Category: India

Early Monday morning, many people in Delhi and nearby areas felt strong earthquake tremors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the situation, asking everyone to “stay calm” and be ready for possible aftershocks. He assured that officials are keeping a close watch on what is happening.

According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.0 and hit New Delhi at 5:36 am. The quake was shallow, happening just 5 kilometers below the surface. It was centered near Durgabai Deshmukh College in Dhaula Kuan, an area that has felt smaller quakes in the past. In 2015, a 3.3-magnitude quake happened nearby.

When the earthquake struck, many heard a loud noise along with the shaking. The Delhi Police, through a message on X, reassured residents to stay safe. They also encouraged anyone needing urgent help to call the emergency number 112.

The strong shakes led many people, especially those in tall buildings across Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, to rush outside. Footage showed worried residents gathering outside their homes and watching for aftershocks.

Delhi is located about 250 kilometers from the active Himalayan area, which often causes tremors. The city has felt other minor earthquakes in recent years, including one on April 12, 2020, and another on May 10, 2020.

As for safety, Delhi is in Seismic Zone IV, which means it can experience moderate to strong earthquakes from the Himalayas.

Tanvir Sadiq, an MLA from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, found himself in hot water after he said we should think about how banning liquor would affect tourism in the region. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, an important religious leader in Kashmir, quickly responded, saying that Jammu and Kashmir is mainly a Muslim area and shouldn’t promote selling alcohol.

Mirwaiz explained that many other states in India have banned liquor and are doing fine. Instead of focusing on making money from alcohol, he believes the government should set a good example.

“It’s sad that Tanvir thinks we should allow liquor because of tourism. We should be careful about our traditions and values,” Mirwaiz said, highlighting the problems alcohol can cause in society. He mentioned, “Last year, we saw people drinking in boats and auto-rickshaws. Our society is facing many issues already.”

After hearing Mirwaiz’s comments, Sadiq went to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that he opposes alcohol. He called it a “plague” and stressed that everyone should be included in decisions about liquor bans. He also pointed out that liquor is allowed in some Arab countries known for tourism.

The controversy started when another National Conference leader, Ashan Pardesi, said he wants to close liquor shops in Kashmir for religious and cultural reasons. Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Mattu criticized the National Conference, saying they seem to change their story when elections are over.

In support of the alcohol ban, People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti praised an MLA for pushing a bill against alcohol, saying that more effort is needed from political leaders and the community to fight addiction.

The Awami Ittihad Party joined the call for a full ban on alcohol, emphasizing that alcohol has no place in a spiritually rich place like Kashmir, which is often seen as a land of saints.

Rajasthan is thinking about making a dress code for school teachers, similar to what Maharashtra and Assam have done. A senior official from the education department announced this on Saturday. Education minister Madan Dilawar wants teachers to wear uniforms to create a positive atmosphere for students, which helps them learn good values.

Recently, Dilawar caused some uproar when he said that some teachers dress in a way that is inappropriate, and he believes this affects students negatively. He expressed that it’s important for teachers to be role models and presented his ideas at the opening of a new school building in a village on October 16, 2024.

Teachers’ association leader, Vipin Prakash, criticized the minister’s comments as disrespectful, especially towards women teachers. He argued that instead of focusing on teachers’ clothing, the government should fix the many vacancies in schools that are hurting student education.

Dilawar shared his concerns about some teachers arriving at school while under the influence of alcohol and mentioned that it sends the wrong message to students. He indicated that some teachers use mobile phones in class, which distracts students.

An official mentioned that there was a meeting with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma in November 2024 about this dress code. If the new rules are passed, Rajasthan will join Assam and Maharashtra in having a dress code for teachers.

In Assam and Maharashtra, female teachers are required to wear sarees or salwar-kameez, and male teachers must tuck in their shirts. Both states allow schools to choose the colors of their uniforms but recommend lighter shades.

