Category: India

  • Cyclone Fengal Hits Tamil Nadu: Heavy Rains & Safety Tips

    Cyclone Fengal Hits Tamil Nadu: Heavy Rains & Safety Tips

    Cyclone Fengal is affecting Tamil Nadu, and Chief Minister MK Stalin is making sure the state is ready for this storm. Heavy rains are expected for the next 48 hours, especially in areas close to Puducherry, where the cyclone is likely to hit on Saturday afternoon. Winds could get as strong as 90 km/h.

    Many flights to and from Chennai have been canceled, and travel warnings have been issued. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a red alert for parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry. This means that these areas will have very heavy rain and strong winds. IMD’s expert, Ananda Das, says that places near the coast will feel the most impact with winds reaching 70 km/h.

    All schools and colleges in Puducherry and various parts of Tamil Nadu will be closed on Saturday. Fishermen are advised to stay out of the sea for safety, and they should move their boats to higher ground. The heavy rainfall could start between 1 PM and 2 PM on Saturday.

    Many people already need help; 471 individuals from 164 families are staying in relief centers in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. To assist those in danger, the Revenue and Disaster Management department has set up two toll-free numbers—112 and 1077—for distress calls, and they have a WhatsApp hotline at 9488981070.

    Safety Tips During the Cyclone:
    – Check your home and secure loose items like tiles and doors.
    – Remove dead branches and anchor objects outside that could fly away.
    – Be ready to board windows with wooden boards if necessary.
    – Keep a lantern, a torch with batteries, and dry food ready.
    – Stay sheltered until it is safe to go home.
    – Avoid any damaged buildings and wires.
    – Drive slowly and carefully if you must go out.
    – Clear any debris from your property.
    – Report any damages to the authorities.

    Stay safe and prepared as Cyclone Fengal approaches!

  • Kolkata Hospital Stops Treating Bangladeshi Patients Amid Tensions

    Kolkata Hospital Stops Treating Bangladeshi Patients Amid Tensions

    Kolkata’s JN Ray Hospital announced on Friday that it will no longer treat patients from Bangladesh for now. This decision follows reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and disrespect towards the Indian flag by some Bangladeshi nationals.

    The hospital, located in the Manicktala area, said the move is a protest against the mistreatment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Subhranshu Bhakt, a hospital official, stated, “Starting today, we will not admit any Bangladeshi patients. This is our way of standing up for the Hindus in Bangladesh and showing respect for our Indian flag.” He also encouraged other hospitals in Kolkata to take similar actions.

    This decision comes at a time when Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh, are facing attacks. On Friday, a group vandalized three temples—Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple—in the Harish Chandra Munsef Lane area. According to reports, the attack happened around 2:30 PM when several hundred people threw bricks at the temples while shouting slogans. The local police, led by Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim, confirmed the incident but said the damage was minor.

    Tapan Das, a member of the temple committee, shared that a large crowd showed up after Friday prayers, shouting anti-Hindu slogans. When the situation escalated, they called in the Army, and order was eventually restored.

    The attacks were reported after the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spiritual leader and former ISKCON member, who was charged with sedition. His arrest sparked protests by the Hindu community in different cities in Bangladesh.

    India is worried about the rising violence and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that Bangladesh must protect all its citizens, including minorities. He said, “Extreme violence and hateful speech are not acceptable. It is Bangladesh’s duty to safeguard its minorities.”

    At the same time, Bangladesh is concerned about the protests happening outside its deputy high commission in Kolkata and has urged India to protect its diplomatic missions.

  • Worst November Air Quality in Delhi Since 2021

    Worst November Air Quality in Delhi Since 2021



    This November was one of the most polluted months ever for Delhi, coming in just behind November 2021. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) this month was 375, just slightly better than last month’s 376. For the first time, the AQI never dropped below 300 all month!

    Delhi’s residents had to deal with eight ‘severe’ days, including two days classified as ‘severe-plus.’ Without any rain this month, local and nearby pollution sources made the air quality get worse. The worst day happened on November 18, when the AQI shot up to 494, making it the second most polluted day ever in the city.

    Anumita Roychowdhury, a leader at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “It’s worrying that air pollution in the winter is getting worse. We need to focus on controlling pollution all year round, not just in Delhi but in the entire National Capital Region and beyond.”

    Comparing this November to last year’s average AQI of 373 shows just how bad the situation is. In previous years, the AQIs were much lower, highlighting the growing problem.

    Dipankar Saha, a former head at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), explained that there hasn’t been much rain to help settle the pollution. He urged that without addressing emissions, things will only get more complicated in winter.

    This year’s bad air quality comes right after October recorded dangerously high pollution levels, making it the worst since 2020.

    The CPCB breaks down AQI levels to let people understand air quality: 0-50 is ‘good,’ 51-100 is ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 is ‘moderate,’ 201-300 is ‘poor,’ 301-400 is ‘very poor,’ and over 400 is ‘severe.’

