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UK-based ‘The Guardian’ backs Sonam Wangchuk while questioning the Modi government’s handling of violence

शिव
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UK-based ‘The Guardian’ backs Sonam Wangchuk while questioning the Modi government’s handling of violence

Foreign media outlets often wait for opportunities to paint India in a negative light. This time, the UK-based newspaper The Guardian has reported the recent violence in Ladakh and the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in its own way.

On 24th September, violence broke out in Ladakh, leading to the deaths of four people and over 60 were injured. Following the clashes, Wangchuk was detained under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) on Friday (26th September). But instead of presenting the violence and its aftermath in context, “In a report, The Guardian has blindly condemned the arrest of the Ladakh violence as part of action against the “dissent” of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.”

Right from the beginning of The Guardian’s report, it is clearly visible that it is not a report, but propaganda against India and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Guardian tried to portray the arrest as an attack on free speech.

Screengrab from The Guardian’s report

The initial part of the report has tried to show that the Modi government, cannot hear its protest, implying that Wangchuk was jailed only because he had raised his voice against the authorities.

After this claim, the Guardian also introduced Wangchuck and wrote that he was leading the ‘long agitation against the Modi government’. He was leading the long agitation, but even after his long protests he was not jailed by the government. In fact, rather than suppressing his movement, the Modi government had formed a high-level committee to engage with his concerns.

The Indian government’s attempt was not to suppress the voice of dissent, but that their voices should be heard, action should be taken. He has been arrested after the violence in Ladakh, in which 4 people have died. The Guardian has deliberately concealed the beginning of its news in the information.

And it is not just the only propaganda. There has been an attempt to write a fabricated story.

The report also argues to justify violence. “This territory(Ladakh) was part of the Jammu and Kashmir before it was unilaterally dissolved by the Modi government and brought fully under its control, to the anger and frustration of the local population,” the Guardian wrote.

Screengrab from The Guardian’s report

The Guardian saw the anger and disappointment of the people, but the newspaper  forgot to highlight that there were demonstrations in this Ladakh for decades to become a Union Territory. When the decision was finally announced in 2019, residents celebrated with drums and dancing. Even Wangchuk himself had publicly thanked the government at that time. Today, his demands are for full statehood and greater autonomy, but that doesn’t mean the UT status was imposed against the will of the people of Ladakh. 

It is clear that the aim of the Guardian’s piece was less about reporting facts and more about pushing a narrative that life in Ladakh has worsened under Modi’s leadership.

The Guardian report further criticised over India’s military construction and infrastructure construction in Ladakh. The Guardian is concerned that India’s military construction is having an impact on the environment. While environmental concerns are valid, what the piece ignored is the reason behind these projects, the military needs and the growing threat from China.

Screengrab from The Guardian’s report

Foreign media outlets like the Guardian repeatedly target India’s military construction and infrastructure as an environmental crisis. But this media rarely raises questions about the construction of large military bases, roads, tunnels and airbases of other countries.

PM Modi launches BSNL’s indigenous 4G stack: What is Bharat Telecom Stack, and why it is strategically important for Atmanirbhar India

Raju Das
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PM Modi launches BSNL’s indigenous 4G stack: What is Bharat Telecom Stack, and why it is strategically important for Atmanirbhar India

In a landmark moment for India’s technological sovereignty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) fully indigenous 4G stack, propelling the country into the select league of nations that build their own telecom infrastructure. The launch, coinciding with BSNL’s silver jubilee, also saw the commissioning of over 97,500 new 4G towers of BSNL, including 92,600 advanced sites, at an investment of around ₹37,000 crore.

While BSNL is late to introduce 4G, private telecom operators in India are already running 5G networks, the introduction is important because the entire network is based on equipment and technology developed in India, not based on foreign network equipment.

This indigenous full-stack 4G network solution, known as Bharat Telecom Stack, marks India’s entry into the elite club of nations capable of designing and manufacturing their own complete telecom infrastructure, joining Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, and China as the fifth member. Developed entirely within the country, the Bharat Telecom Stack embodies the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, by reducing dependence on foreign technology and fostering innovation in critical sectors like telecommunications.

What is the Bharat Telecom Stack

The Bharat Telecom Stack is a comprehensive, homegrown telecommunications ecosystem designed, developed, and deployed in India. It represents a “Swadeshi” 4G network stack that operates on a cloud-based architecture, enabling seamless scalability and future upgrades to 5G without overhauling the entire system. Unlike traditional telecom setups that rely on imported hardware and software from global vendors, this stack integrates every layer, from core network functions to radio access and edge computing, using Indian intellectual property and manufacturing.

At its heart, the stack prioritises security, efficiency, and inclusivity. It is the first time India has achieved a “full-stack” telecom solution, meaning it covers the end-to-end process of signal transmission, data processing, and user connectivity. This innovation is the result of a collaborative effort between public and private entities, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), and Tejas Networks.

While C-DOT developed the core technology, TCS set up data centres, deploying base stations and radio infrastructure developed by Tejas Network. The entire network has been integrated under AI-driven Cognitive Network Operations (CNOPS) platform Cognitive Network Operations (CNOPS) for round-the-clock monitoring.

The development of the Bharat Telecom Stack is a testament to India’s evolving R&D capabilities in telecom. Initiated under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the project addressed long-standing vulnerabilities in India’s telecom sector, which has historically imported over 90% of its equipment from foreign suppliers. The stack’s creation involved rigorous testing and integration, culminating in a Rs 37,000 crore investment to commission over 97,500 towers nationwide.

The entire system was completed within just two years, making it one of the fastest 4G deployments globally. 

The rollout is ambitious and targeted. Initial deployment focuses on underserved regions, with over 18,900 sites funded under the Digital Bharat Nidhi scheme. These include solar-powered towers in remote, border, and insurgency-affected areas, aiming to connect 26,700 villages that previously lacked reliable internet access.

Why is the Bharat Telecom Stack Crucial for Atmanirbhar Bharat

The Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, launched in 2020 amid global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, emphasizes self-reliance across five pillars: economy, infrastructure, systems, demography, and demand. The telecom sector, vital for all these pillars, has been a prime target for indigenization. The Bharat Telecom Stack aligns perfectly with this vision, offering multifaceted benefits that extend far beyond connectivity.

Enhancing National Security and Digital Sovereignty

In an era of escalating cyber threats and geopolitical tensions, reliance on foreign telecom gear poses significant risks. The stack eliminates these vulnerabilities by ensuring that core infrastructure is “Made in Bharat,” free from backdoors or supply chain interruptions. This is particularly critical for border regions and defence applications, where secure communication can be a matter of national security.

As Prime Minister Modi noted, the project “symbolises the strength of Atmanirbhar Bharat” by guaranteeing resilience and control over India’s digital backbone. It echoes the other successful indigenous stack, India Stack, which has resulted in services like Aadhaar, FASTag, DigiLocker, UPI etc, creating a unified ecosystem of sovereign tech.

