India will observe a one-day state mourning on Tuesday (May 21) as a mark of respect to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who passed away in a helicopter crash, the Union Home Ministry announced.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the country on all buildings where it is regularly flown and there will be no official entertainment during the period.

"As a mark of respect to the departed dignitaries, the government of India has decided that there will be one day's state mourning on May 21 (Tuesday) throughout India," the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

"On the day of mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India on all buildings where the national flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day," the statement further added.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences on the Iranian president's passing.

He took to his official X handle and wrote, "Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow."

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Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1792418659803038064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Raisi died in a plane crash reported on Sunday (May 19) evening.&nbsp;

"The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, had an accident while serving and performing his duty for the people of Iran and was martyred," stated the local Mehr news agency.

As per the report, the helicopter carrying Raisi met with an accident in the Jolfa region of East Azerbaijan province as it flew in bad weather conditions.

The accident took place in Dizmar's mountainous protected forest area near the town of Varzaghan, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ebrahim-raisi-death-vp-mokhber-to-serve-as-interim-president-nuclear-negotiator-bagheri-as-acting-fm-of-iran-723510">Ebrahim Raisi death: VP Mokhber to serve as interim President, nuclear negotiator Bagheri as acting FM of Iran</a>

<h2>Iran announces 5 days of mourning</h2>

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offered condolences to the people of his country and announced five days of public mourning for Raisi.

"I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran," Khamenei said in a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA.

Meanwhile, Lebanon and Syria also announced three days of national mourning for Raisi and foreign minister who lost their lives in the crash.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am about this incident that happened. Especially that the foreign minister had become a friend," Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told reporters on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

India will observe a one-day state mourning on Tuesday (May 21) as a mark of respect to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who passed away in a helicopter crash, the Union Home Ministry announced.

India will observe a one-day state mourning on Tuesday (May 21) as a mark of respect to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who passed away in a helicopter crash, the Union Home Ministry announced. The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the country on all buildings where it is regularly flown and there will be no official entertainment during the period. "As a mark of respect to the departed dignitaries, the government of India has decided that there will be one day's state mourning on May 21 (Tuesday) throughout India," the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. "On the day of mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India on all buildings where the national flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day," the statement further added. Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences on the Iranian president's passing. He took to his official X handle and wrote, "Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow." Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran.… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2024 × Raisi died in a plane crash reported on Sunday (May 19) evening. "The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, had an accident while serving and performing his duty for the people of Iran and was martyred," stated the local Mehr news agency. As per the report, the helicopter carrying Raisi met with an accident in the Jolfa region of East Azerbaijan province as it flew in bad weather conditions. The accident took place in Dizmar's mountainous protected forest area near the town of Varzaghan, as reported by the official IRNA news agency. Also read: Ebrahim Raisi death: VP Mokhber to serve as interim President, nuclear negotiator Bagheri as acting FM of Iran Iran announces 5 days of mourning Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offered condolences to the people of his country and announced five days of public mourning for Raisi. "I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran," Khamenei said in a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA. Meanwhile, Lebanon and Syria also announced three days of national mourning for Raisi and foreign minister who lost their lives in the crash. "I can't tell you how sorry I am about this incident that happened. Especially that the foreign minister had become a friend," Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told reporters on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

India declares one-day state mourning on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s demise in helicopter crash

In a significant development, the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport on Monday afternoon (May 20).

All four of them reportedly hail from Sri Lanka and have ties with the Islamic State.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ahmedabad: Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. <a href="https://t.co/5kkwHjK9Gd">https://t.co/5kkwHjK9Gd</a> <a href="https://t.co/vbhh3esN7A">pic.twitter.com/vbhh3esN7A</a>
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The accused were identified by the officials as Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris and Mohammad Razdin and all four of them were active members of the banned terror outfit.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Four ISIS terrorists arrested by Gujarat ATS in Ahmedabad <a href="https://t.co/RQuMnf9vi8">pic.twitter.com/RQuMnf9vi8</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1792530806944223696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"An information was received that they are coming to India to commit a terror attack," Gujarat DGP Vikash Sahay said.

The police official further stated that the terrorists had boarded a flight from Chennai, bound for Ahmedabad.

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Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. 
 
(Photo source: Gujarat ATS) <a href="https://t.co/zsoA2PIWNH">pic.twitter.com/zsoA2PIWNH</a>
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&nbsp;

"The arrests were made after analysing the information and list of passengers coming from south".

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Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. 
 
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"All four of them are completely radicalised by the ISIS ideology and they are going to come to India to commit a terror attack. As per the information, they were going to reach Ahmedabad on May 18 or 19 either by railway or flight. Teams were formed and strategy was created based on the information received. Passenger lists of trains and flights coming from the south were analysed. All 4 of them were travelling from Chennai to Ahmedabad on the same PNR no. through an Indigo flight. Verification was done in Colombo too for confirmation," Gujarat DGP said at a press briefing.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ahmedabad: Gujarat DGP Vikash Sahay says, "Information was received that 4 people, namely, Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris and Mohammad Razdin. These 4 people are Sri Lankan nationals and are active members of the banned terror outfit Islamic State. All… <a href="https://t.co/7Vb74B2Yj3">https://t.co/7Vb74B2Yj3</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xm4httObhr">pic.twitter.com/Xm4httObhr</a>
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&nbsp;

Gujarat ATS released a statement saying that the evidence showed the terrorists were committed to joining the terror outfit and "following the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi".

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Ahmedabad: Gujarat ATS arrested four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. 
 
"Evidences showing their commitment to join the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), follow the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi and to teach a… <a href="https://t.co/Gb8H5D9sC2">pic.twitter.com/Gb8H5D9sC2</a>
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&nbsp;

"Evidences showing their commitment to join the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), follow the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi and to teach a lesson to the attackers who commit atrocities against Muslim Community as well as to teach a lesson to Jews, Christians and&nbsp;members of BJP-RSS," said the statement.

Earlier, in Aug 2023, the ATS arrested three persons over their alleged connection to Al Qaeda. They were prima facie operating for a Bangladeshi handler to radicalise and recruit people for the banned terrorist organisation.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a significant development, the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport on Monday afternoon (May 20). All four of them reportedly hail from Sri Lanka and have ties with the Islamic State.

In a significant development, the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport on Monday afternoon (May 20). All four of them reportedly hail from Sri Lanka and have ties with the Islamic State. #WATCH | Ahmedabad: Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. https://t.co/5kkwHjK9Gd pic.twitter.com/vbhh3esN7A — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × The accused were identified by the officials as Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris and Mohammad Razdin and all four of them were active members of the banned terror outfit. #WATCH | Four ISIS terrorists arrested by Gujarat ATS in Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/RQuMnf9vi8 — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × "An information was received that they are coming to India to commit a terror attack," Gujarat DGP Vikash Sahay said. The police official further stated that the terrorists had boarded a flight from Chennai, bound for Ahmedabad. Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. (Photo source: Gujarat ATS) pic.twitter.com/zsoA2PIWNH — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × "The arrests were made after analysing the information and list of passengers coming from south". Gujarat ATS arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. (Photo source: Gujarat ATS) pic.twitter.com/zsoA2PIWNH — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × "All four of them are completely radicalised by the ISIS ideology and they are going to come to India to commit a terror attack. As per the information, they were going to reach Ahmedabad on May 18 or 19 either by railway or flight. Teams were formed and strategy was created based on the information received. Passenger lists of trains and flights coming from the south were analysed. All 4 of them were travelling from Chennai to Ahmedabad on the same PNR no. through an Indigo flight. Verification was done in Colombo too for confirmation," Gujarat DGP said at a press briefing. #WATCH | Ahmedabad: Gujarat DGP Vikash Sahay says, "Information was received that 4 people, namely, Mohammad Nusrat, Mohammad Nufran, Mohammad Faris and Mohammad Razdin. These 4 people are Sri Lankan nationals and are active members of the banned terror outfit Islamic State. All… https://t.co/7Vb74B2Yj3 pic.twitter.com/Xm4httObhr — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × Gujarat ATS released a statement saying that the evidence showed the terrorists were committed to joining the terror outfit and "following the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi". Ahmedabad: Gujarat ATS arrested four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport. All four accused are Sri Lankan nationals. "Evidences showing their commitment to join the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), follow the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi and to teach a… pic.twitter.com/Gb8H5D9sC2 — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024 × "Evidences showing their commitment to join the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), follow the path shown by Abu Bakr Baghdadi and to teach a lesson to the attackers who commit atrocities against Muslim Community as well as to teach a lesson to Jews, Christians and members of BJP-RSS," said the statement. Earlier, in Aug 2023, the ATS arrested three persons over their alleged connection to Al Qaeda. They were prima facie operating for a Bangladeshi handler to radicalise and recruit people for the banned terrorist organisation. (With inputs from agencies)

India: Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad arrests four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport

An auto industry outlook on investments in the Asia Pacific by BMI (a unit of Fitch Solutions) revealed that India attracted the maximum number of auto-related investments during Q1 2024. The BMI report tracked 38 new automotive manufacturing projects announced or inaugurated in Asia (valued at over $44.4 billion&nbsp;in total).&nbsp;India emerged as the most favoured investment destination, with nine of these investments.&nbsp;Following India were South Korea and Thailand, with six investments each.

However, the number of investments and the value of the investments tracked in Q1 2024 are down&nbsp;on a year-on-year basis. The number of projects dropped by 17.4%&nbsp;and&nbsp;the value drop&nbsp;was recorded&nbsp;at 36.6%.

Key reasons&nbsp;why&nbsp;investments in India&nbsp;were recorded&nbsp;going up include the Red Sea crisis and the market focus on developing the semiconductor industry – the latter witnessed significant&nbsp;investments,&nbsp;alongside the Indian EV value chain’s development. According to the BMI report, the Indian government has approved investments to&nbsp;the tune of&nbsp;$15.2 billion for developing three new semiconductor manufacturing plants. Given the Red Sea crisis, companies have also accelerated de-risking their supply chains, especially for India, by diversifying their logistic routes.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bosch-ventures-boosts-battery-recycling-with-strategic-investments-in-cylib-and-li-industries-723306">Bosch Ventures boosts battery recycling with strategic investments in Cylib and Li Industries</a>

The next boost for the Indian automotive sector could be&nbsp;the reduction in the&nbsp;taxation on hybrid cars. However, Nomura Ratings suggests the Finance Ministry is unlikely to take the matter up in the next GST council. As the proposal for this had been submitted to the Finance Ministry by Nitin Gadkari, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways, there were hopes that&nbsp;it would be taken up&nbsp;in the next GST council meeting.

As for South Korea, the country performed well due to access to the US EV market, subsidies through the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and increased collaboration by the local industry with Japan, Europe and US-based automotive players. In Thailand, geopolitical stability and lucrative government incentives, including tax holidays spanning three to 11 years for EV production, will help promote EV production in the country.

An auto industry outlook on investments in the Asia Pacific by BMI (a unit of Fitch Solutions) revealed that India attracted the maximum number of auto-related investments during Q1 2024.

An auto industry outlook on investments in the Asia Pacific by BMI (a unit of Fitch Solutions) revealed that India attracted the maximum number of auto-related investments during Q1 2024. The BMI report tracked 38 new automotive manufacturing projects announced or inaugurated in Asia (valued at over $44.4 billion in total). India emerged as the most favoured investment destination, with nine of these investments. Following India were South Korea and Thailand, with six investments each. However, the number of investments and the value of the investments tracked in Q1 2024 are down on a year-on-year basis. The number of projects dropped by 17.4% and the value drop was recorded at 36.6%. Key reasons why investments in India were recorded going up include the Red Sea crisis and the market focus on developing the semiconductor industry – the latter witnessed significant investments, alongside the Indian EV value chain’s development. According to the BMI report, the Indian government has approved investments to the tune of $15.2 billion for developing three new semiconductor manufacturing plants. Given the Red Sea crisis, companies have also accelerated de-risking their supply chains, especially for India, by diversifying their logistic routes. Also Read: Bosch Ventures boosts battery recycling with strategic investments in Cylib and Li Industries The next boost for the Indian automotive sector could be the reduction in the taxation on hybrid cars. However, Nomura Ratings suggests the Finance Ministry is unlikely to take the matter up in the next GST council. As the proposal for this had been submitted to the Finance Ministry by Nitin Gadkari, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways, there were hopes that it would be taken up in the next GST council meeting. As for South Korea, the country performed well due to access to the US EV market, subsidies through the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and increased collaboration by the local industry with Japan, Europe and US-based automotive players. In Thailand, geopolitical stability and lucrative government incentives, including tax holidays spanning three to 11 years for EV production, will help promote EV production in the country.

India leads in Asia in auto investments in Q1 2024: BMI

Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean has recognised India as an “important player on the international scene” and has extended an invitation to Indian students, tourists, and investors to visit his country.&nbsp;

In an interview with our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in Chișinău, the Moldovan capital, he praised India's economic growth, stating, “I would like to congratulate India for becoming one of the fastest-growing large economies. This is great for India and for the world as well.”

He emphasised Moldova's enthusiasm of strengthening ties with India, noting “India, we see, is becoming more and more an important player on the international scene. And we are very glad that we open our relationships with India.”&nbsp;

Prime Minister Recean expressed a desire to attract more Indian students to Moldova. He assured that Moldovan universities are gearing up to welcome additional Indian students, with English-speaking teachers, adequate learning facilities, comfortable living conditions, and affordable prices.

The PM also spoke about his country's desire to join the EU, and how it has been hosting many Ukrainian refugees amid the conflict in Ukraine. He said, "Our objective is to be an equal member of the European Union and together as a large union, to be an example for the world on how to develop and how to bring prosperity to people"

Sidhant Sibal: How do you see Moldova's relationship with the European Union evolving in the next few years, and what steps are you taking to strengthen this relationship? Are you hopeful of becoming an EU member?

Dorin Recean: Since the December decision of the Council to open negotiations of the European Union with Moldova, we are preparing legislation. We are preparing the institutions. We're preparing the society in order to make the necessary reforms to become a democratic, resilient democracy so that we qualify for this membership. In October we will have a referendum that will be about exposing this question to the people of Moldova so that they decide on this very important matter. Most of the people in Moldova, the strong majority, are already on board. We want these decisions to be taken and correspondingly be included in our constitution.

Sidhant Sibal: So, there are reports which say that your country has signed a pact with the European Union, a security pact, which will see more military engagement&nbsp;with Brussels. Can you just talk about it? Do you think that it's a change in your stance, in your neutrality stance?

Dorin Recean: In the current environment, Moldova is strengthening its defence capacity, and we understand this not only is the responsibility of Moldova and for the Moldovan society, but also for the region. This is why we have strong cooperation with the European Union but also with other allies and friends in order to strengthen our defence capabilities. We are very next to the war. Moldova actually has 1200 kilometres of border with Ukraine, where Russia is waging a brutal and unjust war against the Ukrainians. And this is why it is our responsibility to protect this border not only for us, but also for our EU member states.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: So you're confirming the signing of the security pact.

Dorin Recean: Yeah, we do have security arrangements and agreements with various countries, so that we can train, we can develop the capabilities and we can also benefit from the acquisitions of defence needs.

Sidhant Sibal: So now coming to the situation you talked about, it's been two years since the situation in Ukraine has been something that has been worrisome for not only Europe, but for the world as well. What has been the stakes for Moldova? How have you been dealing with that?&nbsp;

Dorin Recean: First of all, we have to define clearly, what is this situation in Ukraine and in Ukraine, what we have is a Russian aggression against Ukraine, against our neighbours and obviously, this affects very much, the Moldovan society, the Moldovan economy. And please know that there are also illegally stationed Russian troops here in Moldova in the Transnistrian region. So we are very much impacted by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, but also in other places. Correspondingly, we are strengthening our capabilities, we're strengthening our defence. Now not only in military terms, but also in terms of Russia waging a hybrid war against Moldova, through propaganda, through paid for protest through war, organised squads, squads to attack our police or our institutions. So, I confirm that this is very much affecting Moldova.

Sidhant Sibal: Do you think the work would spread to your country?

Dorin Recean: At this stage, it is not possible, a military escalation but as I said, Russia is waging a hybrid war against us.

Sidhant Sibal: This has also led to a major refugee crisis. Your country is&nbsp;small, and it has hosted a large number of Ukrainian refugees. If you can talk about how your country has been supporting the Ukrainian refugees for the last two years.

Dorin Recean: First of all, I would like to say that I'm very proud of the people of Moldova, when the Russian aggression started in Ukraine in February 2022. It's not only that the Moldova institutions reacted, but immediately also the Moldovan society, people of Moldova reacted, they were going to the to the borders, receiving the refugees that were running out of the Ukraine because of the war mostly children and women and close to one million refugees crossed Moldova back then. At a certain point in time, about 15% of the population were refugees. Currently, we are still hosting almost 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, half of them women, half of them children, and we take care of them. We are integrating them into our society into the public services so that children can go to the kindergarten, to the school, to the universities, but also for the adults to be part of our social care system, medical assistance system. So this is the effort that we are making for our friends and neighbours, Ukrainians.

Sidhant Sibal: What's your biggest concern or fear with the war at your doorstep? And additionally, do you foresee the war coming to an end anytime soon?

Dorin Recean: The biggest issue is the atrocities that Russia is committing in Ukraine. Killing people, killing men, women, older people, children, that is the biggest humanitarian problem. Obviously, the war next to our border is a problem for Moldova as well, in economic terms, in social terms. So this is a problem, actually, not just for Moldova, but for the whole of Europe. And I would say also for the whole of the world, when International Law is not respected and when a country is allowed to brutally intervene and to kill people in another country.

Sidhant Sibal: Switzerland is going to host the peace summit, any hopes?

Dorin Recean: I think what is important is that more and more countries agree on a solution to support Ukraine so that Ukraine can regain its territory and be able to end this war.

Sidhant Sibal: Now moving to the larger problems perhaps in Europe, how do you see immigration as an issue for the&nbsp;European continent?

Dorin Recean: I think it is important for all the countries to be able to build a system so that migration is an asset actually, and economic and social assets. And correspondingly to build the institutions but also the culture to be able to integrate into the society. We have this experience as I said, already, we're hosting almost 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and you would see that they are very much welcome here in Moldova, and Moldovans feel good about.

Sidhant Sibal: My question is largely related to immigration from outside the larger European region. What's your view? Do you see it as a challenge for Europe?

Dorin Recean: If migration is managed well, then it is an asset.

Sidhant Sibal: Now moving to something that perhaps for the first time a leader is talking about that India-Moldova relationship, how do you see the relationship between the two countries panning out?

Dorin Recean: First of all, I would like to congratulate India for becoming the fastest-growing large economies and I think this is great for India, but this is great for the world as well. India, we see, is becoming more and more an important player on the international scene. And we are very glad that we open our relationships with India. We are very glad that we opened our embassy in Delhi and hope that soon India will also open by reciprocity an embassy here in Chișinău. We see a great potential for exchanges, social exchanges, but also economic exchange. Moldova, you will see, has great potential in agriculture, particularly wines, in IT, in pharmaceuticals, in energy, and correspondingly both countries can benefit from this opportunity. I would like to mention that already. We have a large Indian contractor building our electricity, high voltage line that integrates our grid into the European Union grid. We have a large student community here of Indians, studying particularly pharmaceuticals and medicine. We would like to increase this effort so that more Indians can come here and study and work. We see great potential for the Indian IT and business service providers to open near-shoring operations here in Moldova. So, we see great potential.

Sidhant Sibal: What are you doing to get investment from India? Why should an Indian businessman invest in Moldova, what are the sectors that they should look forward to?

Dorin Recean: Let me let me tell you, the fact that Moldova has great potential as I said in pharmaceuticals, in IT, in energy, in agricultural , industrialisation of agriculture, and Moldova now has open access to the market of the European Union, which is the largest, the largest market in the world, with the most wealthy consumers. So, this is the great potential, and this is the great asset that Moldova has. The other opportunity is for the Indian investments here for equipment manufacturing for electronics, not only for the European market, but also in preparation of the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Sidhant Sibal: How do you see India's role in terms of global governance? India is a leading voice in the global south, it has taken a leadership role in many senses. So, in those ways, how do you see India taking the mantle of global leadership?&nbsp;

Dorin Recean: I said, we are we are very glad to see India growing and correspondingly this means also more responsibility and we welcome this assuming of responsibility by India to become to become a voice for the Global South, but also a voice that is making sure that the there is an equilibrium in the world. We see now, quite a number of crises and this crisis need to be managed responsibly, and big democracies are playing a very important role in making sure that international law is observed.

Sidhant Sibal: And how do you plan to welcome Indian students, something you are very interested in.

