Last year, the government released data showing that 168,491 people died on India’s roads.
The country only has 1% of all the vehicles in the world, but it has the most deaths from accidents compared to any other country.
In 2022, there were more deaths compared to the previous year, according to a report by India’s transport ministry. The increase in fatalities was about 9. 4%
Speeding caused the death of 70% of all people, which is seven out of every ten.
There are many road accidents in India because people drive badly and the roads and vehicles are not well taken care of.
The report, which came out on Tuesday, said that the country lost 462 lives each day and 19 lives every hour to road accidents last year.
In the country, 443,000 people were hurt in road crashes. The number of accidents went up by 11. 9% from 2021 to 2022. The report said that most of these accidents happened because cars were hit from behind or because the person who hit them ran away.
According to the report, Tamil Nadu, a state in the south, had the most accidents. Madhya Pradesh, a state in the central region, had the second highest number of accidents.
It also said that in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic started, the country did temporarily go against the usual situation.
According to the transport ministry, there was a significant decrease in accidents and deaths, especially in March and April, when the country enforced a lockdown to stop the virus from spreading. This decrease was unlike anything seen before. But the numbers increased once more.
The government department said it has been trying hard to reduce the problem by making roads better, increasing watchfulness on highways, and giving strict punishments for breaking traffic rules.
Last month, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari spoke to the MoneyControl website and said that the government alone cannot solve the traffic problem unless people start obeying traffic rules with more seriousness.
“He said that we are not happy and have not noticed a decrease in accidents because we need to change how people behave. ”
A study by the World Bank reveals that road accidents cost the Indian economy around 5-7% of GDP each year.
More than half of the people who got hurt are walking, riding bikes, or riding motorcycles. And almost 84% of all the deaths are among people who are between the ages of 18 and 60 and are working.
Tag: India
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70% of road crash deaths in India were caused by speeding – Transport ministry
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Opposition in India claims government attempted to hack citizens phones
Some Indian opposition leaders have blamed the public authority for attempting to hack into their telephones subsequent to getting advance notice messages from Apple.
Apple’s alarm said it accepted the beneficiary was “being focused on by state-supported aggressors”.
It didn’t indicate who the aggressors could be.
Government pastors excused the claims, with one referring to it as “horrendous legislative issues”.
Yet, he added that the public authority would “research to make quick work of these warnings”.
Up to this point, around twelve resistance lawmakers have affirmed that they received the message from Apple. The rundown has MPs including Shashi Tharoor and KC Venugopal from the Congress party, Mahua Moitra from the Trinamool Congress and Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Shiv Sena UBT.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi additionally said that few individuals who worked in his office got the caution.
“We are not terrified. You can do as much [phone] tapping as you need, I couldn’t care less. To take my telephone, I will give it to you,” Mr Gandhi said at a question and answer session.
A few columnists – including Siddharth Varadarajan, an establishing proofreader of information site The Wire – said they got the message as well.
Bureaucratic data innovation serve Ashwini Vaishnaw posted on X (previously Twitter) that the public authority has requested that Apple join its examination “with genuine, precise data on the supposed state supported assaults”.
On its help page for clients, that’s what apple says “state-supported assailants are very much financed and refined, and their assaults develop over the long run”, adding that they focus on a “tiny number of explicit people and their gadgets”.
It additionally says that it can’t give more insights regarding what prompts it to give these danger notices as “that might be useful to state-supported aggressors adjust their way of behaving to sidestep recognition later on”.
The BBC has not gotten reactions to questions messaged to Apple.
Innovation investigator Prasanto K Roy let the BBC know that organizations like Apple search for movement examples to recognize huge scope, co-ordinated malware assaults.
“In fact, it’s feasible to credit it to arising or starting from a specific country. They can likewise limit it down to known state-supported or state offices,” he said, adding that Apple would have zero desire to credit it to a particular entertainer.
On Tuesday, Indian legislators and columnists shared screen captures on X of the message they got from Apple, with some calling attention to that no individual from the overseeing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had affirmed getting the notice at this point.
“Amusing that main resistance got the reminder of reconnaissance, even the calculation was specific in its decision!” Ms Chaturvedi composed on X.
Yet, later in the day, BJP serve Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that his partner Piyush Goyal had additionally gotten the alarm.
“Apple needs to respond to various inquiries concerning these gadgets they guarantee are secure,” he told NDTV news channel.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha, who says he likewise got an alarm, associated it to the overall political race due the following year.
“It should likewise be put inside the more extensive assaults on the resistance who are confronting constant suppression by investigatory offices, politically inspired criminal cases and detainment,” he said.
BJP leaders expressed charges of the public authority’s contribution were “unjustifiable” and that it depended on Apple to explain what it implied by the notice.
“The resistance has no issue to take on the public authority and, consequently, they are depending on making these misleading claims,” said Amit Malviya, who cares for the BJP’s IT division.
Ms Chaturvedi delivered a letter addressed to State head Narendra Modi, encouraging him to explore “who, inside the ‘state’, is participated in endeavoring to get to my telephone”.
A few resistance pioneers in India had before blamed Mr Modi’s administration for setting them under observation.
In 2019, WhatsApp said in a claim that Indian columnists and activists were among those designated by Pegasus, a reconnaissance programming made by Israeli firm NSO Gathering. NSO has said that it just works with government organizations.
In 2021, Indian site The Wire detailed that in excess of 300 numbers on a spilled data set of thousands of telephone numbers – recorded by government clients of NSO – had a place with Indians.
Furthermore, last year, a political tempest broke out after the New York Times detailed that India had obtained Pegasus from Israel as a component of a guard bargain in 2017.
Mr Modi’s administration has denied buying the spyware, which can contaminate cell phones without clients’ information and access practically the entirety of their information.
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Indian man detained over deadly attack on Jehovah’s Witnesses
Police in India have taken a man into custody for setting off a bunch of bombs at a gathering of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the southern state of Kerala.
Three people died and over 50 people were hurt in explosions at a Christian religious event on Sunday.
The police arrested a man named Dominic Martin using a law that deals with preventing acts of terror.
He previously shared a video saying he did the attacks and gave up to the police.
The explosions happened on the final day of a prayer event put together by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the town of Kalamassery, which is about 10km (or six miles) north-east of the city of Kochi (also known as Cochin). Over 2,000 individuals were present at the three-day occasion.
TA Sreekumar, who speaks for the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the region, said to local media that the first explosion happened in the center of a hall, and two more explosions occurred just after that on both sides of the hall.
Two women who were at the meeting passed away on Sunday. On Monday, a 12-year-old girl with very severe burns also passed away from her injuries.
A few hours after the explosions, Mr. Martin shared a video on Facebook, saying that he used to belong to the Jehovah’s Witnesses and was upset with their teachings, so he planned the bombings. Sreekumer told Reuters that Mr. Martin was not officially a member.
The police said that Mr. Martin was from the state of Kerala. He used to work in Dubai before.
Kochi city police commissioner, A Akbar said that they believe he committed the crime because he confessed to it and there is additional evidence supporting this belief.
Mr Akbar said that Mr Martin was working well with the police.
The explosions caused waves of shock throughout the country. Security was increased in Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses is a religious group that thinks regular Christian churches have strayed from the true teachings of the Bible, and they believe that the end of the world, called Armageddon, is coming soon.
The group says they have around 8. 7 million people following them all over the world and about 60,000 in India. They are well-known in Kerala and go door-to-door to share their beliefs.
Queen Richard, a person who is part of the religious group called Jehovah’s Witnesses, was inside the building when a bomb went off. At first, she thought that a problem with the electrical wiring had caused the explosion.
We shut our eyes and said our prayers. Suddenly, we heard a big explosion in the middle of the hall. She said there was a big fire. She and her husband, who has a disability, had a hard time getting out of the hall.
“She said that right after I stepped outside, I passed out and fell to the ground. ” -
Indian Member of Parliament involved in ‘cash-for-query’ controversy
A Member of Parliament from India, who often strongly disagrees with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political party (BJP), is involved in a disagreement over claims of bad behavior in the parliament.
Nishikant Dubey, a member of the BJP party, is saying that Mahua Moitra, who is an MP from the TMC party, is taking money to ask questions in parliament.
Mr Dubey is saying that Ms. Moitra asked questions about the Adani Group, which is a big business owned by a wealthy man named Gautam Adani, in return for receiving presents and money from a businessman.
Ms Moitra has said that she didn’t do what she’s accused of and is willing to be investigated. A group of lawmakers who make decisions about what is right and wrong in politics began discussing the situation on Thursday.
Political experts say that the committee cannot punish Ms. Moitra, even if it decides against her, because it doesn’t have the authority to enforce its decisions. The house will need to review the recommendation and decide if they want to approve or refuse it. If Ms Moitra is forced to leave parliament, she can question the decision in court.
In January, the money activities of the Adani Group were looked into after a company called Hindenburg Research accused them of cheating and making false financial records for many years. Hindenburg Research is a company from the US that focuses on making money by betting against certain stocks. The Adani Group said the allegations are not true and called the report mean-spirited.
Since then, Ms Moitra and many lawmakers from the opposition have requested the government to investigate the accusations against the Adani Group. India’s market regulator, called the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), is currently looking into the accusations against the company.What has occurred up until now.
On 15 October, Mr Dubey sent a letter to the head of the parliamentary group, sharing information he got from a lawyer called Jai Anant Dehadrai.
Mr Dubey said that Mr. Dehadrai, who Ms. Moitra called a bitter ex-partner, had provided undeniable proof of bribes being exchanged between her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The intention behind this was to target the Adani Group and Mr.
People think Mr. Adani is friends with Mr. Modi and politicians from the opposing party have accused him of unfairly benefiting from this friendship. Adani and the BJP party deny these allegations.
Mr Dubey said that until recently, 50 out of 61 questions asked by Ms. Moitra in parliament were about the Adani Group. He also accused her of taking bribes totaling 20 million rupees ($240,542; £197,700) from Mr. Hiranandani.Ms Moitra has said that the accusations are not true and she has taken legal action against Mr Dubey, Mr Dehadrai, and various news organizations for damaging her reputation.
The Hiranandani Group denied the allegations. On 20 October, it was said that Mr. Hiranandani gave a written statement to the parliament’s ethics committee. In the statement, he changed his position and said that Ms. Moitra had purposely focused on Mr. Adani and his businesses to gain fame.
He also said that Ms Moitra shared her parliamentary login information with him so he could ask questions for her when needed.
News agencies quickly reported on the supposed affidavit, but Ms. Moitra expressed doubts about its authenticity in a press release on X.
The paper that the document is written on is not official or certified. Why would a highly respected and educated businessman from India agree to sign a letter like this on plain white paper, unless someone forced him to do it by holding a gun to his head.
Darshan Hiranandani has not been asked to come for questioning by the CBI, the Ethics Committee, or any other investigative agency in India so far. Who did he give this written statement to, she added.
The day after Mr. Dubey made his claims, a representative for the Adani Group said that Mr. Dehadrai’s complaint shows that there has been a plan since 2018 to damage the reputation and interests of the Adani Group and its Chairman Gautam Adani.
The TMC has not made a clear decision on the matter. Derek O’Brien, a lawmaker from the party, said that the leaders of TMC will wait for the report from the ethics panel before making a suitable choice.
The disagreement has become a big news story because Ms Moitra is seen as an important politician who has connected with both city and countryside voters in West Bengal. Her supporters say that the BJP is creating this controversy as a strategy to harm Mr. Moitra’s popularity with voters before the general elections in 2024.
From someone who works with money to someone who makes decisions in the government
Before joining the TMC in 2010, Ms. Moitra worked as a banker. At the beginning of her political career, she mainly focused on the state level and worked closely with ordinary voters.
In the 2019 parliamentary election, she ran for office in Krishnanagar, West Bengal. She had to show that she could represent the many voters in poverty. Poverty line is a way to measure how well someone or their family is living.
Ms Moitra won the elections with a lot more votes than the other candidates, almost 60,000 more votes.
Ms Moitra, in her first speech in parliament, said that India had been seeing “indications of fascism” under the BJP government. The speech became very popular on social media and people had different opinions about it. Some people praised her for being honest, but others criticized her for scaring people.
Ms Moitra has now become a well-known person in the TMC, a political party that already has Mamata Banerjee, a powerful female leader in charge.
Ms Banerjee, a strong speaker, is part of a group that wants to challenge Mr Modi’s BJP in the upcoming election. In 2021, she openly criticized Ms Moitra for causing conflicts within their party. People who study politics are paying attention to what Ms. Banerjee will say or do in response to the ongoing problem. -
Indian former navy officers sentenced to death by Qatar
India has stated that it is looking into all possible legal actions after a court in Qatar gave a death sentence to eight former Indian naval officers, without specifying the charges.
According to reports, the men, who had jobs with a private company in Qatar, were arrested last year because they were believed to be spying.
Both Qatar and India have not told everyone what they are being charged with.
On Thursday, the government of India expressed their strong surprise and said they will discuss the decision with the authorities in Qatar.
India’s foreign ministry said that it is waiting for the detailed judgment and considers this case to be very important.
“We are staying in contact with the family and legal team. We are looking into all the legal choices we have. We cannot say more about this right now because the case details are confidential. ”
The text says that these men are workers for a company called Al Dahra, but many reports say that they used to work in the Indian Navy. Last year, in the government, the foreign minister called them “former soldiers” of the country. Some families have also told the local media about the identities and backgrounds of the men who serve in the Navy.
They were arrested last August and it was big news in India. However, not much is known about the charges against them.
According to The Hindu newspaper, the men were accused of doing something wrong with important information, but neither of the governments have confirmed this. The BBC could not check if the allegations were true on its own, but it has asked the Qatar embassy some questions.
Some smart people say that the current problems between two countries could have a negative effect on their relationship. There are more than 700,000 people from India in Qatar and we have a strong connection for trade and business. According to Former Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepa Gopalan, the Indian government is closely monitoring the case and may have to address it at a high level to make sure that the lives of the people involved are protected.
In December, Mr. Jaishankar said that the government was talking with Qatar about a very delicate situation.
We prioritize their interests above everything else. Ambassadors and top officials frequently communicate with the government of Qatar. He said that they are our top priority.
Many people from India live in the Gulf region, and many of them have jobs that don’t require much skill and pay lower wages.
These migrant workers have been very important in developing the economies of Gulf Arab states and they also send a lot of money back to India. -
India expresses ‘deep shock’ over death sentence by Qatar for alleged espionage
Qatar has found eight Indian citizens guilty of espionage and has given them the punishment of death. This decision was made after the Indian government reported that these individuals were detained in Doha last year.
On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed being very surprised by the decision and promised to discuss the matter with authorities in Qatar.
The statement said that we are talking to the family and lawyers and looking into all the legal choices available to us.
The people from India who used to work in the Indian Navy have been identified as ex-servicemen. This information was mentioned in a letter written by the External Affairs Minister, S, and the letter is dated December 23 of the previous year. Jaishankar, who was shared by Indian lawmaker Manish Tewari, on a social media platform called X, previously known as Twitter.
Tewari says he received a letter as a response to his concerns about the unfair imprisonment of retired Navy officers, which he had raised in parliament.
MajorGeneral(retired) Satbir Singh, who leads the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, said that the families of the men were very sad and upset.
“He said that these guys went to teach the Qatar Navy people, but now they are getting accused for spying. ”
Singh said the group has been supporting the men since they were kept in custody last year. They have been sending letters to important Indian government officials, like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to fight for their rights.
Out of the group of eight people, seven were in charge and one was a person who worked on a ship, according to what he said.
They are all older men who have different health problems that require care. The families are very upset and saddened by the news,” Singh said.
The Indian government did not provide any specific information about the accusations or the final decision. They also didn’t reveal the names of the people involved. However, they mentioned that the individuals were working for a company called Al Dahra, which is located in Qatar.
According to the United Nations, there are many Indian workers in Qatar. They make up a big part of the 2 million foreigners who work in the country. In fact, 95% of all workers in Qatar are from other countries. -
Mumbai fire kills Aberdeen mother and her baby son
A mother from Aberdeen and her little son passed away in a fire accident in India.
Dr Glory Valthaty, who is 43 years old, and Joshua, who is eight years old, were visiting their family when a fire started in an apartment in Mumbai on Monday morning.
Dr Valthaty’s husband and daughter were believed to have been on the vacation too.
