_SOUMYAJIT/statuses/468684770231058432">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>

In Parliament For First Time, Narendra Modi Leaves Many In Tears With Speech That Mixes Drama With Substance

Jamnagar (Gujarat) [India], March 1 (ANI): Founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation Nita Ambspoke on the pre-wedding function of her son <keyword id="20178842" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anant-ambani" source="keywords">Anant Ambani</keyword> with <keyword id="20150572" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="radhika" source="keywords">Radhika</keyword> Merchant. She shared the relevance of art and culture and how she is "passionate" about them, saying, "Throughout my life, I have been inspired by arts and culture. It has deeply moved me and I am very passionate about it." While talking about her son's wedding, she mentioned, "When it came to my youngest son <keyword id="20472163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anant" source="keywords">Anant</keyword>'s wedding with Radhika, I had two important wishes - first, I wanted to celebrate our roots. Jamnagar holds a special place in our hearts and has profound significance. Gujarat is where we come from, it's where Mukesh and his father built the refinery, and I started my career by converting this arid and desert-like area into a lush green township and a vibrant community." "Second, I wanted the celebration to be a tribute to our arts and culture and a reflection of our heritage and culture created by the hands, hearts and hard work of our talented creative minds. Sanskriti aur parampara ye neev hai Bhartiye sabhyata ki aur is prachin aur pavitra Bharat bhumi ko main dil se naman karti hu." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> #WATCH | Jamnagar, Gujarat | Founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation <keyword id="20054466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nita-ambani" source="keywords">Nita Ambani</keyword> speaks on the pre-wedding function of her son Anant <keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword> with Radhika Merchant."...When it came to my youngest son Anant's wedding with Radhika, I had two important wishes - first, I... pic.twitter.com/udOVozqbWP - ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2024 </blockquote> Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, Anant, is set to tie the knot with industrialist Viren Merchant's daughter, Radhika Merchant. Several celebrities have started arriving for the grand pre-wedding festivities. Earlier, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone arrived in Jamnagar on Thursday. Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji has also reached the city. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also reached the city. Zuckerberg arrived with his wife, Priscilla Chan and the couple received a warm welcome at the airport with white garlands and a traditional dance performance. Pop sensation Rihanna, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and American singer and songwriter J Brown also arrived in Jamnagar for the three-day pre-wedding celebrations. Apart from J Brown, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and bassist Adam Blackstonehas also reached Jamnagar. On Wednesday, the Ambani family organised 'anna seva' to seek the blessings of the local community for the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. After the meal, the attendees enjoyed traditional folk music. Famous Gujarati singer Kirtidan Gadhvi stole the show with his singing. At Jogwad village near Reliance Township in Jamnagar, Mukesh Ambani, Anant Ambani and other members of the Ambani family, including Radhika Merchant, served traditional Gujarati food to the villagers. Radhika's maternal grandmother and parents--Viren and Shaila Merchant-- also took part in the 'anna seva'. (ANI)