Dorin Recean: We have a special program, &nbsp;now that we have an embassy in Delhi. We have a special program to advertise and to show the opportunities over for education here in Moldova. We also opened consular services so that it is much easier to apply and receive a visa. Here at home, the universities are preparing themselves to host additional students from India with the places to learn, with the teachers speaking English with all the necessary for comfortable living and at affordable prices. So, we already have quite an important capacity to host additional students, but we are also working hard on increasing capacity. On that matter, I would like to say that the community here is quite vibrant. The city, the capital but also other cities in Moldova, are very good places to live, very good places to entertain yourself. So, this is again also a very important component of a student's experience.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: How do you plan to pitch Moldova as a tourism destination for the Indian travellers who have been pretty much going out? I mean, many countries have even announced visa-free for Indian tourists. So how will you pitch tourism for the Indian tourists?

Dorin Recean: You will see places here that you won't see anywhere in the world. I'll give you just one example. Imagine a kilometre of underground cellars and on the left side of the road and on the right side of the road, you drive by car, you'd see barrels with wine. So, I very much hope and kindly ask you to show this to Indians at home, but also to the global south. We already made virtual tours so that people can virtually travel into these Cellars. But I'm sure that nothing can compare it to actual experience. Apart from that, we have some other natural beauties that are great for tourists. We also have the so-called wine tours where you can go from winery to winery, and there you can taste various types of wines but also taste great, great food.

Sidhant Sibal: Especially when it comes to wine, Moldovan wine, I'm trying to pitch to the Indian consumer as well. I mean, it's quite popular here, I could feel that going on the streets, but Moldovan wine is still not popular in India or maybe the global south.

Dorin Recean: We have to do a bigger effort in advertising, wines and Moldovan wineries and Moldovan wine culture. Okay, what I'd like you to know is that the largest producer of wines in Central and Eastern Europe is from Moldova. The Moldovan wines are very, very good. So, what I would like to say is come to Moldova, taste the wine, and buy Moldovan wines in the local shops. Indian investors would like to invite them to come here and see the opportunities and to invest in various fields including in the agricultural industry.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Before I wind up, where do you see Moldova's place in the world?

Dorin Recean: &nbsp;Our objective is to be an equal member of the European Union and together as a large union, to be an example for the world on how to develop and how to bring prosperity to people.

Sidhant Sibal: But do you think that the war in Europe, war in Ukraine and the larger European continent could spread to your country after Ukraine it could be you and that could impact the vision you gave?

Dorin Recean: &nbsp;I am sure of&nbsp;that all democracies around the world will make a joint effort to help Ukraine to win the war. To elaborate again, its territories and to end the war.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: When it comes to Ukraine, you've already supported the Ukrainian refugees, but how are you supporting Ukraine politically?

Dorin Recean:&nbsp;We are always advocating with our friends so that they allocate more resources for the Ukrainian military, for Ukrainian restoration and for Ukrainian people.&nbsp;

Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean has recognised India as an “important player on the international scene” and has extended an invitation to Indian students, tourists, and investors to visit his country.

Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean has recognised India as an “important player on the international scene” and has extended an invitation to Indian students, tourists, and investors to visit his country. In an interview with our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in Chișinău, the Moldovan capital, he praised India's economic growth, stating, “I would like to congratulate India for becoming one of the fastest-growing large economies. This is great for India and for the world as well.” He emphasised Moldova's enthusiasm of strengthening ties with India, noting “India, we see, is becoming more and more an important player on the international scene. And we are very glad that we open our relationships with India.” Prime Minister Recean expressed a desire to attract more Indian students to Moldova. He assured that Moldovan universities are gearing up to welcome additional Indian students, with English-speaking teachers, adequate learning facilities, comfortable living conditions, and affordable prices. The PM also spoke about his country's desire to join the EU, and how it has been hosting many Ukrainian refugees amid the conflict in Ukraine. He said, "Our objective is to be an equal member of the European Union and together as a large union, to be an example for the world on how to develop and how to bring prosperity to people" Sidhant Sibal: How do you see Moldova's relationship with the European Union evolving in the next few years, and what steps are you taking to strengthen this relationship? Are you hopeful of becoming an EU member? Dorin Recean: Since the December decision of the Council to open negotiations of the European Union with Moldova, we are preparing legislation. We are preparing the institutions. We're preparing the society in order to make the necessary reforms to become a democratic, resilient democracy so that we qualify for this membership. In October we will have a referendum that will be about exposing this question to the people of Moldova so that they decide on this very important matter. Most of the people in Moldova, the strong majority, are already on board. We want these decisions to be taken and correspondingly be included in our constitution. Sidhant Sibal: So, there are reports which say that your country has signed a pact with the European Union, a security pact, which will see more military engagement with Brussels. Can you just talk about it? Do you think that it's a change in your stance, in your neutrality stance? Dorin Recean: In the current environment, Moldova is strengthening its defence capacity, and we understand this not only is the responsibility of Moldova and for the Moldovan society, but also for the region. This is why we have strong cooperation with the European Union but also with other allies and friends in order to strengthen our defence capabilities. We are very next to the war. Moldova actually has 1200 kilometres of border with Ukraine, where Russia is waging a brutal and unjust war against the Ukrainians. And this is why it is our responsibility to protect this border not only for us, but also for our EU member states. Sidhant Sibal: So you're confirming the signing of the security pact. Dorin Recean: Yeah, we do have security arrangements and agreements with various countries, so that we can train, we can develop the capabilities and we can also benefit from the acquisitions of defence needs. Sidhant Sibal: So now coming to the situation you talked about, it's been two years since the situation in Ukraine has been something that has been worrisome for not only Europe, but for the world as well. What has been the stakes for Moldova? How have you been dealing with that? Dorin Recean: First of all, we have to define clearly, what is this situation in Ukraine and in Ukraine, what we have is a Russian aggression against Ukraine, against our neighbours and obviously, this affects very much, the Moldovan society, the Moldovan economy. And please know that there are also illegally stationed Russian troops here in Moldova in the Transnistrian region. So we are very much impacted by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, but also in other places. Correspondingly, we are strengthening our capabilities, we're strengthening our defence. Now not only in military terms, but also in terms of Russia waging a hybrid war against Moldova, through propaganda, through paid for protest through war, organised squads, squads to attack our police or our institutions. So, I confirm that this is very much affecting Moldova. Sidhant Sibal: Do you think the work would spread to your country? Dorin Recean: At this stage, it is not possible, a military escalation but as I said, Russia is waging a hybrid war against us. Sidhant Sibal: This has also led to a major refugee crisis. Your country is small, and it has hosted a large number of Ukrainian refugees. If you can talk about how your country has been supporting the Ukrainian refugees for the last two years. Dorin Recean: First of all, I would like to say that I'm very proud of the people of Moldova, when the Russian aggression started in Ukraine in February 2022. It's not only that the Moldova institutions reacted, but immediately also the Moldovan society, people of Moldova reacted, they were going to the to the borders, receiving the refugees that were running out of the Ukraine because of the war mostly children and women and close to one million refugees crossed Moldova back then. At a certain point in time, about 15% of the population were refugees. Currently, we are still hosting almost 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, half of them women, half of them children, and we take care of them. We are integrating them into our society into the public services so that children can go to the kindergarten, to the school, to the universities, but also for the adults to be part of our social care system, medical assistance system. So this is the effort that we are making for our friends and neighbours, Ukrainians. Sidhant Sibal: What's your biggest concern or fear with the war at your doorstep? And additionally, do you foresee the war coming to an end anytime soon? Dorin Recean: The biggest issue is the atrocities that Russia is committing in Ukraine. Killing people, killing men, women, older people, children, that is the biggest humanitarian problem. Obviously, the war next to our border is a problem for Moldova as well, in economic terms, in social terms. So this is a problem, actually, not just for Moldova, but for the whole of Europe. And I would say also for the whole of the world, when International Law is not respected and when a country is allowed to brutally intervene and to kill people in another country. Sidhant Sibal: Switzerland is going to host the peace summit, any hopes? Dorin Recean: I think what is important is that more and more countries agree on a solution to support Ukraine so that Ukraine can regain its territory and be able to end this war. Sidhant Sibal: Now moving to the larger problems perhaps in Europe, how do you see immigration as an issue for the European continent? Dorin Recean: I think it is important for all the countries to be able to build a system so that migration is an asset actually, and economic and social assets. And correspondingly to build the institutions but also the culture to be able to integrate into the society. We have this experience as I said, already, we're hosting almost 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and you would see that they are very much welcome here in Moldova, and Moldovans feel good about. Sidhant Sibal: My question is largely related to immigration from outside the larger European region. What's your view? Do you see it as a challenge for Europe? Dorin Recean: If migration is managed well, then it is an asset. Sidhant Sibal: Now moving to something that perhaps for the first time a leader is talking about that India-Moldova relationship, how do you see the relationship between the two countries panning out? Dorin Recean: First of all, I would like to congratulate India for becoming the fastest-growing large economies and I think this is great for India, but this is great for the world as well. India, we see, is becoming more and more an important player on the international scene. And we are very glad that we open our relationships with India. We are very glad that we opened our embassy in Delhi and hope that soon India will also open by reciprocity an embassy here in Chișinău. We see a great potential for exchanges, social exchanges, but also economic exchange. Moldova, you will see, has great potential in agriculture, particularly wines, in IT, in pharmaceuticals, in energy, and correspondingly both countries can benefit from this opportunity. I would like to mention that already. We have a large Indian contractor building our electricity, high voltage line that integrates our grid into the European Union grid. We have a large student community here of Indians, studying particularly pharmaceuticals and medicine. We would like to increase this effort so that more Indians can come here and study and work. We see great potential for the Indian IT and business service providers to open near-shoring operations here in Moldova. So, we see great potential. Sidhant Sibal: What are you doing to get investment from India? Why should an Indian businessman invest in Moldova, what are the sectors that they should look forward to? Dorin Recean: Let me let me tell you, the fact that Moldova has great potential as I said in pharmaceuticals, in IT, in energy, in agricultural , industrialisation of agriculture, and Moldova now has open access to the market of the European Union, which is the largest, the largest market in the world, with the most wealthy consumers. So, this is the great potential, and this is the great asset that Moldova has. The other opportunity is for the Indian investments here for equipment manufacturing for electronics, not only for the European market, but also in preparation of the reconstruction of Ukraine. Sidhant Sibal: How do you see India's role in terms of global governance? India is a leading voice in the global south, it has taken a leadership role in many senses. So, in those ways, how do you see India taking the mantle of global leadership? Dorin Recean: I said, we are we are very glad to see India growing and correspondingly this means also more responsibility and we welcome this assuming of responsibility by India to become to become a voice for the Global South, but also a voice that is making sure that the there is an equilibrium in the world. We see now, quite a number of crises and this crisis need to be managed responsibly, and big democracies are playing a very important role in making sure that international law is observed. Sidhant Sibal: And how do you plan to welcome Indian students, something you are very interested in. Dorin Recean: We have a special program, now that we have an embassy in Delhi. We have a special program to advertise and to show the opportunities over for education here in Moldova. We also opened consular services so that it is much easier to apply and receive a visa. Here at home, the universities are preparing themselves to host additional students from India with the places to learn, with the teachers speaking English with all the necessary for comfortable living and at affordable prices. So, we already have quite an important capacity to host additional students, but we are also working hard on increasing capacity. On that matter, I would like to say that the community here is quite vibrant. The city, the capital but also other cities in Moldova, are very good places to live, very good places to entertain yourself. So, this is again also a very important component of a student's experience. Sidhant Sibal: How do you plan to pitch Moldova as a tourism destination for the Indian travellers who have been pretty much going out? I mean, many countries have even announced visa-free for Indian tourists. So how will you pitch tourism for the Indian tourists? Dorin Recean: You will see places here that you won't see anywhere in the world. I'll give you just one example. Imagine a kilometre of underground cellars and on the left side of the road and on the right side of the road, you drive by car, you'd see barrels with wine. So, I very much hope and kindly ask you to show this to Indians at home, but also to the global south. We already made virtual tours so that people can virtually travel into these Cellars. But I'm sure that nothing can compare it to actual experience. Apart from that, we have some other natural beauties that are great for tourists. We also have the so-called wine tours where you can go from winery to winery, and there you can taste various types of wines but also taste great, great food. Sidhant Sibal: Especially when it comes to wine, Moldovan wine, I'm trying to pitch to the Indian consumer as well. I mean, it's quite popular here, I could feel that going on the streets, but Moldovan wine is still not popular in India or maybe the global south. Dorin Recean: We have to do a bigger effort in advertising, wines and Moldovan wineries and Moldovan wine culture. Okay, what I'd like you to know is that the largest producer of wines in Central and Eastern Europe is from Moldova. The Moldovan wines are very, very good. So, what I would like to say is come to Moldova, taste the wine, and buy Moldovan wines in the local shops. Indian investors would like to invite them to come here and see the opportunities and to invest in various fields including in the agricultural industry. Sidhant Sibal: Before I wind up, where do you see Moldova's place in the world? Dorin Recean: Our objective is to be an equal member of the European Union and together as a large union, to be an example for the world on how to develop and how to bring prosperity to people. Sidhant Sibal: But do you think that the war in Europe, war in Ukraine and the larger European continent could spread to your country after Ukraine it could be you and that could impact the vision you gave? Dorin Recean: I am sure of that all democracies around the world will make a joint effort to help Ukraine to win the war. To elaborate again, its territories and to end the war. Sidhant Sibal: When it comes to Ukraine, you've already supported the Ukrainian refugees, but how are you supporting Ukraine politically? Dorin Recean: We are always advocating with our friends so that they allocate more resources for the Ukrainian military, for Ukrainian restoration and for Ukrainian people.

Moldova PM Recean invites Indian students and tourists, calls India ‘important player’ globally

The Indian Embassy in the capital city of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has asked Indian students to “stay indoors,” on Saturday (May 18) amid reports of mob violence which is reportedly targeting international students. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Pakistan’s Kyrgyzstan consulate has denied reports of&nbsp;alleged death and rape of Pakistani students as claims were making rounds on social media.&nbsp;

<h2>India is ‘monitoring’ the situation</h2>

“We are in touch with our students. The situation is presently calm but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Embassy in case of any issue. Our 24×7 contact number is &nbsp;0555710041,” said the Embassy of India in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, in a post on X. &nbsp;

The warning comes amid reports that a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek, where students from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are staying have been attacked amid the violence.

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In response to the post, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar said, “Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy.”

There are reportedly around&nbsp;15,000 Indian students are estimated to be in Kyrgyzstan.

<h2>Violence against students in Kyrgyzstan</h2>

According to the Pakistan Embassy in the Central Asian country, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis have been attacked.

“The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. There have been reports of light injuries to several students from Pakistan,” said Pakistan’s Kyrgyzstan consulate in a post on X.&nbsp;

It added, “Despite social media posts about alleged death and rape of Pakistani students, so far, we have not received any confirmed report.”

Multiple reports on social media have claimed that at least three Pakistani students have been killed amid the violence, but it was not immediately confirmed by officials.&nbsp;

However, a statement by Pakistan’s foreign ministry indicates that at least five students have been injured.&nbsp;

<h2>At least five Pakistanis injured</h2>

In a statement, on Saturday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed that there were “mob riots” in the Kyrghyz Republic and said that they are in contact with the Central Asian country’s government.&nbsp;

“The Kyrghyz authorities have expressed regret at the incidents of violence against foreign nationals including Pakistanis in Bishkek last night. They have also pledged to hold an inquiry and punish the perpetrators,” said Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.&nbsp;

Pakistan’s embassy in the country has opened emergency helplines and is responding to queries of students and their families, while ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Hassan Ali Zaigham has been in close contact with senior Kyrgyz authorities.&nbsp;

“According to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry, four Pakistanis were provided first aid and discharged while one is under treatment for jaw injury,” said the Pakistan foreign ministry.&nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan foreign ministry summons diplomat</h2>

Pakistan’s foreign ministry also said that the Charge d’affaires of the Kyrgyz Embassy Melis Moldaliev was called to the Foreign Office for a “demarche” by Director General Aizaz Khan.&nbsp;

“He was conveyed the deep concerns of the Government of Pakistan about the reports of last night’s incidents against Pakistani students studying in the Kyrgyz Republic.”

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“It was impressed on the Kyrgyz Charge d'affaires that the Kyrgyz government should take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani students and citizens residing in the Kyrgyz Republic,” the statement added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his concern over the situation in Bishkek and said Islamabad is “constantly monitoring the situation”.&nbsp;

“Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani &nbsp;students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan's Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance. My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation,” said the Pakistan PM, in a post on X.

<h2>'Situation under control'</h2>

"From the moment information about the incident was received, law enforcement agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic took prompt measures to detain persons involved in the event, both foreign and citizens of the&nbsp;Kyrgyz Republic," said the&nbsp;Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, in a statement.&nbsp;

However, local officials are yet to specify how many people were detained. It added, "The situation was completely under the control of the security forces. The safety of citizens and public order was ensured."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian Embassy in the capital city of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has asked Indian students to “stay indoors,” on Saturday (May 18) amid reports of mob violence which is reportedly targeting international students.

The Indian Embassy in the capital city of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has asked Indian students to “stay indoors,” on Saturday (May 18) amid reports of mob violence which is reportedly targeting international students. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Kyrgyzstan consulate has denied reports of alleged death and rape of Pakistani students as claims were making rounds on social media. India is ‘monitoring’ the situation “We are in touch with our students. The situation is presently calm but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Embassy in case of any issue. Our 24×7 contact number is 0555710041,” said the Embassy of India in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, in a post on X. The warning comes amid reports that a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek, where students from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are staying have been attacked amid the violence. Also Read | Japan changes decades-old law to allow joint custody to divorced couples In response to the post, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar said, “Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy.” There are reportedly around 15,000 Indian students are estimated to be in Kyrgyzstan. Violence against students in Kyrgyzstan According to the Pakistan Embassy in the Central Asian country, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis have been attacked. “The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. There have been reports of light injuries to several students from Pakistan,” said Pakistan’s Kyrgyzstan consulate in a post on X. It added, “Despite social media posts about alleged death and rape of Pakistani students, so far, we have not received any confirmed report.” Multiple reports on social media have claimed that at least three Pakistani students have been killed amid the violence, but it was not immediately confirmed by officials. However, a statement by Pakistan’s foreign ministry indicates that at least five students have been injured. At least five Pakistanis injured In a statement, on Saturday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed that there were “mob riots” in the Kyrghyz Republic and said that they are in contact with the Central Asian country’s government. “The Kyrghyz authorities have expressed regret at the incidents of violence against foreign nationals including Pakistanis in Bishkek last night. They have also pledged to hold an inquiry and punish the perpetrators,” said Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. Pakistan’s embassy in the country has opened emergency helplines and is responding to queries of students and their families, while ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Hassan Ali Zaigham has been in close contact with senior Kyrgyz authorities. “According to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry, four Pakistanis were provided first aid and discharged while one is under treatment for jaw injury,” said the Pakistan foreign ministry. Pakistan foreign ministry summons diplomat Pakistan’s foreign ministry also said that the Charge d’affaires of the Kyrgyz Embassy Melis Moldaliev was called to the Foreign Office for a “demarche” by Director General Aizaz Khan. “He was conveyed the deep concerns of the Government of Pakistan about the reports of last night’s incidents against Pakistani students studying in the Kyrgyz Republic.” Also Read | David DePape, man who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband sentenced to 30 years in prison “It was impressed on the Kyrgyz Charge d'affaires that the Kyrgyz government should take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani students and citizens residing in the Kyrgyz Republic,” the statement added. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his concern over the situation in Bishkek and said Islamabad is “constantly monitoring the situation”. “Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan's Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance. My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation,” said the Pakistan PM, in a post on X. 'Situation under control' "From the moment information about the incident was received, law enforcement agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic took prompt measures to detain persons involved in the event, both foreign and citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, in a statement. However, local officials are yet to specify how many people were detained. It added, "The situation was completely under the control of the security forces. The safety of citizens and public order was ensured." (With inputs from agencies)

Mob violence in Kyrgyzstan: Indian students advised to ‘stay indoors’ amid attacks; five injured

While drones have revolutionised the battlefield, it is the rise and proliferation of rockets and missiles that has impacted the battlefield and geostrategic statecraft. Their widespread employment in conjunction with traditional artillery and aircraft is the new battlefield paradigm. The global inventory of rockets and missiles has expanded geometrically. Firepower has changed drastically as rockets and missiles have been employed as geopolitical tools of coercion, as conventional weapons in battle and as a tool of power by non-state actors. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>The Geopolitical Tools of Coercion</h2>

