Category: India

Bhubaneswar: A former worker at Raj Bhavan has accused the son of former Odisha governor Raghubar Das of attacking him. This incident allegedly happened on July 7 last year. Baikuntha Pradhan, who was working as an assistant section officer, claims that Lalit Das and his five friends slapped, punched, and kicked him at Raj Bhavan in Puri. Pradhan was there to prepare for President Droupadi Murmu’s visit.

In response to a question from a BJD legislator, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that no written complaint was filed at the Sea Beach police station in Puri. However, an online complaint was submitted on July 12, which is still being investigated.

After the incident, the state government ordered an investigation, but it has been unclear what has happened since then. In his account, Pradhan mentioned that on the night of July 7, around 11:45 PM, he was called to meet Lalit Das. When he arrived, Lalit Das allegedly started hitting him and using foul language. Pradhan said he tried to escape but was caught and dragged back, where further violence occurred.

The attack is believed to have started because Lalit Das was angry about not getting a fancy car in Puri. After Raghubar Das was replaced as governor in December, Pradhan’s wife has attempted to meet the new governor to seek action on this case.

Abdul Hamid is a well-known hero from the 1965 India-Pakistan war. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honor, for his bravery. Sadly, his name has been taken off the main gate of a primary school in Dhamupur village, Ghazipur, where he studied.

Recently, the school changed its name to “PM Shri Composite School” after repainting. Jameel Ahmed, Abdul Hamid’s grandson, noticed that the name “Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya” was removed. He talked to the headmaster, Ajay Kushwaha, about this issue. The headmaster told them to contact Basic Education Officer Hemant Rao for help.

Rao mentioned that Hamid’s name would still be on an outside wall of the school. However, Jameel’s family believes that the entrance should also show his name. So, they filed another complaint asking for the name to be returned. They were told it would be done pretty soon, but as of Monday, Hamid’s name was still missing from the entrance, which upset the family.

Rao assured them, saying, “Shaheed Abdul Hamid’s name will be put back at the entrance shortly.” Everyone hopes that the school will honor this brave soldier soon, as it means a lot to his family and the community.

A fire started at an empty private camp in the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. This happened just two days after another fire damaged seven tents in an ashram in a nearby area. The new fire broke out in Sector 8 of the Kumbh Mela site, according to the news. We’re still waiting for more information about this incident. Stay tuned for updates!

On Monday, the Supreme Court decided to postpone discussions about a law that protects places of worship until the first week of April. A group of judges, including Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, said a larger group of three judges would hear the case.

Earlier that day, the court was unhappy with the increase of new cases related to this law, called the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This law ensures that the religious character of a site remains the same as it was on August 15, 1947. The Chief Justice expressed concern that they might not have enough time to address all the new cases being brought up, mentioning that they might set a later date in March.

In December, the court had paused several lawsuits from Hindu groups wanting to assess the original religious character of certain mosques like the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and others. These petitions were supposed to be heard on February 17, but new petitions continue to be filed. For example, leaders from different political parties, like AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress’s Iqra Choudhary, have requested that this law be enforced fairly to keep peace and harmony among various communities.

Choudhary highlighted that many legal actions against mosques are starting to create tensions. Meanwhile, the court had already agreed to look into a separate case brought by Owaisi, asking for similar protection.

On the other side, a Hindu organization, the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti, wants to participate in these cases to ensure the law stays valid. Currently, around six main petitions, including one from lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay, are challenging parts of the 1991 law, arguing that it limits people’s rights to seek legal action over places of worship.

The law aims to keep the current religious status of worship sites like they were in 1947, not affecting the well-known Ayodhya dispute over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid. Muslim groups like the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind wish for strict enforcement of this law to maintain peace. They argue some petitioners are trying to exploit the law and file claims about mosques that are currently protected.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to a claim made by a US government department, led by Elon Musk’s DOGE, that they canceled a $21 million grant meant to help increase voter turnout in India.

Sanjeev Sanyal, a top adviser to Prime Minister Modi, questioned the trustworthiness of the USAID, the organization responsible for foreign aid, calling it “the biggest scam in human history.” He expressed a desire to know who got the $21 million for improving voter turnout in India, along with other similar funds allocated to Bangladesh and Nepal.

The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed in a post that taxpayer dollars planned for several international projects, including the one for India, have been canceled. BJP leader Nalin Kohli raised concerns about foreign agencies interfering in India’s elections, stating that India is a strong democracy and can hold its own fair elections. He pointed out past instances where other political parties like Congress had worked with foreign organizations to influence elections.

BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani insisted that Indian authorities should investigate the money and identify anyone involved in influencing the country’s democracy, suggesting that they should face the law for undermining India.