Driving Economic Growth and Job Creation

Economically, Bharat Telecom Stack is a game-changer. Instead of importing expensive telecom technology and gears, India can now export this technology globally, potentially generating billions in revenue. This initiative represent a giant leap towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, transforming India into a global telecom equipment manufacturing hub and boosting the GDP through value-added exports. India has already become a major producer of mobile phones, now the country will also produce the equipment that connect those phones.

Bridging the Digital Divide for Inclusive Development

The stack is also about empowerment. By connecting rural villages not served by private operators, it brings high-speed internet to millions, enabling rural entrepreneurs to access e-commerce, farmers to use precision agriculture apps, and students to pursue online learning. This digital inclusion aligns with the Viksit Bharat goal by 2047, ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the digital revolution.

As the stack is 5G ready, BSNL will be able to upgrade its network from 4G to 5G without large investment. The public telecom company plans to rollout 5G network by the year-end.

Looking forward, the Bharat Telecom Stack sets the stage for India to lead in 6G research and beyond. With its export-ready design, it could soon power networks in developing nations.

The Bharat Telecom Stack is more than a technical achievement, it’s a declaration of India’s arrival as a technology powerhouse. It fortifies Atmanirbhar Bharat against external shocks and unlocks unprecedented opportunities for growth and equity. As Prime Minister Modi aptly said, this is India’s journey “from dependence to confidence,” ensuring a digitally empowered future for the nation.

In an interconnected world, a sovereign telecom stack isn’t just strategic, it’s essential.

The tragedy of India: Leftist rag The Wire gives space to former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti to whitewash two Islamic terrorists

Aditi
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The tragedy of India: Leftist rag The Wire gives space to former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti to whitewash two Islamic terrorists

Jammu and Kashmir’s People’s Democratic Party president, and former J&K Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, wrote an article published in the leftist media portal The Wire on September 22, 2025, whitewashing the heinous acts of terrorists Afzal Guru and Yasin Malik and putting the blame on the Indian state. The politician accused the Indian state of showing “institutional duplicity” in dealing with terrorists Afzal Guru, who was executed for attacking the symbol of India’s sovereignty, the Indian Parliament, and Yasin Malik, who was convicted of waging war against the Indian state.

Screenshot from the Wire

Describing the convicted terrorists as “whistleblowers” and “peace-builders”, Mufti accused the Indian state of convicting the two terrorists through “a deeply flawed legal process”. She alleged that the Indian state did not properly investigate the case against Afzal Guru and “executed him to satisfy the collective conscience of the country”. She further alleged that Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorist Yasin Malik was convicted not for waging war against India, but for a “peace process”, which the state allegedly directed him to be a part of.

“This is not just about two men; it is about how we, as a nation, choose to confront our past and whether we’re willing to learn from it. Do we want peace or permanent punishment? Do we seek truth or only what is politically convenient?” wrote Mufti, who once refused to unfurl the Indian flag. Drawing a parallel between Afzal Guru and Yasin Malik, she wrote, “Separated by time, context, and ideology, both men now stand united not only in memory, but in what their cases expose: how the Indian state has used individuals to serve short-term goals and then discarded or punished them once they outlived their usefulness”.

Afzal Guru was a whistleblower: Mufti

In her article, Mufti expresses her deep sympathies for Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013 after being convicted in connection with the 2001 Parliament attack. Mufti said that Afzal had written a letter from jail, in which he named a senior officer in the Special Task Force, Davinder Singh, who allegedly forced Afzal into “helping the very people later accused of the parliament attack”. According to Mufti, the fact that Davinder Singh was later caught by the Indian agencies while transporting terrorists in Kashmir should absolve Afzal of his crime. She accused the Indian government of giving differential treatment to “whistleblower” Afzal Guru and Davinder Singh just because the former was caught before the latter.

“Afzal was branded a terrorist. Singh was quietly sidelined. One was executed and the other, protected,” Mufti lamented. Completely ignoring the fact that Davinder Singh is facing the same judicial system as did Afzal Guru, Mufti questioned the Indian justice system, saying, “What does it say about our justice system when a man names a police officer who is later arrested for terrorism, and yet, it is the whistleblower who is hanged, while the officer remains shielded?” It is Mufti’s logic that a criminal who discloses the name of another criminal should not be considered a criminal merely for naming the other criminal. The fact that Davinder Singh is undergoing a fair judicial trial, as did Afzal Guru, does not matter to Mufti, or rather doesn’t help her narrative. Afzal Guru was hanged for his acts, and Davinder Singh is being tried for the charges levelled against him and will face punishment if convicted.

Yasin Malik is a peace-builder: Mufti

Mufti also feels for convicted terrorist Yasin Malik, who had kidnapped her sister Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989 and was charged in the killings of four Indian Air Force personnel, besides being convicted under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in a terror funding case. Mufti claims that Yasin Malik was ‘used’ by the Indian government for some peace outreach program. “Yasin Malik, once a militant, renounced violence in 1994 and committed himself to political dialogue. For more than two decades, he was embraced by the very state that would later condemn him,” Mufti wrote. She believes that Yasin Malik “was asked by Indian Intelligence Agencies” to meet Pakistan-based terrorist Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan to convince him “to urge a shift from violence to dialogue.” And therefore, as per Mufti, his conviction under UAPA, which was based on evidence, including his links with Hafiz Saeed, was unfair.

Mufti wants the Indian state to believe terrorist Yasin Malik, whose criminal acts were proved in a court of law, when he says that he has renounced violence and has chosen the path of dialogue. Using the examples of convicted terrorists Afzal Guru and Yasin Malik, Mufti tries to prove that it is the Indian state and the Indian judicial system which are at fault for convicting these terrorists, and not the terrorists who engaged in anti-national and terrorist activities when they liked and later adopted the path of dialogue when it looked convenient. Mufti, who said that she wouldn’t raise the Indian flag until the flag of Jammu & Kashmir was restored, wants the Indian State to see the so-called “wrongs” alleged by her, “not as Kashmiri grievances but as Indian failures”.

Mufti is right that something unites Afzal Guru and Yasin Malik, but it is not their alleged “use” by the Indian state, but by the fact that they were both terrorists who saw the Indian state and the Indian people as enemies and attacked India’s integrity and sovereignty.

Terrorists Afzal Guru and Yasin Malik

On the 13th of December, 2001, around 24 years ago, India witnessed one of its darkest days when a terrorist attack was carried out on the Indian Parliament. Nine people, including eight security personnel and one gardener, lost their lives in the attack, and 16 people, including 13 security personnel, sustained injuries. Among those arrested in connection with the attack was Afzal Guru. After about a year-long trial, Afzal Guru was granted capital punishment in August 2002. He was executed in February 2013.