North Korea pioneered provocative testing cum demonstrative firings of missiles and rockets as geopolitical tools of coercion since the late 70s. Initially, North Korean missiles had 50% failures. Current failure rates are only around 15%. As missile reliability improved, the North Korean threat has increased. In 2024, North Korea tested a cruise missile and IRBMs with hypersonic glide capability thrice. It keeps threatening the United States, South Korea and Japan through such firings. North Korea keeps firing a mix of unguided rockets, guided missiles and cruise missiles to keep the Eastern Pacific destabilised. It also conveys nuclear ambiguity through missile testing. It even fires conventional rockets mixed with tube artillery near inhabited areas to explicitly threaten and coerce South Korea. &nbsp;

China has a vast array of modern missiles and rockets. The PLARF is the largest ground-based missile force on earth. China regularly carries out large-scale rocket and missile firing demonstratively along with naval and air exercises to threaten and coerce Taiwan. The larger message is to demonstrate China’s resolve and capability to annex Taiwan, fight and win wars and project power globally. China uses the PLARF to convey its credibility and capabilities of nuclear deterrence and counterattack, strengthen intermediate and long-range precision strike forces, and enhance strategic counter-balance capability. It is a potent threat to China’s neighbours and adversaries. It also gives the PLA the ability to influence local, regional, and global military conflicts. In simple terms, it is geopolitical coercion on a global scale.&nbsp;

<h2>Rockets and Missiles in Conventional Battles</h2>

The &nbsp;Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict indicated how conventional wars will be fought using rockets, missiles, drones, and artillery. While its highlight was the extensive use of drones to complement conventional artillery, it also featured the heavy use of missiles and rocket artillery. This aspect has largely gone unnoticed. &nbsp;Both sides deployed and employed a range of rockets and missiles. These were a combination of legacy systems of the USSR era as also modern systems procured from different sources individually. Azerbaijan invested more into its rocket and missile arsenal to include guided rockets and MLRS systems to engage targets up to 200 km in depth. The balance tipped in Azerbaijan’s favour due to better drones and rocket artillery and a willingness to use them in an innovative and integrated manner. &nbsp;

The violence of firepower and its centrality in battle is reinforced in the Ukraine war. &nbsp;Employment of guns, rockets and missiles – guided, cruise and hypersonic has been unrestricted, imaginative and extensive. &nbsp;Major lessons have been drawn. Terrain, ground or weather might deter, inhibit or preclude the employment of Air, Infantry and Armour but nothing deters long-range Artillery. It overcomes terrain friction by striking deep. Despite static front lines, the daily situation changes due to orchestrated firepower strikes across the battlefield. Long-range vectors generate strategic as well as battlefield manoeuvre. They have been used to achieve political aims by deliberate firing on specified targets. Russia has postured with nuclear warheads and fired conventional warheads to achieve deterrence. It has done so through extensive use of air, hypersonic/cruise/guided missiles, rockets, and guns to deter NATO from getting directly involved. Ukraine uses rockets and cruise missiles imaginatively to deliver crucial blows to Russia. It has sunk a large part of the Russian Navy. &nbsp;Rockets and missiles have been used innovatively in executing ‘firepower ambushes’, &nbsp;undertaking ‘track and kill’ operations and carrying out ‘spoiling attacks’. A major factor which has emerged is that rockets and missiles used in conjunction with drones and a good command and control system dominate conventional battlefields.&nbsp;

<h2>The Non-State Tool of Power</h2>

The Houthi movement to grab power in Yemen is decades old. When the Saudis intervened, Iran stepped in. It provided the Houthis with a liberal supply of rockets and missiles. Once Saudi Arabia and Iran got involved, the Yemen civil war acquired local, regional and international flavours. “The Missile War in Yemen” &nbsp;marks the rise in the use of rockets and ballistic missiles by nonstate actors/proxies. Houthis have fired innumerable rockets and missiles locally at Yemen’s Government and Saudi bases, population centres, and infrastructure to trigger a humanitarian crisis. Regionally, Houthis have used a combination of cruise missiles, unguided rockets, ballistic missiles and armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack Saudi Arabia. The most spectacular being the 2019 ARAMCO attacks of Abqaiq and Khurais oil refineries. The Houthi SAMs have downed many &nbsp;Saudi coalition force aircraft. Their rocket and missile arsenal has secured a power-sharing agreement in Yemen. The Houthis are exercising ‘sea denial’ from land by firing drones and anti-ship cruise missiles against international shipping, oil tankers and U.S. Navy warships in the Red Sea. The Houthi arsenal of long-range missiles and drones has complicated the prospect of restoring peace and stability in West Asia or normalising international trade. &nbsp;

The Iran-backed Hezbollah is the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor, described as ‘a militia trained like an army and equipped like a state’. Its rocket and missile arsenal is arrayed against Israel. Hezbollah’s missile inventory is mostly unguided surface-to-surface artillery rockets which lack precision or lethality. However, sheer numbers and volume make them potent weapons of terror. From the 2006 Lebanon war to now, they have expanded from 15,000 rockets and missiles to about 130,000-150,000. Hezbollah uses them as tools of terror and deterrence.&nbsp; 
Hezbollah’s ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics make detection, &nbsp;suppression and retaliation extremely difficult. It negates Israeli airpower. &nbsp;Hence, Hezbollah and Israeli troops are on equal footing in battle. It gives an advantage to Hezbollah which fights from behind a civilian façade like all non-state actors. Hezbollah and Houthi forces are collaborating to develop and employ rockets and missiles against Israel. Hezbollah is pushing to acquire longer-range precision-guided munitions. It has some rockets and missiles with a range of up to even 250 km. This is feasible due to the proliferation of missile technology by Iran.&nbsp;

Hamas was estimated to possess around 6000 rockets in a mix of short (15-20 km), medium ( 45 km) and long (100-200 km) range rockets. Hamas has adapted ideas from the Houthis and Hezbollah with Iranian assistance. Hamas specialises in making crude rockets using water pipes and filling them with any available explosive. Though erratic, they strike terror and make defiant political statements. Hamas uses civilian infrastructure and tunnels to camouflage and store these weapons. Hamas used to fire rockets into Israel from civilian areas of the Gaza Strip. It demonstrates their power to retaliate and even needle Israel to pursue their aims. These have also been used by Hamas to provoke Israel into indiscriminate retaliatory action and enmesh it in a humanitarian trap like they have done in the ongoing conflict.&nbsp;

Iran’s rockets and missile power were on display in its recent demonstrative strike on Israel. The strategic message in that strike is that sheer numbers and volumes can overwhelm air defences. Iran also proliferates rockets &amp; missiles to most of the non-state actors in West Asia. This enables Iran to project power and gain recognition of being an important player in the region. Iran is a case study in power projection far beyond borders without a strong navy or Air Force. Iran has offset this deficiency with its missile arsenal. Incidentally, this tactic is being used by China against the USA in the Western Pacific and against India in the Himalayas.&nbsp;

<h2>The Rise of Rockets and Missiles</h2>

Rockets and missiles are the choice tools of power, coercion and terror for the state as well as non-state actors. Their enhanced ranges outpace conventional artillery or aircraft. When combined with drones, they expand and threaten every corner of the battlefield. They have heralded a new vista of non-contact warfare with positive escalatory controls. They are also cheaper and far less complicated than air forces to acquire and maintain. They are flexible in employment and light on training and infrastructure requirement. The array of rockets and missiles is vast and can be produced through crude methods as also sophisticated processes as per capability and requirement. Rockets and missiles can be used as weapons of terror and mass destruction interchangeably. Their visual impact is high with enhanced propaganda value. They are capable of precision over longer ranges, unlike guns. Their survivability against air defences is far higher than aircraft. Very importantly they can be employed in conventional and nuclear roles. Technology gives better options in producing and employing rockets and missiles en masse. Modern missiles with higher speeds, range, navigation, advanced materials, and endurance can be developed at speed through dual-use space technologies. The evolution of hypersonic missiles is a new chapter on the horizon. The use of rockets and missiles combined with drones and satellite systems backed by AI-driven command and control systems is deadly and set to grow in modern warfare.

<h2>The Indian Scene</h2>

While there is some clamour for a Rocket Force in India, we need to see it in perspective. India has the technology and wherewithal to produce any kind of rocket or missile. It has a reasonable inventory and adequate capability to accelerate production. What it lacks is the vision to put it all together. A major part of the inability is a lack of Recce Strike Integration thinking. Integration of surveillance and long-range firepower through a dedicated command and control system is sorely lacking. More importantly, a national strategy is lacking. ISRO and DRDO don’t exactly see eye to eye. Each Service has its own philosophy at variance with the other. The Army myopia reduced the number of rocket regiments in its long-term plans! As the ranges of engagement have increased, &nbsp;the Indian Artillery, which incidentally is the most modern Arm of the Army, has been stripped of integral deep surveillance and targeting capability! Believe it or not! Over time, long-range and aerial observation capability birthed in Artillery has been bifurcated from it by our ‘Dritharashtric’ planners. While the rest of the world is integrating firepower, surveillance and observation through repurposed apps in battle, we have systematically disintegrated our structure! &nbsp;No. We do not need a rocket force. We need integrated thinking and jointness. We sorely lack that at almost every level. &nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) &nbsp;

While drones have revolutionised the battlefield, it is the rise and proliferation of rockets and missiles that has impacted the battlefield and geostrategic statecraft.

While drones have revolutionised the battlefield, it is the rise and proliferation of rockets and missiles that has impacted the battlefield and geostrategic statecraft. Their widespread employment in conjunction with traditional artillery and aircraft is the new battlefield paradigm. The global inventory of rockets and missiles has expanded geometrically. Firepower has changed drastically as rockets and missiles have been employed as geopolitical tools of coercion, as conventional weapons in battle and as a tool of power by non-state actors. The Geopolitical Tools of Coercion North Korea pioneered provocative testing cum demonstrative firings of missiles and rockets as geopolitical tools of coercion since the late 70s. Initially, North Korean missiles had 50% failures. Current failure rates are only around 15%. As missile reliability improved, the North Korean threat has increased. In 2024, North Korea tested a cruise missile and IRBMs with hypersonic glide capability thrice. It keeps threatening the United States, South Korea and Japan through such firings. North Korea keeps firing a mix of unguided rockets, guided missiles and cruise missiles to keep the Eastern Pacific destabilised. It also conveys nuclear ambiguity through missile testing. It even fires conventional rockets mixed with tube artillery near inhabited areas to explicitly threaten and coerce South Korea. China has a vast array of modern missiles and rockets. The PLARF is the largest ground-based missile force on earth. China regularly carries out large-scale rocket and missile firing demonstratively along with naval and air exercises to threaten and coerce Taiwan. The larger message is to demonstrate China’s resolve and capability to annex Taiwan, fight and win wars and project power globally. China uses the PLARF to convey its credibility and capabilities of nuclear deterrence and counterattack, strengthen intermediate and long-range precision strike forces, and enhance strategic counter-balance capability. It is a potent threat to China’s neighbours and adversaries. It also gives the PLA the ability to influence local, regional, and global military conflicts. In simple terms, it is geopolitical coercion on a global scale. Rockets and Missiles in Conventional Battles The Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict indicated how conventional wars will be fought using rockets, missiles, drones, and artillery. While its highlight was the extensive use of drones to complement conventional artillery, it also featured the heavy use of missiles and rocket artillery. This aspect has largely gone unnoticed. Both sides deployed and employed a range of rockets and missiles. These were a combination of legacy systems of the USSR era as also modern systems procured from different sources individually. Azerbaijan invested more into its rocket and missile arsenal to include guided rockets and MLRS systems to engage targets up to 200 km in depth. The balance tipped in Azerbaijan’s favour due to better drones and rocket artillery and a willingness to use them in an innovative and integrated manner. The violence of firepower and its centrality in battle is reinforced in the Ukraine war. Employment of guns, rockets and missiles – guided, cruise and hypersonic has been unrestricted, imaginative and extensive. Major lessons have been drawn. Terrain, ground or weather might deter, inhibit or preclude the employment of Air, Infantry and Armour but nothing deters long-range Artillery. It overcomes terrain friction by striking deep. Despite static front lines, the daily situation changes due to orchestrated firepower strikes across the battlefield. Long-range vectors generate strategic as well as battlefield manoeuvre. They have been used to achieve political aims by deliberate firing on specified targets. Russia has postured with nuclear warheads and fired conventional warheads to achieve deterrence. It has done so through extensive use of air, hypersonic/cruise/guided missiles, rockets, and guns to deter NATO from getting directly involved. Ukraine uses rockets and cruise missiles imaginatively to deliver crucial blows to Russia. It has sunk a large part of the Russian Navy. Rockets and missiles have been used innovatively in executing ‘firepower ambushes’, undertaking ‘track and kill’ operations and carrying out ‘spoiling attacks’. A major factor which has emerged is that rockets and missiles used in conjunction with drones and a good command and control system dominate conventional battlefields. The Non-State Tool of Power The Houthi movement to grab power in Yemen is decades old. When the Saudis intervened, Iran stepped in. It provided the Houthis with a liberal supply of rockets and missiles. Once Saudi Arabia and Iran got involved, the Yemen civil war acquired local, regional and international flavours. “The Missile War in Yemen” marks the rise in the use of rockets and ballistic missiles by nonstate actors/proxies. Houthis have fired innumerable rockets and missiles locally at Yemen’s Government and Saudi bases, population centres, and infrastructure to trigger a humanitarian crisis. Regionally, Houthis have used a combination of cruise missiles, unguided rockets, ballistic missiles and armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack Saudi Arabia. The most spectacular being the 2019 ARAMCO attacks of Abqaiq and Khurais oil refineries. The Houthi SAMs have downed many Saudi coalition force aircraft. Their rocket and missile arsenal has secured a power-sharing agreement in Yemen. The Houthis are exercising ‘sea denial’ from land by firing drones and anti-ship cruise missiles against international shipping, oil tankers and U.S. Navy warships in the Red Sea. The Houthi arsenal of long-range missiles and drones has complicated the prospect of restoring peace and stability in West Asia or normalising international trade. The Iran-backed Hezbollah is the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor, described as ‘a militia trained like an army and equipped like a state’. Its rocket and missile arsenal is arrayed against Israel. Hezbollah’s missile inventory is mostly unguided surface-to-surface artillery rockets which lack precision or lethality. However, sheer numbers and volume make them potent weapons of terror. From the 2006 Lebanon war to now, they have expanded from 15,000 rockets and missiles to about 130,000-150,000. Hezbollah uses them as tools of terror and deterrence. Hezbollah’s ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics make detection, suppression and retaliation extremely difficult. It negates Israeli airpower. Hence, Hezbollah and Israeli troops are on equal footing in battle. It gives an advantage to Hezbollah which fights from behind a civilian façade like all non-state actors. Hezbollah and Houthi forces are collaborating to develop and employ rockets and missiles against Israel. Hezbollah is pushing to acquire longer-range precision-guided munitions. It has some rockets and missiles with a range of up to even 250 km. This is feasible due to the proliferation of missile technology by Iran. Hamas was estimated to possess around 6000 rockets in a mix of short (15-20 km), medium ( 45 km) and long (100-200 km) range rockets. Hamas has adapted ideas from the Houthis and Hezbollah with Iranian assistance. Hamas specialises in making crude rockets using water pipes and filling them with any available explosive. Though erratic, they strike terror and make defiant political statements. Hamas uses civilian infrastructure and tunnels to camouflage and store these weapons. Hamas used to fire rockets into Israel from civilian areas of the Gaza Strip. It demonstrates their power to retaliate and even needle Israel to pursue their aims. These have also been used by Hamas to provoke Israel into indiscriminate retaliatory action and enmesh it in a humanitarian trap like they have done in the ongoing conflict. Iran’s rockets and missile power were on display in its recent demonstrative strike on Israel. The strategic message in that strike is that sheer numbers and volumes can overwhelm air defences. Iran also proliferates rockets & missiles to most of the non-state actors in West Asia. This enables Iran to project power and gain recognition of being an important player in the region. Iran is a case study in power projection far beyond borders without a strong navy or Air Force. Iran has offset this deficiency with its missile arsenal. Incidentally, this tactic is being used by China against the USA in the Western Pacific and against India in the Himalayas. The Rise of Rockets and Missiles Rockets and missiles are the choice tools of power, coercion and terror for the state as well as non-state actors. Their enhanced ranges outpace conventional artillery or aircraft. When combined with drones, they expand and threaten every corner of the battlefield. They have heralded a new vista of non-contact warfare with positive escalatory controls. They are also cheaper and far less complicated than air forces to acquire and maintain. They are flexible in employment and light on training and infrastructure requirement. The array of rockets and missiles is vast and can be produced through crude methods as also sophisticated processes as per capability and requirement. Rockets and missiles can be used as weapons of terror and mass destruction interchangeably. Their visual impact is high with enhanced propaganda value. They are capable of precision over longer ranges, unlike guns. Their survivability against air defences is far higher than aircraft. Very importantly they can be employed in conventional and nuclear roles. Technology gives better options in producing and employing rockets and missiles en masse. Modern missiles with higher speeds, range, navigation, advanced materials, and endurance can be developed at speed through dual-use space technologies. The evolution of hypersonic missiles is a new chapter on the horizon. The use of rockets and missiles combined with drones and satellite systems backed by AI-driven command and control systems is deadly and set to grow in modern warfare. The Indian Scene While there is some clamour for a Rocket Force in India, we need to see it in perspective. India has the technology and wherewithal to produce any kind of rocket or missile. It has a reasonable inventory and adequate capability to accelerate production. What it lacks is the vision to put it all together. A major part of the inability is a lack of Recce Strike Integration thinking. Integration of surveillance and long-range firepower through a dedicated command and control system is sorely lacking. More importantly, a national strategy is lacking. ISRO and DRDO don’t exactly see eye to eye. Each Service has its own philosophy at variance with the other. The Army myopia reduced the number of rocket regiments in its long-term plans! As the ranges of engagement have increased, the Indian Artillery, which incidentally is the most modern Arm of the Army, has been stripped of integral deep surveillance and targeting capability! Believe it or not! Over time, long-range and aerial observation capability birthed in Artillery has been bifurcated from it by our ‘Dritharashtric’ planners. While the rest of the world is integrating firepower, surveillance and observation through repurposed apps in battle, we have systematically disintegrated our structure! No. We do not need a rocket force. We need integrated thinking and jointness. We sorely lack that at almost every level. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Rise of rockets and missiles in conflicts

The close aide of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, Bibhav Kumar was arrested, on Saturday (May 18) for allegedly assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.&nbsp;

<h2>Why was Kumar arrested?</h2>

Maliwal, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), alleged that she was “slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked” by Kumar at the Delhi CM’s residence on May 13.&nbsp;

She also alleged that the Delhi CM’s aide slapped her multiple times in the face and kicked her on the chest, stomach, and sensitive parts.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Swati Maliwal registers case against Delhi CM Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar

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The arrest comes a day after Maliwal said that Kumar assaulted her in the drawing room of the Delhi CM’s official residence on the morning of May 13 when Kejriwal was present inside the house.&nbsp;

The Rajya Sabha MP also claims that she had informed the staff about her presence and was asked to wait when Kumar suddenly ran into the room and began verbally abusing her.&nbsp;

“I made noise and said ‘Let me go,’ but he kept beating me continuously and abusing me in Hindi. He threatened, ‘We will see, we will deal with it’. I informed him that I was menstruating and in considerable pain, begging him to leave me alone,” Maliwal said, as per the FIR.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/swati-maliwal-assault-case-delhi-cm-arvind-kejriwals-aide-bibhav-kumar-detained-by-police-722744">Swati Maliwal assault case: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar arrested</a>

The Delhi CM’s aide was also summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW), on Friday concerning the allegations levelled against him.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Bibhav Kumar?</h2>

Bibhav Kumar, the man at the centre of the latest controversy&nbsp;has been accused of physical assault, verbal abuse, and criminal intimidation.&nbsp;

The Delhi CM’s aide has been described as a “bridge” to Kejriwal as well as the AAP leader’s eyes and ears, reported the Indian Express citing party insiders. He is also said to be the person who handles everything for the Delhi CM from his personal phone to his insulin doses.&nbsp;

According to media reports, Kumar first came into contact with Kejriwal during the India Against Corruption Movement where he reportedly worked as a video journalist.&nbsp;

Notably, he had also been under scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the excise policy case as well as alleged irregularities within the Delhi Jal Board.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/swati-maliwal-claims-kerjiwals-aide-slapped-kicked-on-chest-and-pelvis-area-in-her-fir-722491">Swati Maliwal claims Kerjiwal's aide 'slapped, kicked on chest and pelvis area’ in her FIR</a>

Earlier this year, ED conducted raids at 12 locations, including those connected to Kumar and another AAP lawmaker ND Gupta. The Delhi CM’s aide was also questioned regarding some documents in the excise probe.&nbsp;

A few days after the raids, Kumar was terminated as the personal secretary to the Delhi CM due to an order by the Directorate of Vigilance as he had a pending case against him.&nbsp;

The law prohibits the employment of individuals with criminal charges against them in government services.&nbsp;

The Delhi CM’s aide was first hired as a private secretary on a co-coterminous contract in 2015 and was retained in 2020 when AAP formed the government again.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The close aide of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, Bibhav Kumar was arrested, on Saturday (May 18) for allegedly assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.

