Category: News

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi caused a big stir when he called Mughal emperor Aurangzeb a “good administrator.” This upset many, including Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who called Azmi’s comments “treason” and insisted that legal action should be taken against him.

Azmi, known for making controversial remarks, said that Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler. He stated that during Aurangzeb’s 52-year reign, if he had been forcing Hindus to convert to Islam, there would have been many more converts. Azmi claimed that while Aurangzeb did destroy temples, he also destroyed mosques, implying he wasn’t strictly anti-Hindu. “The country should not be divided by religion; we must all follow the Constitution,” he added.

In response, Eknath Shinde criticized Azmi, reminding him that Aurangzeb tortured the Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days. Shinde called Azmi’s remarks wrong and said he should apologize. He suggested that such statements disrespected India’s history.

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC also condemned Azmi’s comments, saying he needs to study history. She emphasized that Aurangzeb only destroyed temples and never built any. BJP leader Ram Kadam joined in the criticism, pointing out that Aurangzeb brutally killed Sambhaji Raja.

The anger over Aurangzeb has grown recently, especially after the release of the movie “Chhava,” making Azmi’s comments even more controversial.

On Monday, the Jaipur police arrested a well-known figure, Abhay Singh, known as ‘IIT Baba,’ at his hotel for having a small amount of ganja (marijuana). Police said they received a tip that he might be trying to harm himself after he shared concerning messages on social media.

When the police found him, he admitted to using ganja and that he might have said troubling things when he was not fully conscious. Because he only had a little ganja, the police interrogated him and then released him on bail.

Abhay Singh, who became famous during the Maha Kumbh festival, spoke to reporters during his arrest, saying, “It’s my birthday, and I want to be happy today.”

Recently, he also claimed that he was attacked by a group of people dressed in saffron robes during a live TV debate. They entered the studio, created chaos, and reportedly hit him with sticks. Abhay then protested outside a police station but decided not to file a formal complaint after talking with the police.

Bangladesh and India need to be good friends because they depend on each other, said interim leader Muhammad Yunus in an interview with BBC Bangla. He mentioned that some misunderstandings have occurred because of rumors but is confident that their relationship is strong. Yunus hopes to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon at the Bimstec Summit in Thailand on April 3-4. He described the relationship as “very good” and stated, “There’s no other way but to have good relations between Bangladesh and India.”

Yunus noted that both countries have a rich history and work closely in politics and trade. Even though there have been conflicts, he believes they stem from misinformation. He stated, “We are trying to fix that misunderstanding.”

Relations have been rocky lately, especially after the protests last August that led to the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. India has criticized the interim government for its treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. Trade and travel between the two countries have been affected as well. Hasina is currently living in India, and the interim government wants her to return.

When asked about the possibility of unrest in Bangladesh, Yunus said that it’s always a threat. He believes the Awami League party, which Hasina leads, is trying to create problems. Yunus assured that he plans to hold elections within the year and mentioned that political parties, including the Awami League, need to decide if they will participate.

He also denied any support from the government for a new political group formed by student leaders, stating that those representatives have resigned.

The District Magistrate of Chamoli, Sandeep Tiwari, announced that the last body from the avalanche site was brought to Joshimath today. The Indian Army finished its search and rescue work in the Mana area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Sunday. This was done to help the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers who were trapped after the avalanche on February 28.

Sandeep Tiwari told ANI, “The last body that we found yesterday has been brought to Joshimath today. We are finishing the legal formalities. I want to thank all the teams for completing this operation on time.” He thanked the Army, ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), Air Force, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) for their swift efforts in the rescue.

According to the Indian Army, 46 out of the 54 BRO workers were rescued and are getting medical help. Sadly, eight lives were lost in this tragic event. The Army shared on social media, “Despite our relentless efforts day and night, 8 lives could not be saved. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones.”

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed his sorrow for the families of the deceased BRO workers and hoped for a speedy recovery for the injured workers.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a meeting for the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to celebrate World Wildlife Day. He announced that the count of Asiatic lions will take place in May this year. After enjoying a lion safari at Gir National Park in Gujarat, Modi went to the meeting in Sasan, which was also attended by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and other important members.

During the meeting, Modi laid the foundation stone for a new National Referral Centre for Wildlife in Junagadh. He also declared that a Centre of Excellence for managing conflicts between humans and wildlife will be set up in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Additionally, he revealed a book about river dolphins.

The NBWL, which helps the government protect wildlife, has 47 members, including military leaders and state representatives. Modi is the chairperson, while the Environment Minister is the vice-chairperson.