JKLF leader Yasin Malik is in prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special NIA court for terror funding activities in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2022. He was convicted under the UAPA after he pleaded guilty in the case. He was awarded two life imprisonment sentences, in addition to five 10-year sentences, all to run concurrently. Malik is also facing charges for the kidnapping of Mufti’s sister, Rubiya Saeed, and killing 5 IAF personnel in early 1990. He is also allegedly involved in the killing of Justice Neelkanth Ganju, the judge who had ordered the death sentence for JKLF terrorist Maqbool Bhatt, and the murder of the former director of Doordarshan Kendra in Srinagar, Lassa Kaul.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi goes on a foreign trip yet again before crucial Bihar Assembly election: Read why this unserious, part-time politician cannot be trusted to serve the masses

Shriti Sagar
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi goes on a foreign trip yet again before crucial Bihar Assembly election: Read why this unserious, part-time politician cannot be trusted to serve the masses

Opposition leader in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has embarked on yet another foreign trip. This time, he has gone on a four-nation tour in South America, where he will be meeting political leaders, university students, and members of the business community.

Gandhi will be travelling to Brazil and Colombia, as informed by the  Congress’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera. There, he will be addressing students in universities, meeting with presidents and top leaders, and talking to businessmen on topics like trade and technology.

The Congress party has described this tour as an important step to strengthen India’s ties with South America, especially as the region and India share a historical connection through the Non-Aligned Movement and the Global South.

While the Congress party is presenting this trip as an effort to build democratic and strategic partnerships, the timing of Rahul Gandhi’s tour has once again raised questions back home.

A foreign visit when Bihar elections are around the corner

Rahul Gandhi, the Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha, but he is not the Prime Minister of India nor a government delegation. Yet, he has assumed the function of giving talks overseas at a time when an important Bihar poll is at hand.

This has also triggered criticism that his priorities are in the wrong place. A responsible leader would, under normal circumstances, use his time to prepare for strategies, relate to the people on the ground, and consolidate his party ahead of a large election. Rahul Gandhi, however, has opted to go on another foreign trip.

His choice to engage with overseas university students also seems questionable. He is neither an academic nor a subject expert, yet he has scheduled lectures and debates with overseas students and thinkers. Critics allege that rather than giving speeches in Colombia and Brazil, he ought to be addressing the voters in Bihar, where the Congress is struggling hard to stay relevant.

This yet again brings forward the criticism levelled regularly against Rahul Gandhi, that he does not take politics seriously as a politician and tends to approach politics as a part-time activity instead of a full-time one.

Seen chilling in Malaysia just weeks ago

Adding to this impression is his recent vacation in Malaysia. Earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi had just finished his so-called Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar. But instead of continuing his political outreach, he flew off to Malaysia soon after the yatra ended.

His trip became a matter of controversy after pictures surfaced on social media showing him vacationing in Langkawi, Malaysia. BJP leaders and people on social media slammed him for once again disappearing during an important political season.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, posted on X, “Rahul Gandhi has slipped away yet again—this time on a clandestine vacation in Langkawi, Malaysia. Looks like the heat and dust of Bihar’s politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break. Or is it another one of those secret meetings that no one is supposed to know about? Either way, while people struggle with real issues, Rahul Gandhi is busy perfecting the art of disappearing and vacationing.”

Besides, Gandhi’s Malaysia trip is surrounded by controversy because Islamic fundamentalist Zakir Naik took Malaysian citizenship after leaving India. This had led to speculations that Gandhi might have gone to Malaysia for a ‘special meeting’. An X user wrote, “He has gone to Malaysia to meet his guru, Zakir Naik”.

The Malaysia trip, which came immediately after his Bihar yatra, only reinforced the view that Rahul Gandhi treats political events like assignments, something to be quickly completed before heading abroad to relax.

A secret trip to Uzbekistan before state polls

This is not the first instance Rahul Gandhi has opted to travel out of the country before elections. In October 2023, he clandestinely left India for a visit to Uzbekistan ahead of crucial Vidhan Sabha elections in several States. 

When he did come back, the media learned about it only when he was seen at Delhi International Airport. He still did not reveal what the purpose of the trip was. This secrecy has been a habitual aspect of his foreign trips, which are usually done under a veil of secrecy.

This kind of conduct, critics argue, is not fit for a senior Opposition leader who ought to be showing the way, particularly in the midst of critical political seasons.

The Congress prince has a history of going abroad during elections

Rahul Gandhi has a track record of going on holidays without informing the public, either during election season or at a time when his party needs him the most. Gandhi is famous for his foreign travels during a crisis in his party, and also for promoting foreign interference in India’s internal affairs.

His Bangkok trip in 2019 was equally controversial. At that time, too, he left in the middle of the elections and went on a trip. The questions raised on his foreign trips are not without ground, as many times during his foreign trips, he has met anti-India elements. 

For example, in 2023, during his visit to the US, he met Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of Hindu for Human Rights (HfHR). HfHR is an Islamist advocacy group which accuses Hindus of indulging in discrimination in India.

In April 2022, when the Congress party needed leadership and there were rumours of including Prashant Kishor in the Congress, Gandhi went abroad, showing a lack of concern. And, soon after Prashant Kishor refused to join the party, Rahul Gandhi again suddenly disappeared for about 10 days, without giving any information. During that time, despite being in a deep crisis, the Congress party had to work without any leadership.

Earlier, in December 2021, when the Congress party was defeated very badly in assembly elections held in five states, Rahul Gandhi was on a personal trip to Italy. Due to his trip, election activities in Punjab were dealt a significant setback as a majority of rallies were postponed until his return. This trip of his became the cause of the Aam Aadmi Party’s victory and the defeat of his own party.

In September 2021, when the Congress was in trouble because of Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation in Punjab, the Gandhi family was on leave in Shimla. 

In December 2020, when the 136th foundation day of the Congress Party was being celebrated, Rahul Gandhi once again flew to Italy. Likewise, in October 2019, only 15 days before the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, he flew off to Bangkok.

Similarly, soon after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he flew off to London and began vacationing, without holding back for the outcomes. He did not even join a crucial meeting convened by his mother, Sonia Gandhi.

 Apart from this, Rahul Gandhi often did not take SPG security (Special Protection Group) during his foreign trips and kept violating security rules. Due to this, the government withdrew his SPG security. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also raised questions on this in Parliament.

A pattern that shows misplaced priorities

With the Bihar elections around the corner, Rahul Gandhi’s decision to go on a South American tour has only revived these old criticisms. Instead of spending time in Bihar, where his party has a lot at stake, he is once again abroad, speaking to foreign students and leaders.

For many observers, this reflects misplaced priorities. At a time when the Congress party is struggling to find its feet in one of India’s most politically important states, its leader is thousands of miles away. Rahul Gandhi’s pattern of vanishing abroad before major elections raises serious doubts about his seriousness as a politician and whether he truly sees himself as a full-time leader.