Joshua was a student at Kaimhill School in Aberdeen. His headteacher, Susie Webster, said he was well-liked by his classmates.
Ms Webster said: “We are very sad that the Kaimhill School and the wider community have learned the shocking news that Joshua and his mom, Glory, have passed away.
Joshua started at Kaimhill Nursery in September 2020 and made friends with everyone in his class. He was liked by all the teachers and students in the school.
We are thinking about his family and praying for them during this tough time.
Mumbai is a city in India.
She said, “We also remember Joshua’s friends as they go back to school on Monday and want to let everyone know that we will continue to help them. ”
Dr Valthaty was the director of a company called Faith Project Consultants Ltd. The company is registered in Dundee.
The family is thought to have been living in an apartment owned by Dr. Valthaty’s brother, who used to play cricket in the Indian Premier League, named Paul Valthaty.
A spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are helping the family of two British people who passed away in Mumbai. ”
Dr Valthaty worked with NHS Grampian while learning about giving anesthesia at first, and he stopped working there in 2018.
One of my friends wrote on social media: “Glory was a really good friend to me and a great daughter, sister, wife, mother, and doctor. ”
Another post mentioned that people were grieving the sudden death of the mother and her son.
“The post stated that you, Glory, will forever be remembered for your bright and happy smile. ” -
India to once more provide Canadians visas after ceased in diplomatic row in September
India’s embassy in Ottawa has announced that they will start offering visas to Canadians again. This comes after the visa services were stopped during a big argument between the two countries in September.
India said that the reason for the move was because there were security threats that were causing problems at their Canadian missions.
However, the suspension happened during a major disagreement regarding the assassination of a Sikh separatist within Canada.
Ottawa said India is responsible for the murder, but India says this is ridiculous.
On Wednesday, officials announced that they will start giving out some visas again. This decision came after they checked the security situation at their embassies and after considering recent actions taken by Canada (which they did not mention specifically).
It is being said that services will start again on Thursday. These services will include entry visas, as well as visas for business, medical, and conferences.
Relations between India and Canada became very bad after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that India was responsible for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leader who wanted Sikhs to separate from India. He was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.
The police called it a “targeted killing” but they haven’t found any suspects yet.
MrTrudeau has asked India to help with the murder investigation, but he also wants to make it clear that Canada does not want to make their relationship with India worse.
Canada recently brought back many of its ambassadors from India. This happened because India threatened to take away their legal protection, known as diplomatic immunity.
India has complained that Canada has a larger number of diplomats in Delhi compared to the number of Indian diplomats in Ottawa. India wants both countries to have an equal number of diplomats.
There are twenty-one Canadian diplomats still in India. -
Legendary Indian cricketer Bishan Bedi passes away at 77
Indian cricket hero Bishan Singh Bedi has passed away at the age of 77 after a long sickness.
He was dealing with illnesses that come with getting older and had to have some surgeries recently.
Bedi, who is considered one of the best spin bowlers in the world, led India in 22 out of his 67 Test matches and got 266 wickets.
He started playing against West Indies in 1966 and played his final game against England at The Oval in 1979.
Bedi also played cricket for Northamptonshire in England. He ended his career with 1,560 wickets in first-class matches, which is the highest number of wickets by any Indian bowler.
Bedi was a very important member of a famous group of four spin bowlers from India in the 1960s and 70s. The other bowlers in the group were Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan. In 2021, Bedi was selected by readers to be part of BBC Sport’s all-time India Test XI.
Bedi was born in Amritsar in Punjab, India. He started playing cricket while he was in school. When he was 20 years old, he became the 113th person to play cricket for India in Test matches.
During his 12-year career, his greatest bowling achievement was in 1969 when he took seven wickets for 98 runs against Australia in Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta). India ended up losing that Test match.
Bedi was a spin bowler who wore a pink or bright blue turban and was highly admired by those who love the art of spin bowling. He was good at bowling because he had a relaxed approach and smooth movements. A writer who talks about cricket described the left arm spinner as very sneaky, quiet and dangerous. They said that this player is really good at tricking their opponents by changing the way they throw the ball without anyone noticing. They can make the ball go high or low, spin in different ways, and change its speed, all while keeping the same throwing style.
Ramachandra Guha, a historian and author of a book about Indian cricket called A Corner of a Foreign Field, wrote that Bedi was able to throw the ball high in the air better than any other bowler in international cricket. This helped him to challenge fast-moving batsmen because he had such good control over the ball that he could make it come down much quicker than it had gone up.
Syed Kirmani, a former wicketkeeper for India who played in 88 Tests, once said that Bedi had a lot of different ways to bowl and could throw six different types of deliveries in one over.
The famous West Indies cricketer Sir Garry Sobers, who was known for his skills in both batting and bowling, said that Bedi was able to lighten the ball’s pressure effectively. Mike Brearley, who was one of the best captains of the England cricket team, described his team’s bowling as “beautiful”.
And Australia’s famous Sir Donald Bradman, who is believed to be the best batter in the history of the game, thought that “Bedi was a skilled bowler who would be appreciated by those who understand the game, and he was one of the best in his category. ”
Bedi was a unique cricketer who spoke his mind and frequently got into arguments.
In 1976, he stopped India from playing further in a cricket game against West Indies because the opposing team was being too aggressive and trying to scare the Indian players. The game was being played in Kingston, Jamaica.
Three Indian batters got injured by fast bowlers from West Indies and couldn’t continue playing. Bedi explained that it wasn’t a decision made by the team, as there were no healthy players left to take their place and play. West Indies won the game by a big margin of 10 wickets.
In 1977, he said that England bowler John Lever used Vaseline to make the ball swing during a tour in India. The following year, he gave up a match against Pakistan because he believed the umpires were showing favoritism.In 1990, he was the leader of the Indian team and got angry when they lost a match against Australia. He said he might leave the team in the ocean. In 2002, he made a strong criticism of Sri Lanka’s famous spin player Muttiah Muralitharan, saying that he cheated by throwing the ball incorrectly.
Bedi said in an interview published in Wisden Cricket Asia that if Murali doesn’t cheat in bowling, then he would like someone to teach him how to bowl properly.
In 1978, he said no to a lot of money that Kerry Packer offered him to play in a special cricket tournament in Australia. He later said that Packer’s representative had tried to convince him three times with big amounts of money.
Many years later, he criticized player auctions in the Indian Premier League. He didn’t like the idea of players being treated like horses being sold to the person who offers the most money.
At home, Bedi always spoke his mind and criticized cricket board officials without holding back.
He requested to have his name removed from a sign at the main cricket stadium in Delhi. He did this as a way to show his objection to a statue of a deceased politician from the ruling BJP party being placed there. He went on TV without permission and asked for more money for his team’s matches. He once said that if it’s wrong to say what you think, then he has done it many times and is therefore guilty.
Bedi was a very outgoing person who liked to be around many people and had a striking personality. His daughter remembered a home where there was always plenty of alcohol, food, and lots of loud laughter that couldn’t be stopped. He really liked dogs and would bring different types of dogs back home from his time in the UK.
The person who was known as the “sardar of spin” in India was very funny and made everyone around him laugh a lot.
In England, he got two dogs from a dog place, called them Charles and Diana, and brought them to India. At the airport in London, a person in a position of authority asked him, “Are you making fun of our royal family. “A serious Bedi responded by saying, “No. I am keeping the money earned from my work. ”
The wisecrack explained Bedi in a few different ways: someone who doesn’t show much respect and who goes against the rules. And surely, one of the best cricket players ever. -
Indian schools face stricter regulations after a student attempted suicide
Coaching centers in the northern Indian city of Kota will have stricter rules because more students are taking their own lives. BBC Hindi journalist Vineet Khare spoke with students who have traveled to Kota in order to receive extra coaching for their entrance exams in prestigious colleges. Many of these students feel a lot of pressure to succeed.
Vijay, who is 21 years old but that’s not his real name, did not pass the entrance exam for medical college three times. He thought that going to an expensive coaching center in Kota, a city in the state of Rajasthan in northern India, would help him pass the test.
Just like many other students, Vijay thought of Kota as a place where his dreams could come true.
The city has big signs that display the names, pictures, and rankings of students who have done well. Over 200,000 students, including some as young as 13, come here to study and stay in hostels or privately rented homes.
This place is famous for its educational centers that help young people get ready for India’s tough entrance exams for top medical and engineering colleges. There are 12 big learning centers and at least 50 smaller ones.
Feeling proud, overwhelmed, and worried.
Indian parents feel a lot of pride when their children get accepted into prestigious colleges, and they don’t view failure in a positive way. The institutes ask for over 100,000 Indian rupees ($1,200, £1,000) per year, which is a lot of money for many families. Getting into a good engineering or medical college can lead to a well-paid job.
Vijay’s family lives in a rural area and does not have much money. His dad is a farmer and he was really worried about making his parents unhappy.
He confesses that in the past, he would lie to his parents about his poor test scores.
He says that he started feeling very worried and it was causing him to have headaches and pain in his chest. And it was when he didn’t pass his second exam that he almost tried to end his own life.
“He said that he felt like he didn’t have any other choice. ”
I spent my parents’ money and ruined their reputation.
“He says that the stress of the situation made me think about hurting myself, but I didn’t tell anyone. ”
Vijay says he changed his opinion after he saw a famous Bollywood actress, Deepika Padukone, talking about her sadness. The actress talked openly about how working too much is sometimes seen as a good thing and how it can harm mental health. He was encouraged to ask for help because she was honest and open. Vijay is currently receiving help for his mental health and he is trying to live one day at a time.
Other students also tell me about how difficult it is to live alone, the high expectations that their parents have for them, the pressure they feel from their friends, the intense competition, and having to work for 14 hours each day. In Kota, over 100 students have died by suicide in the last 10 years. This year, at least 25 students have taken their lives, which is the highest number in one year so far, says the police data.
One of the suicides in the city happened while I was visiting. A 15-year-old girl took her own life.
We don’t know why she decided to end her own life. “Her father told me on the phone while he was traveling to Kota after learning about her death, that she never told us about any stress related to her studies. ” However, she did discuss student suicides in Kota. He said he told her to concentrate on her studies instead.A local newspaper called the Hindustan Times looked at information from the government and found that in 2023, many young boys under the age of 18 in Kota, India took their own lives. These boys were studying for medical tests and came from poor families living far away in the northern parts of the country.
Adarsh Raj was a student from a farming family in Kota. He had a dream of becoming a doctor but sadly, he ended his life in August when he was 18 years old. His family is extremely sad and upset. We did not try to make him do something he didn’t want to do. His uncle Harishankar told me that they think his depression was caused by getting low grades on his tests, and that’s why he did something extreme. “But killing oneself is not the answer. ”
Rules, hotlines, and classes to support mental well-being.
The government of Rajasthan has made new rules for coaching institutes in Kota because there have been more student suicides lately.
On 29 September, it released guidelines that say schools should not accept students under the age of 14 (before ninth grade) and should not share test scores with others.
We will focus more on mental health workshops and programs for students. We are working on a plan to put up more posters to advertise a helpline that helps students.
In June, a group of 11 individuals, led by senior police officer Chandrasheel, formed a team to find students who are showing signs of depression.
He says that we visit hostels and talk to people to see if any students are acting differently. If we see warning signs, we keep an eye on the student, talk to them, communicate with the person in charge of the hostel, and talk to their parents.The Covid pandemic has caused people to be isolated from each other.
According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the fourth most common cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29 worldwide.
Over 13,000 students in India died by suicide in 2021, which is a 4. 5% increase from 2020, as per government data.
A teacher said that there can be a lot of kids in a class at a coaching center, up to 300. Sometimes, the teacher doesn’t know all the names of the students, and this can make the kids feel alone and left out.
The Covid pandemic and the various times when people were not allowed to go out have caused a really big change.
Nitin Vijay, the head of Motion Education, a popular coaching center in India, says that students who have experienced Covid-19 are now less able to handle stress compared to before the pandemic. “But he says that it will get better as time goes on. ” -
Canadian visas to resume once diplomats are secure – India’s Foreign Minister
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has said that they will start giving visas to Canadians again if they notice improvements in the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada.
India stopped issuing visas in September because they said there were security problems at their offices in Canada.
The two countries are in the middle of a disagreement over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.
Ottawa has previously stated that it is very concerned about the safety of diplomats.
But it has not answered India’s specific claims about dangers to its diplomats in Canada.
The relationship between the countries got much worse after the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said in September that his country was looking into “believable accusations that could link” the Indian government to the murder of a Sikh leader.
India completely disagreed with the accusations and thought they were ridiculous.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is from Canada, was killed in his car by two people wearing masks outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June. Nijjar strongly supported a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan. This was a controversial topic in India because there was a violent rebellion in the 1980s demanding it.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of Sikhs in Canada.
Why do some Sikhs want their own state.
India was worried about the safety of its officials in Canada even before things got worse. They were concerned about threats from Khalistan supporters. In July, Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly wrote on Twitter that the country is very concerned about the safety of its diplomats. This came after a poster for a pro-Khalistan rally blamed two Indian diplomats for the death of Nijjar.
In September, the Indian government said they had to temporarily stop giving visas to Canadians. They said this was because their embassy and consulates in Canada were being threatened, which made it hard for them to work normally. The Canadian embassy also mentioned that some of the people who work for them have been threatened on different social media sites.
Canada’s foreign minister said 41 diplomats left India last week. India asked Canada to remove many of their staff, saying they would not have immunity if they stayed.
Canadian officials have said that this goes against the rules that countries have agreed upon in the world. The United States and the United Kingdom are worried about the decision.
On Sunday, Mr Jaishankar explained that India wants both countries to have equal diplomatic rights and that this aligns with the rules of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
He said that we used parity because we were worried about Canadian people interfering in our affairs often. This was mentioned at an event, and he also mentioned that the relationship between India and Canada was going through a tough period.
“But I just want to say that the issues we have are with a specific group in Canadian politics and the decisions that come from that,” he said.
Canada’s visa services are still available in India, but it has informed that it will take longer to process them due to having fewer staff after the diplomats left. Currently, both Canada and India have 21 diplomats in each other’s country.
Last week, Mr. Trudeau said that India’s strict actions towards diplomats were making life difficult for many people in both countries.
According to the 2021 census, Canada has 1. 4 million people who come from India. More than half of them are Sikhs. These Indian-origin people make up 3. 7% of Canada’s population. India sends the most students from other countries to Canada. In 2022, 320,000 of the total international students in Canada were from India, which is 40% of the total.
In 2021, around 80,000 people from Canada went to visit India. Only the US, Bangladesh, and UK had more tourists visiting India that year. -
Indian cop fired following significant online gaming victory
An Indian police officer has been fired from his job because he won a large amount of money on a fantasy sports website.
Somnath Zende, a police sub-inspector in Pune district of Maharashtra state, recently won money by playing Dream 11, an online fantasy league game.
Officials say he was temporarily not allowed to work because he broke the rules for how police officers should behave.
Mr Zende has denied or proved false the statement. He will have to go through an investigation by his department.
The police department in the Pimpri Chinchwad area of Pune suspended Mr. Zende for playing a game without permission and giving media interviews while wearing his uniform.
Mr Zende expressed that he felt he was being treated in a way that was not fair.
The police officer said he started playing games on Dream 11 website a month ago. On October 10th, he received a cash prize of 15 million rupees for winning a game on the platform.
Dream 11 says it is a game where skill is important, not just luck. They mention a recent court decision on their website that allows them to operate legally and not be considered gambling.
In India, gambling is against the law. However, some people in the gaming industry believe that “online skill-based gaming” is different. They argue that in this type of gaming, the skill involved is more important than luck.
The app has a famous cricketer, MS Dhoni, as its ambassador and has included Bollywood actors like Aamir Khan in its advertisements.
Users make virtual groups using names of actual players. After that, they get points depending on how well these players perform in real games.
Mr Zende was the winner of the game during a match between Bangladesh and England in the ongoing Cricket World Cup held in India.
After winning, they say Mr Zende wore his police uniform and talked to the media for interviews.
Amold Thorat, a worker of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also holds power in Maharashtra, sent a letter to the chief minister and his deputy. In the letter, Thorat demanded action against Mr. Zende for participating in illegal gambling activities.
Mr Thorat said that Mr. Zende was playing the game instead of doing his job, and he called it not doing his duty properly.
