Category: India

External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently talked about the long-standing issue of Kashmir, saying that the problem would be solved when Pakistan returns the part of Kashmir it currently controls, known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He spoke at an event in London and explained that India has made progress on the Kashmir issue by doing three main things:

1. Removing Article 370: This removed the special privileges that Jammu and Kashmir had in India.
2. Restoring Growth: By improving economic activities and social justice in the region, the government aimed to help the people.
3. Holding Elections: Jaishankar mentioned that elections were held recently in which many people voted.

He believes that once Pakistan gives back the part of Kashmir it holds, the Kashmir issue will be resolved completely.

India has always insisted that Jammu and Kashmir is an essential part of the country. Since India changed Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the relationship between India and Pakistan has worsened, and trade between the two countries has stopped.

The head of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference, Sajjad Lone, responded to Jaishankar’s comments by saying this is a matter for both countries to discuss. He believes in peaceful talk rather than violence but stated that it is up to the central government to decide.

Pakistan’s Response:
A spokesperson from Pakistan, Shafqat Ali Khan, urged India to stop making false claims about Kashmir. He said that instead of talking about returning parts of Kashmir, India should give back the territories it has held for 77 years. He also stated that the United Nations has said that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir should be decided through a fair vote. He dismissed the elections held in Indian-administered Kashmir, arguing they do not allow people to truly choose their future.

The UK government has strongly condemned an incident where a protester got too close to the Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during a visit to London. This happened on Wednesday night outside Chatham House, a think tank.

A spokesperson from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that trying to scare or disrupt events is not acceptable. They emphasized that while peaceful protests are allowed, it is important to respect security.

During the protest, a small group of supporters for Khalistan, a separate Sikh state, were gathered with yellow flags. They shouted slogans supporting Khalistan while Jaishankar was inside Chatham House.

When he came out to his car, a man with an Indian flag pushed through the police barriers and ran toward the minister’s motorcade. He confronted the police and even tore the Indian flag before being taken away by officers.

India’s government has also condemned this security breach, saying it expects the UK to fulfill its duty to keep visiting officials safe. An Indian official called these protesters “provocative” and criticized them for misusing their right to protest.

A shocking incident has taken place in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. A 40-year-old man named Mohit Mishra has been arrested for allegedly killing his five-year-old daughter, Tani, and cutting her body into four pieces. The police say Mohit got angry after Tani went to play at a neighbor’s house, a place he had problems with.

On February 25, Tani was reported missing, and her father was the one who told the police. They quickly started searching for her. “We formed four teams and soon found body parts. The next day, more pieces were discovered, confirming that she was murdered,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Pravin Ranjan Singh.

During the investigation, Mohit acted strangely. He gave his phone to his wife and then vanished. Once he returned, the police questioned him, and he admitted to killing Tani and hiding her body.

Mohit explained that he used to be friends with their neighbor, Ramu, but they had an argument recently and stopped talking. Despite being warned, Tani kept going to play at Ramu’s house. On the day she went missing, when Mohit saw her coming back from Ramu’s house, he became very angry.

In a fit of rage, he took Tani on his bike to an empty area, strangled her with her own clothes, and then dumped her body in a mustard field. This terrible crime was uncovered after the police questioned over 100 people in the community.

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for Uttarakhand to become a year-round tourist destination. He wants to take steps to make sure the state doesn’t have an “off-season” for tourists. Currently, many people visit Uttarakhand during the summer months of March, April, May, and June, but interest drops after that, leaving hotels and home stays empty throughout winter. This seasonal tourism harms the local economy and the environment, Modi explained during an event in Uttarkashi to promote winter tourism.

Modi suggested a “360-degree approach to tourism,” which would create jobs for local youth all year and help the state reach its economic potential. “When the rest of the country is foggy in winter, Uttarakhand enjoys sunshine,” he noted, encouraging the promotion of “Gham Tapo Tourism” (which means basking in the sun). He also encouraged businesses to hold meetings and events in the area to boost winter tourism.

During his speech, Modi talked about the ongoing projects by both the central and state governments to improve tourism. These include the all-weather Char Dham road, modern expressways, and upgrades to rail and air services. He also mentioned two new ropeway projects for Kedarnath and Hemkund, which recently received approval. The Kedarnath ropeway will make travel from Sonprayag to Kedarnath much faster, cutting the journey from 8-9 hours down to just about 30 minutes. The total cost for both ropeway projects is ₹6,811 crore and should be finished in about 4 to 6 years.

The number of people visiting the Char Dham Yatra has increased from 1.8 million per year before 2014 to about 5 million now. This year, the budget includes funding to develop 50 tourist spots, which will improve facilities and create more jobs.

PM Modi also talked about the Vibrant Village Programme launched in 2023 to help develop certain villages along India’s northern border, calling them the “first villages” of the country now. He stressed the importance of new homestays in boosting tourism and helping local families earn more money. Those who build homestays can benefit from financial support under the Mudra Yojana program.

He concluded by kicking off a trek and bike rally from Harsil to the tribal village of Jadung to help promote tourism in border areas. Modi reassured that efforts are being made to make these places livable again, especially the village of Jadung, which was evacuated during the 1962 India-China war. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami added that winter tourism is important for many families during the Char Dham Yatra and highlighted that new winter tours are being started thanks to Modi’s guidance.

Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), talked about the languages spoken in Mumbai and caused some confusion. He mentioned that Mumbai doesn’t only have one language. According to him, different areas speak different languages, and in Ghatkopar, for example, many people speak Gujarati. He suggested that living in Mumbai doesn’t mean you need to speak Marathi, the main language of Maharashtra.