As Naxals face a near-wipeout, two senior leaders on loggerheads about surrendering: Telangana Intelligence report says panic amid Maoist cadre

Rukma Rathore
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As Naxals face a near-wipeout, two senior leaders on loggerheads about surrendering: Telangana Intelligence report says panic amid Maoist cadre

The Modi government has launched an unparalleled campaign against red terror in India with Home Minister Amit Shah repeatedly asserting that the country will be free from this threat by 31st March 2026. The assertive measures undertaken by security forces have not only drastically decreased the number of active Naxalites and their leadership through elimination but have also prompted many to surrender in response to the no-tolerance policy and the development efforts undertaken by the central government.

Two factions within the Maoist party are at odds over whether or not to give up their weapons and integrate into society, according to the most recent development. The news was shared by high-ranking officials in the Telangana state intelligence wing, reported The Indian Express. The groups are headed by Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known as Sonu and Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji.

Sonu is the ideological leader of the party and supports surrender while Devuji wants the continuation of the “armed struggle” and serves as the current general secretary of the Central Military Commission. It is the armed wing of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Devuji is from Jagtial and Sonu hails from Peddapalli in Telangana and both have a ₹1 crore bounty each.

Three letters unveil significant split

Three letters that were swiftly made public revealed the internal division. According to the first, which Sonu wrote on 15th August and published on 17th September, the party is “ready for peace talks” with the centre and is willing to “temporarily surrender arms.” He revealed that Basavaraju, their former general secretary supported putting down weapons. The latter carried a reward of ₹1.5 crore and was killed alongside 26 other Naxals in an operation in the Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district in May.

The letter read, “In view of the changed global and national circumstances, as well as the continuous requests from the Prime Minister, Home Minister and senior police officials to give up arms and join the mainstream, we are ready to give up arms and join the mainstream.”

On 19th September, the Maoist party’s Telangana state committee issued a second letter signed by its spokesman Jagan, claiming that Sonu merely voiced his personal view. Another letter denouncing Sonu’s stance as “treason” was then sent on behalf of the party’s Central Committee, Politburo and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee. “It is not our policy to betray the oppressed people by surrendering weapons to the enemy and joining the mainstream,” it announced, ruling out the possibility of a complete surrender.

The letter further stressed, “The changing international and domestic circumstances do not indicate an abandonment of the armed struggle. On the contrary, they demonstrate and prove the necessity of continuing armed struggle.”

What did the official sources say

“One needs to understand the context from which these letters stem. The letters reveal the ‘two-line struggle’ within the party – one section is saying it is time to lay down arms and the second saying it is time to fight with more gusto,” disclosed a senior intelligence official. “It is with the blessings of Devuji that this central committee letter has come out in favour of continuing the armed struggle,” the source added.

According to sources, the conflict between the two camps within the party has persisted for the past 12 months. A year ago, Sonu’s spouse Tarakka surrendered n Maharashtra and in September, P Padmavati, the wife of his brother Kishenji followed suit in Telangana. The party released a Politburo memo in 2024 stating that it should “retreat” since its rungs are “weak.”

“A section of the party – its ideological backbone – has been contemplating surrendering and adopting democratic means. The other section, however, has been staunch supporters of armed struggle,” another official mentioned. The person pointed out that a number of armed groups have previously embraced democratic methods and added, “The most prominent example is CPI (Marxist, Leninist),” the person added.

The party’s split coincides with an increased security campaign against its cadre and members. There are now only 10 members of the central committee down from 19 at one time. The officer stated, “There is a crisis and two wings of the party are responding in two different ways.”

Modi government’s war on left wing terrorism

Naxalism encountered a major setback after the central government implemented a forceful approach to dismantle their strongholds in various parts of the nation. It unleashed “Operation Kagar” in January 2024 as part of its zero-tolerance stance against Naxals. It is a multifaceted approach that aims to address the underlying causes of naxalism by combining vigorous military operations, improved coordination between Central and State troops and development initiatives.

Notwithstanding the bold declarations from the aforementioned group, the fact remains that areas which had devolved into significant centers of Maoist violence are again seeing progress and are being reintegrated into the mainstream. Furthermore, several Naxalites are requesting dialogue with the government, fearing for their lives and the total eradication of their movement.

The discord between the two factions of CPI(M) similarly exemplifies how even the senior leaders of the Maoist movement are unsure about their future and are inclined to surrender leading to a crisis within their shrinking organizations as ideological unity seems to weaken in light of government intervention.

Meanwhile, ten states and roughly 106 districts were categorised as Naxal-affected as of 2015. This number had dropped to 38 and then to 18 by 2024. Twelve of them were deemed to have been most affected by Naxal activity but now there are only six, signifying the effectiveness of the strategies and efforts implemented by both security forces and the Modi government.

Kolkata flooding: Mamata Banerjee’s politics drowns the city along with its people

Dr. Prosenjit Nath
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Kolkata flooding: Mamata Banerjee’s politics drowns the city along with its people

In my recent visit to Kolkata, I witnessed a city that once prided itself on its rich culture and vibrant energy, now gasping for breath under water. The relentless overnight downpour, the heaviest in nearly 40 years, turned the “City of Joy” into a city of despair. The disaster unfolded at the peak of Durga Puja preparations, when Kolkata is usually lit up and alive with millions of people visiting pandals and celebrating Bengal’s biggest festival. Instead, this year, Kolkata’s streets resembled rivers, and its people were left stranded and hopeless.

The numbers speak for themselves. The India Meteorological Department (IMD)reported that Kolkata received 251.4 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hours, the highest since 1986. In southern areas like Garia, the downpour reached 332 mm, while the northern parts received 195 mm. At its peak, the rain came down at a staggering 98 mm per hour, almost like a cloudburst. For the city’s 15 million residents, it was a night of panic. Cars floated away, homes were inundated, and eleven people lost their lives, nine of them due to electrocution from live wires left unattended by authorities.

The tragedy was compounded by the timing. Durga Puja is not merely a festival; it is Bengal’s soul. It represents community, tradition, and celebration. But this year, over 3,000 pandals were submerged, leaving volunteers heartbroken and struggling to save idols and decorations. Streets where people should have been dancing and celebrating were instead flooded with waist-deep water. The rain didn’t just disrupt the festivities; it symbolically drowned Kolkata’s spirit, exposing how fragile and neglected the city has become.

Metro services on the Blue Line between Dakshineswar and Shahid Khudiram were suspended, local trains from Sealdah were halted, and even runways at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were waterlogged. Kolkata’s essential transport systems came to a complete standstill. Roads were jammed with abandoned vehicles, and flights were delayed indefinitely. For a city that claims to be modern and global, the sight was nothing short of shameful.