Zende complained that pictures of him in his police uniform became very popular on the internet and gave people a negative impression of the police department in the state.
But Zende said he did not play the game while he was working. He claimed that other police officers also played the game.
A lot of people enjoy playing this game. It is a game or physical activity. “He said they play for a long time,” in simpler terms. It is not a game of chance, but I am still being punished.
Mr Zende said he will use his prize money to pay off his mortgage and open savings accounts for his children.
During Mr Zende’s departmental inquiry, he will have the opportunity to share his side of the story. A high-ranking police officer said they will make a decision about what to do next after they receive the report from the inquiry committee. -
India conducts important test flights prior to astronauts space mission
The space agency of India will soon start important tests before sending astronauts into space in 2025.
The Gaganyaan spacecraft will be launched on Saturday at 08:00 in Sriharikota.
The test will show if the crew can safely get out of the rocket if it doesn’t work correctly.
If it works, it will make it possible for other missions without people, including sending a robot into space next year.
We will only send a mission with three astronauts into low-Earth orbit after we finish all these tests. The government said it will probably happen in 2025.
The Gaganyaan project, which means “craft or vehicle to the sky” in Sanskrit, was created at a cost of 90 billion rupees ($1 billion; £897 million). The goal is to launch the astronauts into space 400km above Earth and bring them back safely after three days. If India is successful, it will be the fourth country to send a person into space, following the Soviet Union, the US, and China.
Before that, the space agency Isro has to show that the capsule carrying humans can come back home safely. Saturday’s flight, known as Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (or TV-D1) by Isro, will try to do that.
The head of ISRO, S Somanath, has said that they will be testing the spaceship’s “escape system for the crew” which is a very important part of the spaceship.
Mr Somanath said that if something goes wrong with the rocket, we can make sure the crew stays safe by moving them at least 2km (1. 2 miles) away from the rocket that’s exploding.
“After the rocket goes up in the air, when it reaches a height of 12km to 16km, we will activate the safety system and separate the crew escape system from it,” he explained.
According to the Isro website, some parachutes will be used to help the module land safely in the waters of Bay of Bengal, about 10km away from the Sriharikota coast.
The Indian navy will be nearby with a ship and a group of divers. They will retrieve the module and bring it back to land safely.
The space agency says that the “short duration” test will take about nine minutes.
The craft has been equipped with cameras and instruments that will collect information and pictures. Isro claims that this data will be useful for future tests and the final Gaganyaan mission.
If the test on Saturday goes well, Isro will then send a robot that looks like a human in a spacecraft called Gaganyaan next year, according to junior minister for science Jitendra Singh. Isro introduced Vyommitra, a female humanoid, in 2019. The word “Vyommitra” means “space friend” in Sanskrit.
The agency also showed pictures of Indian air force pilots who were selected to be part of the crew. They mentioned that the pilots were going through a lot of physical exercises, lab tests, X-rays, medical tests, and assessments of their mindset.
Isro recently shared pictures of their rocket on a social media platform called X. They also shared a picture that shows the path the rocket will take from its launch to when it lands in the ocean.
Saturday’s upcoming test has gotten a lot of attention in India, even though it’s happening pretty late compared to when astronauts from the Soviet Union and the US started going to the low Earth orbit in 1961. In October 2003, China became the third country to go to space. They sent a mission that lasted 21 hours and circled the Earth 14 times. The US and China have space stations in orbit around Earth that are fully working.
In 1984, an astronaut from India named Rakesh Sharma went to space. He spent 21 days and 40 minutes on a Russian spacecraft.
But people are interested in Isro’s planned test on Saturday because it’s happening soon after India made a historic achievement by being the first country to land near the Moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023.
A few weeks later, India sent its first observation mission to the Sun, called Aditya-L1. According to India’s space agency, it will travel a distance of 1. 5 million km (932,000 miles) from Earth, which is about 1% of the distance between the Earth and the Sun. It is expected to reach its intended destination in mid-January.
This week, India announced big goals for space. They plan to build a space station by 2035 and send one of their own astronauts to the Moon by 2040. -
41 Canadian ambassadors expelled from India over murder of Sikh activist
Canada removed 41 diplomats and their families from India because India said they might take away their special protection as diplomats. This happened because there is a growing argument between the two countries about the killing of a Sikh activist.
The decision comes after both countries kicked out each other’s diplomats as a response to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and important Sikh leader. Nijjar was shot by two masked attackers in British Columbia.
A rift between the countries started because Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said that his intelligence services were investigating “believable accusations” that the murder could be connected to Indian government agents. India strongly denies any involvement in Nijjar’s death and accuses the claims of being ridiculous and driven by ulterior motives.
Apart from the reciprocal removal of diplomats, India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens due to concerns about the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada.
Last month, India announced that it would request some Canadian diplomats to depart from the country, in order to have equal diplomatic representation.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said India’s recent actions were not fair when she talked about the removal of the 41 diplomats on Thursday.
I always prioritize the safety of Canadians and our diplomats. Joly said at a press conference in Ottawa that because India’s actions could put our diplomats’ safety at risk, we have helped them leave India safely.
Joly mentioned that most diplomats and their families have left India, but 21 Canadian diplomats are still staying there.
Joly said the Canadian government will not respond in the same way, as it would break international law.
Joly said we are only asking India to follow the rules of the world.
Nijjar strongly supported the idea of creating a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan, which would be made up of certain areas in India.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada says that Nijjar often led peaceful protests against what the group believes are human rights violations happening in India and in support of Khalistan.
The Khalistan movement is not allowed in India and the government sees it as a danger to the country’s safety. Some groups related to the movement are labeled as terrorist organizations under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Nijjar was listed by the Home Ministry as a UAPA terrorist.
In 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency accused him of attempting to influence Sikh communities worldwide to support the formation of ‘Khalistan’. They also said he tried to encourage Sikhs to vote for independence, protest against the Indian government, and carry out violent actions.
Nijjar’s followers have refused to accept the terrorist label. They believe this label is being used to harm Nijjar’s reputation. Nijjar’s death has caused great shock and anger among the Sikh community in Canada, which is one of the biggest Sikh communities outside of India. In Canada, there are over 770,000 people who belong to the Sikh religious minority. -
Indian officials hope to deploy astronauts to moon by 2040
India wants to send a person to the Moon by 2040, as stated by the government.
The country wants to build a space station by 2035 as part of its space goals.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his plans and asked scientists to research and explore Venus and Mars.
In August, India became the first country to send a spacecraft and land it on the Moon’s south pole. Then, in September, it launched a rocket to study the Sun.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is developing a project called Gaganyaan. Its goal is to send astronauts into space and bring them back to Earth safely, landing in Indian waters. On Saturday, the space agency will perform an important trial in the mission.
This will be followed by another trial flight that will take a robot to outer space. After that, the last mission with humans will happen before the end of 2024. -
India’s top court issues historic LGBTQ verdict over same-sex marriage
India’s highest court has made an important decision to support the rights of the LGBTQ community. However, they have not officially approved same-sex marriages.
The ruling is a small win for LGBTQ Indians who have been fighting for equal rights as citizens in the biggest democracy in the world.
A group of five top judges, including the chief justice of India, made an important decision on Tuesday. The Supreme Court broadcasted the decision live, while many people gathered outside to listen.
A group of over twelve people from the LGBTQ community have raised objections against a law that prevents them from getting legally married.
The ruling marks the end of a long and difficult legal fight for equal rights in a country where being gay is still considered unacceptable.
This news story is very important and just happened. There is more information or things to come. -
Highest court in India to make decision regarding same-sex marriage
Aditi and Susan didn’t fall in love when they first met at a book club in Mumbai.
“We didn’t like each other at all,” Anand, a filmmaker, said happily as she remembered the meeting. “We always disagreed with each other’s opinions on the books we were reading. ”
After a few weeks, the two women saw each other at a phone store. Dias purposely didn’t pay attention to Anand.
She made a big effort to ignore me. “But luckily, or maybe luckily for both of us, we met each other at the phone counter,” Anand said. We greeted each other and gave each other our phone numbers.
Over ten years later, Anand and Dias have created a life together.
But they cannot get married in their home country.
India, which is the biggest democracy and has the most people, does not accept same-sex marriage. This means that millions of LGBTQ couples are not able to receive legal benefits connected to marriage, such as adoption, insurance, and inheritance.
The current law only recognizes one of them as the legal parent of their son, which affects important decisions like who can make medical choices for him.
But, things might be about to change.
India’s highest court, the Supreme Court, has been hearing arguments from activists since April about a significant case. The proceedings are being broadcasted live to the public, and tens of thousands of people are watching it every day.
People who support the rights of 18 petitioners say that India should start treating LGBTQ people as equal citizens according to its constitution.
They said in a recent court filing that these unions were an idea for people in cities and of high social status, and therefore not wanted in the country.
The court is going to make a decision soon.
If the activists succeed, it could greatly alter what is usually a very traditional and conservative country.
“I want my son to have two parents who are legally and officially recognized,” said Dias, who is one of the 18 people petitioning, just like Anand. “And that’s why we think this petition matters to us. ”Hindu stories from many years ago tell about men who turn into women, and sacred texts talk about characters who are neither male nor female. Same-sex sex was made illegal and only straight couples could get married in India in 1860 by the British rulers.
After that, the LGBTQ community in India, which is probably one of the biggest in the world because of the country’s 1. 4 billion people, has been treated poorly and excluded by society.
Both of these laws from the colonial period were still being used even 70 years after India became independent in 1947. These laws were no longer being used in the country they came from, England and Wales, who made same-sex intercourse legal in 1967 and same-sex marriage legal in 2013.
For almost ten years, Narendra Modi, the leader of India, and his ruling party, the BJP, have wanted to get rid of India’s connection to its past as a colony. They have changed the names of streets and cities and have promoted the idea of India being in control of its own future. However, the laws in Victoria that govern same-sex marriage are a remnant of the past from when the country was a colony. His party has been working hard to keep these laws in place.
In 2017, when Vishwa and Vivek got married, being gay was still against the law and could result in up to 10 years in jail. They had a small Hindu ceremony at Vishwa’s parents’ apartment near New Delhi. They only invited a few of their closest friends and family.
We had to do it fast. Vivek, who works for a non-profit organization, said that it had to be short. “My family was not there. ”
In that year, the talented Indian filmmaker, Karan Johar, wrote about the experience of being homosexual in India.
“I don’t need to loudly announce my sexual orientation as everyone already knows it,” he wrote in his book “An Unsuitable Boy. ” I will not say this because in my country, I could possibly go to jail for it.
However, it seems like people’s opinions and behaviors are starting to shift.
In 2018, the Supreme Court made a decision to end a law that made same-sex intercourse a crime. However, they did not change the law that only allows heterosexual couples to get married.
In the past few years, the movie industry and big cities in India have become more accepting of same-sex relationships. Bollywood, the influential Hindi-film industry, and cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru now celebrate pride month with parades and big events.
Vishwa believes that these wins are great for the community and have motivated people to keep trying to change the law, despite strong opposition from the government. He said that even if the judge ruled against the people making the request, there could still be some positive aspects.
It may not result in a victory. Most of us have accepted it without any problems,” Vishwa said. We believe that if the Supreme Court agrees with us, it will help us in the long run. We are prepared to keep fighting.
No matter what the court says, its decision will impact many people in India for a very long time.
Famous chef and LGBTQ supporter Suvir Saran is one of many who disagree with the government’s position. He believes that the government is showing that India does not accept people for who they are.
In areas with a lot of discrimination in the countryside, the consequences of revealing your true identity can be very serious, according to Saran.
If you don’t have good education or basic things for living, you’re in a bad situation. Saran said that you might feel damaged or hurt even before you understand your sexual identity.
Anish Gawde, who started Pink List India, a group that keeps watch on Indian politicians and their views on LGBTQ issues, mentioned that a lot of people have been expelled from their homes and made to live alone because they do not have any support.
Gawde said that marriage equality is very important to many queer people in India. “They keep loving each other even though people judge them and try to hold them back. ”
Vivek wants a positive decision to make his relationship with his husband recognized and accepted by more people.
“I want to be recognized as Vishwa’s legal partner,” he said. Marriage is an agreement between two people that is recognized by society. It is also an agreement about money. The privileges given to opposite-sex couples are extremely important for people like us to create a life together.
After asking the highest court for help, Dias explained that she now understands they are not doing this only for themselves, but for the many people who cannot afford to fight.
Now, many people are working together to take action. “I’m doing this for people who can’t do it themselves, just as much as I’m doing it for myself,” she explained.
Anand said yes, adding that their home conversation turned into a big movement that brought together India’s LGBTQ community.
She asked if we can be equal. -
India keeps looking for survivors following flash floods
Rescue teams have been continuing to search for over 100 missing people after flash floods occurred in the state of Sikkim in northeast India.
On Friday, officials said that at least 22 people have died, including seven soldiers.
The big floods happened because of a sudden heavy rainfall over a lake on the mountain this week.
The floods got worse when water was let out from a dam near the Teesta river.
It broke the power system at the Chungthang dam and then went down the river and flooded towns and villages.
Many search and rescue people have been sent to Sikkim and northern parts of West Bengal, which is lower in elevation. Places close to the river are being cautious.
Some army personnel, around 23, have been reported as missing. The Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang, said that they have found the bodies of seven people in various places downstream of the river. One soldier was saved and found alive earlier this week.
A sum of 103 individuals, counting 15 soldiers, are still not found, as per his statement.
Over 22,000 people have been impacted by the floods, and many are stuck in Lachen and Lachung in northern Sikkim. The floods have caused problems with mobile phone service in the area.
Mr Tamang said that the roads connecting different districts have been blocked and the bridges have been taken away by water.
The army said they were giving food and medical help to people. They were also helping civilians and tourists by helping them communicate with others. Rescue teams are also taking people who have been evacuated to places where they can receive help and support.
All schools and colleges in the state will be closed until 15 October because of bad weather.
On Tuesday night, because of a lot of rain, the Lhonak lake in the state broke its embankment. This caused the water level in the Teesta river in Lachen Valley to rise very quickly, which was worrying.
The flood got worse when water was let out from a dam close by into the river. A person from the military said that the water levels downstream suddenly went up very fast and got as high as 15 to 20 feet.
Pictures from space that Isro, India’s space agency, shared showed big changes in the amount of water in the lake.
On 28 September, the lake was 167. 4 hectares big, but by 4 October, it had become much smaller, just 60. 3
The floods destroyed many things, like roads and bridges.
The northern areas of West Bengal have been flooded by water from the Teesta river, affecting districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri.
According to officials, two people died and six others got hurt when a mortar shell, found in the river that was full, exploded in Jalpaiguri.
Sikkim, a place in the Himalayas, has a high risk of floods and other natural disasters. Last year, there was a lot of flooding in that area that forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes, and sadly 24 people lost their lives. -
19 people killed and 100 missing as glacial lake explodes in India
Over 100 people are lost in northeast India because heavy rain made a glacial lake break, causing sudden floods that tore through Sikkim, a state in the Himalayas. At least 19 people died, and the floods destroyed roads and bridges, according to the state government.
A heavy rainstorm happened over Lhonak Lake in the northern part of the state. This caused a lot of water to rush down the Teesta River in Sikkim’s Lachen valley. The water levels in the river rose 15-20 feet higher than usual, according to the Indian Army. A cloudburst is a rainstorm that happens very suddenly and causes a lot of damage.
Chungthang Dam, which is also called the Teesta 3 dam and is a part of a big hydropower project in the state, got completely destroyed, as said in a statement by the National Disaster Management Authority on Wednesday night.
The state government says that the drinking water supplies and sewage treatment plants in the affected districts have been completely destroyed.
A video from the northern part of the state shows a lot of muddy water overflowing the river, and houses that are covered in mud and debris because of the flood. The images also show search teams using big machines to dig out army vehicles buried in the thick mud.
Rescue and fixing work is happening now with state and national disaster workers involved, the government said.
The Himalayan region, also called the rooftop of the world, is susceptible to sudden floods and landslides. Flooding is a common occurrence in Sikkim.
However, scientists state that severe weather is happening more often and becoming stronger as the climate crisis caused by humans worsens.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) shared pictures of how much water came out of Lhonak Lake after the heavy rainfall.
Lhonak Lake is a big, bullet-shaped body of water that is formed by melting ice. It is located at the bottom of a glacier that is melting.