Nita Ambani speaks on pre-wedding celebration of her son Anant Ambani

Calling upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1 beginning at 10 am, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> on Friday said that <keyword id="6361202" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="swachh-bharat" source="Orion">Swachh Bharat</keyword> is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. "1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavour to usher in a cleaner future," <keyword id="2238662" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pm-modi" source="Orion">PM Modi</keyword> posted on X (Formerly Twitter). Earlier during his 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, "A big event on cleanliness is going to be organised on October 1 that is on Sunday at 10 am. You too should take out time and help in this campaign related to cleanliness. You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighbourhood or at a park, river, lake or any other public place." 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of <keyword id="6481694" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gandhi-jayanti" source="Orion">Gandhi Jayanti</keyword>. This initiative is a run-up to the 'Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva' 2023 campaign. This follows PM Modi's appeal for one hour of 'Shramdaan for swachhata' at 10 am on 1st Oct by all citizens. Every town, Gram Panchayat, all sectors of the government like civil aviation, railways and public institutions will be facilitating cleanliness events led by the citizens. A special portal has been set up to help organizations put up different events. This portal will also invite influencers and citizens to join this people's movement as Swachhata Ambassadors. People can click pictures and upload them on the portal to mark their presence. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, with an aim to make the country open defecation-free and also universal sanitation coverage. Earlier in 2021, PM Modi launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 to make all Indian cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure'. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-U) 2.0 was launched on October 1, 2021, for a period of five years with a vision of achieving Garbage Free Status for all cities through 100 per cent source segregation, door-to-door collection and scientific management of all fractions of waste including safe disposal in scientific landfills. It is also aimed at remediation of all legacy dumpsites and converting them into green zones. Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward will be a giant step towards fulfilling <keyword id="6355532" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mahatma-gandhi" source="Orion">Mahatma Gandhi</keyword>'s dream of a clean India. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-subscribers-increase-as-vi-continues-to-decline-in-july-2023/articleshow/104037604.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-subscribers-increase-as-vi-continues-to-decline-in-july-2023/articleshow/104037604.cms" target="_blank">Jio pips Airtel to gain more subscribers but Vi continues to bleed</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/jsw-infra-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/104033135.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/jsw-infra-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/104033135.cms" target="_blank">JSW Infra IPO allotment – how to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/pixel-8-launch-on-oct-4-from-camera-to-design-specifications-what-we-know-so-far/articleshow/103924696.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/pixel-8-launch-on-oct-4-from-camera-to-design-specifications-what-we-know-so-far/articleshow/103924696.cms" target="_blank">Pixel 8 launch on Oct 4 – From camera to design specifications, what we know so far</a>