Mamata blames Centre, geography, UP, Bihar, and everything else, except her own Govt

And yet, when faced with this colossal disaster, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s first instinct was not to take responsibilitybut to deflect blame. She pointed fingers at everything and everyone except her own government’s failures. According to Mamata, the flooding was caused by water flowing in from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other states through the Ganga, as well as mismanagement by central agencies like the Farakka Barrage authorities and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). She even went as far as accusing the Centre of not dredging the Farakka Barrage properly, saying, “When the Ganga’s holding capacity goes down, where will Kolkata’s water drain out?”

While upstream factors may have played a role, Mamata’s excuses fall flat when we look at the core issue: Kolkata’s crumbling drainage system and lack of urban planning, both of which fall squarely under her government’s jurisdiction. For over a decade, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has ruled Bengal, controlling the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). And what has been the result? Rampant corruption, zero modernisation of infrastructure, and a complete lack of vision.

Kolkata’s crumbling infra

The city’s drainage network still relies on British-era systems, built over a century ago. In these 15 years of TMC rule, the government has spent crores on flashy festivals, politically motivated subsidies, and populist freebies—but has failed to invest in basic infrastructure like stormwater drains, pumping stations, and flood-prevention mechanisms. The result? A few hours of heavy rain turned a metropolis into a disaster zone.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rightly slammed Mamata’s government on social media, stating: “Durga Pujo celebrations are starting this week. Yet, due to Kolkata’s extremely poor drainage system, Puja pandals are submerged under water. Years of anarchy under the CPM and nearly 15 years of corruption under TMC have forced Bengalis to suffer even during their biggest festival.”

This is not mere rhetoric; it reflects the frustration of countless citizens who have seen no real improvement in their lives. Under TMC, Kolkata has become a city of tokenism, where cosmetic projects like painting walls blue and white take precedence over real development.

The deaths due to electrocution are perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of this tragedy. Nine people died because live wires were left exposed in flooded streets. This is not “nature’s fury”; this is human negligence and administrative apathy. Instead of proactively cutting power in vulnerable areas and ensuring public safety, the state government and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) waited for disaster to strike. After the tragedy, Mamata promised compensation and jobs for victims’ families, a typical afterthought in her administration’s playbook. Compensation is not justice; accountability and systemic reform are what Bengal needs.

Why ‘lack of funds from Centre’ cannot be an excuse

Mamata also played the victim card, accusing the Centre of taking away Bengal’s rightful GST share and not providing financial aid during disasters. While this fits neatly into her narrative of “Delhi vs. Bengal,” the truth is that disaster management and local governance are primarily state responsibilities. If funds were genuinely lacking, why has TMC consistently poured money into political rallies, party patronage, and even controversial schemes that benefit only vote banks? The real problem is misallocation and corruption, not a lack of resources.

The Farakka Barrage issue, while important, has been a convenient scapegoat for successive governments. Yes, dredging and proper water management are crucial, but they do not explain why Kolkata’s internal drainage collapsed. Blaming Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for Kolkata’s misery is a distraction tactic, not a solution.

The time has come to recognise that Bengal’s problems are political as much as they are environmental. Decades of communist rule left the state economically crippled, but nearly 15 years of TMC governance have been equally disastrous. Instead of reversing the damage, Mamata has entrenched a culture of corruption and political appeasement. The KMC, once a respected civic body, has now become a TMC stronghold used for patronage and vote bank politics.

If Kolkata is to survive future crises, political reform is essential. This means replacing the entrenched political elite with leaders focused on governance rather than theatrics. Bengal cannot afford another decade of tokenism and festival politics. It needs serious investment in infrastructure, strict urban planning to stop illegal constructions that block drainage, and a comprehensive disaster management strategy.

As I walked through waist-deep water during my visit, I saw ordinary citizens helping one another while the state machinery remained largely absent. Volunteers carried food and medicine to stranded families, while neighborhood groups tried to organize relief. The people of Kolkata showed remarkable resilience, but their spirit should not be exploited by politicians who have failed them repeatedly.

Durga Puja symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. This year, that symbolism takes on a bitter irony. The real evil Kolkata must defeat is political corruption and misrule. Mamata Banerjee’s government has turned natural disasters into political spectacles, where blame is shifted and responsibility is dodged. But nature will not wait for politics to settle.

If nothing changes, Kolkata will continue to drown not just in water but in apathy, mismanagement, and political arrogance. It is time for the people of Bengal to demand more than excuses. It is time for true reform, accountability, and leadership that prioritizes lives over votes. Only then can the City of Joy truly rise again, instead of sinking deeper into despair every monsoon.

‘I Love Muhammad’ row: Muslim supporters of Maulana Touqeer Raza Khan pelt stones amidst chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’, Bareilly Police conduct lathi-charge

OpIndia Staff
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‘I Love Muhammad’ row: Muslim supporters of Maulana Touqeer Raza Khan pelt stones amidst chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’, Bareilly Police conduct lathi-charge

Amidst the ongoing ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign, major unrest erupted after Jummah prayers on 26th September, in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. A Muslim mob comprising supporters of Islamist leader and president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), Maulana Touqeer Raza Khan, wanted to go to Islamia Maidan, and when police tried to stop them, the extremists pelted the police with stones.

The Muslim rioters are also reported to have done stone pelting on the police while chanting “Allahu Akbar” slogans.

According to reports, the police then resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation and chased and beat the Muslim rioters. Hundreds of people took to the streets in various areas of the city, carrying posters and banners reading “I Love Muhammad.”

The Muslim mob had gathered to submit a memorandum when the crowd suddenly turned violent. The administration has deployed 12 companies of the RAF and the RRF have been deployed in the area.  The IG, SP, and DM have conducted flag marches in sensitive areas to take stock of the situation.

There was also unrest in the Baradari and Premnagar areas. Police closed markets in the city. Currently, police have detained Maulana Tauqeer Raza. The Islamist leader is also accused of instigating riots in Bareilly in 2010. The case is currently in court.

Notably, a  significant controversy has emerged following the alleged removal of an “I Love Muhammad” banner in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur. The members of the Muslim community have launched agitations in multiple regions across the country, from Bihar to Hyderabad. The incidents have even led to violence in Godhra, where extremists have vandalised a police station. As OpIndia reported earlier, this matter is not limited to the “I Love Muhammad” poster, which represents only a fraction of the issue. The core matter is related to the destruction of Hindu religious posters at the hands of the Muslims.

Delhi HC awards ₹5 lakh compensation to Rajdeep Sardesai in a defamation case over a Twitter user’s remarks on his interview with Rhea Chakraborty

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC awards ₹5 lakh compensation to Rajdeep Sardesai in a defamation case over a Twitter user’s remarks on his interview with Rhea Chakraborty

Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai was granted ₹5 lakh compensation by the Delhi High Court on September 3, 2025, in a defamation suit filed in 2020 by the TV Today Network Ltd over certain defamatory remarks made by a social media user against him. The defendant, named Anurag Srivastava, had posted certain defamatory comments on Twitter (now ?) about Sardesai on August 8, 2020, after Sardesai’s exclusive interview with actress Rhea Chakraborty, who was an accused in a case relating to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The interview was aired on the plaintiff’s news channels, India Today and Aaj Tak.