Looking at the pictures, we can see that over 60% of the water in the lake was lost after a big rainstorm caused the lake to overflow. This event occurs when a lake formed by a glacier becomes too full or when the land or ice around the lake breaks, causing the lake to overflow and release water and debris down the mountains.
A satellite picture showed a lake with 167. 4 hectares of water on September 28. But another picture taken on October 4 showed that the lake had shrunk by more than half, with only about 60. 3 hectares of water remaining.
The lake suddenly burst and approximately 105 hectares of land were drained out. This could result in a sudden flood in the Teesta River.
Scientists have been studying Lhonak Lake for a while. They have found that it is one of the glacial lakes in the area that is getting bigger very quickly. This means there is a high chance that the lake could burst its banks and cause a flood. Many studies have said this.
In the last few years, the state’s Disaster Management Authority went to the location on many trips. They found out that if the glacial lake burst, it would cause a lot of destruction downstream. It’s likely that people would lose their lives and property. Pipes were placed in the lake to take out the water as a temporary fix.
In May of last year, the government of the state gathered to discuss a possible danger. The director of Sikkim’s Department of Science and Technology emphasized the importance of creating a warning system for the glacial lakes in Sikkim.
The city of Pakyong in Sikkim was hit the hardest by the floods. According to the Sikkim government, seven people lost their lives and 59 people are currently missing.
Several members of the Indian Army are missing and their whereabouts are unknown. There is a big search going on to find the missing soldiers. However, the heavy rain and flooding have made it difficult because the roads are blocked and bridges are destroyed.
On Wednesday evening, the army said they found one soldier who was saved and is in a stable condition. However, 22 soldiers are still missing and haven’t been found.
The army said that some weapons and explosives were taken by the Teesta River. They asked people to stay alert and report anything strange or suspicious.
The military equipment that is missing could cause a big explosion, which could be very dangerous.
The government said that the flooding caused at least 11 bridges to collapse. This has made it difficult for rescuers to help people and has also blocked access to remote areas.
In the main city of Gangtok, three people died and 22 others are missing, according to reports.
More than 2,000 people had to leave their homes because of the floods, and the government set up special camps to help over 22,000 people who were affected.
On Thursday, the government of the state announced that around 3,000 tourists are stuck in Sikkim’s Lachung and Lachen areas. To rescue them, helicopters are being sent.
The Teesta-V Hydropower Station is currently not producing electricity and is shut down, according to the Power Ministry in India, as reported by All India Radio (AIR) News.
It said that the bridges downstream from Teesta-V Hydropower Station to Tarkhola and Pamphok have been underwater, which has made it very difficult for people to travel and communicate in those areas.
According to AIR News, the government will examine the damage caused to the hydropower projects once the flood water goes down.
The weather department of India says that it will keep raining heavily in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, including Sikkim, for the next two days.
The chief minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, said on X (formerly Twitter) that they have sent help to the areas affected by the flooding. He also visited Singtam, a town that has been affected by the flooding and is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from Gangtok, to see the damages and talk to the local people.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the situation as a “sad event caused by nature” and promised to provide any help needed to deal with the problem.
“I am hoping that everyone who has been affected stays safe and has a good health,” he wrote on X.
The Himalayan region is very sensitive to the climate emergency.
Glaciers in the Himalayas give water to rivers which then provide fresh water to two billion people. Many communities rely on this glacial water to water their crops.
A new report has said that as temperatures get warmer, the glaciers could melt and their ice could reduce by 80% by the year 2100. This could lead to more floods, landslides, avalanches, and droughts happening.
As ice in glaciers is melting very quickly, about 15 million people who live close to glacial lakes are in danger of dangerous glacial lake bursts. The majority of these people live in four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China. This information comes from a study conducted earlier this year.
These lake bursts are like a big wave that happens on land, similar to a dam breaking suddenly. Experts said this causes a lot of damage.
The floods that follow can occur without any warning and previous bursts of glacial lakes have caused the death of thousands of people and damage to property and important infrastructure.
In a study conducted in 2020, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati observed that the Teesta River basin has experienced more rainfall and higher temperatures in recent years. They also discovered that the glacial lakes in Sikkim are getting larger because the glaciers and snow are melting as the temperatures increase.
The scientists said that heavy rain can make lakes get bigger suddenly, which might cause dangerous floods. They said it’s very important for government departments to have the right tools to deal with these disasters, and for leaders to make plans to adapt to climate change.
In 2021, a big block of ice in the Himalayan mountains in Uttarakhand broke and caused a lot of water, dust, and rocks to fall down a steep slope. This damaged two power projects that use water to produce electricity and resulted in the death of at least 38 people.
In the northern part of India, people have been expressing concerns for many years about uncontrolled commercial growth, cutting down trees, and continuously constructing dams in the delicate area. These activities are making the region more susceptible to disasters like floods and landslides. -
Floods in India have left 102 persons missing
Authorities in India are in a hurry to save people who are missing after sudden floods in the state of Sikkim. The floods have caused 102 people to go missing, including 22 army members.
Fourteen people have died because of a big flood caused by a lake in the Himalayas overflowing.
Officials said that there were more than 3,000 tourists who couldn’t leave different areas of the state.
Many people who look for and save others have been sent all over the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Wednesday and promised to support him in every possible way.
The Lhonak lake in the state had its barrier broken on Tuesday night because of a lot of rain. This caused the water level in the Teesta river in Lachen Valley to increase rapidly.
The flood got worse because water was let out from a dam close to the river. A person from the military said that the water levels suddenly went up by 15-20 feet in the area further down the stream.
Around 14 individuals were stuck in the tunnels of the dam, according to a government representative.
Pictures taken from space by Isro, India’s space agency, displayed major differences in the size of the lake. On September 28th, the lake covered an area of 167. 4 hectares, but by October 4th, it had decreased to 60. 3
The Indian army is searching very hard to find and save people who are missing. Officials said that a soldier was saved on Wednesday night and is doing well.
Rescue workers have also recovered bodies, including that of a child, from the flood area of the Teesta river in Singtam, according to officials from the PTI news agency.
The search operations are happening during heavy rain and fast-moving water in the Teesta River. Many roads and bridges have been washed away.
The floods in Sikkim have caused a lot of damage to things like roads and bridges, according to the chief secretary VB Pathak.
Cell phone service in the northern areas of the state has also been interrupted.
The army has created three phone lines to help families of missing individuals, including their own soldiers.
“Family members of the people who are missing have been reached out to and told about what’s happening,” the message stated.
The northern areas of the nearby West Bengal state are also facing problems because water from the Teesta River has flooded the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri.
On Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, said that the government saved and relocated 10,000 individuals to 190 shelter camps.
Flooding and other natural disasters happen often in Sikkim, which is located in the Himalayas. Last year, a lot of rain caused very bad floods in that place. This made tens of thousands of people have to leave their homes and sadly, at least 24 people died. -
As at least 14 people killed by flash flooding in northeast India
A rescue mission is underway to find over 100 missing people in India’s northeast. Flash floods happened in the state of Sikkim, causing destruction and killing 14 people. Roads and bridges were also washed away.
The Himalayan region, also called the rooftop of the world, is sensitive to the environment. It often experiences sudden floods and landslides, and flooding is common in Sikkim.
Scientists are certain that very bad weather is happening more often and getting worse due to climate change caused by humans.
A heavy rainstorm happened over Lhonak Lake in the north of the state. This caused fast-moving floods in the Teesta River in Sikkim’s Lachen valley. The floods made the water levels rise 15-20 feet higher than usual. The Indian Army provided this information in a statement. A cloudburst is a powerful rainstorm that comes on suddenly and causes a lot of damage.
A video from the northern part of the state shows a lot of dirty water quickly overflowing the river, causing houses to flood with mud and debris.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) shared pictures that showed how much water was released from Lhonak Lake after a sudden heavy rain. They published these images while the search was still ongoing.
Lhonak Lake is a big, bullet-shaped lake made from melting ice at the bottom of a glacier.
An examination of the pictures reveals that over 60% of the water in the lake flowed out after a heavy rainstorm caused a glacial lake to overflow. This happens when a lake made of melted ice from a glacier gets too full, or if the land or ice around it breaks, causing the lake to burst. This sends water and debris rushing down the mountains.
In one picture, the lake was big and had 167. 4 hectares of water on September 28. But in another picture taken on October 4, the lake was much smaller and had only about 60. 3 hectares of water in it.
The lake burst and around 105 hectares of land got flooded, which could cause a sudden flood downstream in the Teesta River, according to ISRO.
The floods in Pakyong, a city in Sikkim, caused the most damage. Seven people died and 59 people are missing, according to the Sikkim government.
Many members of the Indian Army are missing and their whereabouts are not known. A big search and rescue operation is being done to find the missing soldiers. But it is difficult because heavy rain is causing floods, making it hard to use the roads and bridges have been destroyed. The army said this.
According to the army, one soldier has been saved and is doing well, but 22 other soldiers are still missing.
The government said that the flooding caused at least 11 bridges to collapse. This made it difficult for rescue teams to get to affected areas and also prevented people from reaching remote places.
In Gangtok, the biggest city and capital of the state, three people have died and 22 others are missing.
Over 2,000 people have been moved to safer places and special areas have been arranged in different parts of the state to assist over 22,000 people affected by the sudden floods.
The weather department in India has predicted that there will be a lot of rain in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, including Sikkim, for the next two days.
Sikkim’s leader Prem Singh Tamang wrote on X (previously known as Twitter) that he has sent help to the areas that have been affected by the emergency. He has also visited Singtam, a town that has been damaged by the flooding, to see the destruction and talk to the people there. Singtam is located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from Gangtok.
The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, described the situation as a terrible disaster caused by nature. He assured that he will provide any help needed to deal with the problem.
“He said a prayer for the safety and good health of everyone who has been affected,” he wrote on X.
Himalayan glaciers supply water to rivers that give freshwater to two billion people. Lots of communities rely on these glacier waters to water their crops.
A recent report said that as temperatures get hotter, the glaciers could lose up to 80% of their ice by 2100. This could cause more floods, landslides, avalanches, and drought.
As ice glaciers melt quickly all over the world, around 15 million people who live close to glacial lakes are in danger of dangerous floods caused by the bursting of these lakes. Most of these people live in four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China. A study conducted earlier this year revealed this information.
Experts previously told CNN that these lake bursts are similar to an “inland tsunami” and their effects are similar to when a dam suddenly breaks.
The floods that occur afterwards happen suddenly and without much warning. In the past, when glacial lakes burst, it caused the deaths of thousands of people and damaged both property and important infrastructure.
In 2021, a big piece of ice from a mountain in the Himalayas fell down in Uttarakhand. This caused a lot of water, dust, and rocks to flow down the mountain and hit two electric power plants. Sadly, this event caused the death of at least 38 people.
In the northern part of India, people have been cautioning for many years about uncontrolled business growth, cutting down forests, and continuously constructing dams in the delicate area. These actions are making the region more prone to disasters, such as floods and landslides. -
Indian MP Sanjay Singh accused over corruption allegations
India‘s agency for investigating financial crimes has searched the home of a member of parliament from the opposition party due to suspicions of corruption.
Sanjay Singh, a member of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, is the most recent party leader to be questioned by government agencies.
Officials are looking into a possible crime involving fraud that is connected to a recently canceled plan for selling alcohol in the state.
Delhi’s second-ranking minister, Manish Sisodia, was also taken into custody for the same incident in February.
The AAP has rejected the accusations and said that the BJP, which is in charge of the central government, is engaging in unfair political tactics.
The AAP is very sensitive on the topic of financial misconduct. They started as a big movement against corruption over 10 years ago.
The party often disagree with the BJP and wants to be seen as an important opposing group.
Officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) came to Mr. Singh’s house on Wednesday morning to ask him questions, according to the PTI news agency.
Authorities stated that they would also investigate other members of the AAP party who are connected to the situation.
Investigations started last August when India’s federal investigation agency CBI accused the Delhi government of showing favoritism towards specific liquor dealers who supposedly paid bribes. They later abandoned the plan.
According to the CBI’s investigation, the ED also filed a case under India’s money laundering law. In February, the CBI took into custody former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia for his involvement in the case. Despite denying the accusation, he is still being held in jail.
Mr Singh has not given any opinions about the raids that happened on Wednesday, but his party is sure that they won’t find anything.
“The ED raid happened because Sanjay Singh spoke out about the Adani problem and the illegal money invested in his company,” said Reena Gupta, spokesperson of AAP. They didn’t find anything before, and they won’t find anything today. We are not scared.
Ms Gupta talked about a report by an American investment company called Hindenburg Research. The report accused the Adani Group of cheating with their stocks and manipulating their accounting for many years. However, the group says that the accusation is not true.
Mr Singh kept talking about the problem in meetings with other politicians and asked for an investigation to look into the claims. He also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about the issue in the house.
Last year, the health minister of Delhi, Satyendra Jain, was arrested for being involved in a money laundering case. He claims that the accusations against him are not true and he is currently still in prison because a court in Delhi denied his request for bail. -
15-year-old girl ‘gang-raped, killed, and dumped in 50-foot-deep well in India
A teenage girl reported missing by her grandfather was gang-raped and murdered in India, police said.
A 10th grade student was allegedly kidnapped by three people last Saturday.
She was later found abandoned in a 15-meter deep well in Ramgarh Shekhawati area, Sikar town, northwest India.
His body was discovered less than 24 hours after being kidnapped.
Sikar police arrested two adults and a 15-year-old boy, who is believed to be the main suspect. Police confirmed that the 15-year-old boy had been arrested and that his two accomplices, Sameer and Ghulam, both 19 years old, had also been arrested and were being questioned by police.
One image shows the heartbreaking moment authorities found the girl as they pulled her body out of the well using a rope.
The girl’s grandfather rushed to Ramgarh Sethan police station on Sunday to report his granddaughter’s disappearance.
Police launched a search operation to find her and discovered her body on Sunday afternoon.
As per the family’s wishes, the last rites were held at Jasrasar village in Sardarseher.
The girl is from Churu district in India but lived with her grandparents while studying in Lavanda.
An official told local media:
“Due to concerns about rape and murder, relevant sections of law were added to the case and further investigation was initiated after the body of the deceased minor was identified.”Police said CCTV footage confirmed the identities of the suspects. A police spokesman said:
“CCTV footage installed along the road leading to the victim’s home was reviewed and the suspects were seen approaching and leaving the victim’s residence.“The identification was confirmed by CCTV footage of the suspects involved. One of the suspects also suffered injuries to his hand.
The girl’s family members staged a massive protest on Sunday to demand quick action, harsh punishments and compensation.
Protesters also demanded compensation for the victim’s family.
Recent violence against women and girls in India has sparked nationwide protests. This month, a 14-year-old girl was gang-raped before being burned alive in an oven.
Earlier this year, two women were said to have paraded naked in Manipur and were then sexually assaulted by a mob.
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Historic women’s quota measure to be approved in India
The Indian parliament‘s lower house has approved a bill that ensures one-third of seats in the parliament and state assemblies will be reserved for women.
The bill was suggested in 1996 but wasn’t approved for a long time because some political parties didn’t agree with it.
On Wednesday, almost everyone in the Lok Sabha agreed to pass it after a long and intense discussion.
Lawmakers in the upper house of the Indian parliament, called the Rajya Sabha, will need to approve the bill now.
If this is approved, it will be sent to the Indian president and become a law.
However, it is still a long way from being put into action because it relies on India finishing their census.
The exercise is usually done every 10 years. It was supposed to happen in 2021, but because of the coronavirus pandemic it got postponed. Now, it is planned to happen in 2025 instead.
Proposed changes to the boundaries of assembly seats, to increase the total number of constituencies, known as delimitation, could make it even more difficult to put the bill into action.
The BJP, the ruling party in India, hopes that the approval of this law will help them do well in the upcoming elections.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, expressed gratitude to the Members of Parliament who supported the bill in the Lok Sabha. He described it as an important law that will allow more women to get involved in politics.
The bill got approved when 454 MPs from different political parties voted for it, and only two MPs voted against it.
The Lok Sabha talked about the new law for almost eight hours. Some people from the Opposition spoke up about how it will work, but overall, they still backed it.
Sonia Gandhi, who used to be the president of Congress, said that the party agrees with the planned law but wants it to be put into action right away.