The close aide of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, Bibhav Kumar was arrested, on Saturday (May 18) for allegedly assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Why was Kumar arrested? Maliwal, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), alleged that she was “slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked” by Kumar at the Delhi CM’s residence on May 13. She also alleged that the Delhi CM’s aide slapped her multiple times in the face and kicked her on the chest, stomach, and sensitive parts. WATCH | Swati Maliwal registers case against Delhi CM Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar The arrest comes a day after Maliwal said that Kumar assaulted her in the drawing room of the Delhi CM’s official residence on the morning of May 13 when Kejriwal was present inside the house. The Rajya Sabha MP also claims that she had informed the staff about her presence and was asked to wait when Kumar suddenly ran into the room and began verbally abusing her. “I made noise and said ‘Let me go,’ but he kept beating me continuously and abusing me in Hindi. He threatened, ‘We will see, we will deal with it’. I informed him that I was menstruating and in considerable pain, begging him to leave me alone,” Maliwal said, as per the FIR. Also Read | Swati Maliwal assault case: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar arrested The Delhi CM’s aide was also summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW), on Friday concerning the allegations levelled against him. Who is Bibhav Kumar? Bibhav Kumar, the man at the centre of the latest controversy has been accused of physical assault, verbal abuse, and criminal intimidation. The Delhi CM’s aide has been described as a “bridge” to Kejriwal as well as the AAP leader’s eyes and ears, reported the Indian Express citing party insiders. He is also said to be the person who handles everything for the Delhi CM from his personal phone to his insulin doses. According to media reports, Kumar first came into contact with Kejriwal during the India Against Corruption Movement where he reportedly worked as a video journalist. Notably, he had also been under scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the excise policy case as well as alleged irregularities within the Delhi Jal Board. Also Read | Swati Maliwal claims Kerjiwal's aide 'slapped, kicked on chest and pelvis area’ in her FIR Earlier this year, ED conducted raids at 12 locations, including those connected to Kumar and another AAP lawmaker ND Gupta. The Delhi CM’s aide was also questioned regarding some documents in the excise probe. A few days after the raids, Kumar was terminated as the personal secretary to the Delhi CM due to an order by the Directorate of Vigilance as he had a pending case against him. The law prohibits the employment of individuals with criminal charges against them in government services. The Delhi CM’s aide was first hired as a private secretary on a co-coterminous contract in 2015 and was retained in 2020 when AAP formed the government again. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Bibhav Kumar? Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s aide arrested for allegedly assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India's market watchdog, has proposed that multiple agencies regulate cryptocurrency transactions, the clearest indication yet that some authorities in the country are willing to consider private virtual assets. This differs from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which continues to see private digital currencies as a macroeconomic threat, according to documents examined by Reuters.

The records, provided to a government group charged with developing policy for the finance ministry, indicate SEBI's previously undisclosed viewpoint. This contrasts with India's previously strict stance on cryptocurrencies, which began in 2018 with the RBI prohibiting lenders and financial intermediaries from engaging with crypto firms. The restriction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2020. The administration proposed a bill to ban private cryptocurrencies in 2021, but it has yet to be introduced. India proposed a worldwide regulatory framework for such assets last year while holding the G20 presidency.

The RBI is firmly opposed to stablecoins, citing macroeconomic dangers. A source acquainted with the panel's talks, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that the panel plans to complete its findings by June. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that have a stable value because they are pegged to fiat currencies, minimising volatility.

In contrast, SEBI's recommendations propose that multiple regulators control bitcoin operations within their respective sectors, rather than establishing a single unified digital asset regulator. SEBI recommended that it monitor cryptocurrencies that are regarded securities as well as handle Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). SEBI may also grant licenses for stock market-related cryptocurrency products, comparable to the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States.

SEBI suggested that the RBI regulate cryptocurrency assets backed by fiat currencies. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) would oversee virtual assets relating to insurance and pensions, respectively. SEBI proposed that investor issues be addressed through India's Consumer Protection Act.

The RBI's proposal highlighted fiscal policy risks, claiming that cryptocurrencies could promote tax evasion and that decentralised peer-to-peer transactions rely on voluntary compliance, posing a threat to fiscal stability. The central bank also cautioned about a probable loss of "seigniorage" income, which is the profit from currency production.

According to a PwC analysis in December, 31 nations have policies in place that allow for bitcoin trading. Following the Supreme Court's reversal of the RBI's 2018 order, the central bank increased compliance with rigorous anti-money laundering and foreign exchange regulations, thereby keeping cryptocurrencies out of India's formal financial system. Despite these measures, the crypto trade thrived. In 2022, the government put a levy on cryptocurrency transactions and required local registration for exchanges that facilitate cryptocurrency trades in India.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India's market watchdog, has proposed that multiple agencies regulate cryptocurrency transactions, the clearest indication yet that some authorities in the country are willing to consider private virtual assets.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India's market watchdog, has proposed that multiple agencies regulate cryptocurrency transactions, the clearest indication yet that some authorities in the country are willing to consider private virtual assets. This differs from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which continues to see private digital currencies as a macroeconomic threat, according to documents examined by Reuters. The records, provided to a government group charged with developing policy for the finance ministry, indicate SEBI's previously undisclosed viewpoint. This contrasts with India's previously strict stance on cryptocurrencies, which began in 2018 with the RBI prohibiting lenders and financial intermediaries from engaging with crypto firms. The restriction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2020. The administration proposed a bill to ban private cryptocurrencies in 2021, but it has yet to be introduced. India proposed a worldwide regulatory framework for such assets last year while holding the G20 presidency. The RBI is firmly opposed to stablecoins, citing macroeconomic dangers. A source acquainted with the panel's talks, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that the panel plans to complete its findings by June. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that have a stable value because they are pegged to fiat currencies, minimising volatility. In contrast, SEBI's recommendations propose that multiple regulators control bitcoin operations within their respective sectors, rather than establishing a single unified digital asset regulator. SEBI recommended that it monitor cryptocurrencies that are regarded securities as well as handle Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). SEBI may also grant licenses for stock market-related cryptocurrency products, comparable to the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States. SEBI suggested that the RBI regulate cryptocurrency assets backed by fiat currencies. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) would oversee virtual assets relating to insurance and pensions, respectively. SEBI proposed that investor issues be addressed through India's Consumer Protection Act. The RBI's proposal highlighted fiscal policy risks, claiming that cryptocurrencies could promote tax evasion and that decentralised peer-to-peer transactions rely on voluntary compliance, posing a threat to fiscal stability. The central bank also cautioned about a probable loss of "seigniorage" income, which is the profit from currency production. According to a PwC analysis in December, 31 nations have policies in place that allow for bitcoin trading. Following the Supreme Court's reversal of the RBI's 2018 order, the central bank increased compliance with rigorous anti-money laundering and foreign exchange regulations, thereby keeping cryptocurrencies out of India's formal financial system. Despite these measures, the crypto trade thrived. In 2022, the government put a levy on cryptocurrency transactions and required local registration for exchanges that facilitate cryptocurrency trades in India. (With inputs from Reuters)

India's SEBI recommends multi-regulator approach for cryptocurrencies amid RBI opposition

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (May 16), took a swipe at Samajwadi Party's leader Akhilesh Yadav, saying he should question Mamata Banerjee as to why she calls the people hailing from UP as outsiders in West Bengal.

"I want to ask one question from the SP's 'shehzade,' since you are so close to your new bua (Mamata Banerjee), have you ever asked her why she calls people from UP outsiders in West Bengal," PM Modi said as he launched a scathing attack at former UP chief minister.

"We all are Indians. We are the children of 'Bharat Mata'. Then why TMC [Trinamool Congress] abuses people from Uttar Pradesh who go there? 'Are Babua, zara apni bua ko puch to lo [please ask your aunt]' And after abusing them, she comes to Uttar Pradesh and asks for votes," he added.

"There is only one thing that connects SP and TMC and that is appeasement. The contractors of appeasement want to change India's identity," the Indian prime minister said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/centre-recommends-increase-in-reservation-quota-for-obcs-in-public-employment-in-punjab-west-bengal-722057">Centre recommends increase in reservation quota for OBCs in public employment in Punjab, West Bengal</a>

<h2>PM Modi denounces Congress and SP's stance on Ram Mandir</h2>

The Indian prime minister further denounced the Congress and the Samajwadi Party's stance on the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and accused Rahul Gandhi of intending to put up a lock on the Hindu temple.

"During their time (SP's rule), what kind of condition used to be of roads and ghats of Ayodhya and Banaras? Tell me, didn't you (the public) feel hurt by seeing such a situation? ... Today, the magnificent mandir is in front of our eyes. When Ram Lalla was in the tent, didn't you feel the pain? Ram Lalla has been seated in Ram mandir but these people are still not accepting it.

"SP leaders are saying that Ram Mandir is useless. The Shehzada of Congress (Rahul Gandhi) wants to change the court order and put up a lock on Ram Mandir and wants to force Ram Lalla to live in a tent. Will you let their intentions be a success?"

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (May 16), took a swipe at Samajwadi Party's leader Akhilesh Yadav, saying he should question Mamata Banerjee as to why she calls the people hailing from UP as outsiders in West Bengal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (May 16), took a swipe at Samajwadi Party's leader Akhilesh Yadav, saying he should question Mamata Banerjee as to why she calls the people hailing from UP as outsiders in West Bengal. "I want to ask one question from the SP's 'shehzade,' since you are so close to your new bua (Mamata Banerjee), have you ever asked her why she calls people from UP outsiders in West Bengal," PM Modi said as he launched a scathing attack at former UP chief minister. "We all are Indians. We are the children of 'Bharat Mata'. Then why TMC [Trinamool Congress] abuses people from Uttar Pradesh who go there? 'Are Babua, zara apni bua ko puch to lo [please ask your aunt]' And after abusing them, she comes to Uttar Pradesh and asks for votes," he added. "There is only one thing that connects SP and TMC and that is appeasement. The contractors of appeasement want to change India's identity," the Indian prime minister said. Also read: Centre recommends increase in reservation quota for OBCs in public employment in Punjab, West Bengal PM Modi denounces Congress and SP's stance on Ram Mandir The Indian prime minister further denounced the Congress and the Samajwadi Party's stance on the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and accused Rahul Gandhi of intending to put up a lock on the Hindu temple. "During their time (SP's rule), what kind of condition used to be of roads and ghats of Ayodhya and Banaras? Tell me, didn't you (the public) feel hurt by seeing such a situation? ... Today, the magnificent mandir is in front of our eyes. When Ram Lalla was in the tent, didn't you feel the pain? Ram Lalla has been seated in Ram mandir but these people are still not accepting it. "SP leaders are saying that Ram Mandir is useless. The Shehzada of Congress (Rahul Gandhi) wants to change the court order and put up a lock on Ram Mandir and wants to force Ram Lalla to live in a tent. Will you let their intentions be a success?" (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi takes dig at Akhilesh Yadav; 'ask Mamata why she calls people of UP outsiders'

The Indian financial capital, Mumbai, witnessed a chaotic beginning to the season’s first rain, on Monday (May 13) after strong winds and a brief dust storm knocked down a massive billboard which reportedly killed eight&nbsp;people and&nbsp;injured dozens of others.&nbsp;

At least 16 people&nbsp;were killed and more than 70 others were injured after&nbsp;a 100-foot-tall hoarding collapsed in the city’s Ghatkopar area on Monday evening amid rain and gusty wind, reported news agency ANI citing local civil officials.&nbsp;

So far,&nbsp;88 people have been rescued, said the&nbsp;National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). One team of NDRF personnel was deployed earlier to help with the search and rescue operation.&nbsp;

Around 64 people were taken to the&nbsp;Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar and one person is in "critical condition," said&nbsp;BMC Commissioner&nbsp;Bhushan Gagrani. He also said that the death toll has risen to eight.&nbsp;

<h2>Video: Massive billboard collapses</h2>

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मुंबई में भारी बारिश और तूफान से गिर गया इतना बड़ा Billboard , कुछ लोगों के फंसे होने की आशंका<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mumbai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mumbairains?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mumbairains</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/billboard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#billboard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/storm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#storm</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DustStorm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DustStorm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rains?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rains</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z7jFefBnBs">pic.twitter.com/Z7jFefBnBs</a>
— Adv Jony Ambedkarwadi (@TheJonyVerma) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJonyVerma/status/1789996230958829777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Mumbai meh kisiki Panauti lag gayi aaj😭😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Duststrom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Duststrom</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiWeather?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiWeather</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a> <a href="https://t.co/OcsaVZmKjP">pic.twitter.com/OcsaVZmKjP</a>
— Pritesh Shah (@priteshshah_) <a href="https://twitter.com/priteshshah_/status/1789997185322365150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The board fell on a petrol pump along the Eastern Express Highway prompting police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, and other agencies to rush to the site.&nbsp;

After the incident,&nbsp;Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra&nbsp;Devendra Fadnavis took to X and said, "A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident."

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde also arrived at the site to&nbsp;take stock of the situation on Monday evening. "Rescuing the people is our priority. Government will take care of the treatment of those who are injured in the incident," said the CM.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He added, "Rs 5 lakh&nbsp;($5,987) will be given to the family of those who have lost their lives. I have directed the concerned authorities to audit all such hoardings in Mumbai."&nbsp;

“Some people are feared trapped under the hoarding and a search and rescue operation is underway,” said the local officials, according to news agency PTI.&nbsp;

The Mumbai police took to X and said that the collapse took place at 4:30 pm (local time).&nbsp;

<h2>‘Scary’ incident in Wadala leaves one person trapped in car</h2>

In a separate incident in the city’s Wadala area, a 14-storey parking structure, near Barkat Ali Naka, also collapsed. One person was reportedly trapped inside one of the cars.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a> 
 
Scary visuals of the Scaffolding Collapse at Barkat Ali Naka, Wadala East Antop Hill.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiRains</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThunderStorm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThunderStorm</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DustStorm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DustStorm</a> <a href="https://t.co/Thfik2ugSZ">pic.twitter.com/Thfik2ugSZ</a>
— मुंबई Matters™ (@mumbaimatterz) <a href="https://twitter.com/mumbaimatterz/status/1789990275420410280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The incident also left around 30-50 cars damaged, according to media reports. The police and Mumbai Fire Brigade have reached the site.&nbsp;

<h2>Flights disrupted</h2>

As many as 15 flights were diverted from the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) after it suspended operations for over an hour due to low visibility and rains, according to the airport operator.&nbsp;

The flights were diverted to different airports and the operation of the runway resumed at 5:03 pm (local time), said the airport, in a statement.&nbsp;

“Due to the inclement weather and dust storms in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) temporarily suspended flight operations for around 66 minutes due to low visibility and gusty winds.”

It added, “CSMIA last week completed its pre-monsoon runway maintenance successfully, ensuring safe and smooth aircraft operations. Committed to efficiency and passenger safety, the airport remains steadfast to prioritize seamless operations.”

<h2>Metros and local trains disrupted</h2>

Metro services between Aarey and Andheri East metro stations were suspended after a banner landed on the overhead wire due to strong winds, said a spokesperson from Metro Rail, as per PTI.

Local trains were also disrupted after an overhead equipment pole between Thane and Mulund stations got bent. Additionally, suburban services on the Main Line were suspended, said the spokesperson of Central Railway.&nbsp;

<h2>Mumbaikars on social media</h2>

Residents of the city were quick to take to social media after the skies suddenly turned dark around Monday evening and strong winds and a dust storm followed.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DustStorm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DustStorm</a> over Lower Parel. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiRains</a> <a href="https://t.co/eVBz2JUsrP">pic.twitter.com/eVBz2JUsrP</a>
— Mumbai Weather (@IndiaWeatherMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaWeatherMan/status/1789968546467926324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Mumbai weather update</h2>

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a “nowcast warning” for Thane, Palghar and Mumbai.&nbsp;

“Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and light to moderate spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph is very likely to occur at isolated places in Mumbai in the next 3-4 hours,” said an official from IMD.&nbsp;

While the rainfall has brought some respite to Mumbai and its surrounding area from the scorching heat, power outages and incidents of trees falling were reported in multiple parts of the city.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Indian financial capital, Mumbai, witnessed a chaotic beginning to the season’s first rain, on Monday (May 13) after strong winds and a brief dust storm knocked down a massive billboard which reportedly killed eight people and injured dozens of others.

The Indian financial capital, Mumbai, witnessed a chaotic beginning to the season’s first rain, on Monday (May 13) after strong winds and a brief dust storm knocked down a massive billboard which reportedly killed eight people and injured dozens of others. At least 16 people were killed and more than 70 others were injured after a 100-foot-tall hoarding collapsed in the city’s Ghatkopar area on Monday evening amid rain and gusty wind, reported news agency ANI citing local civil officials. So far, 88 people have been rescued, said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). One team of NDRF personnel was deployed earlier to help with the search and rescue operation. Around 64 people were taken to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar and one person is in "critical condition," said BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. He also said that the death toll has risen to eight. Video: Massive billboard collapses मुंबई में भारी बारिश और तूफान से गिर गया इतना बड़ा Billboard , कुछ लोगों के फंसे होने की आशंका#mumbai #mumbairains #billboard #storm#DustStorm #Rains pic.twitter.com/Z7jFefBnBs — Adv Jony Ambedkarwadi (@TheJonyVerma) May 13, 2024 × Mumbai meh kisiki Panauti lag gayi aaj😭😭#Duststrom#MumbaiWeather #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/OcsaVZmKjP — Pritesh Shah (@priteshshah_) May 13, 2024 × The board fell on a petrol pump along the Eastern Express Highway prompting police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, and other agencies to rush to the site. After the incident, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis took to X and said, "A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident." Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde also arrived at the site to take stock of the situation on Monday evening. "Rescuing the people is our priority. Government will take care of the treatment of those who are injured in the incident," said the CM. He added, "Rs 5 lakh ($5,987) will be given to the family of those who have lost their lives. I have directed the concerned authorities to audit all such hoardings in Mumbai." “Some people are feared trapped under the hoarding and a search and rescue operation is underway,” said the local officials, according to news agency PTI. The Mumbai police took to X and said that the collapse took place at 4:30 pm (local time). ‘Scary’ incident in Wadala leaves one person trapped in car In a separate incident in the city’s Wadala area, a 14-storey parking structure, near Barkat Ali Naka, also collapsed. One person was reportedly trapped inside one of the cars. #Mumbai Scary visuals of the Scaffolding Collapse at Barkat Ali Naka, Wadala East Antop Hill.#MumbaiRains#ThunderStorm#DustStorm pic.twitter.com/Thfik2ugSZ — मुंबई Matters™ (@mumbaimatterz) May 13, 2024 × The incident also left around 30-50 cars damaged, according to media reports. The police and Mumbai Fire Brigade have reached the site. Flights disrupted As many as 15 flights were diverted from the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) after it suspended operations for over an hour due to low visibility and rains, according to the airport operator. The flights were diverted to different airports and the operation of the runway resumed at 5:03 pm (local time), said the airport, in a statement. “Due to the inclement weather and dust storms in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) temporarily suspended flight operations for around 66 minutes due to low visibility and gusty winds.” It added, “CSMIA last week completed its pre-monsoon runway maintenance successfully, ensuring safe and smooth aircraft operations. Committed to efficiency and passenger safety, the airport remains steadfast to prioritize seamless operations.” Metros and local trains disrupted Metro services between Aarey and Andheri East metro stations were suspended after a banner landed on the overhead wire due to strong winds, said a spokesperson from Metro Rail, as per PTI. Local trains were also disrupted after an overhead equipment pole between Thane and Mulund stations got bent. Additionally, suburban services on the Main Line were suspended, said the spokesperson of Central Railway. Mumbaikars on social media Residents of the city were quick to take to social media after the skies suddenly turned dark around Monday evening and strong winds and a dust storm followed. #DustStorm over Lower Parel. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/eVBz2JUsrP — Mumbai Weather (@IndiaWeatherMan) May 13, 2024 × Mumbai weather update The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a “nowcast warning” for Thane, Palghar and Mumbai. “Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and light to moderate spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph is very likely to occur at isolated places in Mumbai in the next 3-4 hours,” said an official from IMD. While the rainfall has brought some respite to Mumbai and its surrounding area from the scorching heat, power outages and incidents of trees falling were reported in multiple parts of the city. (With inputs from agencies)

Mumbai: 16 killed, more than 70 injured as massive billboard collapses in Ghatkopar amid rains, gusty winds

In a bizarre case out of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a woman has reportedly asked for a divorce from her husband who did not get a Rs 5 ($0.06) packet of Kurkure, a popular crunchy snack in India.&nbsp;

<h2>What we know about the case</h2>

According to media reports, the woman was addicted to the snack and demanded that her husband buy one packet for her daily. However, one day he forgot to buy the snack and she left the house after an argument with her husband.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/patanjali-misleading-ads-case-top-court-urges-ramdev-to-wield-influence-responsibly-slams-ima-chief-721426">Patanjali misleading ads case: Top court urges Ramdev to wield influence responsibly; slams IMA chief</a>

She went back to her parents’ house and had reportedly been living there for a month and a half before she approached the police and sought a divorce. According to reports, the Shahganj police in Agra summoned the couple for family counselling.&nbsp;

It was found that the couple had tied the knot last year and while everything seemed fine initially. However,&nbsp;over the next few months, the husband reportedly became worried about his wife's unusual craving for the snack as she&nbsp;would ask him to get it for her every day.&nbsp;

According to the husband, his wife’s odd appetite for the snack had become a point of contention between them.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-admits-kejriwals-aide-misbehaved-with-swati-maliwal-in-delhi-cms-drawing-room-721373">AAP admits Kejriwal’s aide ‘misbehaved’ with MP Swati Maliwal in Delhi CM’s drawing room</a>

However, the wife has reportedly claimed that he left her husband’s house because he beat her. The police are investigating the claims made by the couple.&nbsp;

This comes after reports that another couple in the city of Agra sought a divorce after the wife refused to wear a saree of her husband’s choice which became a source of dispute between them.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

In a bizarre case out of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a woman has reportedly asked for a divorce from her husband who did not get a Rs 5 ($0.06) packet of Kurkure, a popular crunchy snack in India.