The defendant posted certain defamatory tweets against Sardeai

Criticising Sardesai, Srivastava had written on X, “When Rajdeep Sardesai was born, the nurse said …Badhai ho… Apko dalla hua…” The plaintiff had also objected to some earlier posts made by Srivastava. On June 7, 2020, the defendant had uploaded a video on X, accompanied by a comment alleging that Rajdeep Sardesai was involved in spreading fake news. In another post, the defendant had compared Sardesai with fugitive radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. “There is no difference between Rajdeep Sardesai and Zakir Naik #ShameOnAajTak”, the defendant posted on X on August 26, 2020. And lastly, a comment posted by the defendant on X on September 9, 2020, saying, “Rhea Chakraborty allegedly gave Rs. 8 crores to Rajdeep Sirdesai and India Today for her interview. RIP 4th Pillar of Democracy”, was also the subject of the defamation suit.

The TV Today Network claimed that their reputation was affected and their total income declined following the defendant’s defamatory remarks. In the defamation suit, the plaintiff demanded compensation of ₹ 2,00,00,100. The defendant had removed the defamatory posts from his social media profile in compliance with a court order and assured the court not to re-post them.

Holding that the comments made by the defendant were highly defamatory, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled the suit in favour of the plaintiff with compensation. “Having considered the overall facts and circumstances, the Court finds that the objectionable tweets were highly defamatory and remain unsubstantiated by the defendant, despite having been afforded sufficient opportunity to do so,” the High Court said in its judgment.

“Having considered the overall circumstances, this Court deems it just and proper to award ₹5,00,000 as general compensatory damages to the plaintiff, to redress the reputational harm, emotional hardship, and loss of professional credibility caused by the conduct of the defendant,” the court added.

Sardesai faced backlash for interviewing Rhea Chakraborty, who claimed during the interview that late actor Sushant Singh Rajput was suffering from a mental disorder, insinuating that his tragic death had a connection with his poor mental health. Rhea, who was the live-in partner of the deceased actor, was facing a probe at that time in connection with the mysterious death of Rajput. The interview received a negative response from viewers who alleged that Sardesai was trying to whitewash the allegations against Rhea by interviewing with an accused in the case.

After promising to cut drug prices by up to 1500%, Donald Trump imposes 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals: What it means for Indian pharma industry

Rukma Rathore
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After promising to cut drug prices by up to 1500%, Donald Trump imposes 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals: What it means for Indian pharma industry

United States President Donald Trump has announced another fresh series of tariffs on specific industries, with declaring that import of branded pharmaceuticals will have a 100% tariff in the USA, unless the companies are already manufacturing their facilities in the country.

The order will take effect from 1st October. However, companies that are building production facilities in the United States are exempted.

After imposing a 50% tariff on India (including extra 25% for acquiring Russian oil) this move is yet another effort to harm the country, popular as the “pharmacy of the world,” alongside another major Asian economy, China which also has a precarious relationship with the Trump administration.

According to the Census Bureau, the United States imported pharmaceutical and medical goods valued at around $233 billion in 2024. Trump appears to have conveniently forgotten that this will ultimately harm the financial interests of his voters, as some medications might double in price, as healthcare costs as well as those of Medicare and Medicaid could rise significantly.

Trump warned in early July that he planned to impose tariffs of up to 200 per cent on goods from pharmaceutical companies after asking them to relocate their operations to the US.

According to reports, at least half of the approved goods produced by nearly 90% of US biotech companies depend on imported components. The Trump administration started looking at the effects of all drug imports on US national security in April, including both branded and completed generic medications along with the components that are utilised in making them.

Additionally, the Republican leader declared sweeping taxes on a variety of domestic products, such as imported kitchen cabinets and specific furnishings, which might raise prices in an industry where hikes in costs have already occurred in recent months. His administration will levy a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture and a 50% duty on kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and related products from next month. 25% heavy truck tariff has also been slapped.

Trump has consistently upheld the tariffs, claiming that the US market has been overwhelmed with foreign goods despite considerable opposition and an alarming strain on diplomatic ties with allies like India. However, he referred to it as a profoundly unfair practice and stated that the US needs to protect its manufacturing processes for national security and other critical reasons.

New challenges for India

The development has caused a stir in the pharmaceutical world. The measure spares generics, the less expensive equivalents created after patents expire, by specifically targeting branded and patented medications. The difference makes the situation somewhat easier for India, the world’s largest producer of generics medicines.

India’s biggest market is the United States which receives over one-third of India’s pharmaceutical exports that are primarily less expensive generic substitutes for well-known medications. Major exporters of medications and active pharmaceutical ingredients to the United States include Sun Pharmaceutical, Lupin, Aurobindo Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences, Hetero Labs and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories. They sent $3.7 billion worth of goods to the US from January to June this year, and $3.6 billion last year.

However, according to industry analysts, India remains at risk even if generics are not included in the directive. Many businesses also use contracts with global corporations to manufacture formulations and ingredients for branded products. If the final medications are taxed, those collaborations can be broken.

Others are concerned about how the word “branded” would be interpreted by US officials. Even generics have a manufacturer’s label, and a vague or ambiguous definition could end up in customs delays, inspections or extra charges for Indian imports.

The primary issue at hand is the trajectory of US policy. Trump’s exemption for companies that are “constructing” facilities in America is broadly interpreted as a message to pharmaceutical firms that they need to create production capabilities within the United States. Purchasing American facilities will result in increased capital expenses and reduced profit margins for India’s largest exporters. Smaller businesses might not be able to match the demand.

Notably, the United States is also vulnerable to the impulsive decisions made by Trump. The tariff could distort the pharmaceutical market in the United States. Interestingly, short-term increases in demand for generic alternatives could even benefit Indian providers if import taxes make branded medications more expensive.

Trump rewards Americans voters by retracting his promise

It is not surprising for a politician to make grand and extravagant promises to the public in order to secure their votes and the US president is no exception. He has made a long-standing commitment to reduce drug prices and even attached some shocking figures to it. The “most favoured nation” policy his administration announced in an executive order in May, he asserted, will lower prescription medicine costs by 1,000% or more.

Trump made several statements reassuring the American public that they would see a sharp decline in medication prices Following his repeated failure to deliver on his promise. He conveyed, “We have something coming up, favored nations, where I’m going to be reducing drug prices by 1,400 to 1,500%,” during last month.