Ms Gandhi asked how many years they would have to wait, will it be two, four, or eight years. Delaying this would be very unfair to women.
Some MPs who oppose the current system have also asked for a special rule that reserves spots specifically for women from the Other Backward Classes.
In the middle, there are many groups of people, considered to be around 52% of the population, called Other Backward Classes or OBCs. India’s census has always included information about the population of Dalits and Adivasis, but it has never collected data on the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The new bill suggests that out of all the seats, which are already set aside for Dalits and tribespeople, one-third of them should also be set aside for women. But it doesn’t include a similar rule for women who are part of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Ms Gandhi spoke in parliament and suggested that the government should count and gather information on people belonging to different castes, especially those from Other Backward Classes (OBCs). She also proposed that the benefits of the proposed law should be given to women from these groups too.
Some other Members of Parliament from opposing parties said that the ruling party’s action was just pretending to make things better.
MP Asaduddin Owaisi, one of the two votes against the bill, believes that the current bill will only help women belonging to the upper caste. -
India revokes Canadians’ visas as conflict worsens
India has stopped giving visas to Canadian people because of an argument over the death of a Sikh rebel on Canadian land.
Visa service provider BLS shared a message from India’s mission stating that the decision was made due to operational reasons.
This week, tensions increased after Canada said it was looking into believable claims that India was involved in the murder of the separatist leader.
India strongly denied the accusation, describing it as ridiculous.
Experts say that the relationship between the countries, which has been tense for many months, is now at its worst point ever.
The news that visas were being stopped was shared on the BLS website on Thursday.
The Indian Mission has an important announcement. Starting from September 21st, 2023, Indian visa services have been stopped for now because of certain problems.
India’s government department that deals with relations with other countries declined to give any opinions on the issue and told the BBC to look at the BLS website.
The decision was made one day after India advised its citizens who are going to or living in Canada to be very careful due to increased activities against India and supported hate crimes and violence in the country.
Delhi reported that there were threats towards its diplomats and some Indians who are against the anti-India plans.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that investigators are looking into whether the government of India played a part in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is a Canadian citizen. India had labeled him as a terrorist in 2020.
Nijjar was killed when two men with masks shot him while he was in his car outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia on June 18th.
Mr Trudeau said that if a foreign government is involved in killing a Canadian citizen in Canada, it is not allowed and goes against our country’s independence.
India responded strongly, claiming that Canada was attempting to divert attention away from the Khalistani terrorists and extremists they had provided refuge to.
The Indian government strongly opposes the requests of Sikh separatists living in Western countries for Khalistan, which means a separate place for Sikhs to live.
The Khalistan movement was at its highest point in India during the 1980s. It involved a violent rebellion that mainly took place in the state of Punjab, where a majority of the population belonged to the Sikh community.
It was stopped by using force and doesn’t have much impact in India anymore, but some people in the Sikh community in countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK still like it.
Canada has a lot of Sikhs who are not from Punjab, and they have had many protests and demonstrations supporting Khalistan.
In June, it was reported that India had made a “serious complaint” to Canada about the safety of its diplomats in that country. -
India urges citizens to ‘remain vigilant’ in Canada in travel advisory as diplomatic crisis worsens
India has told its people in Canada to be careful and watchful because there could be hate crimes that are supported by the government. This warning comes after Canada accused India of possibly being responsible for the killing of a Sikh activist in Canada.
According to an advisory from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, there have been recent threats specifically aimed at Indian diplomats and members of the Indian community who are against anti-India plans. Due to the increasingly unsafe situation in Canada, Indian students are strongly recommended to be very careful and stay alert.
It said that if you are from India or a student, you should register with the High Commission of India or the Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver. This is so that they can contact you in case of any emergency or bad happening.
Later, a company in Canada that helps people get visas said on its website that India had stopped giving visas to Canadians starting from Thursday. They said they received a notice from the Indian embassy.
BLS International, the company that manages visa applications for India in Canada, said that the Indian mission has temporarily stopped providing visa services for operational reasons. There is no specified time for when the services will resume.
On Thursday, the notice was taken away for a short time and then appeared again, but nobody explained why.
CNN has contacted India’s foreign ministry and BLS International.
The travel warning happened a few days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the government had been looking into serious accusations that there might be a connection between people from the Indian government and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Hardeep was a Canadian citizen who was shot by masked men in June.
New Delhi strongly rejects the accusations, stating that they are ridiculous and driven by ulterior motives.
But Trudeau’s statement has caused tension between India and Canada, with both countries expelling high-ranking diplomats in response. This could potentially strain the relationship between these important allies of the United States.
Nijjar strongly supported the idea of making a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan. This place would be in India’s Punjab state.
The Khalistan movement is not allowed in India and the government sees it as a danger to the nation’s security. Several groups linked to the movement are considered “terrorist organizations” according to India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Nijjar is on the list of UAPA terrorists by the Home Ministry. In 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency claimed that he was trying to persuade the Sikh community worldwide to support the creation of ‘Khalistan’. They also accused him of encouraging Sikhs to vote for separation, protest against the Indian government, and engage in violent activities.
The local police say that he was shot and killed by two people with masks while he was in his truck outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.
The Sikh community in Canada, which is one of the biggest communities outside India and has over 770,000 members, felt very surprised and angry about his death.
The Canadian police have not taken anyone into custody for Nijjar’s murder. In August, the police said that they were looking into three people as possible suspects in a crime. They also told the public about a car that might have been used to escape and asked for help in finding more information about it. -
India urges Canadian citizens to exercise caution
India has told its people going to Canada to be very careful.
The recommendation comes a day after tensions increased between the countries when they each kicked out a diplomat from the other side.
Canada is looking into believable claims that connect the Indian government to the murder of a Sikh leader who wanted to break away from India.
India said this was not true and called the accusations “ridiculous”.
Experts say that the relationship between the countries has become very bad and is now worse than ever before.
India’s foreign ministry released a warning on Wednesday because they are concerned about the increasing anti-India actions and supported hate crimes and violence happening in Canada.
The Indian government is not happy when Sikh separatists in other countries ask for Khalistan, which means a separate home for Sikhs.
The Khalistan movement, which was most intense in the 1980s, was a violent fight that happened in Punjab state, where most of the people practiced the Sikh religion.
It was stopped using violence and is not really important in India anymore, but there are still some people in the Sikh community living in countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK who like it.
Canada has the most Sikhs living outside of Punjab, and there have been many protests and demonstrations in support of Khalistan in the country. In June, news said India had expressed concerns to Canada about the safety of its diplomats there.
In a statement on Wednesday, Delhi said that its diplomats and some Indians who are against the anti-India plans have been receiving threats.
The advice is for people from India to not travel to areas in Canada where such incidents have occurred.
“Video explanation,”
Trudeau: We don’t want to make India angry or upset.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that intelligence agencies are looking into whether the government of India had any connection to the killing of a Canadian citizen named Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In 2020, India had labeled Nijjar as a terrorist.
Nijjar was killed in his car by two people with masks outside a Sikh temple on June 18th in British Columbia.
MrTrudeau said on Monday that if a foreign government is involved in killing a Canadian citizen in Canada, it is a violation of our country’s power and is not acceptable.
India responded strongly, stating that Canada was attempting to divert attention from Khalistani terrorists and extremists who were being harbored there.
Some Indian news said that Delhi’s announcement was similar to a warning from Canada to its citizens traveling to India. Canada’s government said that it had recently updated its travel advice for India. However, they explained that this update was part of their regular maintenance of travel health information.
The spokesperson from the BBC said that there is no new information about any risks added to the India Travel Advice and Advisories page. The government of Ottawa is telling its citizens to be really careful because there is a possibility of terrorist attacks happening all over India. -
Reason men pay dowry in India
In India, the practice of dowry has historically been a complex and controversial social custom, although it has been illegal since 1961 under the Dowry Prohibition Act. It’s essential to distinguish between the practice of dowry and the payment of dowry, as these concepts are often misunderstood.
Dowry is the wealth, property, or gifts given by the bride’s family to the groom and his family as a part of the marriage arrangement. This practice is rooted in social and cultural traditions and varies widely across different regions of India. The reasons for women’s families paying dowry in India are multifaceted:
- Cultural Tradition: Dowry has been an ingrained cultural tradition in many parts of India for centuries. It is considered a way for the bride’s family to provide her with financial security and a good start in her married life.
- Social Pressure: Social norms and expectations have played a significant role in perpetuating the practice of dowry. Families often feel compelled to give dowry to avoid social stigma and to ensure that their daughter’s marriage prospects are favorable.
- Economic Factors: In some cases, dowry is seen as a form of wealth transfer from the bride’s family to the groom’s family. It is often used to establish the groom’s financial stability and to help him meet the expenses associated with marriage.
- Marriage Market Dynamics: In certain regions, particularly where the male-to-female ratio is imbalanced, dowry practices can be more pronounced. In these areas, grooms and their families may demand larger dowries as a condition for marriage.
- Preserving Family Honor: Dowry is sometimes seen as a way to preserve the honor and social standing of the bride’s family. Not providing a dowry or providing an insufficient one may be seen as a reflection of the family’s status.
It is crucial to emphasize that dowry practices have been widely criticized for their negative consequences, including financial burden, domestic violence, and discrimination against women. The Indian government has taken measures to curb the practice, but it persists in some regions and communities.
Efforts to combat dowry-related issues involve legal reforms, public awareness campaigns, and educational initiatives. Many individuals and organizations in India are actively working to challenge the social norms associated with dowry and promote gender equality and women’s rights in marriage and society.
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India upset as Trudeau accuses someone of murder
People in India still remember the armed Sikh rebellion that lasted for ten years, especially during the 1980s. Thousands of people lost their lives during that time.
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Delhi was involved in the death of a Sikh leader from Canada, a lot of Indians got upset.
Mr Trudeau said that Canadian intelligence is investigating “believable claims that might connect” the Indian government to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a well-known advocate for an independent Sikh homeland and was shot and killed on June 18th in British Columbia.
India said that the claim was ridiculous and they do not agree with it.
As Delhi and Ottawa are engaged in a very serious disagreement, experts, writers, and officials from India have been expressing their opinions on social media.
In easy words: Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Hardeep Singh Nijjar are the most talked about topics on X.
One person said that Delhi responded strongly to Canada, while another person said that the government showed Trudeau who is in charge.
Some well-known Indian news websites are reporting that India strongly responded to Canada, making fierce statements in return.
India’s main opposition party, Congress, usually doesn’t agree with the government. However, they have now stated their support and believe that we should not make any concessions when it comes to fighting terrorism in our country.
Especially when terrorism puts India’s independence, unity, and strength at risk. Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh wrote on X that we should always prioritize the best interests and concerns of our country.
A well-known Sikh separatist leader, Mr. Nijjar, was killed in his car by two masked gunmen in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, a city near Vancouver.
In the past, Delhi called him a terrorist who led a group that wanted separation, but they say they are not responsible for his murder.
Many people in India also agreed with Delhi’s official position, with experts saying that Mr. Trudeau’s accusations could make relations with Canada even worse.
Canada and India are not enemies, they are friends. According to Bhrama Chellaney, Trudeau’s connection with Sikh extremists in Canada has put a lot of pressure on the relationship between India and Canada.
Some people said that Mr. Trudeau was trying to get votes from Sikhs by doing things they didn’t respect. Canada has a large number of Sikhs who live there, even though they are originally from Punjab, a state in India.
Smita Prakash, a reporter from the Asian News International (ANI) news agency, said that Mr. Trudeau had already infected the investigation and legal process with his biased views since he accused India of being responsible for Mr. Nijjar’s death, using his position of power and authority to do so.
“She wrote on X that he is asking for help from India, but also accusing Indian authorities of the murder. ”
The relationship between Canada and India has become more difficult in the past few months. Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met at the G20 summit in Delhi last week, but their meeting did not go well. It was described as “frosty” and as a result, trade talks between the two countries have been canceled.
MrTrudeau was made fun of because there was a problem with his airplane and he had to stay in Delhi for two more days. Local TV stations and news websites covered stories about the Canadian Prime Minister’s trip, which was described as a failure. -
Controversy over assassinated Sikh activist intensifies as India expels Canadian envoy as tit-for-tat measure
Canada believes that India might have had a role in the killing of a Sikh activist in Canada. This has caused tensions between Canada and India, leading to the expulsion of senior diplomats from both countries. As a result, the relationship between the two nations has worsened.
The diplomatic expulsions happened because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada is looking into claims that suggest India might be involved in the murder of a Canadian citizen and important Sikh leader named Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In recent weeks, Canadian security agencies have been investigating claims that people from the Indian government may have been involved in the murder of a Canadian citizen named Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister, stated in parliament on Monday that his government will do everything necessary to bring those responsible for the murder to justice.
Canada announced that it has expelled an Indian diplomat, whom the foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly claimed to be the leader of Indian intelligence agency in Canada.
“Today we are removing an important diplomat, but we will investigate and find out the truth,” she said to the media in Ottawa. She also mentioned that Trudeau has discussed this matter with both US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
India’s foreign ministry replied by expelling a Canadian diplomat who held a high position in India.
The diplomat has been told to leave India in the next five days, according to a statement. The Indian government is worried about Canadian diplomats getting involved in our internal affairs and doing things against India. That’s why they made this decision.
Nijjar, a well-known Sikh leader in western Canada, was killed by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia.
The Sikh community in Canada, which is one of the biggest communities outside of India and has over 770,000 members, was both surprised and angry about his death.
After Trudeau spoke, two important Sikh organizations in Canada, the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council (BCGC) and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC), asked the Canadian government to stop working together with India on intelligence, investigations, and prosecution right away.
The groups said that Canada’s response should match the seriousness of India’s involvement in the planned killing of a Sikh dissident living in Canada.
Nijjar strongly supported the idea of creating a separate place for Sikhs called Khalistan. He frequently led peaceful protests against the violation of human rights happening in India and in support of Khalistan.
The Khalistan movement is not allowed in India and the government sees it as a danger to the country’s safety. Many groups connected to the movement are regarded as “terrorist organizations” according to India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Nijjar was included in the Home Ministry’s list of terrorists under the UAPA.In 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency said that he tried to influence Sikhs worldwide to support the creation of Khalistan. They also said he tried to encourage Sikhs to vote for separation, protest against the Indian government, and engage in violent actions.
India said they did not agree with Trudeau’s claims and thought they were silly and biased.
“We are a country that believes in democracy and strongly follows rules and laws,” a statement from the foreign ministry said.
These false claims are trying to divert attention from the fact that Canada is harboring and supporting Khalistani terrorists and extremists who are a danger to India’s control over its own land and people. The fact that the Canadian Government has not taken any action on this issue has been a problem for a long time and it continues to be a concern.
The White House is very worried about the accusations, according to a spokesperson for the National Security Council named Adrienne Watson.
We keep talking to our Canadian friends on a regular basis. She stated that it is very important for Canada to continue the investigation and for the people who did the crime to be punished.
The Canadian police have not taken anyone into custody related to Nijjar’s murder. However, in August, the police said that they were looking into three possible suspects and provided information about a potential vehicle used to escape the crime scene. They also requested assistance from the public.
A person speaking on behalf of Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, said that the country is also very worried about the accusations.
We are working closely with our partners to stay updated on the progress and changes. We have expressed our worries to high-ranking officials in India, according to a statement shared with CNN.
We know that these reports might worry some communities in Australia. The Indian diaspora is important to our diverse society, and they contribute positively. In our country, everyone can freely express their opinions without fear.
The Canadian government is accusing the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is likely to make the relationship between Canada and India even worse.
A trade deal that was happening between them has been stopped for now, said India’s commerce and trade minister, as reported locally. The minister mentioned that there are some important concerns that need to be looked into.
The problem of activism among the big Sikh community in Canada has been causing tension for a while.
When Modi met with the G20 leaders in New Delhi recently, he didn’t have a private meeting with Trudeau. Instead, they met during the summit, where Modi expressed his worries about extremist activities in Canada. The Indian government made a statement about it.
The two leaders have not been getting along for many years.
In 2018, Trudeau went to India. Many people thought that his schedule, which didn’t have many important meetings, was considered a disrespect by the Indian government.
At that time, experts believed that Trudeau’s perceived support for Sikh activists was a major issue of disagreement.