In a bizarre case out of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a woman has reportedly asked for a divorce from her husband who did not get a Rs 5 ($0.06) packet of Kurkure, a popular crunchy snack in India. What we know about the case According to media reports, the woman was addicted to the snack and demanded that her husband buy one packet for her daily. However, one day he forgot to buy the snack and she left the house after an argument with her husband. Also Read | Patanjali misleading ads case: Top court urges Ramdev to wield influence responsibly; slams IMA chief She went back to her parents’ house and had reportedly been living there for a month and a half before she approached the police and sought a divorce. According to reports, the Shahganj police in Agra summoned the couple for family counselling. It was found that the couple had tied the knot last year and while everything seemed fine initially. However, over the next few months, the husband reportedly became worried about his wife's unusual craving for the snack as she would ask him to get it for her every day. According to the husband, his wife’s odd appetite for the snack had become a point of contention between them. Also Read | AAP admits Kejriwal’s aide ‘misbehaved’ with MP Swati Maliwal in Delhi CM’s drawing room However, the wife has reportedly claimed that he left her husband’s house because he beat her. The police are investigating the claims made by the couple. This comes after reports that another couple in the city of Agra sought a divorce after the wife refused to wear a saree of her husband’s choice which became a source of dispute between them. (With inputs from agencies)

India: UP woman asks for divorce after husband forgets to buy her packet of Kurkure

In a key development aimed at bolstering tourism and connectivity between India and Cambodia, direct flights are set to commence between the two countries starting June 16. This move, facilitated by Cambodia’s Angkor Air will help in enhancing travel opportunities for both Indian tourists visiting Cambodia and Cambodian visitors exploring India.

Speaking to WION, Cambodian Ambassador Kuong Koy, said these direct flights are the result of concerted efforts by leaders from both countries, especially the civil aviation ministers. Ambassador Kuong Koy expressed his joy, calling this development "a dream come true," highlighting the benefits of increased connectivity, particularly in promoting tourism due to Cambodia's rich heritage of Hindu and Buddhist temples.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/flip-flop-seen-over-us-stance-on-chabahar-port-721239">Flip-flop seen over US stance on Chabahar port</a>

This new direct flight service is expected to not only significantly increase the flow of tourists between the two countries but also facilitate easier travel for those seeking medical tourism in India, which is known for its lower treatment costs compared to neighbouring countries.

Cambodia is home to Angkor Wat, recognised as the world's largest religious structure. Built in the early 12th century, the temple was originally dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu.&nbsp;

Seila Hul, under secretary of state for Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism, anticipated a rise in Indian tourists visiting Cambodia, emphasising the positive impact of these direct flights on bilateral tourism.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-ambassador-eric-garcetti-wanted-india-to-buy-russian-oil-to-stabilize-prices-720995">US Ambassador Eric Garcetti: ‘Wanted India to buy Russian oil to stabilise prices’</a>

Seila Hul said, "the first flight from Phnom Penh to Delhi will increase the number of Indian tourists coming to our country, and also from Cambodia to India." Chhay Sivlin, President of Cambodia's Tourism Association, &nbsp;echoed this sentiment, stating, "India is rich in culture, and India and Cambodia have similarities in culture. We have Hinduism, and for Hindu people, Cambodia has a lot of opportunity."

With flights scheduled four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) between Phnom Penh and New Delhi, the direct air links offer convenient options for travellers.

In a key development aimed at bolstering tourism and connectivity between India and Cambodia, direct flights are set to commence between the two countries starting June 16.

In a key development aimed at bolstering tourism and connectivity between India and Cambodia, direct flights are set to commence between the two countries starting June 16. This move, facilitated by Cambodia’s Angkor Air will help in enhancing travel opportunities for both Indian tourists visiting Cambodia and Cambodian visitors exploring India. Speaking to WION, Cambodian Ambassador Kuong Koy, said these direct flights are the result of concerted efforts by leaders from both countries, especially the civil aviation ministers. Ambassador Kuong Koy expressed his joy, calling this development "a dream come true," highlighting the benefits of increased connectivity, particularly in promoting tourism due to Cambodia's rich heritage of Hindu and Buddhist temples. Also Read | Flip-flop seen over US stance on Chabahar port This new direct flight service is expected to not only significantly increase the flow of tourists between the two countries but also facilitate easier travel for those seeking medical tourism in India, which is known for its lower treatment costs compared to neighbouring countries. Cambodia is home to Angkor Wat, recognised as the world's largest religious structure. Built in the early 12th century, the temple was originally dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu. Seila Hul, under secretary of state for Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism, anticipated a rise in Indian tourists visiting Cambodia, emphasising the positive impact of these direct flights on bilateral tourism. Also Read | US Ambassador Eric Garcetti: ‘Wanted India to buy Russian oil to stabilise prices’ Seila Hul said, "the first flight from Phnom Penh to Delhi will increase the number of Indian tourists coming to our country, and also from Cambodia to India." Chhay Sivlin, President of Cambodia's Tourism Association, echoed this sentiment, stating, "India is rich in culture, and India and Cambodia have similarities in culture. We have Hinduism, and for Hindu people, Cambodia has a lot of opportunity." With flights scheduled four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) between Phnom Penh and New Delhi, the direct air links offer convenient options for travellers.

Cambodia-India direct flights set to boost tourism, connectivity

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said that the United States had encouraged India to purchase Russian oil to stabilise global commodity prices. Speaking at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations last week, Ambassador Garcetti stated, "They brought Russian Oil because we wanted somebody to buy Russian oil at a price cap, that was not a violation. It was the design of the policy because as a design of the commodity we didn't want the price of the commodity to go up, they fulfilled that."

The Ambassador's comments show a U-turn in US policy towards Russian energy imports by India. In the aftermath of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US publicly urged countries, including India, to reduce their dependence on Russian energy sources. The then US deputy NSA Daleep Singh had visited Delhi in early 2022 during which he warned of "consequences" if India continued to increase its imports of Russian energy. He made the remarks at a select press briefing.

Evidently, this stance was reinforced in April of the same year when the White House explicitly advised India against accelerating or expanding its imports of Russian energy. 
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also repeatedly acknowledged the pressure exerted on India to refrain from purchasing Russian oil. During an address in Amritsar last week, Jaishankar highlighted the economic implications, stating that if India had yielded to this pressure, petrol prices would have surged by at least Rs 20 per litre.

At the Council on Foreign Relations address, Ambassador Garcetti also underscored the enduring bond between the US and India, describing it as a "loyal relationship." He emphasised the deep people-to-people connections, he said, "Everybody that is in power there (in India), has family, has studied, served in the US. It is smart power advantage'"

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said that the United States had encouraged India to purchase Russian oil to stabilise global commodity prices. Speaking at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations last week, Ambassador Garcetti stated, "They brought Russian Oil because we wanted somebody to buy Russian oil at a price cap, that was not a violation.

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said that the United States had encouraged India to purchase Russian oil to stabilise global commodity prices. Speaking at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations last week, Ambassador Garcetti stated, "They brought Russian Oil because we wanted somebody to buy Russian oil at a price cap, that was not a violation. It was the design of the policy because as a design of the commodity we didn't want the price of the commodity to go up, they fulfilled that." The Ambassador's comments show a U-turn in US policy towards Russian energy imports by India. In the aftermath of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US publicly urged countries, including India, to reduce their dependence on Russian energy sources. The then US deputy NSA Daleep Singh had visited Delhi in early 2022 during which he warned of "consequences" if India continued to increase its imports of Russian energy. He made the remarks at a select press briefing. Evidently, this stance was reinforced in April of the same year when the White House explicitly advised India against accelerating or expanding its imports of Russian energy. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also repeatedly acknowledged the pressure exerted on India to refrain from purchasing Russian oil. During an address in Amritsar last week, Jaishankar highlighted the economic implications, stating that if India had yielded to this pressure, petrol prices would have surged by at least Rs 20 per litre. At the Council on Foreign Relations address, Ambassador Garcetti also underscored the enduring bond between the US and India, describing it as a "loyal relationship." He emphasised the deep people-to-people connections, he said, "Everybody that is in power there (in India), has family, has studied, served in the US. It is smart power advantage'"

US Ambassador Eric Garcetti: ‘Wanted India to buy Russian oil to stabilise prices’

The legendary song of Muhammad Iqbal "Saare Jahan Se Achha" was played by a group of musicians in the corridors of the White House as the Indian snack "pani puri" was served by the stewards in the lawns as the United States celebrated the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month on Monday (May 13).

The legendary song of Muhammad Iqbal "Saare Jahan Se Achha" was played by a group of musicians in the corridors of the White House as the Indian snack "pani puri" was served by the stewards in the lawns as the United States celebrated the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month on Monday (May 13). The event was attended by United States President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. It was held to celebrate 25 years since the establishment of the White House Initiative and the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Thrilled to hear Saare Jahan Se accha Hindustan Hamara played at WHite House AANHPI heritage celebration hosted by President @JoeBiden with VP Harris @VP . Paanipuri and Khoya dish was also served .stronger US India relationship . @PMOIndia @narendramodi @DrSJaishankar @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/1M5lViwbF2 — Ajay Jain (@ajainb) May 14, 2024 × In a first, the leaders from five presidential administrations gathered to honour the significant milestone and recognise the AA and NHPI communities' contributions to American society. Also Read: ‘Grown man running against a 6-year-old’: Biden roasts Trump at White House correspondents’ dinner AA and NHPI heritage has been part of history of US: Biden The glimpses of the celebration were shared by Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria from inside the White House. The photos and videos showed a beautiful celebration of minority communities in the US. “This was an amazing celebration of the White House’s AANHPI Heritage Month at the Rose Garden. The best part was that as I walked into the White House, I was greeted by the musicians playing ‘Sare Jahan se Accha Hindustan Hamara’ (Our Hindustan is better than the entire world)," said Indian American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria, while speaking to PTI in an interview. Watch: Israel-hamas war: White House claims Biden reiterated position on Rafah in Netanyahu call Taking to X, Ajay Jain wrote, “Thrilled to hear Saare Jahan Se acha Hindustan Hamara played at White House AANHPI heritage celebration hosted by President Joe Biden with VP Harris. Paanipuri and Khoya dish was also served. Stronger US-India relationship." Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, speaking at the event, said, "From Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders whose ancestors have called their lands home for hundreds of years to Asian immigrants who have newly arrived and those whose families have been here for generations - AA and NHPI heritage has long been a part of the history of our great country and a defining force in the soul of our nation." (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: White House corridors echo with 'Saare Jahan Se Accha' as attendees dig on pani puris

In what comes as a sad news for motorsport enthusiasts in the country, MotoGP is set to drop India from the 2024 calendar, replacing it with Kazakhstan GP, according to a report in motorsport.

In what comes as a sad news for motorsport enthusiasts in the country, MotoGP is set to drop India from the 2024 calendar, replacing it with Kazakhstan GP, according to a report in motorsport.com. The championship was hosted for the first time at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) on the outskirts of the capital city of Delhi in September last year, as part of the sport's expansion in South Asia. Though the race was delivered successfully, despite some troubles, the last few months have seemingly dented hopes of MotoGP returning to the subcontinent. The report states that promoter Fairstreet Sports hasn’t paid its dues to certain vendors, including Dorna - the exclusive commercial rights holder to the MotoGP World Championship., recently bought by Formula One owner Liberty Media. The high-ranking Dorna officials had set a May 20 deadline for Fairstreet to settle the dues. However, taking the previous delays into account, it appears highly unlikely that the Indian promoter will be able to catch up with the payments. With India nearly out of the calendar, plans are being chalked up to replace it with the inaugural Kazakhstan Grand Prix on September 20-22. "Dorna has made several visits to Sokol and also to Almaty, the most populous city in Kazakhstan with the intention of ensuring that all the necessary infrastructures are in place," the report stated. The series originally had 22 races in the 2024 calendar but the cancellation of the Argentina GP and India GP has brought down to 20. Also read | Max Verstappen's dad might be the reason if at all he decides to leave Red Bull: Ex-driver Previous instances This is not the first instance when a motorsport event has been cancelled in India. Earlier this year, Formula E announced the cancellation of the Hyderabad E-Prix, alleging a contract breach by the Telangana government. The second Formula E race in India was slated to take place on February 10. "The cancellation comes following a decision by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD), under the control of the Government of Telangana, not to fulfil the Host City Agreement signed on 30 October 2023," Formula E said in a statement. The introduction of MotoGP and Formula E had raised hopes among Indian spectators that Formula 1 would make its long-awaited return to BIC, having staged three Indian Grand Prix between 2011 and 2013. However, given the quick cancellations, it appears unlikely that Liberty Media will take the risk again. (With inputs from agencies)

After F1 and Formula E, MotoGP set to dump India. Know why

The Maldivian government, on Monday (May 13) said India has extended “budgetary support” to the island nation with a rollover of a $50 million Treasury Bill. This comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned&nbsp;Male against the looming “debt distress” as it looks to borrow more from China.&nbsp;

<h2>About India’s budgetary support</h2>

Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer took to X and thanked his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar and the Government of India for “extending vital budgetary support to Maldives with the rollover of USD 50 million Treasury Bill.”&nbsp;

He added, “This is a true gesture of goodwill which signifies the longstanding friendship between #Maldives and #India.”&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;India donates 2 helicopters&nbsp;to Maldives; pilots say 'unable to fly them'

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In a statement, the foreign ministry said that the Indian government’s decision to roll over the Treasury Bill came after a request by Zameer during his official bilateral visit to India, earlier this year.&nbsp;

“The Government of Maldives is highly appreciative of the generous support that Government of India has been providing to the Maldives in the form of budgetary support,” said the Maldivian foreign ministry.&nbsp;

A large number&nbsp;of infrastructural developmental&nbsp;and high-impact community developmental projects are underway with assistance from the Indian government, “which consists of a notable part as grant assistance,” it added.

The recent budgetary support from New Delhi to Male comes amid&nbsp;relations between the two countries&nbsp; deteriorating after pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu took office and demanded that all Indian military personnel operating the island nation’s three aviation platforms leave.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-admits-lack-of-qualified-pilots-for-indian-donated-aircraft-amidst-military-personnel-withdrawal-720694">As Indian soldiers leave, Maldives admits their pilots cannot fly aircraft donated by India</a>

Earlier this month, India withdrew its 76 troops from Maldives and replaced them with civilian employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).&nbsp;

<h2>IMF’s warning to Maldives&nbsp;</h2>

The IMF, on Monday, warned Maldives that it remained at a “high risk of external and overall debt distress” without “significant policy changes”.&nbsp;

“Uncertainty surrounding the outlook is high and risks are tilted to the downside, including from delayed fiscal consolidation and weaker growth in key sources markets for tourism,” said the United States-based organisation in a statement.&nbsp;

The IMF has also urged Maldives to urgently raise revenue, cut spending and reduce external borrowing to avoid a major economic crisis.

Notably, tourism is the largest contributor to the Maldivian economy and accounts for at least 28 per cent of its GDP.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Maldives urged Indians to visit the island nation in large numbers after a significant fall in the number of tourists from India in the first four months of 2024, amid Muizzu’s ‘India Out’ rhetoric and after some top Maldivian officials made disrespectful remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/without-saying-sorry-to-our-pm-indians-react-to-maldivian-ministers-request-to-continue-visiting-maldives-719805">'Without saying sorry to our PM...': Indians troll minister who asked them to visit Maldives</a>

Meanwhile, China has stepped in and pledged more funding for Maldives after Muizzu’s victory, who has promised to build thousands of houses, reclaim more land for urban development and upgrade airports, all with Chinese funding.&nbsp;

A report by AFP citing official data said the island nation’s foreign debt reached $4.038 billion last year, which is about 118 per cent of its GDP.&nbsp;

China is also Maldives’ biggest lender, with the Export-Import Bank of China owning 25.2 per cent of the island nation’s debt, as of June 2023.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Maldivian government, on Monday (May 13) said India has extended “budgetary support” to the island nation with a rollover of a $50 million Treasury Bill. This comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Male against the looming “debt distress” as it looks to borrow more from China.