Trump had also said, “We’re gonna be reducing drug prices down to a level that nobody, not by 20%, 30% by like 1,000%. Because, you know, we’re paying sometimes 10 times more than other nations, and we’re not doing it anymore,” in September. “We have something else called ‘favored nations,’ where I’m going to be reducing drug prices by 1,000% by 900, 600, 500, 1,200,” he alleged after a few days.

Notably, it is impossible to reduce prices by any percentage above 100%. A 100% reduction means a price of 0, and any reduction over it will mean negative price.

The president would only manage get a 100% cut if he could somehow convince the businesses to bring down the cost of all their medications to $0. If it were reduced by more than that, Americans would have to be compensated for obtaining their prescription drugs instead of having to pay for them. Trump’s promises, according to health economist Timothy McBride, are “just not logical.” He outlined that a 500% price drop would result in a medicine that currently costs $100 to drop to negative $400.

Put aside any expectations of price reductions or paying customers for their medicine purchases, as ridiculous as it sounds, the White House’s decision is set to burn a hole in the pocket of a regular American.

US dependence on India and China

The supply chains for life sciences which have been increasingly globalised in the last ten years are being severely disrupted by the new tariffs. Due to a significant reliance on foreign suppliers for medications, chemicals and research materials, the United States currently imports more than $200 billion worth of pharmaceuticals yearly, more than double its exports.

Nearly 90% of US biopharma companies depend on imported components for at least half of their products, and up to 82% of the “building blocks” for active pharmaceutical ingredients for essential medications come from China and India.

Therefore, the supply of raw materials, reagents, laboratory equipment, and finished pharmaceutical products into the US market could be hampered by tariffs on important trading partners, such as China, India, the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

China and India are particularly susceptible when it comes to critical inputs. China provides about 30% of the raw materials used to create popular medications. This contains the chemicals for cancer and heart drugs that Americans rely on as well as multiple antibiotics. Three percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in the US, along with significant amounts of precursors, packaging materials, and production equipment, originate in China, according to Caroline Shleifer, CEO of a regulatory research business. 

Higher raw material costs will “trickle down the supply chain” and ultimately raise production costs, she maintained, forcing tariffs on these imports to “disrupt the global supply chain for pharmaceuticals and life sciences,” reported Labiotech.

Drug distributors are represented by the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) which also warned that generic producers and distributors who operate on extremely small margins of less than 0.3% are unable to bear such high tariff charges. As businesses struggle to get ingredients and prices are passed on to payers and patients, they predict “new and worsened shortages of important medications.”

All things considered, the tariffs are expected to tighten supply constraints and possibly exacerbate the current drug shortage issue in the United States. ​

US drug costs set to rise

According to an analysis commissioned by the industry’s US trade group, a 25% tax on pharmaceutical imports would raise the cost of drugs by around $51 billion a year in the country, hiking US prices by as much as 12.9% if transferred forward, reported Reuters. The Ernst & Young analysis revealed that 73% of the $203 billion in pharmaceutical imports into the US in 2023 came from Europe, mainly from Germany, Switzerland and Ireland.

$393 billion was spent on finished pharmaceuticals in the United States that year. The primary US pharmaceutical lobby, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America commissioned the report which was dated 22nd April and has not been published yet.

Trump’s proposed tariffs could boost the cost of some cancer treatments by $8,000 to $10,000 for a 24-week course, according to Diederik Stadig, an analyst at ING Bank, per a report in Investopedia. Generic medications would probably cost an average of 94 cents a pill instead of the current 82 cents.

The higher prices would either be incurred by consumers or eventually passed on to them in the form of higher health insurance premiums. “The initial impact on both patients and the U.S. health care system could be very significant,” Stadig highlighted.

According to Ted Murphy, a trade lawyer at Sidley Austin, a law firm that advises businesses on their submissions to the Commerce Department, drugmakers view Trump administration’s investigation into pharmaceutical imports as an opportunity to demonstrate that high tariffs would impede their attempts to rapidly speed up US production and suggest alternatives.

Drug companies have reportedly urged Trump to gradually impose taxes on pharmaceutical imports in an effort to lessen the impact of the charges. However, their submissions appear to have an opposite effect on him.

Finding effective solutions proves to be difficult

Some firms turned to stockpiling before tariffs were imposed in order to prevent sudden supply disruptions. Some European pharmaceutical companies took the unprecedented step of air-freighting additional batches of medications to the United States to avoid tariff deadlines prior to the April announcements. However, this stockpiling gives US operations a temporary buffer and are only short-term yet expensive.

Several multinationals had previously announced billions in additional US manufacturing investments in recent months to speed up local production of important drugs​. Dual production hubs have been considered by many companies. Theoretically, increased production in the United States would lessen dependency on imports and exposure to future tariffs.

However, in reality, onshoring is neither quick nor inexpensive. Given the strict FDA rules and validation criteria, the pharmaceutical industry and its lobby (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) pointed out that constructing a new pharmaceutical factory in the United States can take five to ten years and cost approximately $2 billion.

Moreover, it can take at least two years to add futher manufacturing lines to an existing facility in the country. This means that while corporations are pledging to boost local capacity, their efforts will not avert the near-term supply problems.

Businesses are radically rethinking supply chain design in addition to shifting operations. Many are spending money on insurance, inventory control, and backup suppliers to deal with trade outages. Some biopharma executives propose maintaining several smaller production facilities across the globe, instead of a single huge plant, so that they can respond flexibly to changes in geopolitics or tariffs.

Others are considering the possibility of decentralised clinical trial models which involve conducting trials at homes of patientsor nearby clinics, in an effort to lessen the need to carry medical supplies across international boundaries. However, t hese modifications are not without their own associated expenses and risks.

Conclusion

The pharmaceutical supply chain is expected to experience severe short-term disruptions. Many businesses anticipate at least a year of interruption before appropriate workarounds are in place because it takes time to adapt intricate global supply networks. The industry will need to prepare for higher input costs overall during this period of adjustment.

The prices of pharmaceuticals and research supplies are predicted to rise in the United States as a result of this cost increase. It also put pressure on the margins of many manufacturers, particularly those who make generic drugs and are already struggling financially.

To summarize, after instigating a global trade war by announcing his “beautiful tariffs” and causing the loss of billions dollar for the US market in addition to negatively impacting the global economy, the self-proclaimed greatest US president is once more set to trigger a similar series of shockwaves through his actions against global pharmaceutical hubs, thereby adversely affecting his own countrymen as a result of his misguided judgements.

Half of the reproductive-age women of Greenland were planted with IUDs ‘without their knowledge or consent’, Denmark PM apologises: Read about the vile scandal

Shraddha Pandey
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Half of the reproductive-age women of Greenland were planted with IUDs ‘without their knowledge or consent’, Denmark PM apologises: Read about the vile scandal

Historical injustices are seldom fully rectified, and rarer still is a heartfelt apology from those responsible the transgressions. However, Metter Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark has issued a formal apology for the forced contraception involving Inuit women and girls in Greenland. After issuing a written statement on 27th August 2025, acknowledging “systemic discrimination”, PM Frederiksen, delivered an in-person address on 24th September, in Nuuk, Greenland.