PM Modi calls for cleanliness drive ahead of Gandhi Jayanti

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russell Brand has been accused of sexual abuse by at least four women, which he denies.</li><li>He's a longtime follower of Kundalini, a form of yoga that's been accused of cultish manipulation.</li></ul>A woman filed a sexual-assault complaint against Russell Brand with London police on Sunday, The Guardian reported. The woman accused the 48-year-old actor of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/sep/18/russell-brand-met-police-receive-report-of-alleged-sexual-assault-in-relation-to-allegations">sexually assaulting her in London in 2003</a>.The report comes on the heels of a joint investigation by British media published on Saturday, in which four women accused the comedian of sexual misconduct, including rape and sexual assault, between 2006 and 2013.One of the women told reporters the actor groomed her for sex when she was only 16 years old, placing special emphasis on her virginity, innocence, and purity, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-rape-sexual-assault-abuse-allegations-investigation-v5hxdlmb6">groundbreaking joint investigation</a> by London's Times and Sunday Times newspapers and Channel 4.Brand — who has denied the allegations of sexual abuse — is a longtime practitioner of Kundalini, a type of yoga that some of its former students say uses predatory and manipulative tactics against followers.In 2021 — the same year Brand began further platforming Kundalini yoga — more than a dozen of the Ra Ma Yoga Institute's former employees, students, and business partners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/followers-said-ra-ma-yoga-was-cult-what-happens-now-2021-10">spoke with Insider</a> about its culture of abuse, many of them calling the group and the Kundalini practice a cult.Jules Hartley, a former actress who studied alongside Brand under the same spiritual teachers between 2011 and 2013 at Los Angeles Kundalini studios, told Insider that she was not surprised by the allegations against him, as the yoga they shared was built on power, control, and manipulation tactics."It's the same story. It's the same storybook," Hartley told Insider. "It's power, it's control, its manipulation. It's getting others to get sort of mesmerized, to get what they want."Messages seeking comment from Brand, his former Kundalini teachers, and 3HO — the organization representing the Kundalini community — were not immediately returned. <h2></h2><div type="image" title="Yoga celebrity Katie Griggs, aka Guru Jagat, and Harijiwan Khalsa." height="1251" width="2500" msid="103789545" hostid="261"></div><h2>Brand platforms a yoga practice that some followers have dubbed a cult</h2>Brand has long practiced Kundalini yoga and even brought his one-time spiritual teacher, Tej Kaur Khalsa, as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2170187/Russell-Brand-helps-homeless-yoga-teacher--new-tantric-tattoos.html">guest to the MTV Awards in 2012.</a>He also took her as a guest to his appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and was sometimes spotted with her around <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2170187/Russell-Brand-helps-homeless-yoga-teacher--new-tantric-tattoos.html">Los Angeles.</a>While he separated from Khalsa years ago, in the past three years, Brand further shaped his persona around the chant- and breath-work-heavy yoga, offering tips on the practice on his Instagram and YouTube channels.Tej Kaur Khalsa and her ex-husband, the White Sun musician Harijiwan Khalsa, are longtime followers of Yogi Bhajan, who introduced Kundalini yoga to the US in the 1960s. It became increasingly popular among mostly white former hippies. A New Mexico highway was even named in Bhajan's honor.Bhajan's followers call themselves "American Sikhs" and are known for wearing all-white garb and turbans despite the practice having nothing to do with actual Sikhism.While Bhajan died in 2004, he has since been <a target="_blank" href="https://lamag.com/featured/yogi-bhajan">accused sexual and physical abuse, including rape, across several continents.</a> Children born to his followers were sent to boarding schools in India, where they were beaten and abused, <a target="_blank" href="https://lamag.com/featured/yogi-bhajan">Los Angeles Magazine reported.</a>Since his death, his followers have splintered, opening their own studios in his honor.Both Khalsas, who worship Bhajan in their practice, since went on to teach with other LA-based Kundalini studios like Golden Bridge, where Brand and Jules Hartley studied together, and later Ra Ma Yoga Institute — a hip yoga practice with studios in Los Angeles, New York, Mallorca, and elsewhere.Ra Ma was founded by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/followers-said-ra-ma-yoga-was-cult-what-happens-now-2021-10">Guru Jagat, a woman whose real name was Katie Griggs,</a> along with Harijiwan and Tej Kaur Khalsa, and it grew a cultish following across the US, in Europe, and online.<iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PVH5U5uI5Rk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" title="Try This Kundalini Exercise To Feel More Present &amp; Protected | Russell Brand"></iframe>Former students said that Ra Ma leaders practiced verbal and mental abuse, preyed on teachers financially, and even arranged marriages between followers.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/timeline-russell-brands-controversies-sexual-assault-accusations-2023-9">Like Brand</a>, it's also been accused of circulating wellness disinformation and conspiracy theories around COVID-19 online.