The Maldivian government, on Monday (May 13) said India has extended “budgetary support” to the island nation with a rollover of a $50 million Treasury Bill. This comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Male against the looming “debt distress” as it looks to borrow more from China. About India’s budgetary support Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer took to X and thanked his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar and the Government of India for “extending vital budgetary support to Maldives with the rollover of USD 50 million Treasury Bill.” He added, “This is a true gesture of goodwill which signifies the longstanding friendship between #Maldives and #India.” WATCH | India donates 2 helicopters to Maldives; pilots say 'unable to fly them' In a statement, the foreign ministry said that the Indian government’s decision to roll over the Treasury Bill came after a request by Zameer during his official bilateral visit to India, earlier this year. “The Government of Maldives is highly appreciative of the generous support that Government of India has been providing to the Maldives in the form of budgetary support,” said the Maldivian foreign ministry. A large number of infrastructural developmental and high-impact community developmental projects are underway with assistance from the Indian government, “which consists of a notable part as grant assistance,” it added. The recent budgetary support from New Delhi to Male comes amid relations between the two countries deteriorating after pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu took office and demanded that all Indian military personnel operating the island nation’s three aviation platforms leave. Also Read | As Indian soldiers leave, Maldives admits their pilots cannot fly aircraft donated by India Earlier this month, India withdrew its 76 troops from Maldives and replaced them with civilian employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). IMF’s warning to Maldives The IMF, on Monday, warned Maldives that it remained at a “high risk of external and overall debt distress” without “significant policy changes”. “Uncertainty surrounding the outlook is high and risks are tilted to the downside, including from delayed fiscal consolidation and weaker growth in key sources markets for tourism,” said the United States-based organisation in a statement. The IMF has also urged Maldives to urgently raise revenue, cut spending and reduce external borrowing to avoid a major economic crisis. Notably, tourism is the largest contributor to the Maldivian economy and accounts for at least 28 per cent of its GDP. Earlier this month, Maldives urged Indians to visit the island nation in large numbers after a significant fall in the number of tourists from India in the first four months of 2024, amid Muizzu’s ‘India Out’ rhetoric and after some top Maldivian officials made disrespectful remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read | 'Without saying sorry to our PM...': Indians troll minister who asked them to visit Maldives Meanwhile, China has stepped in and pledged more funding for Maldives after Muizzu’s victory, who has promised to build thousands of houses, reclaim more land for urban development and upgrade airports, all with Chinese funding. A report by AFP citing official data said the island nation’s foreign debt reached $4.038 billion last year, which is about 118 per cent of its GDP. China is also Maldives’ biggest lender, with the Export-Import Bank of China owning 25.2 per cent of the island nation’s debt, as of June 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

India gives Maldives $50mn in budgetary support as IMF warns island nation of ‘debt distress’

Several hospitals and the international airport in Delhi received bomb threats via email on Sunday (May 12), according to local officials. This comes days after similar threats were sent to more than 100 schools.&nbsp;

<h2>Delhi bomb threat: What we know so far</h2>

The threat emails were first reported by Burari Hospital and Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in the national capital in the afternoon, prompting authorities to dispatch multiple teams of bomb disposal squads at both locations.&nbsp;

According to the Delhi Police, nothing suspicious was found at the Burari Hospital, which received the threat around 3:00 pm (local time).&nbsp;The officials had earlier said local police and the Bomb Disposal Teams (BDT) are at the two hospitals and a search operation is underway.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bomb-threat-in-delhi-schools-govt-issues-advisory-fir-registered-against-unknown-717140">Bomb threat in Delhi schools: Govt issues advisory, FIR registered against unknown people</a>

Hours after bomb threat emails at the hospitals were reported, a report by news agency ANI citing the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said that the Indira Gandhi International Airport also received a bomb threat email.&nbsp;

DFS chief Atul Garg said that they received the call from the IGI Airport at around 6:15 pm (local time) and fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.&nbsp;

Over the day,&nbsp;bomb threats were reported from IGI Airport Terminal-3, Burari Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Dabri's Dada Dev Hospital and Aruna Asaf Ali Government Hospital in Civil Lines, reported news agency PTI citing&nbsp;a senior DFS official.&nbsp;

The security at all the locations had been beefed up but&nbsp;nothing suspicious has been recovered from anywhere, so far.&nbsp;

"Enhanced security protocols are now in effect, and safety measures have been intensified. Legal action has been initiated. No suspicious items have been found as of now. Please remain calm and disregard any rumours," said&nbsp;Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), IGI Airport Usha Rangnani, as per ANI.&nbsp;

<h2>More airports receive bomb threats</h2>

Over the day it was also found that IGI airport was not the only one which received a bomb threat.&nbsp;

Jaipur International Airport witnessed chaos after it received the email prompting&nbsp;security personnel, police, and bomb disposal squad to search the airport, however, nothing was found, reported IANS.&nbsp;

According to reports, at least 12 airports including&nbsp;Raja Bhoj Airport (Bhopal), and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Ahmedabad) received bomb threats on Sunday.&nbsp;

A bomb threat email was sent to 12 airports across the country including Jaipur International Airport, said an IANS report.

“Explosive devices have been installed in the buildings of Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Jammu, Lucknow, Patna, Agartala, Aurangabad, Bagdhugra, Bhopal and Calicut airports. There will be a blast in a few hours. Do not consider this mail as a threat. Defuse the bomb, otherwise many innocent people will die,” read the email.

<h2>Bomb scare at schools</h2>

Earlier this month, over 100 schools in the Indian national capital, a few in the adjoining region of Gautam Buddha Nagar also known as Noida, and one in Lucknow received bomb threats via email.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-bomb-threat-police-refute-fake-news-about-suspicious-objects-recovered-from-schools-717279">Delhi bomb threat: Police say clues hint at 'big conspiracy'; probing China, ISI links</a>

The e-mails were sent to 131 schools in the Indian capital, five in Gurugram, and three in Noida and Greater Noida.&nbsp;

Around three days after that incident, three schools in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat also received threats.&nbsp;

At the time, a thorough search and investigation of the institutions by police officers, bomb detection teams, bomb disposal squads, and officials of the Delhi Fire Service revealed nothing. Because of this, the threats were concluded to be hoaxes.

The police tried to trace the origin of the hoax bomb emails and said that they are believed to have been sent from Russia and were aimed at creating panic.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Several hospitals and the international airport in Delhi received bomb threats via email on Sunday (May 12), according to local officials. This comes days after similar threats were sent to more than 100 schools.

Several hospitals and the international airport in Delhi received bomb threats via email on Sunday (May 12), according to local officials. This comes days after similar threats were sent to more than 100 schools. Delhi bomb threat: What we know so far The threat emails were first reported by Burari Hospital and Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in the national capital in the afternoon, prompting authorities to dispatch multiple teams of bomb disposal squads at both locations. According to the Delhi Police, nothing suspicious was found at the Burari Hospital, which received the threat around 3:00 pm (local time). The officials had earlier said local police and the Bomb Disposal Teams (BDT) are at the two hospitals and a search operation is underway. Also Read | Bomb threat in Delhi schools: Govt issues advisory, FIR registered against unknown people Hours after bomb threat emails at the hospitals were reported, a report by news agency ANI citing the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said that the Indira Gandhi International Airport also received a bomb threat email. DFS chief Atul Garg said that they received the call from the IGI Airport at around 6:15 pm (local time) and fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. Over the day, bomb threats were reported from IGI Airport Terminal-3, Burari Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Dabri's Dada Dev Hospital and Aruna Asaf Ali Government Hospital in Civil Lines, reported news agency PTI citing a senior DFS official. The security at all the locations had been beefed up but nothing suspicious has been recovered from anywhere, so far. "Enhanced security protocols are now in effect, and safety measures have been intensified. Legal action has been initiated. No suspicious items have been found as of now. Please remain calm and disregard any rumours," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), IGI Airport Usha Rangnani, as per ANI. More airports receive bomb threats Over the day it was also found that IGI airport was not the only one which received a bomb threat. Jaipur International Airport witnessed chaos after it received the email prompting security personnel, police, and bomb disposal squad to search the airport, however, nothing was found, reported IANS. According to reports, at least 12 airports including Raja Bhoj Airport (Bhopal), and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Ahmedabad) received bomb threats on Sunday. A bomb threat email was sent to 12 airports across the country including Jaipur International Airport, said an IANS report. “Explosive devices have been installed in the buildings of Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Jammu, Lucknow, Patna, Agartala, Aurangabad, Bagdhugra, Bhopal and Calicut airports. There will be a blast in a few hours. Do not consider this mail as a threat. Defuse the bomb, otherwise many innocent people will die,” read the email. Bomb scare at schools Earlier this month, over 100 schools in the Indian national capital, a few in the adjoining region of Gautam Buddha Nagar also known as Noida, and one in Lucknow received bomb threats via email. Also Read | Delhi bomb threat: Police say clues hint at 'big conspiracy'; probing China, ISI links The e-mails were sent to 131 schools in the Indian capital, five in Gurugram, and three in Noida and Greater Noida. Around three days after that incident, three schools in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat also received threats. At the time, a thorough search and investigation of the institutions by police officers, bomb detection teams, bomb disposal squads, and officials of the Delhi Fire Service revealed nothing. Because of this, the threats were concluded to be hoaxes. The police tried to trace the origin of the hoax bomb emails and said that they are believed to have been sent from Russia and were aimed at creating panic. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi bomb threat: Several hospitals, airports receive threatening emails after scare at schools

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 12) hit out at West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress party stating that infiltrators were flourishing under the leadership of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

He further vowed to the people that no one could stop the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state.

While addressing a rally in Barrackpur, PM Modi gave five "guarantees" to the people of West Bengal.

"I want to give five guarantees to the people of Bengal: - Nobody can give reservations based on religion. Reservations for SC, ST, and OBC will not be touched. Nobody can stop you from celebrating Ram Navami. The judgement of the Supreme Court on Ram Mandir will not be quashed. Nobody can stop the implementation of CAA," PM Modi said.

The Indian prime minister further lashed out at the opposition stating that they had projected the CAA as if it was a "villain".

"A law like CAA, which protects humanity, but opposition made it a villain. CAA is a law to give citizenship to the victims, it does not take away anyone's citizenship. But parties like Congress-TMC painted it with the colour of their lies for vote bank politics," he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-hits-out-at-rahul-gandhi-over-debate-challenge-to-modi-is-he-pm-candidate-720561">Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over debate challenge to Modi: 'Is he PM candidate?'</a>

<h2>TMC advocating 'Break in India',&nbsp;says PM Modi</h2>

PM Modi then hit out at the state government saying that TMC was raising the slogan of 'Break in India' to counter the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.

He accused the party of destroying society, law and order, and unity in India.

"Amid BJP's efforts of development, TMC is busy in its 'own work'. What is the work of TMC and its leaders? 'Yaha mafia raj chal raha hai. Modi kahta hai har ghar jal, TMC kahti hai, har ghar bomb'. Just a few days ago, a bomb exploded, snatching away children's lives. Life has become difficult for mothers, sisters, and daughters here. Today BJP is emphasising 'Make in India', but TMC is raising the slogan of 'Break in India'. TMC is dividing the society, TMC is breaking the law, TMC is breaking the unity," PM Modi said.

He said that the goons of the party were threatening the women of Sandeshkhali referring to the infamous incident.

"Goons of TMC are threatening the women of Sandeshkhali only because the culprit's name is Shahjahan Sheikh. They are trying their best to save and protect him from legal action. Don't be afraid of TMC. You must give your full mandate to our candidate; each vote will reach me. Viksit Bengal is crucial for Viksit Bharat," the PM said.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 12) hit out at West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress party stating that infiltrators were flourishing under the leadership of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 12) hit out at West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress party stating that infiltrators were flourishing under the leadership of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He further vowed to the people that no one could stop the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state. While addressing a rally in Barrackpur, PM Modi gave five "guarantees" to the people of West Bengal. "I want to give five guarantees to the people of Bengal: - Nobody can give reservations based on religion. Reservations for SC, ST, and OBC will not be touched. Nobody can stop you from celebrating Ram Navami. The judgement of the Supreme Court on Ram Mandir will not be quashed. Nobody can stop the implementation of CAA," PM Modi said. The Indian prime minister further lashed out at the opposition stating that they had projected the CAA as if it was a "villain". "A law like CAA, which protects humanity, but opposition made it a villain. CAA is a law to give citizenship to the victims, it does not take away anyone's citizenship. But parties like Congress-TMC painted it with the colour of their lies for vote bank politics," he said. Also read: Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over debate challenge to Modi: 'Is he PM candidate?' TMC advocating 'Break in India', says PM Modi PM Modi then hit out at the state government saying that TMC was raising the slogan of 'Break in India' to counter the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative. He accused the party of destroying society, law and order, and unity in India. "Amid BJP's efforts of development, TMC is busy in its 'own work'. What is the work of TMC and its leaders? 'Yaha mafia raj chal raha hai. Modi kahta hai har ghar jal, TMC kahti hai, har ghar bomb'. Just a few days ago, a bomb exploded, snatching away children's lives. Life has become difficult for mothers, sisters, and daughters here. Today BJP is emphasising 'Make in India', but TMC is raising the slogan of 'Break in India'. TMC is dividing the society, TMC is breaking the law, TMC is breaking the unity," PM Modi said. He said that the goons of the party were threatening the women of Sandeshkhali referring to the infamous incident. "Goons of TMC are threatening the women of Sandeshkhali only because the culprit's name is Shahjahan Sheikh. They are trying their best to save and protect him from legal action. Don't be afraid of TMC. You must give your full mandate to our candidate; each vote will reach me. Viksit Bengal is crucial for Viksit Bharat," the PM said. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi lists out 5 guarantees to Bengal, says ‘no one can stop CAA implementation’

In a horrific incident, a young couple was attacked by a mob in India's northern city of Noida for allegedly feeding stray dogs after one of the canines bit a six-year-old girl.

A video of the incident, which took place on May 2, was shared by People For Animals India (PFA) on their official social media account on X, where the irate mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida was seen attacking the couple, Shubham and Sankalita. They also assaulted police officials.&nbsp;

“A violent mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida, defied the law as it attacked a young couple who feed and care for community dogs. Even Police were pushed around &amp; assaulted. Immediate action is requested against the rioters,” PFA wrote.

As per local media reports, the girl was severely wounded but her condition got stable later in the day.

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A violent mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida, defied the law as it attacked a young couple who feed &amp; care for community dogs. Even Police were pushed around &amp; assaulted. Immediate action is requested against the rioters.<a href="https://twitter.com/ShoPhase3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShoPhase3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DCPCentralNoida?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCPCentralNoida</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Acp1Noida?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Acp1Noida</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/noidapolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@noidapolice</a> <a href="https://t.co/FNYNU3zugF">pic.twitter.com/FNYNU3zugF</a>
— People For Animals India (@pfaindia) <a href="https://twitter.com/pfaindia/status/1788212640935768520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

PFA further said that the young dog-feeder couple was physically assaulted, and vulgarly abused even though they had gotten all the stray dogs in the society vaccinated and sterilised.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/teen-dies-in-mumbai-after-eating-shawarma-vendors-arrested-719715">Teen dies in Mumbai after eating shawarma, vendors arrested</a>

The residents issued death threats against the couple and also threatened to beat the dogs.

Reportedly, a complaint was registered in the matter, however, no FIR has yet been filed against the residents of the society.

Shubham, as per the Hindustan Times report, said that the mob snatched his wife Sankalita's phone while she was recording the incident and injured her.

He said that his friends, who came to support the two, were also brutally assaulted with the crowd pulling their t-shirts.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a horrific incident, a young couple was attacked by a mob in India's northern city of Noida for allegedly feeding stray dogs after one of the canines bit a six-year-old girl.

In a horrific incident, a young couple was attacked by a mob in India's northern city of Noida for allegedly feeding stray dogs after one of the canines bit a six-year-old girl. A video of the incident, which took place on May 2, was shared by People For Animals India (PFA) on their official social media account on X, where the irate mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida was seen attacking the couple, Shubham and Sankalita. They also assaulted police officials. “A violent mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida, defied the law as it attacked a young couple who feed and care for community dogs. Even Police were pushed around & assaulted. Immediate action is requested against the rioters,” PFA wrote. As per local media reports, the girl was severely wounded but her condition got stable later in the day. A violent mob at Pan Oasis, Sector 70 Noida, defied the law as it attacked a young couple who feed & care for community dogs. Even Police were pushed around & assaulted. Immediate action is requested against the rioters.@ShoPhase3 @DCPCentralNoida @Acp1Noida @noidapolice pic.twitter.com/FNYNU3zugF — People For Animals India (@pfaindia) May 8, 2024 × PFA further said that the young dog-feeder couple was physically assaulted, and vulgarly abused even though they had gotten all the stray dogs in the society vaccinated and sterilised. Also read: Teen dies in Mumbai after eating shawarma, vendors arrested The residents issued death threats against the couple and also threatened to beat the dogs. Reportedly, a complaint was registered in the matter, however, no FIR has yet been filed against the residents of the society. Shubham, as per the Hindustan Times report, said that the mob snatched his wife Sankalita's phone while she was recording the incident and injured her. He said that his friends, who came to support the two, were also brutally assaulted with the crowd pulling their t-shirts. (With inputs from agencies)

Video: Angry crowd attacks Indian couple who fed stray dogs after after one of them bit girl

Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran seized were released on Thursday (May 9) and have departed from Iran, said the Indian embassy in Iran.

While sharing the details of their release, the Indian Embassy thanked the Iranian authorities for their coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indians-onboard-msc-aries-free-to-go-iran-ambassador-iraj-elahi-712632" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indians-onboard-msc-aries-free-to-go-iran-ambassador-iraj-elahi-712632&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL7vbNjYKGAxVEcmwGHbFaBxIQFnoECAgQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2J5lIDzz1QPAYEuhnmHXsg&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indians-onboard-msc-aries-free-to-go-iran-ambassador-iraj-elahi-712632" target="_blank">Indians onboard MSC Aries free to go, says&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;Ambassador Iraj Elahi</a>

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal took to social media, and shared a tweet, "5 of the Indian sailors on MSC Aries have been released and departed from Iran today evening. We appreciate the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas,"&nbsp;

It may be recalled here, that the Israel-linked cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals on board.

On April 13th, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the MSC Aries, an Israel-linked cargo ship, near the Strait of Hormuz. The ship, last seen sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off Dubai, had been apprehended by Iranian forces.&nbsp;

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Indian crew member returns home</h2>

Notably, one of the 17 Indian crew members, Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, had already returned home safely by April 18.

The Ministry of External Affairs informed that one of the 17 Indian crew members has safely returned to India and others are safe, adding that they will be released after their contractual obligations are accomplished.

While addressing a press briefing on April 25, MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said, “One girl who was there has returned. While we received the consular access for 16 people and our officers met them. Their health is good. There are some technicalities and contractual obligations, once they are done, the remaining others will return."

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iran-says-it-informed-neighbours-about-attack-on-israel-72-hours-in-advance-711239" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iran-says-it-informed-neighbours-about-attack-on-israel-72-hours-in-advance-711239&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL7vbNjYKGAxVEcmwGHbFaBxIQFnoECAQQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ScqxSe0I8UowcRM-eI7cV&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iran-says-it-informed-neighbours-about-attack-on-israel-72-hours-in-advance-711239" target="_blank">Iran&nbsp;says it informed neighbours about attack on Israel</a>

Iran's Foreign Minister, Amirabdollahian, addressed Estonia's request concerning the detained Portuguese ship and its crew. He stated that the ship is being held under judicial authority due to allegedly turning off its radar in Iranian waters, posing a threat to navigational safety.

(With inputs from agencies)

Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran seized were released on Thursday (May 9) and have departed from Iran, said the Indian embassy in Iran.

Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran seized were released on Thursday (May 9) and have departed from Iran, said the Indian embassy in Iran. While sharing the details of their release, the Indian Embassy thanked the Iranian authorities for their coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas. Also read: Indians onboard MSC Aries free to go, says Iran Ambassador Iraj Elahi MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal took to social media, and shared a tweet, "5 of the Indian sailors on MSC Aries have been released and departed from Iran today evening. We appreciate the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas," It may be recalled here, that the Israel-linked cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals on board. On April 13th, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the MSC Aries, an Israel-linked cargo ship, near the Strait of Hormuz. The ship, last seen sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off Dubai, had been apprehended by Iranian forces. Indian crew member returns home Notably, one of the 17 Indian crew members, Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, had already returned home safely by April 18. The Ministry of External Affairs informed that one of the 17 Indian crew members has safely returned to India and others are safe, adding that they will be released after their contractual obligations are accomplished. While addressing a press briefing on April 25, MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said, “One girl who was there has returned. While we received the consular access for 16 people and our officers met them. Their health is good. There are some technicalities and contractual obligations, once they are done, the remaining others will return." Also read: Iran says it informed neighbours about attack on Israel Iran's Foreign Minister, Amirabdollahian, addressed Estonia's request concerning the detained Portuguese ship and its crew. He stated that the ship is being held under judicial authority due to allegedly turning off its radar in Iranian waters, posing a threat to navigational safety. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran releases 5 Indian sailors from seized ship

In the heartlands of rural India, amid the serene landscapes and rustic charm, a quiet revolution is taking place, led by the indomitable spirit of women like Shanti Devi. Coming from a small village Manpura in Jaipur in the northern Rajasthan state, Shanti embodies resilience and determination, rising at the crack of dawn to tend to her family of 16.

But Shanti's story isn't confined to the walls of her home. It stretches across the rug looms of her village, where she holds the title of 'Bunkasakhi,' leading a transformative movement in carpet weaving for Jaipur rugs over the past 15 years.&nbsp;

Beyond the intricacies of the loom, Shanti is on a mission to emancipate the women of her community.

<h2>A quiet struggle for financial freedom in a world of patriarchy</h2>

"I teach women the weaving technique," she explains, "so they aren't reliant on their alcoholic husbands."&nbsp;

Through her efforts, Shanti and scores of women like her are carving a path to independence and self-sufficiency for many, weaving a tapestry of hope and empowerment for generations to come.

The craft of hand-woven carpets may seem mundane to some, but the economics behind it unveils its profound significance. Each carpet demands four to five months of meticulous work, with 10 to 12 hours of daily labour from 16 to 18 women.&nbsp;

It's a laborious process that not only shapes carpets but also livelihoods.

The impact of their toil resonates deeply, with each weaver earning approximately 250 to 300 rupees a day, contributing not only to their families but also to the socio-economic fabric of their village.&nbsp;

Shanti Devi's journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of determination and community spirit in rural India.

Her story is one of inspiration, resonating with women across borders.&nbsp;

Collaborating with renowned designers like Gauri Khan, wife of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, Shanti Devi's carpets transcend mere threads and fibres.

They become symbols of resilience and artistry, adorning homes worldwide with their intricate designs and rich cultural heritage.