  • Widow of Pulwama Martyr Accuses In-Laws of Stealing Rs 5 Crore

    Widow of Pulwama Martyr Accuses In-Laws of Stealing Rs 5 Crore

    Nearly a year after demanding a government job for her brother-in-law, the widow of a Pulwama martyr has accused him and her other in-laws of stealing money from her. Manju Lamba, who lost her husband, Rohitash Lamba, in the Pulwama attack, filed a police report on Tuesday. She claims her in-laws took away Rs 5 crore, which was financial help given to her after her husband’s death.

    Manju, who was left to care for her two-month-old son alone after the attack on February 14, 2019, received support from the CRPF, the government, and charities. Manju says that from 2019 to 2022, her in-laws forced her to sign blank checks, allowing them to take all her money. She also claims they changed her bank account’s mobile number to one of their own, so she wouldn’t get alerts about any money taken out.

    A police official confirmed that they have registered her complaint and are now looking into the matter

  • Chinmoy Krishna Das Arrested: A Call for Action to Protect Hindus

    Chinmoy Krishna Das Arrested: A Call for Action to Protect Hindus

    A monk named Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested recently, which is part of a bigger problem where Islamists have been threatening ISKCON and other Hindu religious groups. Radharaman Das, who speaks for ISKCON, said that for the past three months, there have been many threats and attacks against them, making the situation serious. ISKCON is worried and has asked the Indian government to help protect people in danger and to talk to the Bangladesh government to stop these incidents.

    Chinmoy Krishna Das was taken into custody at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka while he was on his way to Chattogram. A court in Bangladesh refused to give him bail, and he’s now in prison because of charges related to sedition, which means he is accused of trying to go against the government.

    ISKCON has said that their monks in different places in Bangladesh have been receiving threats about being harmed, but the local authorities haven’t helped much even after being informed about these dangers. The Indian National Congress party has also spoken out, urging the Indian government to ensure the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.

  • Pawan Kalyan Calls for Unity After Arrest of ISKCON Priest in Bangladesh

    Pawan Kalyan Calls for Unity After Arrest of ISKCON Priest in Bangladesh

    On Wednesday, Pawan Kalyan, the deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, asked everyone to come together and speak out against the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. He urged Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader and Nobel Prize winner of Bangladesh, to take action against what he calls “atrocities on Hindus” in that country.

    “It hurts to see how people are suffering there. When something bad happens in Palestine, lots of people react, but when it happens in Bangladesh, hardly anyone says anything,” Pawan Kalyan told ANI.

    In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he called for collective support: “Let’s unite to condemn the detention of Chinmoy Krishna Das by the Bangladeshi police. We urge the Bangladesh government, under Muhammad Yunus, to stop the harassment of Hindus. Our Indian soldiers have given their lives for the creation of Bangladesh, and it pains us to see our Hindu friends being attacked. We ask the UN to step in.”

    India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared its “deep concern” on Tuesday about Das’s arrest and denied bail, asking Bangladesh to protect Hindus and other minorities.

    Das is a spokesperson for a group called Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. The MEA pointed out that his arrest follows other attacks on Hindus by extremist groups in Bangladesh.

    In response, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed India’s comments as “baseless” and stated that they go against the friendly relationship between the two countries. They stressed that their courts are independent, and the government does not interfere with them.

    Charges Against Chinmoy Krishna Das

    Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on Monday and was brought to a Chittagong court on Tuesday, where his request for bail was denied and he was placed in custody.

    According to the Dhaka Tribune, Das appeared before Judge Kazi Shariful Islam at 11 am. His lawyers asked for bail, but the judge did not allow it, sending Das to jail. He faces serious charges of sedition for allegedly raising a flag on a stand where Bangladesh’s national flag was displayed. However, the person who made the complaint reportedly doesn’t want to continue with the case, according to a leader from the minority community.

    ISKCON Bangladesh has condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das and has asked the government to promote peaceful coexistence. The organization also made several requests to deal with ongoing attacks on the Sanatani community in Bangladesh.

    ISKCON’s requests include making sure that those who attack the Sanatani people are held responsible, protecting the rights of Chinmoy Krishna Das and other members of the Sanatani community, and taking steps to ensure peace and harmony among all groups.

  • Modi Celebrates 75 Years of Indian Constitution at Supreme Court says “nation first”

    Modi Celebrates 75 Years of Indian Constitution at Supreme Court says “nation first”

    On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Constitution Day at the Supreme Court, stating that the Indian Constitution is essential for both today and the future. He mentioned that for 75 years, the Constitution has guided the nation through various challenges. Even during tough times like the emergency period, the Constitution proved its strength.

    He proudly noted that the principles of the Constitution are fully in action in Jammu and Kashmir, where Constitution Day was celebrated for the first time this year. The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in the Central Hall of Parliament on November 26, 1949, and came into effect on January 26, 1950. This adoption day is known as Samvidhan Divas.

    Modi recalled Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s words about India needing honest leaders who put the country first. He expressed his commitment to respecting the Constitution, emphasizing that he has never overstepped his boundaries as the Prime Minister.

    He also remembered the tragic Mumbai terrorist attack that happened on this day in 2008, honoring the victims and promising a strong response to any terrorist threats to India.

    Before the event, Modi posted a greeting on X (formerly Twitter) to mark the 75th anniversary. Meanwhile, both the ruling BJP and opposition parties have been criticizing each other over their commitment to constitutional values.