SY Quraishi, a former Chief Election Commissioner, commented that while there was a past agreement for training, there were no funds involved. Amit Malviya from the BJP reiterated that the $21 million grant was unwanted interference in India’s electoral system

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to a claim made by a US government department, led by Elon Musk’s DOGE, that they canceled a $21 million grant meant to help increase voter turnout in India.

Sanjeev Sanyal, a top adviser to Prime Minister Modi, questioned the trustworthiness of the USAID, the organization responsible for foreign aid, calling it “the biggest scam in human history.” He expressed a desire to know who got the $21 million for improving voter turnout in India, along with other similar funds allocated to Bangladesh and Nepal.

The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed in a post that taxpayer dollars planned for several international projects, including the one for India, have been canceled. BJP leader Nalin Kohli raised concerns about foreign agencies interfering in India’s elections, stating that India is a strong democracy and can hold its own fair elections. He pointed out past instances where other political parties like Congress had worked with foreign organizations to influence elections.

BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani insisted that Indian authorities should investigate the money and identify anyone involved in influencing the country’s democracy, suggesting that they should face the law for undermining India.

SY Quraishi, a former Chief Election Commissioner, commented that while there was a past agreement for training, there were no funds involved. Amit Malviya from the BJP reiterated that the $21 million grant was unwanted interference in India’s electoral system

On Monday morning, Delhi and nearby areas experienced a strong earthquake that measured 4.0 on the Richter scale. The earthquake struck at 5:36 AM and was felt strongly because it was close to the city, just 9 km east of New Delhi, and at a shallow depth of 5 km.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Earth Sciences Minister, urged everyone to remain calm and be ready for possible aftershocks. He emphasized that residents should follow safety precautions and be prepared in case more tremors occur. The government is monitoring the situation closely, and experts are keeping a watchful eye on the developments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also advised people to stay calm and be alert for further aftershocks. He reassured everyone that the authorities are on top of the situation and sharing updates through social media.

Residents shared their feelings after the earthquake, describing it as shocking and scary, with many rushing out of their homes during the tremors.

Two of the seven Indian naval veterans were sentenced to death in Qatar under unclear charges, but they got freed after spending 17 months in captivity. They returned to New Delhi on February 11, 2024, thanks to hard work and negotiation. Now, they are asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to help bring back their friend, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, who is still stuck in Qatar.

This appeal is timely as Al-Thani is visiting India for two days. The veterans who returned include Captains Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders Sanjeev Gupta, Amit Nagpal, BK Verma, Sugunakar Pakala, and sailor Ragesh. Commander Tiwari is still in Qatar, and the other veterans want him back home.

Gupta and Pakala said, “It has been one year since our release, but Tiwari is still there because of a travel ban. With the Amir of Qatar visiting India, we ask both leaders for a quick resolution to this problem. We hope he can return home soon, especially to see his old mother.”

In December 2023, Qatar’s Court of Appeal changed the death sentences for the eight men to prison terms of 3 to 25 years. These veterans were working for Al Dahra Global Technologies, which trained and supported Qatar’s military. They had been held since August 2022 without clear reasons. All of them had impressive careers in the Indian Navy.

For example, Captain Gill won the President’s gold medal for excellence and later taught at a renowned military college in India. Tiwari also earned a prestigious award five years ago, becoming the first member of the Indian Armed Forces to receive it for Non-Resident Indians.

Gupta, who spent 531 days in prison, shared that those months were terrible. “The first six months were the worst. At times, I felt like I might die there,” he shared last February. During his time in jail, he read 42 books and practiced meditation and yoga for four hours daily.

In 2024, many countries held elections, and one exciting event was in Sri Lanka when Anura Kumara Dissanayake, known as AKD, became President. This was special because it was the first time a candidate from a third party won the presidency in Sri Lanka’s history.

During a podcast about Indian politics, expert Neil DeVotta explained how AKD’s victory could affect both Sri Lanka and India. Although AKD comes from a party with a troubled past, he has apologized for it and is working to connect with Sri Lanka’s minority groups, which include Tamils and Muslims. However, the majority of these communities did not support him in the election, so he faces a challenge: he must support minorities without upsetting the Sinhalese Buddhist majority, who make up a large part of Sri Lanka’s population.

DeVotta mentioned that many believe AKD’s win helps China and not India, but this is not exactly true. AKD’s party has historically been against India, but he recently promised not to harm India’s interests and to remain neutral in global matters. He aims for a balanced relationship with both China and India, hoping to attract investments from both countries that will genuinely help Sri Lanka grow and create jobs. Unlike past leaders, AKD wants to make sure these investments are right for the country and won’t result in wasteful projects