The emotional ceremony at the Katuaq Cultural Centre was attended by dozens of survivors and Frederiksen directly spoke to the victims of the horrific birth control programme.

“Dear women. Dear families. Dear Greenland. Today there is only one right thing to say to you. Sorry. Sorry for the injustice that was committed against you. Because you were Greenlanders. Sorry for what was taken from you. And for the pain it caused. On behalf of Denmark. Sorry,” Frederiksen said.

She further described the events as a “dark chapter in out shared history” and a “betrayal that had major consequences for Greenlandic girls.” The Danish PM also extended apology for “other dark chapters” of systemic discrimination against Greenlanders due to their indigenous identity.

During the event, one woman stood with her back to the Danish PM in protest, with a black handprint painted across her mouth.

Earlier, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nieslson apologised, taking responsibility for cases after 1991. It is to be noted that Greenland assumed control of its healthcare system in 1991.

“You were not asked. You had no opportunity to speak out. You were not heard. You were not seen,” he said.

Danish government commits to providing compensation payout to Greenlandic women

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s apology was not confined to just comforting words and acknowledgment of wrongdoing against Greenlandic women in the past, as she offered reparations to the victims who were fitted with contraceptive coils without their consent. The specific amounts or timelines, however, are yet to be finalised.

Frederiksen said that she would be setting up a “reconciliation fund”. A statement released by her office said that the Danish government wanted “to establish a reconciliation fund that can provide individual financial compensation to Greenlandic women in the IUD case and to other Greenlanders who have been subjected to failure and systematic discrimination because they are Greenlanders”.

The 2024 lawsuit by Greenlandic women in pursuit of justice, dignity and closure

The apologies by Danish and Greenlandic PMs follow a 2024 lawsuit filed by 143 women, of whom 138 were minors when they were fitted with contraceptive coils without their consent or knowledge, by Danish doctors. The petitioners demanded 43 million Danish Kroner (around $6.3 million USD) for human rights violation, including pain, infertility and psychological trauma. Naja Lyberth, who was the first woman to come forward to reveal that she had been fitted with an IUD coil during a state medical examination in her teenage, accused the Danish government of concerted sterilisation.

In conversation with Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR), Lyberth said, “As long as we live, we want to regain our self-respect and respect for our wombs. There is no government to decide whether we should have children or not.”

Naja Lyberth (Image via KNR)

The horrific ‘Coil Campaign’ that stripped thousands of Greenlandic women of their motherhood, future and choice

The scandal known as the “Coil Campaign” and the “Spiral Case” due to the S-shaped intrauterine device (IUDs). It was a Danish government-led campaign to control Greenland’s population growth amid rapid increases due to enhanced healthcare systems and living conditions. Denmark, which administered the healthcare of Greenland until 1992, saw high birth rates, especially out-of-wedlock pregnancies, as a financial and social burden. The program halved the birth rate of Greenland in a few years. However, it also inflicted unspeakable physical and psychological harm, including pain, infections, infertility and trauma to the victims.

Although preparatory discussions dated back to the early 1960s, the ‘Coil Campaign’ officially began in 1966. Under the directives from Copenhagen, Danish doctors and health officials targeted Inuit women and girls, some as young as 12-years-old, to prevent ‘unplanned pregnancies’ and to lower childcare costs.

The period of 1966-1970 was the peak time of this opprobrious campaign. Investigations reveal 4,500 insertions, affecting approximately half of Greenland’s 9,000 native fertile women and girls at that time. By the end of 1970, more than 4,070 had been fitted with IUDs. This number is estimated to be about 50% of childbearing age females.

From 1970s to early 1990s, insertions tapered but persisted. The program fully ended in 1991 after Greenland secured healthcare autonomy.

An independent 347-page report published on 9th September 2025, confirmed that over 400 non-consensual cases examined. The report, however, stated that the actual number is likely way higher. It found some post 1991 incidents up to 2018, involving non-consensual fittings during abortions. Of 410 cases described in detail, 349 involved health complications.  

This report titled, “An impartial study of contraception practices in Kalaallit Nunaat in the period 1960-1991”, has been prepared by researchers and historians from the University of Greenland and the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark.

The report said that Greenland’s birth rate had begun to stagnate around 1965, after which there was a decline, which particularly accelerated from the late 1960s – as a probable consequence of the spread of the IUD method. The decline in birth rate was greatest among women between 30 and 50 years of age and lowest among young people.

Population and birth rate in Kalaallit Nunaat 1950-2000. Folketal means Population and Fødselsrate means Birth rate

The data indicates that the age distribution for IUD placements across the three districts— Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Nuuk, was highest in the 15 to 19 age group, followed by 20-24, 25-29. With youngest age being 12 and eldest being 47 in Ilulissat, 12 (youngest) and 46 (eldest) in Sisimiut, and 14 (youngest) and 45 (eldest) in Nuuk district.

The age range in the three districts. All infographics via “An impartial study of contraception practices in Kalaallit Nunaat in the period 1960-1991“ report.

One of the victims, who was 13 at that time, recalled, “The other girls said they took it out by pulling, so I took out my own IUD.”

Several other victims received injections of Depo-Provera, a long-acting hormonal contraceptive that, in some cases, stopped women’s menstrual cycles permanently and left them unable to conceive. Many others had to get their uterus removed surgically.

Women and girls were told by Danish doctors that they needed a ‘checkup’ or treatment for unrelated issues. For these ‘checkups’, parents were rarely consulted even as Danish law prohibited contraception for minors without consent until 1970. Danish health officials carried out procedures on Greenlandic women without giving any explanation of the device’s purpose, risks or permanence.

While a lack of consent and even proper knowledge of what was being done to the women and girls who trusted their Danish doctors was outrageous, the insertion process is disturbing. The early Lippes Loop IUDs were large S-shaped, unlike modern T-shaped. These S-shaped coils caused intense pain during insertion without anaesthesia. In some case, these IUDs were fitted post-abortion or during other procedures under sedation. Since doctors denied or delayed its removal when sought by the victims, this exacerbated complications, including scarring and infections.

The report prepared by Greenland University professors reveals, the focus of the Coil Campaign was young and unmarried Inuit girls in remote areas or dormitories. This singling out of Inuit women and targeted birth control measure against them reflected colonial biases against the Indigenous people.

While a state apology and reparations may give some solace to the survivors of the Coil Campaign, the dehumanising horror they were subjected to can never really be compensated.

Greenland has been an autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark. Since the 1700s, the world’s largest island had been under Norwegian and Danish influence. But Denmark’s formal sovereignty was established in 1814 via the Treaty of Kiel. Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and expanded self-governance in 2009, but Denmark still oversees its foreign affairs and defence.

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