In 2017, the leader of Canada was seen at a gathering of Sikhs in Toronto. At the event, there were flags and posters supporting a Sikh leader who was killed in a military operation by the Indian Army in 1984.
The Indian government is worried that Canadian politicians openly show support for these people who Trudeau accused.
The statement mentioned that illegal activities like murders, human trafficking, and organized crime have been happening for a while in Canada. We want the Canadian Government to quickly and effectively take legal action against anyone who is against India and lives in Canada.
The Sikh religion started in Punjab, a place in India, in the 15th century. Guru Nanak was the one who started it. Now, there are around 25 million people who follow Sikhism all over the world. In India, Sikhs make up less than 2% of the population, which is about 1. 4However, in the northern state of Punjab, they are the majority. Punjab used to have a strong Sikh empire in the past.
The modern Khalistan movement started around the time when India gained independence from Britain in 1947. During this time, some Sikhs wanted to create a separate nation called Khalistan in the state of Punjab for people who follow the Sikh religion.
When the Partition quickly split the old colony based on religion – Muslims went to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs went to India – Punjab, which was divided in two, experienced severe violence.
During this period, Sikhs started to fight more intensely for control over their own politics and culture, according to experts. The Khalistan movement became more well-known.
In the past, there have been fights between the movement’s supporters and the Indian government, where many people have died.
In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave an order to the army to attack the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple is a very important place for the Sikh religion. She did this because she wanted to kill Sikh people who wanted to separate from India. The Sikh community was really mad about that action, and Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards afterwards.
After she died, there was a lot of violent fighting that resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 people, most of whom were Sikh.
A year afterwards, the violence moved to Canada. Sikh separatists exploded a bomb on an Air India plane that had recently left from Toronto airport. This resulted in the death of all 329 people on board, including many Canadians with Indian heritage.
Khalistan supporters in India have little support, but some Sikhs living in other countries like Canada, Britain, and Australia still sympathize with the movement.
A few Sikhs believe in Khalistan, where they want to have their own separate country. They hold votes every now and then to try to agree on making this happen. -
Twitter called a ‘habitual non-compliant platform’ by India govt
In a recent court filing, the Indian government has labeled X Corp (formerly Twitter) as a platform that consistently fails to comply with regulations.
“X-Corp does not follow the law of the land,” the government said, adding that this lowered “the authority of the law, judiciary and executive”.
The Indian government, in response to an appeal by X Corp (formerly Twitter) in a court in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, has accused the company of being a “habitual non-compliant platform.”
X is appealing against a recent court order that dismissed its challenge to government orders blocking certain accounts and posts, along with a fine imposed for non-compliance.
The government argued in its court filing that all blocking orders were issued following legal procedures and in the interest of India’s sovereignty and security.
It accused X of deliberate non-compliance and exerting pressure on the government while not following its orders.
The government also highlighted the importance of intermediary status and safe harbor protection for platforms like X in Indian law, emphasizing that losing these protections could hinder the company’s operations in the country. X has not yet commented on the filing.
“Habitually, the Appellant platform [X] ensures compliance only after the court warns it of action/consequences for non-compliance,” the government said in its affidavit.
X has argued that the government’s orders to block several accounts relating to widespread farmer’s protest were not “consistent with Indian law” and against X’s (then Twitter) principle of protecting free speech.
The government noted that X’s “compliance rates with government requests have been significantly low”, prompting the government to issue show-cause notice to the company.
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Trudeau departs from India following chilly visit
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has returned from India after his airplane had a problem, which caused his visit to last two extra days in the country’s capital.
He was supposed to fly on Sunday after the G20 summit was over, but unfortunately, a humiliating mechanical issue prevented him from flying.
People in his own country and Indian people on social media made fun of him for being late. This happened after Mr. Trudeau had a tense meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Canada and India’s relationship has become more tense in the last few months.
India Today reported on Tuesday that Mr. Trudeau’s visit to India did not improve the cold relationship that he has with India.
A few days before he went to Delhi, Mr. Trudeau suddenly announced that his country was stopping discussions about a trade agreement with India.
Canada’s Sikh community has been involved in significant protests that have caused a lot of tension. India is worried about the actions of Sikh people who want to break away from the country. They say they are not responsible for the death of a famous Sikh advocate for independence in British Columbia in June.
During their meeting on Sunday, Mr. Modi expressed his worries to Mr. Trudeau about the ongoing anti-India actions of extremist groups in Canada. Modi’s office stated that these groups were promoting the idea of separating from India and encouraging violent behavior.
At the same time, Mr. Trudeau’s team stated that the Canadian prime minister emphasized the significance of following and respecting the laws, democratic values, and the independence of a nation.
MrTrudeau said during a press conference that he talked with Mr. Modi about other countries interfering in Canada’s matters. Canada is investigating India, China, and Russia for interfering in elections.
People were surprised when the Canadian prime minister didn’t go to a dinner party for world leaders organized by the Indian President Droupadi Murmu. According to reports, his office didn’t explain why he didn’t attend. Some people noticed that he quickly let go of Mr. Modi’s hand when they were shaking hands.
It is not clear what he has done for the past two days. According to the media, it is believed that he stayed at his hotel without doing any more diplomatic activities.
Neither Mr Trudeau nor the Indian government have said anything publicly about the delay in his coming back home.
However, an Indian government official turned up to say goodbye and wish him and his group a safe journey home on behalf of Prime Minister Modi’s government.
On Monday, Canada’s Defense Department told the BBC that Mr Trudeau’s airplane – a Royal Canadian Air Force plane with the tail number ’01’ – had a problem that needs fixing. It was caused by a part that needs to be replaced.
This problem shows that these steps are working.
The defense department said they are sending another plane to India to bring Mr.
The Toronto Star said that the RCAF sent someone to India who could solve the problem. The text says that the CC-150 Polaris plane is a part of an older group of planes that has had a lot of problems and will be changed soon.
This is not the first time that Mr. Trudeau has had problems with his plane while traveling.
In 2019, a plane with journalists crashed into the wing of another plane that was hired to take him on his campaign journey. He was not on the plane at the time. -
14-year-old girl gang-raped and set on fire in Rajasthan
A young girl, who was 14 years old, was sexually assaulted by a group of people and then set on fire. Her brother later found her jewelry and her body inside a furnace.
The girl disappeared after she left home to look after her family’s goats.
Police in India have accused 11 men of committing the attack in Rajasthan.
According to officers who spoke to Times of India, the girl’s brother saw some charcoal furnaces that were set up by a group of people who move around a lot and don’t have a permanent home.
He noticed smoke coming out of one of the kilns, which made him suspicious because they weren’t usually on at night.
‘He searched through the oven with a stick and carefully looked through the burned things. ‘
The brother found a bracelet that he had given to his sister only a few days ago.
The police found body parts and they figured out the clothes and shoes of the victim.
They later said that the person who was hurt was still alive when someone set her on fire.
The very scary attack has made a lot of people really angry all over the country.
In July, 15,000 individuals came together for a sit-in protest in Manipur. This protest occurred because a group of people had stripped and exposed two women to public humiliation.
The people who were hurt belong to a small Christian group called Kuki. They were recorded while being made to walk through a village by a group of men who are Hindu and belong to a larger group called Meitei. This happened on May 3rd.
The video shows the two people being pushed, pulled, and touched inappropriately by the men. One of the men even threatened to harm them. Eventually, they were taken to a field.
Police think that a group of people assaulted one of the women together, and they also think that another woman, who is not shown in the video, was made to take off her clothes by force. -
PM charged with abandoning UK citizen to starve in Indian prison
Rishi Sunak has been accused of not helping Jagtar Singh Johal, who is stuck in jail in India, because the Foreign Office decided not to get involved in the situation.
MrJohal’s brother Gurpeet stated that the government did not have the determination to bring him back.
A man from Dumbarton is in trouble and might be sentenced to death. He has been held in India since 2017.
Mr Sunak is currently in Delhi for the G20 Summit. However, he has decided not to promise that he will discuss the matter with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
In a letter to Mr. Johal’s local representative, Martin Docherty-Hughes, Foreign Office minister Lord Ahmad stated that after thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of asking for Mr. Johal to be freed and how effective it would be, they do not think it would be in his best interest.
“With Mr Johal’s trial happening now, we think that making this request could be seen as getting involved in the Indian legal process. This might put our ability to help Mr Johal in his case at risk. ”
Lord Ahmad also mentioned that the UK government will keep expressing its worries to India. They also visit Mr Johal regularly to ensure he is doing well.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the same thing in July when he wrote to Mr. Johal’s family, explaining why the UK would not ask for his freedom.
The Member of Parliament for West Dunbartonshire, Mr. Docherty-Hughes, said that the prime minister decided to prioritize a trade deal over the life of a British citizen. He also ignored a reasonable request made by more than 70 of his fellow MPs.
Earlier this week, a group of Members of Parliament from different political parties asked Mr. Sunak to get involved in the situation while he was in Delhi.
MrJohal, a 36 year-old advocate for the rights of Sikhs, went to India in October 2017 to get married.
MPs say that after they arrested him, the interrogators shocked him with electricity and threatened to pour gasoline on him and set him on fire.
Jagtar made videos of himself talking and signed blank papers to stop the torture.
The Indian authorities have said that these accusations are not true.The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that he was singled out because he had asked for “responsibility to be taken for supposed mistreatment of Sikhs by the government”.
He is currently accused of planning to commit eight murders that are connected to political violence in India.
In an interview with the BBC, Gurpreet Johal, the lawyer and Labour councillor who is the brother of Mr. Johal, said that Lord Ahmad expressed worry about the situation, but lacked the ability to take effective action.
“They claim the situation is important and they are trying to find a solution, but they keep delaying it by giving me a less experienced government official. ”
I am tired of being told that the government cannot do anything.
My brother has been gone from our family for six years now. The prime minister and foreign secretary are not making enough effort to bring an innocent British person back from an Indian jail. As a result, this person is being left to suffer for longer than necessary.
During the plane journey to Delhi, when someone asked if he would talk about the case, Mr. Sunak replied: “I will discuss various things with Prime Minister Modi – just to reassure people, this matter has already been brought up multiple times at different levels. ” -
Indian cinema mourns well-known actor G Marimuthu
The Tamil-language film industry in India is mourning because a well-liked actor and director, G Marimuthu, passed away from a heart attack on Friday.
Marimuthu, who was around 50 years old, fell down at a TV studio in Chennai and was declared dead when he reached a nearby hospital.
He was one of the main actors in a TV show called Ethirneechal (Swimming Against The Tide). He was doing the voiceover for some scenes of the show when he passed away.
He also appeared in over 50 movies.
He played a bad guy in a popular movie called Jailer, which is one of the top three Indian films this year.
Marimuthu’s friends from TV came quickly to the hospital when they heard that he had died, according to India Today.
Marimuthu started working in movies in 1990. He moved from his small village in Theni to Chennai to pursue his dream of becoming a film director.
He started out as a waiter in a hotel, then worked as an assistant director for different filmmakers. After that, he went on to direct two movies called Kannum Lannum and Pulivaal.
In the 2010s, he mostly acted in Tamil movies in smaller roles.
“I am very sad to hear that the actor Marimuthu has passed away unexpectedly,” one fan wrote on social media site X.
He was a very famous actor in movies and TV shows. A big loss for our field. “May he find eternal peace in the afterlife. ” -
Rishi asked to bring up British man’s arrest in India
A group of MPs from different political parties are asking Rishi Sunak to help a British man who may be sentenced to death in India.
Over 70 members of Parliament signed a letter asking the Prime Minister to urge Narendra Modi to release activist Jagtar Singh Johal right away, when he goes to Delhi for the G20 leaders’ meeting.
They claim that Mr Johal has been held against his will for more than five years without a fair reason.
The person speaking for the Prime Minister did not say if they would bring up the situation or not.
Mr Johal, who is currently 36 years old, is originally from Dumbarton, which is in Scotland. He was a person who wrote blogs and spoke up for the rights of Sikhs. The authorities in India noticed him because of this.
He went to India in October 2017 to get married. According to the campaign group Reprieve, when he was shopping with his wife, some men in regular clothes covered his head, forced him into a car, and hurt him very badly. They also made him sign empty sheets of paper.
Tory politician David Davis said on the BBC that the main responsibility of a government should be to keep its citizens safe. He also stated that if a citizen is harmed and treated unfairly, the government should strongly voice their concerns about it.
He said: “It seems like that is not happening right now, and the Foreign Office is failing to do its most important job. ”
The MPs wrote a letter saying that when Jagtar was arrested, the people questioning him shocked him with electricity and threatened to pour petrol on him and set him on fire. To stop the torture, Jagtar made videos where he said certain things and signed empty papers.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention explained that he had been singled out because of his involvement in writing public messages asking for punishment to be given to those responsible for mistreating Sikhs.
The letter from the MPs says that the UN Working Group determined that Jagtar’s ongoing imprisonment is not supported by any laws.
After almost six years, Mr. Johal is still in jail in India. He is accused of committing 10 murders and planning to commit murder along with others, all related to violent acts in India’s politics. His family say that court hearings have begun but have had to be postponed many times.
His brother Gurpreet Singh Johal, who is a lawyer and Labour councillor in Dumbarton, told the BBC: “The family is afraid that untrue accusations could turn into formal charges, leading to a wrongful conviction and possibly the death penalty. ”
He said that both former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Theresa May talked about the case with India’s prime minister. He also said that it would be really hard for Rishi Sunak to not bring up the case. If Rishi Sunak doesn’t do it, people will ask why he didn’t do it.Since Rishi Sunak has a good connection with the Indian prime minister, it shouldn’t be difficult to request something from them. It has been almost six years, but no proof has been shown against Jagtar. These are just accusations made against him, and he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
He said that it should be really simple to ask for Jagtar’s freedom. The UK took the right action for Nazanin and Anousheh in Iran before.
When asked if Mr. Sunak would bring up the matter, the prime minister’s spokesperson said they couldn’t predict what will be talked about.
In answer to more questions, the spokesman said the government has expressed worries about Jagtar to the Indian government “over 100 times”.
He said that they talked about getting help from their country’s representatives, following legal procedures, and finding out if there were any cases of abuse.
He said the family is getting help from the consulate and that Lord Ahmad, a government official, recently met with them.
But, in a letter sent to Gurpreet Singh Johal in July and seen by the BBC, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he had decided it was better not to pressure India about the matter.
Mr Cleverly said that he doesn’t think asking for Jagtar to be freed would make the Indian authorities actually release him. I am afraid this could affect the teamwork that we rely on. To visit consulates, help with welfare issues, and go to court hearings.
Both Davis and Mr. Johal’s family are really mad about it. Gurpreet Singh Johal said: “Basically, it means ‘I refuse to do it and I would prefer to see him stay in jail. ‘ That’s what I understand from it. ”
Mr Davis said it sets a bad example and makes other governments more sensitive to complaints.
Gurpreet Singh Johal said that he thinks the UK is not talking about the case now because they want to sign a trade deal with India, which Rishi Sunak wants.
“They seem to be mainly focused on India, a country that is growing rapidly, and they want to finalize this trade agreement with them. It seems like they prioritize trade more than human rights,” he explained.
Mr Davis stated that he believes protecting the legal rights of British citizens should be the top priority, even if it means putting a trade deal in second place.
He said: “You don’t need to be a high-ranking official to understand that the most important thing for a British government is protecting the rights of its citizens. We will not agree to torture as a condition for making a trade deal. ” The period punctuation mark is called a full stop. -
India conducts its first mission after famous lunar landing
India has sent its first spacecraft to study the sun, which is a big achievement for their space program.
The spacecraft named Aditya-L1 was launched at 11:50 a. mIt took off from Sriharikota, an island near the Bay of Bengal. On Saturday, at 2:20 am Eastern Time. And it’s going to a parking spot in space about 930,000 miles (1. 5 million kilometers) away from Earth.
The Aditya-L1 spacecraft successfully launched, which happened less than two weeks after India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization, made history by landing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon’s surface. India’s achievement of landing a vehicle on the moon makes them the fourth country globally, and the second country in the 21st century, to accomplish this.
The mission is going to end next week.
Right now, Aditya-L1 is going towards a place called Lagrange point 1. This place is in between the sun and Earth, where the pull of gravity from both the sun and Earth is balanced. That place will let Aditya-L1 stay in space, at a good spot for watching the sun’s activities, while using only a small amount of fuel.