Historically, the previous government in Rajasthan had tried to introduce a dress code for teachers in 2017, but it did not happen. The current government is looking at how Assam and Maharashtra implemented their policies to create a suitable plan for Rajasthan.

The official added that teachers have been seen wearing jeans and T-shirts, which is not appropriate for schools. They believe that uniforms will help bring order and professionalism to the teaching environment. The goal is to make sure teachers understand that schools are serious places where students learn important values.

Many young people dreamed of a better life in the United States and left their homes for that chance. Families sold their land, took loans, and made huge sacrifices to help them go abroad. Sadly, instead of discovering new opportunities, they found themselves back in Amritsar on a US military plane, deported and feeling lost about the future.

In this latest group of deportees, 65 were from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and a few from other states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Sourav, a 20-year-old from Chandiwala village, returned home on Sunday after being caught trying to cross the border on January 27. He had left on December 17, hoping to start a new life in America. “We were held in a detention center for 18 days,” Sourav said, explaining that their mobile phones were taken away and that they were told they would be moved to another camp before being put on a plane back to India.

Sourav’s family sold two acres of land and borrowed a lot of money to support his journey, spending around ₹45-46 lakh. The route to the US took him through Amsterdam, Panama, and Mexico, only to end in detention.

Harjit Singh, from Khanowal Ghuman village, had also hoped for a better life with his cousin. Instead, they returned home handcuffed. “We were caught trying to cross the US border on January 27 and kept in a detention center for 18 days. We were deported on February 13, chained and handcuffed,” he said, feeling deep disappointment. His family spent ₹90 lakh, which feels like a lot of money wasted.

Mantaj Singh, a 22-year-old from Bodal village, also faced troubles at the US border. He took a risky route called the “donkey route,” often used by illegal migrants, trusting people who only saw him as a way to make money.

In Behbal Bahadur village, Sahil Preet Singh’s family used all their savings—about ₹40-45 lakh—to send him abroad. His mother, Harvinder Kaur, said they sold their land and pawned jewelry, only to be tricked by a dishonest travel agent. “We were cheated,” she cried, hoping the government would help her son and take action against the agent.

Another young man, Jaswinder Singh from Dharamkot village, had also raised money by selling land. After nearly 45 days of trying to reach the US, he and his family returned empty-handed, victims of lies from the person they trusted.

Their experiences echo the stories of many others. When the first group of deportees arrived in Amritsar on February 5, their tales were almost the same. They all sought a better life, but returned home feeling defeated, caught in a system that exploits hope and desperation.

Patna: The Archaeological Survey of India’s Patna Circle wants to dig at Kurkihar village in Bihar’s Gaya district to find hidden treasures and learn about the area’s history. Kurkihar is located about 5 km northeast of Wazirganj and 27 km east of Gaya. It is thought to have been an ancient city and a Buddhist monastery.

In the past, a famous archaeologist named Alexander Cunningham visited Kurkihar in the 1800s. He found many Buddhist sculptures and votive stupas (small shrines). Cunningham, who explored many historical sites like Sarnath and Sanchi, was the first director of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Sujeet Nayan, the Superintending Archaeologist for the Patna Circle, confirmed they are seeking permission to start digging at Kurkihar. Other archaeologists have also noted the site’s importance over the years. According to Nayan, Kurkihar has a large mound of bricks and remains of a significant monastery that is about 25 feet tall.

In 1930, a historian named K P Jayaswal discovered about 226 bronze sculptures in Kurkihar, which ended up in museums, including Patna Museum. The area holds valuable historical treasures that need proper exploration. Some stone statues from the Pala period have also been found, and some are still worshipped at a local temple.

Additionally, there are many inscriptions on the bronze sculptures related to rulers of the Pala dynasty that ruled from the 9th Century to 1074 AD. One inscription mentions a popular monastery called Apanaka that attracted visitors from far-off places. Nayan believes there is much more to uncover at Kurkihar.