However, after his comments got a lot of attention, Joshi clarified his statement. He told ANI that he didn’t mean to say Marathi wasn’t important. He confirmed that while many languages are spoken in Mumbai, Marathi is still the main language, since Mumbai is in Maharashtra. He expects that people moving to the city should make an effort to learn and understand Marathi.

In support of this, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, stated that learning Marathi is important because it is part of the state’s culture and identity. He emphasized that everyone living in Mumbai should know the language.

Aaditya Thackeray from the Shiv Sena (UBT) criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that people from other places should respect the local language, just like they do in other states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Jatin Hukkeri, husband of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, is in the spotlight after her recent arrest in Bengaluru for alleged gold smuggling. The police claim Jatin frequently traveled with Ranya to Dubai. Ranya, married to Jatin in a grand wedding at Taj West End, raised eyebrows for taking four trips to Dubai in just 15 days.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore (about $1.5 million) from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport. After that, officials searched her home, finding gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash. In total, almost ₹17.29 crore (around $2 million) was seized, marking a significant fight against organized gold smuggling.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of senior police officer Ramachandra Rao, who is currently the Chairman of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

Who is Jatin Hukkeri?

Jatin Hukkeri has a degree in Architecture & Interior Design from RV College of Engineering in Bengaluru. He also studied at the Royal College of Art in London, focusing on innovative market ideas.

According to the Della Leaders Club, Jatin started off in Bengaluru’s restaurant business with cool designs and has since made a name for himself in India and London. He is the Founder and Creative Director of WDA & DECODE LLC and established Craft CoDe.

His LinkedIn profile describes him as an experienced designer in Hospitality Architecture and planning, skilled in custom interiors and recreation design. One of his famous projects is Hangover, a cocktail bar and diner in Bengaluru. He shared that its design is unique because it allows airflow throughout the place.

His clients include popular spots in Bengaluru like Hangover, Bangalore XOOX, and Olive Beach. He has also worked on projects in Delhi and Mumbai, including Monkey Bar in Delhi and Gateway Taproom in Mumbai.

In a tragic accident early Thursday, at least three people lost their lives and 20 others were hurt when a private bus crashed into a truck near Chodimellu village in Eluru. The bus was on its way from Hyderabad to Kakinada when it went too fast and hit a truck carrying cement. The crash was so powerful that three passengers died right away, and the others were rushed to Eluru Hospital for help. Among the injured, the bus driver is in very serious condition.

The Eluru Rural Police shared the news, confirming that the bus was traveling to Kakinada from Hyderabad and that speeding seemed to be the cause of the crash. Authorities are looking into the accident’s details, and they haven’t yet shared the names of those who died.

In a different accident in Andhra Pradesh’s YSR district, three more people died when a lorry crashed on Maddimadugu Ghat Road. The lorry, which was bringing fish feed from Bengaluru to Eluru, lost its brakes and fell 50 feet into a valley. Both the driver and the cleaner died, with the cleaner passing away at a hospital. The accident was so severe it split the lorry into three pieces.

Officials are reminding drivers to be careful, especially on fast roads and hills. Investigations for both accidents are still happening.

During a recent trip to London, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar faced a security scare when a supporter of Khalistan rushed towards his car and tore the Indian flag. This happened as Jaishankar was leaving the Chatham House, where he had just finished a discussion.

A video shows the man running aggressively toward Jaishankar’s convoy. The police were initially slow to react, which allowed the protester to rip the flag while others nearby shouted slogans in support of Khalistan. After a short delay, the police stepped in and took the protester and others in his group away.

Outside Chatham House, another video showed a larger group of Khalistan supporters protesting with flags and chanting slogans. Jaishankar was in the UK from March 4 to March 9 for official talks.

During his visit, Jaishankar met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. They talked about many important topics, including how both countries could work together on trade, education, and technology.

In his discussion at Chatham House, Jaishankar strongly defended India’s stance on Kashmir. He said that India does not need help from anyone else to resolve the issue. He explained the steps India has taken, like removing Article 370, helping the local economy, and encouraging elections. He pointed out that the main problem is the part of Kashmir that Pakistan controls. “We’re waiting for the return of the part of Kashmir that Pakistan is holding illegally. Once that happens, I promise Kashmir will be resolved,” Jaishankar stated.

The debate over how to draw new voting districts, known as delimitation, is back in focus and could shape the politics of India for years to come. Recently, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has called for the southern states to stand united against this delimitation challenge, saying it’s like a sword hanging over them.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala are worried about losing their fair share of representation in Parliament. Meanwhile, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh could gain more seats just because they have larger populations. This seems unfair to southern states that have had successful population control measures through education and better healthcare.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that Tamil Nadu will not lose any seats due to delimitation. However, this raises questions. If seats for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar increase, how will that not affect southern states? It feels unfair to the southern states, as they feel punished for successfully controlling their population growth.

Delimitation is about giving more seats to Hindi-speaking states based on population, which leads to a major concern: why should southern states pay the price for their success in controlling population growth? The Centre and the BJP argue that this process is not meant to be discriminatory, but southern states see it differently. They want a review of this approach and the criteria used for delimitation.

The head of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit suggested that discussions about delimitation were distractions from more pressing issues like corruption and governance. But it’s important to note that southern states are united in their concerns about this issue. Leaders like Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Telangana’s Chief Minister Revanth Reddy have expressed distrust in the government’s assurances regarding delimitation.

Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is also likely to voice his concerns over delimitation. As the situation gets serious, this issue could significantly affect the BJP government, and they can’t ignore it.

During a recent all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu about delimitation, the BJP boycotted the event, which raises questions about their willingness to discuss these critical issues. There’s a need for all southern states to rally together for justice. This isn’t just fear-mongering from the DMK; it’s a genuine concern that needs to be addressed.