After his safari, Modi shared on X that the Asiatic lion population has been increasing thanks to everyone’s hard work. He praised the tribal communities and women around Gir for their efforts in protecting the lions’ habitat. Modi noted that over the last decade, populations of tigers, leopards, and rhinos have also grown, showing how much people value wildlife.

The government has approved over ₹2,900 crore for Project Lion, aimed at protecting Asiatic lions, which only exist in Gujarat. Currently, these lions live in nearly 30,000 square kilometers across 53 areas in 9 districts of Gujarat.

A National Referral Centre for Wildlife is being built on over 20 hectares in Junagadh. This center will include a high-tech monitoring station for tracking wildlife and a modern hospital to support conservation work. The state government has worked with the Railways to create safety plans to prevent lion accidents on train tracks in their area, and this effort has greatly reduced such accidents.

As part of his three-day visit to Gujarat, Modi also visited the Somnath temple and an animal rescue center called Vantara, where elephants and other animals get care and rehabilitation.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal unexpectedly traveled to the United States on Monday for urgent discussions about trade. This trip comes just weeks before President Donald Trump plans to impose new tariffs that could affect Indian exports.

Goyal’s visit follows canceled meetings and comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent trip to Washington, D.C. During that visit, India and the US agreed on a trade deal, aiming to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

Concerns About Trump’s Tariffs

Trump’s new tariffs, set to begin in early April, worry many Indian exporters, particularly those in industries like automobiles and agriculture. A report by Citi Research predicts India could lose up to $7 billion annually because of these tariffs.

During his trip, Goyal is looking for more information about these tariffs and their impact on India. He may also discuss possible concessions and ways to lower tariffs to improve trade between the two countries.

India is open to lowering tariffs on some industrial goods like cars and chemicals but is hesitant to reduce tariffs on agricultural products, which could hurt many farmers.

To ease trade tensions, India has already cut tariffs on certain items. For instance, taxes on high-end motorcycles have decreased from 50% to 30%, and tariffs on bourbon whiskey were reduced from 150% to 100%. India is also planning to boost its energy imports and buy more defense equipment from the US.

India’s trade with the US, its largest trading partner, has increased by 8% each year, reaching over $106 billion in the last ten months, resulting in a trade surplus for India. However, certain sectors like chemicals, metals, and food products could be hit hard by the possible new tariffs. If these tariffs are extended to more agricultural products, India could struggle with exports in areas like shrimp and dairy.

Dr. George P. Abraham, a well-known urologist, was discovered dead at his farmhouse in Nedumbassery, Kochi. Police reported that the 75-year-old surgeon’s body was found hanging. Dr. Abraham was a highly respected doctor who specialized in complicated urinary disorders. He worked at a leading private hospital in Kochi and had performed over 2,500 kidney transplants in his career.

Dr. Abraham was the third person in the world to conduct a living donor Laparoscopic Kidney Transplant and was the first to perform several advanced surgeries in Kerala, including the first cadaver transplant and 3D laparoscopic surgery. In total, he had completed around 15,000 endourological procedures, which are surgeries done inside the urinary tract.

He also treated more than 8,500 patients with a specific kidney stone surgery called PCNL and over 12,000 patients with Ureteroscopy and Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). His body has been taken to a private hospital in Angamaly for further investigation, and police are looking into the situation.

In a separate case, a 26-year-old trainee doctor was found dead in his hostel room at MJN Medical College and Hospital in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. The police have started an investigation under section 103 (murder) and are awaiting an autopsy result.

Additionally, on January 28, another doctor, Dr. Dinesh Gaur, was found murdered in Greater Noida. His body was discovered covered in blood in a room he was renting out. The police believe that a couple, who became his tenants just three days before the murder, might be involved. They are currently on the run.

In Bangladesh, the leader of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has asked for careful recording of the alleged “atrocities” that happened under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule. Yunus talked about this during a meeting with UN officials, explaining that without good records, it’s hard to find the truth and deliver justice.

He highlighted serious issues like the violent response to protests at Shapla Chattar, police mistreatment after a controversial court ruling, and claims of police killings without trials. The UN officials said they are ready to help Bangladesh keep track of human rights violations.

UN Resident Coordinator Gwen Lewis mentioned that this effort is important for healing and finding the truth. Yunus praised a recent UN report on human rights abuses that followed major protests in July and August 2024, which led to a change in government and Hasina’s escape to India.

The discussion also covered the struggles of Rohingya refugees, with Lewis expressing worry about the decreasing help from other countries. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to visit Bangladesh from March 13 to 16 to draw attention to the refugee crisis. Lewis pointed out that $15 million is needed each month to provide food and support for the Rohingya refugees.