<h2>Undue influence</h2>Former LA Kundalini students, employees, and teachers told Insider that the practice — which incorporates heavy chanting, breath work, and other intense practices, puts them in a place where they're more vulnerable to abuse. Students at Ra Ma, for example, are taught to wake up around 3:30 in the morning to do chanting exercises and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-meditation">meditation</a> that can last hours. This is often followed by a series of classes or workshops and sometimes free labor. Some students who couldn't afford the workshops told Insider they were encouraged to attend and then pay off the fees by working for the group. Even among those who were able to pay full price for their sessions, volunteer work masqueraded as "seva," or service, and even tithing is encouraged under Bhajan's teachings, they previously told Insider. Hartley, who is known for her work on shows like "Black-ish," previously said that practicing Kundalini can make students "high" and spaced-out, putting them in a place where they're more susceptible to manipulation.Harijiwan, Hartley said, was good friends with Brand, and the actor had him on his YouTube show to talk about spirituality. Harijiwan Khalsa made it a routine to love-bomb certain students, inundating them with compliments. Hartley said the students would spend more money on classes, elevate Khalsa's brand in LA, New York, and Europe, and do anything else he wanted.Harijiwan Khalsa talked openly about studying mind control."He loved studying cult leaders," said Hartley, who separated from Ra Ma and the related studios in 2017. "He was transparent. It's a formula that he does." Hartley said it's no surprise that Brand, who ogled other students in class, may follow the same tactics. "Russell said Kundalini is the crack cocaine of yoga, and it is," Hartley said. "He was transparent that he had a sex addiction and would sleep with anyone, and he used to leer at me.""But I was a little bit older. I was already in my early 30s, struggling in Hollywood. I think I had a toughness and armor around me," she added, detailing several times the actor made sexually suggestive comments to her that she dismissed. <div type="image" title="kundalini" height="1746" width="1170" msid="103789548" hostid="261"></div>Marlene Passaro was the executive director at Golden Bridge when Brand was one of the many celebrities who attended classes at the two studios.Passaro told Insider Monday that the studios never had a problem with paparazzi until after Brand started showing up, and she later learned he tipped them off to when he'd be around."We were one of the biggest yoga centers at the time, filled with celebrities. It really was a haven for celebrities at the time," Passaro told Insider.The stars enjoyed a bit of normalcy there, away from the spotlight, so when Brand was around, it became problematic, said Passaro, who managed the business side of the studios."He was such a bigger-than-life caricature. He would have a flock of women following him into class trying to get a seat next to him," she said. "We had a million other celebrities much, much bigger than him, probably going to the same classes as him, and never getting or never demanding that kind of attention."When Passaro learned of the accusations against Brand, she immediately thought of his behavior in her studios. She said he contributed to the demise of Golden Bridge in LA.Rick Ross, the director of the Cult Education Institute, has researched the effects and practices of destructive groups for decades. Over the years, he has received many complaints and concerns from former members of the Kundalini yoga community.Ross has said that breath work and intense meditation can make practitioners more susceptible to "undue influence" — including encouraging students to believe conspiracy theories, distrust journalism, and take part in bizarre wellness routines, former students told Insider. "There's an addiction component and a power and control, grifter snake-oil component. It is to the surprise of nobody that Russell was best friends with Harijiwan," Hartley said.Senior teachers at Ra Ma boasted about their "scientific" approach, former yogis there have told Insider, but there was never any evidence of science at play.Kundalini practitioners at Ra Ma, for example, were told not to wear black because it shrinks their aura and not to wear rings on their middle fingers because it interferes with their connection to Saturn, the sources said.A former student included footage of Jagat, who died in August 2021, in a TikTok video claiming that COVID-19 lockdowns were linked to an "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@zolita/video/6931123982603128069?lang=en&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1">alien war</a>." <h2>A brand of conspiracy</h2>On Friday, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/rustyrockets/status/1702810015176794318">Brand posted a video to X</a>, formerly Twitter, calling the investigation that detailed allegations of abuse against him a "serious and concerted agenda" by the media trying to silence him. He's since received support from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/elon-musk-russell-brand-sexual-assault-rape-allegations-2023-9">platform's owner, Elon Musk</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/romania-to-seize-assets-including-560k-bitcoin-from-andrew-tate-2023-6?_gl=1*1bkudth*_ga*MTc0OTY5ODQ1MC4xNjkwODkwNDUw*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5NDg3NDkxNi4xNDMuMS4xNjk0ODc2MTAzLjU2LjAuMA..">Andrew Tate,</a> a British-American former kickboxer and media personality recently under house arrest in Romania for rape and human trafficking, also voiced his support of Brand. In the past year, Brand has shifted away from his usual posts on YouTube and Instagram offering Kundalini meditations to talk about politics instead. He has critiqued the US support of Ukraine, blamed President Joe Biden for the Hawaii wildfires, and called former President Barack Obama a "war criminal" on his YouTube show.Last month, Brand hosted Tucker Carlson, noting it was the first interview Carlson gave since he was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tucker-carlson-donald-trump-twitter-fox-news-threat-2023-6">fired from Fox News.</a>On Monday, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/sep/19/youtube-suspends-russell-brand-revenues-channel">YouTube suspended Brand's streaming revenue</a>, so his videos will no longer be monetized through the platform.Passaro said she suspects Brand knew that allegations would eventually surface about his own misbehavior and used Kundalini to cultivate an easily manipulated online following."I believe he totally, deliberately saw the writing on the wall at some point and sort of became like his teachers were in the Kundalini yoga world, including Guru Jagat, Harijiwan, and Tej," she said.

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