According to the space agency, this position will allow for a better opportunity to observe solar activities and their impact on space weather in real-time.
The spacecraft has seven tools for studying things in space. Four of these tools will be pointed directly at the sun. The other tools will study particles and magnetic fields that come from the sun and pass through a specific point in space called Lagrange point 1.
The mission’s main goals are to study the sun’s upper atmosphere and different solar activities, like coronal mass ejections which are huge bursts of plasma from the outer layer of the sun.
The data collected from Aditya-L1’s experiments will help us understand space weather better. Space weather refers to the magnetic waves in our solar system. Space storms can cause problems on Earth when they enter our atmosphere. They can sometimes affect satellites, radio communications, and power grids. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said this.
India’s Aditya-L1 will contribute to the data collected by other missions studying the sun, like NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. The Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to come into contact with the sun, which happened in 2021.
India’s first dedicated solar mission contributes to the country’s reputation as an up-and-coming space superpower. -
India achieves milestone by launching its mission to the Sun
India has successfully launched its inaugural observation mission to the Sun, named Aditya-L1. The launch took place at Sriharikota at 11:50 AM Indian time (06:20 GMT). Aditya-L1 will travel a distance of 1.5 million km (932,000 miles) from Earth, equivalent to 1% of the Earth-Sun distance, and it will take approximately four months to reach its destination.
The mission is named after Surya, the Hindu god of the Sun, and “L1” refers to Lagrange point 1, the precise location between the Sun and Earth where the spacecraft is heading.
A Lagrange point is a position where the gravitational forces of two large objects, such as the Sun and Earth, balance each other, allowing a spacecraft to remain stationary. Once Aditya-L1 reaches this point, it will orbit the Sun at the same rate as Earth, requiring minimal fuel for operation.
The launch was witnessed by thousands of people at the viewing gallery set up by the Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) near the launch site, and it was broadcast live on national TV. ISRO scientists declared the launch successful, and it will take Aditya-L1 135 days to complete its journey to Lagrange point 1.
The mission aims to benefit not only India but also the global scientific community by studying the Sun continuously, even during eclipses, and conducting scientific research.
It will observe and study various aspects of the Sun, such as the solar corona, photosphere, and chromosphere, helping scientists better understand solar activity and its impact on Earth and near-space weather.
While the exact cost of the mission has not been disclosed, reports in the Indian press estimate it at 3.78 billion rupees ($46 million). The mission is expected to enhance our scientific understanding of the Sun, improve space weather forecasting, and contribute to the longevity of satellites in space.
India’s solar mission comes shortly after the country achieved a historic milestone by successfully landing a probe near the lunar south pole, becoming the fourth nation in the world to achieve a soft landing on the Moon.
Other countries, such as Japan, the US (through NASA), and the European Space Agency (ESA), have conducted missions to study the Sun, with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe being a notable recent example. These missions aim to unlock the mysteries of our solar system’s star and its dynamic behavior.
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China advises India to ‘remain calm’ in boundary map dispute
China has advised India to stay composed regarding a newly made map, which India alleges depicts their land as Chinese territory.
India got angry when China released a map that claimed that Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin belonged to China.
Beijing said that India should not overanalyze or overthink the matter.
Media reports are saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping might not attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in Delhi next week.
There are reports that haven’t been confirmed yet, but they say that Premier Li Quang might go instead. Xi previously said he would go to Delhi for the meeting on September 9th and 10th. However, when asked about his attendance at a press briefing on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry did not confirm it.
Sources that are not known told Reuters news agency that he decided not to go through with his plan because of the dispute over the map. The BBC was unable to confirm the statement on its own.
The disagreement over China’s standard national map for 2023 is getting worse. This disagreement happened shortly after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Xi talked at the Brics summit in South Africa.
The Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, said that China’s claim is “ridiculous”. An Indian official later stated that both countries agreed to “work harder to quickly pull back and lessen tensions” along the disputed border.
China made it clear on Thursday that it was not willing to change its stance on the map, a problem that has caused difficulties in their relationship for many years.
“China regularly follows its laws when exercising its sovereignty,” stated Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry.
We want everyone involved to stay unbiased and relaxed, and not make too many assumptions about the problem.
India gets very angry when China tries to claim its land.
The reason for the tension between the neighbors is a disagreement over a border that is about 3,440km long (equivalent to 2,100 miles). This border is called the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and is located in the Himalayas. The border is not clearly marked, and soldiers from both sides often encounter each other at different points along the border.
China claims that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it and refers to it as “South Tibet. ” However, India strongly disagrees with this claim. India says that they own the Aksai Chin plateau in the Himalayas, but China controls it.
Relations between India and China have become worse since 2020. This happened because their soldiers had a deadly fight in the Galwan valley in Ladakh. It was the first time they had such a deadly fight since 1975. -
New controversy hurts Adani Group in India
The Indian-based Adani Group is facing difficulties as a recent report indicates their involvement in using undisclosed funds to violate regulations and manipulate stock values.
Report claims that the group spent millions of dollars buying stocks in its own companies using offshore methods.
It says that two people who invest for themselves supposedly bought and sold the stocks for the group.
The Adani Group dismissed the claims, saying they were baseless.
The report was published on Thursday by a group called the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which is made up of journalists who investigate issues around the world. The Guardian and Financial Times gave papers and wrote stories about them.
The Adani Group does many different things in India and other places. They trade commodities, run airports and ports, provide utilities like electricity and water, and work with renewable energy. 1Gautam Adani, a billionaire, is the leader of this organization. 2Gautam Adani, who is very rich, is in charge of this group. There are 24 people on the Forbes real-time billionaires list.
People believe Mr Adani is friends with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many opposition politicians say he has gained advantages because of his friendship with Modi, but he denies these allegations.
Earlier this year, the businessman got involved in a big scandal. Hindenburg Research, a US company that bets on stocks losing value, accused his group of dishonestly manipulating the stock market and committing fraud with accounting. Hindenburg also claimed that the group was using companies from other countries and fake companies to invest money in its own stocks, which made the stock prices go up.
The group said the claims were not true and meant to harm them, but their shares lost a lot of value in the stock market and they had to cancel a plan to sell more shares. A group chosen by India’s highest court is currently overseeing an investigation by the country’s market regulator into the accusations.
How Gautam Adani’s business lost $100 billion in just a few days.
Can the Adani Group in India make a comeback from a $100 billion loss.
According to the OCCRP report, two investors have been trading a large amount of Adani Group stock for many years. The two men are closely connected to the Adani family and have been in charge of and own part of companies linked to the group.
The BBC has not looked into the claims themselves.
OCCRP claimed that there was no proof that the money they used for their investments came from the Adani family.
However, they also found evidence indicating that their trading in Adani stock was planned together with the family, based on the reports and documents reviewed by their journalists.
OCCRP said that whether this arrangement is against the law depends on if Ahli and Chang should be seen as acting for Adani ‘promoters’, which means the majority owners of a business in India.
MrAhli and Mr. Chang did not respond publicly right away, but the Adani Group expressed skepticism about the timing of the news report, describing it as suspicious and malicious.
“We believe in the fair legal system and trust that our disclosures and corporate governance standards are of high quality,” the statement said.
The value of Adani Enterprises’ shares, the main company of the group, decreased by 2. 82% on the BSE index. -
China’s neighbours upset with its new national map
The Philippines, alongside Malaysia and India, is unhappy with China‘s new national map because it seems like China is claiming their land.
China released a new version of its national map on Monday, which it has been doing since at least 2006, to fix what Beijing has previously called “problematic maps” that it believes incorrectly depict its boundaries.
The Philippines stated on Thursday that they did not accept the map because it showed a dashed line around disputed parts of the South China Sea. This line was part of a ruling by an international tribunal in 2016, which supported the Philippines’ claims.
The Philippines Foreign Affairs department said that the map is China’s recent attempt to make it seem like they have power and control over Philippine areas and waters. However, this is not supported by international law.
India was the first to express unhappiness on Tuesday by strongly objecting to China including the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai-Chin territory as part of its own territory.
India’s foreign secretary, Arindam Bagchi, said that we have expressed our strong disagreement with China through diplomatic channels about their map claiming India’s land in 2023. “We disagree with these statements since they lack any proof or foundation. ”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malaysia disagreed with China’s claims and said that Malaysia does not accept any foreign party’s ownership or control of Malaysia’s maritime features.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to the complaints during a press briefing on Wednesday. He said that the changes made were a normal practice of exercising control within the country’s laws.
“He added that he hopes everyone involved can stay fair-minded and calm, and avoid making too many assumptions about the issue. ”
Since becoming the leader in 2012, Xi Jinping has tried to make China very powerful worldwide. He has been aggressive in dealing with other countries and has made bold moves in important areas in Asia.The argument over the map happened a few days after the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Xi met in South Africa. During their meeting, they agreed to work harder to reduce tensions at their disputed border. This was seen as a positive step towards improving their strained relationship.
This happened after India and China talked for the 19th time to sort out their border problem. It happened before there might be a meeting between Modi and Xi at the G20 summit in New Delhi next week – if Xi goes to the summit.
Although it seems like progress is being made in their border disputes, experts say that may not always be true.
Akhil Ramesh, a senior fellow at the Pacific Forum, a foreign policy research institute in Honolulu, said that India and China try to resolve their differences, but it seems like they make little progress and often face setbacks.
In this situation, even though both sides may say they want to reduce tensions, I don’t think it will actually happen. Both countries want to become leaders in the southern part of the world, and they are both working hard to achieve this.
Borders have caused problems between New Delhi and Beijing for a long time, and conflicts in the area have led to war in the past, which China won in 1962. Over the years, a border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has divided two very populated countries.
The two countries had more problems in 2020 after a big fight in the Galwan Valley. This place is near Aksai Chin, an area controlled by China but both countries say it belongs to them. Tensions have been building up since then and recently became more serious in December when there was a clash between soldiers from both sides in the Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh, causing minor injuries.
While there are problems between Beijing and New Delhi, politicians from India’s main opposition party, Congress, have criticized Modi for not taking the border issue seriously.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that China frequently changes the names and boundaries of territories that belong to other countries. The Modi government needs to make sure that the Chinese occupation of 2,000 square kilometers of Indian land along the LAC is stopped and ended.
Lawmaker Rahul Gandhi told the reporters on Wednesday that he has been saying for a long time that the prime minister was not telling the truth when he claimed that no land was lost in Ladakh.
Everyone in Ladakh knows that China has taken our land. This map problem is very important. the prime minister should talk about it,” he added.
Modi has mostly stayed away from talking about the border problem, even going on live TV and claiming that no one has entered or is entering the country.
But India has taken some actions to resist potential dangers from China. They have prohibited the use of popular Chinese apps like TikTok on social media because they believe these apps may harm their independence and unity. Additionally, they are also preventing Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE from providing their 5G network.
With a growing sense of patriotism in both countries, New Delhi has become more worried about China’s increasing assertiveness. This worry has strengthened India’s relationship with the United States, particularly through the Quad – a group consisting of Japan, the US, India, and Australia, which is seen as a way to balance China’s power.
China refused to attend a G20 tourism meeting organized by India in the Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir. They did this because they disagree with having any G20 meetings in disputed areas. Both India and Pakistan say that they own the disputed region of Kashmir completely. -
India turns the fourth nation in history to successfully land spacecraft on the moon
India successfully landed its spacecraft named Chandrayaan-3 on the moon, making it the fourth country to achieve this remarkable accomplishment.
The mission could make India even more powerful in space and give them a higher status globally. Before, only the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union successfully landed softly on the moon’s surface.
Chandrayaan-3’s landing site is closer to the south pole of the moon than any other spacecraft has ever gone. The area around the south pole is important for countries that explore space because scientists think there might be ice there.
The frozen water in dark holes can be changed into fuel for rockets or even used as drinking water for future missions with people on board.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, watched the landing on a screen and gave his thoughts on the livestream.
He said, “I want to talk to everyone in the world on this happy day. ” India’s moon mission is not only India’s but belongs to everyone. This is a year when India is leading the G20 countries. The idea of all people being connected and having a common future is spreading worldwide.
The way we focus on humans and the perspective we bring has been accepted everywhere. Modi also said that our moon mission is based on the same approach that focuses on humans. So, this achievement is important for everyone and will assist other countries in their future missions to the moon.
India recently tried to land its spacecraft near the southern part of the moon, but this happened shortly after another country’s unsuccessful attempt to do the same thing. Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft had an accident and hit the moon on August 19 because its engines didn’t work properly. This stopped Russia from successfully landing on the moon for the first time in 47 years.
Chandrayaan-3 is going on a trip.
Chandrayaan-3 was going towards the moon and took some pictures with its cameras. One of these pictures was taken on August 20 and was shared by India’s space agency on Tuesday. The picture shows a close-up view of the moon’s dusty gray ground.
India’s lunar lander has three parts: a lander, rover, and propulsion module. The propulsion module helps the spacecraft travel the long distance of 384,400 kilometers (238,855 miles) between the moon and Earth.The lander, named Vikram, successfully made a gentle landing on the moon’s surface by executing precise movements after separating from the main propulsion module. Inside the lander, there is a small rover called Pragyan. It has six wheels and will come out of the lander by sliding down a ramp.
Vikram used its built-in jets to position itself correctly as it neared the moon’s surface. Then, it gradually decreased the power of its engines to safely touch down around 6 p. mIST stands for Indian Standard Time. It is the time zone used in India. When the clock shows 8:30 in the morning according to IST, it means it is currently that time in India. As people clapped and cheered in the room where mission control was located.
The Indian Space Research Organization, also known as ISRO, later said that they had talked with the spacecraft and showed the first pictures of the surface taken when it was coming down.
The lander and rover are equipped with scientific tools to gather information about the moon’s surface. They will provide valuable data for researchers to study and understand the composition of the moon.
Rewrite this text: Dr. Simple words: Doctor Angela Marusiak, a researcher at the University of Arizona, is happy that the lunar lander has a device that will try to find out if there are earthquakes inside the moon.
Marusiak said that understanding how the moon’s inner layers move could be important for future missions on its surface.
Marusiak said, “We want to make sure earthquakes wouldn’t harm the astronauts. ” If we make buildings on the moon, they would be protected from any shaking or vibrations.
The machine that lands on the moon and the vehicle that moves on the moon are expected to work for about two weeks on the moon’s surface. The propulsion module will stay in space and act as a relay station to send information back to Earth.
India is teaming up with the United States and France to become a new space power. The country’s space program is working very hard to develop new technology for exploring space and it is one of the busiest in the world.
Chandrayaan-3 has made India proud and has sparked a lot of interest throughout the country. Many people gathered at a space center in Andhra Pradesh state to watch a mission take off in July. On Wednesday, over 8 million people watched a livestream of the landing.
Around 500 people came together at India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in New Delhi on Wednesday. The event was shown live on a screen inside an auditorium and also outside in a temporary pavilion. After the team scored a touchdown and it was confirmed, the people in the audience were given Indian sweets to celebrate. Firecrackers were also set off, and the spectators clapped and cheered for over a minute.
People were saying “victory to India” and kids were happily waving the Indian flag.
India’s mission has become even more important since Russia failed in their attempt to land on Luna 25. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission was a success, making India the second country after China to land a spacecraft on the moon in this century. China has already landed three spacecraft on the moon since 2013, including the first landing on the moon’s far side. The final American spacecraft to land on the moon was called Apollo 17. It happened in the year 1972.
Over twelve countries are planning to go to the moon soon. Japan’s space agency, called the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will also launch their mission this month. The United States is planning to send three commercial spacecraft to the moon, possibly starting this year. At the same time, NASA is also working on a mission called Artemis III, with the goal of sending astronauts back to the moon by 2025.
But it is still difficult to land on the moon. India tried to land a spacecraft on the moon in 2019, but it didn’t work. Recently, two spaceships from different countries have landed forcefully on the moon. One was from Israel in 2019, and the other was from Japan in April.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Sunday that landing on the Moon is definitely a difficult task. But many people want to explore the Moon again because it has a lot of valuable scientific discoveries to offer. That is why there have been many recent attempts to land on its surface. We are excited to learn more in the future, especially from India’s Chandraayan-3 mission.
On Wednesday, Nelson also posted on social media to say, “Congratulations to India for becoming the fourth country to safely land a spacecraft on the Moon. We are happy to be your partner for this task.