<h2>Jaipur Rugs: Pioneering change and empowerment&nbsp;</h2>

In the depth of entrepreneurial history, few stories shine as brightly as that of Nandkishore Chaudhry, the visionary founder of Jaipur Rugs.&nbsp;

<img alt="Nandkishore Chaudhry, the visionary founder of Jaipur Rugs." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bdfb41d2-8004-4ac0-926b-f476a301606d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WION%20IMAGES%21%20-%202024-05-08T203308.116.png" />

<h5>Image of Nandkishore Chaudhry, the visionary founder of Jaipur Rugs.</h5>

From humble beginnings in his father's shoe shop, Chaudhry embarked on a journey fuelled by a desire for impact and change.

In 1978, armed with a loan of Rs 5,000 from his father and a vision to transform labourers into artists, Chaudhry laid the foundation of Jaipur Rugs with just seven looms and seven weavers.&nbsp;

Today, his enterprise boasts over 7000 looms, providing livelihoods for more than 40,000 artisans, 80% of whom are women, like Shanti Devi.

Chaudhry's dedication and entrepreneurial spirit not only built a successful business but also became a catalyst for socio-economic growth in rural India.&nbsp;

His journey underscores the transformative power of initiative and perseverance, driving progress and prosperity across 600 villages in 6 states of the country.

<h2>Championing handmade products in a world of mechanisation</h2>

But Chaudhry's vision extends beyond mere business; it embodies a commitment to empowering artisans and fostering creativity. Programmes like 'Manchaha' and 'Freedom Manchaha' -- basically do your own design -- allow weavers to unleash their imagination, weaving carpets that are a reflection of their dreams and aspirations.

These carpets, crafted with passion and skill, find homes not only in India's upscale showrooms but also in over 80 countries worldwide. The booming carpet industry isn't just about commerce; it's about preserving tradition and heritage, while empowering communities and uplifting lives.

In a world dominated by mechanisation and mass production, companies like Jaipur Rugs stand as beacons of hope, championing the cause of handmade products and giving back to society in every possible way.

As India continues its journey towards development and progress, the stories of Shanti Devi and Nandkishore Chaudhry serve as guiding lights, illuminating the path towards a brighter, more inclusive future for all. 
&nbsp;

In the heartlands of rural India, amid the serene landscapes and rustic charm, a quiet revolution is taking place, led by the indomitable spirit of women like Shanti Devi.

In the heartlands of rural India, amid the serene landscapes and rustic charm, a quiet revolution is taking place, led by the indomitable spirit of women like Shanti Devi. Coming from a small village Manpura in Jaipur in the northern Rajasthan state, Shanti embodies resilience and determination, rising at the crack of dawn to tend to her family of 16. But Shanti's story isn't confined to the walls of her home. It stretches across the rug looms of her village, where she holds the title of 'Bunkasakhi,' leading a transformative movement in carpet weaving for Jaipur rugs over the past 15 years. Beyond the intricacies of the loom, Shanti is on a mission to emancipate the women of her community. A quiet struggle for financial freedom in a world of patriarchy "I teach women the weaving technique," she explains, "so they aren't reliant on their alcoholic husbands." Through her efforts, Shanti and scores of women like her are carving a path to independence and self-sufficiency for many, weaving a tapestry of hope and empowerment for generations to come. The craft of hand-woven carpets may seem mundane to some, but the economics behind it unveils its profound significance. Each carpet demands four to five months of meticulous work, with 10 to 12 hours of daily labour from 16 to 18 women. It's a laborious process that not only shapes carpets but also livelihoods. The impact of their toil resonates deeply, with each weaver earning approximately 250 to 300 rupees a day, contributing not only to their families but also to the socio-economic fabric of their village. Shanti Devi's journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of determination and community spirit in rural India. Her story is one of inspiration, resonating with women across borders. Collaborating with renowned designers like Gauri Khan, wife of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, Shanti Devi's carpets transcend mere threads and fibres. They become symbols of resilience and artistry, adorning homes worldwide with their intricate designs and rich cultural heritage. Jaipur Rugs: Pioneering change and empowerment In the depth of entrepreneurial history, few stories shine as brightly as that of Nandkishore Chaudhry, the visionary founder of Jaipur Rugs. Image of Nandkishore Chaudhry, the visionary founder of Jaipur Rugs. From humble beginnings in his father's shoe shop, Chaudhry embarked on a journey fuelled by a desire for impact and change. In 1978, armed with a loan of Rs 5,000 from his father and a vision to transform labourers into artists, Chaudhry laid the foundation of Jaipur Rugs with just seven looms and seven weavers. Today, his enterprise boasts over 7000 looms, providing livelihoods for more than 40,000 artisans, 80% of whom are women, like Shanti Devi. Chaudhry's dedication and entrepreneurial spirit not only built a successful business but also became a catalyst for socio-economic growth in rural India. His journey underscores the transformative power of initiative and perseverance, driving progress and prosperity across 600 villages in 6 states of the country. Championing handmade products in a world of mechanisation But Chaudhry's vision extends beyond mere business; it embodies a commitment to empowering artisans and fostering creativity. Programmes like 'Manchaha' and 'Freedom Manchaha' -- basically do your own design -- allow weavers to unleash their imagination, weaving carpets that are a reflection of their dreams and aspirations. These carpets, crafted with passion and skill, find homes not only in India's upscale showrooms but also in over 80 countries worldwide. The booming carpet industry isn't just about commerce; it's about preserving tradition and heritage, while empowering communities and uplifting lives. In a world dominated by mechanisation and mass production, companies like Jaipur Rugs stand as beacons of hope, championing the cause of handmade products and giving back to society in every possible way. As India continues its journey towards development and progress, the stories of Shanti Devi and Nandkishore Chaudhry serve as guiding lights, illuminating the path towards a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

In Rajasthan’s villages, women are weaving not just rugs but dreams, empowering communities

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's daughter and candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat Misa Bharti on Friday (May 3) alleged that after various reports surrounding doubtful results of the COVID vaccine surfaced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo from the coronavirus vaccination certificate has been removed fearing defamation.

"It is an old habit for the Prime Minister to take credit for any work. Now, when doubtful results of the Corona vaccine are coming out, fearing defamation, the Prime Minister's picture has been removed from the Corona vaccine certificate," said Bharti while speaking with the reporters.

She further said that the leaders of the Grand Alliance were making attempts to spread awareness among the people, calling for an investigation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The general public is being made aware of this by the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan. Corona vaccination is a subject of investigation and it should be investigated at every level and strict action should be taken against the culprits," she said.

She further hit out at the BJP for showing up in the state of Bihar only during the polls.

"BJP leaders only come to Bihar during the elections. They only remember Bihar at the time of the elections..," she said.&nbsp;

"I just want to know when Bihar will be getting the special package. When will the sugar mills in the state re-open, when will the state get factories... When will PM Narendra Modi, JP Nadda and other leaders of the party&nbsp;answer that?"

Bharti's remarks came after pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca admitted that its coronavirus vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-is-indian-pm-modis-photo-missing-from-covid-vaccine-certificates-centre-responds-717291">Also read:&nbsp;Why is Indian PM Modi's photo missing from Covid vaccine certificates? Centre responds</a>

An AstraZeneca spokesperson stated, "Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines."

<h2>Centre responds on removal of Modi's photo</h2>

Officials from the central health ministry, while speaking to The Print, said the photograph was removed in the wake of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country.&nbsp;

This was not the first time that Modi's photo was removed from vaccination certificates.

In 2022, his photo was removed from vaccination certificates in five states- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, and Goa at the instructions of the election commission ahead of the assembly polls in these states.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's daughter and candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat Misa Bharti on Friday (May 3) alleged that after various reports surrounding doubtful results of the COVID vaccine surfaced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo from the coronavirus vaccination certificate has been removed fearing defamation.

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's daughter and candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat Misa Bharti on Friday (May 3) alleged that after various reports surrounding doubtful results of the COVID vaccine surfaced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo from the coronavirus vaccination certificate has been removed fearing defamation. "It is an old habit for the Prime Minister to take credit for any work. Now, when doubtful results of the Corona vaccine are coming out, fearing defamation, the Prime Minister's picture has been removed from the Corona vaccine certificate," said Bharti while speaking with the reporters. She further said that the leaders of the Grand Alliance were making attempts to spread awareness among the people, calling for an investigation of the COVID-19 vaccine. "The general public is being made aware of this by the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan. Corona vaccination is a subject of investigation and it should be investigated at every level and strict action should be taken against the culprits," she said. She further hit out at the BJP for showing up in the state of Bihar only during the polls. "BJP leaders only come to Bihar during the elections. They only remember Bihar at the time of the elections..," she said. "I just want to know when Bihar will be getting the special package. When will the sugar mills in the state re-open, when will the state get factories... When will PM Narendra Modi, JP Nadda and other leaders of the party answer that?" Bharti's remarks came after pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca admitted that its coronavirus vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)." Also read: Why is Indian PM Modi's photo missing from Covid vaccine certificates? Centre responds An AstraZeneca spokesperson stated, "Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines." Centre responds on removal of Modi's photo Officials from the central health ministry, while speaking to The Print, said the photograph was removed in the wake of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country. This was not the first time that Modi's photo was removed from vaccination certificates. In 2022, his photo was removed from vaccination certificates in five states- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, and Goa at the instructions of the election commission ahead of the assembly polls in these states. (With inputs from agencies)

RJD's Misa Bharti alleges PM Modi's photo from COVID vaccine certificate removed 'fearing defamation'

Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada, a controversial rally was held in Ontario on Sunday where pro-Khalistan sentiments were openly expressed. The event, part of the annual Nagar Kirtan Parade organised by the Ontario Gurudwara Committee (OGC), saw a significant presence of Khalistani supporters chanting anti-India slogans.

Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada, a controversial rally was held in Ontario on Sunday where pro-Khalistan sentiments were openly expressed. The event, part of the annual Nagar Kirtan Parade organised by the Ontario Gurudwara Committee (OGC), saw a significant presence of Khalistani supporters chanting anti-India slogans. The parade route from Malton to Rexdale featured multiple Khalistan-themed floats adorned with flags and slogans. Several floats carried provocative imagery, including one portraying the Indian prime minister behind bars. Another displayed a map of Khalistan, advocating for a referendum on the contentious issue. The event saw inflammatory speeches delivered by Paramjit Mand of the Dal Khalsa, who openly issued threats to Indian leaders and challenged Indian sovereignty. Avtar Singh Pannu, a listed terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and a member of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), added fuel to the fire with provocative slogans, calling for support for an upcoming referendum in Calgary. The event shows the Trudeau govt remains unperturbed by India's concerns over space being given to Khalistani extremist elements. Also Read: India summons Canada envoy over Khalistan slogans at event attended by PM Justin Trudeau Last week, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and opposition leader Pierre Poilievre were seen attending an event where pro-Khalistani slogans were made. In the aftermath of the development, India summoned Canada's deputy high commissioner to lodge a strong protest. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar recently expressed concern over Canada's handling of the matter, particularly regarding the legitimacy given to extremist elements under the guise of free speech. Watch: New Delhi summons Canada envoy as Khalistani slogans chanted at event attended by Trudeau "In Canada, the party in power in Canada, other parties have given these kinds of extremism, separatism a certain legitimacy in the name of free speech," remarked Jaishankar over the weekend. He warned of potential consequences, asserting, "It's not a one-way street, a pushback will come." Jaishankar also highlighted the issue of certain individuals with organised links from Punjab being allowed entry into Canada, despite being wanted criminals. Notably, Canada has been accusing India of being involved in the killing of Canadian national and Khalistan supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Despite the accusations, no direct link or evidence has been provided by Canada in the matter.

Ontario hosts pro-Khalistan rally as relations between Canada and India continue to sour

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered a huge amount of cash, on Monday (May 6) after a series of raids across multiple locations in the Indian city of Ranchi, Jharkhand in connection with the case of the state’s rural development department’s head engineer, Virendra Ram.&nbsp;

<h2>Watch: Cash recovered by&nbsp;ED</h2>

The cash was recovered from the household help of Sanjiv Lal, personal secretary to Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam. According to reports, the officials have found Rs 25 crore (nearly $3 million) of unaccounted cash.&nbsp;

Ram was arrested by the federal agency in February 2023 in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the implementation of some schemes.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/schools-colleges-closed-for-two-days-in-manipur-after-heavy-rain-hit-indian-state-718364">Manipur rains: Schools, colleges closed for two days as heavy showers hit Indian state</a>

The raids were simultaneously conducted across nine locations in the state, including the capital Ranchi, of which six were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A video of the raid shows a mountain of cash scattered across a room purportedly belonging to Lal’s household help. Alam, 70, is a Congress leader and represents the Pakur seat in the state assembly.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Additionally, one team of the federal agency, on Monday morning, reportedly scoured the city to locate Vikas Kumar, an engineer from the road construction department.&nbsp;

The ED also conducted raids in the Bariatu, Morabadi, and Bodia regions of Jharkhand.&nbsp;

<h2>BJP reacts to raids, cash recovered</h2>

“Corruption is not ending in Jharkhand. This money during elections indicates that there is a plan to spend this money in the elections. The Election Commission should take action on this,” said Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pratul Shahdev.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-and-rjd-leaders-call-jks-poonch-terror-attack-political-stunt-stir-row-718284">Congress and RJD leaders call J&amp;K's Poonch terror attack 'political stunt', stir row</a>

Meanwhile, Nishikant Dubey, Member of Parliament from Jharkhand’s Godda constituency took to X and claimed that the ED has recovered over Rs 30 crore ($3.6 million) and counting is still underway.&nbsp;

“Today, ED took a big action against Sanjeev Lal, personal secretary of Congress Legislative Party leader and Jharkhand government’s corruption king (former Chief Minister of Jharkhand) Hemant (Soren) government minister Alamgir Alam…”

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered a huge amount of cash, on Monday (May 6) after a series of raids across multiple locations in the Indian city of Ranchi, Jharkhand in connection with the case of the state’s rural development department’s head engineer, Virendra Ram.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered a huge amount of cash, on Monday (May 6) after a series of raids across multiple locations in the Indian city of Ranchi, Jharkhand in connection with the case of the state’s rural development department’s head engineer, Virendra Ram. Watch: Cash recovered by ED The cash was recovered from the household help of Sanjiv Lal, personal secretary to Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam. According to reports, the officials have found Rs 25 crore (nearly $3 million) of unaccounted cash. Ram was arrested by the federal agency in February 2023 in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the implementation of some schemes. Also Read | Manipur rains: Schools, colleges closed for two days as heavy showers hit Indian state The raids were simultaneously conducted across nine locations in the state, including the capital Ranchi, of which six were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A video of the raid shows a mountain of cash scattered across a room purportedly belonging to Lal’s household help. Alam, 70, is a Congress leader and represents the Pakur seat in the state assembly. #WATCH | Jharkhand: Huge amount of cash recovered from household help of Sanjiv Lal - PS to Jharkhand Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam - in ED raids at multiple locations in Ranchi in Virendra Ram case. ED arrested Virendra K. Ram, the chief engineer at the Jharkhand… pic.twitter.com/1yoBFRvaLa — ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024 × Additionally, one team of the federal agency, on Monday morning, reportedly scoured the city to locate Vikas Kumar, an engineer from the road construction department. The ED also conducted raids in the Bariatu, Morabadi, and Bodia regions of Jharkhand. BJP reacts to raids, cash recovered “Corruption is not ending in Jharkhand. This money during elections indicates that there is a plan to spend this money in the elections. The Election Commission should take action on this,” said Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pratul Shahdev. Also Read | Congress and RJD leaders call J&K's Poonch terror attack 'political stunt', stir row Meanwhile, Nishikant Dubey, Member of Parliament from Jharkhand’s Godda constituency took to X and claimed that the ED has recovered over Rs 30 crore ($3.6 million) and counting is still underway. “Today, ED took a big action against Sanjeev Lal, personal secretary of Congress Legislative Party leader and Jharkhand government’s corruption king (former Chief Minister of Jharkhand) Hemant (Soren) government minister Alamgir Alam…” (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Nearly $3mn found at home of domestic help linked to Jharkhand minister

Former Congress Delhi President Arvinder Singh Lovely on Saturday (May 4) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) days after resigning from the party.

Lovely joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva.

Along with Lovely, several other leaders including former Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Chauhan, Naseeb Singh and Neeraj Basoya and former Youth Congress President Amit Mallik joined the BJP.

After joining the party, Lovely said, "I had resigned from the post of Delhi Congress President and after that, I met all my colleagues and thousands of Congress workers. All those people said that you should not sit at home and should continue fighting for the people of Delhi and the country."

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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rjds-misa-bharti-alleges-pm-modis-photo-from-covid-vaccine-certificate-removed-fearing-defamation-717822">RJD's Misa Bharti alleges PM Modi's photo from COVID vaccine certificate removed 'fearing defamation'</a>

<h2>Lovely wrote letter to Kharge</h2>

Lovely, who stepped down from the post of the Delhi Congress chief on April 28, wrote a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge citing that he was against the alliance between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.&nbsp;

"The Delhi Congress unit was against an alliance with a party which was formed on the sole basis of levelling false, fabricated and malafide corruption charges against the Congress party. Despite that, the party made a decision to ally with the AAP in Delhi...," Arvinder Singh Lovely wrote in his resignation letter.

He further underlined that the remarks made by the North-East Delhi candidate Kanhaiya Kumar where he made "factually incorrect statements" and falsely praised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, did not go well with the local party unit.

"Such ill-thought and factually incorrect statements have not gone down well with the local party unit since, the local party workers had an inherent understanding that the alliance was not done in appreciation of AAP's false propaganda of the development of Delhi and was in fact, a "compromise&nbsp;to improve the chances of victory for the party as part of the National Alliance," he said.

Voting for all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi is scheduled to take place on May 25, which is the sixth phase of the ongoing general elections.

The results of the polls will be announced on June 4.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former Congress Delhi President Arvinder Singh Lovely on Saturday (May 4) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) days after resigning from the party. Lovely joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva.

Former Congress Delhi President Arvinder Singh Lovely on Saturday (May 4) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) days after resigning from the party. Lovely joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva. Along with Lovely, several other leaders including former Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Chauhan, Naseeb Singh and Neeraj Basoya and former Youth Congress President Amit Mallik joined the BJP. After joining the party, Lovely said, "I had resigned from the post of Delhi Congress President and after that, I met all my colleagues and thousands of Congress workers. All those people said that you should not sit at home and should continue fighting for the people of Delhi and the country." #WATCH | After joining BJP, Arvinder Singh Lovely says, "I had resigned from the post of Delhi Congress President and after that, I met all my colleagues and thousands of Congress workers. All those people said that you should not sit at home and should continue fighting for the… pic.twitter.com/73hwB4cm8U — ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2024 × Also read: RJD's Misa Bharti alleges PM Modi's photo from COVID vaccine certificate removed 'fearing defamation' Lovely wrote letter to Kharge Lovely, who stepped down from the post of the Delhi Congress chief on April 28, wrote a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge citing that he was against the alliance between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. "The Delhi Congress unit was against an alliance with a party which was formed on the sole basis of levelling false, fabricated and malafide corruption charges against the Congress party. Despite that, the party made a decision to ally with the AAP in Delhi...," Arvinder Singh Lovely wrote in his resignation letter. He further underlined that the remarks made by the North-East Delhi candidate Kanhaiya Kumar where he made "factually incorrect statements" and falsely praised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, did not go well with the local party unit. "Such ill-thought and factually incorrect statements have not gone down well with the local party unit since, the local party workers had an inherent understanding that the alliance was not done in appreciation of AAP's false propaganda of the development of Delhi and was in fact, a "compromise to improve the chances of victory for the party as part of the National Alliance," he said. Voting for all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi is scheduled to take place on May 25, which is the sixth phase of the ongoing general elections. The results of the polls will be announced on June 4. (With inputs from agencies)

India Elections 2024: Delhi Congress former president Arvinder Singh Lovely joins BJP

The Delhi Police on Friday (May 3) arrested a Congress member in connection with India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's doctored video case.

The grand old party's Arun Reddy, who handles the official X account named 'Spirit of Congress' was arrested by the police over allegedly uploading and circulating the fake video featuring Shah.

Earlier, the police had issued notices to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and four Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) members -- Shiva Kumar Ambala, Asma Tasleem, Satish Manne and Naveen Pettem -- under sections 91 and 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Reddy's attorney appeared before the court on Wednesday and affirmed that he was neither involved in tampering with the video nor in its circulation.

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Delhi Police arrest Arun Reddy, who handles the 'Spirit of Congress' X account, in the Union Home Minister Amit Shah doctored video case: Delhi Police <a href="https://t.co/gB5L6Pzcbp">pic.twitter.com/gB5L6Pzcbp</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1786385566184919174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The police officials said that over 22 people from several political parties in various states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were served notices in connection with the case and were asked to appear before the court on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-police-to-summon-telangana-congress-members-in-amit-shahs-doctored-video-case-717471">Delhi Police to summon Telangana Congress members in Amit Shah's doctored video case</a>

<h2>Members of Congress IT cell arrested</h2>

The Telangana police officials on Thursday said that they had arrested five people from the Congress IT cell.

Earlier Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state police had arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video case.

Taking to his official X handle Sarma said, "Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom &nbsp;Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah."

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Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmitShah</a>
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1784892402601247084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The BJP had earlier alleged that the original footage of Shah had him talk about the removal of a 4 per cent "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims in Telangana.

However, the saffron party said that the footage, which was from a recent election rally, was edited in a manner where it indicated that the Union Home Minister was advocating the move to scrap reservations for backward groups.

A case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act and a probe has been initiated, said the sources as per Indian news agencies.

"The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR, reported IANS.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Delhi Police on Friday (May 3) arrested a Congress member in connection with India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's doctored video case. The grand old party's Arun Reddy, who handles the official X account named 'Spirit of Congress' was arrested by the police over allegedly uploading and circulating the fake video featuring Shah.

The Delhi Police on Friday (May 3) arrested a Congress member in connection with India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's doctored video case. The grand old party's Arun Reddy, who handles the official X account named 'Spirit of Congress' was arrested by the police over allegedly uploading and circulating the fake video featuring Shah. Earlier, the police had issued notices to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and four Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) members -- Shiva Kumar Ambala, Asma Tasleem, Satish Manne and Naveen Pettem -- under sections 91 and 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Reddy's attorney appeared before the court on Wednesday and affirmed that he was neither involved in tampering with the video nor in its circulation. Delhi Police arrest Arun Reddy, who handles the 'Spirit of Congress' X account, in the Union Home Minister Amit Shah doctored video case: Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/gB5L6Pzcbp — ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2024 × The police officials said that over 22 people from several political parties in various states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were served notices in connection with the case and were asked to appear before the court on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Also read: Delhi Police to summon Telangana Congress members in Amit Shah's doctored video case Members of Congress IT cell arrested The Telangana police officials on Thursday said that they had arrested five people from the Congress IT cell. Earlier Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state police had arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video case. Taking to his official X handle Sarma said, "Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah." Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri @AmitShah — Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) April 29, 2024 × The BJP had earlier alleged that the original footage of Shah had him talk about the removal of a 4 per cent "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims in Telangana. However, the saffron party said that the footage, which was from a recent election rally, was edited in a manner where it indicated that the Union Home Minister was advocating the move to scrap reservations for backward groups. A case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act and a probe has been initiated, said the sources as per Indian news agencies. "The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR, reported IANS. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi Police arrest Congress member in Amit Shah's doctored video case

The Delhi Police will likely summon the members of the Telangana Congress for the second time over India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's fake video case, said&nbsp;officials on Thursday (May 2).

The development comes after the four members of the Telangana Congress, who were asked to appear before the office of the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) on Wednesday (May 1), did not do so.

"We will again ask them to appear before the IO (investigating officer), as they did not come on Wednesday," an officer, privy to the investigation said.

The police had issued notices to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and four Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) members -- Shiva Kumar Ambala, Asma Tasleem, Satish Manne and Naveen Pettem -- under sections 91 and 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Reddy's attorney appeared before the court on Wednesday and affirmed that he was neither involved in tampering with the video nor in its circulation.

The police officials said that over 22 people from several political parties in various states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were served notices in connection with the case and have been asked to appear before court on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-is-indian-pm-modis-photo-missing-from-covid-vaccine-certificates-centre-responds-717291">Why is Indian PM Modi's photo missing from Covid vaccine certificates? Centre responds</a>

<h2>Members of Congress IT cell arrested</h2>

The Telangana police officials on Thursday said that they had arrested five people from the Congress IT cell.

Earlier Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state police had arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video case.

Taking to his official X handle Sarma said, "Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom &nbsp;Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah."

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Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmitShah</a>
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1784892402601247084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The BJP had earlier alleged that the original footage of Shah had him talk about the removal of a 4 per cent "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims in Telangana.

However, the saffron party said that the footage, which was from a recent election rally, was edited in a manner where it indicated that the Union Home Minister was advocating the move to scrap reservations for backward groups.

A case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act and a probe has been initiated, said the sources as per Indian news agencies.

"The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR, reported IANS.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Delhi Police will likely summon the members of the Telangana Congress for the second time over India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's fake video case, said officials on Thursday (May 2).

The Delhi Police will likely summon the members of the Telangana Congress for the second time over India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah's fake video case, said officials on Thursday (May 2). The development comes after the four members of the Telangana Congress, who were asked to appear before the office of the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) on Wednesday (May 1), did not do so. "We will again ask them to appear before the IO (investigating officer), as they did not come on Wednesday," an officer, privy to the investigation said. The police had issued notices to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and four Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) members -- Shiva Kumar Ambala, Asma Tasleem, Satish Manne and Naveen Pettem -- under sections 91 and 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Reddy's attorney appeared before the court on Wednesday and affirmed that he was neither involved in tampering with the video nor in its circulation. The police officials said that over 22 people from several political parties in various states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were served notices in connection with the case and have been asked to appear before court on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Also read: Why is Indian PM Modi's photo missing from Covid vaccine certificates? Centre responds Members of Congress IT cell arrested The Telangana police officials on Thursday said that they had arrested five people from the Congress IT cell. Earlier Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state police had arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video case. Taking to his official X handle Sarma said, "Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah." Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri @AmitShah — Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) April 29, 2024 × The BJP had earlier alleged that the original footage of Shah had him talk about the removal of a 4 per cent "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims in Telangana. However, the saffron party said that the footage, which was from a recent election rally, was edited in a manner where it indicated that the Union Home Minister was advocating the move to scrap reservations for backward groups. A case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act and a probe has been initiated, said the sources as per Indian news agencies. "The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR, reported IANS. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi Police to summon Telangana Congress members in Amit Shah's doctored video case

India collected a record 2.10 trillion rupees ($25.15 billion) as gross goods and services tax (GST) in April, a rise of 12.4 per cent from the same period last year, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

The government had collected 1.87 trillion rupees as GST in the same period last year.

"GST collections breach landmark milestone of 2 trillion rupees," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

After refunds, the government's net GST mop-up rose 17.1 per cent year-on-year to 1.92 trillion rupees, the statement said.

The collection in April is usually higher as taxpayers clear their dues when India's financial year ends in March.

The unprecedented surge in GST collections is a positive indicator of economic activity and compliance levels, said Rajat Mohan, executive director at accounting firm MOORE Singhi.

"A significant portion of this rise could be attributed to the accumulation of year-end tax dues, which typically see a spike as businesses and individuals rush to meet fiscal deadlines," Mohan added.

India collected a record 2.10 trillion rupees ($25.15 billion) as gross goods and services tax (GST) in April, a rise of 12.4 per cent from the same period last year, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

India collected a record 2.10 trillion rupees ($25.15 billion) as gross goods and services tax (GST) in April, a rise of 12.4 per cent from the same period last year, the government said in a statement on Wednesday. The government had collected 1.87 trillion rupees as GST in the same period last year. "GST collections breach landmark milestone of 2 trillion rupees," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. After refunds, the government's net GST mop-up rose 17.1 per cent year-on-year to 1.92 trillion rupees, the statement said. The collection in April is usually higher as taxpayers clear their dues when India's financial year ends in March. The unprecedented surge in GST collections is a positive indicator of economic activity and compliance levels, said Rajat Mohan, executive director at accounting firm MOORE Singhi. "A significant portion of this rise could be attributed to the accumulation of year-end tax dues, which typically see a spike as businesses and individuals rush to meet fiscal deadlines," Mohan added.

India collects record 2.10 trillion rupees as goods and services tax in April

India has strongly refuted claims made by The Washington Post that an Indian intelligence officer planned the assassination of US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. New Delhi has asserted that these accusations lack evidence.

A report published in The Washington Post on Sunday (Apr 28) alleged US intelligence agencies have found that the operation to kill Pannun was approved by Samant Goel, the then chief of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

"The report makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated accusation on a serious matter," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/czech-supreme-court-greenlights-nikhil-guptas-extradition-decision-now-rests-with-justice-ministry-681671">Pannun murder plot case: Czech SC greenlights Nikhil Gupta's extradition; justice ministry to take final call</a>

"There is an ongoing investigation of the high-level committee set up by the government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists, and others," Jaiswal further said.

“A government committee is actively investigating the security concerns raised by the United States regarding organised crime networks, terrorist groups, and other threats," said Jaiswal.

He further said, “speculative and irresponsible comments on the ongoing investigation won’t be of any help.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/plot-to-kill-pannun-us-court-orders-govt-to-produce-proof-against-accused-indian-nikhil-gupta-678843" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/plot-to-kill-pannun-us-court-orders-govt-to-produce-proof-against-accused-indian-nikhil-gupta-678843&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiP-YPupemFAxVpnq8BHbtTA-AQFnoECAMQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw30FGIap43oOBSDlXUdCVJX&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plot-to-kill-pannun-us-court-orders-govt-to-produce-proof-against-accused-indian-nikhil-gupta-678843" target="_blank">Pannun&nbsp;murder plot: US govt refuses to produce proof&nbsp;</a>

<h2>Assassination allegations</h2>

The US Department of Justice charged an Indian citizen in connection with an alleged assassination plot. The indictment, filed in a Manhattan federal court, alleges that an unnamed Indian government official (referred to as CC-1) recruited Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, to hire a hitman. The target, described as a Sikh separatist leader residing in the US, was never harmed due to US intervention.

Canada has also alleged that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/khalistani-terrorist-pannun-issues-death-threat-to-punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-report-680529" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/khalistani-terrorist-pannun-issues-death-threat-to-punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-report-680529&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiP-YPupemFAxVpnq8BHbtTA-AQFnoECAEQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw1yUxs04VuaKkpdWC3n6eHE&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/khalistani-terrorist-pannun-issues-death-threat-to-punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-report-680529" target="_blank">Khalistani terrorist&nbsp;Pannun&nbsp;issues fresh warning to Indian PM</a>

"The interconnectedness of organised crime, trafficking, gun running, and extremist groups poses a significant international threat. To address this complex issue, a high-level committee has been established.

"We will take decisive action based on their findings," the MEA had said in December 2023.

(With inputs from agencies)

India has strongly refuted claims made by The Washington Post that an Indian intelligence officer planned the assassination of US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

India has strongly refuted claims made by The Washington Post that an Indian intelligence officer planned the assassination of US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. New Delhi has asserted that these accusations lack evidence. A report published in The Washington Post on Sunday (Apr 28) alleged US intelligence agencies have found that the operation to kill Pannun was approved by Samant Goel, the then chief of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). "The report makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated accusation on a serious matter," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. Also read: Pannun murder plot case: Czech SC greenlights Nikhil Gupta's extradition; justice ministry to take final call "There is an ongoing investigation of the high-level committee set up by the government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists, and others," Jaiswal further said. “A government committee is actively investigating the security concerns raised by the United States regarding organised crime networks, terrorist groups, and other threats," said Jaiswal. He further said, “speculative and irresponsible comments on the ongoing investigation won’t be of any help.” Also read: Pannun murder plot: US govt refuses to produce proof Assassination allegations The US Department of Justice charged an Indian citizen in connection with an alleged assassination plot. The indictment, filed in a Manhattan federal court, alleges that an unnamed Indian government official (referred to as CC-1) recruited Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, to hire a hitman. The target, described as a Sikh separatist leader residing in the US, was never harmed due to US intervention. Canada has also alleged that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Also read: Khalistani terrorist Pannun issues fresh warning to Indian PM "The interconnectedness of organised crime, trafficking, gun running, and extremist groups poses a significant international threat. To address this complex issue, a high-level committee has been established. "We will take decisive action based on their findings," the MEA had said in December 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

India slams Washington Post report linking RAW officer to alleged Pannun murder plot

India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner to register a stern protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at an event in Toronto, Canada which was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&nbsp;and other political leaders.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the country's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed.

"The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event. This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.

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India strongly protests 'Khalistan' slogans at a public event attended by Canadian leaders:<a href="https://t.co/ELigT7BEDl">https://t.co/ELigT7BEDl</a> <a href="https://t.co/7k9DCl2yAv">pic.twitter.com/7k9DCl2yAv</a>
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1784948461864927249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Canadian Deputy High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler was summoned to the External Affairs Ministry over “the raising of separatist slogans on Khalistan&nbsp;at an event which was addressed&nbsp;by the Canadian prime minister”, the ministry said.

“Indian government’s deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked,”&nbsp;the statement said in a reference to the Khalsa Day Parade in Toronto on Sunday afternoon.

"Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens," the statement said,&nbsp;adding that&nbsp;such actions will impact bilateral relations. 
 
The ministry&nbsp;has several times earlier slammed the Canadian government for its failure to curb the activities of pro-Khalistan elements.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-of-india-designated-terrorist-hardeep-singh-nijjars-killing-in-canada-surfaces-698330">Also read: Video of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing in Canada surfaces</a>

“This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens,” the statement said.

The MEA remarks came after Trudeau as well as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre attended the Khalsa Day celebrations in Toronto on Sunday (Apr 28) where loud chants of pro-Khalistan slogans were raised.

As the Canadian prime minister was set to address the public to mark Khalsa Day, the "Khalistan Zindabad" chants got louder, as seen in the video released by Canada-based CPAC TV.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow were also present at the event.

<h2>India-Canada diplomatic rift</h2>

The incident also comes amid an ongoing diplomatic rift between India and Canada that was triggered after Trudeau accused New Delhi of killing Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.&nbsp;

However, India has strongly rejected the allegations calling them "baseless" and "absurd".

Nijjar was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023.

He was designated a terrorist by the National Investigation Agency in the year 2020.

(With inputs from agencies)

India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner to register a stern protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at an event in Toronto, Canada which was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other political leaders.

India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner to register a stern protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at an event in Toronto, Canada which was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other political leaders. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the country's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed. "The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event. This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. India strongly protests 'Khalistan' slogans at a public event attended by Canadian leaders:https://t.co/ELigT7BEDl pic.twitter.com/7k9DCl2yAv — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 29, 2024 × Canadian Deputy High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler was summoned to the External Affairs Ministry over “the raising of separatist slogans on Khalistan at an event which was addressed by the Canadian prime minister”, the ministry said. “Indian government’s deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked,” the statement said in a reference to the Khalsa Day Parade in Toronto on Sunday afternoon. "Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens," the statement said, adding that such actions will impact bilateral relations. The ministry has several times earlier slammed the Canadian government for its failure to curb the activities of pro-Khalistan elements. Also read: Video of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing in Canada surfaces “This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens,” the statement said. The MEA remarks came after Trudeau as well as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre attended the Khalsa Day celebrations in Toronto on Sunday (Apr 28) where loud chants of pro-Khalistan slogans were raised. As the Canadian prime minister was set to address the public to mark Khalsa Day, the "Khalistan Zindabad" chants got louder, as seen in the video released by Canada-based CPAC TV. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow were also present at the event. India-Canada diplomatic rift The incident also comes amid an ongoing diplomatic rift between India and Canada that was triggered after Trudeau accused New Delhi of killing Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. However, India has strongly rejected the allegations calling them "baseless" and "absurd". Nijjar was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023. He was designated a terrorist by the National Investigation Agency in the year 2020. (With inputs from agencies)

India summons Canada envoy over Khalistan slogans at event attended by PM Justin Trudeau

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Apr 29) launched a scathing attack against the Congress and accused it of minting the idea of "saffron terrorism".

He further alleged that the grand old party had plans to put the blame of the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks on "holy saffron and innocent Hindus."

“Because of the appeasement by Congress and INDI alliance, when terrorism increased in the country, Congress hatched another deep conspiracy, Pune land is its witness. Congress came up with the theory of 'saffron terrorism' to put all the blame on innocent Hindus, they put innocent Hindus in jail and harassed them,” Modi said while addressing a rally in Pune.

“Congress was prepared to put the blame for the 26/11 Mumbai attack on holy saffron...they are those people who give statements in support of Yasin Bhatkal when he gets arrested. They are those people who open court during midnight to stop the death sentence of terrorist Yakub Memon,” he added.&nbsp;

He then said that India was severely affected by incidents related to terrorism ten years ago, but now the ones who sent the terrorists to the country are starving.

“We banned the PFI who indulged in violence in the country. Their bigwigs are now rotting in jail. For votes, Congress is taking their support in Kerala. You can't expect your well-being from such people,” PM Modi said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-story/thoroughly-misconceived-delhi-hc-dismisses-plea-seeking-ban-on-pm-modi-from-contesting-elections-716284">'Thoroughly misconceived': Delhi HC dismisses plea seeking ban on PM Modi from contesting Lok Sabha elections</a>

<h2>'Congress never wanted Dalit, Tribal, OBC leadership in country,' says PM Modi</h2>

PM Modi while addressing a public gathering in Solapur, Maharashtra accused Congress and INDI Alliance of "spreading lies" on OBC representation further alleging that the grand old party never wanted Dalit, Tribal, OBC leadership in the country.

"Congress never wanted Dalit, Tribal and OBC leadership in the country. This is the same Congress that insulted Dalit leader Dr BR Ambedkar. Babasaheb Ambedkar got the Bharat Ratna when a BJP-backed government was in power at the Centre. It has always been the endeavour of the BJP to ensure maximum representation for SC, ST, and OBCs. In 2014, when you gave us a huge majority, the NDA made a Dalit's son (Ram Nath Kovind), the President of the country," he said.

"In 2019, when you once again gave us a huge mandate, for the first time in the history of the country, a tribal daughter (Droupadi Murmu) became the President of India. For the first time since independence, there is a huge number of MPs and MLAs from SC, ST and OBC communities in the government. They form about 60 per cent of the Union Council of Ministers. Congress and the INDIA bloc are spreading lies about OBC representation as they have become irritated after being exposed," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Apr 29) launched a scathing attack against the Congress and accused it of minting the idea of "saffron terrorism".

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Apr 29) launched a scathing attack against the Congress and accused it of minting the idea of "saffron terrorism". He further alleged that the grand old party had plans to put the blame of the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks on "holy saffron and innocent Hindus." “Because of the appeasement by Congress and INDI alliance, when terrorism increased in the country, Congress hatched another deep conspiracy, Pune land is its witness. Congress came up with the theory of 'saffron terrorism' to put all the blame on innocent Hindus, they put innocent Hindus in jail and harassed them,” Modi said while addressing a rally in Pune. “Congress was prepared to put the blame for the 26/11 Mumbai attack on holy saffron...they are those people who give statements in support of Yasin Bhatkal when he gets arrested. They are those people who open court during midnight to stop the death sentence of terrorist Yakub Memon,” he added. He then said that India was severely affected by incidents related to terrorism ten years ago, but now the ones who sent the terrorists to the country are starving. “We banned the PFI who indulged in violence in the country. Their bigwigs are now rotting in jail. For votes, Congress is taking their support in Kerala. You can't expect your well-being from such people,” PM Modi said. Also read: 'Thoroughly misconceived': Delhi HC dismisses plea seeking ban on PM Modi from contesting Lok Sabha elections 'Congress never wanted Dalit, Tribal, OBC leadership in country,' says PM Modi PM Modi while addressing a public gathering in Solapur, Maharashtra accused Congress and INDI Alliance of "spreading lies" on OBC representation further alleging that the grand old party never wanted Dalit, Tribal, OBC leadership in the country. "Congress never wanted Dalit, Tribal and OBC leadership in the country. This is the same Congress that insulted Dalit leader Dr BR Ambedkar. Babasaheb Ambedkar got the Bharat Ratna when a BJP-backed government was in power at the Centre. It has always been the endeavour of the BJP to ensure maximum representation for SC, ST, and OBCs. In 2014, when you gave us a huge majority, the NDA made a Dalit's son (Ram Nath Kovind), the President of the country," he said. "In 2019, when you once again gave us a huge mandate, for the first time in the history of the country, a tribal daughter (Droupadi Murmu) became the President of India. For the first time since independence, there is a huge number of MPs and MLAs from SC, ST and OBC communities in the government. They form about 60 per cent of the Union Council of Ministers. Congress and the INDIA bloc are spreading lies about OBC representation as they have become irritated after being exposed," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi says ‘Congress was ready to put blame of 26/11 Mumbai attacks on holy saffron’

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