India has also agreed to the United States’ Artemis Accords, which are a set of suggested guidelines for future moon exploration. Russia and China have not agreed to the accords. -
India makes a historic landing close to the south pole of the Moon
India has successfully landed its Moon mission in the southern part of the Moon, making it the first country to accomplish this.
India has now become one of the few countries to gently land on the Moon, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.
The Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 landed as scheduled at 6:04 pm local time (12:34 pm GMT).
People all over the country are celebrating, and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that “India has reached the Moon. ”
We have achieved what no other country has been able to. “It’s a happy event,” he said. Modi was watching the event on TV from South Africa. He is there for the Brics summit.
India has succeeded just a few days after Russia’s spacecraft Luna-25 lost control and crashed into the Moon.
The accident also highlighted the challenge of landing in the region of the south pole. The ground there is very rough and has lots of holes and big rocks.
India tried to send a spacecraft to land on the moon for the second time in 2019, but it didn’t work. The part of the spacecraft that was supposed to land and the vehicle it carried were destroyed. However, the main part of the spacecraft that stays in space managed to survive.
On Wednesday, there were intense and nerve-wracking moments before the lander, referred to as Vikram after Isro founder Vikram Sarabhai, touched down. The lander carried a 26kg rover named Pragyaan, which means wisdom in Sanskrit, inside it.
The lander’s speed slowly went down from moving very fast to almost stopping completely. This made it possible for the lander to land gently on the moon’s surface.
Scientists say that very soon, once everything has calmed down, a rover with six wheels will come out from inside the lander and explore the rocks and craters on the Moon’s surface. It will collect important information and take pictures, which will be sent back to Earth.The main goal of the mission is to find ice made of water on the Moon. Scientists say that this ice could help humans live there someday. It could also be used to provide fuel for spaceships going to Mars and other far-away places. Scientists say that there is a large amount of surface area on the Moon that is always in darkness and this area could have a lot of frozen water.
The lander and the rover have five tools to learn about what the Moon’s surface is like, what the air above it is like, and what happens underground.
An official told the BBC that the rover has an Indian flag and Isro’s logo and emblem on its wheels. This is so that when the rover moves on the Moon, it will leave marks on the lunar soil.Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third mission to the Moon. It aims to improve upon the achievements of past Moon missions and Isro officials believe it will lead to significant scientific discoveries.
This new mission is happening 15 years after the first mission to the Moon. The first mission found water on the Moon and showed that it has an atmosphere during the day.
Even though Chandrayaan-2 didn’t land successfully, it still has a functioning orbiter that goes around the Moon. This orbiter will assist the Vikram lander in transmitting pictures and information back to Earth for examination.
India is not the only country looking at the Moon. Many other countries are also interested in going there and have planned missions to the Moon in the near future. Scientists say there is still a lot to learn about the Moon, which is often seen as a way to explore outer space. -
At least 17 people perish as bridge collapses in northeast India
Over twelve workers died when a bridge being built in northeast India fell down on Wednesday. This is part of a series of accidents involving infrastructure in India that have caused many deaths.
The bridge in the town of Sairang, Mizoram state, fell down and caused the death of at least 17 people. Many others were also injured. The chief minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga, who is known by one name, confirmed this information.
Videos and pictures that Zoramthanga shared on Twitter, now called X, show a damaged building lying on the ground. There is a lot of dust and smoke rising into the air.
“He was really sad and emotionally affected by this tragedy,” he wrote. “I’m very sorry for the families who lost loved ones, and I hope those who were hurt get better quickly. ”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in South Africa for the BRICS economic grouping summit, also expressed his sympathy to those who lost their lives in the incident.
Modi expressed his sadness about the accident that happened on the bridge in Mizoram. He offered almost $2,500 to the families of the people who died and $600 to the workers who got injured.
Mizoram is a state with lots of hills and mountains, located close to the borders of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The villages and towns depend on a system of rough roads and narrow tracks, highways and bridges, to stay connected.
Tuesday’s collapse is not the first time in recent months that India has had a major incident that has been widely reported. India has been working hard to improve its transportation system and has been investing a lot of money in upgrading its infrastructure.
In June, a bridge made of concrete that was being built across the River Ganges in the state of Bihar fell down again, just over a year after it fell down previously. This makes people wonder if the construction of the bridge was done well.
In October of last year, a suspension bridge that was recently fixed collapsed in the town of Morbi in Gujarat. Sadly, 135 people lost their lives in the accident. -
Rahul Gandhi back to Indian Parliament as member of parliament
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian opposition, has attended parliament once more following his conviction in a criminal defamation case.
The Congress party leader was stripped of his title as a legislator in March after receiving a two-year prison term.
On Monday, two days after the Supreme Court postponed his sentence, he was re-elected as a member of parliament.
Outside of parliament, Congress leaders chanted slogans and handed out candy to mark his return.
Other opposition party leaders also expressed their happiness about Mr. Gandhi’s return to the legislature.
Mr. Gandhi represents Wayanad in the southern state of Kerala as a member of the Congress party.
Political analysts claim that Mr. Gandhi’s reinstatement as a congressman is a win for INDIA, an alliance made up of 26 opposition parties, as it allows him to run in the upcoming presidential election. In the election, the coalition intends to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The allegations against Mr. Gandhi stem from remarks he made at an election rally in 2019 regarding Mr. Modi’s last name.
Opposition parties have protested his conviction and disqualification, claiming that the BJP in power had targeted him. The BJP has refuted this, claiming that the case had been handled according to the law.
“Why do all these thieves have Modi as their last name?” Mr. Gandhi had questioned during a rally in the state of Karnataka in 2019. Lalit Modi, Nirav Modi, and Narendra Modi.
Lalit Modi is the former president of the Indian Premier League and is currently on the run from the country’s cricket board, while Nirav Modi is an Indian diamond mogul who is still at large.
Purnesh Modi, a politician for the BJP, accused Mr. Gandhi of defaming the entire Modi community in a defamation lawsuit he brought against him. Mr. Gandhi had contended that he made the remark to draw attention to corruption and that it wasn’t intended to disparage any particular community.
In March, a Gujarati court found him guilty and handed out a two-year prison term. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling that states a legislator guilty of a felony and sentenced to two or more years in prison stands disqualified from parliament with immediate effect caused him to lose his MP designation the day after his conviction.
The Gujarat High Court denied Mr. Gandhi’s appeal in July after the court granted him bail to appeal his conviction.
The trial court judge’s justifications for handing down the maximum sentence of two years to Mr. Gandhi, however, were deemed “without sufficient reasons and grounds” by the Supreme Court, who therefore on Friday postponed his conviction.
Additionally, it stated that the Congress leader ought to have exercised greater caution when making the remarks.
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Ban on rice importation by India, likely impact on Ghana, other African countries
The recent decision by India, the world’s largest rice exporter, to ban rice exports is expected to have a significant impact on rice prices in Ghana.
This move by the Indian government, aimed at addressing domestic inflation concerns, has raised concerns about potential global food price increases.
India accounts for more than 40% of the world’s rice shipments, making it the leading rice exporter. As a result of the export ban, rice prices from various Asian nations have already risen in the global markets, and traders predict further substantial increases in the near future.
In 2022, Ghana imported rice worth $552 million, making it the 13th largest rice importer globally.
Rice was the third most imported commodity in Ghana during that year. Notably, Ghana imported rice worth over $100 million from India, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
The repercussions of this export ban will soon impact Ghana, affecting not only the prices of non-basmati rice but also basmati rice varieties. Experts warn that this ban adds to the challenges faced by the global rice market, which has already experienced price hikes of 15%-20% since September 2022.
Based on current trends, the cost of a 50kg bag of non-basmati rice, typically priced between GHC750 and GHC800, is expected to surpass GHC1000 in the coming days. As India plays a significant role as a major rice supplier to important markets in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, these regions are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the rice market.
Moreover, it is important to note that forty-two countries rely on India for over 50% of their total rice imports, making it difficult to easily substitute Indian imports with those from other major rice exporting nations like Vietnam, Thailand, or Pakistan. In Africa, India’s market share in 2022 surpassed 80% for several countries.
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Four passengers killed as Indian railway official opens fire on moving train
Four persons were killed on Monday when an Indian railway security guard opened fire on a train that was travelling through the western state of Maharashtra, according to a Western Railway official.
Around 6 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET Sunday), the event happened aboard a passenger train running between Jaipur and Mumbai, the spokeswoman said on camera for the Indian news agency Asian News International.
The spokesman said that constable Chetan Kumar of the Railway Protection Force killed his coworker and three other passengers.
Three other passengers were also shot during the incident, according to the spokeswoman. “A constable, Chetan Kumar, opened fire on his colleague Tikaram Meena.”
The spokeswoman added that he pulled the alarm and jumped off the train before being apprehended by authorities.
The spokeswoman stated that an investigation is ongoing and that the cause of the incident is “yet to be established.”
The passenger list is still being used to identify the victims, he continued.
Neeraj Kumar, the divisional railway manager, informed reporters that the families are being contacted and that the next of kin will receive compensation.
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India reacts angrily over naked and mistreated Manipur women video
Following the viral video of two women being forced to strip and sexually attacked by a crowd, thousands of women have participated in rallies across India.
The incident happened in the state of Manipur, where there has been a lot of ethnic conflict during the past two months.
On May 3, footage was captured of a group of men from the Hindu Meitei majority group leading the victims, who are from the Christian Kuki minority community, through a village.
The footage shows the pair being pushed around, dragged and groped by the men, one of whom threatened to ‘kill’ them, and were eventually led into a field.
Police believe one of the women was then gang-raped, and that a third woman, who is not seen in the video, was also forced to strip.
According to local media, the attack was part of a wave of violence sparked by fake news suggesting Kukis were responsible for the rape and murder of a Meitei woman.
On Friday, a group of women were pictured setting fire to a house said to belong to one of the men accused of being part of the mob.
Women set fire to one of the alleged attackers’ homes (Picture: AFP) Hemant Pandey, a senior police official in the state capital Imphal, said: ‘Local women pelted stones and burnt some parts of the house belonging to the prime accused in a village.
‘We request women to protest peacefully as there is intense unease. We understand their rage.’
At least 130 people have died in deadly clashes in Manipur this summer, which has also been plagued by shootings, lootings of businesses and sexual assaults.
Members of India’s opposition party held a solidarity protest in India’s capital of New Delhi on Thursday (Picture: AFP) 
Protesters marched against widespread sexual violence suffered by Manipur’s women (Picture: AFP) 
Men from the party’s youth wing also turned up in large numbers (Picture: AFP) An estimated 60,000 have lost their homes amid a push by members of each group for total social segregation.
The national government has deployed thousands of soldiers but has avoided directly confronting either group, possibly as many local officials are said to be wrapped up in the conflict.
One of the victims told The Indian Express newspaper: ‘The police were there with the mob which was attacking our village.
‘The police picked us up from near home, and took us a little away from the village and left us on the road with the mob.
India’s PM, Narendra Modi, was heavily criticised for staying silent on the violence until Thursday (Picture: EPA) ‘We were given to them by police.’
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, broke his silence on the conflict on Thursday, telling the national parliament ‘the entire country has been shamed’ by the incident.
He said: ‘I want to assure the nation, no guilty [people] will be spared.
‘Action will be taken according to the law. What happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven.
‘As I stand next to this temple of democracy, my heart is filled with pain and anger.’
India’s chief justice, Dhananjaya Chandrachud, appeared to criticise the government for failing to do more.
He said the Supreme Court would intervene if Modi and his ministers didn’t, stating: ‘I think it’s time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable.’
Four men were arrested in Manipur shortly after an order from the Supreme Court of India.
Protests have erupted on and off for at least two months in Manipur, which borders Myanmar.
Members of Modi’s BJP party have stoked ethnic tensions by blaming problems on an influx of refugees from Myanmar who share ties with the Kukis.
The chief minister of Manipur, a Meitei who is also BJP member, gave a TV interview last months accusing Kukis and refugees of conspiring in ‘drugs business’ and ‘planting poppy’, a crop used to produce heroin.
He has repeatedly supported forced internet outages as the best measure to quell the violence.
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Taj Mahal submerged in floodwaters as northern India struggles to cope with severe downpour
The famed Taj Mahal has been affected by devastating floods ravaging northern India, a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that experts fear may turn into the norm as the climate crisis delivers even more extreme weather.
On Tuesday, as seen in videos and pictures posted on social media, floodwaters from the Yamuna River lapped at the compound walls of the monument, a popular tourist destination.
There were also floodwaters visible in a garden that was placed behind the Taj Mahal. The heritage site is not threatened by the present floods, according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which looks after it, CNN affiliate CNN-News 18 reported.
Experts said it is rare for floodwaters to reach the outer walls of the complex, which was built near the city of Agra in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in the 17th century by a Mughal emperor to honor his wife who died in childbirth. Millions of tourists visit the site each year.
While floods occur regularly in the area during India’s monsoon season from June to September, experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
The Yamuna River – a tributary of the Ganges – has reached its highest level on record, authorities said last week, prompting mass evacuations as northern states report dozens of deaths from the heavy flooding.
The Yamuna, which flows about 855 miles (1,376 kilometers) south from the Himalayas through several states, rose to 208.57 meters (about 684 feet) as of last Thursday, officials said.
India, the world’s most populous nation, is one of the countries worst affected by the climate crisis, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – potentially affecting 1.4 billion people nationwide.
Several parts of northern India, including Agra, remain at high risk of flooding in the coming weeks due to continuous heavy rainfall and water being released from barrages, according to Indian authorities.
Scientists have long warned about the damaging impacts of climate change, which has brought deadly combinations of extreme erratic weather – scorching summer heat followed by record rainfall resulting in severe floods and landslides across much of Asia.
“There is no stronger sign that climate breakdown is here,” NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus told CNN.
“The rest of this summer should serve as a huge wake up call – everything gets worse from here and every summer will be worse than the one before. Billions of lives remain at risk.”
The Taj Mahal has already endured years of air pollution, insects and tourist crowds that have damaged its iconic mausoleum and caused parts of its exterior to turn yellow-green.
Meanwhile, dozens of World Heritage sites face the risk of floods and erosion as extreme weather becomes more intense and frequent.
Ancient Buddhist cave murals and statues along China’s Silk Road, dating back to the 4th century, are under “direct threat” from extreme rainfall brought by climate change, researchers found. Artworks in some caves are already showing signs of deterioration and some artifacts could be gone in a few years, they warned.
And in South Korea, heavy rain has damaged dozens of cultural heritage sites, the country’s Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Tuesday.
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Mbappe more famous in India than he is even in France – Indian Prime Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian community in Paris on Thursday during his visit to France.
He emphasized the strong bond between India and France while also highlighting the increasing popularity of French footballer Kylian Mbappe among Indian fans.
Modi stated that Mbappe has a larger fanbase in India than in his home country of France.
The Prime Minister further noted that the young Indian players consider Mbappe a tremendous success. His remarks were made during his tour of France.
Narendra Mod on Mbappe
French football star Mbappe is a superhit among the youth of India.
Quoted by Sportskeeda Modi said:
“Indians know Mbappe more than people in France,”
According to Indian Prime Minister, Modi, Kylian Mbappe is incredibly popular among the youth in India. PM Modi suggested that Mbappe may be more widely recognized in India than in his home country of France.#SportsGist
— Sports Gist (@theSportsGist) July 14, 2023
Bernardo Cancelo Lasmid Malo Gusto pic.twitter.com/v7FLDj2GsYThe audience received the Prime Minister’s words with applause.
Mbappe’s rise to stardom
Mbappe, 24, shot to fame at AS Monaco during the 2016/17 campaign as an 18-year-old.
He registered 26 goals and 14 assists in just 2633 minutes of action, spread across 44 appearances.
He also led his team to a memorable Ligue 1 triumph and the UEFA Champions League semi-final stage, beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on the way.
Following a stellar season-long loan spell, the Frenchman permanently moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a fee of €180 million ahead of the 2018/19 season.
Before starting the campaign, he guided France to their second FIFA World Cup victory in Russia, bagging the Young Player Award in the process.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mbappé’s spectacular performance made him more popular. The forward was the top scorer in the tournament with eight goals.
With a hat-trick in the final, Mbappe was able to mount a tough challenge against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. Later, Mbappe’s France lost the title in a penalty shootout.